We Are Invited to God’s Great Banquet!

Luke 14 1:35
Key Verse: 14:16b

“A man once gave a great banquet and invited many…”

In Luke 14, we learn God’s heart desire to invite as many people as he can to attend his heavenly banquet.  This banquet is more amazing than meeting the president of the United States, working for Donald Trump, and even going to Michael Jackson’s funeral.  Even though being with God forever is the most marvelous thing we will ever experience, it is so shocking that many people find other things to do rather than to attend. Those who reject God’s invitation are the most tragic people in the world. To accept God’s invitation we must know his heart, be humble, and do his will. In our lives, God must be first, which will take some decision and sacrifice. But to follow Jesus as his disciple is to follow him into eternal glory where we find God’s love, joy, and peace in our souls. Let’s listen carefully and accept God’s invitation to his Heavenly Banquet!

I Jesus invited the Pharisees to know the Heart of God to save all men
Jesus’ heart is for all people to be saved. He found his opportunity while dining in a Pharisee’s house. One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. The Pharisees (a.k.a religious leaders), were trying to find any excuse in order to arrest and kill Jesus. To the Pharisees, it was against the law to heal or do work on the Sabbath day. But to God any minute, any hour, and any day is the right day to save a life. The man had dropsy. Dropsy is an excessive collection of fluid in the body, now called edema, perhaps caused either by cirrhosis in the liver, by renal failure, or by congestive heart failure. He was probably suffering for many, many years. Jesus already knew about their plan to trap him. Let’s read what he said in verse 3, “Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” Jesus hoped that the Pharisees might repent of their cold hearts. To them, the man with dropsy was just an object, probably much worse than an animal. But to Jesus, he was a child of God needing the help and shelter of God. This is the way God sees each of us no matter what we have done in our lives. In our lives, we have made many mistakes and have many flaws. But despite our shortcomings, God loves us. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” When we remember what God has done for us, our hearts become like his, and have the same genuine desire and love for others who are in need. But when we have no idea of the heart of God for us, we turn to the world where there is only anger and hatred. The Pharisees hearts were so full of anger and hate, they didn’t feel the same way God felt when they saw the man. They probably said in their minds, “What a waste of time!” Jesus appeals to the Pharisees and us in verse 5, “Then he asked them, “If one of you has a son or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?” The Pharisees would, as we would as well. When we remember what God has done to save us, we can know the heart of God and how much he wants to save many others.

II Jesus invited the guests to be humble and hear God’s word
Jesus then taught the guests in the importance of being humble to save them from their pride. Let’s read verse 7-10 together, “When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests.” Maybe some of you may ask, “What is the big deal about where the guests are sitting?” It is merely not the issue of where they were sitting, but why they wanted to sit. Jesus said in 7b“When he noticed how they chose the places of honor.” Jesus addressed a very common problem among all men: It is “the strong sense of honor problem.” Every person, whether a Christian or a non-Christian strong craves and expects to be highly and properly honored by others, beginning with their wife or their mothers. We are like this because according to Genesis 1:27, “God created man in his own image.” God’s image is very noticeable and honorable. But because of sin, we want to be noticed more than God who deserves to be noticed. One kid in my classroom last year is so brilliant for his age, and likes to talk about it too. But after recess he sadly said, “Mr. Austria, no one wants to play with me.” I then asked some of the boys in my class why they did not want to play with him. And they said, “It is because he brags too much.”  Even 9 year olds have an issue with honor. When God does not rule in man’s heart, honor turns into pride. Satan likes to use pride to capture us. Pride makes it very difficult to love, respect, and forgive others. Pride causes us to crave praise from others, recognition from others, and demand respect from others. Pride makes us very demanding, self-centered, and difficult people. This is why Jesus said in verse 11, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  There is a great danger of not being able to hear God’s word or God’s servants when we are proud. Satan uses pride to take away God’s life giving word, and makes us argue with one another until we have forgotten what God has just said to us. Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves”. Jesus really wanted to help the Pharisees and the dinner guests repent of their pride so that they may be able to hear God’s word and be saved.

III Jesus invited the host to serve and please God
Jesus’ had in mind to save his host as well. The host seemed like a very generous man. He probably had a very good spread of turkey, juicy lamb, and delicious steak. He seemed very generous, but inside his heart he had an ulterior motive.  His guest list included some of the most prominent Pharisees and people in society. It was as if he invited the governor, mayor, and cook county board president to the meal. But why? It was because he was looking for a favor, for a way to move up in the world or for an even better dinner in the future. This is why Jesus said, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invited you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”  I know this couple who used to make lunch every Sunday for 10-12 teenagers. When the teenagers got to their apartment, they grabbed what they could get, ate like savages, and watched football before church began in the afternoon. Without fail these teenagers would lick the plates clean, drink all of their beverages, and sometimes forget to throw out their trash. Though couple knew that all of their food would be eaten, they without fail served them with the hope that these young men would grow in faith and be used by God in his world redemptive work. By their prayers and serving, God grew these men in faith, and is using them as stewards of his word on college campuses all over Chicago.  I also know a person who is very generous. But it isn’t long before he calls you up asking for a favor. If we are going to give to others, we should give with the intent of pleasing God and seeking favor with God, instead of getting favors from others. To Jesus his host receives zero credit from God, and God will never bless such a selfish man. According to Jesus’ definition of a selfish man or a selfish Christian is one who doesn’t “invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,” because he has no love of God in his soul. Our intent must be to love God, to please God, and to glorify God when we serve others with prayer that they may be saved.

IV Jesus invites us to the Great Banquet
Jesus wanted to teach the Pharisees the heart of God, the heart of God which is to love mankind and save them from being lost. He wanted to teach the dinner guests to be humble, humble enough to listen to God and accept God’s word inside their hearts so that they may repent and be saved. And last of all, Jesus wanted to help his host have only intentions of serving and giving to others as to win them over to the Kingdom of God. To God and to Jesus, life is only about salvation and entering the Kingdom of Heaven. It is interesting that even a man talked about it while at the dinner table. Let’s read verse 15, “When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” This man said something spiritual, and he acknowledged the true worth and eternal value of the Kingdom of Heaven. He saw that those who eat bread in the kingdom of Heaven are the most blessed people in the world. What he says sounds very good and biblical. But Jesus peered into his inner person and saw that he did not really know God’s heart desire of inviting all people to His heavenly banquet. It is God’s intention for all of us to eat at the feast in the kingdom of God. Every day he sends us messages saying “Hey, come and eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” He sends us text messages saying, “Come and eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” He sends us emails saying, “Come and eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” If you haven’t gotten an email, give us your email and West Loop will send you many invitations from God to enter his banquet. Jesus had a parable for them saying, “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' These two verses shows us God’s heart’s desire, enthusiasm, zeal, and joy to invite many people to come to His eternal heavenly banquet in his Kingdom. He says with all his heart “come…”

You would think that if God invited people to his heavenly banquet many would come in an instant, but take a look at verses 18-20. Amazingly those who he invited made many excuses to why they couldn’t come. Let’s read verses 18-20 18"But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.' 19"Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' 20"Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'” How amazing the many excuses they had not to attend such a great banquet. Their excuses might seem reasonable and valid. One guy must have bought some cheap real estate at an auction and is excited to see what he owns. Another person bought new farm machinery that could help him with his business. And still another person got married to the girl of his dreams and had no time. All these are excellent excuses. But in truth, all these excuses originate from the lack of value they regard God’s heavenly banquet. To them, the heavenly banquet is not important. If they were living today meeting President Obama, working for Donald Trump, and even attending Michael Jackson’s funeral is more important than dining with God for eternity.  How much more they should be excited to see God who holds the keys to eternal life in his hands! What is the Great Banquet in the kingdom of God like? Jesus tells us in so many parables. The Kingdom of Heaven seems small and unnoticeable like the mustard seed in the world, but in reality it is large and expansive! Mt 13:32, “Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches." It is like hidden, most expensive treasure of all time in Mt 13:44, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” It is like entering happy wedding banquet for eternity in Mt 22:2, 2"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.” Revelation 21:3-4 says, “3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." To dine in the kingdom of God with God will truly be so amazing! Thank God!

Despite the rejection what did the master of the house do? Verse 21, “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.' 22" 'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.' 23"Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. 24I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet." These verses show us in a beautiful story that God is the God of endless mercy and compassion, to continually invite sinners to his heavenly banquet. Because of our sins, we deserve no invitation. The way we currently are, we would not be able to enter the heavenly banquet. Because of our sins, we deserve to be abandoned, cursed, and punished by God forever without any hope of ever being blessed. But the tragic mentality today is that so many people, including Christians, think and assume that they deserve to be blessed because they go to church. Because of our sins, many of us think that how we sin really isn’t that bad. But when one does not think that their sins are that bad, then either Jesus didn’t have to die, or Jesus literally died for nothing, since our sins are really not that bad. But they are that bad. They are so bad that we make a thousand seemingly valid excuses to why we won’t enter the banquet with God, why we lack motivation to lead others to God, and why we fail to live a life that pleases God. The reality is that our sins grieved God so much that He had to condemn his one and only Son in our place. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” We can’t change ourselves, even if we want to change. We can’t improve ourselves, even if we want to improve. We can’t extend God’s word to others, even if we have the best intentions. We can only see the bleeding Christ for our sins, and through it, humbly accept God’s mercy and grace to invite us to the Great Banquet in his kingdom. How great is the love of God for us in spite of all our sins! Praise God! Despite the amazing love of God to invite us to His great heavenly banquet, there will be those who reject God’s invitation and harden their hearts. These are the most tragic people you will ever meet, because they will never ever get a taste of heavenly joy.  Jesus says in verse 24, “But I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.” If you reject the invitation to attend the heavenly banquet, then by default, you will taste permanent regret in hell. Hebrews 12:28 says, “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.”

