Luke 14:15-24 Costly Excuses Good morning church… I once read

P a g e | 1

Luke 14:15-24

Costly Excuses

Good morning church…

I once read a story about a pastor who was walking

down the street and came upon a group of boys.

All between the ages of 10 and 12. They were standing

around a dog, and the minister thought that they

might be planning to hurt it.

So the reverend yelled out, “What are you doing to

that dog?”

One of the boys said, “He’s just a stray dog from our

neighborhood and we all want him, but only one of us

can take him home. So, we decided whoever tells the

biggest lie gets to keep the dog!”

The pastor was infuriated, he launched into a 10-

minute tirade against lying. He ended by saying, “Don’t

you boys know it’s a sin to tell a lie? Why, when I was

your age, I never told a lie!” The boys looked at each

other for a moment and said, “Alright, give him the

dog!”

You see, lying and deception begin very early in life.

My baby Daisy, before she could even say Da-da, she

mastered fake crying.

Then it is all downhill from there.

Then, as we get older, we learn the “fine art of excuse-

making.”

P a g e | 2

What’s the difference between a lie and an excuse?

Well… not much.

You see an excuse is just a fancy lie.

An excuse is really a lack of desire.

Excuses are what we offer instead of reasons.

When you don’t really want to do something, you

make an excuse.

Listen, we know excuses when we hear them.

And excuses only satisfy the people who make them.

Benjamin Franklin said, “A man who is good at making

excuses is seldom good for anything else.”

Some famous excuses are, “my dog ate my

homework.” “Sorry I’m late, but my alarm didn’t go

off!”

“The check is in the mail.”

Lying, deception, and giving excuses have become far

too common in our society.

There are studies that show that one quarter to one

third of all workers tell a lie to explain their tardiness

or absence.

An article in USA Today dealt with this fondness we

have for making excuses. It pointed out that “each of

us fibs at least 50 times a day.” We lie about our age,

our income, or our accomplishments. And we use lies

to escape embarrassment.

P a g e | 3

According to the book Excuses and Lies, the top lies

are:

• “I’ll do it in a minute.” (Guys probably say this more.)

• “Of course I’m listening!” (Probably a guy saying it to

a girl.)

• “Nothing’s wrong!” – When a woman says nothing is

wrong, men, we know something is wrong.

Some other famous lies are…

• “You look great” (when they don’t).

• “But we can still be good friends.”

• “I’m from the government, and I am here to help

you.”

• “I’ll be ready in a minute!” (Girls may say this more.)

Explain my first lesson about women.

But it is a lie, that you will be ready in a minute.

But, then there are excuses. We’ve all heard and used

them at one time or another. And most of the time,

they are not even creative!

George Washington said, “It is better to offer no

excuse than a bad one.”

Since man’s beginning in the Garden, he has made

excuses. The first excuse was made by Adam: “It was

the woman You gave me!” The second was made by

Eve: “The serpent enticed me.”

P a g e | 4

Now I want to ask you, don’t answer out loud, but

have you been hiding behind lies and excuses lately?

https://www.facebook.com/harvest.greglaurie/posts/lies-and-excusesi-heard-a-story-about-a-pastor-who-was-walking-down-the-street-a/10153213444226698/

This morning in our text Jesus is going to talk about the

severity of making excuses in our spiritual life.

Please turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 14 and we

will be in verses 15-24 this morning.

Let’s read the text in its entirety, and then we will

come back through and glean all we can from these

powerful verses.

Read from my Bible.

The Parable of the Great Supper

(Matt 22:1-14)

14:15 Now when one of those who sat at the table

with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "Blessed

is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"

16 Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great

supper and invited many, 17 and sent his servant at

supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come,

for all things are now ready.' 18 But they all with one

accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I

have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see

it. I ask you to have me excused.' 19 And another said,

'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test

them. I ask you to have me excused.' 20 Still another

said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot

come.' 21 So that servant came and reported these

P a g e | 5

things to his master. Then the master of the house,

being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into

the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the

poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.' 22

And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you

commanded, and still there is room.' 23 Then the

master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways

and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my

house may be filled. 24 For I say to you that none of

those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'"

Let’s Pray…

So let’s remember the setting here…

Jesus was participating in a Sabbath dinner party with

a ruler of the religious sect of the Pharisees.

