“Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”
Excuses
Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, And sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready’.
“But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ “And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excus ed.’” “Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’” “Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled” (Luke 14:15-24).
Come
Jesus invites you, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ If you haven’t come to Him yet…what is your excuse? Why do you refuse His invitation? The invitation is free, and you have a personal invitation.
There is nothing else to be done for the salvation of your soul. Jesus Christ finished the work of redemption when He died for you on the Cross and arose from the dead on the third day.
Many today are like the men who purchased the land, bought oxen and married a wife. They too are making excuses saying, ‘I cannot come today.’ They thought that they would be able to come to the banquet the next time. Is this your thinking? Little did they know that they would not taste the supper. “For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’” If the things of this world hinder your coming to Christ, you will end up without eternal life. You may look and feel successful in life, but in reality you are a failure in the eyes of Jesus Christ.
Be Born Again
How can you “come” to Jesus Christ? Jesus said: “You must be born again,” For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”(John 3).
It is by faith in Jesus Christ and His work on the Cross and His resurrection from the dead. “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6).
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day (Jn. 6:44).
You must be “drawn” by the Father. You don’t just wake up and say, ‘I am getting saved today.’ Salvation is not by works (Eph 2:8-9). Not by local church membership. This is false security! Salvation comes by faith in Jesus Christ. You must not be deceived when you hear people say, ‘there is another way.’
There must be a conviction of sin. God speaks to your heart convicting you of the sin of rejecting His Son. You are then being confronted with the “truth” The evidence is in His Word telling you that you are a sinner, repent, be forgiven and He loves you and sent His Son to die in your place.
After you hear the truth, you will have a choice. You can accept Christ! You can reject Him! Rejecting Him is done with your eyes wide open and only condemnation follows. There can be conviction without conversion!
Has God spoken to you? Did you reject Him? What was your excuse?
Christian…
What is your excuse for not going into the hedges and highways and compelling them “to come in” that His house may be filled? We who are born again are His servants! We must herald the message, “Come for all things are now ready.”
Many haven’t heard the Good News.
There is still room! Let’s go and tell! None of us have an excuse for disobedience.
