Come To The Banquet

Most of us have been involved in enough weddings to know that invitations go out and then an RSVP is sent back. Well in this case, all the RSVP’s have come back – the seating arrangement has been planned – but no one is turning up. How would you feel if that was your wedding? Hurt! Perhaps even snubbed and rejected. Well that’s what it was like for the host in our parable. His guests have shown him the height of rudeness. But do you know what would hurt the most? It was the pathetic excuses which have been offered to the servant.

“I have just bought a field and must go and see it”. Let me ask you. How many people do you know who see a business advertised in the paper – and then just ring up and buy it? I don’t know any. It’s ridiculous to even suggest isn’t it. You would go and inspect the business first to see if it was profitable. Surely this man has not paid good money for a field he has never seen. How will he know if it can be turned into a profitable business? What if it is covered in rocks? It would be useless. What if it on the side of a hill? It can’t be turned into a farm then. The truth is plain to see. Obviously this man is just offering a weak excuse.

Then we get to the next man “I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out”. If I said to you that I just brought a second hand car out of the paper and I’m going over to see what it looks like … what would you say? Some would say, “There is a sucker born every minute”. Few people buy second hand cars without at least taking it for a test drive first. Well, if we take this man at face value that is exactly what he has done. He’s just brought 10 oxen – obviously for ploughing purposes – and he doesn’t even know how strong they are. What if they are lame, or old, or diseased? The truth is plain; this man is just offering a weak excuse.

Then we get to the last man – I would say the best excuse is saved for last. “I just got married so I can’t come”. In our society today mates ring up mates and invite each other out. “Hey Stew … we’re going out for a few beers you want to come”. “No I can’t, the little woman says I’m not allowed to leave the house” … Now what’s going to be the next comment? … In some cases it would definitely be, "Boy, who wears the pants at your house mate?". Let’s go back to our Jewish friend. “Come, for everything is now ready”. “Sorry I just got married so I can’t come … you know how woman can be some time”. Really!? This happens in a Jewish household where a man can divorce his wife just because she burns his toast at breakfast. The truth is obvious. He can’t come to the banquet because he doesn’t want too. Obviously this man is just offering a weak excuse.

Someone once defined an excuse as, "A skin of a reason stuffed with a lie". Its like a sausage with a thin external skin that holds all the meat together, but as soon as the sausage is pierced the meat goes everywhere – revealing it is just a whole lot of bits and pieces all thrown together. A skin of a reason stuffed with a lie. The definition fits well here doesn’t it? Verse 18 tells us that “all alike began to make excuses”. The fact of the matter is, they don’t want to be at the banquet. They have snubbed the host, as if kicking sand in his face. And with their pathetic excuses they soothe their embarrassed consciences.