LUKE 14:15-24

EXCUSES

 

THE FOLLOWING IS A PARTIAL LIST OF ACTUAL WRITTEN EXCUSES GIVEN TO TEACHERS IN THE ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM BY PARENTS OF STUDENTS:

 

Chris will not be in school because he has an acre in his side.

 

John has been absent because he had two teeth taken off his face.

 

My son is under the doctor's care and should not take fizical ed.

Please execute him.

 

Please excuse Joyce from P.E. for a few days.  Yesterday she fell

off a tree and misplaced her hip.

 

Ralph was absent yesterday because he had a sore trout.

 

Please excuse Sara for being absent.  She was sick and I had her shot. Source Unknown

 

Business executive James M. Bleech of Jacksonville, Florida, surveyed 110 executives to find out what excuses they hear most from their employees.

 

Heading the list was "It's not my fault."

The second place excuse was "It was someone else's fault."

Third, "Something else came up."

The fourth most often used excuse was "I didn't have time" followed by "We've never done it that way before."

 

Other excuses were "No one told me to do it," I had too many interruptions," If only my supervisor really understood," I will get to it later," and No one showed me how to do it."

 

We all make excuses for why we didn't do things we should have done, and why we did do things we shouldn't have done.

 

Of course, the most dangerous area in which to make excuses is in the area of Spiritual things. Making excuses for not doing what God wants me to do, or not going where God wants me to go, or not being what God wants me to be, or not listening to what God has to say, is a dangerous practice.

 

Before we make excuses before God, it would be good for us to remember the words of Proverbs 15:3 - The eyes of the LORD [are] in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

 

In the Scripture passage before us this morning, we have another story that Jesus told. This is about people who made excuses. In this passage we find excuses made by those who never end up in Heaven.  I might add that people who are saved, but aren't living for the Lord make similar excuses.

 

This morning we want to see,

 

A GREAT SUPPER Vs. 16-17

GREAT EXCUSES Vss. 18-20

A GREAT INVITATION Vss. 21-23

A GREAT TRAGEDY Vs. 24

A GREAT SERVANT

 

BACKGROUND

Jesus is a guest in the home of a Pharisee. The Pharisees were a group of Jews who were very legalistic. They tired to follow the law, plus man's interpretation of the law, plus tradition. The problem with the Pharisees was their hypocrisy.

 

Jesus warns his disciples in Luke 12:1-2 - …Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

 

In the course of the dinner mentioned in our text, our Lord noted that the men invited were trying to sit in the seats of honor. They were after the best of seats.

 

Jesus tells them in Verses 8-11, that they should sit in the lowest seats, and have someone come and move them up higher, instead of claiming a higher seat, and being moved lower.

 

Luke 14:11 - For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

 

In Luke 14:12 our Lord taught the host of the meal that he shouldn't just invite folks to come and eat so they would invite him in return.

 

Instead, Jesus says in Luke 14:13 -14 - But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

 

At this time when the resurrection is mentioned, one of the other guests makes this comment in Vs. 15, ... Blessed [is] he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

 

This man certainly made a true statement. Truly, the person who will eat and drink in Heaven, is a blessed or a happy person.

 

But Jesus knew that not all those who thought they were going to Heaven were actually going there.

 

So it is today. Not everyone who thinks they are going to Heaven or who are hoping to go to Heaven are actually going there.

 

Matthew 7:21 - Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

 

Based on this man's statement, The Lord starts to tell a parable.

This is where we pick up with our outline for this morning.

 

A GREAT SUPPER Vss. 16-17

 

Vs. 16 - Of course, in this parable, it is not hard to guess who the certain man is. It is God. He is making a banquet for all eternity in Heaven, and He invites folks to come.

 

Particularly invited was His chosen people, Israel.

What did the Jews have to do to accept this banquet invitation?

They simply had to believe on the promised Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

They had to come to God by faith.

What do you and I have to do, to accept this same banquet invitation?

 

We need to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, as the one who died in our place, was buried, and rose again. At a specific moment in time we have to trust Him for eternal life, believing that He died in our place for our sins.

 

1 Peter 3:18 - For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

 

Rom 10:9-10 - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

 

If we know the Lord, we look forward to the marriage feast of the lamb

 

Revelation 19:7  - Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

 

Revelation 19:9  - And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed [are] they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

 

When I think of the future, I think of more than the wedding supper of the Lamb which will be terrific, because we are the bride involved here!

 

But there's also the new Heaven and new earth to consider, as well as the New Jerusalem.

 

Heaven is certainly a great place to be invited to.

Even today, the invitation is open to anyone who will trust Christ as Savior. John 3:16.

 

Back in Vs. 16, we see that many are invited. And here, I believe Jesus talking about His own people, the Jews. They were all invited! They could all believe on Messiah, if only they would.

 

Note that there are two invitations here. The first invitation is in advance. The invited guests are told about the great dinner, and they respond, saying they will attend.

 

It reminds me of some who accept invitations to church, but never show up.

 

When it comes to heaven, most people, if not all, want to go there.

They think it's a good idea to be there rather than in Hell, and will respond by saying, "Yes, I'd like to go there!"

 

Vs. 17 - The actual day of the banquet arrives.

             The invite to "come and dine" is given.

 

A GREAT SUPPER

GREAT EXCUSES Vss. 18-21

 

Vs. 18 - The very people who said they'd like to attend began to

             make excuses.

 

One man said, "I have bought a new piece of property, I must go see it, please excuse me."

