Sabbath Meditation #43 – The Sabbath Parables of Jesus (Part 2 of 2)

By Kelly McDonald, Jr.

In part two of this series, we will talk about another parable Jesus gave on the Sabbath. Remember, everything Jesus did was with proper intent and on purpose.

In Luke 14:1-6, Jesus was eating at the house of a prominent Pharisee on the Sabbath. He healed a man and told him to go on his way. Right after this event, Jesus had their attention. He proceeded to teach a lesson and share a parable.

“15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, ‘Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.’ 16 Jesus replied: ‘A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 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.’ 19 ‘Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ 21 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.’ 22 ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ 23 Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

In this parable, we learn more truths about the Kingdom of God, but also about the Sabbath.

Over the centuries, many people have been invited to join the Kingdom of God. It started through people’s examples, word of mouth, and written literature. These methods have continued to the present, but in modern times, people have heard about it through radio, TV and internet. The ones we would expect to accept it did not.

In the parable, we learn about three kinds of excuses given for not accepting the Kingdom message. For one it was the land he bought; for another it was the yoke of oxen he purchased for working land; and for another it was his wife. We learn three categories of things that keep people from the Kingdom of God: possessions, work, and family.

And so we each know people who placed the things of this world as more important than the Kingdom. And so, God keeps calling people in to find those who are willing.

In a like manner, there are people who know about the Sabbath, but they do not apply it. The cares of this age – possessions, work, family, and other items – cloud their spiritual vision. They simply miss it.

The Sabbath is an invitation to meet with God and His people (click here to learn more). Because of God’s nature, He can meet with all believers simultaneously on the Sabbath. We also gather with each other. But there are many people who refuse the invitation. He will continue to call people into the Kingdom who will apply this truth so that the spiritual banquet is full – even people who may not meet a man-made check list of qualities that they want to see.

The Kingdom of God is a huge responsibility for those who receive the invitation to enter in it. But some people don’t place the importance on it as they should. They same is true of the Sabbath.

God is more concerned about our availability than our ability.

Let us make sure that we are not just hearers of the word, but doers of it as well.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).

Selah.

Kelly McDonald, Jr.

Bible Sabbath Association (www.biblesabbath.org)