Luke 14: 16-24


The lesson I am learning today:  Sometimes any choice is no choice at all.

“A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

18 “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.’

19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

21 “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.’

22 “ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ ”  (Luke 14)

By His Grace

Consumed


I look at myself, and I see the Lord Jesus.  But I don’t see myself in the same light as He.

For He consumed Himself with the Joy of obedience toward His Holy Father’s will.

I, on the other hand, am consumed with the effects of forgiveness, partial obedience, and the consequences of sins (both past and present).

What an odd comparison to find living in my soul.

 

Without question: Jesus Christ, the Holy Lamb of God, is King of all!  Indeed, salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb.  As it will be sung on that Holy Day, so it is memorized by compulsion today.

The Wasting


The man who sits and does nothing will surely waste away.  Exercise and learning are necessary parts of our body and mind.  All kinds of diseases and ineptitude come because the man does nothing with his body or mind.

As it is with the body, so it is with the soul.  The soul that is not fed on truth, will surely waste away.  But to whatever extent the soul is fed truth there is a strength that comes.  To whatever extent we listen to the living God in Christ Jesus we become stronger.

A level of righteousness does appear.  A level of ability to restrain sin does appear.  A level of vibrant prayer does appear.  And faith blossoms, if it is continually watered by the Holy Word of God.

Feed the body on wasteful living and it will become useless.  Feed the soul on wasteful lies, and it will become useless.

These are the rules of life that cannot be broken without consequence.

By His Grace

In the likeness


He who continues in a life of rebellion against the Holy God can be likened to wild animals.  Such creatures do as pleases them, regardless where their feet take them.  They pursue ambition blindly, and ignorant of a certain and present danger.

There is the land and presence of man.  If a creature proves that he will not stop molesting what the man treasures, death or inevitable and permanent restraint  approaches quickly.

Imagine that a few animals were able to conspire against man as man does against God.  Would the animals understand the deadly instruments the man may wield?  Quite likely, not.

Once a bullet has found flesh, it does what bullets do.  Whether death or serious injury, change is made in the conspiracy.  But until the confrontation the conspiracy continues.

Man can be likened to God, in that he has patience.  Is there not an end to the patience of man?  How is it man assumes there is no end to the patience of God?  And yet they conspire with confidence.

Who is wise among men but that he ceases his activity of conspiracy?  Who is wise among men but that he that appeals to the “Most High” for truce?

Who is foolish among men but he who does not consider these things?  Who is foolish among men but he who continues in his rebellion thinking their are no consequences?