Still There's Room

Jun 28 |Still Theres Room| Luke 14:15-24

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Open your bible, if you have one, to Luke 14.

Imagine you were invited to a wedding that you never went to but received a bill for what the couple spent to save you a seat.

That's what happened a few years ago in Minnesota when a couple missed a wedding they had RSVP’d yes to. It was an adult-only wedding, and at the last minute their babysitter canceled due to an emergency, so they stayed home. A few weeks later, they got an invoice in the mail and a request for an explanation for why they missed the wedding. The couple billed them $75.90 for the food they missed including service fee and tax.

How many of you are paying that bill?

Now, I am not so sure it's a good idea to send an invoice to people who miss your party; however, underneath that idea is something I think we can all understand. When someone prepares a table, saves you a seat, counts you in, and then we don’t show up or don’t let them know our plans have changed, it shows how little we value the host and the invite.

In Luke 14:15-24, Jesus tells a parable about a banquet that was prepared but those who had been invited became no-shows.

The story is intended to paint a picture of God inviting us to his table. And the question for us this morning is what are we going to do with that invitation?

I want you to know this morning that no matter where you find yourself in this story that Jesus tells, there is still room for you at his table.

In Luke 14, Jesus is invited to a dinner by a prominent Pharisee. Pharisees are the religious elites of the society, and the one who invited Jesus is prominent among them. So you can imagine the kinds of people that are present at this dinner.

In verse 12, before Jesus gives the parable, he gave an advice to the host of the dinner. He tells him, when you the host a lunch or dinner, don't just invite the people that love you and the people that you love but also extend an invite to the people that have nothing to offer you because your reward will come later at the resurrection of the just. Jesus is essentilly telling him “There's a reward that God has for you when you care for the people that God cares for.” Jesus tells him to invite people like the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind. The kinds of people that would not enhance your social capital but might diminish it.

He tells him to do that because that is exactly what the Kingdom of God is like. The religious are welcome. But so are those who are far from God. So are those who are social castoffs. So are those who are drowning in their failures and in hopelessness.

One of the guests at the dinner heard what Jesus said and responded in verse 15 with the words, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”

The bible doesn’t give us any explanation for why the guest said what he said but Jesus heard and responded with a parable in verse 16. Perhaps Jesus wanted him to know that he’s right to consider blessed those who eat at the feast in the kingdom of God. But he might be wrong on who gets in. The kingdom of God is not merely for those who accept with their words alone but also those who accept with their actions. It’s not for those who think they’re entitled to it because of their heritage.

Explains feast in the kingdom of god

Parables are simply metaphorical stories that Jesus often used to communicate a spiritual truth.

Jesus says in verse 16 says "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 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.’

This man in this parable made arrangements for a great banquet with his friends and neighbors. He sent them an invitation and they accepted; they RSVP'd "Yes, I'll be glad to be there". But when it was time to show up, they all began to make excuses for why they could no longer be present.

One person just increased his net-worth by buying a field and has to go and inspect it. Another expanded his business venture by buying 5 yoke of oxen and has to try them out. Another started a new family by getting married and can't come.

Here's the point: They all gave reasons that communicated something else was a higher priority than being present at the banquet. This was not a last minute invite. They accepted the invite. They knew it was happening, yet, something else captivated their heart over being present at the banquet. Yet, something else was of more importance to them than following through on their word.

This was a not just a rejection of the invitation but also a rejection of the host. Imagine doing all these work to prepare a banquet that you had confirmed RSVPs for. And on the day of, all your RSVPs gave you reasons that were not life or death or couldn't have been rescheduled.

This was a shaming of the host, this was a public humiliation of the host , this was a rejection of the host.

Your party is cool but what I have going on is cooler.

The reasons given by the guests were summarized into the three categories that we see: Wealth, Success, and Relationships.

If this parable is painting a picture of God inviting us to his table to be with him, then it is not a co-incidence that these are the reasons given for the rejection because these are the things that can easily cause us to say no to God because they matter more to us than God.

These are things that can captivate our heart and cause us to turn our eyes away from Jesus.

Let me ask you this: In what ways have you said yes to Jesus but when it was time to show up, your actions said no? In what ways have you been saying no to Jesus... because you're saying yes to wealth building? In what ways have you been saying no to Jesus because you're saying yes to the corporate ladder? In what ways have you been saying no Jesus because you're saying yes to the people you love? In what ways have you been saying no to Jesus because you're saying yes to the sins that never truly satisfy? In what ways have you been saying no to Jesus because you're saying yes to your fears and anxieties?

Hear me this morning: the invitation to say yes to Jesus with your words and actions is still open because there is still room in his kingdom.

The servant brought back the news to his master and verse 21 says "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 still there’s room or there is still room.’ 23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

The host got angry that he would be humiliated in such manner but check this out church, the absence of the initial guests did not put an end to the banquet; the rejection by those who were supposed to be present did not put an end to the banquet.

The invitation just got expanded. The servant was sent to go into the streets and alleys and into the roads and country lanes and invite those who will not take his invitation for granted. The socially disadvantaged are to be invited, the outcast are to be invited, the ones that were thought to be far too gone are to be invited, the ones that are tired of the same ole cycle are to be invited. No one is to be prevented from the banquet except those who by their own choice have rejected the host.

God wants his kingdom to be full with people who want to be there.

And I've got a word for you this morning that can never be said too many times, God's door is wide open for all kinds of people and there's nothing you can bring to the table that will cause Jesus to say you're not welcome. There is no appearance that you can have that will cause him to say you’re not dressed for the occation. The kingdom of God does not discriminate against those society deemed irreparable, it doesn’t discriminate against those the religious might deem irredeemable, it doesn't discriminate against those who think far less of themselves.

The kingdom of God is for those who are willing to accept the invitation of the master, those who are willing to love him above all else, those who are willing to say nothing matters more to me than to be in the same space with the one who gave up his life so I can live; than to belong to the one who loves me.

There is still room in God's house for those who know they are not perfect, for those who they don't have it together, for those who are tired of drowning in their past and want to renewed future, for those who want to be loved beyond their performance. There is still room.

The same God who welcomes the cast aways also forgives the repentant. Here me this morning the Kingdom of God is for all those willing to lay whatever is causing them to say no down at the feet of Jesus. It is for those who are willing to acknowledge they need help. It is for those who confess they've dropped the ball one too many times.

The banquet table has a seat with your name on it. Freedom can be yours today. Salvation can be your this morning. Hope can come alive in your soul today.

As we wrap up

Remember that couple in Minnesota? They got billed $75.90 for a seat they didn’t use.

That is the world’s math: you miss it, you pay for it.

But that is not how grace works.

You do not owe Jesus an invoice for all the times you said no. He already paid for your seat. He paid for it with his life. The bill has been settled. The table is ready. The invitation is real.

So this morning, don’t leave here a no-show to your own invitation.

Whatever has had your “yes” — fear, success, wealth building, anxiety, comfort, control — lay it at the feet of Jesus.

There is still room. Your name is still on the seat.

If you’re here this morning and you’re ready to accept the invitation of Jesus, I want to end by praying for you. Whether you are the poor, the blind, the lame, or whether you are the initial guest who had said yes but then said not; if you’re ready to say yes this morning, I want to wrap up our time by praying for you.

Right where you are go ahead and close your eyes and open the palm of your hands like you’re physically receiving this prayer.