“Jesus followed up. ‘Yes. For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, Come on in; the food’s on the table.’
Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, ‘I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.’
Another said, ‘I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.’
And yet another said, ‘I just got married and need to get home to my wife.’
The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, ‘Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on and bring them here.’
The servant reported back, ‘Master, I did what you commanded— and there’s still room.’
The master said, ‘Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party.’”
Living the Story
I’m Italian and love to eat. If you invite me to a dinner party, I’m coming! Dinner parties are for us to enjoy. This story is about the greatest dinner party ever…heaven. God the Father invites everyone, but surprisingly excuses are made of why folks can’t or won’t come.
The invitation went out. “Come on in; the food’s on the table” and that’s when the excuses began rolling in. ‘I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.’ The place where you are living right now, whether you own or rent, did you go look at it before you bought it or moved in? Chances are you did. If you bought your house you probably did more than look. You probably hired a home inspector to check it out. This guy’s excuse is lame. Who buys property without first looking at it?
The next guy is no better. “I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.” That’s like buying a car without test driving it. You don’t do that. This is just another lame excuse to not follow the Lord.
The third guy’s excuse is classic. “I just got married and need to get home to my wife.” If you just got married, you better make time for the Lord; you’re going to need Him. Just bring your wife to the dinner party. Don’t use her as an excuse.
If you are not careful you can make some pretty lame excuses for not spending time with the Lord. Some excuses that I hear today are, “I’m not going, the game is coming on.” “I work hard during the week. Sunday is my time.” “I’m not going to church or Bible study because I don’t like the music or the preaching or the people.” Blah, blah, blah. In the end, they are all just excuses. No matter what the excuse for not accepting Jesus’ invitation, it’s a lame one.
I think the problem with the guy who bought the field and the guy who bought the 5 yolk of oxen was they thought themselves to be self sufficient. Buying a field was an investment of sorts. When people have a good amount of expendable income for material possessions like investment properties and teams of oxen it’s easy to see where that could lead to feeling self sufficient. “Why do I need God? I’ve got all that I need and want right here.”
The newlywed’s excuse also indicates self sufficiency. “I’m young, healthy, full of energy with my whole life ahead of me. Why do I need God.” Self sufficiency blinds one to their need for God.
The truth is we all need God because there are only two ways to get into the great dinner party. The first, be perfect. The second, by faith accept the invitation extended to you by the Father. Self sufficiency is a trap that says, “I don’t need an invitation. I can get in on my own.”
Why the misfits, homeless and wretched? Simple. They know they are not self sufficient. They know they need help. They understand clearly they are not perfect. It should be just as obvious to every one of us. May you always see your need for the Lord.
“But there is still room.” Even with those that came, there was still room. That’s because God has a big, ole house called heaven. It’s big enough for me, you and all who will accept His gracious invitation. God’s heart is for His house to be full!
The phrase “drag them in” is interesting. It actually means to compel or persuade but not by force or violence. God loves you so much that through the Holy Spirit He will compel and persuade you to faith, but He will never “grab you by the collar or twist your arm to make you attend the dinner party. Love must always have a choice.
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in,” Revelation 3:20 NIV. The choice to open the door is yours.
One final thought concerning the invitation, “Come on in; the food’s on the table.” God prepared everything! It was Jesus who lived perfectly, was beaten, went to the cross, died, was buried and on the third day and rose again to life. Because of that, everything is ready. The food’s on the table. There is nothing you can bring or add to the dinner. You and I cannot somehow enhance the dinner party with good works. All we can do is accept or reject the invitation.
