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by Sandy Shaw
Jesus tells another parable. Surely, we all like the parables – the stories Jesus told. You will find the account in Luke Chapter 14 at verse 15. Do check the actual text. That is important, for various reasons. A man prepared a feast and sent out invitations. Now, on those invitations, there would be the day of the Feast - but NO TIME. You just had to be ready all day, and when the meal was ready a servant would call you to come along and be present. That was the custom at that time.
Jesus is saying - Be dressed - be ready - prepared - waiting.
When they were called to the Feast they all began to make excuses. How many excuses have I heard over these past 40 years from those who have not wanted anything to do with Jesus Christ?
Now they had been invited. They thought they were going - but excuses poured out.
Verse 18. I have just bought some land. I must go and see it. Sorry Jesus, my work comes before you. Sorry Jesus, my property and possessions come before you.
Sorry Jesus, there are other demands upon my time.
If he had been a half-decent business man he would have looked at the field before buying it. It is only an excuse.
Verse 19. I've bought five yoke of oxen. I must go and try them out. Please excuse me. Modernise it. I've just bought a new car - must go for a run today, Jesus. I've just bought a new tractor, Jesus. I must go and see that it is all right. Sorry Jesus, you have caught me at a bad time. I cannot come.
Verse 20. I've just got married. I cannot come to the Feast either. Why? Why ? Couldn't she come with him? Couldn't he bring his wife along to the most important feast in the world? How tragically sad!
Some had no intention of being there - no intention of attending. Yet Jesus in His Love invites and calls them - only to hear – “Jesus, anything can put me off - Jesus, anything can make me say 'No'!”
Rejected again - the mother hen we were reading of (at the end of Luke Chapter 13) and how Jesus wanted to gather Israel under His wings but they would not come - and now this.
I don't want your dinner. I don't want Your invitation to come under Your wings. I'm not really interested. Some would never be given another opportunity, and that is serious.
We need to remind ourselves at times that these are the loving caring concerned words of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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