Hearing [Jesus’ teaching about doing good without expecting repayment], a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!”
Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
“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.’ After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ 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. For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.'”
Key Thought
Many of us who are fortunate to live in places with freedom and democracy take them for granted. So often, we approach our freedom with a sense of entitlement — I deserve this, I am owed this, this is my right, etc. But the price paid to provide our freedom and democracy has been high. Of course, the price paid to provide our spiritual blessings has been much higher. To be invited to be a recipient of God’s salvation and all that it entails is a gift from God’s mercy and grace, not something that we are owed. To spurn God’s grace, to put off our complete response to his invitation of salvation, is to invite disaster and to insult the One who paid such a high price to give us this opportunity. If you have been putting off your total surrender to Christ as LORD, please — listen to God’s invitation and respond — today!
Today’s Prayer
Father, forgive me for procrastinating away so many opportunities to serve you with wholehearted passion. May my love for you motivate me to take advantage of all of these opportunities. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Related Scripture Readings
Mark 12:28-30Romans 12:1-2Hebrews 13:7Ⓒ 1996-2023 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.