The invitation of a lifetime
Luke 14:15-24
A year ago 1900 invitations flew out of the Lord Chancellor’s office to letterboxes around the world. These select people had been invited to the wedding of Will and Kate. Did you get an invite? No, well neither did President Obama and neither did Estibalis Chavez.
Last April Estibalis, a young Mexican woman, she went on hunger strike waiting for an invitation, "are they going to let me die?" she asked.
A sad story, a poor girl whose mother died in labour had been convinced that her mother loved Lady Di and therefore she vowed to follow Prince Will and get to his wedding. So much so that she set up camp outside the British embassy in Mexico City and painted pictures of the couple. Unfortunately she wasn’t able to persuade the embassy officials to squeeze her in at the back of St Paul’s.
Eventually someone put her on a flight to London - but she got turned back at immigration because she couldn’t prove she had sufficient cash to live.
Wouldn’t it have been great if someone who had been invited didn’t bother to turn up and an official had tracked down Estibalis Chavez and brought to her the wedding?
This is a parable about an invitation to a great event.
There are several layers of meaning in it:
- It’s a criticism by Jesus of the welcome he should have had and was not getting from the people of Israel. He was the promised Messiah and in receiving him they could welcome in the Kingdom for which they longed. But instead they chose to not just ignore him but kill him.
- It is also a pointed reminder that the kingdom is open to all, not just you and me, but our neighbours who haven’t yet heard the call. The poor and the sick of our community. More than that the message is for those outside of our community – to the immigrant and the alien. Jesus is commanding us to invite and welcome everyone.
- But the meaning upon which I want to dwell is Jesus’ challenge to us to take up his invitation.
The invitation of a lifetime
This parable is all about the invitation of a lifetime, an un-hoped for invitation, an un-heard of invitation. It is about the invitation we all dream for but we secretly despair of ever receiving.
Every political creed, every cultural aspiration spins a tale of a wonderful place where we can say goodbye to injustice and pain. Where the wrongs will be put right, where life will trump death, where illness will be healed, the hungry fed, bad people punished.
Nietzsche, thinking within the legacy of Charles Darwin, romanticised about the perfect race; the suicide bombers dream of paradise; the Marxists seek equality; the democrats fantasise about freedom; the free-market capitalist chases wealth; some Moslems imagine a land in which sharia law controls everything. And shoppers in Leeds are invited to “admire, aspire acquire”.
But these are very human hopes and dreams. Aspirations that seep from a godless place. The Royal wedding invitation last year was to a man-made celebration of glitter and gold.
But our hope, our dream, our celebration is holy and arises from and is all about a holy person. The invitation is personal.
This parable is a picture story about the kingdom of God – the place where God rules and reigns. About an unheard of invitation – why would a holy, perfect, all powerful God send an invitation to me, a sinner, a rebel, a fallen human being?
As Nietsche put it, “humanity is vermin on the crust of the earth” – so the notion that there may be a wonderful creator God who would invite us into his presence is just crazy. But that is the good news of Jesus, the parable tells of how we are restored to a right relationship with our creator and Lord. It is personal.
And our danger is that we get used to something that is actually quite extra-ordinary. Can you imagine someone getting an invitation to the Royal wedding last year and then sort of forgetting about it?
- Oh, sorry Will and Kate, a big business deal has just come up which I need to attend to.
- Oh, sorry Will and Kate, I am so excited about a new tractor I have bought I want to go and try it out.
- Oh, sorry Will and Kate, I am afraid I planned my wedding the day before yours and I will be on honeymoon.
Those are all good things to do, the problem is that the most important thing has been eclipsed by lesser things.
Our tendency is to hear and rejoice in the invitation to follow Jesus and then to allow the distractions of this world to gradually block our vision of the kingdom.
When the invitation finally comes – “everything is ready, let’s party”, what do you say? How is your life organised around the kingdom invitation? What choices are you making knowing there is an invitation from a merciful and gracious God to join in his kingdom, to stand in his presence, to sit in his lap, to hear his words of welcome and love, to be received just as you are?
Jesus often warns us to be ready for the final invitation – for when he returns. Be ready and waiting he says.
But he also invites us to the party now, into the life of the kingdom now. It is not yet what it will one day be but it is still a glorious and extra-ordinary invitation into seeing heaven released into our lives today.
Here are three responses to the invitation: into His community, into an expectant lifestyle and to become hosts.
- An invitation into his community – the church
When the church was first formed it is described like this in Acts 2: they followed a discipline of worship in the temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration. Exuberant and joyful as they praised God. People liked what they saw. (Message).
Jesus is inviting us into the family of the church. For us that means joining all together on a Sunday to worship, to celebrate and to testify by that very act that we believe in a risen Saviour. I know that sometimes it isn’t the most exciting place, that perhaps the band don’t play your favourite song or that the preacher sends you to sleep or that the coffee is cold or that not many people say hullo. But there is still something special about giving ourselves to be with the people of His community once a week like this.
It also means that we invite each other into our homes to joyfully share hospitality. For us that often means joining a housegroup where we get to know and be known. Where we build relationship, find out about Jesus, pray for each other, eat and drink together and have fun.
Sometimes when the time comes for weekly worship or for housegroup, we say, I’m tired or I have some decorating to do, I want to go for a drive in my new car, I have a presentation to make at work tomorrow, I will stay at home and work on that.
None of those things are wrong in themselves. But the King, whose invitation card is on our mantelpiece above the fireplace, is expecting that we will enthusiastically plan our lives around Him, his invitation, his party, not allowing lesser things to interfere.
