The Grand Invitation (Luke 13-14)
3:47 AM
Have you ever waited in anticipation to see if you would receive an invitation to a party, wedding, or other event? Did you ever look forward to a future planned event, counting down the days to the joy of partaking in the festivities? Did you fill your days preparing ahead of time for what you would wear, what you would take with you, and where you would stay? Did you look forward to sharing the event with other people, perhaps even people you may not have seen for a while? Such occasions tip our excitement meter, don’t they? It struck me as I read these chapters that this is exactly how God wants us to feel about the greatest event of eternity, the Wedding Feast for His people.
This future event is something God has planned since the beginning of time. He is such a loving, caring God that He has sent an invitation to every one. He wants to “ pack the place” and fill our eternal dwelling with as many people as He can. Sadly, however, this invitation will be treated as “ junk mail” by many and carelessly tossed aside. Many will wait until it is too late to give any serious consideration to its importance and will not respond to the invitation in time.
The numbers of attendees will be far less than God desires.
“And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” (13:23-24).
Why will there be so few?
Many will fail to form a relationship with Jesus. They may be “familiar” with Him and His teachings but never give Him any true place of value in their lives. They will never prioritize surrendering their will to Him and there will come a time when it will be too late. “When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’” (13:25-27)
Many will fail to understand the importance of the invitation. They will busy their lives with what they deem to be more important matters. “And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses... (14:17-18)
The first people chosen to be invited by God to have special standing with Him were the Jews but when they began to reject and push Him aside, God expanded His invitation to the Gentiles. It breaks his heart when He invites and His offer of love is rejected. We see this in his comment to Jerusalem which plotted against Him. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”(13:34)
Many will fail to humble themselves and will try to place themselves in positions of self seeking honor. Jesus explains that He will honor those who have been willing to put others first. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”(14:11)
Many will seek earthly reward and gain over heavenly reward. Jesus encouraged truly selfless acts with no expectation of earthly retribution. “and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”” (14:14)
May we count ourselves blessed to have been given and to have accepted the greatest invitation of all. May we carry our enthusiasm for that coming grand event to all the world. “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.””
(Revelation 19:6-9)
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