🪑 There's Still Room. | 📖 Luke 14:12-24

Welcome to Ontario Community Church, where we are encouraging, equipping, and engaging lives for Christ.

! I'm Pastor Patrick Daly, and each week I share sermons that balance the grace and love of Jesus Christ with the truth of the Word of God.

Together, we'll explore Scripture using observation, interpretation, and application.

This helps us discover practical ways to live out our faith every single day.

Let's dive in together into God's Word.

Alright, well good morning everyone.

What a fun morning we've had so far with all the kiddos and all the energy.

You know, one of the great things I really appreciate just about our church family, our church community, us coming together,

is knowing that kids can run around and be kids.

You do not have to raise your hand when I say this, but I'm sure for a lot of us,

we've been in churches where if a kid runs around or screams a little too loud, they might want you out the door.

Let's be honest here.

But we have to be reminded of how important it is for children to come to know the Lord, even at a young age.

To learn the basic Bible stories, right?

Like the creation account, or Noah, and the flood.

Or even how, well, the Pharaoh, Moses, right?

The story of Joseph, and of course the story of Jesus Christ.

I'm reminded so much of how when Scripture says,

let the little children come to me, when Christ is saying that.

And even as we, as adults, we have our moments where we're like, ah, they're a little too loud.

But it's so important for us as a church community,

as the body of Christ, to let children be children,

but also to instruct them, to show them what it means to love Jesus.

Amen?

So I want us to go ahead and,

today's sermon is titled, There's Still Room.

And we had this activity here where we had the pitcher of water,

the bread basket, and all these different things that are going on.

And, you know, I got to tell you,

I was planning on doing this parable of the great banquet for a while.

Well, God's timing is better than my timing kind of thing.

So it wasn't, it was the hand of God that we were doing,

already planning the great banquet,

and tying this in with children is just a wonderful thing.

So go ahead and turn your Bibles to Luke, chapter 14, verses 12 through 24.

Luke 14:12–24

And as you're turning there,

you may turn to, it's on page 1038 in your ESVP Bible,

or you're welcome to use whatever Bible of choice,

the KJV, NIV, et cetera, et cetera.

We use the English Standard Version here.

And as you're turning there,

I'm going to go ahead and,

let's open in prayer,

and let's ask God to bless this time together,

that we will know Him, grow in Him,

and be moved to do good in His name.

Dear Lord and Heavenly Father,

we thank You for giving us this time

and this opportunity for us to gather together

to sing these wonderful songs,

lifting Your name on high,

for Your name is the name that is above all names.

We worship You, and we praise You,

and we thank You.

We are in awe and in wonder of who You are,

making the heavens and the earth,

knowing that the heavens declare Your glory,

and that You made each and every one of us

in Your image,

and You call each and every one of us

to this great feast,

to this great banquet,

is something that is extraordinary.

We thank You that we can open Your Word

and read it.

We can observe what's going on

within the pages of Scripture.

We can learn the lessons,

and also we can be moved

to live out this faith.

And Father, I pray,

if there is anyone that needs healing,

let there be healing.

If there's anyone that needs comfort

or understanding,

let it be done according to Your will.

Father, may we be reminded

that no matter where,

what our background is,

what our backstory is,

You call each and every one of us

to know You,

to believe in Your Son, Jesus Christ,

the way, the truth, and the life.

And upon that salvation,

receiving the free gift of salvation,

You call for us to grow in You,

to live it out every day

in our everyday world.

And so be with us this morning

as we go through this parable

of the great banquet.

It is in Jesus' name that we pray.

Can I get an amen?

Amen.

All right.

So are we all there?

All right.

The parable of the great banquet.

Kind of the thing to know is that

this is obviously right after

the parable of the wedding feast,

right?

Talking about humility.

And then we also look at

what's happening after,

which is also talking about

the cost of discipleship,

which is also going on about humility.

So that might have something to do

with what's going on here.

Right?

