The Parable of the Great Banquet

Luke 14:15-24:

¹⁵ When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
 ¹⁶ Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. ¹⁷ At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ ¹⁸ “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ ¹⁹ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ ²⁰ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ ²¹ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ ²² “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ ²³ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. ²⁴ I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

In this passage, Jesus tells us a story about a man who is preparing a great dinner—a great banquet—a great party. Jesus does not give us many details about this dinner except to say that it is great. So we must ask, what makes this dinner great?

First, it is great because it would include many people. Jesus tells us that this man invited many to this party. He had a large home which could accommodate many people, and he would prepare enough food to feed the mouths of all the guests who would come.
But this dinner banquet was also great in that it was festive.

This dinner was also great because it was important. It was important because many would come, and it would be a great party with a festive atmosphere. To miss this party would be a real shame.

So after this man made all the preparations—the food was ready, the house in order, the invitations given out—he ordered his servant to go to those he had invited, and let them know that the great dinner was to begin. So his slave went out. Let’s read in verse 18 what those who were invited said:

18 But [the invited guests] all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.’
19 Another one said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to examine them; please consider me excused.’
 20 Another one said, ‘I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.’
As we have read, the invited people responded to the invitation with excuses for why they could not come. The first man’s excuse is ridiculous. He said that he had just bought some land, and needed to go and look at it. But what man buys a piece of land without looking at it first? And even if he did not look at it before he bought it, will the land no longer be there after the dinner? It is clear that the dinner is simply not important to him.

And the second man’s excuse is equally ridiculous. He says that he cannot come because he bought some animals and needed to examine them. But again, what man buys first, and then examines what he buys? That man would be a fool, and furthermore, the state of the oxen would likely not be changed if he waited a day to examine them. The truth is simple. This man did not want to come to the banquet.

But we come to this third man. This third man says that he cannot come because he is a newly wed husband. While the first two men say what they are going to do—to look at the land and to examine the oxen—this man does not even need to say it. He wants to go enjoy his new wife. And what person can blame him? I mean, what person would get married without wanting to enjoy the privileges of marriage? So seal-proof does this man’s excuse seem on its surface that, while the other two men said, “I ask you, sir, please excuse me,” this man does not even feel the need to ask forgiveness. I too am likely to want to let him off the hook. Let this man enjoy his honeymoon!

The host of the party was understandably upset. He had made careful preparations, but those he invited clearly had other interests. So he told his slave to go throughout the city on big streets and in small alleys to find those who have not yet been invited. He sent his slave to go to Main Street to those who were seen and ignored, as well as to back alleys to those who were not seen and ignored. He was sent to those who were needy, to those who needed assistance, to those who would otherwise lose their way, and to those who would not be able to walk in on their own.

But still, still, there was room. And there is still room for you in the Kingdom of God. Jesus says that “In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you…that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3). This banquet will include vile, but cleansed, sinners from Corinth; wicked, idolatrous, but repentant kings like Manasseh; former persecutors of the Church like the Apostle Paul; former drug dealers, former gang members, former drunks, former prostitutes, former homosexuals, former adulterers, former fornicators, former thieves and convicts. But still there is room for you. No person is beyond the reach of the forgiving and cleansing Savior. No highway of sin too far to bring you in. He is inviting you to come.
Finally, Jesus ends this parable in verse 24. Read with me.
24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.’”
You will remember that this story began with someone at Jesus’ table who said, “Blessed is everyone who will eat in the Kingdom of God.” But now, we are told that these who reject the invitation will not eat, nor will they taste of this Great Dinner. It is not the Host’s fault. It is the fault of those who have rejected the gracious invitation. And it is their loss. Will it be your loss?

The Lord is inviting all of you tonight, to come, “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). You can taste of the Lord tonight. Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with [will have this Great Supper with] him, and he with Me.”