The Parable of the Great Banquet Part 10, Luke Parable Series, Luke 14:15-24 The great banquet is the celebration after the wedding ceremony mentioned in verses 8-14. A Jewish wedding calls for the first meeting of the bride and the groom to sign a marriage contract. After which, the groom has to leave right away and prepare their home. It was in keeping with what God said in Genesis 2:24. After the groom comes back, the public ceremony begins, and the feast comes next. To us, wedding is such an important event because it portrays the wedding of Christ to His church. The church is His bride according to Ephesians 5:25-27. Thus, this is a very important event. Having said that, Jesus used the parable of the Wedding feast to portray the importance of the said union. Therefore, having been invited to the wedding feast is a great privilege. 1. The great celebration is not for the pretentious. Luke 14:1 says, “One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched.” Israel’s religious leaders were oozing with pride and self-righteousness. They have been very unyielding to Jesus’ teaching. In fact, the Jewish leaders and the lawyers were always finding a way to trap Him into violating their law. This revealed their… • Pretentiousness. • Self-importance. • Hunger for prominence. • Self-entitled. 2. The great banquet is for the humbled. “13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” 15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” Luke 14:13-15 • The Jewish leader thought he will be in the great feast. • The more they were able to perform the rituals, the more righteous they see themselves. • But Jesus was teaching the kind of humility that will enter His feast. • Only those who trust in the Lord and with a clean heart will be in the feast. Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 51:10-12 3. The great banquet is a great spiritual charity. “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 14:21-24. • The poor, the sick and the lame in the Jewish society see them as sinners. Isaiah 65:7; John 9:1-2 • They depend on God for healing and help. Cf. John 9:3-7 • The great banquet is picture of God celebrating after His victory over Satan, sin, sickness and death. God is inviting you now to His great banquet. Would you come to Him and thank Him for His invitation, or will you do the very same thing that the religious leaders did?