So the parable of the great banquet.

So starting at verse 12,

he also said to the man

who had invited him,

when you give a dinner

or a banquet,

do not invite your friends

or your brothers

or your relatives

or rich neighbors,

lest they also invite you in return

and you be repaid.

But when you give a feast,

invite who?

The poor.

Who else?

The crippled,

the lame,

and the blind.

And you will be blessed.

Why?

Because they cannot,

what?

Repay you.

For you will be repaid

at the resurrection of the just.

Then you go into verse 15 here.

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.

It's kind of a random statement,

but it's a statement nonetheless.

Because Jesus is going to clarify this

in a second.

He said to him,

A man once gave a great banquet

and invited many.

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.

But they all alike

began to do what?

Make excuses.

They said to him,

one of them, right,

I've bought a field

and I must go out and see it.

Please have me excused.

And another said,

I bought what?

Five yokes of oxen, right?

And I go to examine them.

Please have me excused.

And another said,

What happened?

I married a wife

and therefore I cannot come.

So the servant came.

And I mean,

life happens, right?

So a little humor in there, right?

And the master of the house became,

or so the servant came

and reported these things

to his master.

And then the master of the house

became angry

and said to his servant,

Go out quickly

to the streets

and the lanes

of the city

and bring in who?

The poor,

the crippled,

the blind,

and the lame.

There's a pattern here.

We can see that.

And the servant said,

Sir,

what you commanded

has been done.

And there is what?

Still room.

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.

For I tell you,

none of those men

who were invited

shall taste my banquet.

Why?

Because they rejected

the invitation.

What a very interesting

parable.

Right?

When we're thinking about it,

we already had the parable

of the wedding feast,

right?

Where it's talking about

everyone who exalts himself

will be humble

and he who humbles himself

will be exalted.

We have what appears

to be a dinner scene

that's going on.

There's a man

that's inviting him

to this,

kind of this dinner party

that's going on.

There's a distinction here

between a dinner

and a great banquet

that we find later on

in the verses.

You see,

we live in this kind of world

where,

well,

how many of you

have taken someone out

for coffee before?

Or you had lunch together,

right?

We live in this culture

where it's very common,

you scratch my back,

I scratch your back,

right?

You buy me coffee,

eventually you're going to

buy me coffee,

kind of thing,

right?

That's the kind of world

that we live in.

But that's not what Christ

is talking about here

in this scene.

He's talking about something

that is far greater

than just buying coffee

or having lunch together.

I know some of us

may not have had breakfast,

so we might be hungry

when I'm mentioning food.

I apologize in advance here.

But it's so interesting

that one of the things

that we can see

when we are thinking

of parables,

when we're thinking

of how Jesus is talking

to the Jewish people

and their understanding

of the world,

it was very common

to talk about things

that were small

that gets magnified

into the larger,

from the lesser

to the larger.

That was very common.

And so what you see here

is a smaller dinner

compared to a great banquet.

And in here,

it's saying here,

Jesus attends the dinner party,

right?

He challenges the norm.

He's going from

that cultural meal,

having a meal together.

We all love

having meals together.

I sure hope that we do.

Or at least with people

that we like, right?

Especially our family.

We all love our families.

Amen?

Right?

Talking to a kingdom invitation, though.

So there's a difference

between the common dinner,

the common luncheon

in our own context,

or a common meeting up

for coffee

and a banquet.

So in this world,

we buy each other coffee.

But when it comes

to the kingdom of God,

there's still room

for everyone.

So when we think

of this table

that Amber had set up,

that's something that

we can initially see

right away within the text.

And this isn't the only time

that Jesus was using a banquet

to talk about the kingdom.

If you think of Matthew 22

and the wedding feast,

right?

Some rejected.

Then all was invited.

Right?

It's starting from something small

and it goes to something

much larger in scale.

When you think of Luke chapter 15,

Luke 15 · chapter mention

the parable of the prodigal son,

where the father throws

a banquet for all,

even the unexpected.

