Worship & Prayer
THE GATES OF HEAVEN ARE OPEN WIDE - Deb Humphries
22/06/08
The title of my sermon comes from the words of a chorus which has been going around my head since I started writing and rewriting this sermon, so I want just to put the words in context:“The trumpets sound the angels sing,
The feast is ready to begin.
The gates of heaven are open wide and Jesus welcomes you inside.”
At the beginning of this chapter of Luke’s Gospel, we read that Jesus is at the house of a “prominent Pharisee” and that it is the Sabbath. We are also told that Jesus is “being carefully watched” by those who are sharing the meal with Him, experts in the law and other Pharisees. Luke brings together two stories in the context of the meal before relating the two that we are looking at in this particular passage. It was common practice in Greek civilisation for teachers and philosophers to offer their wisdom at banquets. Luke portrays Jesus at table as one who accepts and receives all kinds of people - but more of that later.
In verses 12 to 14 we are challenged not just to invite our friends and families for meals, but to invite “the poor, the crippled, the lame, (and) the blind”. In verses 15 to 24 we are told the well known parable of “the Great Banquet” and it is this that I would like us to look at in some detail this evening.
The Parable of the Great Banquet is not merely a story about a host whose guests stand him up. This parable, like all those that Jesus told has a deeper meaning. Here we are invited to join the Messiah at the banquet in the Kingdom of God.
Let’s look first at the idea of invitation.
It was the custom in village feasts to send out 2 invitations. All three of the guests described in this passage had accepted the first invitation of the host as he began to plan the banquet. When all the preparations had been made, it was normal practice to send a second invitation to say that all was ready. And this is the point at which we join the story. The first 2 excuses given for not attending the feast seem pretty weak to me although the third excuse is perhaps more reasonable.
This story of guests who accept the first invitation but refuse the second is “a great illustration for the Jews present at the table with Jesus. They had had their invitations (to join the Messiah in the Kingdom of God) throughout the whole of the Old Testament – of course they wanted to become part of the Kingdom so long promised” (Explore Bible notes May 26 2008), but when Jesus came and issued the second invitation, many were not ready to receive Him.
In my reading of this section, I am left with three questions:-
Have we accepted Christ’s invitation to join Him in the kingdom of God?
And whether we have or not, what kind of excuses do we give to avoid spending time with Him now?
I guess most, if not all of us here have given our lives to Christ and look forward to joining him in the Kingdom. But what does the Kingdom mean?
At Spring Harvest this year we learnt all about eschatology – not a word previously in my vocabulary. Put simply, it means, “the end times” when Christ returns and God’s Kingdom is restored. Russell Rook writes, “True Christian living is an experiment in eschatology and an exercise in hopefulness.” (SH Study Guide 2008, p.7)
We were told in our Bible study that, since Christ’s death and resurrection we are now living in a time of “inaugurated eschatology”. That is to say, when Christ sacrificed his life for us, the Kingdom was opened up for us in the here and now. God’s Kingdom isn’t coming, it has come. We can enjoy it now. It will be better, completed when Jesus comes again and the whole of creation is restored, but we can enjoy it now. To use Paul’s well-known image from 1 Corinthians 13, what we see of God’s Kingdom now is as “a poor reflection … (and when Christ returns) then we shall see face to face … Now (we) know in part: then (we) shall know fully”. It’s exciting and that should make us want to extend God’s invitation to everyone we meet, whoever they are.
But let us pause for a moment and reflect again on those guests that decided not to attend the banquet. It is all too easy to be critical of them. We too are fallible human beings and we, like the invited guests in the story, offer our own excuses to God – too tired to pray or read our Bibles, too busy for church activities this week… And yet we need to heed the warning of verse 24, “I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet”. But all is not lost. From my understanding of God from the Bible as a whole, I believe that when we ask, God forgives us when we fail to join him in the tasks to which he has called us. There is hope for the truly repentant believer.
So, if we have responded to Christ’s invitation, who else then is the invitation for?
