By Robert Serreyn
Question? What is your take on Luke 14:16-24?
(Luke 14:16-24) And He said to him, A certain man made a great supper and invited many. (17) And he sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, Come, for all things are now ready. (18) And all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said to him, I have bought a piece of ground, I must go and see it. I beg you, have me excused. (19) And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I beg you, have me excused. (20) And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. (21) And coming up that servant reported these things to his lord. And 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 here the poor and the maimed, and the lame and the blind. (22) And the servant said, Lord, it is done as you have commanded, and still there is room. (23) And the lord said to the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. (24) For I say to you that none of these men who were invited shall taste of my supper.
Answer:
In oriental times the custom was when a host was planning on preparing a feast he would send out invitations and those that responded back to come the host would prepare the feast accordingly, Then at the proper hour the host would send out a servant saying “All things are ready” “COME” to the feast. To refuse to come to the feast at the last moment was a real insult to the host and worthy of the highest condemnation.
The understanding of theses verses is applied in this manner:
V16: Jesus Christ is the “CERTAIN MAN” – Matthew 18:11
V17: The servant is the “BELIEVER” – 2 Corinthians 5:20, our message to the lost world is the “GOSPEL” – 1 Cor. 15:1-4, and ALL people are invited to the supper – John 3:16, 2 Peter 3:9, Acts 16:31 The supper is the “Marriage Supper Of The Lamb”- Rev. 19:9
V18-20: Many will make excuses and “REJECT” the gospel – Matthew 7:13 & 14
V21-23: The Lord “COMMANDS” us to share the gospel – Mark 16:16, and those that REJECT Christ invitation to be saved we are to “MOVE ON” to other people – Titus 3:10
V24: Those that have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ, and his invitation of salvation will have “FORFEITED” their place at the Marriage Supper Of The Lamb in heaven – Revelation 20:11-15 and spend eternity in hell tormented when they die – Luke 16:19-23.
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.
A. Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8
B. Christ PAID your sins in full – 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24
C. BELIEVE (Trust In Completely) in Christ ALONE as the complete payment of sin for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9
“For the wages(payment) of sin is death (eternal torment in hell & the lake of fire); but the GIFT of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23
IT IS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH