Luke's Gospel

That's Luke 14 from verse 1. 1 Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent pharisee, he was being carefully watched. There in front of him was a man suffering from an abnormal swelling of his body. Jesus asked the pharisees, and experts in the law. Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?

But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him, and sent him on his way. Then he asked them, if 1 of you has a child or an ox, that falls into a well on the sad of day, will you not immediately pull it out? And they had nothing to say. When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable.

When someone invites you to a wedding feast, Do not take the place of honor. For a person more distinguished than you, may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, give this person your seat then humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you're invited, take the lowest place so that when your host comes, he will say to you, friends, move up to a better place. Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests.

For all those who exhort themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Then Jesus said to the host, when you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers, your sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors. If you do, They may invite you back and so you'll be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind. And you will be blessed.

Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous. When 1 of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, blessed is the 1 who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God. Jesus replied, a certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet, he sent his servant to those who had been invited. Come for everything he's now ready.

But they all alone began to make excuses. The first said, I had just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me. Another said, I have just bought 5 yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please, excuse me.

Still, another said, I have just got married so I can't come. The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry, and all of this servant, go out quickly into the streets, into the alleys of the town, and bringing the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. Sother servants said, what you have ordered has been done? But there is still room, then the master told the servant, go out to the roads and the country lanes, and compel them to come in.

So that my house will be full. I'll tell you, not 1 of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet. And the second reading comes from Flippians 2 starting from verse 5. In your relationships, 1 another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. Who being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage.

Rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness and being found in the appearance as a man. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross. Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place, and gave him the name that is above every other name, that the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth. And every tongue acknowledged that Jesus Christ is lords, to the glory of God the Father. Well, good evening, everyone.

I'm Rory. I won't be roaring as I did just a second ago, hopefully. So don't worry too much. Let's get stuck into this passage. Let me pray again as we as we start.

Father, we we thank you again for your word. And we thank you that in it, we have true hope and and true joy that is on offer. And so we pray father that as we look at that, at this passage tonight, you will help us to see that. We pray this in Jesus' name, amen. Now, I guess There are many reasons that you have heard.

There may be many reasons that you have given, why Christianity isn't for you or isn't isn't for someone. I think something that comes at at the top of that list is that Christianity's kinda boring. It's it's not that interesting, or Christianity's a bit pathetic or it's a bit futile. And But I think if you've just read the the loop passage, you can clearly see that that isn't the case. Now, It's not boring, it's a banquet.

It's not pathetic, it's a party. And it's certainly not futile. It's a feast. It's it's it's it's exciting that Jesus has painted a picture of a of an amazing amazing meal. And so if that is the case, why why don't people come into the feast.

Why don't people come to know Jesus? Why don't people become Christians? And I wanna say, that this passage shows us that the problem is clearly prides. So, we come to this scene. We've got Jesus is moved on, he's gone to someone's house for food.

But I think that this scene that we see in front of us is a bit of a set up. I don't know if you've ever had been involved or you've had someone set you up, or you've seen programs where people are set up. Where they're trapped or they're snared, you know, where they're they're made to say something that they never wanted to say. And as soon as they say that thing, it's like, gotcha. And then I'm gonna take it down.

Yeah? Or or do something that they don't wanna do, or or find themselves in a place where they don't wanna be, and then they can be attacked and set upon. Now I think this scene could well be a trap. Look with me at verse 1 to 2. 1 Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent pharisee, he was being carefully watched.

There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. Okay. So this is why I think it's a set up. You've got a Sabbath Day. The Sabbath day was often when Jesus caused a bit of upset to the pharisees.

So we've got a a a Sabbath day. Then we've got this prominent pharisee, and he he goes, Jesus, why don't you come back to our house for food? And then as he as he comes to the house, there happens to be a seriously, seriously ill man. This man has got a disease called dropsy, where basically you you get I can't really explain. I'm not a medical expert.