The party as we saw last week, was very intense.

A trap was set before Jesus, a wounded and desperate

soul was laid before Him, a man with Dropsy.

The man was the epitome of human suffering as his

failing organs caused fluids to rise to levels that the

man’s body was constricted in pain.

Jesus knew His enemy’s plans and knew the trap, but

compassion led Jesus’ ministry, not human approval.

Jesus miraculously heals the man with Dropsy, and

Jesus immediately presents the question that was in all

their minds.

“Is it legal to heal on the Sabbath?”

P a g e | 6

Jesus exposed their foolish beliefs and challenged their

willingness to help an animal but not a fellow human

being.

They could not give a response.

And the scene then moved to the table where the food

was set, and Jesus spotted the upper echelon of the

Jews, positioning themselves, and Jesus used it all as

an illustration.

Jesus challenged them to live for God’s eyes alone, and

take the lowest seat, and Jesus gave a Kingdom

Principle that has existed in every age, “Whoever

exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles

himself will be exalted.”

There are people who just have an unhealthy drive for

position and titles, they need recognition and respect,

and that drive actually kills their opportunity in the

Kingdom of God.

Jesus instructed those who are interested in True

Kingdom Living, that when they do have a dinner at

their home, to be careful to invite those that are over

looked and outcasts in our culture.

To use our home and hospitality to reach the helpless

and needy.

And we will prove to be living for God’s eyes not

man’s.

P a g e | 7

And Jesus ended that instruction with verse 14 “and

you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for

you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

And that is the segue into the teaching Jesus presents

next at this Sabbath Dinner.

The silence at this party was probably awkward and

cold.

No one dare try to engage Jesus again.

They knew Jesus would not mince words, and flattery

was not this Rabbis specialty.

We can see this party is a catastrophe so far.

The guests were mortified and insulted as they were

experiencing a doctrinal disaster, no one would try to

speak up.

And the verse 15, we see a quick witted guest, perhaps

even a little sarcastic and superficial breaks the

silence…

The Parable of the Great Supper

(Matt 22:1-14)

14:15 Now when one of those who sat at the table

with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "Blessed

is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"

Jesus had just mentioned the resurrection of the just.

And Jesus did not seem to teach the prominent belief

of those sitting around the table.

P a g e | 8

That Jews were sealed and would enjoy bread in the

kingdom of God.

They stood on the promises of their own scriptures,

they believed as David did in...

Ps 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence

of my enemies…

Dan 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of

the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life,

Some to shame and everlasting contempt.

And they held that it would be the Jews who would sit

at the table with Abraham and all their ancestors, and

unbelievers and Gentiles would be excluded.

Yet, Jesus came to this earth to make it clear that He

came to provide the way for all who would choose to

come, to be at this eternal feast.

And Jesus here at this dinner knows that this man who

shouted, is misleading the guests, he has no concern

for the Kingdom matters.

Jesus knew that in these men around the table there

was really little or no desire to live for God’s Kingdom.

And here at this Sabbath feast, Jesus will expose these

men, and Jesus will issue a severe warning for every

content and pious heart that walks this earth in

complacency.

Jesus will give an illustration that will pierce these men

and expose their motives.

P a g e | 9

It will leave them asking and contemplating if indeed

they have really accepted the invitation to enter into

the Kingdom Banquet.

Everyone will be left to answer the question, “Does my

life show that I have accepted th is invitation and am on

the way to this blessed experience, and enjoying a

foretaste of it even now?” Hendrickson

Or am I making excuses and being wishy washy with

my commitment to respond to God’s invitation.

Jesus begins His parable in verses 16 and 17…

16 Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great

supper and invited many, 17 and sent his servant at

supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come,

for all things are now ready.'

