Come To The Feast
A. OCCASION OF PARABLE: In the house of a Pharisee, healing on the Sabbath,
Lessons on humility and love. What Jesus says in verse 14 provokes the statement
of verse 15.
B. THE MAN WHO SAID THIS MAY NEVER EAT BREAD IN THE KINGDOM
BECAUSE OF INDIFFERENCE, AND MAYBE ANIMOSITY, TOWARD JESUS.
C. WE MUST CONSIDER SOME OF THE LESSONS OF JESUS'S PARABLE.
A. SALVATION COMPARED TO A GREAT FEAST.
1. The Best Food ( John 4:13-14; 6:27, 32, 35; Rom. 8:17 ).
2. Abundance ( Eph. 1:3; 1 Pet. 1:3; 1 John 2:25 ). Eternal.
3. Fellowship ( 2 Cor. 13:11; 1 John 1:34, 7 ).
4. Happiness and joy ( Acts 8:39; 16:33-34; Phil. 4:4 ).
B. GREATNESS OF SALVATION SEEN IN GREATNESS OF SUPPER.
A. THREE TRUTHS REGARDING THEIR REPLY TO THE INVITATION.
1. They were excuses and not reasons.
2. Sin was misplaced priorities, not in possessing land, oxen, or wives.
3. They did not have necessary desire ( Matt. 13:44-46 ).
B. 3 SIMILAR, YET DIFFERENT EXCUSES:
1. The first needed to do something else, something more important.
a. Job ( Matt. 16:26; Phil. 3:7 ). Illus. of murder convict and Mormons.
b. Family or friends ( Luke 14:26; 1 Cor. 15:33 ).
c. Pleasure ( 2 Tim. 3:4; Phil. 3:19 ).
d. Security ( Matt. 10:28-33 ).
2. The 2nd already had something else planned. Feast unimportant( Heb.2:1-3 ).
3. The 3rd simply refused ( Rom. 14:11 ).
A. AT FIRST HE BADE MANY( vs. 16 ). FRIENDS KNOWN & LOVED.
1. The Jews were special to God ( Gen. 12:1-3).
2. The gospel came to them first ( Rom. 1:16 ).
B. NEXT HE INVITED THE POOR, MAIMED, BLIND AND LAME.
1. Known to the host, but not his friends.
2. Jesus called some that maybe we wouldn' t( Luke 15:1-2 ).
C. LAST HE BADE THOSE IN THE HEDGES AND HIGHWAYS, STRANGERS.
1. Gentiles viewed as strangers in the Old Testamen t( Eph. 2:11-12 ).
2. The promise is for all who are "afar off "( Acts 2:39 ).
3. The constraint of vs. 23 is not force, but moral persuasion.
4. All Are Invited ( 1 Tim. 2:3-4 ).
A. IT IS OUR DESIRE TO PERSUADE YOU TO COME TO THE FEAST.
B. WHY DON'T YOU COME WHILE ALL THINGS ARE READY?