It's you get fluid, sort of, pouring out of the inside your body, and you get bloated, and then it really shows organ failure. So this man is terminally ill. He's not in a great state. But it feels that they they've got altogether to stitch this up. So, oh, we've got Jesus coming down into town today.

Oh, we really do with getting rid of Jesus. Okay. Let's think about this. Well, I tell you what, you're quite an important pharmacy. You invite him over to the house.

Right? And you remember that, you know, the guy who drops you down the road? Yeah. Yeah. I don't like him.

He stinks. But we can get him over and see if Jesus will heal him. Do you see this in in verse 1, he says, he was being carefully watch in in that word Scott means he was being scrutinized. They're there waiting watching for Jesus to do something that they can pounce on him for. The thing is about Jesus though, is that he knows the thoughts of men.

Not only does he know the thoughts of men, but he also knows how to expose their hearts. And the thing that he's gonna expose is their pride. So firstly, look with me, pride stops people doing what is right and good. Pride, stops people doing what is right and good. So we've set the scene verse 3, it says Jesus asked the Fireacies and experts in the law.

Actually, the original language, it says Jesus answered the Pharisees. So he actually answers that they haven't said anything, but Jesus knows the thoughts of men. So he answers them, is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not? Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not? Fair enough question.

Answers is pouring out. Yes. No. Hold on. Verse 4, but they remained silent.

They remained silent. The thing is, the problem is for the pharisees, that if they say, Yes, it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath. That means that they undermine everything that they believe and everything that they teach. They said, and they made loads and loads of laws that said, you have to do this, this is, you can't work. Healing's working.

So they can't say, yes. Otherwise, they, you know, show themselves to be frauds. But if they say no, it's not lawful to do good and heal someone on the Sabbath. Then they just seem quite harsh and unloving. Right?

So they say nothing. And then, Jesus, as always, Heels the man off his dropsy, off his terminally ill illness, and he sends him on his way. But then he goes to question them further. Look with me at first 5 to 6. Then he asked them, if 1 of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?

So here's the thing, you've got your you're walking down the road with your child or with your ox. I know, often, you know, sometimes you do 1 or the other. And as you come, you 1 of them falls into the ditch. Now, the the the response usually especially if it's the animal. Maybe if it's not the the sun you might wanna leave there for a little bit, just to let him suffer.

But usually, you'll drag it out. Whether it's a suburb or not, because you don't want your child to drown, because you'd have to explain it to your wife. And you don't want your ox to drown because, you know, you want a bit of money. So of course, you're gonna help this man out, that the kid or the ox out. So surely, this is Jesus' point.

Surely, If you're willing to help the ox or the child from drowning surely you should help this man drowning in his own fluids. And what is their response when he says this? Verse 6, and they had nothing to say? Jesus renders them speechless. They've got nothing to say.

They have they can't say anything. To Jesus. He's untouchable. See, the thing is, it's pride that stops them doing what is right and good. It's pride that means that they're so committed to their laws, and they're so committed to trying to look good, and they're so committed to try to make everyone be as good as them, that they don't wanna do good for people.

It's pride that stops them being amazed at what Jesus is just done in healing them out of dropsy. It's pride that stops them coming to Jesus. And seeing what he can do and what he can offer, it stops him saying Jesus is king. And actually, In the whole of the gospel, you'll see that it pushes them to murderous opposition. Pride starts people doing what is writing good.

But secondly, pride starts people from seeing who they really are. Pride starts people seeing who they really are. So here you go. He's just sort of exposed them all for being proud people that don't wanna do good for people. And so it's very quiet now, a little bit bit awkward.

But Jesus just takes this silence as an opportunity to expose them some more. It's amazing. He doesn't hold back Jesus. And so you see, verse 7, when he noticed how the guest picked the places of honor at the table. He's been watching them.

He's watch you know, when when you see like kids or or people that wanna get into the front seat of the car, then they sort of they start walking, they start going a bit quicker. And they Oh, and then if they see someone else, it's gonna be I'm just whack it out of the way. I reckon that's what's going on here. They're walking. Some of them have probably arrived a little bit early, half an hour early.