Jesus puts into our imaginations a certain Man, a Man

of incredible means.

He has sent out an invitation to a great supper.

There are two things that make this supper great, the

many guest that were invited, and the spread that will

sit before them.

This is the feast of all feasts, no one would want to

miss it.

Now in verse 16, we see many guest were invited

ahead of time.

P a g e | 10

Now, in Jesus’ day, there was a custom of sending out

two invitations, one would be sent as a save the date

kind of invitation.

The messenger would come and ask for a commitment

from the guests, in order for the host to make sure he

put aside enough animals for meat, and he needed a

number to gather enough wine and make bread as

well.

This first invitation would not have a time, the time

was uncertain, it depended on the length of the

preparation.

Then a second invitation would be sent, and we see

this in verse 17, when the master sent his servant to let

the people know that they need to “Come, for all

things are now ready.”

This custom of the double invitation is traced back into

the Book of Esther, in chapters 5 and 6, you will see

the announcement of a coming banquet, and a servant

sent when the feast was ready to gather the invited

guests.

The custom remained until at least 500 years after

Jesus walked this earth.

We see something similar today, when we send a save

the date for a great celebration, a wedding or

something like this, and then we send a later invitation

with the more precise details.

P a g e | 11

Accept in Jesus’ day the details then came the day of

the party.

Now, to accept the first invitation but to decline the

second was an unthinkable offence.

You can imagine the host has gauged his preparations

based upon those who accepted the first invitation.

So in our story, this prominent banquet is given here,

and verse 17 presents the second invitation, the

incredible feast was prepared, the animals slaughtered

and cooked, and the table is set.

You can imagine the joy and excitement of this Host, as

so much effort, time and money was invested into this

event.

I think of my wife here, who tries to do special things

for people who she knows have little quarks about

them.

And I imagine this host tried to do special things for

each of his guests.

He knew Malachi from down the way like an extra

pillow to sit on, he knew about Thomas’ gluten allergy,

and how John could not have any garlic in his sop.

The host had so much expectation and joy in his heart.

To see the reaction of His guests at all that He did for

them.

He had the music playing, as He imagine all the

conversations taking place around this huge spread.

P a g e | 12

There were so many seats and He thought how

exciting that so many people responded to his

invitation.

I don’t know if you have ever had a special day

planned, a special dinner or meeting, and you just

were overjoyed with excitement about what would

take place.

Now, there is something that happens today that is

becoming more and more common.

People’s Word is as thin as paper.

There are times the leadership here have planned

dinners or meetings, that people have told us in

advance they would be there.

And we have bought the food, spent the day

preparing, and they will call 20 minutes before to tell

us they are not going to make it.

Or they just do not show up altogether.

We have sign-ups letting us know how many will be

there, and we count on those sign-ups, and we are

counting on your Word, Christians should be more

dependable.

Oh, and the let down. You know usually, they will say

something like, “I am just too tired.”

Jesus instructs us in Matt 5:37 But let your 'Yes' be

'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than

these is from the evil one.

P a g e | 13

Sometimes people of the world are better at keeping

their commitments then those in the church.

I remember when I was in about 6

grade, I learned

the hurt that can come from people not keeping their

commitments.

There was a young boy, about 2 years younger than

me, and he invited me and a bunch of kids from church

to his birthday party, he was a homeschooled kid, and

kind quirky.

But when you are in 6

grade, for me I was just

starting Jr. High, but you see, 2 years is a huge gap in

the mind of a sixth grader.

I mean I was not even eating Happy Meals anymore,

and this kid still was, that is a big difference in the

thinking of an adolescent.

So I remember the day came for us to go to his

birthday party, and I fought with my mom.

I told her how I was too old for little kid’s birthday

parties, and how me and the boy really were not that

close.

“I was older now mom!”

And in my foolish 6

grader heart and mind, I thought I

was cooler, to cool for a little kid birthday party.

Well, my persistence won the day, and my mom gave

into my endless nagging and pleading.

