The Invitation – What Does This Mean?

Dear saints, this morning we hear of a great banquet. The host invites many as he prepares it. And at long last, it is ready. He has spared no expense and is eager to share it with those who cannot repay his generosity. They can only receive such a great gift. I mean, who would ever reject such an invitation? Well, sadly, we know that answer all too well.

This morning’s parable brings to our ears a warning. But not just a warning; we are also exhorted and encouraged. Before we jump into our parable, we should set the stage with what has occurred leading up to it: It is the Sabbath Day and Jesus has been invited to a dinner hosted by one of the ruling Pharisees. At the banquet is a man with dropsy, a condition that causes the bodies soft tissue to swell. Jesus knows he is being watched, and so he asks if it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath. Receiving no answer, he heals the man and sends him on his way.

Jesus then answers for them: “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” The answer was silence. Everyone there knew what they would do. They should have felt shame to trying for trap Jesus for doing an even better work than they knew they would do.

Jesus tells a parable about a wedding feast. He noted that those invited to this Sabbath dinner took places of honor for themselves. So, he teaches in the parable we should not regard ourselves too highly, lest we be humbled and embarrassed. Pride is not the answer, but the calling of God is the greatest gift and exaltation.

Jesus’ attention turns to the man who invited him to the feast. He tells him not to invite his equals to his dinners, for they can return the favor. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. They can only receive the invitation as a gift; they cannot reciprocate. The reward for inviting such people comes at the resurrection. When Jesus finishes speaking, one of those attending the feast says, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

This is the setup for our parable. And it seems Jesus tells it because of a declaration that was surely said out of piety. So why does our Lord launch into the parable we hear today? After all, the man is surely sincere in what he says! It is because the man doesn’t understand who Jesus is, and therefore, where he is right then and there.

Our parable begins, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many.” In painting this picture, our Lord presents his kingdom of grace. The man prepares a banquet and invites people to come enjoy what he has prepared. Remember, this comes on the heels of Jesus telling his host to invite those who could not repay his generosity and that he would reap his benefit at the resurrection.

And so, we see that this great banquet is to host the very people who could not pay back the man who has prepared it. The man in the parable is none other than our Heavenly Father. He is preparing a feast that no one could ever earn an invitation to. No one could ever repay him for the privilege of being there. Even more, no expense is spared.

We know it is true because man is fallen into sin and spiritual death. If God does not have mercy on us, we are destined for eternal death. But God would not have this be the case. He has mercy on us and takes care of us. Even from eternity, God decided to throw a great banquet to feed our souls with the bread of life.

This bread would satisfy the hunger of our souls. It would guard us from eternal death and keep us to eternal life. And he does this by sending his only-begotten Son in to the world. Through Jesus our Heavenly Father would reconcile the world to himself. Through Jesus he would earn for us grace, righteousness, life, and salvation. It is through Jesus that heaven is opened up to us. And whoever believes in this Christ will enjoy not only the eternal benefits and joy of heaven, but even begin to taste them here in this world.

So, when our Lord continues the parable with, “he invited many,” he means that God, immediately after the Fall into sin, invited all men into his Son’s kingdom of grace. He invited all to the banquet. And he did so by promising and revealing to Adam and Eve that a Redeemer would come and crush the head of the serpent.

The entirety of the Old Testament speaks to this. We follow the scarlet thread of what will be our Lord’s genealogy. We hear the prophecies of what he will do, what he will accomplish, and what will be done to him. We hear the Law prescribe what God’s people shall do. And we hear the prophets chastise both Israel and foreigner to turn from their sin and trust in the Lord. These are the actions of the banquet being set. The actions of the servant being sent to tell those invited, “Come, for everything is now ready.”

These things are ready because Jesus has arrived. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. It is there in the midst of them. Jesus, the Bread of Life, is literally sitting with people at a meal. And a man who hears Jesus speak speaks the ignorant phrase, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” This is what sparks our parable.

Jesus is there, in the flesh, and the people don’t recognize him. They are like the excuse makers in the parable. They receive an invitation to come to him and believe in him. But they do not. They reject the invitation. They want something different. Even though they are invited, they choose not to receive the gift prepared for them in the banquet. They reject the gracious preparer. Just like Jesus was rejected. Instead of receiving the banquet offered by the Lord, they murder Jesus on the cross. They count themselves as unworthy.

In the parable the invitation is offered first to those who the Pharisees at the table with Jesus would have considered worthy. When they reject the invitation, it is taken to the streets and the poor, crippled, blind, and lame are brought in. To those who the Pharisees would have looked down on and count as unworthy to enjoy the feast. But when there is still room, the invitation is taken outside the city walls and people are compelled to come. These would be seen as Gentiles. But the master says, “none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.”

Perhaps you see how the preaching of the Gospel is undertaken in the book of Acts. It is initially proclaimed to the Jews in the Temple and synagogues. When the disciples are chased out, it is taken to the Gentiles. And their testimony of Christ crucified for the sins of the world spreads the world over. But those who rejected the message of Christ are like those who rejected the invitation to the master’s feast. Instead of joyfully receiving grace, they disqualified themselves from it. They chased after other means of fulfillment.

And this is where we hear our warning this morning. Jesus Christ has come. He has been crucified and is risen. He has paid for the sin of the whole world. Our Lord has invited us to the feast. But we must respond to and accept the invitation. Now, I don’t mean that we have the capability of doing this in and of ourselves. All who are saved are saved by grace and through the work of the Holy Spirit. But at the same time, man can resist this work. Man can make excuses and refuse the invitation to the great banquet.

The invitation to come to the banquet is now. It is, in part, realized even today. We have the opportunity in just a few moments to rejoice in a foretaste of what God has prepared for us. We live in the kingdom already, but we don’t yet see it fully. Let us come with joy to hear, smell, and taste what he has for us. The supper is great, but we have tasted only crumbs. Let us rejoice in these crumbs knowing that the love of God is manifested to us here today. Let us realize that nothing in this world, despite its promises otherwise, can delight for fill our needs like the living and active Word of God and the gifts he provides in his sacraments. Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD