Thanksgiving
Notes
Transcript
With Thanksgiving coming up this week, and with the changes of life and growing older, I guess I have gone a little nostalgic. I can remember the younger days of what Thanksgiving meant. Putting on warm clothes, getting a fire started to warm water, and turning the hogs into sausage, ham, pork chops…you all have been there. As I got older, it was dressing warm then heading to a deer stand, hoping the big buck would pass by.
As I got older, Thanksgiving meant more as college, graduate school, and my prioritization took me away from family, and Thanksgiving was something that brought me home for a moment to eat favorite foods and desserts. As I got older, Thanksgiving became more special as I got to share it with Allison. One thing she learned very quickly was to pace herself and not overeat because the two grandmothers would have feasts for a king prepared. As our family grew, and as the grandmothers aged, the fond memories go to the stories around mom and dads table, and the laughs we have had.
But my fondest memories are still the many meals prepared and eaten at our grandparents homes. Each had certain foods that were specialties. Ham and turkey were always on the table, and then each of the grandkids favorites. Greens, shucked beans, deviled eggs, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, corn, rolls or angel biscuits, cakes, pies… you all get the point.
I also think back to the preparation that went into those meals, though. Tablecloths spread, silver polished, the “good” plates and glasses, it was a special time that called for special preparation. Now, as we got older the fine china was called Chinet… The point I am trying to make is this - the gathering of family preparation for Thanksgiving was something that pride was taken in. Everything had to be perfect. Why? Because they were preparing for people they loved, people they wanted to honor, and they proved their honor and love through food.
Now, let’s think about the first part of Psalm 23:5 - a table is prepared in the presence of my enemies.
Psalm 23:5a(ESV)
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
One thing that never crossed my mind as a young child was the time, the effort, the stress, and all the other things that went into preparing that meal. I now know why they would run all us kids out of the kitchen.
But what if they had put all the time and effort into preparing the food for the table, and no one came to eat? There is a scenario that plays out like that in scripture, so the question today is are we thankful for the bounty God has prepared for us?
Reclined at the Table
Reclined at the Table
15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”
Leading up to this verse, Jesus has gone to eat at the home of a Pharisee on the Sabbath. From the way I read this, it was not a feast that had been prepared for the honor of Jesus but instead was for examining Jesus. At this dinner was a man with dropsy, or excessive swelling. Instead of automatically healing this man, Jesus asked the Pharisees and legal experts if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. Interestingly enough, the experts refused to answer, so, Jesus healed him. Jesus then asks them another question. If your son or an ox fell into a well on the Sabbath, would you not pull him out?
Jesus was trying to show the hypocrisy in what the Pharisees and legal experts were trying to do - set Jesus up for healing on the Sabbath. He then talks to them in a parable of the wedding feast. Using it as an opportunity to place yourself in an area of honor that is not deserved.
We always knew who would be seated at the head of the table at dinner time...
Jesus wants the to understand that self-sought importance is not all that important. Recognition and honor should come from others, not from yourself. He speaks to the host about not hosting dinners for the wealthy and elite in the hope of being invited to their dinners, but instead for the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind so that you receive the blessing at the resurrection.
This is when one of those in attendance said, “blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God”. Now, when Jesus speaks of spiritual things, the Pharisees start with their praise. But, there was two different feasts being thought of here, the one the Pharisees were thinking of was the feast given for the Jewish nation when God sets up His earthly kingdom - the Messianic Feast. They failed to recognize the Messiah standing in front of them, though. Knowing what they were thinking of, Jesus tries to correct them.
Great Banquet Prepared
Great Banquet Prepared
16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many.
17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
One thing to point out of importance is this; God sends an invitation to His Great Banquet to everyone. He has already prepared the feast, the love, the time, the details had already been completed. Those He loves are invited. Now, He waits for the guests to accept the invitation and arrive.
Jesus knew He would purchase salvation for every person through His death, burial, and resurrection. The offer of salvation has been given to everyone. The many Jesus speaks of are those who hear the Gospel Message. You see, anyone who hears, sees, or reads the Gospel has received an invitation! Notice is was not just one invitation. The invitation was given, but servants were sent to give personal reminders and an announcement of the banquet feast being ready to everyone who had accepted the invitation. “Come, for everything is now ready”. Now, it is up to those invited to choose whether they will attend or not. Even though they had sent their RSVP, they still had not showed up to the feast!
