Accepting the Invitation

8 April 2008

Introduction: Luke 14:11-14 "For whosoever ^aexalteth himself shall be ^babased; and he that ^chumbleth himself shall be exalted. Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.  But when thou makest a feast, call the ^apoor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be ^ablessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be ^brecompensed at the ^cresurrection of the just."

Luke 14:15-24 "And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.  Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.   And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.   And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.   And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.   So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.   And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.  And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper."

Find 3 times in the scriptures where the Lord invites us to do something.  Evaluate how you are doing in accepting those invitations. 

Activity: Think of a time when you have convinced someone to do something when they initially did not want to.