You see a pattern

that happens within Scripture

because let us remember,

we look at the context

within what's going on

within the story,

within the pages of Scripture,

but we also look at

where else do we see

this in Scripture?

In Matthew 25,

when I did the message

on the parable

of the ten virgins,

there's the wedding feast

where the virgins

are waiting in anticipation

for the bridegroom

to come onto the scene

because there's a celebration

that's going to be happening.

And so,

what do we see here?

Jesus is saying,

don't invite people

who can repay you.

Instead,

invite the poor,

invite the crippled,

the lame,

and the blind.

Well,

we can think

even back then,

it doesn't take much

for us to think

that these are

the outcasts of society.

They weren't viewed upon

very favorably back then,

and sadly,

it still happens today.

Are there not people

in society

and in everyday living

that you just don't

want to deal with them?

You just don't.

They may not smell right.

They may not.

They may look funny.

They may be the outcasts

of society.

But yet here,

it's talking about

when it goes into

that parable,

when you give a feast,

invite everybody,

even the misfits,

even the outcasts

of society.

And perhaps you

have had moments

in your life

where you have felt

like you are an outcast.

Maybe there's something

that's unique about you

where you just don't fit

within the cultural norms

of society.

And so,

true hospitality

is when you're

giving to someone

without the expectation

of receiving

in return.

When we think about it,

we get in the habit of it.

I give you something,

you're going to give me

something back.

But the ability

to be able to give

without the expectation

of receiving

is something

that's far more powerful.

And that's what Jesus

is calling

here in the text.

And so,

we see in verses 14

and,

excuse me,

in 15 to 17,

a very interesting thing

that this guy is saying.

When one of them

reclined at the table,

he's saying,

blessed is everyone

who will eat bread

in the kingdom of God.

It's kind of like saying,

praise God.

Amen.

We're going to eat

at the feast in heaven.

So,

he's not saying something

that's wrong,

necessarily.

He's saying something

that needs to be

spoken to,

though.

So,

Christ wants to

elaborate a little bit

more on what exactly

is going on.

He's responding

with the story.

Yes,

that's true.

We praise God

for being able

to eat

in heaven,

so to speak.

But he's showing

the importance

of inviting people

to the banquet.

That there's something

that's much greater.

Is it possible

that this person

might have been,

well,

I'm in.

I'm already good to go.

I'm going to the banquet.

Well,

there is some debate

on that.

We can certainly

come to an easy

conclusion that Christ

is saying,

look,

that's great.

You're going to eat

bread in the kingdom,

but you've got to

invite people.

That's the lesson here.

And so,

we see in this parable

that many are invited.

We have three

rejections here.

Three of them.

Right?

Right?

We have the excuses

that are made.

One person bought

a field.

He's too busy.

Does this remind you

of the Good Samaritan?

Think about it,

right?

They're too busy

with their everyday

obligations that they

couldn't help someone

in need.

But here,

it's,

I'm too busy

to respond to an invitation.

I'm going to give you

an excuse because

I've got other things

to do.

One bought a field,

one bought an oxen,

and one got married.

The thing is,

it's not the reason,

it's the fact that

they're refusing to go.

Do you understand

the difference here?

There's a very big

difference,

right?

We all got reasons,

don't we?

But a refusal to

the banquet in this

context,

there's consequences

to that.

And so,

what Christ is saying

here,

yes,

praise God,

but are you going

to respond,

number one,

to the invitation?

And number two,

are you going to

extend that invitation

to other people?

Are you going to

make excuses?

Are you going to

show up?

And so,

when we think about

it,

the invitation

then widens,

and we see this

with many

different parables,

many different

things in Scripture.

I've mentioned,

what is it,

Daniel chapter 2,

Daniel 2:35

verse 35,

the stone that

hits the big

statue,

and the statue

crumbles,

and the stone

goes into a

great mountain,

right?

That which is

small expands,

right?

