Title The Greatest Invitation/Luke 14:15-24
Contents
A certain inspiration had several sons, and each year on his birthday, the sons would bring each other together and serve them delicious food. It's his father's birthday tomorrow, and the youngest son, who doesn't know where to prepare for his birthday, called his seven-year-old child and sent an errand to his eldest son to find out where his grandfather's birthday was.
The child who went to the big house opened the door and said loudly, "Uncle, it's been a long time since I know where your father prepares for your grandfather's birthday."
At that time, my eldest father, who was toileting in the back room, said to his nephew, "Hey, Jae-ho! I'm going to have dinner here for my grandfather's birthday, so tell them all to come here."
Hearing this, the child went home and said, "Dad, it's been a long time since Grandpa's birthday will be held in the backyard of the grandparent's house tomorrow."
Today we have a party in our church. You don't have to worry about whether you're doing it behind the scenes. We do it in a clean, odor-free place. And not only the food feast, but also the Word feast. Today's worship service is primarily for those who have been invited. We sincerely welcome those who are coming to our church for the first time today. Occasional visitors are also welcome.
The topic of today's sermon is a feast.
The Bible text we read today is made up of parables. It was God who made the feast here. The master's servants are those who believe in Jesus, and those invited are the people of the world. The plot of this verse is that God makes a feast and invites people. Today, I want to tell you about the feast God gives.
A Christian is someone who likes free things. Anyone who doesn't like freebies can never be a Christian.
First, God's feast is a "great feast."
What do we think of when we hear about a house having a great feast? There is a lot to eat at a big feast. There is much to enjoy. It's exciting. I think you will get along with a lot of people. As we go through life, we receive invitations from many people. When you receive an invitation from a wealthy family, the thought that there will be a lot of food this time comes to mind.
When God, the creator of the universe, gives a feast, it cannot be an ordinary feast. When God, who is above all, gives a feast, the feast cannot but surpass the surprise.
Guys, do you like to travel? Do you want to travel around?
The feast of God has many things to see. He invites you to heaven. There is much to see in heaven.
God doesn't just invite you to take a look. It is an invitation to receive you as the Son of God. You are inviting him to live there forever as the Son of God. People who live around this area say that they can't live in the Shinhyeon Jugong Apartment, so Heaven is nothing compared to the Shinhyeon Jugong Apartment. It cannot be compared to Hyundai Apartments in Apgujeong-dong, Seoul, which are said to be the most expensive in the country.
The richest man in America is Bill Gates of Microsoft. In recent years he has built luxurious houses with state-of-the-art facilities that no king or president envy. It was designed and made as a dream space for the 21st century. Things you might have only seen in cartoons are happening.
If he could build such a mansion, how much more marvelous could God, who is so much better, build a house like that? Heaven is where God dwells. What a beautiful, wonderful and cozy place it is. God is inviting you here.
There are many things to eat at the feast God gives. Some even say that they will not eat anything in heaven. This is because I do not know the words of the Bible well. There are no tears, no disease, and no death in heaven. There is no darkness and no night. There are no criminals. Praise God for these non-existent things. But there is nothing in the Bible that says that there is nothing to eat. How lucky are you? It is written that there is a tree of life in the kingdom of heaven that bears twelve kinds of fruit (Revelation 22:2). There is also a saying that the Lord will give people from the tree of life to eat (Rev 2:7).
?쏦e who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God??(Revelation 2:7).
?쏧t flowed in the middle of the road, and on either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, bearing its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations??(Revelation 22:2).
Second, God's feast is offered free of charge.
We are often invited to a 60th birthday party or a wedding party, but it is considered a burden. It's because the people you invite don't tell you to bring it, but I think it's not polite to go empty-handed. As a result, when pockets are not good enough, I want to go, but I am not able to go.
Newspapers are sometimes delivered with flyers promoting health food. The flyer states that if you attend a celebrity's health lecture, you will be given a silver spoon and other gifts. It's also done to make money, but you may be wondering if that's okay. Among those present, there are bound to be people who are forced to buy things because of their face. And when one person buys, there will be people who want to buy at the same time. That's exactly what business people are looking for. Even if you do, you do it because you can make a profit after all expenses are deducted from selling the product. A smart person like me doesn't even go to the report because he thinks about such things.
One day, in an apartment complex, an electrical appliance company came out to promote, and I called out through a loudspeaker saying that they would give me a free gift. But once you leave, you don't want to come back. I wondered what was going on, but it came back after a while. My nephew said he had to wait more than 30 minutes to receive the not-so-great thing and listen to the product description.
It is true that nothing is free in the world. Is there anything in this world that is truly free? But the feast God invites is free. You can join the feast for free. You can become a son of God for free. You can go to heaven for free. You can receive blessings from God for free.
Believers in Jesus love freebies. Anyone who doesn't like freebies can never believe in Jesus.
Third, God's feast is for many.
When the first invited guests all gave excuses and did not respond to the invitation, the master told the servant to get out of the streets and alleys and bring someone. I couldn't cancel now because everything was ready.
The day before yesterday, I went on a tour in Ganghwa Island and came back halfway due to traffic jams, and I feel sorry for the members. Perhaps some of the people I went with went on a sightseeing tour, so I don't know if there were people who gave up and followed me. I am very sorry for such people.
How absurd would it be if God's feast could also be canceled for one reason or another? But that will never happen. Because he is unchanging and can do all things according to his heart's will.
?쏧n whom we have been predestined, and have become an inheritance, according to the will of him who works all things according to the will of his heart??(Ephesians 1:11).
The servant did so at the command of his master. But there were still empty seats at the feast. The master sent his servant out again and told him to go out into the roads and through the hills, and compel the people to take him and fill them. That's right. God's invitation continues while vacancies remain. The fact that there are still vacancies even though you have invited a lot means that there are many people who can be invited. God's feast is a feast for many.
Do any of you think I am not sophisticated enough to be present? Is there anyone who thinks I am not moral enough to fit in the position? No need to worry. There are also places for the poor. There are also seats for people with disabilities. There is also a place for beggars. There is also a place for you.
The Bible introduces God's invitation to "whoever come".
?쏤or God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life??(John 3:16).
?쏻hoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved??(Romans 10:13).
?쏷he Spirit and the Bride say, ?쁂ome.??Anyone who hears will say, ?쁂ome,??and everyone who is thirsty will come, and whoever wants to receive the water of life without cost.??)
However, this "whoever" is not used to mean accepting indefinitely. When the fixed number known only to God is reached, no more invitations will be given. The gates of heaven will be closed. At that time, no matter how much you knock, you will only hear the decisive words, "Not one of them will taste my banquet."
Anyone can respond to God's invitation as long as there are seats left. We don't know when that invitation will stop, but now we have a chance. Accept his invitation now freely.