We can turn back to our reading in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 14.
Luke, chapter 14.
Reading at verse 16 and 17.
Luke, chapter 14, chapter 14.
But he said to him,
A man once gave a great banquet and invited many.
And at the time of the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited,
Come, for everything is now ready.
Where do you find meaning in life?
It's a big question and there's many different ways that we could go with it.
There's many different directions we could go with that question.
But as you look at this passage today that we've read in Luke 14,
Behind everything that Jesus is saying is that question.
And it's being answered, it's being shown,
Not in the deep ways where we can go all kinds of different directions,
But Jesus is really putting before the people then and before ourselves today as we gather here.
Finding meaning in life can be found in two different ways.
The way that we look at things ourselves and what we do,
Or the way that we look at the Bible.
So what's the first thing that comes to your mind when that question is asked?
Where do you find meaning in life?
What immediately comes to you?
I'm sure many, we've all gone in different directions with that thought.
It may be, well, family.
Family is so precious and so important.
Rightly so.
Family is important.
And that's where we find meaning in many ways.
It might be work.
Work is important as well.
But it's that where we find our meaning.
It's that where we find what is important in life.
It may be that we think of experiences,
Things that we want to do,
Places we want to go.
We start thinking,
Maybe I'll find meaning in life as I broaden my horizon,
As I look at the world through very different eyes,
And see what's happening.
Not just around my own small place here,
But in the wider world in which we live.
Maybe we'll find meaning there.
But what about faith?
Where does faith come in to your thinking of,
Well, what does life mean?
What is my meaning in life?
Where do I find my meaning today?
Where does faith fit in?
Other things are important.
Family and work and the experiences that we have in life,
They've all got their old place of importance.
But the Bible gives us a sense of putting things in the right order.
Faith is priority, or should be priority.
As Jesus says in another part of the Bible,
Seek first the kingdom of God,
And then everything else will be added unto you.
Everything else will fall into place after that.
And that's really what Jesus is saying here in this meeting with the Pharisees,
As they're called.
They were the leaders of the day.
The people who felt that they were so important,
And had all the answers to the meaning of life.
And yet they were missing the very fact that Jesus,
The giver of life,
Was here with them.
And Jesus here is at a meal with these people,
And he's using the theme of a meal to help them understand
What priorities we should have in life.
About what is important,
And what our priorities should be.
So as we gather today,
As we really have a sense of a new start in church,
When we have that sense of a new beginning,
A new term starting,
Everything that's going on,
What is our focus on?
Where is our priority?
Family, work, experience, or faith?
Well, Jesus here is talking about being given an invitation.
And we're going to look at, really, verse 15,
Down to verse 24.
That's going to be our main focus.
Because here he's talking about an invitation that has gone out.
And invitations are great things.
It's always nice to receive an invitation.
Many of you will have received,
I'm sure over the years,
Invitations to different things.
An invitation to a party.
An invitation to a wedding.
An invitation to a special event.
And it reminds us that people are remembering us.
A wedding invitation often has that word,
Would request the pleasure of your company.
And you're thinking,
They've thought of me.
They've thought I'm important enough to invite
To this special occasion,
That I might enjoy this day with them.
And it's great to get invitations.
It's lovely things.
It shows us that we're being remembered in that way.
But today we're looking at an invitation to something even greater.
And from someone far greater than any of us are.
We're thinking of an invitation,
Not to a wedding or a party.
We're thinking of an invitation to come to a person.
A come to see Jesus and who he is.
And come and see how important he is.
Not just for our life here and now,
But for our eternity.
For all that lies ahead of us.
The things that we maybe haven't even thought about yet.
As we go on in life.
What lies ahead of us.
We can all see our days going ahead of us.
But do we think?
But what then?
What about eternity?
Well, Jesus here is reminding us
Of an invitation
To come to him.
Coming back after the summer holidays.
It does feel like a new start in many ways.
Sunday school has started.
Explorers for the children has started.
We've got lots of different things
To look forward to in these coming months.
We think even of next weekend.
The Christians in sport.
And a time to invite people along.
To hear about the wonder of the gospel
In a different way.
And then to come and hear the preaching of the word
On the Sunday.