P a g e | 14

I stayed home, and did what any cool kid would do on

a Saturday in sixth grade, I played my Nintendo.

Now, a couple days later I found out the horrible

situation that had come about that day.

You see I was not the only bratty kid who had fought to

stay home from the party that day.

In fact, not one kid showed up.

One woman from the church who in a rush, brought

the little boys birthday present by to drop it off, to see

the mother had decorated the whole house, they were

a very poor family, and she had spent a ton of money

on food, and the little boy was so excited to see what

would unfold that day, and no one, not one other kid

showed up.

The family was heartbroken and in tears for their boy.

When I heard the woman telling my mother this, I was

so overwhelmed with conviction.

Not one of the invited guest showed up, and I sat at

home playing Tecmo Bowl on my Nintendo.

You know, it wasn’t long before that family left the

church, and rightfully so, but I will never forget the

remorse I felt over not going to that party.

Not saying I have gotten it right 100% of the time since

then, but I really try to make every effort to attend

something I have committed too, no matter how little

or how big.

P a g e | 15

You might think it is cold, but this is why God gave me

the wife I have.

I committed to doing a wedding for a prisoner who had

a life sentence and a woman in the church, and I had

to go to the prison to perform it.

Well that day, my wife had collapsed on the floor, her

appendix about to burst, I rushed her to the hospital,

dropped her off in the ER, and rushed 45 minutes

down the Freeway, and did the wedding, and made it

back before they cut her open.

But keeping commitments is important to Jess and I.

And excuses drive me nuts, now excuses are different

than reasons.

“I cut my finger off today.” Is a reason to miss an

engagement.

“I have a hang nail.” Well that is an excuse.

But you see, for the most part, humans are people of

excuses, and this incredible banquet Host will

experience the great disappointment of people’s

selfishness.

We read now in verse 18…

18 But they all with one accord began to make

excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of

ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me

excused.' 19 And another said, 'I have bought five

yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to

P a g e | 16

have me excused.' 20 Still another said, 'I have

married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'

Now the heartbreak of these excuses rests in the fact

that every one of these people had already promised

to come.

And considering all the work that went into getting this

banquet ready, these cancellations are an offense.

These people were insincere and their “yes” really

meant “no.”

And when you consider how shallow their excuses

really were it just adds to the offense.

One man said “I have bought a piece of ground, I must

go and see it.”

Who would have ever purchase a piece of land without

first looking at it?

And was this land moving, that it would somehow be

gone after the party?

This man made his excuse seem like it was a matter of

noble duty.

“I must go and see it.”

Another man gave a less courteous excuse, he lied and

said, “I have bought five yoke, and I need to test

them.”

He did not argue from a place of duty here, he is

flimsily giving a weak explanation.

P a g e | 17

Who would buy 10 Oxen before they could examine

them?

And it would not be difficult to see what they were

capable of, after the commitment to the banquet was

fulfilled.

The third man gave the most rude and abrupt of them

all.

Now, God’s Law commanded in Deut. 24:5 "When a

man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war

or be charged with any business; he shall be free at

home one year, and bring happiness to his wife whom

he has taken.

And perhaps this man was trying to twist scripture for

his own benefit.

But he was using it in error.

Notice the last part of the law, he was to bring

happiness to his wife whom he has taken.

A party would be an effective way to cheer her up.

And if he had to leave her for a few hours, she would

be there when he returned.

Perhaps the new wife would be happy to have a break

from the young husband.

The first two excuses here were due to material

possessions and the last one was due to a relationship.

P a g e | 18

These things cover almost every reason why people

reject the invitation of God.

You see, from the beginning of Jesus’ illustration here,

we see a picture of the Kingdom of God.

This is a picture of the Ultimate Kingdom Banquet, the

Supper of the Lamb.

Remember Jesus said in the Last Chapter in verse 28,

that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be reclining at the

table.

We are told in Revelation that the people that are

invited to this Banquet are Blessed.

Rev 19:9 Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those

who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!'"

