The King’s Banquet.
(Image: Copied)
Today, we study a story from the scriptures found in Luke 14:16-26
I’d read from KJV
“…A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, “I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.”
And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.”
Luke 14:16-26
I’m sure you remember this parable now.
We use it a lot to preach repentance,holiness, God’s zero tolerance for excuses etc.
Let me share another exciting perspective God showed me.
Please follow.
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Sometimes, the way to understand some of the teachings of Jesus, is to imagine the scene being played on your mind.
A very wealthy King was about to host a party. So much had been spent on food,drinks,music etc Invites had been sent to his elite friends and notable people in the community.
The time for the dinner was set. Invitees refused to ‘turn up’
Well, you are the servant of this great King. He calls you and your colleagues to go call the invitees as everything was set!
You go call them.
Everyone of them gave ‘logical’ excuses explaining why they didn’t have such time.
Have you tried to imagine being such servant?
How would you feel seeing people turn down your boss’ request?
If I were one of such servants, I’d be like “Look at these people Sha! Such attitude.Ingrates! Mtchew”
I would return to the palace with all anger and accept fate on behalf of the King.
Guess what? Our King is not the type to let man alter his plans. He always,has options.
So,the King says something
“Go quickly into the streets…”
Ladies and gentlemen, why ‘STREETS’?Why didn’t he say, ‘Go to houses,farms,offices,stores etc.’ I was actually wondering, why streets?
“Go quickly into the streets”
Could it be that the king had invited practically every body in that neighborhood but everyone chose not to honour him?
I mean, for a king of such profile to have sent such many invites, I don’t think anyone in that kingdom would not have heard. They just chose to act busy and the king,being a wise man, understood even what was not said.He was not a king to stay within his comfort zone.
“Go quickly into the streets”
First, the business of our King requires haste and speed.
I understand very well when people say “Wait for instructions; Wait for leadings; wait for directions” etc. But a lot of us have misunderstood these and are now taking them as excuses for having a lackadaisical attitude towards the errand of the King.
Is God planting an assignment in your heart and you are procastinating or addressing it with a laggard attitude? Are you waiting for him to tell you steps to take or are you gathering wood and knowledge, trusting Him to order your steps and let His voice teach you the way to go?
I would have loved to talk about this ‘quickly’ approach to God’s business but that’s not the area of focus for today.
The king said “Go quickly to the streets”
Maybe you should imagine what a typical street looks like in a minute.
A typical street is filled with people minding their businesses- poor or rich.
The people you’d find on a typical street are people going somewhere,returning from a place, people hanging out with friends, people buying and selling- honest and dishonest, beggars,people partying, gossips…just name it!
Yet, a king sends his ‘well-groomed’ servants to go to the streets.
Isn’t it amazing?
So, imagine being that ‘elite’ servant.
I bet you want to walk down to the streets with a megaphone announcing,
“The great King has invited all of you to his party!”
How many of these Street people will listen to you? Maybe a few ‘awoof’ lovers. Right?
Imagine someone now saying, “How come? What happened to the King’s invitees?”
Then you respond saying “They didn’t come”
The average guy on the streets would laugh at you and your king. They would make a mockery of your entire assignment!
What are you going to do?Lol.
You dare not return to the palace because you are upset,laughed at or have your ego-ruined.
The master’s job must be done!
By the way,I hope you know the King didn’t ask you to bring one or two people? He said bring MANY.
How you’d do this with your ‘suit and tie’ is what I don’t know.
I tell you,
If you do not come down to the level of the man on the streets,you cannot take him to the banquet of the King.
You are not going to bring many if you stay afar off with an ‘If you like listen,if you like don’t listen’ approach.
Don’t forget, the King didn’t assure you they would come. He said ‘Go…bring them’.
He didn’t just say ‘Go’. Your job is incomplete until they show up at the party of the King.
Let’s proceed.
I would have rested if the King simply asked his servants to go bring ‘people’.
I need you to look at the category of people he asked them to bring- Blind, Lame,miamed etc.
Sigh.
It is hardwork enough trying to bring (most likely)uninterested persons to a King’s party.It is now another type of work bringing these ‘challenged’ people.
You think a ‘blind’ person will just follow you like that? No my brother.
The blind needs to first be sure they can trust you to lead them. They need to be sure you are not decieving them.
There are so many ‘blind’ people in life. Blind to God’s offer of salvation,blind to God’s promises,blind to their purpose for living…the King says, ‘Bring them’
Then the lame? These ones can see clearly but can’t walk at your pace. They are the type of people you need to carry along,encourage to try,give them tools that can aid their movement…but you still can’t drag them.