So we've got so much to look forward to.
And all of these things
When we think of a church
Or the activities of the church
Are opportunities to invite people along.
But do we?
You would invite people to a wedding
Or a party.
To a special meal.
Even just inviting people for a coffee
Or something like that.
But would we and do we invite people
To church.
To the church services.
To the church activities.
You would invite people
To special events
Because you want them to be there.
You want them to enjoy it.
But would you invite them
To church?
Well the more we love
A people
The more that would be our priority
In terms of saying come.
Come and hear
About this man Jesus.
Come and hear
From the Bible
What God is saying to us
About what our priorities
Should be.
The more we love
And care for people
The more we invite them
To come and hear
About Jesus.
And maybe today
You are here
Because someone has taken
The time to invite you.
And that's wonderful.
At least
We put out invitations
These invitation cards
Went out to many people
And maybe you are here
Because someone took time
To give you
One of these invitations.
But I bet
The majority of us are here
Because of someone
Who invited us.
Not maybe in this week
Or last week
But down over many years.
A friend
A family member
Someone who just came
And said
Look why don't you come
To church?
Why don't you come with me?
Come along and hear
From the minister
Who is going to be preaching.
Come along and hear
From the word of God.
We are
Most people come
To church
Because someone
Has asked them.
Someone has felt
That they are important
Enough to ask
To come along to church.
And people
Have responded
And come to hear
The good news
Of the gospel.
And so as we look
At this passage today
We are seeing
This invitation
That continues
To go out.
Goes out
Wic by wic
If you like
Because we hear
The gospel
Speaking to us
Again and again.
And we see
How people responded
To this invitation.
So we are just going to
Look at it
Under three headings today.
We are going to think
First of all
Of the invitation
That is given.
We are then going to look
At the excuses
That are made.
And then thirdly
We look at the outcome
That we see.
So the first thing
We look at is
The invitation
That is given.
Jesus as he tells
These parables
And there is more than one
In this section
We have got the parable
Of the wedding feast
In verse 7 to 11
The parable of the great banquet
Then follows after it.
He is having a meal
As I said earlier
With these Pharisees
These important people
As they saw themselves.
They had invited him
To come along
To this meal.
You think that is great
That is lovely.
But what we learn
As we read
In the beginning
Of this chapter
Is that their motivation
Was really to catch
Jesus out.
To find fault
With him.
And that is
No reason to invite
Anybody to anything
Just inviting them
To catch them out
Or to find fault
But that was their
Motivation
But Jesus really
Turns it back on them
And the invitation
That he has had
To come to them
He kind of puts
Back to them
And not in a way
That he is trying
To catch them out
But to show that
He has done
Everything for them
And that is really
What verse 17
Is all about
He is showing
That this great banquet
Has been prepared
For all who will come
Even the Pharisees
Who have it in for him
And he is saying
Come for everything
Is now ready
So the invitation
Is going out
And Jesus
Through that invitation
Is showing that
His concern
Goes far and wide
To all people
And to understand
How this invitation
Works
We must see
Just how it was
Back in Jesus' day
In verse 16
When it says
A man once
Gave a great banquet
And invited many
It goes on then
To say
And at the time
Of the banquet
So there was
A gap
It's a bit like
Someone saying
Save the date
And then the invitation
Comes
Later on
That's the same
Kind of situation
Here
Someone was going
To give a banquet
They would make
An announcement
And they would
Tell people
I'm giving a banquet
And you're invited
But it may be
Weeks or even
Months
In advance
But then at the time
When the banquet
Was ready
A servant
Is sent out
And says to the people
Come
For everything
Is now
Ready
So those who
Have been invited
Maybe weeks
Or months before
Are now expected
To come and attend
When the day
Of the feast
Arrived
Everything is prepared
The servant
Gives the invitation
