SO THAT MY HOUSE WILL BE FULL

Passage: Luke 14:15-24

Key verse: 23

NIV

The Parable of the Great Banquet(A)

15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast(B) in the kingdom of God.”(C)

16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

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.’(D)

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.’”(E)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, (A)“Blessed is everyone who will (B)eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 But he said to him, (C)“A man once (D)gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he (E)sent his servant[a] to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, (F)‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. 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 (G)the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you,[b] (H)none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 14:17 Or bondservant; also verses 21 (twice), 22, 23
  2. Luke 14:24 The Greek word for you here is plural
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Come, for everything is ready (15-2 ) One of the guests was reminded of the great heavenly banquet of the Messiah (15). So Jesus told a parable about the kingdom of God. What a tragedy it was that God's chosen people were too busy with private, worldly affairs to come to the great Messianic banquet which God prepared for them. Christians who neglect prayer and Bible study, or who put their own business ahead of God's, can become like this, too. 2. Those from the streets and roads (21-24) When the Jews rejected God's Messiah, God opened the door to the Gentile world. All who need his mercy--the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind and all sinners--are invited to come. His grace is free. It is offered to those who cannot repay him. The guests at the great banquet in the kingdom of heaven will be those who accept his love and come to him by faith.

Prayer: Lord, help me to give you and your business top priority in my life today.

One Word: Come to the King's banquet