V Those who carry their cross and count the cost are those who accept Jesus’ invitation
When Jesus spoke of the invitation to the Great Banquet and poured out his love to all who came, verse 25 says, “great crowds accompanied him.” So many people came to hear great news from Jesus! But what he said next might have shocked them or turned them off. Let’s read verses 26-27, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters-yes, even his own life-he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Wow! What a complete turn around. Jesus used the word “hate” opposite of the loving and gracious invitation to attend God’s Great Banquet. But now, in verse 26, Jesus says that if we truly want to be his disciple and follow him to God’s Kingdom, we must “hate” 7 things, things we generally love more than anything in the world which is our father, mother, wife, children, brother, sister, and most of all, our own life. If any non-Christian parent, spouse, or sibling reads these verses without understanding them, they will hate both the Bible and Christianity. But Jesus spoke these words not to non-Christians, but to those who want to be his disciples and follow him into God’s kingdom. When Jesus talks about hating these things that are so precious to our hearts, he does not mean to disown them. Rather, he points to the grave danger of forfeiting eternal life in the heavenly banquet to idolatry. Nothing weakens and neutralizes a Christian’s effectiveness more than having an idol in one’s heart. When one has an idol, they replace God who should be first and foremost in their hearts, with something else. When we replace God at the center of our lives with something else, it is if we replace a battery with a piece of broccoli. Eventually we will find that what we replace God with will one day disappoint, stress, and perish, no matter if it is our mother, father, spouse, or cute kids. This does not mean that we should not love our family members. But it does absolutely mean that we must never allow our precious family members to become an idol in our hearts.

Let’s not make the mistake of misunderstanding Jesus here. We know that everything in the Bible is for God’s glory and for our happiness and blessing. Jesus did not say these words to make us feel guilty, condemned, or hard hearted. Instead, we must remember what God’s heart is for each of us, to bring us to his heavenly banquet. But Christians need to be aware of what is dominating their hearts and minds. When Jesus speaks of “hate” it is really a paradox. Jesus says in Luke 9:24, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” This means that if we give our lives to follow and serve Christ, we will live the most amazing, fruitful, and joyful life we can ever live. Likewise, when we “hate” by putting God first before our father and mother, we become better and much more pleasant children. This means that we must do what God wants first and honor our parents at the same time as God said in the Ten Commandments. When we put God first before our spouse, we can grow to become a better wife or husband, and have joy in marriage. Putting God first through prayer and growing in his word is the secret to having an amazing marriage. When we put God first before our children, we can grow to become better parents, instead of enjoying them and spoiling them until they become rebellious teenagers.  We can be better siblings to our brothers and sisters when we put God first and loving our family members at the same time. And most of all, when we put God first before ourselves and what we want, we can really know how to love ourselves. Loving ourselves does not entail buying the best clothing, eating organic food, and going on many vacations and excursions. It has nothing to do with pleasure, but has everything to do with eternity. We love ourselves when we live with the right mindset of living in the Great Banquet forever, instead of losing our lives in the perishing things on earth. Therefore, no one can follow Christ and put God first in their lives without seriously considering in detail what God asks and the impact it will have on their lives. This is why Jesus encourages us to “count the cost” in verse 28 and in verse 31. Each Christian will have to seriously answer this question for themselves and decide what is right. May God help you make the right decision to love God by putting him first, and be on your way to the Great Banquet. Jesus gives a warning that those who don’t decide and make a commitment to God become like tasteless salt. There is no power or influence in their life with God or in their lives with others. In verse 35, Jesus even strongly comments that uncommitted Christians are neither good for the soil or for the manure pile. May God help us to accept his glorious invitation and help each of us live as his disciple.

In this passage we learn that God’s heart is to save us and invite us to his Heavenly Banquet. Because we fail to know his heart, because of pride, self-centeredness, our sins, we don’t deserve this awesome invitation. But thank God that through Jesus’ blood we are saved and are able to enter God’s Kingdom and dine with him forever. Let’s put God first in our lives by loving Jesus more than anything, and be salty influential people who can lead others to know God’s love and be saved.