Pastor’s Table Blog

The Guest List

If you were throwing a party, who would be on your guest list? In Luke 14, Jesus tells two parables about two different parties. Both parables challenge our assumptions about invitations and guest list. In fact, as he so often does, Jesus turns our expectations upside down. Listen to this:

He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14:12-14, ESV)

Who is on the guest list? Notice what he says: Don’t invite your rich friends and relatives. Why? Because those people will want something in return from you. There are strings attached to those invitations. Instead, Jesus says, invite the people who have no money, no power, no influence. Invite the people you might send to voicemail. Invite the people who are disabled. The people who cannot see. Why? Because they are overjoyed just to receive an invitation!

A Generous Invitation

Jesus has just made the party awkward by telling the rich important host to reverse his guest list. “Don’t invite all these sycophantic people to you party … they just want to be close to your money and power.” Instead, you should invite the outcasts of society. That would make the room quiet.

At this moment, now that the table is set, Jesus tells one of his famous parables:

But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ (Luke 14:16-17, ESV)

Now … that is a beginning of a story. It begins with a generous invitation. Much packed into these two verses that is crucial to understand the point of the story. Let me make several observations:

First, what is this “great banquet?” We learn in v. 16 that a man (some translations say, “a certain man”) decided to throw a large party and invite a lot of people. The fact the it says, “many,” are invited indicates that he is a person a great wealth. Perhaps the best comparison is the “Great Gatsby!” This is meant to be a huge party for the other wealthy people of the town. Today, this would take place in an elite building in NYC!

Now, culturally speaking, it is important to understand how ancient parties worked. Notice, there is a DOUBLE Invitation. The first invitation served as a SAVE THE DATE. However, the first invitation was crucial because the host must decide how many animals to slaughter so there was enough food to eat at the party. Remember, in the ancient world there were no freezers—the food had to be eaten that night or it would go to waste.

Second, let’s talk about more about the INVITATION. Here is the crazy part about the invitation—the guest didn’t know the exact timing of the meal. The first invitation puts them on notice—there will be a meal and you are expected to come. The second invitation is a summons to the meal—it would come at an unknown hour and you had to be ready. In vv. 12-24 the word, “INVITED,” is repeated 12 times. The Greek word is KALEO, which means “called.”

THEO: In regards to salvation, theologians distinguish between two calls: (1) There is the GENERAL of GOSPEL CALL that goes out to all people. That is the generous invitation. If you have heard the message of the Gospel, if you know about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for you … the invitation has been extended. (2) However, there is a second, EFFECTUAL CALL that only comes to God’s Elect—true Christians. As it applies to the parables, it is the true regenerate believers who actually attend the Banquet of the King.

Some Lame Excuses

One of the popular mantras of our day and age is this: FOMO. It stands for Fear of Missing Out. This concept has revealed a generational mindset shift. Older generations in the US had a great focus on DUTY and HONOR. We would keep our word at all costs. In contrast, the younger, FOMO generation lives by this axiom “I’ll show up to your party … if nothing better comes along. I’m a maybe … because I want to keep my options open.” The FOMO generation is the “MAYBE” generation.

Now, let me ask you a question—and I might get some audible groans here—have you ever tried to prepare for a party when 75% of the people are MAYBES? Why did I even waste money on the invitation? Or how about this, have you ever sent an outlook calendar meeting invite to some and they respond … MAYBE? I wish they would delete that as choice—it’s YES … or NO! You have to commit so others can plan!

The point of this parable will now become clear—DON’T BE A MAYBE! Jesus is not calling “Maybe” followers who can change their mind at the last minute. When he gives in the invitation it is YES … or NO. Let’s see where he goes next:

And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. (Luke 14:17-18, ESV)

Don’t raise your hands, but I want you all to start thinking “am I an excuse maker?” What is the best excuse you have come up with for not attending a party? In the parable, the first person says, “I have to buy a FIELD—excuse me.” That would be interesting dinner conversation. The second person says, “I am on my way to buy some animals.” The third guy just says, “I’m staying home” No excuse.

Now … here is what the parable teaches. When the time comes for the actual meal—all are invited … but only a few actually come. Instead, the offer lame excuses. Why? Because they are pre-occupied by the mundane elements of life. Business affairs. Spontaneous midlife crisis purchases. Family issues. All of those things may distract us from the invitation to Great Banquet of the Lamb at the end of time. The invitation, might not be effectual. Some will be excluded at their own choosing.

The Shocking Replacements

The story ends with a reversal: the insiders become outsiders—and—the perceived outsiders become insiders at the table. Let me remind you where we are in this story. An invitation has been given to an expensive party from a generous and wealthy host. All the elite people of his neighborhood were invited and said they would attend. The host spends considerable resources preparing this party … but everyone cancels at the last minute! If that was you … how would you react? Probably like this …

So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry […] (Luke 14:21, ESV)

The host became angry. Now, that is a natural response, but let’s ask ourselves—why is he angry? Yes, he lost money, the food would go to waste—but! The real reason, the deeper reason is that this host was publicly snubbed. His cultural cache would plummet.

So now he has a choice: does he go in the corner and pout … or does he seek another solution? This host decides to get creative …

Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ (Luke 14:21, ESV)

Do you see what just happened? The party will go on as scheduled! But with an entirely new, unexpected guest list. In fact, these are the people who would never make it on anyone’s party list. This second invitation goes to the streets—where the poorest of the poor live. In fact, these are the people who lived behind the walls and gates of the city—which shielded them from the view of wealthy citizens. They were literally the outcasts.

And they are not just invited. Notice that phrase, “bring in.” Circle it. This implies they are not just invited but escorted into the party … to share in this glorious meal.

Do you see what Luke is doing here? He is repeating a theme is has used over and over again in the Gospel already. He is turning this party UPSIDE-DOWN! And by doing so, he is displaying for us the UPSIDE-DOWN nature of the Kingdom of God. Jesus just slipped the script on the invite list. Jesus broke the expected algorithm. That is what he does --- he defies worldly expectations.

The first shall be last. The last shall be first.

Friends, here is the great truth—all of us, before we came to Jesus, were outcasts. We were outsiders. But now, because of the blood of the true sacrificial lamb who was slaughtered for us we are invited to be insiders. The invitation has been offered to you. Will your RSVP be “maybe?” Or will you say “yes” to Jesus and be ready with JOY when he says: come, it is finished—everything is ready. Dinner is served ... who is coming?