Lesser going to

greater.

In this case,

we are seeing

salvation being

made available

to a select

few,

listen to me,

from a select

few to

everybody.

Does that

make sense,

church?

That's what

we're seeing

here.

The invitation

saying,

you know,

I'm going to

only invite

five people

here.

That's it.

They said,

no.

I'm still going

to have a party

going on here,

and I'm going

to invite everybody.

I'm going to

invite the

misfits.

I'm going to

invite the

lame and the

blind,

the crippled,

the poor.

So the

servant goes

out into the

highways,

into the

hedges,

and it's so

fascinating when

the master is

saying,

so that my

house will be

filled.

Well,

you got a lot

of room if

you're going to

invite everybody,

but it goes to

show the

abundance of

God's grace.

That's actually

what leads us

then into the

interpretation,

right?

We read the

text,

we look at

what's going

on initially,

we then go

on for our

own spiritual

walk and

our growth

in the

Lord.

What are

the lessons

that we

can learn?

Number one

is that God's

kingdom is

abundant grace.

Knowing that

Christ died

for the

ungodly,

as Romans

5,

6-8

mentions,

or even

Isaiah 55,

many of you

know that

verse,

come all

who are

thirsty,

right?

Without

money,

without

price.

The

invitation

is,

look,

you don't

have to

have money.

You don't

have to

be in

perfect

health.

You don't

have to

be married,

right?

The

invitation

is for

everyone

to respond

to the

call that

Christ has

for every

single one

of it.

And what

does that

response look

like?

Believing

in the

death,

burial,

and resurrection

of Jesus

Christ.

Making

that decision

to say

yes to

Christ,

that Christ

is what

you need,

is all

that you

need when

it comes

to eternal

salvation.

And consider

that when I

talk about

abundant

grace,

it's extended,

it doesn't

run out.

Now we know

there's time

that ends,

sure,

but we know

that,

well,

saying things

like,

well,

salvation's

only available

to an

exclusive group

of people,

a certain

demographic,

or a certain

culture,

or a certain

race.

No,

it is

available for

everyone.

The second

thing then

is,

well,

a little

more blunt

here,

don't make

excuses.

Respond.

Because Christ

is showing

the,

right at the

very end,

I tell you,

none of those

men who are

invited shall

taste my

banquet.

That's not

the easy

thing,

but it

is the

truth

nonetheless.

Maybe you

identify as

one of the

people who's

been making

excuses.

Knock it

off.

Respond.

Say yes

to the

invitation.

In Luke

Luke 8:14

chapter 8

verse 14

where there's

reference that's

talking about

being choked

up by

life's worries,

right?

Riches or

possessions.

Well,

there's a

famous saying,

you can't

take it with

you.

We have to

remember,

our soul

is what we

have to

consider.

That which

is eternal.

Philippians

Philippians 3:8

chapter 3

verse 8

when the

apostle Paul

is saying,

I consider

everything a

loss compared

to knowing

Christ.

Knowing

Christ is

the greatest

treasure,

right?

Just like we

talked about

the pearl

of great

value or

the hidden

treasure that

we are to

seek Christ

with everything

that we

are in the

same way as

X marks the

spot and you

are to go

after that

treasure.

And so

in this,

ask yourself

that question,

are you making

excuses or are

you not?

Maybe you

identify and

say, you know

what, I have

been making

excuses.

I'm ready to

respond to

God's call in

receiving salvation

or even further,

I'm ready to

respond to God's

call for my

life.

Maybe you're

wrestling with

something that

you've been

wrestling with for

a while.

You know God's

calling you to do

something or to

stop doing

something.

And you say,

not yet, God.

Maybe you

identify with that.

Or if you

don't, maybe

you've had a

moment like

that.

I know I

have for

sure.

The third

thing then is

that God's

heart is for

all, even

what?

The misfits.

How many of

you watch that?

There's that

old Christmas

story.

You guys know

where I'm going

with this.

