When God invites us into fellowship with Him, what gets in the way? Well, what were the excuses the people in Jesus’ parable made for not coming to their host’s dinner? The first one had just bought a piece of land and wanted to inspect it (Luke 14:18). And it is still so easy for our possessions to distract us from our relationship with God. It takes time to acquire things and more time to maintain them. And the desire for the material things of this world can easily crowd out our longing to be with Jesus.

The second man had bought some oxen and wanted to try them out (Luke 14:19). And while our modern farmers use tractors for hauling and plowing, it is still easy for all of us to put too much value on our tools and the work that we do with them, seeking meaning in life only through our accomplishments and thus missing the opportunity to let God define us by His love and grace.

The last man put spending time with his wife above spending time with his host (Luke 14:20), and this illustrates the problem with all three excuses: it’s not that possessions and work and family are bad things. The problem comes when we elevate any of God’s good gifts above God Himself, seeking fulfillment or purpose in anyone or anything other than God.

So, how does God treat those who prefer the creation to the Creator, the gifts to the Giver? The sad news is that He gives them what they want. If they don’t want to be with God, they don’t have to come to the dinner (Luke 14:24). Of course, that’s a choice we call Hell, and it’s a choice all those who reject God will live to regret.

But the good news is that our God is relentless in His love, His desire to be in fellowship with His children. Just as the host commanded his slave to bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame (Luke 14:21), there is no one who is not welcome in God’s house, no matter how weak and worthless the world may think they are. And just as the host commanded his slave to beat the bushes to fill up his house (Luke 14:23), God continues to send His missionaries and His Holy Spirit around the world, drawing the hearts of all sorts of people to Himself.

So, why should we look to our stuff or our work or even our families to define us and give our lives meaning? Why should we make idols out of God’s gifts? God is offering such amazing, determined love to us, a love that enables us to enjoy all of His other gifts in the right way, a love that allows us to use our possessions and work to bless others, a love that fills our families with His joy and peace. Let’s go into the feast!

Luke 14:15-24 (NASB)

15 And when one of those who were reclining at the table with Him heard this, he said to Him, “Blessed is everyone who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”
16 But He said to him, “A certain man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many;
17 and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for everything is ready now.’
18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.’
19 “And another one said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.’
20 “And another one said, ‘I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.’
21 “And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, ‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’
22 “And the slave said, ‘Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’
23 “And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
24 ‘For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.'”