R.S.V.P. To God's Invitation

Text: Luke 14:15-24

Title: R.S.V.P. To God’s Invitation

Truth: God invites everyone to His Kingdom, but we must respond to His invitation with humility and action.

Introduction:

Our lesson tonight is very fitting for the occasion. As we just shared in a Freindsgiving meal, what better parable to cover tonight than the Parable of the Great Banquet. Let’s get some context of whats going on before diving into this parable.

In the beginning of Luke 14, it says that Jesus and His disciples were invited to a lunch event hosted by one of the Pharisees. Verse one clearly states that Jesus and His disciples were invited because the Pharisees did not trust Jesus and wanted to watch Him closely. This was an attempt to catch Him in some way to bring up charges against Him.

Lets read just a few verses to get some context in to who Jesus was talking to and why. Starting in Luke 14:1-6

Luke 14:1–6 ESV

1 One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. 2 And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” 4 But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. 5 And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” 6 And they could not reply to these things.

The overall theme of discussion throughout the lunch event was Jesus teaching on humility and inheritance of the Kingdom of God. The parable we will be discussing is The Parable of The Great Banquet. It is found in Chapter 14 so if you’ll turn the page we will pick up in verse 15.

Luke 14:15–24 ESV

15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ”

For most invitations, and RSVP may be requested to give the event host an idea of who will be attending. Tonight we are going to talk about the RSVP to God’s invitation. If you are here tonight, you have accepted one of God’s invitations, so way to go! First letter…R.

R-Rejected Invitation (v.15-20)

Luke 14:15–20 ESV

15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’

Right off the bat, what do you see? Excuses, right? The master sent out his servant to invite people to a banquet or a party. One guy said no because he bought land and needed to go look at it, another one said “ I just bought five yoke of oxen and I have to go check them out.” Purely information and random fact…a yoke of oxen equals 2 oxen, so 5 yoke of oxen equals 10 oxen. The last man said “I just got married so I’m out.”

Keep in mind, all of these things these men were rejecting the invitation, are all blessings.

How many times have you made an excuse to God’s invitation? Big or small, a rejection is a rejection. It’s not hard to do. Life gets busy and we get wrapped up in the day to day. That can either be from school, sports, work, family time, the list goes on and on. Your skills, financial status, popularity, and being apart of a loving family are all blessings from God.

Don’t put the blessings God has given you between you and Him. Instead, make God the center of those things.

This is why abiding in Christ and His Word is so important. There needs to be structure at the foundation of it. For example, I sat two dedicated times throughout the day for either prayer or reading His Word. My day starts with prayer before I get out of bed. Then I generally read a few verses or a chapter before starting my day. At the end of the day, I push everything aside for no less than thirty minutes so that I can do my personal study. During this time I pray and reflect on the day.

I do pray and read more than those two times a day, but as someone who knows how fast life can get, I set those two times as a non negotiable.

It’s also important to sat time aside for self reflection. During this time, think about what’s hindering a stronger relationship with Christ, what more could you do to serve Christ, who can you disciple, and how’s your heart. Pray on these things and stay in the Word. If you do those things, your foundation will become so much stronger.

That’s when the rejections of God’s invitations start to diminish. He invites us everyday. It’s not only to accept His love and forgiveness. It’s an invitation to have hope, an invitation to share the Gospel, an invitation to serve Him, and an invitation to answer His call.

S-Surprising Guest (v.21-22)

Luke 14:21–22 ESV

21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’

The master becomes angry because the individuals rejected his invitation. He tells the servant to go out into the streets and alleyways of the city and invite the poor, crippled, blind, and lame. He opens his banquet to everyone including outcast of the city.

What does this represent? It represents that God’s Kingdom and His love is for everyone regardless of their status.

You guys have to remember that Jesus spent majority of His ministry mixed dealing with the outcast and pouring out His love, grace, and mercies out upon them.

Could you imagine? This party was supposed to be filled with “normal people” but they rejected the invitation. So now the master is opening the party up to anyone regardless of their health, financial status, or social status. Everyone is welcome to feast at the table, all you have to do is accept the invitation.

V-Valuable Invitation (v.23)

Luke 14:23 ESV

23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.

At the end of verse 22 it says the servant said “Sir, what you have commanded, it has been done, and there is still room.” This was not good enough for the master so he replies by saying go back out there and go to the highways and hedges and convince people to come in, that my house may be filled.”

This invitation is so valuable that the master is making the servant go back out to not only invite people but to compel them to come. Compel means convince or to talk someone into something. All of this for the sole purpose of filling his house.

This is what God is calling each of us to do. Even here at Trinity. What’s our mission statement? “To know Christ, and make Him known.” We are called to spread the Gospel and to be disciples. What does that look like? It involves sharing the Gospel and then extending the invitation of salvation.

P-Personal Response (v.24)

Luke 14:24 ESV

24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ”

Jesus is talking about the men who rejected the invitation in verses 15-20 but it still holds the same meaning for individuals today. If we reject God’s invitation, we may not get another chance to accept it.

We have all heard Pastor Mark say this, “the time for salvation is now. Yesterday has come and gone, tomorrow may never come, 5 seconds from now may never happen.”

We don't know when the great banquet will occur, but one thing that's for sure is that God has given you an invitation. It is your decision how you respond to it. Will it be another excuse, or will you accept and surrender to Him.

If you’re struggling with anything, if you’re trying to find your identity, if you have feelings of not being enough or feeling like an outcast don't miss this. First off, whatever lies the world is trying to tell you, don't believe it. You are enough, you are wanted, and you are loved. God wants to make His Kingdom crowded. He has a seat prepared just for you at His table. All you have to do is RSVP to His invitation. He is doing this because of the love He has for you.