What is Jesus
Saying to us
Here
About this invitation
He's saying
This is an invitation
That has been going
On for a long time
It's probably
You could look back
Into the Old Testament
Where the prophets
Are saying
Jesus
Is going to come
A saviour
Is going to come
He is going
To give you
A banquet
He is going
To give you
A feast
To feast on
And as Jesus
Arrives
As he comes
Into this world
He's saying
Now
Everything
Is ready
Everything
Is prepared
Everything
Is done
For you
So come
When you think
Of Jesus
Meeting other people
Like the woman
Of Samaria
Who he met
At a well
She was saying
To him
We know
The Messiah
Is coming
We know
About this invitation
That is coming
Through the Old Testament
But Jesus says
I who you speak
Of
I'm here
This is me
And that's what
We're seeing again
Here
These things
That you know
About
This invitation
To the banquet
That has gone out
He is here now
The banquet
Is ready
Come
And so
There is this
Wonderful invitation
To us all
And it still
Goes out
To this day
Jesus is saying
Come
And when you look
At the invitation
There's three things
About this invitation
It's a simple invitation
You just look
At the words
That he uses
He says
First
Come
Such a simple word
And yet
It says
So much
It's one of the
Greatest words
In the scriptures
Come
And you see
Jesus
Use it often
And the prophets
Use it often
They say
Come
And that's what
An invitation is
It's all about
Coming
An invitation
Is to go
Somewhere
And enjoy
Something
And Jesus
Is saying
Come
And enjoy
Me
Anyone
Who will come
Will be saved
That's what the
Gospel is all
About
There is an
Invitation
To come
To Jesus
And so
The invitation
Is simple
Come
The invitation
Reminds us
That everything
Is secure
Everything
Is done
For us
Come
He says
For everything
Is now ready
You don't have
To worry about
Bringing something
Yourself
You don't have
To worry about
Doing something
Yourself
Everything
Is now
Ready
How do you
Spell the word
Salvation
Start spelling
It in your
Head
Don't you
S
A
L
And so on
You start
Spelling that
Word
Well
A preacher
By the name
Of Dwight L
Moody
Once put
That question
How do you
Spell
The word
Salvation
And he was
Talking about
It in the way
That people
Will spell it
In different
Ways
You say
But how
Well he said
There are those
People
And you spell
Your salvation
This way
D
O
Do
That your
Salvation
Is based
On what
You do
That you
Will get
Things ready
But Dwight
Moody
Then turned it
Around and said
I spell
My salvation
D
O
N
E
Done
It is
Done
It is
Finished
Everything
Is now
Ready
So the
Invitation
Is to
Come
And it's
Not about
Changing
Yourself
Or doing
Anything
Yourself
It's
Coming to
The security
Of this
Invitation
That is
Jesus
Because he
Says
Everything
Is now
Ready
But then
The invitation
Is serious
It's a
Serious
Invitation
Because he
Says come
For everything
Is now
Ready
It's not
About putting
It off
It's not
About putting
It away
It's about
Coming
Now
Because everything
Is ready
And again
The word
Of God
The bible
Is full
Of that
Seriousness
Of this
Invitation
How often
You find
It is about
Now
There is
An urgency
In Isaiah
55
Verse 6
Seek the
Lord
While he
May be
Found
Call upon
Him
While he
Is near
It is
Now
In 2nd
Corinthians
Chapter 6
Verse 2
For he
Says
In a
Favourable
Time
I
Listen
To
You
And
In a
Day
Of
Salvation
I
Have
Helped
You
Behold
Now
Is the
Favourable
Time
Now
Is the
Day
Of
Salvation
There is
An urgency
In this
Invitation
It is
Simple
He says
Come
It is
Secure
Because
Everything
Is ready
And it
Is urgent
Because
He says
Now
Come
Now
What a
Wonderful
Invitation
That is
Given
To us
What a
Wonderful
Invitation
The people
Got here
But what
Did they
Do with
It
Well
We
See
Secondly
The
Excuses
Come
He says
For
Everything
Is now
Ready
And then
You
Go
Into
These
Verses
That
Follow
Verse
18
But
They
All
Alike
Began
To
Make
Excuses
Have
You
Ever
Made
An
Excuse
Not
To
Go
Somewhere
And
Really
It's
Just
A
Lie
Someone
Invited
You
To
Go
Out
And
I
Can't
Tonight
I'm
Busy
I'm
Washing
My
Hair
I
Can't
Tonight
Because I've
Got
To
Walk
The
Dog
There's
Always
An
Excuse
If you
Don't
Want
To
Go
Somewhere
You
Can
Find
An
Excuse
And
You
Can
Get
Away
With
It
In
Certain
Situations
But
Not
When
It
Comes
To
The
Gospel
Not
When
It
Comes
To
Hearing
This
Invitation
Come
Because
Everything
Is
Now
Ready
No
Matter
How
Hard
We
Try
To
Make
An
Excuse
!
