16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, 17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ 18 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.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ 20 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’” (Luke 14:16–20, NKJV)
We are masters at making excuses. The great supper and the invitation to come to the prepared feast is figurative of the kingdom of God and God’s invitation to come to His feast of salvation and “eat” in His kingdom (Lk. 14:15; cf. Isa. 55:1-4). God’s invitation to salvation from sin is sent to every soul, yet few come. Many still say, “I have other, more pressing things to do.” “Necessary” things. “Important” things. “Valid” concerns. Yet, every excuse belies the greater value we place on ourselves instead of on the kingdom of God. (Gaining the whole world is not worth losing your soul, Matthew 16:26.) The host told his servant, “none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper” as a result of their excuse-making rejection of his invitation (Lk. 14:24). God has prepared everything for your salvation in His Son (Matt. 11:28-30). Do not refuse His invitation. Believe and obey the gospel, and enter the kingdom of God (Mk. 16:15-16; Col. 1:13-14).
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