In your Bibles today.

I'm Trevor Davis. I'm GCC's pastor. How you like my psychedelic, funky music from the 60s that I walked up to?

Becky, good job, girl. That was awesome.

This is part two of our Great Commission series. The name of our church is Great Commission Church. It's the mandate from heaven that God has given every believer in every congregation since Jesus rose from the dead to make disciples of the nations. And so I even have a little treat during this sermon today, a video I'll show you later from some of our missionaries on the field. Today I'm going to examine the parable of the great banquet, as it's been called, and I'm going to ask this question in this sermon.

Who's missing from the table? This is Luke 14, 15, 24. Now, before I read the Scriptures, would you humor me and look around you? Just look around. You see we got four sections of seats.

Do you see how there's tons of people in every section right now? Yes. Our Labor Day weekend church services did not used to look like this. In fact, it's usually one of the lowest attended Sundays of the year. I'm looking at this and going, God's doing something here.

Enough to where even on a traditionally low weekend, it's going to be a bigger crowd because folks have been coming into our gatherings and meeting with God. And I think that if that's you, if you're a guest today, you need to know at the end of the service, after we adjourn, our prayer ministry team's going to be here, and we pray for anybody and everybody, for anything and everything. And we can help you connect with the Lord in the preaching of the Word, in the singing of the praises of Christ and of the prayers of the saints, and so avail yourself to that. It's the best weekend ever to do it, because it's today. Luke 14.

And I'm going to be reading verses 15 through 24. Now, when one of those who sat at the table with him heard these things, he said to him to Jesus, blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Then Jesus said to him, a certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at suppertime to say to those who were invited, come, for all things are now ready. But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it.

I ask you to have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused. Still another said, I have married a wife and therefore I cannot come. One of the funniest verses in all of the Bible.

So that servant came and reported these things to his master. 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 here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind. And the servant said, master, it is done as you commanded and still there is room. Then the master said to the servant, go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in that my house may be filled. For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.

Brothers and sisters, the word of the Lord. Let's pray together. Father, our hearts are bowed before you in prayer in this moment, asking you to illuminate the scriptures as the preacher preaches it. Give us ears to hear and hearts to apply and understand Today, God, make us eager hearers of the truth.

Take your word and stitch it into our souls, God, and let us receive what you have for us. Let it pierce to the dividing of joints and marrow, soul and spirit. Let it judge the thoughts and the attitudes of our hearts.

God bless the public reading of your word and the delivery of the truth in Jesus name and a faith filled church said, Amen. Imagine showing up to a fancy dinner party where Jesus is the guest speaker. But instead of being polite and instead of playing nice, Jesus calls out the host and all the guests who the text says earlier, are the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. Basically, he preaches to the whole RSVP list and it's awkward. And so someone tries to change the subject.

So he cries out, blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Well, that sounds spiritual. It sounds like the guy saying, I'm so glad I already have my ticket to heaven. But Jesus sees through the self assurance of this man and he answers him with a story that brings the dinner party to a screeching halt. It stops the feast mid bite.

Let me tell you the parable in modern language. Are you ready? Say yes. A man plans a massive dinner party. It's a full spread.

The candles are lit, the playlist has been queued up, the party favors are in the baskets, the guests have already RSVP'd yes in advance. But when the servant of the master comes to announce, hey everybody, it's ready. One by one, the guests ghost him with lame excuses. The first guy says, I Just bought some land. I really need to go look at it.

Really? Who buys land without seeing it first? Another guy says, I just bought five pairs of oxen that would be today. Modern farm equipment. I bought some tractors and I've got to go try them out at night.

That's like buying a new lawnmower and deciding now's the time to test drive it in the dark. The third guy, he doesn't even try. He just says, I got married. She won't let me come. No apology, no rain check, just, I'm out.

Well, in that culture, these weren't scheduling conflicts. They were rejections disguised as responsibilities.

And the message was clear to the master of the banquet, you're not worthy of my time. Although I don't mind troubling you and making you go buy groceries to account for me. So, as you might imagine, the host is furious. But he doesn't cancel. He pivots.

He says, fine, if they don't want to come, I know some people who will. So he tells his assistant, go find the people no one ever invites. The ones nobody notices. The poor and the disabled and the forgotten. Bring them in.

All of them. Fill every seat you can. And so the assistant does. He hits the streets. He goes through the alleyways.

He fills the room with the very people that society usually overlooks.