No
Matter
How
!
In
Our
Own
Eyes
Write
Down
Your
Excuse
Not
To
Come
To
The
Gospel
What
Is
It
What
Is
Your
Excuse
Well
We
See
Here
Three
Excuses
That
People
Gave
And
The
First
One
Is
This
When
We
Think
About
The
Meaning
Of
Life
And
Where
Our
Priorities
Land
The
First
In
Verse
18
Is
This
The
First
Said
To
I
Have
Bought
A
Field
And
I
Must
Go
Out
And
See
It
Please
Excuse
Me
It's
Really
Talking
Here
About
Material
Possessions
This
Man
Had
Purchased
Property
He
Hasn't
Even
Seen
It
But
Now
He
Wants
To
Go
And
See
It
This
Is
More
Important
This
Is
His
Priority
The
Invitation
To
This
Great
Banquet
That
Can
Wait
And
How
Many
Of
Us
Live
Like
That
Or
Have
Lived
Like
That
Where
Our
Priority
Is
The
Material
Things
Of
This
World
Material
Possessions
I'm
Building
A
House
I've
Got to
Go
And
Buy
This
Car
There's
Always
An
Excuse
There's
Always
Something
That
Comes
Between
Us
Doing
What
We
Want
And
Coming
To
Church
And
The
Priority
Is
Falling
In
That
Direction
Of
Our
selves
That's
Our
Priority
And
The
Word of
God
Is
A
Word
Used
For
These
Kinds
Of
People
And
It
Is
Fool
You
Are
A
Fool
You
Think
Of
The
Man
Who
Was
Building
Bigger
Barnes
He
Didn't
Have
Enough
So
He
Was
Building
More
And
More
Barnes
To
Hold
His
Crops
!
And
The
Word
And
The
Word
Says
You
Fool
This
Night
Your
Soul
Shall
Be
Demanded
Of
You
It's
Foolish
To
Put
Anything
Between
Ourselves
And
God
And
So
Where
Are
You
Today
In
That
Sense
You
See
The
Second
Excuse
Here
As
Well
Another
Said
I
Have
Bought
Five
Yoke
Of
Oxen
And
I
Am
Going
To
Examine
Them
Please
Excuse
Me
Again
You
See
Here
This
Kind
Of
The
Way
Work
Comes
Between
Ourselves
And
God
I
Have
Got
To
Get
My
Career
In
The
Right
Path
I
Got
To
Get
All
Of
These
Things
!
Sorted
Out
Maybe
Then
I
Come
To
God
We
Pursue
The
Wrong
Things
Is
That
Your
Excuse
Today
Far
Too
Busy
To
Come
To
Church
I
Am
Far
Too
Busy
To
Commit
My
Life
To
The
Gospel
When
Things
Ease
Off
When
The
Going
Is
Cleared
In
My
Diary
When
All
Of
These
Things
Are
Done
Then
I
Come
Again
The
Warning
Is
That
We
Don't
Know
What
Is
Ahead
Of
Us
We
May
Be
Lost
Eternally
And
Maybe
Too
Late
And
Then
You
See
The
Third
Excuse
Verse
20
I
Have
Married
A
Wife
And
Therefore
I
Cannot
Come
You
Think
Well
That
Sounds
A
Reasonable
Enough
Excuse
Just
Happily
Married
I
Want
To
Devote
My
Time
To
My
Wife
Family
Is
Priority
But
Again
You
See
In
All
Of
These
Things
They
Are
Not
Wrong
In
And
Of
Themselves
But
They
Are
Wrong
When
They
Become
The
Priority
In
Our
Life
When
They
Keep
Us
From
Coming
Near
To
God
Are
You
Making
Excuses
Today
Are
You
Putting
The
Wrong
Things
First
Are
Your
Priorities
In
The
Wrong
Order
It's
A
Bit
Like
Saying
I'm
Not
Going
To
Go
Into
That
Swimming
Pool
Until
I
Learn
To
Swim
You
Can't
You
Can't
Do
It
You
Got
To
Go
In
You
Got
To
Go
Into
The
Pool
To
Learn
To
Swim
I
Remember
I
Remember
Being
In
College
Here
Many
Years
Ago
Now
We
Were
Learning
All
About
How
To
Weld
And
We
Had
All
The
Theory
We
Were
Writing
All
About
It
And
We
Learned
So
Many
Different
Things
And
Yet
I
Couldn't
Weld
Because
I
Never
Touched
A
Welder
And
You
Think
To
Yourself
You
Can
Know
All
About
!