When the servant returns to the host the first time, he is commanded to “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame”. As Jesus advises in verse 13, when talking of banquets we might host, we should invite the marginal people of our towns and cities, those perceived as the good and the bad. When the servant returns for the second time to say that there is still room for more, he is sent “to the roads and country lanes … so that (the) house will be full”. It has been suggested that this is a reference to the Gentiles, those on the outskirts who would not normally be allowed into Jewish society.
So what does this mean for us in the 21st century? If we are already part of God’s kingdom, who should we be inviting to join us at the Banquet? Who are the outcasts today, not just the disadvantaged, but the outsiders, those beyond the borders?
As I listened in horror to the news two weeks ago of a family involved in a crash on the M6 where boys of 8 and 10 were both killed and the father lay seriously ill in hospital, my heart went out to that family. As I heard of the understandable distress of the mother at a news conference, I thought of my own family and gave thanks. I then thought in anger of the driver over the limit for alcohol, driving without insurance.
As I spoke with the children’s swimming teacher the next day she echoed my empathy for the family. But she went on to speak with compassion of the driver who at 24 had a long life ahead of him to live with the consequences of his actions. Now I’m not sure whether she’s a Christian or not, but for me that was the voice of Christ, seeing beyond the external to the person inside.
I believe that just as Jesus welcomes all and sundry and doesn’t judge people by their looks or according to their health, wealth or status, he is calling us to go out and invite those shunned by society, the asylum seeker, the refugee, those with Aids or learning difficulties, or anyone with whom we might feel awkward because of their race, creed, political views or sexual orientation.
But it isn’t really about how we see other people. It is about us and our perceptions of them. We all have “issues” things that we find difficult to see or live with. But thankfully it isn’t up to us. None of us is “good enough” for God. God’s love is immeasurable. His arms are open wide to receive into His Kingdom all who truly believe. He sees the person on the inside. All too often we only see the outside. Jesus ate with tax collectors and prostitutes. He took children in his arms. He is glad to have anyone who seeks Him in His kingdom and we should follow His example.
But how do we extend the invitation to others? What does this mean in real terms in our daily life?
Part of what attracted us as a family to this church was the way in which it engages in the local community. Lyndon is not just a church that looks after its own, but a church that goes out into the community and brings the good news to those in need. The Noise gardening project and the community fun day are the two examples that came to mind as I studied this passage in preparation for tonight’s service. But there are many more things that we do as a church week in week out that bring God’s love to our neighbours and share some of His kingdom here and now – work with the young people through the Brigades and Jesus Crew, Women’s fellowship and Friday lunches, going out into the schools, Lyndon House and Lyndon Croft, to name but a few.
And yet we are called to do even more. As we go about our daily lives, how can we share Christ with those that we meet? Who is Christ challenging us to invite into His Kingdom?
Evangelism is a scary word, but mission is, I believe, first and foremost about relationship, about sharing our experience of Christ. When I was asked to lead a session of Alpha, I was prompted to invite a non - Christian friend, Mum of Joshua’s best friend and a good friend of mine to attend Alpha with me. I was amazed that I had the courage to ask her, even more amazed that she accepted, and astounded that she attended virtually every session with me. She has not become a Christian - yet - but it opened up an opportunity in the car to discuss the evening’s topic and who knows where those conversations will lead. I have become much braver in sharing my faith and a door has been opened. God’s grace will work through it.
It is only since becoming a mother that I have really had non - Christian friends, people with whom I share all my worries, insecurities, and joys about parenting, as well as other parts of my life. It is in these very real, raw relationships where we share our highs and our lows that Christ comes in and it is impossible not to talk about how faith impacts my daily life.
I’m sure we all have friends who we see regularly at work or with whom we meet to pursue hobbies or share our interests in groups. How do we go about sharing the Good News and inviting those people we know and love into God’s Kingdom? We need to pray for God’s strength and guidance for the Holy Spirit to open up opportunities and give us the words to speak for Him.
As we draw to a close, let’s just take a moment of silence as we reflect on Christ’s challenge to us tonight.
Have we accepted Christ’s invitation to join Him as part of His Kingdom in the here and now?
Are there any excuses of which we need to repent?
God’s invitation is for all – who should we be inviting in and how?