In the same fashion, many have made the proclamation they have accepted Christ’s invitation, but they have made to preparation to attend the feast. They’ve not even woken up, taken a shower, or gotten dressed for the occasion.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Think closely at this station, many are called, few are chosen. I think it could also be said many are called, but few TRULY CHOOSE to follow and instead make up excuses.
Excuses!
Excuses!
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, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’
Now, if I could go sit back down under my grandma’s and grandmothers tables and had an opportunity to eat their cooking, I don’t know of too many things that would keep me from going.
But now listen to these excuses:
1) One man said he was too involved in business. The man had bought a piece of ground and needed to look after it. Now, I do not know of too many people who would buy a piece of land without ever setting eyes on it, but… What is really at store here is someone who is more interested in business than they are relationship and we cannot allow everything in life to consume their life.
God is to be the center of a person’s life, and God is to be the one around whom all else revolves.
26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
2) Another man said that he was too wrapped up in new purchases. The oxen had just been purchased. They were a new possession, and the owner wanted to try them out. So it is with new purchases such as houses, lands, cars, bikes, records, books, radios, televisions, and a host of other material things. However, this is the point: things should never keep us from God.
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
3) Still another man said that he was too wrapped up with his family. This man had just been married, and it is true that marriage is ordained by God. However, it is not to be put before God. The man should have prepared for the banquet before marrying. Nothing—family, friends, or important social functions—should be put before attending the Great Banquet of God.
33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
It takes someone who is willing to follow the Lord without hesitation that makes us valuable to the Lord. The excuses not only get in our way of service God, but it changes how God views us.
No More Excuses
No More Excuses
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 the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’
All these invited guests rejected the invitation from the Master. How would you feel if you had gone through all the effort to prepare a meal, but no one showed up to eat? It would infuriate us, wouldn’t it?
It infuriated this man also! The guests who rejected showed both unconcern and contempt for the invitation.
They showed unconcern over the great cost to God in preparing and providing all things (Christ’s death, v. 17). The great cost and price He paid was of little, if any, concern to them.
They showed contempt in that they deceived the Lord. They accepted the first invitation, but they never began to clean themselves nor to dress properly for the feast.
The Lord had reason to be angry. The guests who had rejected His invitation had deceived and shown the utmost contempt, giving no thought to the great price He had paid for them.
We will find out later is not a single one of the guests who rejected His invitation were allowed to taste of His banquet.
New Invitations
New Invitations
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.
The Master was mad. What if we had cooked a feast all day long just to have our guests pull a no-show? Wouldn’t we be mad also? The Lord shifted His banquet focus. He immediately sent out His servants and said bring in anyone else who can attend. Bring the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. Basically, bring in everyone that had not already been invited!
The Lord would not allow His plan to be stopped. He had planned a feast and no one would stop it. The food was ready, so He needed guests quickly. The Lord’s servant is to go out into the streets and lanes of the city. He is to leave the homes of the rich and luxurious, the self-sufficient and worldly-minded, the religionists and self-righteous. He is to go out from among the acceptable and established to reach out to the people of the streets and the highways. The Lord’s servant is to go to those who will need assistance in order to come; he is to go to those who know and readily admit that they need help - the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. They recognize their need for help. The Lord says, “Compel them.” This does not mean to compel by physical force but by the force of preaching and persuasion, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We know the need for the Lord. We know our own limitations, and how we need God, we cannot do life on our own. It is when we humble ourselves and understand our limitations without God and call out to Him that He thankfully invites us to the banquet table!
"Go quickly” parallels how the banquet hall in heaven will be filled quickly. One day God will look at His Son and say “Go quickly” to gather His children and thankfully we will feast with Him!
Once that call happens, some will be received at the feast, while all the rest will face judgment.
Judgment
Judgment
24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ”
The rejecters are excluded. This is a tragic pronouncement, but a very deserving verdict. The Lord says that not a single rejecter “will taste of my supper.” There is no second chance. You might say, there will be no left overs in heaven.
Closing
Closing
We all will sit around the table this week and enjoy a time of Thanksgiving. We will think of the memories past, the memories of that day, and the memories to come. Food will be plentiful, it will be lovingly prepared, and it will be enjoyed by all.
I would not be doing you any favors if I did not point out though, that we all have been invited to a feast that will make all our feasts pale in comparison. We have been given an invitation, but it is up to us solely to accept that invitation. One thing is for sure, if we accept what God has invited us to, oh what a banquet it will be!