Excuses

Luke 14:15-24 (The Message)

When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God."

Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests.   At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'

"But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.'

"Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.'

"Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'

"The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.'

" 'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'

"Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.   I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.' "

During my years of ministry in Augusta, GA, I got to witness first-hand what some people call, "the hottest ticket in professional sports."  

The Masters, at Augusta National Golf Club.  

I served on the staff of a large church, and many of the church's members were "badge holders," and had been for many years.  

The Masters had grown wildly in popularity since the 1950's and 60's, and what was once an easy ticket to land has become almost impossible today.  

People enter a lottery to have a chance to buy tickets for the practice rounds.  If you don't have a connection, you're definitley not getting a badge for the real tournament itself, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and least of all, Sunday.  

I saw some awesome things there.  Nick Faldo stood about 8 feet in front of me and nailed an approach shot from nearly 100 yards for an eagle.  I got to see Tiger Woods win, twice.  

Once, after winning at the 18th, he walked just passed me and I got to watch as he signed his winning scorecard.  

I never felt really deserving of being inside that party.  You see, I'm not much of a golf fan.  But I knew an awesome thing when I saw it.  If someone offered me a badge...you can believe that I said yes.  And thanks.

I'll always remember walking out of "The National" one Thursday afternoon of Master's Week.  

A scalper on the street stepped in front of me and said, "I'll give you $10,000 cash for your badge."  

Yes, that's four zeros.  $10,000.  

That means he believed he could sell it for a profit, even at that price.   That's a hot ticket.  Somebody really wanted inside that party.

Believe me, if that badget had belonged to me...

But it didn't.  It was a gift.  I'd been invited to a wonderful event.  And I took the opportunity.  Had I passed it up, there were many outside who would have gladly taken my place.  

What if Jesus' parable means that we better take the offer of grace when it's made?  I don't want to pass up the opportunity for that banquet table.  

It's a gift of grace, and it certainly doesn't matter whether we think we deserve it. 

For goodness sake, don't miss this tee time.  

Prayer:   We pray that you would help us become more responsive to your grace.  Make us grateful, and help us invite others to this party.  

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.  As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be.  World without end.  Amen.