Dave and
his fiancée, who live in the U.S.
were a little worried about whether all the guests would show up for the
wedding ceremony on July 6, 2008. Dave
sent an invitation to his best friend Jim, inviting him to the wedding in Wales .
Jim thought Dave was talking about 2007
rather than 2008. So Jim bought a plane
ticket from Toronto
for $1,000.00. Once he arrived in Wales , Jim called Dave to get the
details about the location for the ceremony.
It was only then that he discovered he was ahead of schedule by a whole
year. "At least, he said, as the best man, it gave me a great story when I
toasted the groom."
Isn’t it
an honor to be invited to a social occasion?
Whether a birthday celebration, a picnic at the bay, an anniversary
party, a graduation celebration, a wedding reception, or simply having a few
friends over for dinner, it is one of the joys of life.
In our
story Jesus was at a Pharisee's house for dinner on the Sabbath. A guest comments about “eating bread in the Kingdom
of God
It is in
this context, that Jesus tells a story about a man who invited people to a
grand dinner. In Jesus' day the social
custom was to send out two invitations.
The first invitation said: “I am having
a party and you’re invited, mark your calendars.” All the invited guests replied that they
planned to attend. When the preparations
were set, the host sent out a second invitation – “Come, my friends, everything is now ready.”
So what
happens? One by one the guests start
making excuses. Has that ever happened
to you? The time for your party has
arrived, when invited guests start calling and bailing out. Some excuses you have to agree are pretty
creative.
Today when
people RSVP and then either don’t show or call with an excuse at the last
minute, we are a little hurt or disappointed.
In Jesus' day it was much different.
The culture was so different. To
decline after accepting an invitation, was a egregious insult, a serious social
offense, and literally hostilities could break out, some families went to war
over such things.
Were they
good reasons? Imagine you are the
host. You decide. The first guest says: “I know I said I would come, but I just bought a piece of property and I
have to go out and check it out.”
But why that day? Business gets
in the way.
The second
guest says: “I know I said I would come,
but I just bought five oxen and I need to try them out.” But why that very
day. Again, business gets in the way.
The third
guest tells the servant: “Sorry, I
thought I could come, but I can’t because I just got married.” Surely this is a sound reason. However,
Jewish engagements and weddings were planned over a year in advance. The groom would have known if there was
going to be a conflict with the dinner.
Marriage gets in the way.
When the
servant returns and tells his master the news, the host is upset. The host shifts to plan B. He sends his servant out into the streets and
alleys to invite the marginalized, the dispossessed: the poor, the crippled,
the blind and the lame. And when the
servant says there is still room, the host sends him out into the country to
invite still more folks to come.
What is
Jesus saying in this story? God’s
invitation to the great supper is inclusive, rather than exclusive. Jesus in this parable shows the generosity
and magnanimity of God. God’s invitation
is broad and open, rather than narrow and selective. God invites persons regardless of their race,
sex, social status, education or economic class. God is not partial or elitist, prejudice or
racist.
It’s
further saying that the guest list in God's kingdom will surprise us. We’re going to be surprised when we sit down
at the Messianic banquet table. “Look whose here, I can't believe it!” That's why Christians must not be self
righteous and judgmental, claiming to know who is going to heaven. I have over the years heard Christian leaders
make such claims and it is very disturbing.
That knowledge is God's alone.
God is the host, God is the one who does the inviting, not us. And we never ultimately know who has
accepted Christ's invitation in his or her heart. On the other hand, people at the supper may
be just as surprised to see you there and me.
The
parable is also saying that God enjoys a celebration. God throws a party whenever someone enters
the Kingdom or reign of God, whenever someone enters into a right relationship
with God. We learn this from the gospel
of Luke. A shepherd finds a lost sheep
and throws a party, a woman finds a lost coin and throws a party, a prodigal
son returns home and his father throws a party. “For
my son was lost, but now is found.”
Praise God.
Scripture
says: “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” God
gives us the freedom to respond, to accept His invitation to the Great Dinner
in the Kingdom of
God
The
parable concludes with words that would have shocked the people at the
party. Jesus says: “I tell you not one of those who were invited will taste my banquet.” Jesus dares to claim that He is the host of
the future Messianic banquet.
The good
news is that God has sent out an invitation to the banquet with your name on
it. No one can earn the right to attend
or earn a place at the banquet table.
It's by invitation only, it's by God's grace and mercy alone. All we have to do is accept the
invitation. The only thing that keeps us
from the party are excuses about why we can't attend.
“Come, for everything is now ready.” Christ
has reserved a seat for you. May at this
Lord's table you experience a foretaste of the Great Messianic banquet to
come. Amen!
