Seth Carter

Graduation! Perhaps this past week or two, many of you were either invited to a party or hosting one for your own graduate. What a joy to celebrate the achievements of another, to affirm their work or accomplishment and a treat to be invited into it!

The Bible uses the relational imagery of feasting and parties to describe the kingdom of God. In Luke 14:15, while Jesus was teaching about humility, someone responded by saying, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 

Jesus responded with another story of a dinner party, and this time the focus was on those who didn’t come. The invites had been sent, everything was prepared and it was time to open the doors! The host sent his servant to let everyone know it was time.

“But they all alike began to make excuses,” Luke 14:18 said. 

The significant commonality with these excuses is that none of them were urgent. It wasn’t until “at the dinner hour” that the guests began to explain the things keeping them from attending. Commentator and pastor, Nicky Gumbel, put them in categories of “property, possessions and people.”

Isn’t it odd that at the dinner hour, it suddenly becomes important to check on a piece of land? That didn’t happen when they bought it? Are they closing on the deal at dinner time? No. It is only an excuse. Another is going to test drive five yoke of oxen. Really? Can you imagine inviting someone to your wedding and their response is, “I’m going to test drive a car.” What?! If you planned a nice dinner on your new patio and invited friends, and someone said, “I’ve just recently been married, I can’t come,”  wouldn’t you probably say, “That’s great! Please bring them too, we’d love to meet them!”

These excuses are not valid; there was no shortage of space or food at the party (it was a big dinner), and there was no urgency in looking at land or possessions that were already purchased.

This parable reveals people who were verbally committed to attending a banquet; they had already accepted the invitation! And when the hour came, what happened? Lame excuses. There was no coming back from this. The host gave away their seats. They couldn’t come late or have another chance. The master of the house sent his servant to the streets, the alleys, the hedges. “Compel them to come in, I want my house filled and none of those who were invited shall taste my dinner,” Luke 14:23-24 said.

Friends, you too have been invited to come into this relationship with Jesus! Some have given lip-service and indicated they want to be on the guest list, but have no real intention of coming. How about you? Will you accept his request? What excuses would keep you from coming? Others ended up coming to the party at the urgent request of the host. There will be enough seats at the table for any who are interested and willing. Maybe you’ve never really considered that you could be invited into the  presence of God. Perhaps you feel that your choices or your trauma or your shame disqualify you from getting close to him. Time could be running short! I urge you now, as in the parable, to come and find your seat.

No one will be earning their way to the feast. God is the host, and he has so much to share! He wants you there. Don’t be foolish and let lame excuses keep you from the party of eternity. Don’t let the word picture of a dinner party soften it too much for you. The alternative is being separate from God, outside the banquet forever. Those outside the kingdom of God will be those who relied on their own best efforts or chose to go their own way instead of coming in. The invitation is Jesus’ death on the cross, and whoever won’t accept his sacrifice for you personally, will suffer eternally. Outside the King of King’s own banquet table is not as benign as “Oh well, I missed the party.” It’s eternal torment in hell. He alone is the rescuer and joy for eternal life. Will you believe him today? Confess your sin to him and surrender control to his loving care … now and for eternity.

(Seth Carter is director of Campus Ventures in Powell.)