It
But
Until
You
Actually
!
And
Do
It
It's
Useless!
And
In
Many
Ways
That's
The
Way
Our
Faith
Is
As
Well
We
Can
Know
All
About
The
Bible
We
Can
Learn
All
About
It
But
Jesus
Is
Saying
Are
You
Coming
Are
You
Coming
To
Follow
Me
Are
You
Coming
To
Put
Your
Trust
In
Me
And
You
Say
Oh
There's
So
Much
!
To
Give
Up
All
These
Excuses
But
What
Is
There
To
Give
Up
That's
More
Important
Than
Following
Jesus
Or
You
Might
Say
Oh
But
I'm
Too
Great
A
Sinner
Well
He
Can
Save
Anyone
And
That's
What
We're
Reminded
Of
Here
You'll
Say
Oh
I'll
Come
Later
I'll
Come
Again
But
Not
Today
You
Have
No
Idea
What's
Ahead
None
Of
Us
Do
So
It's
Not
A
Time
For
Excuses
Because
The
Risk
Come
He
Says
For
Everything
Is
Now
Ready
But
Then
They
Made
Their
Excuses
But
Finally
I
Just
Want
To
See
Very
Briefly
The
Outcome
The
Outcome
That
We
Have
Here
Imagine
You
Organized
A
Big
Meal
A
Wedding
With
Hundreds
Of
Guests
And
No
One
Came
How
Would
You
Feel
Sad
Angry
Dismayed
Be
All
Kinds
Of
Emotion
After
All
The
Trouble
You've
Gone
To
After
All
The
Expense
You've
Gone
To
And
No
One
Comes
Well
That's
The
Response
The
People
Give
Here
To
This
Invitation
To
The
Banquet
Nobody
Comes
They
All
Make
Their
Excuses
But
Jesus
Speaks
Then
Of
Well
We're
Not
Going
To
Waste
This
Banquet
Go
Out
He
Says
To
The
Servant
In
Verse
21
The
Servant
Reported
Back
Then
The
Master
Of
The
House
Became
Angry
And
Said
To
The
Servant
Go
Out
Quickly
To
The
Streets
And
Lanes
Of
The
City
And
Bring
In
The
Poor
And
Crippled
And
Blind
And
Lame
Now
Jesus
Is
Here
Saying
To
The
Pharisees
You
Think
You're
Important
And
You're
Saying
No
Well
The
Danger
Is
This
Is
Going
To
Pass
You
By
And
The
Invitation
Instead
Is
Going
To
All
The
Ones
That
You
Look
Down
On
The
Ones
That
You
Don't
See
As
Important
The
Blind
The
Lame
The
Crippled
The
Poor
They
Are
The
Ones
Who
Will
Come
And
There
A
Warning
There
For
Us
That
If
We
See
Ourselves
As
Beyond
The
Gospel
Or
Too
Important
For
The
Gospel
That
Invitation
Passes
By
It
Goes
To
Others
What
Is
God
Desire
Here
What
Is
He
Saying
He
Is
Saying
That
He
Wants
His
House
To
Be
Filled
As
You
See
In
Verse
23
The
Master
Said
To
The
Servant
Again
Is
Going
Even
Further
Now
Go
Out
To
The
Highways
And
Hedges
To
Those
Who
Have
Been
Almost
Abandoned
You
Could
Say
Compel
These
People
To
Come
In
That
My
House
May
Be
Filled
The
Invitation
Goes
On
And
That's
The
Way
It
Is
To
Be
But
How
Are
You
Responding
To
The
Invitation
Today
Come
For
Everything
Is
Now
Ready
Don't
Make
Excuses
Because
The
Danger
Is
The
Invitation
Is
Gone
It's
Too
Late
You've
Missed
Out
And
What
Jesus
Tells
Us
In
That
Sense