We were told that the guest list will be lengthy and

great, again from the last chapter…

Luke 13:29 They will come from the east and the west,

from the north and the south, and sit down in the

kingdom of God.

And this imagery of a heavenly banquet table suggest

an eternity of complete satisfaction.

Now the invitation is broad and to all who would

come.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His

only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him

should not perish but have everlasting life.

P a g e | 19

The invitation went first to the Jews, than as we will

see, because of their rejection the invitation came to

the rest of the world.

Paul said in Rom. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the

gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation

for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also

for the Greek.

Jesus here is illustrating this heavenly feast, the

Kingdom Banquet, the Supper of the Lamb, and the

way Jesus presents this, shows that the reasonable

response to this invitation is “yes, I’ll come!”

Who in their right mind would reject this abundant

Feast provided by God, it give substance in this life and

the next, the substance is Christ, and it is “a perpetual

feast of peace, a feast of help, guidance, friendship,

rest, victory over self, control of passions, and

supremacy over circumstances –a feast of joy,

tranquility, deathlessness, Heaven is opened,

immeasurable hope is given, and Salvation is

guaranteed?” Hughes

Yet today the excuses are many when man’s heart is

exposed to the True Gospel.

Today many put off their response to True Faith,

because they prefer to tinker with their possessions

and maintain their earthly relationships.

P a g e | 20

Last Sunday, I was sharing the Gospel with a

gentlemen, and I found within, the Temptation to

present the Gospel Lite.

You know, to be less confrontational, and make it

easier to chew.

But when it came time to bring the man to a choice to

follow Jesus or not, the Spirit took my tongue.

I told him this was not some whimsical choice or

decision, but that Christ will save Him, and Freely Give

Him Salvation, however I also shared with Him, how in

scripture Jesus tells a person, to count up the cost.

Because once this decision is made, Jesus must remain

supreme over all possessions and relationships.

And too many, when presented with that

understanding are willing to walk away sad, because

they are not willing to let go.

And a procrastinating, excuse filled spirit will come

over them.

You know outright rebellion and blatant wickedness

slays thousands of people a day, but “decent,

plausible, smooth-spoken excuses slay their tens of

thousands!” Ryle

And there is no reasonable excuse that a man can give

to justify rejecting God’s invitation, and not coming to

Christ.

P a g e | 21

And the real reason these people gave their excuses

was simply because they just did not want to go.

If these people were genuine in their commitment to

go to the feast, these lame excuses would have

disappeared into the thin air.

The religious leaders of Jesus’ Day pretended they

wanted the Kingdom, but their hearts were so far from

the kingdom.

In my experience the hardest person to reach for the

kingdom of God is the unconverted churchgoer.

Who is able to say “Blessed is everyone who will eat

bread in the Kingdom.”

They can talk the lingo, they can quote God’s Word

even, but in their heart of hearts they are unwilling to

come to the feast themselves.

Now, the writer of this account, Dr. Luke, does not tell

us how this dinner party is reacting or responding to

the parable.

But Jesus continues on, and once again He turns the

story directly toward them.

Jesus continues on now…

21 So that servant came and reported these things to

his master. Then the master of the house, being angry,

said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and

lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the

maimed and the lame and the blind.'

P a g e | 22

The master of the house became angry, and people

often reject this picture.

If the Master of the House is God, they refuse to

believe God can be angry at humanity.

But we are told in Ps 7:11 God is a just judge,

And God is angry with the wicked every day.

Understand God is earnestly desiring the salvation of

souls, and wants to acquire many as He can through

His Gospel of Grace.

And it crushes Him when He is rejected.

And here the fine people of this world are pictured as

the rejecters.

Those who have no need of anything, but God’s

passion does not end when He is rejected, the pursuit

continues, until His table is full.

Jesus, as He did in the parable we discussed last week,

once again shows us the Kingdom, the very Kingdom

that the Jews thought their bloodline secured, was

offered to the outcasts.

Remember it was an ailing man that was brought to

Jesus that started off this dinner party, the man now

healed, and we can conclude his faith in Jesus far

surpassed these religious leaders.

