Scripture Passage –Luke 14:15-24 (NLT)
“Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a
banquetin the Kingdom of God!” 16 Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent
out many invitations. 17 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the
banquet is ready.’ 18 But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must
inspect it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try
them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ 21 “The servant
returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the
streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 After the
servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ 23 So his master said, ‘Go out into the
country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be
full. 24 For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’” – Luke 14:15-24
(NLT)
In keeping with the Thanksgiving theme, our text today - is known as The Parable of the Great
Banquet is all about a precious invitation to come to the table of salvation which God has laid out to
us in Christ.
I. The Invitation Is Extended
II. The Invitation Is Evaded; and
III. The Invitation Is Expanded
I. THE INVITATION IS EXTENDED (v. 17)
A. The Invitation Is Simple
Jesus tells us to “Come”…..which is a command found in many key passages in both the Old and
New Testament, used in various contexts.
Isaiah 1:18:
o “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they
shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” - Isaiah
1:18
Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew:
o “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” - Matt. 11:28
Revelation 22:17:
o “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let
the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the
water of life.” - Rev. 22:17
OUR job is simply to accept that invitation and answer that call, because anyone who will come to
Jesus will be saved!:
o “…for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” - Romans 10:13
o “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me.” - John 14:6
o “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no
other.” - Isa. 45:22
B. The Invitation Is Secured
“All things are now ready” - God has already done everything necessary to make salvation available,
when He sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins.
o “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head
and gave up his spirit.” – John 19:30
C. The Invitation Is Serious
“Now ready” – also has an imperative aspect to it. In other words, the time to come to Christ is
NOW!
o “For he says, in a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped
you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” - 2 Cor. 6:2.
o “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” - Pro. 27:1
o “He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.” -
Pro. 29:1
o “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.” - Isaiah 55:6
II. THE INVITATION IS EVADED (v. 18-20)
The text tells us that all the original invitees to the banquet made excuses as to why they couldn’t
come….but sinners HAVE no excuses before God:
o “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly
perceived, ever since the creation of the world, [a] in the things that have been made. So they
are without excuse.” - Rom. 1:20
o “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing
judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same
things.” - Rom. 2:1.
People concoct all types of excuses to avoid coming to Jesus:
o “Too many hypocrites in the church”
o “There’s too much to give up”
“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what
can a man give in return for his soul?” – Mark 8:36-37
o “I am too great a sinner”
"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never
cast out.” – John 6:37
“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost [a] those who draw near to
God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” - Heb. 7:25
o “I’ll come later, but not today.”
III. THE INVITATION IS EXPANDED (v. 21-23)
When the people who were ORIGINALLY invited decided not to come, then the invitation was
EXTENDED to those BEYOND who had been invited.
Jesus wants those WHO WANT HIM!:
o “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive
him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” - John 1:11-12
This parable is about all the people (Gentiles) who were invited when the original invitees (Jews)
didn’t show up.
CONCLUSION
Lastly, consider the LAST verse of our text today.
o “For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.” (Luke 14:24)
In other words, the people who gave excuses and refused to come, were eventually LEFT OUT
altogether.
Don’t let yourself be excluded……accept “YOUR Invitation to the Feast” TODAY!
ASK: re-read and study the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24) and truthfully ask
yourself if you’ve accepted God’s inivitation to salvation in Christ.
ACTION: Accept YOUR invitation to the Feast today!