They all arrive, but there's still some empty seats. So the host says to his assistant, then go further. Go out to the countryside. Go to the drifters and the homeless. Go wake up those ones that are sleeping under the bushes, people who would never imagine that they're welcome at a place like this.

And don't just invite them, compel them. Convince them that they're really wanted here. And then Jesus drops the verdict. In verse 24, he says, none of those originally invited will taste this meal. And, friends, that's how the parable ends.

There's no tidy resolution. There's no happily ever after. It's just a mirror. You see, this story forces us to ask, who's missing from the table and what about you?

I'm going to organize my sermon with three questions from this text today. Question number one. What's really keeping you from saying yes to Jesus? Let me quickly run through verses 16 through 20 again. Then he said to him, a certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at suppertime to say to those who were invited, come, for all things are now ready.

But they all, with one accord, began to make excuses. The first said to him, I bought a piece of ground I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused. And another said, I bought five yoke of oxen. I'm going to test them.

I ask you to have me excused. And still another said, I've married a wife and therefore I cannot come. I want you to think about those excuses. There are three categories. The first category is property.

I bought some land. Land's important. It's expensive. I need to go check it out. The second category is work.

I bought five pairs of oxen for my business. I need to go see if they're worth anything. Work. And the third category is family. I've taken a wife and I can't come.

I want you to think about those three categories. Property, work, and family. Do those sound familiar to you?

They're the ones that we offer up to God for all the reasons we can't be more involved in his kingdom. And let me say something about work and property and family. They're all important, but they're not most important. I think Jesus is most important. Am I right?

And so PTA calendars and travel ball and late emails from the boss and bedtime chaos with the little kids and those weary Saturday nights where we tell ourselves, well, maybe next Sunday. We still offer the same excuses as the ones Jesus outlines in his parable. And these excuse makers weren't hostile. They're just busy. But can I tell you, being busy is a terrible reason to miss a banquet like this.

Because this wasn't just dinner that Jesus is talking about. It was the kingdom of heaven. You see, to turn down this meal is to turn down God's future. And here's the thing. There were two invitations that went out in the parable.

I don't know if you caught it. The second invitation demanded an immediate response. The first invitation asked, are you in? Will you come to the party? And everybody said, yes.

The second invitation said, come now, everything's ready. Now listen to me. The excuse makers didn't say no forever, and that's final.

They said, not now, maybe later. Friends, not now to God still means no.

Isn't it true that grace is beautiful, but it isn't indefinite?

Friends, opportunities have windows. And Jesus warns that delay can cost you eternity. There's a parallel verse in Luke 8:14. And by the way, one of our missionaries is going to be here next week, Norm Wakefield, and he's going to be filling the pulpit for me, and he's going to preach this passage. Let me just give you a foretaste.

Luke 8:14 from the parable of the Soils, Jesus says now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they've heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches and pleasures of life and bring no fruit to maturity. One of the soils that hears God's word are sown among the thorns. And what do the thorns do? They choke the Word. And friends, in whom do they choke this word?

Listen to me very carefully. The thorns don't choke the Word in crusading, unbelieving atheists, they don't care. That's soil number one. This isn't soil number one. The thorns choke the word.

In well meaning people who, who are on the religious edges, you're checking out the Christian faith. You're putting your toes in the shallow end because those are the ones who've buried themselves under bills and schedules and a million other things that are good but not the best.

And if this is you, listen to me very carefully. The danger is subtle because you're not against God. That's not what's in your heart. You're just overbooked. You're too busy to think about and to take action on what lasts forever.

And that's why the Lord Jesus gave us this parable.

When good things crowd out the best thing, and I believe the best thing is Jesus and friends, it's time to rearrange the table. Let me ask that question again. What's really keeping you from saying yes to Jesus? Is it property and work and family? Is it something else?

Did you survive? Question number one. I can hear your breathing. Here's question number two. What if God has already put hungry people in your path?

Here's verses 21 and 22. So that servant came and reported these things to his master. 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 here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind and the servants. Said, master, it is done as you commanded and still there is room. This next comment is not in my notes, but I just remembered this and I want you to know it.

In the Old Testament, the maimed and the lamed, the poor and the blind, those are all curses of the covenant. And in this parable, the gospel of the kingdom reverses the curses of the covenant and blesses them and say hallelujah. To that the Master says, go into the streets and the alleys and find the ones nobody notices.

Hey, did you know that there are people around you right now who are ready to come to Jesus? Did you know that? And they don't necessarily need a sermon from you as much as they need a nudge. Hey, don't go overboard here. But just kind of nudge the person to your left or to your right.

