The Parable of the Great Banquet

Luke 14:16-24.The Parable of the Great Banquet: (p.821) Ajax Alliance Church. Sunday August 10th, 2025. Luke 14:16-24. [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.'" (ESV) One of the most popular activities in the summer are dinner parties. In arranging or attending we have questions like who will attend, the type of food served, the location and timing, which are all relevant factors. We need to know how many people will attend in order to determine how much food, if the attendees like a particular distinctive dish, does this planned event conflict with other activities and is the weather suitable for an outdoor gathering. When all these factors come together it's great to get a special invitation to such a gathering. The story in Luke 14, is common for feasts, like a wedding for example, which could last a full week, Guests were pre-invited and given a general idea of the time. When all the many preparations were finally ready, the pre-invited guests were notified that the event would commence. The pre-invited guests refer to the people of Israel, who by the OT had been told to be ready for the arrival of the Messiah (MacArthur, J. J. (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (Lk 14:17). Nashville: Word Pub.). Who you chose to invite or bring here today, makes a difference in who celebrates with us. Who you chose to share the gospel with and compel repent and believe, can make a difference for eternity. Ours is not to speculate upon who might respond, but in our faithful obedience. We must ask ourselves if we have failed to call someone we know to God. Those to whom God uses our faithful words to change their hearts most likely will surprise us. The General call and those whom God brings to His feast of Life is seen in Luke 14:16-24. With `The Parable of the Great Banquet`` in, we see: 1) The Incident (Luke 14:16-17), 2) The Invited (Luke 14:18-20), 3) The Invitation (Luke 14:21-24) Those who do and do not participate in the feast of Life as told in The Parable of the Great Banquet, is first seen in: 1) The Incident (Luke 14:16-17), Luke 14:16-17. [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.' (ESV) "The "great banquet" of Luke 14:16 is a lavish, sumptuous image of the kingdom of Heaven that will be exceeded by its reality-joyous satisfaction! And, of course, the ultimate convener and host will be Christ himself. (Hughes, R. K. (1998). Luke: That you may know the truth. Preaching the Word (116). Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books.). It becomes obvious from the parable which Jesus tells that not everyone really regards God's salvation banquet as something so wonderful. The occasion for the representation of the kingdom of Heaven under this image, was given the Saviour spontaneously by the remark of His fellow-guest, and by the feast of the Pharisee. Jesus is in the home of a ruler among Pharisees, gathered at the table with other socially elite Pharisees and scribes. They would easily see themselves in the mirror Jesus constructs, with references to the great dinner and the many invited serving to underscore the relative prestige of the host. At the same time, the size of the prepared feast necessitates the subsequent extraordinary attempts to "fill" the house (v 23b). This is a clear allusion to the Jewish hope for the time when the Messiah would come and share a great feast with Israel's devout (Isa 25:6; 65:13-14; Ps 81:16; 2 Esdr 2:38; Enoch 62:14; 1QSa 2:11-13; cf. also Luke 13:28-29; 22:15-20, 30; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Rev 19:9.) (Stein, R. H. (2001). Vol. 24: Luke (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (393). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.). What is the significance that to this banquet, the man "invited many". Earlier, a question had been put to Jesus: "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" (13:23). In his answer, Jesus did not enter into the numbers game. Rather, he urged all his listeners to strive to enter the banquet hall by the narrow door. He also told his audience that there will be some surprises among those seated at the feast of salvation. Jesus' story assumes the extension of double invitations, a practice rooted in pragmatic needs of more than one sort. First, preparation for the feast required a count of the number of invitations accepted. With the number of anticipated guests determined, the host is able to determine what animal(s) is to be killed and cooked. The host would then decide on the killing/butchering of a chicken or two (for 2-4 guests), or a duck (for 5-8), or a goat (10-15 acceptances), or a sheep (if there are 15-35 people), or a calf (35-75)." (Braun, Feasting and Social Rhetoric, 102). Please turn to Revelation 19 (p.976) Guests also needed time to prepare themselves. Potential guests would need to ascertain who else was coming in order that they might determine the social propriety of their sharing a meal with others on the list. Again, the importance of meals for publicizing and/or securing one's status in the community comes to the fore. From the standpoint of Jesus' story, it is important to realize that the feast-event is unfolding according to appropriate norms, all is proceeding as expected, and the final summons to the prepared meal is grounded in the assumption that all will come. (Green, J. B. (1997). The Gospel of Luke. The New International Commentary on the New Testament (558). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.). The parable of the great banquet is prompted by a remark made by one of Jesus' table companions: "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." This beatitude reminds one of a number of earlier such pronouncements by Jesus and others (6:20-22; 11:27, 28). It is very similar to the words of Revelation 19:6-9. Revelation 19:6-9. 6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure"- for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 9 And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God." * Those invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb are believers who belong to his beloved bride, the church, who have been called through the gospel of grace (Isa. 25:6-9; Luke 14:15-24). This "marriage supper of the Lamb" was anticipated in the predictions of a messianic banquet in Isa. 25:6-8; Matt. 22:1-14; 25:10; 26:29 (Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2491.) of what where are looking at here in Luke 14. In Luke 14:17, one servant (vocator) calls the guest to come as the feast is prepared, not in order to inquire again whether the guests will come, but in order to make known to them when they should appear. The here-indicated time coincides with the fullness of time, Galatians 4:4. [4] But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, (ESV). The servant can be no other than the Messiah, the עָבֶד יְהוָֹה of Isaiah. He makes known to Israel that the blessings of the kingdom of Heaven, from this instant on, are attainable for them, and that in such wise, that they have nothing else to do than to come, to take, and to eat. He has come to invite his contemporaries to enter the narrow door to the feast of the kingdom of God. The call to repentance and faith is greeted with hostility and criticism by the prominent. The Servant of the Lord is deeply disappointed in this reception (Victor H. Prange, Luke, The People's Bible (Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Pub. House, 1988), 168-169.). Illustration: 3929 King's Invitation To Be Obeyed Sir Leonard Wood once visited the King of France and the King was so pleased with him, he was invited for dinner the next day. Sir Leonard went to the palace and the King meeting him in one of the halls, said, "Why, Sir Leonard, I did not expect to see you. How is it that you are here?" "Did not your majesty invite me to dine with you?" said the astonished guest. "Yes," replied the King, "but you did not answer my invitation." Then it was that Sir Leonard Wood uttered one of the choicest sentences of his life. He replied, "A king's invitation is never to be answered, but to be obeyed." (Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 910.) * There is a basic simplicity in responding to Christ. It's not so much with loud excitement, and certainly not with avoidances and excuses, but with simple obedience in repentance and faith. Those who do and do not participate in the feast of Life as told in The Parable of the Great Banquet, is secondly seen in: 2) The Invited (Luke 14:18-20) Luke 14:18-20. [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.' (ESV) Related to the invitation are a series of three excuses. These excuses identify the would-be guests as persons whose lives are wrongly embedded in their possessions and family relationships. Although "many" were invited and "they all" made excuses (vv 16, 18), Jesus documents only three that must be deemed as representative. The first two clearly portray persons of wealth and property (Green, J. B. (1997). The Gospel of Luke. The New International Commentary on the New Testament (559-560). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.) a) First excuse (Luke 14:18) Luke 14:18 [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.' (ESV) The motives which they have are indeed different; but in this they all agree, that they take back again the word that they have given. Those invited acknowledge themselves the necessity of an excuse (deprecari) in some manner plausible. The perfect tense indicates that the invitee has no intention of changing his mind! (Mills, M. (1999). The Life of Christ: A Study Guide to the Gospel Record (Lk 14:15-24). Dallas, TX: 3E Ministries.) b) Second excuse (Luke 14:19) Luke 14:19. [19] And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.' (ESV) For the invited guest with five yoke of oxen, as to the first, earthly possession stands in the way of becoming a participant of the saving benefits of the kingdom of Heaven. If there yet exists a distinction between the first and second, it is probably this, that the man with the field is yet seeking to acquire the earthly good, while the man with the oxen is thinking of still increasing that which is already gained. Trying out the newly-purchased oxen was not urgent, and could have waited until after the banquet. And would he not have already tried out the oxen before he bought them? Further, that this man was able to afford five yoke of oxen suggests that he was a reasonably wealthy man himself; surely one of his servants could have tested the oxen for him. Why not attend the banquet and have both the oxen and the host's favor? (John MacArthur, Luke 11-17, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2013), 271.) * This epitomizes the difference between a kingdom and self, mindset. When we are confronted with kingdom opportunities, are our