You are invited to the party

But they all alike began to make excuses...  Luke 14:18

Suppose you are planning a big dinner party. You hire a caterer, bring in a decorator and plan on the entertainment. “This is going to be the hottest thing that has happened in years,” you smugly tell yourself. Then the phone starts to ring. People don’t say “We’re not coming,” but you quickly translate their “We’re not sure,” and “We’ve got to go out of town,” and “Our grandmother is having a birthday” excuses into reality as you ask yourself, “What is going on here?”

Jesus told a story saying, “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready,’ but they all alike began to make excuses” (Luke 14:16-20).

What was the point of the story? The individuals who heard it understood. He said that He had come to His own as the long awaited Messiah but His own rejected Him.

Jesus’ mission was greater than just coming to Israel, which is why in His story He told how the man who prepared for a great party sent his servants out in the streets and invited the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame to come to the party.

Someday God is going to throw a party greater than anything ever seen on earth. The Bible calls it “the marriage supper of the Lamb.” You are invited too. At this great party all of God’s children will celebrate. Talk about an awesome, international event. It will be unrivaled in all history. The venue is His Father’s House. The book of Revelation says, “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” (Revelation 19:9).

Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. I Thessalonians 5:12-15