Parable of the Great Banquet - Luke 14:15-24

In my QT this morning I was reading through Luke. I am struck once again at the great mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The parable is a story of heaven, that God is throughing a huge banquet - a party really for his soon to be Groom and is inviting the world.

He starts with the orginal guests - the descendants of Abraham: they say no thank you Because

I just bought some stuff I need to check out
My job is too important
I cant my wife says no

These same excuses are still valid today and some of the primary reasons people will not learn to spend time with God. We are all guilty of these at times, but may we learn to say no to the world and yes to time with the God of the Universe

Then He tells the servants to go out to all the by ways and invite anyone who will come....

The servants return and say "Sir, what you ordererd has been done, but there is still room!

Would that not be a terrible thing to see....to Get to heaven, to meet God face to face and find out God had rooms for Billions of people, but only Millions wolud come!

What a dreadful day that would be. It would be like in the days of Noah, who built a huge boat with plenty of room for his friends, for the lost, for anyone who would simply believe that there was a judgement coming quickly, that the only way to be saved was to go through the one and only door - same as today in Jesus Christ - I am the Way, I am the Truth, I am the Gate. - no one comes to the father, Except through me! _ says Jesus.....

In Noahs day as in ours the most horifying sounds would could here would be those who have been left after the door to the Ark was shut!

Get in the Boat, and Take as many with you as will come!

Following Jesus - Phil 3:10

Php 3:10-14 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, (11) and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (12) Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. (13) Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, (14) I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.


God has been so kind to me. As a young Pilot in the Army, I had it made! At the age of 19 I a was already had it all.

1) A great job - flying Blackhawk helicopters.
2) Great Pay - HS graduate making over $40k (1980's money base) plus taxfree housing and flight pay.
3) Friends to Party with
4) Women to enjoy

Yet I was empty.........

I had it all....yet I knew deep down inside that I wanted more than just feeding my passions...my passions were never full and I still felt empty.

Like eating candy and deserts all day, my appetite was being fed, but I remained hungry and longing spiritually......

Also I thought that I had brought all of this about by the works of my hand. Boy was I wrong. After 2 friends died in helicopter crashes, I realized that I would die as well, and but by the grace of God, I could have already ended up at the bottom of lake Barkley in Kentucky, because I almost crashed under Night Vision Googles one night.

After talking with a friend, Henry Bealieu, I started reading and studying the Bible and God opened my Eyes to Jesus Christ, the gifts he has given me, and my own sinfulness and arrogance.

After I confessed my own sinfulness, asked Christ to forgive me and committed my life to following Jesus Christ at any cost, I have never looked back! He is my King, My Lord and my very great reward.

I really want to do only one thing - To Know Christ and allow that love for him to overflow into the lives of others. I have come to realize life is short, and I can only have one passion.

I choose that Passion to be To Know Jesus Christ!

You too only have time in life for one Passion - Choose it wisely!