"The Great Supper"

Jeremiah 13:10 This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them. shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.

 

“The Great Supper” (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 showed 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.). This was spoken in immediate connection with the blessedness of eating bread in the Kingdom of God.

Again we have the “Four Ministries,” in the parables.

The supper was made by “a certain man,” and many were bidden. This bidding was the ministry of John the Baptist. It is set forth as a simple statement of a past and accomplished fact. This was the First Ministry (Luke 14:16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:).

“The Second Invitation” was sent to those who had been already bidden by John. It was sent by “His Servant,” Who was none other than the Lord Jesus Himself. His Ministry is expressed in one sentence: “Come: for all things are now ready” (Luke 14:17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.). He was sent “at supper time”, according to Eastern custom. But they all with one consent began to make excuse (Luke 14:18-20 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.).

“The Third Invitation” was sent, not to those who had been already bidden, but to another class altogether. It was sent by “The Master of the House,” Who has perfect right and authority to invite whom He will. He sent “quickly:” i.e. very soon after the return of the second servant: and “into the streets and lanes of the city.” This was the ministry of Peter, the Twelve, and Paul.

“The Fourth Invitation” is yet future, as shown in the parables. It will be sent forth by “the Lord” (Luke 14:23 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.), by Him Who has all power in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.). This will be a ministry of compelling, carried out in the “highways and hedges” of the wide world: and it will be effectual like the last in the preceding cases. All, in turn, receive the call, but it is the last who “hear and understand” (Matthew 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.): who “hear and receive” (Mark 4:20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.): who hear an keep” (Luke 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.): and who “bring forth.” For this, special wisdom and understanding is needed, as foretold in (Daniel 11:33 And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. Daniel 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. Daniel 12:10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.).

Thus the present dispensation , since the destruction of Jerusalem and dispersion of Israel, which took place after Acts the 28th chapter, has nothing to do with the Kingdom, and the proclamation of the good news connected with it is postponed and in abeyance.

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