I want the best seat. And so, they get in there and they want the best place of honor. They think that they're deserving of the greatest thing the seats. They want they want people to see them in this great place of honor. Look, how good he is in that place of honor?

And so Jesus tells him this parable. Today, we this morning, if you were there, we heard that Jesus is is the greatest prophet. And he's the greatest prophet because he reads his his context. He uses what's around him to teach and to reach out. And so look what he does.

He tells him a parable When someone invites you, verse 8, to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, give this person your seat, then humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place so that when your host comes, he will say to you friend, move up to a better place. Then you'll be honored in the presence of of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves, will be exalted.

So he puts him in a wedding feast. He says, you're all at a wedding feast. And when you're at that wedding feast, don't rush and go for that greater seat. Why not? Because it might just be the case that someone more important than you has been invited.

It might be the case that someone who deserves more honor deserves your seat. And so you get that all that awful feeling, that sinking feeling where you know you're you're pretty much messed up. Your heart is down by your your belly somewhere, humiliated, ashamed. And as you you go from the greatest place, you have to walk down with your head bowed, red faced to the worst place. It's a bit like imagine you're on an airplane.

Right? And you wanted to get off the plane first. Can you deserve to get off the plane first? And so you legged it down to the front, and then they put the stairs on the back. It's devastating.

That's the sore feeling you'd get. Or imagine you were in the plane, you said, I deserve to be first class. And you went into the first class seat, you sat in the most important seat, and then the the really important person came in, and they said, say, you're you're you're in the wrong seat. Can you move, please? And then you've gotta take all your stuff, overhead locker, gear bagged down, you got your coat, your magazine, walking down there.

It's embarrassing. It's so embarrassing. The thing about this humiliation though is that it is imposed in humiliation. This person hasn't chosen to be humble, it's been put on them. And so Jesus says, rather than doing that, pick the lowest seat.

And there's a chance that you'll get exalted. And look, the difference between the feeling inside. No. You know you know when you are exalted and they're like, Oh, no. Listen.

You're in first class. Yes. I know you get There you go. It's more like that, isn't it? There's joy, there's happiness, there's elation, as you walk to a more honorable seat.

See, the self humbling, the person who chooses to be humble, not fake humility, by the way. Not the person who goes, oh, let me sit down here at the bug and hope that someone wants me to go in the form. Self form of knowing that I'm not that great. Knowing my position. That self humbling is honored with exaltation.

Now, I think it's more than just dinner etiquette this this story. I don't think Jesus just tells this story so that you might have a good time at a real wedding feast. Now, he's telling this because he wants us to get our attitude right. And the attitude should be the attitude that mirrors Jesus. We read that passage in Philipp too.

Right? What an amazing thing that we see about Jesus? Is Jesus someone who chooses the best seat? No. But he certainly deserves the best seat.

Jesus is the 1 who was in very nature God. Did not consider a quality with God. But he made himself nothing, taking the nature of a servant, and even humbled himself to a cross. There's humility there in Jesus, and then there's exaltation. Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place, and gave him the name that is above every name that at the name of Jesus, every niche of bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christes Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus embodies this humility. Jesus is the 1 who says, I'll make myself nothing I will take the most humble place. Is there anywhere lower to go than on a cross? And then he's exalted after that. And a king becomes the king.

Forever. So this is a spiritual thing. If you don't have a right view of yourself before God, then there will be shame. There will be humiliation. Because you think you're too good for Jesus.

You think you're too good for gods. And the result will be judgment. But if you understand your position, if you realize, and you'll see later on, he talks about the blind, the poor, the lame, the crippled. If you realize that I give nothing to God. There's nothing I can bring to God.

There is nothing I can bring. I just have to cling to his cross. Then there'll be exultation. Then there'll be a day. When you will be glorified.

