Slices
Prepare
Do you have neighbours, friends or relatives who are indifferent to the good news of Jesus? Pray for them now. Ask God to give them a sense of need, so that they hear his invitation and respond (Isaiah 55:1,5).
Bible
The parable of the great banquet
15 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.’
16 Jesus replied: ‘A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, “Come, for everything is now ready.”
18 ‘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.”
19 ‘Another said, “I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.”
20 ‘Still another said, “I have just got married, so I can’t come.”
21 ‘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.”
22 ‘“Sir,” the servant said, “what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.”
23 ‘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. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.”’
Explore
I’m ashamed to admit that I once booked an appointment at a specific time in order to avoid accepting an unwanted invitation. I guess that it was not unlike the characters in this punchy parable. This story is Jesus’ response to one of the guests, whose comment (v 15) probably means that he thought only Jews would be present in God’s kingdom. Jesus subsequently turns that notion upside down!
The master in the story is God, the great banquet is the kingdom, and the invited guests represent the Jewish nation who would reject Jesus (John 1:11). The feeble excuses for declining the invitation show total disinterest in what is on offer – for example, buying land or livestock would surely involve preliminary inspection! All the reasons given show other priorities taking precedence – something we may also need to be mindful of, perhaps?
Jesus’ response towards those who reject his offer of salvation is to emphasise yet again that he came to save not only the Jews, but Gentiles too. It includes the marginalised (people the Pharisees would have considered ‘unclean’, vs 21,23). Jesus knows exactly what he is doing, and the hidden message is loud and clear for the Pharisees.
Respond
Jesus’ attitude to outcasts demonstrates the heart of God so clearly. Do we take God’s grace and mercy for granted?
Deeper Bible study
Pray for anyone you know at work or in your family who seems to be on the edges. Ask God to show you how to include them in community.
Jesus speaks this parable to reveal what feasting in the kingdom (v 15) really means. Two invitations were sent: the first a ‘save the date’, telling people when the event was planned; the second when the celebration was actually ready to go. Hence the servant’s words in verse 17: ‘Come, for everything is now ready’. Everyone to whom the servant goes had previously agreed to come to this celebration on this date. The excuses are flimsy. Nobody buys property without viewing it first – you have to check everything (especially the availability of water). Again, nobody makes such a massive investment as buying five pairs of oxen without first checking they can pull. The third guest doesn’t even bother to be polite. He’s so engrossed enjoying the pleasures of his honeymoon that he sees no need to apologise. Having previously agreed to come, they’ve now all refused.
The host had catered on the basis of the number who’d said they’d come. Everything will go to waste. So he reacts to their shocking rudeness by upending everything. Those recommended to his host by Jesus (v 13) are invited: the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. When they’re within, the master sends the servant to those living in the roads and the hedges. These untouchables (in that culture) have to be firmly led into the banquet as they can’t believe they’re really wanted. Some argue that those in the town are Jewish people unable to keep the Law because of their occupations (like shepherds), while those in the roads and hedges outside the town are Gentiles. Those who received the ‘save the date’ refuse to come. That prompts the master to throw open the doors and invite everyone unable to keep the Law to feast at his table. That’s what feasting in God’s kingdom really means.
It’s easy to exclude others unintentionally. Where that’s happened to you, forgive: where you’ve done that to others, say sorry.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Genesis 5,6; Matthew 3
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for Rachel Settatree as she returns to her role as Safeguarding Manager after some time off for adoption leave. Pray for wisdom and insight as she leads us in keeping children and young people safe in everything we do.
