In the United Kingdom, the day was even declared a national holiday to allow more people to witness
the occasion. A staggering number of over 600,000 spectators filled the streets of London, hoping to
catch a glimpse of the royal couple.
While many world leaders received invitations to the wedding, some declined to attend. Among those who declined were Patrick Hillery, the President of the Republic of Ireland at the time, Konstantinos Karamanlis, the President of Greece, as well as King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain. Their decisions were based on political disagreements, and unfortunately, they missed the grandeur of the occasion.
In most of our weddings after we get back all of the invitations, we have to send the final headcount to
the caterer. This number is based on the people who said they were attending. Whatever that number is,
that was how many plates we have to pay for. Regardless of whether they showed up or not, we have to
pay. This was also true of this banquet host.
We all get invitations that require and RSVP. When we have too many invitations, we try to juggle
around and some of them have to be declined. Once thing that characterizes this time of year are all
the invitations to various holiday events. From clubs, community gathering, work parties, to family gatherings, it can be difficult to manage. There are different ways you can deal with all the obligations. You can decline it or ignore the invitation. Either choice will most likely result in not being invited again.
The parable of the Great Banquet is about God's invitation to accept God's grace, His desire for our
fellowship, and our response to His call.
I. The Invitation to the Great Feast (Luke 14:15-17)
In the parable, a man prepared a great feast and invited many guests. This act represents God's constant
and loving invitation to humanity to enter into a deep and meaningful relationship with Him. The feast
symbolizes the abundance of God's grace and blessings that He wants to bestow upon us. It's an invitation
not just to a mere banquet but to a joyful, eternal communion with our Creator.
You are invited because you matter.
When planning a wedding, creating a guest list is one of the top priorities. The immediate family takes
precedence, followed by relatives, close friends, co-workers, friends of the family, and, if you’re lucky,
even the Queen of England. Take a moment to reflect and ask yourself: Would you invite a homeless man
from down the street? What about the catering crew? Of course not! You only invite those who matter to
you to share in the joy of your most significant day. Likewise, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, who made everything in it, is inviting you to the heavenly banquet through the Gospel because you matter to Him. John 3:16 says that God’s love for the world was so immense that he sacrificed his unique and beloved Son, allowing anyone who puts their faith in him to avoid destruction and instead experience everlasting existence.
You are invited because it is an important feast.
Can you imagine you get invited to a dinner with a governor or President. You will make every effort to
attend it. But you cannot pay your way into a wedding. It is strictly an invitation-based event. In other
words, you don’t have to pay for admission. However, just because it is free does not mean it is cheap.
The host of the wedding bears the cost. Jesus mentioned in the parable that when the guests refused to
come, the king sent his servants once again and urged them to attend, mentioning that he had butchered
his oxen and fattened calves. The guests did not have to pay a single penny to enter the banquet because
the king had already paid it all. Yet, they still refused to come.
You are invited because you can make a choice about eternity.
There is a great banquet in heaven God is preparing for His people in eternity. God’s love reaches
out to invite all to join God in celebrating in eternity. God wants everyone to be saved and become
part of His family in eternity.
II. Excuses and Priorities (Luke 14:18-20)
Each one pushes off the invitation and finds excuses.
Surprisingly, those who were invited began to make excuses. One had bought a field,
another had bought oxen, and a third had just gotten married. These excuses reflect how we often
allow the cares and concerns of the world to take precedence over our spiritual lives. We become
preoccupied with material possessions, our careers, or even our personal desires, neglecting the most
important invitation we could ever receive - the call of God.
We all have made up excuses one time or another. Some excuses that I read people made i real life are
hilarious. A mother sent a note to the school, "Please excuse Jennifer for missing school yesterday.
We forgot to get the Sunday paper off the porch, and when we found it Monday, we thought it was Sunday." Someone said in court, "The pedestrian had no idea which direction to go, so I ran over him."
These "excuses" may bring a smile. But they also remind us of how prone we are to shade the facts, especially when it works to our advantage. We push off the invitation from God and begin with the excuses. “God, tomorrow will be better but right now I’m so tired.”
Is our faith a matter of convenience?
In this story, the three situations Jesus, the guests’ occupations were not sin in themselves. But they became sinful because of the priority given to them.
Convenient Christianity
We live in an age of convenience. We are very familiar with convenience stores and convenient banks,
convenient umbrellas and convenient food. We know convenient technology when we use cell phones to
call our son in the bedroom to tell him ‘dinner is ready’ and he emails back “what’s for dinner?” It takes
only seconds to make a tea and only a few hours to deliver something across the globe. Is our faith a matter of convenience?
1. PRIORITY OF WEALTH
He is concerned about the priority of his wealth more than God.
When God invites, you just have to show up. It is not potluck. You dont have to bring anything.
Everything ready. (vv.16-17). “ A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, (17) and sent his
servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, "Come, for all things are now ready.’