The apostle Paul got this. In 1 Timothy, he says, 1 of the best lies, he says, this is a trustworthy saying. Christ Jesus died for sinners, of which I am the worst. That's what we should be like. That's how we should view ourselves.

I am the worst. I'm not the best. And if I get that right, than exaltation. Glory, heaven awaits. So it's often I I think you can see this in the world.

Right? You know when you watch talent shows or like x factor? I know it's rubbish. There's a new 1 about hip hop on Netflix that I'm quite enjoying. But when they get told, they come on the stage and they think they've got it right.

They think that the best thing. They like, look at me, I'm a hundred million dollars. That's just what 1 1 woman said on on on the Netflix show. And she Look at me. How good I am?

They were like, no, you're not that good. And she went off the stage and said, I am that good. Look at me again. And I could write songs just as good as them. But she but she'll never make it because she's not humble.

The people who make it are those humble ones who listen to the advice and go, yeah, I'll take on board, and then they're exalted. It's the same with the gospel. Not earthly, but if I'm humble, I get who I am. I understand my position. I understand that I've got not much to bring, then exaltation will follow.

So pride stops people viewing themselves as they really are. Thirdly, pride stops true generosity, and service. Pride stops true generosity and service. Look with me at verse 12. Then Jesus said to the host, when you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite friends, your brothers, or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors.

If you do, they may invite you back, and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor. The crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. So, he's just had a pop at them for picking the most important seats.

Right? So, you can imagine that this has got even more awkward than it was a second ago. And you can imagine those people shuffling uncomfortably in the chairs that they picked, because they they thought they were important. But he doesn't stop. He goes on, he goes at the host.

Now he's not saying, listen, you're not allowed to invite your friends and family over for a meal. Don't even think about it. He's not saying that. It's more about attitude again, and it's an attitude that extends past the dinner table, or breakfast table, or lunch table. What he's saying is that the proud live for the now.

The proud live for the immediate rewards, the earthly return. So although they may look like they're giving, they're not actually giving for giving. Say, they're giving so that they get back. They're giving so they can get a reward straight away. They want it here and now.

They want them now. They want the earthly stuff. They want If I give you a meal, I wanna be invited next week to your roast dinner. And Jesus is saying, that's that's the wrong attitude to have. That's not what I'm about.

Now rather, you should have an attitude of giving without expecting to get anything back in this world. And so when I invite a poor person, I'm pretty sure that he's not gonna be cooking up a nice sausage casserole the week after for me. The blind, the crib of the lame, the person, I've got no money. Because but if you have the attitudes, then you're gonna be living for the eternal rewards. And that is the resurrection of the righteous.

That is a day when you will get immeasurably more than what you've given. And again, this is reflective of God. This is reflective of the Lord Jesus. We saw that, didn't he, he gives of himself for people who cannot repay him. What did it say?

He emptied himself off everything. He pours himself out. If you look at the gospel accounts, Jesus is giving and giving and we heard in that story that he was so exhausted from giving of himself that he fell asleep and did not wake up in the craziest of storms. That's because he was giving himself, and he would give and give and give and give until he gives his life on a cross. He empties himself, and he does it knowing that you can't pay him back.

I can't pay him back. What can I give him? Nothing. And so we should have an attitude like the Lord Jesus Christ. We see that he gives all of himself without us being able to repay him.

And so when we live, we should give to everyone in this church around us without expecting return. That's why I think I think the Ministry of Beside is so wonderful. It's a good it's a good market to see if you view yourself in the right way. And if you're willing to give, properly give. When people give their lives and the time and their money to prostitutes, you can't repay them.

That's a that is a wonderful example of true generosity and service because you get your position before God. I'm blind. I'm crippled. I'm lame. I'm poor.

If you think you deserve though, then you will not give like this. So pride stops true generosity and service. But fourthly, pride stops people coming into the feast of the kingdom of God. Pride stops people coming into the feast of the Kingdom of God. So I I can at this stage of the the procession, the meal, I I imagine that the silence was deafening every time Jesus finishes talking.