Just kind of. You can do that. See, I didn't have to beg you to do it. You're like a chance to do violence in church. Boom.

You know what nudge means? Just. Hey. Hey, pay attention. Hey, come with me.

But there's a problem. Matthew 9, 37, 38. Jesus says to his disciples, the harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Friends, the problem isn't closed hearts. It's silent messengers.

The laborers are few. Why is that a problem, preacher? Because of what Romans 10:14 says. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?

Would you look at me just for a second? Those people around you that are ready to come to Jesus, that just need a nudge, you may be the only invitation they ever get.

The shocking part isn't just that new people were invited.

It's that they were invited instead.

Do you understand that the master of the banquet replaces the ones who reject him?

And our Lord said in Luke 5:31,32, it's not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick and unwell. I want to ask you a question. Isn't it true that the Lord Jesus came for the sick and not the sanitized?

So, friends, can we stop disqualifying people that we might think are too far gone? There's not a sinner on earth that God looks at and says, you know what? My gospel just can't get that one.

No one is too far from the grace of the Lord Jesus that He gave us from the cross. What if God has already put hungry people in your path? Question number three. Who's still missing, and what are you doing about it?

This is verse 23.

Then the master said to the servant, go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. So the Master looks around and he says, there's still room. So don't stop now. Go out to the margins. Go to the highways and the hedges, the people far away, the ones nobody thinks to invite.

Find them, bring them, reassure them that they belong. They're not going to believe it. The first time you invite them, you have to look them in the eye and say, you really are welcome, welcomed, compel them to come in.

Brothers and sisters, there are tired moms, there are lonely co workers, there are overextended neighbors around you who would say yes to Jesus if someone like you made the ask.

And that's our mission by the way. Not just search, but also rescue. And this mission stretches worldwide. It was spoken of in the old testament, Isaiah 49, 6 says God to his people, I will also give you as a light to the gentiles that you should be my salvation to the ends the earth. Isn't it true that God's heart has always been for the whole planet?

He never planned to keep this invitation small. I'm getting ready to show you something. Before you play the video, listen to me very carefully. We support the gospel going worldwide. Our missions dollars go into all the world literally every month.

And one of the big ministries that we support, and we've been there face to face and we've done this for maybe 25 years, is light Ministries. The missionary is based in Arkansas and he has oversight of a giant, blossoming, mushrooming, disciple making revival taking place in Kenya and into Uganda. And so in Kenya and also in Tanzania to the south. And in Kenya we are in some slums, in some cities. And when I say slums, the absolute darkest, grossest, most uncivilized places you've ever seen.

But the Lord has been doing miracles through the church in America in some of these slums. And one of these slums is the Tasia slum. Tasia T A S I A, that's the name of the neighborhood. I've been there, took a few guys on a mission team two or three years ago and look, I just, I was there to speak and to see and I wanted to honor these people. But in the Tassia slum there is no, there is no, there are no public works to take care of the wastewater.

So in the streets, in the gullies, it's raw sewage and I have a weak stomach. So we're gathering, getting ready to lay the foundation stone of this new building. And I'm going to show you a room in that building here in a second. And as we're going to the place to pray over it. And it's everything in me to not throw up is making me gag because it's just gross.

It smells terrible, it looks terrible, it is unsanitary, it's the developing world. We were there the day they laid the cornerstone of this building and it's a four story building rising up out of this horrible slum where all the little Shacks are little shanty lean tos. And you look at this one tall skyscraping thing and you go, that's not supposed to be there. Only God could put it there. So we built it, but it still takes a while to furnish it.

And a retired pastor from America was just there. And as he saw everything, he left and he turned to our missionary and he gave him a check and he said, you need to fill this room up for these teachers. Now let me tell you, it's just a square room. It's like on the third floor or somewhere. And it was an empty room, but it was marked to be the teacher's lounge.

You guys understand teachers and teachers lounge. Teachers need to go and get away from the kids sometime during the day. But you understand these kids, we take them off the town garbage heap as AIDS orphans and we're responsible for them from the very beginning of their life until they're out to college. And so the kids are always around these teachers, they never get a break. And the pastor says that he saw that and he said, there's nothing in the teacher's lounge room.

There should be something there. And the check that he left paid for desks and chairs for the teachers. And I want you to see this video and see how they reacted when they saw their new desks. Take a look at this. See what the Lord has done.

See what the Lord has done.

What we waited for has come to pass. See what the Lord has done.

See what the Lord has done.

See what the Lord has done.

What we waited for has come to pass. See what the Lord.

