The Great Banquet, Luke 14:15-23, 02/16/14

Sermon 2-16-14  The Parable of the Great Banquet - Luke 14:15-23

 

¹⁵ When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” ¹⁶ Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. ¹⁷ At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ ¹⁸ “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.’ ¹⁹ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ ²⁰ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ ²¹ “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.’ ²² “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ ²³ “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. ²⁴ I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

Song –

the moralistic nature of this story

the last line

. ²⁴ I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

They are invited to a party

Food dancing drink wine

They decline

Oh, they are bad people

They are going to hell

Even the rif raff will get in before them

Look how bad you are

Yikes.  Is that the only point?  Is that were jesus wants to leave us?

Its almost a hapax……….

What about peter and the deserting disciples?

There must be another point

What of the banquet?

·        They are eating when this discussion begins

·        The one at table mentions the feast in the kingdom

·        Jesus tells a story about a banquet

 Lots of stories about banquets, food and vineyards in the bible

It is a sign of blessing

Wedding at cana

Feeding of the 5000

Old testament feasts

Holy days are feasts

Passover is a meal

Vineyards

Kill the fatted calf

Where to sit at a banquet

Food is very important to this culture

Jesus said, I am the bread of life

Eat my flesh and drink my blood

I am this important to you

We love to eat

Thanksgiving at our house

If you ever get the invite, don’t be too busy

But we have so much, we turn down opportunities

The poor never would

1.   Set u p a table at 9^th and harrison, someone is going to eat

2.   The fat cat loves a scratching, but today it was about food

3.   Russia stories

·        Pizza shop/breakfast cafe

·        Grocery store

·        Lev and finding food in a day

·        The bread and sausage for the train

 Nicaragua

Food scarcity

What anhalita eats

Would they come for a banquet

 Absolutely they would

We have forgotten how good it is

 And its not about food.

Its about the love, the joy, the hope

Come and dine the master calleth come and dine

Jesus has a table spread
Where the saints of God are fed,
He invites His chosen people, “Come and dine”;
With His manna He doth feed
And supplies our every need:
Oh, ’tis sweet to sup with Jesus all the time!

Refrain:
“Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “Come and dine”;
You may feast at Jesus’ table all the time;
He Who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,
To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.”

 

You can eat anywhere.

Subway, garozzos, la fuente, tims pizza,

 But there is only one place for the soul to find sustenance

Only jesus can satisfy the soul - lanny wolfe

The world may try to satisfy - That longing in your soul.
You may search the wide world over
But you'll be just as before. -You'll never find true satisfaction
Until you've found the Lord, -For only Jesus can satisfy your soul.

CHORUS:
Only Jesus can satisfy your soul.
Yes, only He can change your heart -And make you whole.
He'll give you peace you never knew,
Sweet joy and love and Heaven, too. For only Jesus can satisfy your soul.

 I am the bread of life – Jn 6:35

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

What the people  are doing are not bad things.

Someone must buy cows, someone must get married

But Don’t be so busy w life that you miss life

How sad to look back on your life and say I had a life but never lived.

Our father waits to feast with you-

To celebrate w you

To dine w you

To enjoy life with you

he offers love, joy and  hope10321

You are still invited to his banquet table

 

Wedding Banquet - Wedding Hymn

Verse 1
A certain man had a feast on his fine estate in town,
He laid a festive table and wore a wedding gown
He sent invitations to his neighbors far and wide
But when the meal was ready, each one of them replied !

Chorus

I cannot come!
I cannot come to the banquet, don't trouble me now,
I have married a wife, I have bought me a cow,
I have fields and commitments that cost a pretty sum,
Pray hold me excused, I cannot come!

Verse 2
The master rose up in anger, called his servants by name,
Said, "Go into the town, fetch the blind and the lame,
Fetch the peasant and the pauper for this I have willed--
My banquet must be crowded and my table must be filled!"

Chorus

Verse 3
When all the poor had assembled, there still was room to spare,
So the master demanded, "Go search everywhere,
To the highways and the byways and force them to come in,
My table must be filled, before the banquet can begin!"

Chorus

Verse 4
Now God has written a lesson for the rest of mankind,
If we're slow in responding, He may leave us behind,
He's preparing a banquet for that great and glorious day,
When the Lord and master calls us, be certain not to say.

Chorus