I imagine that the tension is unbearable And I imagine it's incredibly awkward for all those sitting apart from Jesus. I think I I imagine he's enjoying himself. It's it's I don't know if you've ever at contagious, what 2 of the blokes are contagious. We're so fed up with their group not saying anything, and they had to keep on filling the silences. They they said, let's see how long we can just say nothing without anyone filling in blanks.

And I think they got to, like, 30 30 or 45 seconds, which feels like an eternity. It's so silent. It's so awkward. And people are just Oh, gosh. And that's what I think in verse 15.

Someone just blurts out. Blessed is the 1 who will eat the feasts and the kingdom of God. Someone say something for goodness sake. It's interesting though. Time and time again in Luke's gospel, we've seen that.

People just blurt out when they they they don't they kinda wanna Jesus to change the topic. It's not making us feel awkward. Bless it is the the mother who gave birth to you. Let my brother divide his inheritance with me, g, is my agenda. Bless is the is the 1 who eats at the kingdom of God.

But but Jesus doesn't let that distract him. No. He uses it to springboard into another pile. And this is I think this is probably 1 of my favorite parables that Jesus says. So you can picture the scene.

Verse 16, let's read the parable together first. First 16 24. Jesus replied, a certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, come for everything is now ready. But they all alike began to make excuses.

The first said, I've just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please, excuse me. Another said, I have just bought 5 yoke of ox, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please, excuse me. Still another said, I've just got married, so I can't come.

The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bringing the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame, they've up again. Sir, the servant said, what you all have you done? But there is still room. Then the master told his servant, go out the roads, and country lanes, and compel them to come in so that my house will be full.

I tell you not 1 of those who are invited will get a taste of my banquet. So this is what's going on. There's a man and he is preparing the greatest of banquets. I guess, we've all been in those situations where there is an event or something going on that you just don't want to miss out on. Everyone wants to be there.

You would sell a lot of possessions. You would get time off work. You would not go to. Someone's funeral just to get to this event. This is gonna be the best event ever.

It's gonna be amazing. You don't wanna miss out on this. And the best thing about the best parties is the host. Right? If if I got invited to a meal with a queen, I think the thing that I wouldn't go to someone the next day, or I had a lovely cup of tea.

And Scott, I would say, I got to have tea with a queen. Right? So the best thing about a party is the host. A bit and the banquet would be the the food spread would be glorious. We do they might have done a taste of Christmas to make sure that they have the best mince pie on offer, and the best chocolate log.

Why is it always a chocolate log? Or the best turkey, the best mall wine. It's all going on. This is the greatest party. You don't wanna miss out on this 1.

And so verse 17, the man says it's ready. So in those days, the custom was, you gave a first invitation out and you say, I'm having a party. Would you like to come? They would say, yes. He would say, okay, I'll go start getting it ready.

He would then send out a second invitation and say, come on then. It's ready. Verse 17. Come for everything is now ready. But in verse 18 to 20, we don't get the reaction that we should see.

We should see in every action of excitement. It's ready? Come on. Let's go. But rather than excitement, we see excuses.

And I don't know I hope you saw, as you read them, that these are probably the most pathetic excuses that you could ever see. Let's go through them. Look at the first 1. Verse 18, I've just bought a field and I must go and see it. Please, excuse me.

Right. Are you sure? You've bought a field without seeing it. Would you buy a house without seeing it? Check the boilers right, check the taps work, check the There's no rats.

In fact, would you even buy a fill without looking at it? I was gonna buy a field, I'd probably wanna play football on it. I would've wanna make sure that you could play football on it. That's ridiculous. So, he's a liar.

Verse 19. I've just bought 5 yoke of oxen and I'm on my way to try them out. Please, excuse me. Okay. Right?

