Life experiences often help us get a better grasp of the things of God. For example, the story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac is powerful, but when you have a child of your own and then think about Abraham’s faith and obedience, true trust in God takes on a deeper meaning. We know God prevented Abraham from killing Isaac, but He did not stop himself from killing Jesus. What kind of love is this? Who could give up his own child to rescue the undeserving?
A couple of weeks ago, our son Taylor proposed to his girlfriend Emma. She said “Yes” and now wedding plans are being made. I’m going to be a ‘father of the groom!’ I love weddings! But this one is going to be totally different… because my son is getting married. I’m not in charge, of course, but I know how my son thinks. He’ll want everyone there! “Come to my wedding! This is going to be better than a fishing tournament! Come celebrate with us!!”
(I’ve got to be careful with my illustration, because I think the father of the bride gets to foot most of the bill and since Susan and I have two daughters and only one son, I think I should be cautious.) So, for sake of illustration, let’s pretend there is no limit to the number of people that come to Taylor and Emma’s wedding and let’s pretend we rent a huge church building and an even bigger banquet hall for a spectacular reception to follow. Let’s say we have an incredible band lined up to play music and chefs lined up to cook gourmet food and flowers and decorations and bells and whistles… No expense is being spared! (Remember, this is all hypothetical…) But as the day approaches, we get a terrible report. The ‘regrets’ in the mail are outnumbering the ‘accepts’ by a huge margin. The church building is going to be empty! The huge celebration is turning into a tiny party. What are we going to do with all the leftovers? Who is going to dance to the music of the incredible band? What is my son going to think?
I know what I’ll do… I’ll invite others! We’ll not settle for an empty house! We’re going to have a celebration that is unprecedented, even if most of the guests are strangers! “Come to the banquet! My son is getting married and you don’t want to miss it!” (I know those of you who have actually had a wedding in your family are going to point out all the ‘holes’ in my illustration, but Jesus told two parables about a big banquet… below is a mix of the two. Read them for yourself in Matthew 22 and Luke 14 and make sure you say ‘Yes’ when you’re invited.)
“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ 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.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Then the king said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find. Go into the alleys and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet. For many are invited, but few are chosen.’”