Everything Is Ready
Let’s Eat
The next couple of weeks we're going to be spending time in Luke 14, in a mini-series called "Come to the Table."
I named the series this because - don't you just love invitations to eat?
At first I thought that "Let's Eat" may have been a better title for this series, because anytime food is involved - I'm excited. That phrase might just be one of the best phrases in the English language. I think there might only be one time in my life that those words didn't just bring immediate joy to my heart.
You know I think that the only time those two words didn't just spark joy in my heart was when - shortly after I started dating Cassy (and don't worry, I checked with her family before telling this story) - there would be times that I would go over to her parents house to have dinner with her family. Now, I'm historically not one that enjoys spicy food. Cassy's family, however - well, that's a different story. Cassy warned me before hand, saying something like, "My mom is cooking tonight, and just so you know she really likes spicy food."
So with a brave face I walked into their home, I was going to be a good and gracious guest in their home, a good boyfriend to Cassy, and by George, I was just going to eat whatever it was that was set down in front of me with a smile - and just trust God what He said in Isaiah 41:10:
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Because that's what that verse means, right? Protection from spicy food.
Well we're hanging out, sitting in the living room, watching TV. And then I hear those words: "Let's eat!"
Oh no.
The moment is here. Every decision that I've made in my life has lead me up to this point. Voluntarily walking into the dining room. Sitting at the table, about to eat spicy food - with a smile.
I put my fork in (when asking Cassy what the dish was, she referred to it as "The beans dish"), put it up to my mouth (probably sweating even though I didn't eat any yet), and took a bite. I chewed, swallowed the bite, and to my shock was still alive to tell the tale.
Actually, the meal was incredible. Yeah it was spicy, but eventually I came to (not love, but tolerate) spicy food. So the way that I look at it now, is that it just means that it's one more scenario in which I love to hear the phrase "let's eat."
And that's because it was during those times - whether it was eating as Cassy's house, or at a meal somewhere else with her and her family, but times when we came together, were just hanging out, talking, and sharing a meal together - that I truly got to know them, love them, and appreciate them.
Coming to the table is about so much more than just food, or a phrase like "let's eat!" It's about fellowship and building relationships. It's about engagement and friendship. It's acceptance.
And that's because eating with someone is one of the most intimate and important connections that you can make with them.
The Great Banquet
"Come to the Table"
Today we're going to be looking at a passage in which we see how Jesus extends that invitation to us, and then talk about what keeps a lot of people from it.
And I want to be fully transparent with from the very start today. The last five weeks of sermons here at New Hope have been about how our church is a church of action. We disciple, we serve, we gather, we welcome. All actions. All things that we do. So at the end of this message today I'm going to invite you specifically into action, a chance to receive Jesus' offer to be your Savior if you have never done so - to come to the table and begin or maybe renew a personal relationship with Him. I'm also going to give you a chance to speak to a pastor or elder here before the service is even finished, so that we can help guide you in that next step, answer questions, celebrate with you, and pray for you.
Again, to "Come to the Table" - because everything is ready.
Context
Now, to set the stage for where we'll be hanging out these two weeks. Luke 14.
In our passage today, Jesus is at a meal himself. He's at the house of a Pharisee (a Jewish religious ruler)
and we're going to pick up in verse 7:
“Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.””
That's some awesome practical advice, right?
Jesus is saying, maybe don't just go and thrust yourself right into the most important seats in the room. You might be setting yourself up for embarrassment.
I love this illustration right there in the moment that Jesus gives to point to an eternal truth. And it's that humility has always been one of the characteristics of great men.
Principal Cairns
John Cairns was principal of the United Presbyterian Divinity Hall in Edinburgh. There's stories about how he would never enter a room first, instead saying, "You first, I follow." There's another story of a time that he walked up on to a platform to just this great applause from the crowd welcoming him. Well, instead, he stood aside and let the person walking behind him go on first and began himself to applaud.
The point being is that it’s usually the little man who is self-important.
