Wednesday - Dinner in the Kingdom of God

Prayer:  We turn our eyes to You this day O LORD.   We look to You and know that You love us no matter what we do or say.   Thank You O LORD that we can come to You and You welcome us.   In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Luke 14:  15 – 24

One of the guests at dinner said to Jesus how fortunate the one who gets to eat dinner in God’s kingdom.  Jesus replied to the guest with a parable of a man who planned a wonderful banquet party and invited many guests.  When it was time for the party,  the man sent his servant out to tell those who had been invited to come to the party.   Alas,  not one of those who were invited could attend the party.  They all had excuses as to why they could not attend the party.  And their excuses were pretty pathetic.  

So the man sent his servants out to the streets and alleys and invite those who were poor and crippled and blind and lame.   The servant did his master’s bidding but there was still room at the banquet table.  So the man told his servant to go out again and go further afield to the country lanes and invite people to his party.    

The man then says that not one of the men who were invited will get a taste of his  banquet. 

Some Scholars state that this parable is an allegory for God and who will get in to the Kingdom of God.   The man is God and the servants are the prophets and apostles who go out and spread God’s word… God’s special invitation.    Other Scholars state that this parable is all about people assuming because they attend Synagogue on Friday or   Church on Sunday that they will be able to enter Heaven,  yet by turning a deaf ear to God’s teaching  they show they care more about being seen that being a person of belief.

The people who were invited to the party (Kingdom of God) turned down God by their own choice.

How does our Church today  invite people to the Kingdom of God?   Do we invite in those who are poor and crippled and blind and lame and those who have no access to a worshipping community?  

   

Prayer:  You invite us this day O LORD to your banquet table and we say a resounding, “yes we will come to Your table”.    Help us to always remember that we  must listen to Your voice and Your words this and every day.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.