“Once upon a time, a man invited many people to a grand feast. And when it was time for the feast, he dispatched his servant to tell the people who had been invited to come since everything was ready. However, they all started to offer justifications. Luke 14:16–18
Jesus extends an invitation to everyone to join Him in celebrating. Still, not everyone takes His offer!
In Luke 14, Jesus takes advantage of the occasion to educate the guests about God’s Kingdom while they are having dinner. He likens it to a man who throws a lavish feast and extends an invitation to everyone. But after everything is set up, none of the visitors who were invited wish to attend! They offer a variety of justifications for their absence, none of which seem very pressing.
The host instructs his attendants to invite everyone who want to attend and even coerce them into accepting the invitation, rather than calling off the feast. These individuals are not of any social standing and are not typically seen at opulent dinners, but that is in no way problematic. Now that the house is full, the celebration can start!
But Jesus warns that those who were first invited would not be able to partake in the supper. They will not be given another chance because they have barred themselves from the feast. In a same vein, those who decline Jesus’ offer to approach Him will not spend eternity with Him.
Do you heed the caution that you might not make it to God’s magnificent feast? How is this possible to occur? How can this be avoided from occurring?
