This week in our “It’s Like This” series, Pastor Phil shared with us from Luke 14. In it, Jesus paints two different pictures about being invited into the kingdom. In the first, Jesus warns us about seating ourselves at a feast in high, important places, lest we be asked to move further down the line and be embarrassed. Instead, we should seat ourselves in low places, creating the opportunity to be lifted up. In other words, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Verse 11).
In the second image, Jesus describes a feast that many are invited to, but all give excuses to decline. As a result, their places are filled by others who are less fortunate and much more eager to enter the feast. Thus, the original invitees will no longer be able to take part.
You have been invited to the kingdom of heaven. It is a glorious celebration. But you assume you have a place reserved, and you have a lot of distractions in your life that you want to give more importance and pay more attention to right now. Are you going to honor the invitation and participate in the celebration? Or miss out on the opportunity and spend the rest of time looking in from the outside? Jesus wants you to celebrate with Him. Don’t hesitate. Enter the celebration humbly, and let Jesus lift you up.
