December 13, The Invitation, Anonymous
Luke 14:16-22
Then Jesus said to him, ‘Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, “Come; for everything is ready now.” But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, “I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my apologies.” Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my apologies.” Another said, “I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.” So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, “Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.” And the slave said, “Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.” Then the master said to the slave, “Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner.”’
Theme:
This parable is the story of a host and a banquet. The host represents God, and the banquet symbolizes the kingdom of God—a feast of grace, forgiveness, and eternal joy. The invited guests make excuses and
reject the invitation. Their reasons may seem relatable. They include the normal challenges of daily life—work, family, and other responsibilities—but these excuses reveal misplaced priorities. Each excuse shows that the guests value other commitments more than the feast.
God’s invitation to each of us is open and inclusive. The parable emphasizes that God’s invitation is not
limited to a select few. When those first invited decline, the invitation goes out to “the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame” (v. 21). God’s kingdom is open to all who will come, and He seeks out those who might feel unworthy or overlooked.
Illustration:
When I was 13 years old, I was invited to my first Bat Mitzvah. I was interested but also anxious. I didn’t know what to expect. If you’re not familiar with it, a Bat Mitzvah is a coming-of-age ceremony for a Jewish girl. It is held around her 12th birthday. After speaking with some of my Jewish friends about what to expect, I learned that Jewish families often spend thousands of dollars to plan this event. It includes a religious
ceremony and a party. People arrive in dressy attire and bring expensive gifts.
At the time, my family didn’t have a lot of money. I wanted to go, but I was nervous. The more time I spent thinking about the expensive gifts others would bring or the fancy clothes I did not have, the more
nervous I became. I decided I did not want to go. I learned that my friends were going. I learned that some of them weren’t even bringing gifts.
It was one of the most exciting events I had ever attended. I danced. There was a booth to make music videos. I laughed with my friends. There was a DJ. There were gift bags to take home, including a VHS copy of my music video. And yes, there were lots of expensive gifts and expensively-dressed people. I’m glad I went. In fact, I went to close to 20 more that year.
Takeaway:
Even though I was invited to the party, the more I learned about it, the less comfortable I felt showing up. I almost let my insecurities prevent me from experiencing something wonderful. For the characters in the
parable, life got in the way of their invitation. I almost let my own pride get in the way. We must all endeavor to remember that God has invited us to the table, to the kingdom, and to the throne. If we don’t let things get in the way, we are always welcome.
Prayer:
Dear God, Thank You for inviting me to be part of Your kingdom. I am sorry for the times I have made
excuses or put other things before You. Today, I say ‘yes’ to Your invitation. Help me to trust in Your plan,
follow Your ways, and share Your love with others. Thank You for preparing a place for me at Your table.
I am grateful for Your grace and the gift of being included in Your family. Amen.