The island of

what?

The island of

misfits, right?

And the one

that always stuck

with my mind

all these years

ever since a

kid is the

train that had

the square

wheels, right?

And it's a

cute, if you

haven't watched

it, you should

watch it sometime,

right?

The island of

misfits where

they're the

cast outs of

society, right?

Nobody wants a

train that has

square wheels.

Are you kidding

me?

That's kind of

the attitude you

see in the

movie.

But in the

same way, for a

lot of us, we

may have felt

like we are on

the island of

misfits, as

it were.

Some of us

have had those

moments where,

you know, I

don't fit the

square hole.

Maybe I don't

fit that.

Maybe there's

something that's

different about

you or whatever.

We are all

different and

maybe you just

stick out.

And that's

okay.

Knowing the

fact that God's

invitation for

salvation is for

everyone, including

the misfits, is

remarkable.

Because I'm sure

that in our own

lives, many of us

have felt those

moments where we

felt isolated, where

we felt like we

just don't, we

don't know where

we fit in.

It's just like what

I've told you, and

I'll say it before,

and I'll say it

again.

Man will fail

you.

God will never

fail you, though.

And no matter

what hurt, or

what people say, or

what people do

against you that

has affected your

life, God

remains as the

constant, everlasting

to everlasting.

Our Lord remains

the same.

He does not

change.

We certainly

do.

And I'm

certainly glad I'm

not God.

Aren't you glad

you're not God?

I'm glad that God

forgives me of my

sins.

I'm glad that the

Lord loves me.

And he's still

offering that

invitation.

We think of how

often, how quickly

for us, we might

say, you know

what, I don't love

you anymore because

you did me dirty.

You did me wrong.

But to know that

God's love is much

greater, continuing

to extend that

invitation.

And even if you

are, well, living

in sin, as it

were, or you're

distant, or you're

in darkness, or

you're separated

from the presence

of God, you can

still come back

to him.

And that's what's

powerful.

No matter what you

have been through,

or what you are

going through, or

what people have

said, or what

people have done,

the invitation is

still there.

Let us remember, the

shepherd leaves the

ninety-nine for the

one.

Let us also

remember, it's a

Luke chapter five,

where Christ is

saying, I came not

for the healthy, but

for the sick.

And the idea of

that is, well, are

any of us actually

healthy?

But we think about

that.

That God is doing

so much for us to

respond.

This leads us, then,

into the application,

then.

Right?

We observe the text.

We look at what's

going on within the

context.

We look at the

connections.

We look at the

lessons we can have in

our own spiritual

walk.

And what do we do

about this?

And number one is to

remove the what,

church?

The obstacles or

the excuses.

Doesn't this remind

you of the parable of

the soils?

The four soils?

Some of the soils

had weeds.

Some of the soils

had other things in

it, rocks and stuff

that needed to be

removed.

Do you see how it's

connected here?

Remove those

obstacles.

Remember, the weeds

representing sin.

The obstacles, well,

in this case,

representing excuses.

Think about that.

Remove the obstacles

and remove the

excuses.

Right?

Hebrews 12, 1,

throw off everything

that hinders you.

Or Matthew 10, 39,

whoever finds his

life will lose it.

Whoever loses his

life will find it.

We know about that.

It's about surrender.

Remember, when we're

considering those other,

the cost of discipleship

and the parable of the

wedding feast, it's about

humility and recognizing

that Jesus Christ is what

you need.

You can't do it on your

own.

It's about recognizing who

Christ is.

So maybe you need to ask

yourself, what's keeping

you from the table that God

has set before you?

Only you can answer that.

I wish I could answer on

your behalf.

Maybe not.

But in any case, only you

can answer that.

The second thing, then, is

to accept the invitation

and what?

Respond.

Right?

Many of you know the

Revelation 3, 20, right?

Where it's, I stand at the

door and knock, and we see

so many pictures of Jesus

patiently knocking at the

door when we're realizing

that it's referencing

judgment that's about to

happen.