Great advice from Jesus - embrace humility. Avoid the walk of shame from the head of the table over to (what I like to call) the butt of the table.
Let's continue:
“When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many.”
Let's stop there, because I've got to just say - isn't it just amazing that Jesus presents the image of heaven as a celebration? As a banquet? A party?
I'd like to ask you all something. What is your image of heaven?
Sitting on a cloud with your little harp? Eternal choir practice that just never ends?
Oh, I know - maybe it's just playing golf for forever on clouds? But I got news for ya, that's going to be horrible - because good luck finding your golf ball, by the way, unless you used the florescent ones. It's just gonna blend right in.
But the picture that Jesus and Scripture paints is so much better than what we typically think of.
In this moment when Jesus chooses an image for paradise, for heaven, Jesus doesn't choose these things that we typically think of - no, He chooses the image of the best party ever. Just this lavish celebration in God's presence.
Think about this - Jesus' first miracle at the wedding in Cana. Mary (Jesus' mother) is concerned with the lack of wine (John 2:3) - which suggests (as some scholars assert) that she was involved in the planning and organizing of the wedding. Weddings at that time usually lasted for days - during which time food and wine were supplied by the bride and groom's families. To run out of either would have implied a thoughtless or impoverished host. It would bring dishonor to the families hosting the event.
Mary turned to her Son - a personal favor, asking Him for help.
Now, Jesus' earthly ministry had begun at His baptism by John the Baptist, and the wedding occurred a little over a month later after Jesus had gathered about half of His disciples. Never had He performed a miracle in public, but it was time to demonstrate who He was/is.
He turned the water into wine. And not just some sort of "ehh-cool-thanks-I-guess - maybe-we-should-have-just-stuck-with-lukewarm-water" kind of wine. No, instead He turned the water into wine that was greater than anything that had been served (John 2:10). Greater than anything they had tasted before. It stunned the host.
You know, in my own personal humanly wisdom, I would think that an inaugural miracle would be one that would sort of set the tone for the rest of the ministry right? So, I don't know, just thinking out loud here - given Christ's ministry, why not start with something like casting out a demon? Oh - I got it, why not something like raising the dead?
Maybe because Jesus' inaugural miracle was indicative of the rest of His ministry. Restoring the joy at a wedding reception/at a celebration.
Think about it this way: isn't the love and the joy that are inherent in a wedding ceremony and reception - aren't those things exactly characteristic of the ministry of Christ? He came into this world because of love (John 3:16, "because God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever shall believe in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.") and He brings joy to all who believe (Luke 2:10, "fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.")
Hear me when I say this:
He's not just raising us from the dead.
He's not just casting out demons.
He's doing it because God created us in His image and in His likeness. He created us with the ability to know Him and therefore love Him, worship Him, serve Him, and fellowship with Him. He didn't create us because He needed us - He created us for His pleasure and so that we, as His creation, would have the pleasure of knowing Him - of fellowship with Him - of relationship with Him. To be in His presence in celebration, and in joy, and in love.
He created us to be with Him at the ultimate party and celebration with joy, laughter, fellowship, friendship!
Is that your image of the kingdom of God?
Because here's what that means:
All that you’ve experienced here on earth, the very best food, the very best friendship, the very best celebrations, the very best worship, the very best entertainment. It’s all just the appetizer for the banquet to come.
“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.’”
A Second Invitation
So a second invitation was then sent. In fact, Biblically, we can trace this custom of two invitations all the way back to the Book of Esther (cf. 5:8; 6:14). But you see, in those days, in the area of Palestine, when a big feast was being planned, what would happen is that the day would be announced long beforehand and the invitations were sent out and accepted. However, because of all the moving pieces, scheduling things like preparing the food, etc., the specific hour wasn't announced. This first invitation was more like, "we're going to be having a banquet sometime between October 8th and 11th. Keep your calendar clear." People would respond, accepting (or not) the invitation. Then, when the day came and all things were ready, servants were sent out to summon the already invited guests.