If they must come, you would need all the patience in the world.
Don’t forget,the King didn’t assure you everyone on the streets will come. But he has given you the task the bring ‘Many’
No wonder the early disciples knew better.
The work of God requires so much commitment,prayers,fasting,going,giving,talking,repeating the same things, persevering,hoping against all hopes that the man or woman on the streets will believe our gospel and come to the party of our King.
I found something interesting in Luke 14:22. I need you to imagine it before I proceed.
First you are that Servant of a King that deserve only palace related errands.But your master has made you interact with (all sorts of) people you may not have talked to (If not for this Jesus’ assignment. Lol).
Anyway, you have tried. Many people are in the King’s banquet because of you.
I was thinking the servant should look for a place to rest until the King needed him again. Abi?
Guess what? It was this same servant that told the King that there was still more space. Wow!
It takes a servant who understands the heart of His master to notice there was still more space.
It is my desire to never come to a point where I would think I am doing or I have done enough for my King. May I always notice there is still a gap even if I don’t know how to fill it.
This servant went to the master himself. He didn’t assume the master must have known. He didn’t just discuss it with fellow servants. He went to His master “I have done all you instructed.But there is still more space”.
Then the master said to him(Paraphrased) “Go to the highways,the corners, as many as you find there,compel them to come so my house can be full”
The master didn’t ask him to go back to the streets.Sometimes God changes the direction of our focus and that is very okay!
If God has told you, “Now,I need you to do more public speaking whereas you’ve always been in the protocol unit, don’t let people tell you you are confused. The assignment of the King is not a static one.
If God is satisfied with the number of souls you got from the streets,be ready for the corners and highways.
A lot of us want to keep going back to the streets because ‘I laboured so much to penetrate that area’ Lol.
Be discerning.Be proactive.
Don’t be your own master.
By the way, have you imagined what you are likely to see on the highways and in the corners?
I think I’d say, risks.
The streets usually have many people.
Highways and corners are places where you can’t be too sure you won’t be harmed.
You can’t even be sure you won’t walk several miles before seeing one soul- and you aren’t even sure that Soul will be interested.
What are those highways and corners you think God is leading your heart to?
A unit in your church that people avoid? A mission field? A platform that people have not been really gaining much about the gospel? A friend extremely difficult to talk to about God?
As I round up,I learnt the King said something,
“…Compel them to come…”
What does it mean to compel someone to do something?
To me, I think the King was saying, whatever you have to do, do it. Make sure they come!”
There are some people that would basically come to God through little effort.E.g Parents are exemplifying believers.Some of their offsprings just find no other life than that of Christ.
Some would be picked from the streets of life.
Some would be compelled to come to Christ.
Different people. Different approaches.
I know this ‘Compelling’ is what most of us have issues with. Some of our parents tried to ‘force’ us to serve a God we don’t even understand. Some of our churches planted doctrines and laws that made some of us give up completely and go back to the highways of life.
I just hope I can explain this well enough because this is the crux of this study.
The King says, compel them to come. But the method to use is what He didn’t say.
The servant of a great King must be willing to compel people to come to God.
How passionate are you about God’s work?
I don’t want this to be narrowed down to evangelism units as that’s usually our first line of thought.
Are your singing skills compelling enough?
Are your teaching skills compelling enough?
Are your writing skills compelling enough?
Are you an Usher that your personality is so compelling that people feel like coming to church because of you?
I can go on and on.
We cannot afford to do the King’s business as if we are doing him a favour.
Are you constantly looking for ways to improve on your skills and discharge your duties in such a compelling manner?
I was wondering why the King is so passionate about people eating at His table.
I realized He paid handsomely for everything in that feast.
His only son was the price.
That’s why He wants as many as possible to come.
I’d stop here and leave us to allow God throw more light on this parable.
It speaks to me and speaks to a lot of us.
May God’s words bring forth results in manifolds in our hearts.
Amen.
Have a pleasant weekend and thank you for following.
Prayers: Have you been treating God’s works with a measure of levity?
Or have you even abandoned God’s given assignments because of the worries of life?
Talk to Jesus today.Let Him revive you and make you a worthy servant.
Or are you a complete backslider or you’ve realized you are on the streets of life or it’s highways – all far from God’s kingdom?
Just say with me: Lord Jesus, I have realized my sinful state. I want to return home. I do not want to miss the feast in your Kingdom.Please accept,wash and make me whole.I will be yours all the days of my life.
Amen.
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I congratulate you.
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Temitope Adegbenjo, 2017
