Good morning all!
Father, we know that You alone are the Savior of the world and by Your kindness you lead all mankind to repentance. Lord, help us to recognize the moments of greatness in our life and the purpose you’ve called us to live. I pray you would give us the passion and conviction to be moved by Your spirit always and eliminate all excuses to do otherwise, Amen. I’m gonna keep it real simple here, does God want your excuse or heart?
Luke 14
Luk 14:17 KJV – And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
So the Master sent His servant when it was time to eat at the feast, to say to those that have RSVP’d, Come; we’re all set and READY to partake together.
Luk 14:18 KJV – And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
But EVERYONE that accepted the invitation made an excuse. The first excuse, said I bought some ground and I gotta see it: I PRAY you’ll let me be excused.
Luk 14:19 KJV – And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
Another excuse said, I have bought some work animals, and gotta PROVE there good: I PRAY you’ll let me be excused also.
Luk 14:20 KJV – And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
Another excuse, I married a wife, no need for prayer…I simply can’t come.
Luk 14:24 KJV – For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
Okay, well I have heard all the excuses and NONE of you that were invited will eat of MY supper.
Bottom line
As I read this passage I found it strange that the folks invited to the wedding feast, accepted the invite but when ALL was ready they didn’t Come. And isn’t it funny, the first two after they gave their excuse…they actually prayed about it, so safe to say they knew God or had enough horse sense to pray about it. Who was Jesus speaking to? Luk 14:3 KJV – And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? Looks like he spoke to the lawyers…you know the experts in the law…they can always spot the right and wrong in life and He also spoke to the Pharisees…religious folk. Jesus was dealing with the issue of rejection, we all make our excuses to God why we reject certain people. Jesus was speaking to the religious person inside of me…I pray, but sometimes I pray that God would excuse my behavior because I found myself in a circumstance and I didn’t want to love like Him, forgive like Him. And sometimes I’m the lawyer, I become the expert in convicting others of their sin and then my prayer might sound like…Lord I would BUT…(insert your own foolish thoughts here). The first BOUGHT some ground and had to SEE it, have you ever bought into a position about someone or said I thought about it BUT and then held your ground? As long as you can SEE it, then that position still exist in your life. We usually hold our ground when someone has offended or hurt us, it’s also known as holding a grudge so they probably wouldn’t be invited to your supper table, right? We don’t forgive, and then we pray and ask God to excuse us for this particular situation but besides that one thing everything else is good. God says, well that’s a shame because we’re gonna miss you at the feast and you don’t get to taste any of it. The second excuse is we’ve bought some work animals and we got to PROVE them, translation…if we work hard enough we can prove we’re worthy. Do you suppose God wants you to work hard to prove your righteous?
Isa 60:21 KJV – Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. Wow…ALL the people are righteous because of the branch that God has planted inside of us and it’s the work of God’s hand NOT ours, why do you think He said we are the branches and must remain in the Vine? So we can produce the fruit of the Vine…love and forgiveness…NOT rejection, that’s the thorns they placed upon His head as a sign of rejection and ridicule. How do you know if you’re the vine or thorn?
Rom 12:2 KJV – And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. According to scripture, we should prove what is GOOD…ACCEPTABLE…PERFECT…WILL of God. YES, God does have a will for our life. What do you think, He created us but then had NO plans for us? Right…ridiculous. God’s will for our life is NOT to think like the rest of the world, instead renew your thinking…think differently…live by FAITH! A faith filled life is the only thing that God finds good, it’s the only thing God finds acceptable in His eyes and it’s the only thing that can make you perfect. Now riddle me this, God is perfect and He wants us to be perfect so what does that mean exactly?
1Co 13:10 KJV – But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. I hope you can see it this morning, when that which we do in PART…as in part of the time I have enough love to forgive just not all the time…but when that kind of thinking is done away with then that which is perfect is COME…kinda like COME, for ALL things are ready…complete love that forgives always. God’s love for us is perfect it makes NO excuse for a lack of forgiveness, it is complete forgiveness always. Would you consider His love perfect if He only forgave you some of the time?
Point to Ponder
How come the wife I married kept me from the feast? Rom 7:4 KJV – Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. Your first wife, the law, requires payment for sin…kinda like the soup nazi…no mercy for you. When we are married to Another we quit making excuses and start accepting all and love them like Christ.
Let’s all partake of the great supper, In Him Phil
Faith – Family – Friends