“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’”
The Century 21 Excuse
Can I just say this: That doesn't make any sense.
You're telling me that a man laid out all this cash for a piece of property, sight unseen, and has to go see it right then?
Nah - this first one I'm calling the Century 21 excuse.
A) I don't believe that he would buy all this land without knowing anything about it. That doesn't sound like something that happens. But, in my unbelievably extensive expertise of buying exactly 0 fields in my lifetime, I could be wrong, so moving on to my second issue with this...
B) Let's say that happened, and that's actually the case. He bought a field sight unseen. What doesn't change is the fact that it's a field. In this area of the world it's probably a field of some dirt. It doesn't have legs or wheels. It's not going anywhere.
Go see it tomorrow?
"I bought a field and I have to go look at it." Yeah, ok. Try that tomorrow to get out of work and see how it works for you.
“And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’”
The Bovine Excuse
Okay - I'm saying it again. That doesn't make any sense.
I'm calling this one the bovine excuse.
That would have been a huge investment. Some scholars estimate that it would have been about 2.5 years of the average salary.
That's 10 oxen purchased sight unseen.
"I go to examine them."
Nope. Not buying it.
No one in that time was going to spend 2.5 years salary on oxen without knowing what they're capable of.
That would be like someone spending 2.5 times their annual salary on a car. You're talking to them and say something like:
"Hey, remember that party we're throwing? You're still coming right?"
And they say: "ooooo - actually I can't, I spent about 2.5 years salary on a new car that just came in and I go to check it out."
"Oh wow - what kind of car is it?" "No idea! It was just on Facebook marketplace listed as 'Car.' And I bought it, and so I'm going to see what it is and what it can do."
Yeah. Uh huh.
That doesn't make any sense...
“And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’”
The Nuptial Excuse
And here we go - we've made it to the dumbest of the excuses.
The nuptial excuse.
Well that guy was starting that marriage off on a great foot - using your wife as an excuse. I'm sure that'll go over well.
"Yeah, I would've been able to make it had I been single, but you know - now that I'm married and all...just don't know if I can make that work. She put her foot down."
As if any newlywed wife doesn't want to get dressed up to go to a fancy dinner. AND A FREE ONE AT THAT.
Do you know how many newlyweds are on the "itos" diet?
You know:
Doritos
Cheetos
Fritos
Tostitos
Taquitos
Burritos
(yes I had to google those, by the way)
So a lavish banquet? A nice, free meal?
Plus, if that husband is giving that excuse already on day one - guaranteed that newly married wife might just be glad for a break from her husbands wonderful presence for an evening.
Again - it's insanity. If I was that servant I'd be convinced I had overdosed on crazy pills that day.
Actually you know what? It's not insanity. It's insulting. To have accepted the first invitation and declined the second one? With that excuse?
Wow.
Invitations to an Unlikely Group
“So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’”
You know what's more unbelievable than the excuses? It's that this rich guy holding the banquet would hear that the other rich people that he invited ended up rejecting the invitation, would then basically turn around say: "well dang - if they can't come...uhm...why don't you just go get all of the poor, crippled, blind, and lame." That's not how rich people acted or behaved at that time.
But the host isn't finished.
“And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.”
Oh man - now we've just crossed the line.
The servant was not to take no for an answer. The feast must be filled. The host doesn't one even just one seat left empty.
So the servant was to go outside the city to the surrounding roadsides - giving his masters gracious invitation to anyone that he could find, including dubious, morally reprobate, people that weren't even allowed inside the city. These characters who would be lurking in the highways and byways. Outsiders.
Presumably these people would have no idea who this servant was or his master. In fact, according to the social conventions of the Middle East at this time, strangers like this were in fact expected to refuse the master's invitation, especially if they belonged to a lower social class.
And what does the host say to his servant? "Compel people to come in, that my house may be filled."
Jesus continues:
“For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.”
