One thing I have always enjoyed was getting together with friends. Growing up in a church where everyone was like family, I was always together with my friends. I would come home from school and friends would start showing up at our house just to hang out. We spent most of our time centered around the kitchen area of our house. The girls would come over and “girl time” talking with my mom while us guys stuffed our faces with potato chips and cookies as we talked about the girls. On weekends friends would come over to our house and we would rent movies, cook out, and feast on hamburgers or hot dogs. Our house growing up was like one consistent banquet of friends. If my friends were not over, then my brothers friends were over. You can imagine my parents grocery bill was pretty high. But they loved the company just as much as we did.
When I think back to my first days as a new college student at the University of Alabama, my fondest memories are spending time with my friends eating and being together. I can remember my very first night in Alabama as my parents drove away and I was for the first time in my life, independent and living away from them with my roommate. Both of us were new to living away from home, and it was actually dinner time when my parents left us in the apartment to start our new college lives.
So we decided to commemorate our new found independence with a feast of Oscar Meyer hot dogs and Dr. Pepper. To us, this was no ordinary meal. It was a milestone worthy of a mini banquet. We even took pictures of our first supper in our new apartment. We ate and laughed together anticipating our new life in Alabama as we sat on our balcony watching other students moving into their apartments as the sun began to set.
My favorite memories are centered around eating with friends and family. We were in Utah on a mission trip with our youth group at the time my brother Andy suffered a fatal injury in a skiing accident. The heart breaking events of that trip are a blur to me to this day. But I remember one part of that trip crystal clear. It was the morning before of my brothers accident. We all woke up in our hotel room very early in the morning as to get a jump start on skiing that day. And to start the day right, we decided we needed a balanced and nutritious breakfast…..at the golden arches of McDonalds.
I remember that breakfast, every detail, in extreme clarity. Like it happened yesterday. My brother and I sat at a table by the window with all of our friends surrounding us as we all feasted on hashbrowns, McGriddles, McMuffins, McPancakes, and shared with one another as we laughed and talked about who could ski down the mountain the fastest.
When Lacy and I went on our first date, we had planned to go to the Olive Garden. It was my intention to impress her with a feast of bread sticks and fettuccine alfredo. But when we arrived we realized the wait was so long that we would miss our movie if we stayed. So we ended up going to a lesser known restaurant by the name of Grady’s. I had never been there, and it sure wasnt my first choice. But it wasnt about the food. I was mesmerized by Lacy. I just wanted to spend time with her. I couldnt tell you what we had for dinner three days ago, but I remember that meal in perfect detail.
I ordered a seafood pasta dish and Lacy ordered the same thing. I was so nervous but I covered it well…or so I think I did. I would actually wait until she was looking down or not at me before I took a bite of my meal because I was afraid of how I would look slurping noodles in front of her. We talked about everything from our families to our hopes and dreams for the future. I had been learly of getting in a serious relationship prior to Lacy. I enjoyed my freedom and dating whoever I choose. But that night, I remember thinking that Lacy was going to be not only my girlfriend, but my future. Twelve years ago, that meal was the beginning of the rest of our lives together.
And now some of our best memories as a family are feasting and spending time with our families. Each time we go to Lacy’s parents house in Pelham Georgia, her father cooks the best ribs and chicken Ive ever tasted. When we go to my grandfathers house in Destin Florida, he never fails to treat us to a gourmet meal. And when we are in Marietta Georgia, Lacys Uncle John and Aunt Mona have us over for the best…..well when it comes to Uncle John and Aunt Mona, any meal is the best. But again, its not the food that makes the time special, its the people.
More recently, when my father was in Panama a few weeks ago with us, the best times I have had with my dad that I can remember to this day were going to breakfast with him each morning at Olga’s or Central Park Cafe in Boquete. We would drop my son off at school in town and then have breakfast together. We talked about everything. My dad I and have always been close, but our time spent over many breakfast together in Panama brought us so much closer. I began to see my dad not just as my father, but as a friend I really enjoy just hanging out with.
If you think about it, some of the most cherished times are spent with family and or friends feasting with each other. Today is Thanksgiving and many families world wide will create new memories as they fill their bellies with Turkey and dressing. And it was no different back in the times of Jesus. Jesus preformed one of his first miracles at the wedding banquet when he turned water into wine. (John 2:1-11). He then performed one of his greatest miracles when he fed the five thousand. (John 6:1-14). In Luke 22:1-23, Jesus dined with his disciples at what was to be the very first Lords Supper hours before he was to be crucified. After Jesus was resurrected and before he ascended into Heaven, he again dined with friends. (Luke 24:30; 24:42-43). And there are even more all examples of this throughout scripture.
