Everyone is Invited

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.  The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:8-12 (NLT)

About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1b-2 (NLT)

In both of these passages about Jesus’ birth, something interesting is going on. God was calling.

The Shepherds, in a field nearby, were invited to go find the Messiah. The Wise Men, from a faraway place, were invited to go find the Messiah.

The two groups could not have been more diverse. One was uneducated while the others were very well educated. They studied all the time. One group lived day to day while the other group was very rich. One group was near to where the baby was born, while the other had to travel a long way to find him.

Both had to take what they had and use it as they sought Him.

God said to both “Come. Come and see the greatest gift ever. Come and see how much I love you.”

God is still calling us today to “Come.” It doesn’t matter if you are educated or uneducated. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor or somewhere in between. It doesn’t matter where you live or what you do for a living. The invitation is still the same “Come. Come and see the greatest gift ever given. Come and see how much I love you.”

Will you come? Will you draw close and marvel at Jesus?

Fill 'er up!

 So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. Luke 14:23 (NLT)

In this story, God is inviting all the people to a banquet but the first people to get the invitation turn him down.  And their excuses are similar to ours.  Basically, the excuses are material possessions that need to be cared for, a task to do (busyness) or people to please.

Things haven't changed much from then to now have they?  The interesting thing is God doesn't force them to come. He doesn't give them lectures or coerce them in any way. He accepts their answer and moves on to find others who will accept his invitation.

And the really cool thing about the story is that God keeps looking. He looks everywhere he possibly can, turning over every stone, looking in every highway and byway. He wants his house full. But, he wants it full of people who want to be there.

We will all get the invitation. What will your excuse be? Or, will you come just as you are and sit at table?

A Minute In It - Who Is Invited?

A minute in God's word will change your life. Take a minute to read the passage below. Then, ask yourself the questions at the bottom of the post. 

15 Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!”

16 Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ 18 But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

21 “The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ 23 So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. 24 For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’” Luke 14:15-24 (NLT)

Which person are you in the story? What is your excuse for not responding to Jesus invitation? What is is the criteria to be able to attend the banquet?