Excusing Our Excuses

Introduction

Recap

Bringing Down the House

Excusing Our Excuses

Reading

16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many,

17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’

18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’

19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’

20 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’

21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’

22 And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’

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

24 For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ”

Laying the Foundation

What is an excuse?

an explanation offered as a reason for being excused.

Most Common Excuses:

Priorities (Importance)

You spend time on social media.

You spend time watching television.

People (Inconsistency)

You go to work.

You go to the club.

Passion (Inclination)

You go to work.

You go to the In-Laws.

Truth

We participate only in the things that we see the benefit in.

The Invitation of the King (Vs. 16-17)

Parties and Their Purpose

The King

Host the Banquet.

Provide everything for the banquet.

The Servant

Serve the king.

Participate in the Banquet.

Those Invited

Come to the Banquet.

Participate in the Banquet.

Traditional Jewish Wedding

Marriage Covenant (Betrothal)

The Prospective Groom would travel from his father’s house to the home of the prospective bride and pay the purchase price. This established the marriage covenant.

Bridal Chamber Prepared

The groom, before the marriage could take place, would travel back home to the father to prepare the living quarters for he and his wife. This was at least a space of 12 months, and depending on the age at the time of the marriage covenant, it could be years.

Bride Fetched

When the bridal chambers and living quarters are finished, and at a time appointed by the father, the groom would then travel back to fetch his bride. The bride never knew when this would be. Therefore, she must be ready at all times to be received of her groom. Many times, this would take place at the midnight hour. He would come shouting through the streets that he was there for his wife. This is where we get the term “Midnight Cry”.

Consummation and Marriage Feast

The groom would then return home with his bride, consummate the marriage covenant in the privacy of the bridal chambers, and then feast for seven days.

The Insult Against the King (Vs. 18-20)

The Farm (Possessions)(Vs. 18)

The Field (Work)(Vs.19)

The Family (Family)(Vs. 20)

The Identity of the King (Vs. 21-24)

The indignation of the King

God gave His only Son to die for us so that our sin could be forgiven, and then we choose our sin over His son.

The New King James Version Chapter 3

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

The Insistence of the King

God is going to make sure that the death of His Son was not in vain. Israel did not respond, so he expanded to the Gentiles. If one person, family, or nation does not accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then God will wait for the next generation. At some point, throughout the future of mankind’s existence, God will fill the chairs at the banquet and He will not stop until He does. The food has already been prepared, the table is already set, and now all He is waiting for is people to come.

The New King James Version Chapter 5

6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The Invitation of the King

The Eternal Benefits

Peace

Prosperity

The Every-Day Benefits

A Push to go Deeper

A Priority of Divinity

Conclusion

The New King James Version Chapter 19

9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

The New King James Version Chapter 22

16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.