Dinner Time
Notes
Transcript
Build Connection
When I was growing up, we would ask to go outside to play. When it was dinner time my dad would stand on the front stoop of our house and whistle really loud, that was the call to dinner!
Create Tension
The bible also talks about a call to dinner!
A dinner you don’t want to miss out on.
Provide Solution
Luke 14:16–24
“16 Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ 18 But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ 21 “The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ 23 So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. 24 For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’ ””
“Jesus relied with this story…”
This story is a response to something that already happened, what was that?
Luke 14:15
“Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet* in the Kingdom of God!””
So Jesus is responding to a man sitting at the table who says, ”What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet* in the Kingdom of God!””
Jesus tells this parable to show people who will be attending the banquet in the kingdom of God!
Everyone in the kingdom will be attending the banquet and those not attending the banquet will not be in God’s kingdom, this story is about salvation!
First we see a rejection that will bring regret!
Note that all the guests were invited prior to the event and accepted the invitation!
Have you ever accepted an invitation to attend something and ultimately could not go?
Was your reason a good one, or did you just not want to go?
Why do we come up with reasons not to go to something?
Because we don’t want to tell them, “Your not important enough for me!”
Your Priorities reflect your heart!
Where are your priorities?
We hear a lot about making going to church a priority, but that is a misplaced priority!
Our priority should not be going to church!!!
Let me explain why I say this and how I believe when you have the right priority church will be more important!
If going to church is your priority, then you can achieve your priority without God moving in your life! You just come to church but check out when you get there!
None of us really plan to do this, but it still happens!
What if instead of going to church wasn’t you priority, but drawing closer to God at church was? How would that affect your participation at church?
If your goal was to draw closer to God at church, then you wouldn’t just go, you would find ways to make the service more impactful.
maybe you would take notes
maybe you would remove distractions
maybe you would review your notes later in the week
maybe you would talk to others about what was said in the service
maybe you would identify clear changes God wants you to make, and make them!
If going to church wasn’t about going to church but drawing closer to God, and you wanted to draw closer to God, would you not find ways to be at church every chance you get instead of finding reason not to be at church?
What about serving others, if your goal is serving others, then you get to determine when and where, but if your goal is loving God through serving others, then God get’s to determine how and when you serve not you!
maybe you would serve because there is a need, not because it’s something you like to do.
Do you think Jesus liked going to the cross, no, but he understood the need!
Romans 6:23 “23 For the wages of sin is death…”
maybe you would serve even when it cost’s you.
Romans 6:23 “but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
1 Peter 2:24 “24 He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.”
What about giving, if giving to God is your priority, then you will give what you felt was necessary. but if your priority is giving in a way to please Jesus, that takes on a whole new meaning.
Consider, Luke 21:1–3 “1 While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. 2 Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. 3 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them.”
Second we see an invitation to those who would not normally be invited!
All these people would have been people who had to rely on others!
invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.
Saying this he ties this story into the previous one,
Luke 14:12–14
“12 Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. 13 Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.””
The initial invitees were invited because they were friends of the host!
The second group were invited because there was room and a need!
Following the progression of the story Jesus is implying that
The third group were invited because there was room and they were outsiders!
John MacArthur’s comment on this fact is that “God is more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved.”
Encourage Change