first thoughts to search out an excuse not to participate, or deflect by saying that someone else can do it better etc. Often the Spirit awakens the need of action but an irrational excuse chokes out faithful response. c) Third excuse (Luke 14:20) Luke 14:20. [20] And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' (ESV) Given their low view of women, the Pharisees would have found this third excuse, I have married a wife the most laughable of all. In first-century Jewish society, women did not dictate to their husbands what they could do. Nor could the Old Testament exemption from military service and other duties for newly married men (Deut. 24:5; cf. 20:7) be construed as a valid excuse for not attending a banquet. This excuse, like the first two our Lord created, was transparently ridiculous. (John MacArthur, Luke 11-17, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2013), 271-272.) Please turn to Matthew 10 (p.765) At all events the invitation to the feast had been already accepted before the celebration of the marriage, and so the marriage set him free, it is true, from the burden of military service, but not from the enjoyment of social interaction. In case of need he might have brought his young wife also with him; and if she did not wish this, then here, also, the saying, Matthew 10:34-39 held good: Matthew 10:34-39. 34 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (ESV). * Here, the reference to a "sword" is a metaphor for the inevitable separation between those who believe in Christ and those who do not, even within a family (i.e., faith in Christ may set a man against his father). Jesus' own family opposed him before they came to recognize his true identity (13:53-58; Mark 3:21; John 7:3-5). Jesus here is asking for unqualified allegiance, something even the most esteemed rabbi did not demand. The central point of Matt. 10:34-37 is that love of God and his kingdom must take precedence over every other human relationship. That's why Jesus will compare it in verse 38 to Crucifixion. Crucifixion is a shocking metaphor for discipleship. A disciple must deny himself (die to self-will), take up his cross (embrace God's will, no matter the cost), and follow Christ. (Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1841.) The three excuses of Luke 14 are given as specimens of the rest, answer to "the care of this world" (Lu 14:18), "the deceitfulness of riches" (Lu 14:19), and "the pleasures of this life" (Lu 14:20), which "choke the word" (Mt 13:22 and Lu 8:14). Each differs from the other, and each has its own plausibility, but all come to the same result: "We have other things to attend to, more pressing just now." (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., Fausset, A. R., Brown, D., & Brown, D. (1997). A commentary, critical and explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments (Lk 14:18). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) All the excuses smack of insincerity. One does not purchase property without seeing it first. And since the purchase was already complete, there was no urgency. The land would still be there after the banquet. Likewise (v. 19), one does not purchase oxen without first testing them. The man who had recently married (v. 20) was excused from business travel, or serving in the military (Deut. 24:5), but there was no legitimate reason for newlyweds to avoid such a social engagement (MacArthur, J. J. (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (Lk 14:18). Nashville: Word Pub.). In today's terms, if they were offered front-row seats at the NBA Championships, or a box seat to hear "The Three Tenors" (Pavarotti, Domingo, and Carreras), or a week's fly fishing on the Madison, or a week's shopping in Paris, they would have found someone to tend the field, the oxen, and, yes, even the home. Make no mistake, the real reason people turn away from the eternal feast is that they do not want to be there. No one who was invited said, "I will not come to the dinner." They were simply making excuses to cover up the fact that they did not want to come (McGee, J. V. (1997). Thru the Bible commentary (electronic ed.) (Lk 14:18). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.). It is easy to make general applications, but this text is talking about us and our preferences. We need to ask ourselves whether we like our car more than we like God. If Christ's banquet and a large worldly estate were spread before us as options, would we rather have the estate? (Hughes, R. K. (1998). Luke: That you may know the truth. Preaching the Word (118). Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books.) Business and relationships are certainly vital to people's lives. But they must never substitute for God's invitation and never become an excuse to put off joining God's kingdom. All pursuits, no matter how valid they seem, can rob people of the great celebration with Jesus. Let nothing stand in the way of following Christ (Barton, B. B., Veerman, D., Taylor, L. C., & Osborne, G. R. (1997). Luke. Life application Bible commentary (360). Wheaton, Ill Tyndale House Publishers.)..: Illustration: People give a lot of excuses. One person who heard it all his life was Deion "Prime Time" Sanders, outfielder for the Atlanta Braves and cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons. He is the only athlete to have hit a Major League home run and scored an NFL touchdown in the same week. Sanders grew up on the streets of Fort Myers, Fla., where exposure to some would-be athletes spurred him to (never settle for excuses). He explains: "I call them Idas. 