Did you see what just happened? This whole time Jesus has been sharing this parable in the third person, and now switches to the 1st person.
"For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'"
Before it was just a parable, just a story - but now He switches to Himself - because it's personal. He's the master in this story, and the people that he's sharing the parable with, the people sitting right in front of Him - they're the ones making the excuses for not coming to the banquet.
They're the people who were putting second things first.
There's nothing wrong with getting married. There's nothing wrong with buying some oxen or a field.
But every bone in our bodies, every fiber of our being just screams that the significance of human life far transcends the daily activities we're engaged in and the material things that we chase after.
In fact, this parable serves as Christ's summation of Israel's response to Him - God had invited them to His kingdom, and they accepted, but now that Jesus was here, they're making excuses as to why they won't surrender to Him and receive His offer of salvation. They don't see how desperate of a circumstance they find themselves in without this invitation - we'll get to that more in a second.
Let's continue:
“Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”
This passage trips up a lot of people. It seems pretty black and white, right?
In order to follow Jesus you need to hate your family.
Done. Hate your wife. Hate your children. Hate your parents. You heard Him. Right?
Hang on - but doesn't the Bible tell us also to love those people? Yes - of course it does.
"Honor your father and your mother" - Jesus's own words in Mark 7:9-13.
"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" - Ephesians 5:25
"He took them in his arms and blessed them, laying hands on them" - Mark 10:16 - talking about Jesus with the little children.
"Be reconciled to your brother" - Matthew 5:24.
"Love your enemies" - Luke 6:27
and it goes on.
The word hate in Luke 14:26 really does deserve a closely look. In the original language, as well as in Hebrew Scriptures, the contrast between "love" and "hatred" could also be used to communicate a preference. All believers are called to acknowledge Christ and to show Him preference over all other earthly ties.
So let's think of it this way, with "hate" being used as a comparative term:
"Compared to our love for Jesus, every other commitment in our lives - even our most important and intimate commitments like to our spouse, children, or parents - even those commitments should feel like hate by comparison."
How to Kill a Movement 101:
Here's the thing. This passage keeps just hitting me with things that in my mind just don't make sense. For Jesus to turn around to "great crowds" tell them this, "if you want to be my disciple you need to even hate your own life." I would think that might just be tactic "numero uno" of how to just kill a movement.
But thank God that I'm not Jesus, because Jesus knew exactly the effect that this demand would have.
He's not looking for spectators; he was calling for recruits (G. B. Caird, Saint Luke, Pelican Gospel Commentaries (London: Pelican, 1963), 178.)
Because the only way anyone would ever go through with a statement like that is if there was something about Jesus that was just so essential to your life that all of those other things without Jesus were absolutely nothing.
Jesus has to have such a place in your life that you could say "Compared to Him, I hate my comfort. Compared to Him, I hate my wife (sorry, Cassy - and Cassy's mom is here today as well, so I picked a great Sunday for that verse). Compared to Him, I hate my own life."
You might be sitting here this morning thinking "Geez, I've never heard that before..."
Well there it is.
3 Reasons Why People Reject the Invitation
Let's talk about now, three things that this parable shows us about why people miss the invitation.
Reason #1: They Fail to Recognize the Importance
Some miss the party because they fail to recognize the importance of the invitation.
Excuses given aren't necessarily evil in themselves right? They're not things like - "Hey, sorry I can't make it, there's some guys relying on me this afternoon for their daily dose of meth." Or "Well, I'd come but I don't know who else is going to open up the brothel this evening, I have the keys, so..."
Rather their excuses aren't that insane - rather they can be pretty - we'll use the word "anemic" - but any excuse can become evil when it's being used by someone to justify ignoring something of eternal - ultimate, Godly, importance.
And sure, there's some reasons that sound legitimate:
Sometimes when I'm up here at work, my phone rings, or a text comes through.
Sometimes I'm in a meeting or meeting with somebody, or teaching a group - so I don't answer.
