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Opening Question: "What is the worst excuse you've ever heard"
Luke 14:15-24
15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God."
16 Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests.
17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'
18 "But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.'
19 "Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.'
20 "Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'
21 "The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.'
22 "'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'
23 "Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.
24 I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.'"
INTRODUCTION : Purpose of parables = earthly story with a spiritual meaning.
MAN =GOD
BANQUET = KINGDOM OF GOD
PEOPLE = US
1. Q: What do you enjoy at great feasts?
A: Food, socializing, music, dancing, etc...
2. Q: What is involved in preparing a great feast?
A: Planning, invitations, transport, menu's, etc...
GOD HAS GONE THROUGH A LOT OF TROUBLE FOR US IN PREPARING THE KINGDOM OF GOD
3. Q: What has He done to let us know about his feast?
A: Evidences, Bible, Jesus Christ, people, etc ...
THE CALL - WE MUST BE READY
THINGS WE CAN EXPECT AT GOD'S BANQUET
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
4. Q: How does man try and get these things? (peace, joy, etc ···)
A: Money, sex, politics, RELIGION, etc...
EXAMINE THE EXCUSES - (CLEARLY VERY FLIMSY EXCUSES)
5. Q: What kind of excuses do we make?
A: No time, relationships, Bible is confusing, later in my life, etc...
Luke 9:57-62
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
58 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
59 He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
PREACH - LOTS OF REASONS BUT NO ACCEPTABLE EXCUSE.
6. Q: How do you feel when you've been let down by someone?
A: Angry, hurt, etc ...
V21-V24 - 7. Q: What do you learn from this?
A: God gets angry & hurt. If we don't accept his invite (call) he will find others who really want it, who know they really need him.
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