Luke 14:21-24

Rachel Workman: 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.’”

I am the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. God's table will never be too full to seat a sinner covered by the blood of Christ.

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Mike Grimm:  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 compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. ²⁴ I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

This is a nice parable of how God wants us to be empty. He does not want us to be full of ourselves, material things, false beliefs, etc. He wants to fill us Himself.

So at the great banquet, there’s a brief moment of sadness. The servant is telling the master about the men who are simply too busy, too full of “more important” things to come and dine, no matter how rich and filling and wonderful the banquet will be.

But the master enjoys filling. So he tells the servant to fill all the tables with people who have room—in their schedules, their priorities, their souls. Fill it with open (empty) people. He doesn’t care who they are, where they live, or what they’ve done. He doesn’t care if they have the appropriate wardrobe or make “sparkling” dinnertime conversation. Just come as you are.

Maybe we have that emptiness to give Him. Or maybe we know Christ, but not closely enough. Remember: the measure of filling we receive is in direct proportion to the level of our emptiness. We must never settle for the full life; instead, we must pursue the filled life.

It was customary, in those days, to send two invitations to a party—the first to announce the event, the second to tell the guests that everything was ready, and they could start arriving. The guests in Jesus’ parable insulted the host by making excuses when he announced the second invitation. In Israel’s history, God’s first invitation came from Moses and the prophets; the second came from His Son. The religious leaders accepted the first invitation. They believed that God had called them to be His people, but they insulted God by refusing to accept His Son. Thus, as the master in the parable sent his servants to the streets to invite the needy to his banquet, so God sent His Son to the whole world of needy people to tell them that God’s kingdom had arrived and was ready for them. I love parables.

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Monday’s reading for Luke 14:25-27

²⁵ A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, ²⁶ “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.