Monday, October 29, 2018
Luke 14:15-24 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' "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.' "Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.' "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.' "'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.' "Then the master told his servant, '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.'"
THE GREAT BANQUET IS SET AND THE DOOR IS OPEN
There still is room! There still is time! "Go out quickly to the streets and lanes" and bring them in. "Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that ..." His house may be filled. The door to the great banquet hall is open to them. Before you also is a wide door, the wide door of opportunity to herald Him and His atoning sacrifice.
As Paul prayed, "that God may open to us a door for the Word..." (Colossians 4:3), so let us pray.
God answered Paul's prayer for such opportunity in his Roman imprisonment. "I want you to know, brethren, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ: and most of the brethren have been made confident in the Lord because of my imprisonment, and are much more bold to speak the word of God without fear" (Philippians 1:12-14). May it be so with us also.