In Luke 14:12-24, Jesus teaches us about what the kingdom of Heaven will be like by comparing it to a great banquet.
“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 just got married, so I can’t come.’
“The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
“‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”
This parable speaks such a large truth to us today. Some of the guest that were invited accepted the invitation to this banquet. However, as time went on and it came down to making a commitment to attend, the guest began to make very lame excuses.
The first invited guest used the excuse of having just bought a piece of land and having to go see it. This is such a weak excuse. Has anyone ever fallen through on their commitment to you and it was apparent that they were lying to get out of their commitment? Thats what we see here. First of all, who buys a piece of land without first walking over every square inch to make sure its a good investment? No one. This guy is coming up with anything he can think of to get out of committing to the banquet.
The second guys gives the excuse of just having purchased five oxen and he says he needs to go inspect them. Again, we see yet another transparent lie of an excuse. A team of five oxen was a big investment back in those days. What kind of man would buy a team of oxen without first making sure that they were of the finest stock and strong enough to pull the work load? Again…no one of a sound mind would do this.
Keep in mind that these guest have previously been invited. And now that its time for the banquet, servants have been sent out to tell those invited, “Ok everything is ready! Come on over!” But those who had originally accepted have not made preparing for this banquet priority in their lives and are making excuses as to now get out of attending.
The last guy has one of the lamest excuses in my book. He claims he just got married, so he cant attend. First of all, what woman doesnt like to get dressed up, go and eat good food, and be around other people in time of fellowship? If given a choice to sit at home in front of the television eating Doritos or go out to hang out with friends over dinner, my wife will choose the latter any day. Another false excuse.
Why didnt these people want to attend the banquet? Perhaps some of them just didnt want to prepare. They thought at the time they would do what it took to get ready, but when it came down to it, they just couldnt commit.
We have all been invited to come to this huge banquet that is the Kingdom of Heaven. We have all been given the invitation. Some of us have even accepted the invitation by walking down the aisle or saying a prayer and accepting Jesus as our savior. But then as time goes on, we forget the commitment we made. We sink back into our old ways, and we begin putting anything we can before Christ. We make excuses as to why we need to sleep in on Sunday mornings. We make excuses as to why its ok for us to watch movies with slay the name of Jesus. We make excuses why its acceptable to say we are christians but love and live more like the world than Christ. In short….we dont want to do the things it takes to follow Christ. We may have accepted the invitation, but failed to prepare for his coming.
Jesus was dining with some of the pharisees at the time he told this parable. These were the religious people who eventually persecuted and crucified Jesus. Before he told this parable, he addressed the pharisees….
Luke 14: 7-15, “When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
“Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
Jesus has created a pretty awkward moment chastising these religious men. And notice what one of them does in an attempt to break the awkwardness…….”When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
Basically this guy is saying that he and his religious buddies are blessed and will feast with God. But they dont follow Jesus. So Jesus tells this parable and this is his way of telling this guy…..you’re wrong, some of you wont be at my banquet.
The kingdom of Heaven is going to be filled with rejoicing and feasting. Its going to be like going to the best party of your entire life. Its going to be a place of dining and fellowship in worship to Jesus. Some people have a skewed view on what Heaven will be like. Some picture it being an eternal, boring worship service as they sit on a cloud strumming a harp with under sized wings. This is not true at all. Heaven is going to be like a major banquet. Its going to be a celebration. Imagine the best food you’ve ever tasted, the best time you have ever had with friends and family, and magnify that times infinity! Thats Heaven.
And we have all been invited! But the question is, will we make sure we are prepared, or will we make excuses as to why we cannot attend? The choice is ours. The host in the parable reached out to the rich who could afford teams of oxen and by lots of land. But he also gave the invitation to the poor. He gave the invitation to those who didnt think they were deserving to attend such a banquet. Jesus invites all to attend. And he is preparing a place at this feast for you. Dont make an excuse. You would be missing out on the greatest time of your life. Dont be like the religious rules. Follow Jesus and prepare for that which you have been invited to attend.
