Jump Start # 634

Luke 14:16-18 But He said to him, “ A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many; and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for everything is ready now.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.

Our passage today is rich with emotions. There is the anticipation of this fine banquet. This was no ordinary meal. This wasn’t a common meal one would have at home. Luke tells us that  it was a “big dinner.” A big dinner includes two ingredients—lots of people and lots of food. The text supports that by saying, “he invited many.” Had they all come, it was going to be something.

There is also the emotion of hard work. Arranging such a celebration takes a lot of effort. Finding enough tables, placing them in the right area so everyone has room, cooking the food, fixing the room just right. There is much that goes on behind the scenes for such a wonderful occasion.

There is also the emotion of not wanting to come. Rejection and refusal go together. Three specific men were invited. They didn’t come. They all had excuses. Understand in Biblical times, it was difficult to know the exact hour when everything would be ready. Today, we are invited to an event, we are told what time it starts. Long ago, they would know the day. They would agree to come. When everything was finally cooked and ready, servants would go to those who had accepted the invitation and announce that they could now come. It is these folks that are turning down the invitation. They had accepted the initial invitation. This concept is repeated in the story of the wise and foolish virgins. The day of the wedding is known, not the hour. The groom, at the home of his parents, is busy getting all things ready. When it is time, he leads a parade through town to the home of the bride.

In our passage, the men had accepted to come. Now that everything was ready, they begin to decline. The host had counted on them being there. Food was cooked with the idea that they were going to come. Now they refuse. They don’t want to come. This is an awkward social blunder. Those who said they were coming are despised because they changed their minds. The host is embarrassed because he looks bad in the eyes of others. An embarrassing moment. Often today, especially at weddings, we will have an RSVP. I’ve noticed that many do not honor that. They do not commit to coming, so the host doesn’t plan on them being there. Then they show up. There is a flurry of activity to find chairs, food and such like. If the people had only RSVP as they should have. The opposite also happens. They say they are coming but they don’t.

In this passage, three men have three excuses. The first man claims he bought a piece of property and must go look at it. His possessions become his excuse. This excuse seems lame and I tend to think that most excuses look that way. Either he is so wealthy that he has others buying land for him without his actual inspection or else, he’s rather dense in the head fof buying something without looking at it. He cannot come because he must look at his new property. Couldn’t that wait? A few hours? Until the next day? Was it so pressing that he had to break his word to the host of the party? Possessions—stuff—things of the world. They tie us down and often keep us from doing what we ought to.

The second man, who also had promised to come, now cannot. He claims, that he bought five yoke of oxen and must now try them.  Typically, a yoke was a wooden harness that went over the necks of two animals. Here, oxen. To have five yoke means that he bought 10 oxen. A considerable investment and implies a large farming operation to need that many oxen. He statest that he cannot come because he must test them. Again, this seems lame. Would you buy oxen without first testing them? Maybe they are worn out and unable to pull plows. Maybe they are used up and worthless. Why purchase without first seeing them work. So the man who promised to come, now won’t. Work calls him. He must try the oxen. His refusal hurt things back at the banquet. Work is necessary to survive. Work is good for us. It makes us productive and profitable. Someone with a strong work ethic will do well in the world. It’s the lazy, those who could work, but won’t, that are a burden to society. Our jobs can define our lives. We often ask, “what do you do?” Implying, where do you work. For some, work is their life. We let work get in the way of family, friends and even God. We justify it by saying, “I have to work.” This man said in essence, “I have to try the oxen out.” I have to work. I have to break my word, my promise and my commitment because I have to work. Work can get in the way of Jesus.

The third man said, “I have married a wife and cannot come.” This seems most lame of all to me. Was he single when he made the commitment? Did he not know of his coming wedding? Could he not bring her along? He let family relationships get in the way of his promise.

The master was angry with all three men. He sent his servants to find others. The banquet would not be cancelled. The passage ends with this cold statement, “None of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.” It was their loss.

Possessions—work-family, all of those are a part of life and all of those are necessary. However, if they keep us from Jesus, we will never taste of the dinner. We, who have made a promise to Jesus, will lose, if we allow these things to come between us and Jesus.

The immediate context has to do with the Jews who had the prophecies about the coming Messiah. They were invited. They were the ones that the banquet was for. When Jesus came, they rejected Him. They accused instead of accepted. They questioned instead of received. They denied instead of embracing Him. Their reasons were lame. Their excuses were embarrassing. They missed the dinner. They lost.

How about us? Not the right time? Too busy now? Kids need your attention? Are we sounding like the three men in this story? Jesus invites you to His banquet. He invites you to be saved. What a wonderful relationship awaits us with the Lord. You don’t want to miss this. No excuse is good enough, not when it comes to salvation.

Are you with the Lord? Today? Remember, we are one day closer to Heaven.

Roger