Jesus explained last week, it is the humble who goes

into the resurrection of the just.

P a g e | 23

Jesus deepens this picture here of inviting the poor,

the maimed, the lame and the blind.

The religious elite rejected Jesus, they ridiculed their

Messiah, and they failed to come through the Narrow

Way that God has laid out for man.

Jesus now pictures their rejection causing an open

invitation to be offered to those whom they looked

down upon.

In Israel, historically, the physically blemished were

barred from full participation in worship.

But Jesus now illustrates that this table is full of

incredible delights, the most exquisite food to ever be

laid out, was now offered to those who could not even

see it, blind beggars, who this Master’s Servant had to

physically lead and guide to the table.

The lame and crippled hobbled to the table that was

set now for them.

People who knew rejection their whole lives now, were

brought to an arena that was completely foreign to

them.

What a picture, in Jesus’ story it is the lower class, the

sub classes of society that were called to the table.

Those that were willing to admit that they were once

blind, but through Grace can now see.

Now the upper class, and rich are more than welcome,

but they had to lower their head in humility to the

P a g e | 24

Master of the Table, and they have to see themselves

as wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.

Now after the lowly Jews were invited in, we read in

verse 22 now…

22 And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you

commanded, and still there is room.' 23 Then the

master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways

and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my

house may be filled. 24 For I say to you that none of

those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'"

Now, we see the earnest of the Master… not only does

He want the feast held on the Day that He has

planned, but He also wanted the His house Full.

It is a Big Big House, with Lots and Lots of room, and

the truth of the matter is, He wants as many as will

come, to be there.

Know something about the Master of the House that

Jesus is referring too here.

2 Peter 3:9 He is not slack concerning His promise, as

some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us,

not willing that any should perish but that all should

come to repentance.

And we see here, when the Servant approaches the

Master, He tells Him that the remnant of outcasts of

Jews have come, and there is still ample amount of

room.

P a g e | 25

And the famous reply shoots forth from the Master’s

mouth.

“Go into the highways and hedges and compel them to

come in, that My House will be full!”

Now, Jesus here gives a prophetic reference to the

Gentiles, the non-Jews who would soon be invited to

enter into the Kingdom of God, through Faith in His

Work on the Cross.

And an Apostle, born out of due time, would come to

the Faith, and he would have a passion aflame by the

Spirit of God to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles.

The Apostle Paul, would reach a crossroads with the

Jews, who rejected the Gospel at every turn, and in a

moment that changed the course of History he turned

to the world with his message.

We read about the transition in Acts 13:46-48

46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, "It was

necessary that the word of God should be spoken to

you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves

unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the

Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us:

'I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,

That you should be for salvation to the ends of the

earth.'"

P a g e | 26

48 Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad

and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had

been appointed to eternal life believed.

And here we are 2000 years later still believing unto

eternal life.

Now, the parable of Jesus has another very important

character that I have waited to address.

Who have we seen obediently sent to draw people into

the banquet? The Servant.

The Servant undoubtedly represents the work of the

Holy Spirit.

He alone can compel men to come to Christ.

In Matthew’s account of this parable, there are

servants, plural, sent out to do the inviting.

But there is one who can compel men to come.

The Servant, the Holy Spirit compels men to come by

convicting men of their sin, and impressing upon them

their need for a Savior.

It is a supernatural work.

We servants are the messengers, the inviters, but we

depend on the Holy Spirit’s work to compel the wicked

heart to convert.

And the Servant’s Job and Mission is to fill up the

banquet hall, the Feast must be filled and no seat left

empty!

P a g e | 27

And when the Banquet Hall is filled and all the seats

taken, by Jew and Gentile, and it will for the most part,

will be the poor, the crippled, blind, lame and outcast.

Understand the picture here, it is only those few, who

are willing to see themselves for who they are.