But it's still a good

thought nonetheless.

Right?

The imagery of the Lord

knocking at the door.

Are you going to open it?

That's fine.

That's consistent with how

we understand the Lord.

How is that any different

than an invitation?

We think about that.

Or in 2 Corinthians 6,

2 Corinthians 6:2

verse 2, that now is the

time for salvation, just

like we talked about last

week.

God gives us time, but not

forever.

And it's up for us to

respond, well, you better

do it now.

Better do it now, because you

don't know what tomorrow will

hold.

So in other words, don't

RSVP later for something that

is ready for you now.

And third and final, be a

servant who extends the

invitation.

What's so remarkable about

this parable is when it

talks about the servant,

right?

The servant that's

extending the invitation.

Now, some will argue that

this is a representation of

Christ.

That's fine.

In the same way that Christ

has extended the invitation to

many and then to all, we

should think about how we can

do that in our lives.

Who can we extend the

invitation to in our own

lives?

Start small and go big.

Think of your friends, your

relatives, those that you are

very close with.

And think of how God calls for

us to go out and to make

disciples, declaring the name of

Jesus Christ.

And let's not forget, we still

live in an everyday world where we

have to work, we have to go to

school.

Well, that's why it's important

for us when we consider being an

ambassador for Christ.

Thinking about what we say to

others and how we conduct

ourselves and what we do, all of

these things are important.

And so maybe you need to ask

yourself, how can I extend the

invitation through words and even

through actions?

Let us not forget Ephesians

Ephesians 2:8

chapter 2, verses 8.

Many of you know 8 through 9, for

by grace you are saved and not by

works, lest any man or lest anyone

boast.

Verse 10, don't forget that.

That we are created for good

works.

Not saved by what we do, we are

saved so that we can do.

Does that make sense?

Do we understand the difference

here?

Because that's, little word can

make a huge difference in that,

especially when it comes to

salvation.

And so, let us remember this

specific parable.

Think about the activity we just

did.

How awesome it was for us to go

through these kind of, what is

like a puzzle kind of thing,

right?

The invitation is still going

out.

And the idea is that let us

remember, if there's anything to

take away from today, is there is

still room.

Respond.

There is still room for you.

There is still room for your

friends and your family and those

that you know.

Let this be a call for them to

respond as well.

And so, the question is, will we

respond accordingly?

The table has been set.

There is an invitation for all of

us.

Let us respond to God's call for

salvation and God's specific call

for our lives.

Let's pray together.

Father, we thank you for this time

for us to gather together as the

body of Christ.

Father, I pray that we may all take

to heart the importance not only of

the great banquet that you have set,

but also may we appreciate the

importance of the invitation that

your Son has given to all of us.

Father, I pray that if anyone is

making an excuse or there's an

obstacle or whatever it is, that

they may have the tools or someone

to talk to or whatever it is to be

able to no longer have obstacles or

rocks or weeds for their soil, but

they will respond to you.

They will respond to your salvation.

Father, I pray that we as a church,

will grow in a healthy manner, much

like I pray, Father, that each and

every one of us will grow as an

individual.

And through growth, may we bear

fruit, may we extend the invitation,

and may we live out this faith in

what we say and what we do,

especially when we consider the world

that we live in.

And Father, I especially would like to

pray for those who attack the

misfits of society.

We know that your heart is for

everyone.

And we know as a culture, we tend to,

well, we have our own biases towards

people.

And you love each and every one of us,

even the misfits.

May we have a heart that reflects you,

balancing the grace and love that you

give us and the truth of your word.

We say all of this in the name of Jesus

Christ.

Amen.

Amen.

Thank you for listening for this week's

message from Ontario Community Church.

I pray that you are encouraged and

strengthened in your walk with Christ.

For more sermons and resources,

visit OntarioCommunityChurch.org.

May God bless you as you live out his

grace and truth every single day.