That video came to me on Friday and I was like, ah, it's perfect for the sermon. This is why we send and this is why we go. So impoverished Christian school teachers can sit on a 4Mica desk that you can get at Home Depot at Office Depot today and a little chair. And for them it's like a million dollars.

And they are shining the light of Jesus to the Gentiles to the ends of the earth, just like Isaiah 49 says. And they do it because of the Great Commission and our involvement in in it on September 28th, this Sunday, September 28th, we're going to reinstall our Win youn World Missions Fund so that those kind of things can keep happening at our church. We have one account that money goes into and it's funded three ways. Our general, our benevolence and our missions. And at the end of this series, we are going to make our Win youn World Missions Fund commitment to continue taking the gospel around the world.

Because I want to ask this question again. Who's still missing and what are you doing about it? 2nd Corinthians 5:20 is a verse you need to know. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ and don't miss this as though God were pleading through us. Friends, imagine.

Imagine heaven whispering through your voice, please come home.

When you invite others to the banquet, you're helping complete the family photo that God is framing for eternity. Do you want to see what that photo looks like? Revelation chapter 7, verse 9. After these things I looked and behold a great multitude which no one could number of all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues standing before the throne. Do you understand that because of what Jesus purchased on the cross, heaven's going to be chock full of people that no one could number.

That's the final snapshot. There's a full table, every seat filled, people from everywhere celebrating the Lamb on the throne.

Well, in conclusion, today Jesus ends this parable with a warning. Do you remember it in verse 24, none of those who were invited shall taste my supper. Everybody who says no to him misses out on the most important thing to miss out on. Was Jesus being harsh when he said that?

No, he was being honest. Friends, God won't force feed grace to people who keep pushing the plate away.

Some of us have delayed, we've been distracted by good excuses. Others of us have said yes to the Lord. But we've forgotten the urgency to invite others. And yet I want you to know that there's hope. The Master hasn't given up.

The table is still set. The chairs, they're still open. And the Master is calling. He's calling both you and the ones you'll bring.

So I want to ask you again, what's keeping you from the table? And who are you bringing with you? Let's bow for prayer today.

Father, we're grateful for the job that you've given us to do. Thank you for the banquet. Thank you that there's still time. God, I pray you'd fill those seats. Use us to do it.

In Jesus name and a faith filled church said Amen.

Amen. I don't know about you, but sometimes when somebody.

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Come and join us this Sunday at the Great Commission Church for a truly remarkable and uplifting experience.  Great Commission Church is a family-friendly church in Olive Branch, MS. Great Commission Church is not just any ordinary place of worship; it's a vibrant community where faith comes alive, hearts are filled with love, and lives are transformed. Our doors are wide open, ready to welcome you into the warm embrace of our congregation, where you'll discover the true essence of fellowship and spirituality. At Great Commission Church, we are more than just a congregation; we are a family united by a common mission – to follow the teachings of Christ and spread His love to the world. As you step inside Great Commission Church, you'll find a sanctuary that nurtures your faith and encourages you to be part of something greater than yourself.

We believe in the power of coming together as a community to worship, learn, and serve. Whether you're a long-time believer or just starting your spiritual journey, Great Commission Church welcomes people from all walks of life. Our vibrant services are filled with inspiring messages, beautiful music, and heartfelt prayers that will uplift your soul. Every Sunday at Great Commission Church is an opportunity to deepen your relationship with God and connect with others who share your faith and values.

At Great Commission Church, we believe that faith is not just a solitary endeavor but a shared experience that strengthens and enriches us all. Our church is a place where you can find purpose, belonging, and the encouragement to live a life in accordance with Christ's teachings. Join us this Sunday at Great Commission Church and experience the transformative power of faith in action. Be part of a loving and supportive community that is committed to making a positive impact in our world. Together, we strive to fulfill the great commission to go forth and make disciples of all nations. We look forward to having you with us at Great Commission Church this Sunday, where faith, love, and community intersect in a truly amazing way.

Great Commission Church is a non-denominational, family-friendly Christian church located in Olive Branch, Mississippi. We are a short drive from Germantown, Southaven, Collierville, Horn Lake, Memphis, Fairhaven, Mineral Wells, Pleasant Hill, Handy Corner, Lewisburg and Byhalia. Great Commission Church is conveniently located, making it easy to find and attend. Many people have even called it their go-to “church near me” or the "Church nearby" because of how accessible it is and how quickly it feels like home.

See you Sunday at Great Commission Church in Olive Branch, Mississippi!