PUT GOD FIRST IN YOUR LIFE
Luke 14:15-24
On the Sabbath, Jesus was invited to the home of a Pharisee for dinner.
The invitation was not out of love or respect for Jesus, but to give
the Pharisees the opportunity to find fault with Jesus. The objective
of the Pharisees was to bring charges against Jesus to have him killed.
They invited a man with the dropsy to see if Jesus would heal him
in violation of their traditions.
They meant it for evil, but Jesus meant it for good. Jesus used every evil
encounter to teach the good news of the kingdom of God.
THE BLESSED ARE GOD\’S ELECT
V.15 When one of those who sat at the table with him heard these things, he said to him, \”Blessed is he who will feast in the Kingdom of God!\”
A, The Jews believed that since they were descendants from Abraham entitled them
to a seat at the table in heaven.
1. They were proud of their inheritance, but were not inclined to follow God\’s
commands.
2. The Jewish leaders prided their position and status in the community.
B. They considered themselves the blessed population.
1. They presented themselves as upright but their hearts were far from God.
2. They presented themselves to be served and not to serve.
AN INVITATION TO HEAVEN
V:16. \” But he said to him, \”A certain man made a great supper, and he invited many
people.\”
A. Jesus told this parable to illustrate the acceptance and rejection of the Kingdom
of heaven was a personal choice and not an inheritance.
1. God the Father is represented by the certain man.
2. The kingdom of heaven is presented as the great supper.
3. Those first invited were the nation of Israel.
4. They initially accepted the invitation to the dinner.
a. Everybody want a free ride into heaven.
b. Everybody want to seated at the feast in heaven.
B. At great expense, the dinner was prepared for the invited guest.
1. Jesus is represented as the prepared dinner.
2. His death on the cross was the prepared meal.
a. His bruised body was the bread of life offering.
b. His shed blood was the drink offering of atonement.
3. God\’s Grace and mercy were the reason for the invitation.
THE DEATH OF JESUS, THE FREE GIFT TO HEAVEN
V:17. \” He sent out his servant at supper time to tell those who were invited, \’Come, for everything is ready now.\”
A. It was understood, that once the dinner was prepared, it had to be serve quickly
or it would spoil.
1. An animal was sacrificed for the meat.
2. Bread and vegetables was prepared for side dishes.
3. They had no way of storing food for a later date.
B. The phrase \”ready now\” indicates the urgency of the call to dinner by
the invited guest.
1. The servants represents the judges, prophets and Jesus disciples.
2. Jesus is coming back for His invited guest.
3. We do not know time or the date.
4.. He will come back like a thief in the night.
EXCUSES TO FELLOWSHIP NOT ACCEPTED
V:18-20. \” They all as one began to make excuses. \”The first said to him, \’I have bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please have me excused.\’
19 \”Another said, \’I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go try them out. Please have me excused.\’
20 \”Another said, \’I have married a wife, and therefore I can\’t come.\”
A. To get to the dinner table will require a sacrifice on the invited guest part.
1. The invited guest made common excuses for why they could not attend
the dinner they had agreed to attend.
2. The first excuse was concern property or resources
No one buys property without inspecting it first.
3. The second excuse was concerning work.
4 . The third excuse was concerning family.
5. It is God who gives us all we have which should not be used
as an excuse not to fellowship with Him.
B. God commands us to put Him first over all we have.
1. Anything we put before God becomes an idol.
2. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly.
3. Our desires should never be put before God.
GOD IS NO RESPECTOR OF PERSON
V:21 \”That servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, \’Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor, maimed, blind, and lame.\”
A. The first to be invited to the dinner were the Jews.
1. The Jews were given the Law when they came out of slavery.
2. The Old Testament was written to the Jews.
3. They rejected God\’s commands in favor of worldly kings and
their traditions.
4. The invitation to righteousness was given to the Jew first in the Law.
B. The Gentiles, all non Jews, were given the invitation to
kingdom after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
1. Jesus died on the cross so that all men might be saved. Rom 10:9
2. God is no respector of person.
THERE IS ROOM IN HEAVEN
V:22-23 \”The servant said, \’Lord, it is done as you commanded, and there is still room.\’
23 \”The lord said to the servant, \’Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.\”
A. It is the job of each believer to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Mat 28:19
1. We are all God\’s servants.
2. We should first, make sure our families have a relationship with Jesus.
3. We should reach out to people every where we go.
B. Like the murderers on the cross with Jesus, there will be some who will be given
the opportunity to accept Christ as their personal Savior on their death beds.
1. Some accept Christ early in life and some late in their life.
2. There is always room at the Cross for new believers.
C. After the second coming of Christ, the Church will be raptured into heaven.
1. All that will be left on earth will be none believers.
2. The Jews will be given a thousand years to accept Christ as He reigns on
earth. Rev 20:6
3. Satan and His demons will be bound and not allowed to influence the
growing Jewish population. Rev 20:3
4. This will be in fulfillment of the scriptures, that all Israel will be saved.
Roman 11:26
SALVATION IS YOUR CHOICE
24 For I tell you that none of those men who were invited will taste of my supper.\”
A. There is only a limited time to accept Christ as your personal Savior.
1. Those who reject Christ may not be given a chance to repent and
turn to Christ.
2. There is one sin that is unforgivable and that is to blaspheme the Holy Spirit.
Mark 3:28-29
28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and
blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:
29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is
in danger of eternal damnation:
B. Rejecting Christ is a ticket to hell.
1. Rejecting Christ is a personal choice.
WHILE IT IS TIME, ACCEPT CHRIST\’ INVITATION
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church
5510 West Sam Houston Park Way North
Houston, Texas 77041