 

If the man had bought a piece of property, would he normally make the purchase sight unseen? Of course not! He had seen it before. But he was saying, by using this excuse that his possessions were more important than the banquet. Besides, it is likely that this banquet was later in the day. How much time was there left in the day to view the property anyway?

 

There are people today who have no time for Jesus Christ, because of their possessions. They have been invited to believe on him, and be ready for Heaven but they hold back because of their possessions, the things that they call theirs, are more important to them than trusting Christ.

 

May I remind you that when a person leaves this old earth,

that possessions will mean absolutely nothing.

 

For the non-Christian that had only time for possessions, and no time for Christ, there will be hell.

For the Christian who made his possessions more important than His Lord there will be little in the way of reward and praise from the Lord.

 

Matthew 6:24 - No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

 

Vs. 19 shows us another person with an excuse. - READ

 

He says, "I've just bought 5 pair of oxen, and I've got to go check them out."

In other words, this man was saying my business is more important. By the way, he could have waited the next day to do what he was going to do. And he didn't buy these oxen sight unseen either.

 

Like those who concentrate on possessions, there are those who concentrate on business.

To them dealing with business is more important than considering Jesus Christ. So, they are too busy to believe on Him, to follow Him, to do as He says.

 

When judgment day comes for the unsaved, the excuse "I was too busy" just isn't going to cut it with God!

Christian, to tell the Lord that you were too busy to have devotions, too busy to attend church, and too busy to witness or do good deeds in the name of Christ, won't cut either.

 

Vs. 20 contains a third excuse. READ

 

His own personal pleasure was more important than the banquet. His wife would have been around later that night, or the next day! It was just an excuse.

 

There are many unsaved who use the similar excuse of personal pleasure for not coming to Christ.  Usually they don't want to give up their habits and lusts, which they know, are displeasing to Christ.

 

Of course, if they'd just come to Christ, God would give them a new "want to" that could give them victory over these things.

 

And we as Christians are also told that our love is not to be for the pleasures of this world.

 

1 John 2:15-17 - Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

 

In this parable the Lord Jesus was telling the Jews, "You are making excuses. You have been invited to the banquet and you won't come."

 

THE GREAT SUPPER

GREAT EXCUSES

 

THE GREAT INVITATION Vss. 21-22

 

Vs. 21 - In the parable, the servant now returns and reports the

             news.The master of the house is angry! He's prepared a 

             banquet, and no one wants to come.

 

Imagine inviting 100 people over to a barbecue, everyone saying "yes", and all of them backing out an hour before the barbecue starts. Imagine God's reaction to those who have declined eternal life!

 

The rich man's solution was for the servant to go out and bring in the poor, the blind and handicapped! Bring in everyone that can be found in the immediate area.

 

The invitation to come to Christ is open to everyone.

And notice it doesn't have to be the fancy people.

These were people who would have to be helped if they were going to make it to the banquet! And God's Spirit helps us to make the decision we need to make.

 

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 -  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called]: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

 

Vs. 22 - The servant did what he was told and their was still room for more guests.

 

Vs. 23 - The master's command was for the servant to go out into the countryside, the highways, and compel people to come in, so there would be a full house!

 

And I see in this verse the concept of world missions. The world is to hear the message of salvation in Christ!

 

This word "compel" has a sense of urgency to it. When we compel someone, we are constraining them, or urging them, or pushing them to come!

 

You see, the invitation to eternal life is an open one.

It is a matter of "whosoever will may come".

 

Revelation 22:17 -  And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

 

A GREAT SUPPER

GREAT EXCUSES

A GREAT INVITATION

A GREAT TRAGEDY Vs. 24

 

Vs. 24 - The people who were invited to come to the banquet and turned it down would not get in.

 

The Jews who said "no" at the time of Jesus won't be there.

Jews and Gentiles down through the ages who said "no" to Jesus will not be there.

 

Instead for these people who were invited but didn't come, there will be judgment!  There will be the lake of fire.

 

Revelation 20:15-21:1 - And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

 

Finally, consider

 

A GREAT SERVANT

 

I think we tend to overlook the faithful servant in this story.

Here was a servant who faithfully did his master's business.

And today, the world will know about the message of the Lord Jesus, as his faithful servants share the message with others.

 

As believers, we have a personal responsibility to tell others about Christ.

 

Psalm 107:2 - Let the redeemed of the LORD say [so], whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

 

Psalms 126:5-6 - They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves [with him].

 

Roger Storms, pastor of First Christian Church in Chandler Arizona, tells this story:

"One Sunday, a car had broken down in the alley behind our facilities, and the driver had jacked up the car and crawled underneath to work on the problem. Suddenly, we heard him scream for help. The jack had slipped, and the car had come down on top of him.

 

"Someone shouted 'Call 9-1-1' and a couple of people ran for the phone. Several of our men gathered around the large car and strained to lift it off the trapped man. Nurses from our congregation were rounded up and brought to the scene. Somehow the men were able to ease the car's weight off the man, and he was pulled free. Our nurses checked him over. He was scratched up and shaken, but otherwise okay.

 

"When this man was in peril, people did all they could to help-risking themselves, inconveniencing themselves. Whatever was necessary to save this man, they were ready to try. How we need this same attitude when it comes to rescuing those in greatest peril-the danger of losing life eternally!"

 

A GREAT SUPPER

GREAT EXCUSES

A GREAT INVITATION

A GREAT TRAGEDY Vs. 24

A GREAT SERVANT