But here's some inside information. Sometimes I'm not doing any of those things, and I still don't answer because I'm just really zoned in on what I'm doing. If I were to respond to that text or take the phone call it would just pull me out of that focus, out of that zone, distract me. So I'll just be like, "not now, I'll get to it here in a second, I need to focus on this."
Legitimate excuses, right?
Unless the person on the other end of the phone is my wife - "I just got in a wreck, it's pretty bad..." or, on the flip side of things "I'm pregnant!"
Don't get any ideas - that didn't happen! Just an example. Plus, announcing like this isn't how we would do it anyway. (Good grief, maybe I should put the shovel down.)
But that kind of a phone call would make any excuse I've got going on for not answering, basically irrelevant by comparison, wouldn't it?
Compared to the importance of the invitation from Christ, all other excuses are irrelevant - aren't they?
Christ is asking, "How important to you is an invitation from God?"
An invitation to a banquet in which lost people will be found, broken people will be put back together. Addicts will be set free, and lonely people to come together in community. It's for those who have shame and regret in their life to have it lifted. To have sins forgiven, and to have hostility vaporized.
Now, let's pump the brakes for a second.
If you're sitting here or listening to this online, and you're thinking: "That all sounds well and good - but I don't know if this invitation is even really from God. I don't even really know if the Bible is even God's Word."
Totally understand. Good point - valid objection.
But it doesn't really change anything at all does it?
If you're not sure if it's God's Word, or if the invitation is really from Him - don't you think, then, that's the thing that you should be placing the highest level of importance on figuring out?
And I've heard people say, in fact my Philosophy professor at Texas Tech said this: "I don't know if there's a God, and I don't really care."
What?!
That makes absolutely no sense. I don't care if the guy had a Ph.D. That made no sense.
Because if there's even a chance that it's from God - that alone demands your utmost attention.
If you believe the Bible might be the Word of God - you need to figure out where you land, because, and here's a thought: what if it is what it says it is?
What if the things that the Bible says about eternity are true?
Because this Bible, the one in front of you, in your hands, or on your phone, teaches or everyone - everyone you know, you've ever known, you've ever seen, friends, family, colleagues, teachers, acquaintances, and so on - is going to spend eternity in one of two places.
Option 1: Heaven - mentioned 276 times in the New Testament alone, a paradise filled with brilliance that to describe it is beyond words. We see it listed in scripture as a place of "no mores." No more tears, no more pain, no more sorrow (Rev. 21:4), no more separation. A place of unimaginable bliss and pleasure. It's eternity in the presence of our Lord and Savior. Face to face with He who loved us so much that He sacrificed Himself so that we can enjoy His presence in heaven for eternity.
Pastor and Theologian, R.C. Sproul, describes it like this - and I just love this quote:
“Heaven is a place where God will personally wipe away our tears.”
And Thomas Moore, a poet who wrote the lyrics to the hymn, “Come, Ye Disconsolate” puts it wonderfully:
“Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.”
The other place described in the Bible is Hell. It's not some figment of our imagination - it's not just some bad time on earth.
Rather, we see in Scripture that Jesus describes Hell as a real place of real torment - not scare tactics into following Him, but telling us these things out of love, and warning for us.
So doesn't it warrant at least the question, "What if what He said was true? What if His death actually was what He said it was?"
What if He was serious when He said, "I am the way the truth and the light. Nobody comes to the Father except through me"? What if He was telling the truth on that?
Yet time and time again people will brush it to the side: "I don't really care about thinking about all that..."
If there's a chance that all of this is true, it demands our attention.
