Greetings again my Brethren. Let us continue looking at some areas we may not think about when we answer the call of God in our lives. Last month we discussed allowing conflicting interests to become an excuse to justify our unwillingness to answer God’s call. I can think of no greater conflicting interest than to bury your dad or mom maybe your brother or sister, maybe a friend, but in Matthew Jesus tells one (of the 70+) of His disciples, “And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” (Matthew 8:21-22) Where do our interest lie? Either it is Jesus first in our lives, oh wait a minute Jesus will not take second place in our lives. Either it is Jesus first in our lives or He has no part of our lives. Oh today we like to think we can skirt around religion and hope Jesus will pay attention to us because He loves everyone (and He does), but God is to us what we are to Him. If we have truly given Him our heart and life than He will commit everything within Him to us.
Okay let us move on to this month and see what the LORD has for us. Here is another area we may not consider when we answer God’s call on our life. When the opportunity given to us might for lack of response be given to those with a greater sense of need. In other words what do you do if the people (who God has chosen as we all are) who have been called do not respond. We read in the Scriptures, God wishes none to perish, for none to be lost, but also we know daily people die without God perish (not God’s will) and go to hell. in Luke Jesus addresses this question with His disciples and shows them how worldly people (even some Christians) will be shut out of heaven. Of course we know since Jesus exclusively ministered (except for two Gentiles) to the Jewish people, Jesus was talking about the nation of Israel who would be shut out and the folks not worthy maybe the Gentiles. Jesus shares, “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. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.23 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.
24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.” (Luke 14:21-24) God’s heart for mankind is for His house (Heaven) to be full, but that is not up to Him. All God can do is prepare the supper, set the table, and invite (call) all to come in. Attending the supper depends on us answering the supper invitation. No RSVP needed. As we can see the folks the “master of the house” (God) invited was the Jewish nation, but they did not want to come. They rejected the master of the house’s invitation. The “master of the house” was angry so he sent His servants out to find people less qualified, less spiritual, maybe less Godly or maybe these folks were more qualified, more spiritual, more Godly. So the servants did as the “master of the house”commanded and there was still room at the table so the “master of the house” commanded His servants to go back out to different places and find more people who were less qualified, less spiritual, maybe less Godly or maybe these folks were more qualified, more spiritual, more Godly. I would think they were more qualified, more spiritual, more Godly because they had enough wherewithal to answer the master of the house’s invitation. Okay now here in the last verse we see what happens when we reject the invitation of the “master of the house” and when we reject the opportunity. The first group of people invited maybe the worthy and seemingly close to the “master of the house” began to make excuses (verses 18-19) one by one. Sound familiar? The lesson of this story is if we do not answer the call of God in our lives then God’s call to us will be given to another. Now that my friend should be quite a sobering thought. Notice the “master of the house” did not try to resolve some issues with the invited folks, He just moved on to the next group of folks. No questions asked. Supper is ready come and eat. Too busy for God, okay fine, next. In the end here is what the master of the house said about the first group of folks, “For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.” If you look closer you will see it was the poor, the maimed, and the halt that responded to the invitation, but I am not sure if it was their physical need that helped them see their spiritual need. At any rate they responded and enjoyed the goodness of the “master of the house.” Make no mistake my friend if you reject God’s call on your life He will pass you over and give to another. Take heed here. The same concept applies with our salvation. In Revelation John writes, “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” (Revelation 3:11) Take heed allow no man (and that can mean you too) “take thy crown.” Make no mistake my friend your crown will NOT be lost if not rewarded to you it will be given to another.
Next month we will continue looking at some areas we may not think about when we respond to the call of God in our lives. Do you hear Him calling? Please know God is calling. Walter Beuttler said if you build God a temple He will inhabit it. Have you built God a temple? If you do He will abide and wait for you. Written by David Stahl
