|
Second Sunday After Trinity [Luke 14:15-24] In the Name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit; We are perhaps rightly skeptical when someone offers us a "free gift." If you take a business or restaurant up on their offer for something that's "free," you know they have an ulterior motive. They perhaps want to get you hooked on their product, or used to coming to the store again in the future, so you spend your money there later. If even many of your neighbors offer you something, they may be expecting something back from you later. But not as the world gives did the man who gave the banquet we heard of today give. "Come, for everything is now ready" he said. Invitations were initially sent in advance, so all the guests had plenty of time to plan arrangements to come. And now it was hot and on the table. It would have gone to waste if they didn't come. The master of the feast wasn't waiting to see who came before preparing. -He simply expected them all to. It would have been strange not to, especially seeing the gracious character of this Host, being able to enjoy His company. Indeed we see a bit His gracious, freely-giving character in that even after the initial invitees turn Him down He immediately invites the poor, crippled, blind, and lame - those who could never return the favor; And then to the highways and hedges - to travelers who might never come back and complete strangers. There is something uncommonly different and gracious and wonderful about this Host and this banquet. And yet people still refused the invitation. Quite likely they were hardened in their thinking that if you want something you must do it yourself, and work to earn and secure it. And besides this, they all seemed to think that work, family, and material pleasures are all there is to "life." -That's why the one man turns down the invite, saying that he has to try out his new oxen instead. He doesn't see the value for something like a banquet. He simply wants his own possessions which he thinks will make his life, albeit his work-life, easier and get him ahead of everyone else. ...Or like the man who claims he has to go and see his new field now instead, even though he easily could have done it some other time. -But he's a workaholic who thinks he must worry about this even now, even if he can't begin working his field today. ...Or the one who doesn't want to come because "he's married a wife." -Even though the banquet would save them both time in the kitchen, and gave them more time to enjoy each other. You've perhaps noticed in your own life that if you've ever been blessed to have a spouse, a home, a good job, a car etc. that all these are good; and yet you can easily become consumed in trying to maintain these, yet still never successful. Likewise, taking on additional work to maintain such usually leads to more work and more. And similarly with greed for possessions: what always happens is that that never satisfies you and so you become greedy for the next and the next. And soon other areas of life soon become neglected. And yet the value of life is measured in terms of having these things which are passing. Now, indeed there is a time and place for such things in this world - certainly including marriage, work, and maintaining possessions. But amidst all of this, the Lord also importantly calls us to take time to rest and to banquet with Him, and indeed with others with Him. Let's think about banquets for a moment. It's quite often our custom to have a banquet or party to celebrate milestone occasions, such as anniversaries, baptisms, weddings, graduations, Stanley Cups, or other great accomplishments, or even at funerals. At such we are giving thanks for the blessings we've received that brought us to this occasion, or celebrating the fruits of our labors. Banquets are usually a part of the celebration of these that we especially look forward to, and usually it becomes a big part of what we will remember these occasions. -You remember the good meal, who was there, perhaps how nice it was to have friends and family coming from a distance to be there, and what you did together there. And of course it's sad if one of those close loved ones is absent. But now, let's say that you found out that one of your relatives said they couldn't be there because they had bought a new piece of land and "had to" go and see it; or felt they needed to catch up on sleep after a hard week. -It shows you just what they think of you, doesn't it? ...Or let's say you just reached your fiftieth anniversary, and yet you didn't want to do anything to celebrate. Instead you chose to spend it doing work, like any other day. -What would your spouse say? ...Say you never stop to rest, or to celebrate, to simply give thanks, or to enjoy the company of others; but just kept on your routine like a rat in a cage, running endlessly in its wheel, from work to shopping and play, absorbed in its own business and pleasures until it dies. Dear Christians, dear fellow men and women, God did not make you for mere so-called "pleasures of this life." And He didn't make you to work forever into oblivion either. And none of your work will get you any closer to heaven. No amount will impress Him. God made you for Himself; and your heart will ever be restless if you don't rest in Him. ...And He knows you need this rest regularly amidst this veil of tears and sadness. He knows that you need His company, His help, and to be with Him. That's why He offers and invites you to it regularly. Indeed, He knows all your needs in this temporal life, and will see that the means are there for you to have them provided. But foremost, if you aren't regularly heeding His Word, and neglecting His Sacrament, don't be surprised if you find your life outside of this to be chaotic and with a sense of meaninglessness. You're only fighting against Him if you do otherwise. If you want to evaluate yourself, your life, as you really are, i.e., how God sees you, the first question to ask yourself is not, "how am I doing?" or "how would God think I'm doing?" The first thing to ask is "how well am I receiving from God?" "How well am I receiving from God." That is to say, "Am I thankful for what He's done and what He's given? Am I desiring His Word, and to be in His presence? Am thankful for His forgiveness, which has brought me to know Him and receive His greater benefits? Am I desiring His forgiveness? Am I looking to Him for all good things, to provide, protect, and defend, with confidence in His promises?" If you aren't in the right relationship with the Lord, He doesn't care about all the things you do in the world, and or even how good you think your intentions are. This must come first - receiving from Him, being with Him. Only then is He pleased with you. Only then is there a right relationship. And so if we were trying to live lives for ourselves, our own way, by our own efforts, thinking this would get us somewhere, now instead we repent. That is, we say "God, You're right. Your way, your time, place, and order are right." We ask forgiveness, desiring to do His will and walking in His ways, relying on Him instead; and we desire to be in His joyous presence. And lo and behold, to such repentant people, He invites you back to His banquet. He declares your sins forgiven. Christ takes the burden you made for God in living that life to yourself now on to Himself, removing the damage payments for them by His death. ...And so, now your soul is at rest and peace with God. ...And then, here and now you also Commune with your Savior. This is where Jesus comes to be with you in the midst of your life that is otherwise full of work and drudgery now. But like this, with Jesus being here, even uniting Himself to you, you know that He sees your concerns in this life as your own. And so you are given a giant new boost of new hope and new perspective and outlook on this life. It's kinda like if the king or the president came to you in the place where you live and worked, and then invited you to a dinner with Him. -Now you know that He considers you valuable to Him, and indeed the work you do in your job and vocations are valuable work for the good of the kingdom. And furthermore, with this banquet you know that he actually enjoys having you with him and providing for you. Only with God that bond is even greater. At this banquet -the Lord's Supper, in the midst of our time here and now, indeed every week and every time this is offered, we have a real foretaste of heaven already now on earth. Jesus is truly with us, and knows our situations. He hears our concerns and frustrations in our prayers, and so we know we have His ear and that He will help as we need in our difficulties in this temporal life. But here He refreshes us in body and soul. He wants us to have this first. And with this He keeps us looking forward to when all is complete and there is nothing but pure joy in heaven, un-tempered by any toil or sadness. Here, He makes us heavenly minded while still on earth. Indeed, thru His Supper now Jesus lives in you again, and you in Him. Your death is dead. Life is eternal, and looking forward to an endless banquet with Him. Jesus is with you, and in you, and for you as you go back out to your labors. You know your labor is no longer in vain. And you know you have something to look forward to beyond the day to day. How you receive Jesus where He graciously invites you to His banquet now in these times -i.e., how you feel about receiving the Divine Service when it is offered- determines how you will receive Him on Judgment Day. But having received His forgiveness and His Supper, we have real joy and rest. And we always have something to more anticipate. Amen. |