Title: Fill My House
Contents
Fill my house (Luke 14:15-24)
I. The nature of the great feast and God's invitation (16)
To be invited to the heavenly feast means to be saved. The feast shown in today's text means the heavenly feast given by God, the King of all kings. To invite people to come is evangelism. Those servants are the first believers today, and this house means the church. As servants of God, we have a responsibility to invite many to fill the void. Knowing that today's master's command is for us, let's obey it. Today our Lord invites people. Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Everything is prepared for the heavenly feast that God excreted. The fundamental problems of life are solved.
Ⅱ.People who decline invitations (18)
The feast in the text was a grand feast, but those invited had many reasons for refusal.
①Because I bought a field (18)
The first person explains why he cannot accept the invitation. Because I bought real estate. He was not interested in the eternal and immiscible spiritual things, but only in the visible possessions. Such a person means a person who is ignorant of the soul. Therefore, nothing can be prepared for the afterlife.
②Because I bought a cow (19)
The second excuse, like the first, cannot be established. In today's language, he refused the invitation with excuses for business and work. This means people who value work more than their relationship with God (fellowship). He is a realist who misses spiritual things because of work.
③Because I got married (20)
It can be said that he is a family egoist who values the pleasure of the couple and values the family extremely. This man was not interested in the spiritual family and fellowship. It is good to cherish the family. However, a family can become a happy family when God protects it. Perhaps this is a reflection of our folly and weakness, ignoring the mission of the gospel, which is more important and prioritized than anything else, for insignificant reasons.
What they had in common was that they did not know what was more important and what was more urgent in life. Those who do not set their priorities right will eventually fail. Saints! Set your priorities right and live by those priorities. When we invite you to the heavenly feast, there will be people who refuse with plausible excuses and excuses. But let's not step back. Invite them to listen to the Gospel by persuading them more actively under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Ⅲ. The Lord's Report and the Master's Wrath (21)
The four classes of people mentioned here are the poor. people who need help They are despised as a human being, and are abandoned beings with no economic power. These are people who do not have money, cannot buy horses or cattle, cannot marry, and cannot be invited to a feast. But ultimately they will be part of the feast. Orders to invite those who have been rejected from society by the foreordained Jews. These are the opposite of those who have rejected a gracious invitation. The gospel does not discriminate. The gospel is the good news everyone should hear. (Romans 3:22, Romans 10:12, Romans 10:13) The Bible shows that there is no discrimination between the rich and the poor, and the race. Anyone can believe in Jesus and be saved. I hope that you will be the ones who make the heavenly feast shine by inviting people to fill the heavenly feast.
Ⅳ. Compelling people to fill my house (23)
“Coercion” comes from “necessary” and does not mean to use physical compulsion to bring you in, but to persuade you to bring it in. Here we can find God's strong will and love for human salvation. This means that even if the person who received the invitation refuses to do so, be patient and accept the invitation with a kind attitude. Saints! Even if we preach the gospel and invite you to the feast in heaven, there will be people who will react coldly. There will be people who reject it rationally and coldly. Then how should we behave? give up? Or do you let it take care of itself? It must be enforced according to the text. Even if you refuse, do not back down, and force yourself to be more armed. Persuade and invite to the end. So I hope that we will help them hear the Gospel and live a new life.