Well, that's not very Jewish. In those times, Jewish people would not buy something without trying it out. I know this because the closest thing to Jewish people are Scottish people, and my mother is a Scott. There is no way. Imagine going, I'm gonna buy a car, but I'm not gonna try it out.

That's ridiculous. So again, probably definitely a liar. Verse 20, this is my least favorite 1 of them all, the plonker. Still another said, I have just got married, so I can't come. What are you talking about?

Usually, the invitation would have been separated by 3 days. Okay. You found a wife and married her within 3 days of 2 invitations. Right. Okay.

Alright. Maybe you're a quick mover. Even if that is the case, If you love your wife, what is the best thing to do with this wife when the greatest banquet is on offer? Bring her along. Get her involved.

She'll love it too. He's a liar as well. They're pathetic excuses. They're ridiculous. And the thing that it reveals is that they think they're more important than the feast.

And the host. They think that they're too good, that they're too important, that they've got more important things to worry about, then go into this feast. And so when the host hears this, he is very angry. This man is put on the greatest feast. He's put it on off.

He's invited them there. They've said they can come, and then they've gone and thrown it in his face and said, actually, we've got things that we've just made up. I'd rather do something else than come to your party. And so he's rightly angry, but as you can see, the flip side of his anger is mercy. So what happens?

He's like, okay, well, they're not gonna come, get the paw, get the crippled, get the lame, get the blind. We're gonna get this party full. And so the server's like, yeah, we've got the poor, we've got the crippled blind lane. But we've still got space. Right?

Go out. Into every nook and cranny that you can find, go to every road and lane and highway and motorway and every house that you can find every hole and bring people into my feast. I will have my feast full. Can you see the generosity of this host? It was his party full.

But the problem is for those who made excuses, they are not gonna get him. So this is what this parable means. Bible clearly pictures heaven as a feast. If you click on to the next side, Isaiah 20 Isaiah 25 69 says this. On this mountain, the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples.

See that? Go out in every every area and bring them in. A banquet of aged wine. Lovely. Oh, lovely.

Yeah. The best of meat and the finest of wines. It doesn't get better than that. On this mountain, he will destroy the shroud that unfolds all peoples the sheet that covers all nations. He will swallow up death forever.

The sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces. He will remove his people's disgrace from all the earth, the Lord has spoken. In that day, they will say, surely, this is our God. We trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord.

We trusted in him. Let us rejoice, and be glad in his salvation. What a banquet on offer. The best of wines, the best of meats. No more death.

No more crying there. This is the greatest feast on offer. The next slide is a a pasha from Revelation 99. Then the angel said to me, write this, blessed of those who are invited to the wedding supper of the lamb. And he added these are the true words of God.

This is the the the best banquet that you wanna be part of. The person who's in this banquet is truly happy Truly satisfied, truly content. That is the banquet that is on offer And the best thing about this banquet is the lamb at the center of the throne. We will be with Jesus. The 1 who wiped away the tears.

And so God invites people to this feast through the son, through the son, the lord Jesus Christ. In John 6 35, words that you probably are very familiar with, he says this. Then Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty contentment. The first quench satisfaction.

And how do you come to this party? Well, the bread of life, and the last supper said, take this bread and eat it for it's my body. Take this cup and drink it for this is my blood. Because I'm gonna go to a cross and die and shed my blood. So that you can be in a feast.

That's amazing. That's the invitation to the banquet. The blood of Christ says, come, be satisfied. The body of the Lord Jesus on a cross has come. Be satisfied.

And despite that being an offer, the great this is the greatest. There is nothing better in this world that can touch this. But still people make excuses. Why? Because they don't have a right view of themselves.

They're proud. They're proud people. In our culture, we see more and more of this as people are graded by How good you are, what social status you are, what color you are, what ethnicity, whatever it is, how educated you are, we grade each other, we see how great I am. And if I'm so great, then I don't need Jesus, and I don't need his banquet, and I'll find my contentment somewhere else. And so they make excuses.