The broken, the downtrodden, the failure, the mess-

up, the reject, those who understand their

unworthiness will be the heavenly choir we see in…

Rev 19:6-10 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great

multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the

sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the

Lord God Omnipotent reigns! 7 Let us be glad and

rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the

Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."

8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen,

clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts

of the saints.

9 Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who

are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!'" And

he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."

You see the religious have no need of a Savior, the

good man, the materialist, the popular, the well, they

are self-deceived to thinking all is fine and good, and

they fail to see the urgency of the Day.

These men sitting around the table with Jesus were

custodians of the Law, the leaders of Israel, and they

felt secure and comfortable.

P a g e | 28

But look how Jesus ends the parable here, in the end

none of those men who were invited shall taste the

supper.

Remember Jesus’ warning Luke 13:23-30

And He said to them, 24 "Strive to enter through the

narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter

and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the

house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to

stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord,

Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I

do not know you, where you are from,' 26 then you

will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence,

and You taught in our streets.' 27 But He will say, 'I tell

you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart

from Me, all you workers of iniquity.' 28 There will be

weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see

Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in

the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. 29

They will come from the east and the west, from the

north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of

God. 30 And indeed there are last who will be first,

and there are first who will be last."

Too many walk this earth today confident in

themselves and their current condition, and they will

find in the end they didn’t just miss the truth about

themselves by a little bit but they were a galaxy away

in their assessment of self.

P a g e | 29

These Jews who sat at the table with Jesus had

received two invitations to the Eternal Banquet, the

first came through the Law, the Prophets and all the

Old Testament.

They had given a yes answer to the first invite, of

course they wanted to be at the Messianic Table,

whenever it came.

They assured the Master, yet when the Second

invitation came, it was revealed that it was not a

genuine “yes” at all.

When Jesus came to this earth at the time that was

told them, and to the specific place that was told them,

Bethlehem, the priests stayed back with Herod, and

sent the Magi from the East to look about for them.

We saw only measly shepherds at the Messiah’s birth.

Where were those who said they’d be ready?

They were busy with life, in their fields, acquiring oxen,

committed to their earthly affections.

For 30 years the Messiah was living among them in

obscurity, and when He was revealed by the Baptist,

the people marveled but could not be drawn away

from their earthly commitments.

It was only the weak, the lower class, and the sick and

blind that came to Jesus.

The Final invitation to the feast came, and they would

have none of it.

P a g e | 30

Their Kingdom longing, their expectation was merely

words, their true longing was for worldly comfort.

Jesus here exposing them and calling them out pretty

blatantly, yet we see no response from them.

Jesus is pleading that they hear His Word to escape the

judgement, and no response is recorded.

Now, the question that comes to us all this morning is,

“Do we really want to attend the Feast?”

Or are other things in our lives more important, are

you an excuse maker?

Are you constantly blame shifting, “It’s not my fault?”

This is our culture, they help you easily become the

victim.

The drug user gets to blame his or her upbringing.

The thief blames the rich for having too much.

The hot tempered blames their DNA.

The sluggard employee blames their demanding boss.

In marriage it is always the spouses fault, never is it my

fault.

The pill popper blames the stress.

It is endless, but understand excuses are costly.

Especially when it involves your spiritual life, it can cost

you everything.

P a g e | 31

This morning, this parable should lead us to some

serious soul searching, self-inquiry.

To us, as it was to the Jews at the Table with Jesus,

understand, the invitation of the Gospel is addressed

to us.

Jesus this morning, is saying “Come to Me all you who

labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Find

rest for your souls.” Matt. 11:28, 29

Have we accepted this invitation? Or have we given

excuses.

Understand Jesus plea, that if anyone dies without

coming to Him, it would better to have not been born

at all.

I plead with anyone here this morning who has not

taken serious this invitation to a New Life, come today.

Please fight the excuses racing through your heart and

mind right now and come honestly, and humbly before

your God.

His Grace is ready to heal your life, but you must

respond to the invitation.

Let’s Pray however

These men are here to pray with you this morning, if

the Lord has spoken to you in any way this morning,

come up and get prayer.