INTRODUCTION
In our passage today we find Jesus teaching a parable. A parable is an earthly story that teaches a Heavenly truth.
Earthly Story - A king had decided to throw a banquette and invited all of His closest friends. In those days the invitation would go out and would be accepted or rejected and then the host would make the preparations for the party. Once the food was cooked and the arrangements were made the host would send out a messenger to retrieve the guests. The parable explains that all of the invited guests decided other things were more important than attendance at the banquette. As such the Host invites complete strangers who gladly accept His invitation.
Heavenly truth – Jews rejected the invitation of the Kingdom of God and as such God offered it to the Gentiles as well who gladly showed up.
PROPOSITION
Today we have been invited to a heavenly banquette. But we lose the fact that the kingdom of Heaven is not far off but rather “at hand” (Mt. 4:17). We are invited daily to tabernacle with God.
INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE
Before you criticize the Jews for not showing up ask yourself, do I also reject the invitation to fellowship with our Lord?
I often find it intersting that everytime we feel God is not present during prayer, we blame God for not showing up, maybe the opposite is true.
ORIENTATION
In our passage today we will find (3) excuses made for excusing oneself from fellowship with God. Today I want to see if any of these ring a bell for us.
1. My Work (v.18)
2. My Possessions (v.19)
3. My Family (v.20)
TRANSITIONAL SENTENCE
Let’s begin by looking at…
MY WORK – I’M TO BUSY (v. 18)
This is the first excuse given:
The invitation came and was rejected because:
• I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it… (v.18)
• The field would represent the livelihood of this person and going to see it describes the preparations that need consideration for the coming seasons of work.
• This person made the mistake of allowing his work to usurp fellowship with God.
In short, this person was so immersed in his work that he had no time for God. While it is important for us to work, (2 Thes. 3:10 no work, no eat) there must be a time of Sabbath rest in Christ as well.
Illustration
One man challenged another to an all-day wood chopping contest. The challenger worked very hard, stopping only for a brief lunch break. The other man had a leisurely lunch and took several breaks during the day. At the end of the day, the challenger was surprised and annoyed to find that the other fellow had chopped substantially more wood than he had. "I don’t get it," he said. "Every time I checked, you were taking a rest, yet you chopped more wood than I did." "But you didn’t notice," said the winning woodsman, "that I was sharpening my ax when I sat down to rest."
We need to take time from our work to fellowship with Christ, to sharpen our ax if you will.
Application
Life is about balance, particularly in regards to work. How busy are you? Do you have time for God or is work simply draining you of all your energies?
When was the last time you shut off your computer, shut down your cell phone and just took a deep breath and prayed?
God has invited you to a heavenly banquette, this banquette is not far off it has already begun. Will you pull up a chair, set aside the work for a moment and fellowship with Him?
Transition
This brings us to tonight’s second excuse…
MY POSSESSIONS
The Second Excuse Given:
• “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them” (v.19)
• Here we see possessions getting in the way of fellowship with God.
• “It often happens that when people enter into new possessions they become so taken up with them that the claims of worship and of God get crowded out. People have been known to acquire a motor car and then to say, “We used to go to church on a Sunday, but now we go off to the country for the day.” It is perilously easy for a new game, a new hobby, even a new friendship, to take up even the time that should be kept for God.” (Barkly)
ILLUSTRATION
Have you ever wanted something so bad you could taste it? A new home, car or gadget? When this happens our minds can become consumed.
Recently I purchased a swimming pool, I was choosing liners and patio styles, I was deciding on a diving board and landscaping… for two days my mind was consumed with this pool until I stopped and realized I had not prayed. Material possessions can consume us and cause us to reject the invitation of God for fellowship.
John Wesley’s attitude is worthy of pondering. When he learned that his house had been destroyed by fire, he exclaimed, "The Lord’s house burned. One less responsibility for me!"
APPLICATION
Friends, we can never replace God with stuff. This does not mean it is bad to have stuff, but it does beg the question – Where are your priorities?
Today Christ is calling you into sweet fellowship with Himself, to sit at the banquette table and feast with Him. Are the possessions of this world preventing you from that fellowship?
Remember Jesus said – “Where your treasure is, there also your heart will be” (Mt. 6:21)
Transition
This brings us to tonight’s third excuse…
MY FAMILY (v. 20)
This is the third excuse given:
The invitation came and was rejected because:
• ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come… (v.20)
• Please turn to (Deuteronomy 24:5) - “When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year, to be happy with his wife whom he has taken.”
• There is no lovelier thing than a home and yet a home was never meant to be used selfishly.
• We live better when we live with God
• the atmosphere of a home is most lovely when those who dwell within it remember that they are also members of the great family and household of God.
• This person made the mistake of allowing his work to usurp fellowship with God.
• There is nothing more beautiful than the home, the family is our participation in the perfect love of the Trinity, yet even our own family can become an idol if it deters us from loving the Lord our God.
Illustration
I once told a man that God came first in my life. He asked – “even before your own children?” and I responded – “yes”. He told me I was sick, I agreed but it was not that decision that had made me so…
It is only when we fellowship with God, when we join Him at the banquette that we become the Fathers, Mothers, Children, Husbands and Wives God has created us to be.
Application
Where are you today? Do you simply find time for God during you day with the family or is time with God a priority of your family life?
Life is about balance between work, stuff and family.
What are you teaching your family if you do not spend time fellowshipping with the Lord? How will your family be a unit in the truest sense without the fellowship of God?
CONCLUSION
Work, Material Possessions and Family are all good things:
1. But they can prevent us from the enjoying the daily banquette of God.
2. Today is a call for us to consider our lives and to ask ourselves, are we like those who refused the invitation of Christ?
3. The feast is prepared, table set and the chair pulled out daily, will you take some time to engage in the banquette of God.
4. Remember the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, eternal life begins here, not after we die. The scriptures relate all of life in Christ to that of a banquette, a joyous occasion.
Tonight, as we close let’s make certain that we understand this sermon to be an invitation and not a message of condemnation.
God has invited you to a life of fellowship, let’s not make excuses, rather lets rest in Him.
Amen.
