Devotional Sharing, Submitted by Cynthia Peng, Gracepoint Hsinchu
What did these people who did not come to the banquet gain? These people who did not come to the banquet gained extra time at most to spend with these new items or people in their lives. They didn’t gain the particular item/person because they already belonged to them anyway.
What did they lose? They lost an incredible opportunity to dine with this master, a once in a lifetime opportunity for them. And ultimately in line with this illustration, they lost a chance to enter into the kingdom of God, they were so focused on the good things in their lives they missed out on the best.
What is the main difference between the first group of people that declined and the second group of people that responded to the invitation? The main difference between the two groups is that the first group thought they had something better and more worth their time, energy and attention; whereas, the second group had nothing to lose because they were so poor and bankrupt in many ways so they were able to recognize the invitation for the privilege that it was, and were probably just shocked and astounded that they were even invited. As a result, they received the invitation humbly and with much excitement instead of as a threat to whatever they already had.
Each of the ones who refused the banquet did so because of good things that happened in their lives. Each had experienced success of some sort. Why did Jesus tell the parable this way? In other words, what is the significance of the fact that those who refused the banquet did not refuse to go because they were engaged in some evil activity, but because they were caught up in the good things of life? How does this challenge my notions of the true meaning of success?
I think Jesus told this parable this way and the significance is because of the truth that it is often the good things in life that get in the way of the best. This is relevant all the more for people like myself within the church because we are not people who would dismiss God because we’re out busy doing obviously evil things – engaging in sin, in gambling, in sexual impurity/immorality, in intoxication and drug abuse, in cheating/lying, in ambitions pursuit of our careers at the expense of everybody around us, etc. Rather, they were the good things that others cannot make moral judgements on, that end up crowding out the best – things like a new job, a new baby, marriage, a new apartment/home, school/studies, desire to spend more time with family, raising a child, a chance for a promotion at work, and even the busyness of ministry in the midst of an active and thriving church. Of course these are all very important things and not inherently wrong but they can get in the way of accepting God’s invitation or can even be used as an excuse not to accept God’s invitation. This challenges my notions of the true meaning of success because it shows me that success, then, is not summed up by the standards of this world, such as wealth, marriage, possessions, etc. but by Jesus’ statement in v.15 “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” Ultimately what matters is dining with God in His kingdom, that is true success.
What are the good things in my life that are getting in the way of the best, that make it difficult for me to accept God’s invitation?
First of all, what is God’s invitation? It’s a chance to dine and fellowship with God himself. So for me, the good things in life that get in the way of this kind of fellowship with God at times include wanting rest, spending time with my husband, and even ministry itself. Of course, rest is not bad and rest is very necessary at times but sometimes I can give into my flesh too much or think I’ve pushed myself enough or given enough and that somehow I now deserve to rest and out of a sense of fatigue cut corners in my personal times with God or times with the people of God. Same goes for spending time with my husband, rather very necessary and important but at the same time if taken too far, I can just desire a nice cozy comfortable life with my husband instead of accepting the greater invitation to fellowship with God by loving others that God has entrusted to me. Lastly, ministry itself can become a good thing that gets in the way of the best if I just mindlessly go through all the things I need to do – meeting up with people, cooking/food prep, preparing for various events, planning for our fall semester, etc. - without connecting it back to God. It would be utterly pointless and a disservice to my holy God if I did ministry without really connecting with him. This can happen if in the midst of worrying about things or being burdened about other people, that I miss out on what God wants to say to me personally through messages, DTs, prayer meetings, etc. No, I need to always check my heart to make sure that the highest goal of it all is to dine and fellowship with God himself.
Devotion Questions:
“In Jesus’ day when you invited guests to a dinner, you told them the day but not the exact hour of the meal. Each of the guests in this parable had already agreed to attend the banquet. The host expected them to be there.” [1]
- What did these people who did not come to the banquet gain?
- What did they lose?
- What is the main difference between the first group of people that declined and the second group of people that responded to the invitation?
- Each of the ones who refused the banquet did so because of good things that happened in their lives. Each had experienced success of some sort. Why did Jesus tell the parable this way? In other words, what is the significance of the fact that those who refused the banquet did not refuse to go because they were engaged in some evil activity, but because they were caught up in the good things of life? How does this challenge my notions of the true meaning of success?
- What are the good things in my life that are getting in the way of the best, that make it difficult for me to accept God’s invitation?
[1] Wiersbe, W. W., The Bible exposition commentary – “An exposition of the New Testament comprising the entire ‘BE’ series” Software (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996) Notes for Lk 14:1-25.
Commentary:
vv.15-24 In the parable the invited guests made their excuses and men’s excuses do not differ so very much to-day.
(i) The first man said that he had bought a field and was going to see it. He allowed the claims of business to usurp the claims of God. It is still possible for a man to be so immersed in this world that he has no time to worship, and even no time to pray.
(ii) The second man said that he had bought five yoke of oxen and that he was going to try them out. He let the claims of novelty usurp the claims of Christ. It often happens that when people enter into new possessions they become so taken up with them that the claims of worship and of God get crowded out. People have been known to acquire a motor car and then to say, ‘We used to go to church on a Sunday, but now we go off to the country for the day.’ It is perilously easy for a new game, a new hobby, even a new friendship, to take up even the time that should be kept for God.
(iii) The third man said, with even more finality than the others, ‘I have married a wife, and I cannot come.’ One of the wonderful merciful laws of the Old Testament laid it down, ‘when a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year, to be happy with his wife whom he has taken.’ (Deuteronomy 24:5.) No doubt that very law was in this man’s mind. It is one of the tragedies of life when good things crowd out the claims of God. There is no lovelier thing than a home and yet a home was never meant to be used selfishly. They live best together who live with God; they serve each other best who also serve their fellow-men; the atmosphere of a home is most lovely when those who dwell within it remember that they are also members of the great family and household of God.[1]
[1]The Gospel of Luke. 2000, c1975 (W. Barclay, lecturer in the University of Glasgow., Ed.). The Daily Study Bible series, Rev. ed. (Lk 14:34). Philadelphia: The Westminster Press.