I recently had an opportunity to give my son a teaching moment, when he tried to leave our dinner table before he should. Everyone is so busy devouring their meals and intent on seeing their favorite TV shows these days that the true meaning of mealtime is almost lost in our zoned in consumption of food at the expense of what dinner really means food, conversation, laughs, and relational bonding. I said to Coen as he left the table before he should, the family table is not a place for dining only, it's a place for talking, for treasured time with those we love.
We know seventy percent of Christ's NT teaching came in parable form. He taught in parables to close the eyes of those hell -bent on evil and to spark the curiosity and illumine those open to truth, which could alter their eternity.
Luke 14:16-24 NIV
Jesus replied: “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. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ “ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ ”
First some key thoughts from this marquis passage.
The invitation to dine at the banquet was first only to a select few. When the giver of the invitation found his offer rejected, he gave an open invite. All in street, alley then later road or country lane were to come and dine. The food was ready, but guests were slow to attend this banquet of such significance.
Luke 14:18-20 NIV
“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
People were uninclined to attend this dinner. Their reasons for rejecting the dinner were trite at best, considering the one, who'd invited them and his selfless preparing of this feast for these few, who meant the world to him.
John 1:11-12 NIV
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
Christ came to his own, the Jews; when they rejected his invite into the kingdom of God, his invite was made open to all.
There is present application in this parable for people, who haven't made a priority the feast Christ has extended to them. He offers a welcome to a banquet of incomparable privilege, where the attendees are granted access and life they cannot find elsewhere. Those privy to this table, as Jonathan's lame son had unlimited access to David's table, know the dearest of a King, who makes as his dwelling their hearts. If you've never RSVPed, the time is now as his RSVP may very well end on his soon return to earth. When he comes, the door of opportunity to enter in will be latched shut.
Consider his the call "Come, for everything is now ready."
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