Personally Missing the Importance
When I was in high school, I was in a graphic design class. To my right sat one of my friends from orchestra, and to my left sat a guy that I was friends with - not great friends, mind you - but I had known him for about 4 years. This guy was an outspoken atheist, and just about everybody knew about it. And one day as we’re sitting there in class, for some reason it just pops in my mind to ask him, “Hey man, why don’t you believe in Christ?” And he looked at me and said, “There’s two reasons. The first is that I don’t really believe that any of you believe in Jesus either.” Which that sort of shocked me. I had been a Christian my whole life, baptized in second grade, all of that. How could I not believe in Jesus? Pretty sure I know what I believe. He continued, “Which leads me to reason 2, because if all of you did believe, then that means that for the last four years, everyone at this school who claims to be a Christian must then hate me so much, that not one person until this moment has even so much as asked my why I don’t believe, much less tried to share the gospel with me. And if it was true, and you did believe it, how could you not spend every waking moment trying to share it with every single person you could? And yet no one does.”
Do you know how often I think about sitting there at that desk, looking at him in the eyes as he told me that he hadn't met a Christian who believed in Christ?
If you're a student here this morning, in a Connect Group I've taught, or in the Young Adult group - you've probably heard that story before, because it's on my mind - a lot.
Because at the end of the day - at the core or root of what he was saying to me was that it wasn't clear to him that I was a Christian because I didn't act like I believed it.
How could I not be sharing the gospel if I truly believed it?
How could it not change everything about me?
I had missed the urgency and the importance of the invitation.
Well that's over now.
And things have changed.
God has worked in my life in unbelievably miraculous ways - and praise God for that. The fact that I'm even sharing any of this with you at this capacity, He's worked in miraculous ways.
But that doesn't change the fact that a lot of people miss the invitation's urgency - still - today. Don't miss it. Please don't make my mistake.
Reason #2: They Feel Unworthy
The second reason that some miss the party is because they feel unworthy.
See, this parable that Jesus gave was scandalous because rich and important people wouldn't invite the poor, lame, blind, diseased, outcast, pariahs.
God invited them.
And I just have to wonder how many people reject the invitation because they don't really believe that God wants them there. Look, I understand the instinct in all of us that thinks that we have to earn, we have to be worthy, we receive what we're worthy to receive.
Maybe you've thought, "why would God want me? If He knew the things I've done, or the things I've thought...How could He want me at the banquet?"
Maybe there's no name that someone could call you that you haven't already said to yourself 6 inches away from the mirror.
"Why would God want me and everything that I am at His feast?"
Because that's the gospel.
Christ became sin - for us. He became the things that you've done, the things that you've thought, the sin and the corruption that all of us are. He became that on the cross. He died for it. And it was put away.
Do you know His last words on the cross?
"Tetelestai"
It. Is. Finished.
It was a word that archaeologists have found on tax receipts - meaning that a debt had been paid.
The debt has been paid for your sin!
It. Is. Finished. It's paid.
The invitation is open for all who will receive, regardless of the worthiness or unworthiness you bring to the table.
To think that you're worthy or unworthy is to miss the point because Jesus died for all of it.
Old things have passed away - all things are new in Him. That means that it doesn't matter what your old things are - they're passed away. The invitation is for you.
Jesus gives the invitation 4 times in this passage. He keeps saying it, and saying it, and saying it, and saying it.
"Come to the table."
Behold, he whoever thirsts shall come to the waters and drink. Let he who is thirsty, come. Regardless of who you are or where you are.
Reason #3: The Refuse to Acknowledge that They’re Unworthy
The third reason people miss the invitation, is because they refuse to acknowledge that they are unworthy.
Really just the opposite of number 2. They don't really take Jesus seriously.
Now don't miss this - the key to understanding this parable is to understand the difference between the first invitation and the second.
1. The first invitation is to get religious. Which I would argue that most of you here have done. You're at church, on a Sunday. Awesome. But I think, also, that one of the most dangerous things that a pastor can do is to assume everyone in the congregation on a Sunday is saved.
2. The second invitation is to actually experience the gospel.
But here's the thing, and here me with this - our world is flooded today with messages like "Jesus just wants you to be a better you" or "Jesus wants you to be a better mom." "Jesus wants you to be a better dad." Sure those are great things, improving and trying to be better isn't bad at all. But when you listen to the world who's telling you that all you need to do to please Jesus is to just be a better version of what you already are, that's not the gospel.
