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Many thanks to Peter Jones who has again prepared this week’s devotions. This week our attention is focused on Luke chapter 14, verses 16-35. Please read these verses every day this week and, if possible, use a different translation each day, asking God to open your eyes to fresh revelation from His Word.
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Luke 14:16-20 (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 have just got married, so I can’t come.”’
Many have likened this text to the Second Coming of Jesus. Let me explain this briefly. In 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4 we have the account of the Second Coming. Perhaps you should take the time to read these chapters and it will give you an understanding of why our text today may be likened to this event. Let us look first at the background, in those days, two invitations to a banquet were given. The guests were all told in advance, and then a servant was sent out when everything was ready. Any excuses they might have given were considered great insults to the host, as they had had plenty of time to accept, decline and/or make other arrangements.
I am always amazed at the teaching of Jesus to make us aware of the principle of salvation and our response to it. It seems that as we look at this study, nothing has changed as far as people’s response to the gospel. Let us look briefly at the 2 invitations. I believe the first invitation is found in the life of Jesus whilst he was on earth. During His time on earth, he constantly preached the kingdom of God. People could be left in no doubt that there would come a day when Jesus would return. We have the Gospels to ensure that this first invitation is made abundantly clear and it gives us the time to prepare. The second invitation is also clear; He has sent His Holy Spirit to give us the invitation to the great feast He has prepared for us.
In John 14 we have these words “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you”. KJV
Since Jesus left the scene of time, we have been given ample proof of this second invitation. Sadly the excuses of so many seem to be the same and from the standpoint of the people throughout the ages, the excuses seem to centre on what the world hold to be most important: real estate, business, and family relations.
The first man claimed that he had just bought some real-estate, and had to look it over. What a flimsy excuse. Who would buy property without first thoroughly checking it out? The second man claimed that he hadn’t tried out the five yoke of oxen he had bought. That would be like putting your money down before test driving a car. The third man was newly married and I wonder why he couldn’t have brought his new wife with him? What wife would refuse the invitation to go to a rich man’s feast as it would be an ideal opportunity to buy new clothes.
You may think, “what a lot of silly excuses.” But don’t we make the same kind of silly excuses when it comes to spending time with God? Like the host of the feast, I think that God is grieved when we don’t come to the feast that HE has prepared.
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