Parables of Christ - Part 15

The Invitation

The Audio Version of today’s note

The House of Bread · Voice Note For 20241018 - The Invitation - Parables Of Christ - Part 15

Luke 14:7-24 KJV

[7] And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, [8] When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; [9] and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. [10] But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. [11] For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. [12] Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. [13] But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: [14] and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. [15] And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. [16] Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: [17] and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. [18] And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. [19] And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. [20] And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. [21] So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. [22] And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. [23] And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. [24] For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

Note for 20241018

There is another similar account in Matthew 22.

Matthew 22:1-14 KJV

[1] And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, [2] The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, [3] and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. [4] Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. [5] But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: [6] and the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. [7] But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. [8] Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. [9] Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. [10] So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. [11] And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: [12] and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. [13] Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [14] For many are called, but few are chosen.

These are quite well known scriptures, but friends, I cannot simply assume that everyone reading here has read this before and heard a sermon based on it. So permit me just a bit of room to briefly say the basics.

Of course those invited at first point to the Isrealites, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But when Christ Jesus came, they refused their Messiah. Then, of course, the disciples of Jesus were sent out to preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15 KJV), as we are sent out too. The church of Christ thus resembles those that in word and deed accepted the Lord's invitation to become children of the Living Most High GOD (John 1:12 KJV).

Look to where the servants were sent to find guests who would attend. They were not honorable people, in fact some may have even been what we would call street people. Even those considered to be in the wild. The real differentiation is in the acceptance and the rejection of the invitation.

You see, Israel was invited to the Lord's table, but they refused Him. They even killed those that the LORD sent to them. We also know that they even crucified our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The ritual of religion became more important than the LORD Himself for them. (Romans 2:25-29 KJV)

Now I ask you, is it just Israel that refused our Lord? Do we not all know those who refuse Him even in this time? The trouble of Israel in what we know from the Word of GOD and what we see before us today is all relative in this parable. But, it is not just Israel, for now we too are invited in.

Our reading of the scripture comes to a climax then, when the Lord finds someone that came in but does not have his wedding garments on. What is that? When we read the book of Revelation, did we not read about the pure and white garments of the Saints? (Revelation 7:9-14 KJV)

I will attempt to include a link to a series of sermons just on the garments on the blog at houseofbread4u.blogspot.com, for it is a study in itself. (On closer inspection the series I referred to is actually called “The Light of GOD”) But, in short, the garments point to our words and deeds. That of Christ, the Word of GOD, that we put on as garments to be ready for this feast. Remember how James wrote, that faith without works is dead (James 2:14-20 KJV.) And what about what we have learned in Matthew 25:40 of what we do for the least of these we do for Christ? Do you remember yesterday's note? Are we not to prepare for the Day of The Lord? What about the parable of the 10 young virgins and those of them that did not have oil for their lamps? (Matthew 25:1-13 KJV)

We are invited to this feast, friends. And, just because we have accepted the invitation doesn't mean that we must not get ready for it. We cannot just show up, and sit back without washing ourselves from all the filth in this world. GOD is HOLY, so must we be holy (1 Peter 1:13-16 KJV.) Do you remember how we read in the Sermon on the mount that our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees and scribes? (Matthew 5:20 KJV)

All of that being said, permit me then this question that is stirred up in me in the love for the children of GOD: How can I remain silent if I see them unprepared and "naked and undressed" or in the wrong garments when I know the coming of our Lord is at hand? Shall I say it even stronger? How can you remain silent and not warn your brothers and sisters in the Faith that it is time to get dressed for the feast of the LORD? Do we not wash the children's hands and faces before the Host comes in? Look what happened to the man that was not in his wedding garments. Do you want that for those you love?

Friends, don't you know that we are the ones sent out to invite everyone in? And as the servants of the Lord, should we not be dressed in the appropriate garments too? (Ephesians 6:10-20 KJV) Should we not relate to those invited what the dress code is?

In our reading, see what Jesus saw that sparked this parable to the people. He saw those that wanted a higher seat than what they were worthy of. The parable itself is a warning to be ready for the feast our Father in Heaven has prepared for all mankind. And as we now know, not all who were invited will come in, nor will all be in the right attire.

Where you are, is where the Lord sent you to get ready and invite those you find along your way to this feast too. Is that not a duty, a calling of the Lord?

Be ready, warn all you know to get ready. For the Groom is on His way.

Shalom.

The House of Bread