Is
We
Are
Lost
For
Eternity
That's
The
Danger
Of
Letting
This
Invitation
Pass
By
Of
Trying
To
Find
Meaning
For
Life
And
All
The
Things
That
We
Want
First
And
Foremost
Jesus
Is
Saying
No
Get
Your
House
And
Your
Priorities
In
Order
Come
For
Everything
Is
Now
Ready
It
Is
All
Done
Will
You
Accept
That
Invitation
Today
Will
You
Come
And
See
That
He
Has
Done
All
Not
Just
For
Important
People
Or
Those
Who
Think
They're
Important
He
Speaks
At
The
Start
About
Humbling
Ourselves
That
We
Might
Be
Lifted
Up
That's
What
We
Are
All
To
Do
We
Are
All
Important
To
Jesus
Because
The
Invitation
Is
To
All
He
Says
Come
Now
For
Everything
Is
Ready
So
Why
Don't
You
Come
Not
Just
Today
But
Come
Day
After
Day
Follow
Jesus
Make
Him
Priority
As
He's
Made
You
His
Priority
The
Cost
Of
This
Banquet
Was
Great
He
Gave
His
Own
Life
He
Paid
The
Price
That's
What
It
Means
When
It
Says
Everything
Is
Ready
Salvation
Is
Not
Spelt
D
O
Do
It's
Spelt
D
O
N
E
Done
It
Is
Done
So
Come
Let
Us
Pray
Lord
Our
Gracious
God
We
Do
Thank
You
For
The
Gospel
Invitation
That
You
Give
To
Us
We
Thank
You
Lord
That
It
Reminds
Us
That
It
Is
A
Simple
Invitation
Just
To
Come
Yet
It
Is
A
Powerful
Invitation
An
Invitation
With
A
Great
Cost
That
Everything
Is
Ready
Because
You
Have
Done
All
For
Us
But
It
Reminds
Us
To
That
It
Is
An
Urgent
Invitation
!
So
Lord
Help
Us
To
Hear
And
To
Respond
And
To
Receive
This
Invitation
To
Rejoice
That
You
Speak
To
Us
And
Call
Us
To
Yourself
So
May
We
Hear
And
We
Ask
It
In
Jesus
Name
Amen
We're
Going
To
Conclude
By
Singing
To
God's
Praise
In
Psalm
131
The
Sing
Psalms
Version
Page
173
Psalm
131
Page
173
We sing
The whole
Of
This
Psalm
That
Reminds
Us
About
Humbling
Ourselves
Before
God
And
That
When
We
Do
So
We
Find
That
Comfort
In
Being
Near
To
Him
My
Heart
Is
Not
Proud
O
Lord
Nor
Haught
Is
My
I
Do
Not
Occupy
Myself
With
Things
Too
Great
Or
High
My
Spirit
I
Have
Calmed
My
Heart
Is
Pacified
My
Soul
Is
Like
A
Little
Child
Close
To
Its
Mother's
Side
There's
That
Sense
Of
Just
Finding
That
Peace
Let's
Sing
This
Whole
Psalm
To
God's
Praise
My
Heart
My
Heart
Not
Proud
O
Lord
Nor
Haud
Is
My
Eye
I
Do
Not
Occupy
Myself
With
Things
Too
Great
Or
High
My
Spirit
I
Have
Calmed
My
Heart
Is
Pacified
My
Soul
Is
Like
A
Little
Child
Close
To
Its
Mother
Side
Just
Like
A
Little
Child
My
Soul
Is
Calmed
In
Me
O
Israel
Open
God
The
Lord
Now
And
Eternally
After the
benediction I'll go to the main door we'll close with the benediction now may grace mercy and peace from God father son and holy spirit rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore amen
miracle