- An invitation into an expectant lifestyle
Those of you who are currently expecting a baby – does it not change the way you live today?
If you knew that you were going to Will and Kate’s wedding next month what difference would it make? You would be thinking about what you were going to wear, how you were going to get there, where you were going to stay. You would be planning your finances and travel arrangements, going shopping for the right outfit.
Your daily life would be transformed by that one invitation. The same thing happens when we receive the King’s banquet invitation. The bible describes it like this, Romans 12:1-2 In view of God’s mercy, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
This expectancy means that we find our minds are being changed daily and our daily lives are being changed. It will make a difference. We will think about what it means to follow Jesus day by day. We will be careful about what we watch, what we listen to and what we read. How we spend our money and our time.
What are you holding onto which will stop you saying, thanks for the invite, I am on my way? Are you someone who looks great on the outside but inside there is something tucked away which stops you from joining the party? Yes Lord, you can have me but not my savings accounts, not my secret addiction to porn or alcohol or shopping. Not my career or reputation at work. Not my anger. Does the enemy have that little grip on you?
John 10:10
Jesus said, “The enemy comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly”.
When we decide we are going to go to the party and wait expectantly we live a different life, an abundant life. We give him everything; we will look for ways to serve others day by day, through the activities of the church and through our work and through our own passions and interests. We will give money generously to the church and to the poor and needy. We will give time to prayer and reflection, to studying the scriptures so that we can learn better how to live and so we can better understand this awesome God.
And as Jesus sets us free from the destructiveness of the enemy we experience a freedom, peace, joy and abundance which transform our life and spill over to those around us.
This expectancy means that we find our minds are being changed daily and our daily lives are being changed. It will make a difference. We will think about what it means to follow Jesus day by day. We will be careful about what we watch, what we listen to and what we read. How we spend our money and our time.What are you holding onto which will stop you saying, thanks for the invite, I am on my way? Are you someone who looks great on the outside but inside there is something tucked away which stops you from joining the party? Yes Lord, you can have me but not my savings accounts, not my secret addiction to porn or alcohol or shopping. Not my career or reputation at work. Not my anger. Does the enemy have that little grip on you?When we decide we are going to go to the party and wait expectantly we live a different life, an abundant life. We give him everything; we will look for ways to serve others day by day, through the activities of the church and through our work and through our own passions and interests. We will give money generously to the church and to the poor and needy. We will give time to prayer and reflection, to studying the scriptures so that we can learn better how to live and so we can better understand this awesome God. And as Jesus sets us free from the destructiveness of the enemy we experience a freedom, peace, joy and abundance which transform our life and spill over to those around us.
It is partly about living in an expectant way – for the future. But it is also about living in the presence of the King today, beginning to think and behave differently now. It is learning to experience his joy and freedom amidst the hardships and pain of this world.
- An invitation to become a host
The host has invited us to his banquet. We have been welcomed into the kingdom, just as we are. Now we become hosts. It is our turn to invite others to the party.
One of the characteristics of a rescued group of people is the way they build community together. There is much discussion in political circles these days about the power of community and the deep need people have for it – especially in hard times. But the only community that really works is the one that is fuelled by the love of Jesus. His love for you took him to the cross. This invitation to the King’s banquet is a personal one – an invitation from the one who gave himself for you - to come and be with him.
And when we accept that invitation we find ourselves part of a powerful community of faith that changes the world. Let’s extend that invitation to everyone. We don’t have to be salesmen, we aren’t all evangelists but Jesus promised us, Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Not doing witness, but being witnesses. Just in the way we are.
Not doing witness, but being witnesses. Just in the way we are. Sometimes it is hard to tell that Christians are living with the most exciting invitation card-ever stuck to their notice board. Nietsche also said of Christians, You will have to look more redeemed if you want me to believe in your redeemer.
Yes we have our troubles, some of you are ill, some of you are in broken relationships, some of you are struggling financially. But you fight these troubles armed with the presence and power of the living God who has invited you into his kingdom.
People today are not really after propositional truth. In other words they don’t necessarily want you to provide them with a convincing explanation about God and why they should follow Jesus. What they are asking is, do I want to be like you?
Don’t be afraid of the truth and the message of Jesus. Enjoy his grace for yourself and let it spill out to those around you. Stand strong in your faith, it is nothing to be ashamed about or miserable about. And as you take your stand remember that you do stand just a nudge away from the fullness of his kingdom.
Live lives that smile Jesus’ grace and that show that following Jesus brings freedom and joy.
Ask Him to give you opportunities to invite people to the party.
When people ask let them know that Jesus loves them and is reaching out to them. You may not be the best at explaining things or know the answers to all the hard questions or be the bravest at praying for them. That’s fine, but maybe you can invite them to your housegroup or on Sundays; bring them with you when you take food to the homeless or decorate someone’s run-down house or go on a mission to Latvia.
Luke 14:15-24
There is going to be a great party one day. A party that takes us into the presence of the King who loves us completely. As we walk through the door into that party the pain and worries, the brokenness and failures will just fall off us like rotten old clothes and we will step into his presence in clean, wholesome garments. We experience something of the celebration now, we can hear the music, we get a taste of the food. Most importantly, through the presence of the Holy Spirit we can know Jesus in our lives and we hear His voice of invitation and grace.
So my encouragement to you is:
- to join in the life of His community, the church, the beginnings of the party;
- live lives of expectancy, provoked by the receipt of the invitation;
- and become hosts who invite others to the banquet.
David Flowers, 10/03/2012