God’s invitation is to have a joyful living. God many times is presented as a tyrant who is stern and demanding, and that following God means a joyless existence. If you look at many believers, you will think that the Christian life was a fast, a funeral or a famine. Yet if you consider how God is constantly presented in the Bible, we come to understand that this is a false view of God. In Isaiah 55:2, God invites his people to not seek that, which does not satisfy but come to His table and “eat what is good, And let your soul delight in abundance” (v. 2). In the New Testament in the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) he is the father who throws a party to celebrate the return of his son. In the book of Revelation John tells us of the great party that God has waiting for his people called the “Great Marriage Supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9-10). The “great supper” of this parable is a lavish spectacular image of life in the kingdom of heaven. It is not just a meal it is described as a “great” literally “mega” banquet. “Jesus called it a ‘great supper’ because it was planned and executed out of great love, it met a great need and it cost a great price.”
Money's worth
History records, eleven millionaires were on the Titanic when she sank. One of the few millionaire survivors was Major A.H. Peuchen. He left $300,000 of his money, jewelry and securities in a box in his cabin. He said, “The money seemed a mockery at that time. I picked up three oranges instead.” When a newspaper editor learned that a man named Alfred Nobel had died, he assumed that the deceased must be the same man who had invented dynamite. So he published an obituary calling Nobel the merchant of death. When Nobel read the account of his own death, he reacted like a blind man suddenly gaining sight. From that day on, Nobel devoted himself to philanthropic causes—especially peace.
2. PRIORITY OF WORK
I have bought a pair of Oxen. We have so many television programs and so little time to watch them. There is a service now that offers to enable us to see an hour of program in 6 minutes or less. The “Minisode Network” has pruned episodes of popular series into shorter, more convenient packages. “ The shows you love – only shorter”. A lot of people try to make our faith a matter of convenience. They choose to practice Christianity on Sundays only. They spend time with God whenever it is convenient. Following Jesus is not a side business. It is the Business. Being a ‘disciple’ calls for giving up our lives (Matt 16:25). It is about living on God’s business and not on our plans. It is a life of walking with God. We all like to plan things on our schedules. We don’t like surprises in important things. But we have to admit that a lot of important things in life are surprises. How long we live, when does some one die, when will I be sick, when will be the end of the world. These are all things we are eager to know. We think it would have much easier if God let us know these things. Not really. It would have been a disaster if man would find out when he would die.
(v.20) "I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ He is not asking for excuse, but rightfully declining the invitation. This man represents those whose domestic cares and responsibilities control so much of their time as to rob them of any other pursuits or interests. Family obligations if rightfully undertaken and scripturally balanced, never keep us from God or fellowship with the church. Many in our world today are invited to the gospel feast, but respond in much the same way as those described by Jesus over two thousand years ago. In each case it was self-interest that prevented men from coming to Christ. Our society is perhaps more permeated by self-interest than any other people who have ever lived. People today make the same mistake that these people in the parable did; they delay in responding to the invitation because they settled for second best.
He has prepared a table for us. The preparations are more than adequate; the Lamb slain for this feast is the precious Lamb of God Himself who shed His blood for our sins so that we might be forgiven and be able to feast with Him in the kingdom. All is far greater than anything we can imagine, so how can we reject a personal invitation to the worthiest event of eternal fellowship with our God and Creator and Redeemer. God’s invitation is not for the selected few, but for everyone. It is for the sick and the lame and the blind. God’s grace has space for the least and the last.
You and I are beloved creations of God. The celebration in heaven is incomplete without you and me. However, we can only join in the festivities if we acknowledge that we are sinners in need of a Savior, and Jesus is that Savior. You cannot gain entry to the Kingdom of Heaven through your own righteous acts. Just as entry to a wedding feast is by invitation only (you cannot pay your way in), entry into the Kingdom of Heaven is also by invitation only. The Gospel of Jesus Christ serves as that invitation. I urge you to accept this invitation wholeheartedly.
Once again, the good news is that Christ paid the price for your sins. So, why should you pay for it yourself? Accept the invitation and join the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven instead of burning in hell forever. The Parable of the Great Feast reminds us of God's unwavering desire for our fellowship. He has prepared a banquet of love, grace, and salvation for all of humanity. Yet, it is up to us to accept His invitation and prioritize our relationship with Him.
be forgiven and be able to feast with Him in the kingdom. All is far greater than anything we can
imagine, so how can we reject a personal invitation to the worthiest event of eternal fellowship with our
God and Creator and Redeemer.
Let us examine our lives and consider whether we have been making excuses, placing worldly concerns above our spiritual well-being. God's invitation is open to all, no matter our circumstances, backgrounds, or past mistakes. In His inclusivity, we find hope and redemption.
May we respond to God's invitation with open hearts, choosing to partake in the great feast of His love and grace. Let us be diligent in our pursuit of a deep and meaningful relationship with our Creator, realizing that it is the most important banquet we will ever attend. As we leave here today, let us carry with us a renewed commitment to prioritize our relationship with God, always remembering that His invitation is the greatest honor we could ever receive. Amen.
Blessings 
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