The gospel is that there's no version of us that's going to earn our way into heaven. It says that you need a brand new you. Austin needs a brand new Austin. Austin needs Christ's sacrifice and resurrection - you need a Christ's sacrifice and resurrection - and when you believe in Him as your savior, you are that new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).
How incredible is that?
See - maybe it wasn't all that random that Jesus started this parable with the importance of taking the low place - to embrace humility. Maybe there was a reason behind telling the parable the way that He did.
You think?
Because the gospel is not that Jesus rewards the righteous, those with just enough good works, with the best places around the table; the gospel is that Jesus, the only one who deserved the high place, He voluntarily got up from His seat, took that walk of shame, and sat at the low place for us. And He offered us His position at the table as a gift.
And that’s the only way the gospel can be received, in humility. In admitting you have nothing about you that deserves it...
This parable is so much more than just some advice of where to sit at a table, it's the way of eternal life.
And it's open to you - right now - if you want to receive it.
But hear me, receive it humility. Receive it in total surrender.
An Invitation
One of my favorite hymns, I've been listening to it all week - it's a really popular hymn, and it came across my screen recently. I'd like to share a little about it with you. It was written by a young woman named Charlotte Elliott.
See, Charlotte was an invalid, and as a result she had grown very bitter. She struggled with a sense of shame that came from both her own disabilities as well as, by her words, "the depravity of her sinful heart."
But, in her early 20’s, thankfully, she found Christ, and became a Christian, and decided to write a poem that was later put to music. Her brother, who was a Presbyterian minister, even said about this poem and hymn, “My sister brought more people to Jesus, did more good in spreading the Gospel with that poem - than all of my sermons combined.”
That poem that she wrote goes like this:
“Just as I am without one plea,
But that thy blood was shed for me,
And that thou bidst me come to thee,
Oh Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
sight, riches, healing of the mind,
yea, all I need in thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.”
You can come to the table, whoever or wherever you are.
Coming to the table doesn't mean that you're perfect overnight. It doesn't mean that sin just vanishes from your life. It doesn't mean that there won't be suffering, struggling, or pain. It means that you recognize how desperate you are for Jesus, and that there's nothing that you would hold on to to keep you from His presence. It means that you say, "Lord, it's all yours. My comfort, my life. It's yours. What I have to have - it's all yours."
"You're Lord, and I'll follow you anywhere."
Because what would it profit anyone to gain the whole world, to give their kids all of the best things that this world can offer - only for them to lose their soul? Jesus has to have the first place in your heart.
I told you when we started this message that I had an invitation for you today.
This invitation is for you to receive Him. Today. Right now. To follow Him fully.
Some of you may be coming back to the church, maybe someone here invited you this weekend and maybe you've been making excuses as to why you're not following Jesus. Let today be the day that the excuses stop.
Today’s excuses are going to be eternity’s regrets.
Let me ask you this: just 5 seconds into eternity what is it that you'll be thankful you held on to that kept you from knowing Him?
Anything that keeps you from Jesus is nothing more than a curse to you.
Maybe you're saying to yourself: "You know, Austin, I’ve still got questions..."
Well I'd say to that, "Great! Get them answered. Start that conversation today. Why not start it now?"
One of the first excuses I heard from someone who was a close, close, friend of mine, she said: “The church has too many hypocrites.”
Let's just put it this way - someone else's hypocrisy has nothing to do with your salvation.
And, you know what, I'm thankful that Jesus cares for and invites hypocrites to the table as well. Because we've all probably had your own moments of hypocrisy, too, so thank God for the invitation because it means that there is hope for all of us.
Pastor Clayton King puts it like this: “The church is a house full of misfits and a kingdom full of miracles.” You know what that means? We've got room for another misfit. Just like we have room for another miracle. And after that we'll still have room for yet another hypocrite and yet another miracle. So just come on in. Come experience the same healing that we are each and every week.