The vast majority of people in hell will be there because they've made excuses. I'd rather focus on my career and make money than come to know the Lord Jesus. And have him as king. I'd rather live for material possessions. I'd rather live for earthly parties and banquets and popularity than for the actual real banquet and party that is on offer that you have to offer Jesus I'd rather live for a relationship, how sad it is when people would prefer other relationships than the relationship with the king of the universe, the 1 who died on a cross to give him the greatest bank wherever.

That is sin. That is what sin is. Sin is preferring other things and putting other things in front of the Lord Jesus Christ and saying, I'd rather them than you Christ. So, therefore, what excuses are you making? See, there is nothing worse than rejecting the sun.

There is nothing worse than rejecting him and his offer of an eternal feast, and the result is the right anger of God. You've rejected his son. The 1 that can bring you to him. You've rejected his offer. But on the flip side of the anger of God is the mercy of God.

And so if you will reject his offer. Because of your pride, you think you're too good, then that offer will be given to others who will accept it. Who understand their position, who understand that God has poured grace upon grace upon us. Not that we deserved it, but because of his reckless love for us. And just look at the generosity of God.

How good is this God? He won't stop. Until his kingdom feast is full. And so that means you're gonna reject it, then someone else will set that invitation. But those who rejected invitation here, this warning.

Please, please, please hear the warning of verse 20 for I tell you not 1 of those who invited will get a taste of my banquet. If you reject Jesus invitation, if you make excuses proud excuses not to come into his kingdom, then there is an eternity outside the feast of satisfaction. You will never taste the goodness of this banquet. So What about you? What about you?

What excuses are you making? How is your pride stopping you from coming into this feast? What are you saying is more important coming into this feast. What are you saying is more important the greatest banquet in the world than accepting Christ? There is nothing better than this.

There is nothing better than this. So come Will you come? Last week, Ben talked about the Jesus saying, oh, Jerusalem. Jerusalem. Come in.

Come in. Be saved. It's the same invitation tonight. Come. Come in.

Come in to the banquet. Come in to the king's kingdom banquet. I know the satisfaction that he has to offer. Humble yourself tonight. Be humble.

See yourself as the blind, the poor, the lame, the crippled. See yourself as the sinner of who I am the worst. But then see God and his generosity come to the cross of Christ and know him No him as king and no as feast. Do that before it's too late. Please.

Christian. We wanna be people who are truly humble. We we find this hard because we're so proud beans. We must imitate Christ. So we should consider others better than yourself.

And so we wanna be people who serve not to receive in this world but for the Eternal Awards. But also listen to that command of g of the the master to the servant. Do you see that in verse 23? 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 compel them to come in.

Now it doesn't mean force them. Like, someone would tell me the other day that people like just chucking kids in water to baptize them. That doesn't save them. We don't wanna do that, but compel them. URge them, persuade them.

Plead with them. I think spurgeon said, let let no 1 go to hell, except with their arms wrapped around their legs. You'll you will do this. We will do this better if we understand how good this feast is. We would do this better if we understand ourselves better, and we'll understand this better if we get the king better.

So understand him. Understand how good this is. And then go and give people the invitation to the feast. We're told this morning we are to proclaim him. Let's do that.

Let's give the offer. So Christianity, it's not boring, it's a banquet. It's not pathetic. It's a party. It's not futile.

It's a feast. It will be crazy to miss out because of your pride. Let me pray. Far we we thank you so much for the Lord Jesus. We thank you that in him, we have the perfect embodiment of humility.

And so we pray father that we will understand and see more clearly how glorious the Lord Jesus and Him crucified is. And we will understand more clearly that we are totally undeserving of what you've done for us, and that we will understand more clearly The feast, the banquet that is on offer. No more crying there. No more dying there. And the best thing is that you are at the center.

And so far, we pray that this will become more of a reality to us. And that will be strongly urging and pleading with people to come and know the satisfaction of this bank, where we pray these things in Jesus' name, amen.