'If I'da done this, I'd be making three million today .If I'da practiced a little harder, I'd be a superstar.' They were as fast as me when they were kids, but instead of working for their dreams they chose drugs and a life of street corners. When I was young, I had practice; my friends who didn't went straight to the streets and never left. We don't need any more Idas. (Mike Lupica in Esquire as recorded in Galaxie Software. (2002; 2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.) Finally, those who do and do not participate in the feast of Life as told in The Parable of the Great Banquet, is seen in: 3) The Invitation-second guest list (Luke 14:21-24) a) The New Guests (Luke 14:21-23) Luke 14:21-23. [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. (ESV) The host was angry. We rarely think of God expressing judicial anger against those who reject His gracious invitations, but verses like Isaiah 55:6 and Proverbs 1:24-33 give a solemn warning that we not treat His calls lightly (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Lk 14:15). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.). The second class of the invited must still be sought out within the city. From this appears, that we have here to understand Jews. The Saviour has the tax collectors and the masses in His mind (Luke 7:29; Matt. 21:32), the poorest part of the nation, the same whom the Pharisee, vss. 12-14, should have invited to his festal board. the poor and crippled and blind and lame were people the Pharisees tended to regard as unclean or unworthy. The religious leaders condemned Jesus for His associations with prostitutes and tax collectors (cf. 5:29, 30; 15:1; Matt. 9:10, 11; 11:19; 21:31, 32; Mark 2:15, 16) (MacArthur, J. J. (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (Lk 14:21). Nashville: Word Pub.). Historically, from the time of the giving of the Law, the physically blemished were barred from full participation in worship (cf. Leviticus 21:17-23). The first invited, vs. 17, who begin to excuse themselves, the representatives of the Theocracy, the Pharisees and scribes, to whom the invitation had been officially given, and who for their very office' sake were under obligation to take due notice thereof. (Hughes, R. K. (1998). Luke: That you may know the truth. Preaching the Word (118-119). Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books.). Those who were now invited in their place, no excuses, as from the first, were to be feared; the blind had no field to view, the lame could not go along behind his oxen, the maimed had no wife who would have hindered him from coming; only the feeling of poverty could have held them back; but this feeling also vanishes, since they must be in a friendly way brought or led in by the servant.`Israel should have seen their first calling quite like this: Isaiah 55:1 [55:1]"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (ESV). It is important to realize that the master/host, in extending hospitality to such persons, has not thereby become their benefactor. That is, there is no hint that his practices are based on the calculus of reciprocity and onerous obligation. Instead, by extending hospitality to such persons, he has stepped completely outside the patronal ethics of the Mediterranean world; in Jesus' earlier words, he has invited those who cannot repay him, from whom he has nothing to gain by way of enhanced prestige or monetary enhancement (Green, J. B. (1997). The Gospel of Luke. The New International Commentary on the New Testament (562). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.). * You cannot buy your way in to this feast. You cannot elbow your way in. It is however based on who you know. You come to this dinner by the grace of God (McGee, J. V. (1997). Thru the Bible commentary (electronic ed.) (Lk 14:17). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.) According to Luke 14:23, the servant of God says the task was done, as Christ Himself was a faithful servant of the Father. So great was the feast that, although many had excused themselves, and not a few had been brought in, there was still abundant room for others. At this time, the grace extended to the Jews was limited to Christ`s life, therefore the servant was instructed to "Go out quickly," while on the other hand the bring to the feast of the Gentiles was to extend itself over many centuries. Please turn to Romans 15 (p.893) The picture in Luke 14:23 is of reaching out to people in all directions, Diaspora Jews and Gentiles alike. Jews and Gentiles are both in view. The tone is much like Rom. 15:7-16 (Bock, D. L. (1996). Luke Volume 2: 9:51-24:53. Baker exegetical commentary on the New Testament (1277). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books.). Romans 15:7-16. [7] Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. [8] For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, [9]and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name."[10] And again it is said, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." [11] And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him." [12]And again Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope."[13]May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. [14] I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. [15] But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God [16]to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. (ESV) * As we extend the invitation to others we do not know how much longer the feast shall occur, therefore our directive is like the original servant to extend the invitation quickly. The reference back in Luke 14:23 to Compel them to come in is certainly not with physical force. This invitation cannot be achieved through armies or threat. The Gk. word translated "compel" in older versions and "make them" in the NIV is anankazo. It does involve compulsion, but not necessarily external, physical force. The greatest compulsion of all comes from inside (as done through the Holy Spirit) as a positive response to a morally powerful command (Richards, L. O. (1991). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (665). Wheaton: Victor Books.). There is little doubt that we should see a reference to the mission of the church. God's invitation had gone out to the people through the prophets. Now in Jesus the second invitation was given. When the religious élite refused it, the church was to bring in both those within the city (the Jews) and those outside (the Gentiles) (Morris, L. (1988). Vol. 3: Luke: An introduction and commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (252). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.) * Our mission is to not take no for an answer. (Just like the poor and rejected in the parable who) were not used to being wanted at such an occasion, (we need to help people understand God`s invitation, who by nature reject it). * Knowing that some will forever reject the invitation, we need to continue to go out and summon others to the table. b) The Old Guests (Luke 14:24) Luke 14:24.[24] For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'" (ESV) Here Jesus summarizes the parable for his audience. Jesus commonly ends his parables and teaching with a personal note (Luke 11:8; 15:7, 10; 16:9; 18:8, 14; 19:26).The point is simply that the leadership missed an opportunity to sit at the table of God's blessing, even though it appeared that they were at the head of the line. ...No one can enter the Kingdom without the invitation of God...People cannot save themselves; but can damn themselves. And it is this latter fact that makes the preaching of Jesus so urgent." In rejecting Jesus, the leaders reject God's greatest gift: the opportunity to sit at the table of eternal fellowship with God. They also missed the chance to share in the blessings he gives. But the kingdom's bounty is not lost because of their rejection, for many others will be invited and will attend. The opportunity for rich blessing and fellowship from God's hand remains available to others. In fact, many who attend will be among those who were least expected to attend... Disciples should seek such people. In warning the Pharisees, Jesus also instructs his own. God's people must be sought and found in surprising places. (Bock, D. L. (1996). Luke Volume 2: 9:51-24:53. Baker exegetical commentary on the New Testament (1277-1278). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books.). Luke 14:16-24 questions the confidence of those who take it for granted that they will be present at the great eschatological banquet. With the ministry of Jesus, the walls between the present and the future of the banquet of the kingdom of God dissolve; and as he calls upon people to come into the kingdom of God, it is the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind who are making their way into the banquet while many of the more obvious people on the invitation list are preoccupied with other concerns (Nolland, J. (2002). Vol. 35B: Word Biblical Commentary : Luke 9:21-18:34. Word Biblical Commentary (758). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.). Summer is a great time to be with family and friends, enjoy the outdoors and recreation. Yet, if we fail to return to our jobs once holiday's are over, there won't be work for us. If our recreation takes us away from the calling of God, we may find ourselves as actually being deceived and not part of His banquet. Let us hear and respond to God's call of repentance, faith and obedience. Jesus offers the kingdom, a perpetual feast of peace, a feast of help, guidance, friendship, rest, victory over self, control of passions, supremacy over circumstances-a feast of joy, tranquility, deathlessness, Heaven opened, immeasurable hope-salvation (Hughes, R. K. (1998). Luke: That you may know the truth. Preaching the Word (117). Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books.). (Format Note: Some base commentary from Lange, J. P., Schaff, P., van Oosterzee, J. J., & Starbuck, C. C. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures : Luke (227-229). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc..) Communion Hymn: "Jesus Thank You" - # 4475341 Communion Closing Hymn: "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" - # 27893 056 Benediction May the bliss of this glorious thought-our sin, not in part but the whole is nailed to the Cross, and you bear it no more, May this comfort you in all your troubles so that you may comfort those in trouble with that comfort you have received from God! From the work of Christ in the Power of the Spirit we Pray. Amen. (cf. 2 Cor. 2:4. Hymn Reference: It is Well with My Soul, Horatio G, Spafford (1828-1888); TH p. 691) 7