My mom shared with me this week when I was talking to her about this message, that a friend she had growing up who used to say, “Yeah, I’ll do it when I get older.”
Yeah, go ahead and go look at that field. Go see what those oxen can do.
But here's the reality staring us all in the face. None of us knows what tomorrow holds. We don't even know what the next hour will bring. And I tried to think of another way to say this, but I just can't - so here it is: the invitation may be closed before you get back.
And not by us, because we'd never - ever close it.
But what if you don't make it to see tomorrow? That's not some scare tactic - it's a real question.
Or what if you walk away from today - and drift from church, drift from the Bible, drift from Him?
Day after day passes. What if over time you allow yourself to lose interest in Christ, and in the gospel? I'm not making that up - It happens. It happens to many.
There's a lot of people who sit in a moment just like this one. Just like what's happening here today. They hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, they feel Him moving in their hearts like you're hearing Him and you're feeling Him right now. And their answer is "No. I'll do it later."
And I say this completely out of love for each and every one of you who need to hear this:
Since we don't know what tomorrow holds, what the next hour holds, don’t let this be the last time that you hear the voice of the Holy Spirit calling you, moving in your heart.
If you feel Him moving in you, if you hear His voice, I'll tell you this every single time: you should say "yes."
No. more. excuses.
The invitation has arrived. Everything is ready.
So here's what's going to happen:
I'm going to pray for us, and if you want to receive Christ I ask that you say that prayer, or something similar to it, along with me - and after that Sutton is going to continue worship.
At that time, the altar will be open, so come and pray. We're going to be here down in front. If you accepted Christ, or want to accept Christ - come meet us. If you have questions - come. If you have someone in your life that you've been praying will accept Christ - come. We want to answer your questions, we want to guide and walk with you through that first step in the rest of your life. We want to pray with you and we want to celebrate with you.
Let today be the end of the excuses. Let today be the day you say "yes!"
"If you're saying, but I came with people... and they invited me to go eat after this.” Again, consider the importance of this invitation.
They’ll wait. I promise. They will. If you're looking at them now, checking to see, and they're shaking their head no, grab them and bring them with you, because we're gonna pray for them as well. The more the merrier. You know what, if you're accepting Christ and the people you came with don't want to wait, I'll get your Uber home. Don't let it be an excuse.
If you don't want to come to the front alone - bring someone with you, bring those that you came with, with you. That's just more people to celebrate this moment with you - that's not a problem.
Some of you have made excuse after excuse, and today is a defining moment. It's time for you to do today, what God has been telling you to do.
The invitation is here. Everything is ready.
So again, I'll pray, we'll continue to worship, and at that time, you'll come.
If you'll bow with me and I want to pray over you:
“God, help everyone here and online this morning to be bold in this 1st step of obedience. Of answering the invitation. Give them courage to take this step. This step which will mark the beginning of a brand-new life for them..."
And if you're not sure if you've ever surrendered your life to Christ and accepted Him as your Savior, then just pray to Jesus, sincerely, something like this - pray with me:
"Jesus I know that I need you. I know that I need you. I know that I need you. I surrender to you. I surrender everything to you. Please come into my heart and save me, Lord. Help me to walk in Your footsteps, because I receive this invitation to come to the table. To come to the banquet. To accept you as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name I pray this - Amen."
Here's the second invitation. If you just received Christ as your Lord and Savior please let me know: I want to personally pray for you, and celebrate with you, and just thank the Lord for working in your heart. If you have questions, want prayer, or need someone to talk to - let me know, I’m here for you.
More from the “Come to the Table” series:
This is the heartbeat of the Church - action into serving others the other 167 hours of the week that you're not here, be that at work, or at home. As we strive to be more like Christ day after day, look at who He told us to invite to the table. Build relationships, invest your time into others that may not be able to pay you back, and allow for God to use you, your skills, your talents, your job, your resources - to grow the Kingdom, and to spread the Gospel to all nations.