Lesson for the Lord’s Day
And He said unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many. Luke 14:16
As a political reporter in the 1970’s, it was my privilege to attend some rather lavish banquets. I remember one in which the Province of New Brunswick hosted then Governor General Edward Schreyer on his first official visit to the province. The ballroom was spectacularly adorned, the tables were beautifully set, and the guests were dressed to the nines. I had no idea there were as many tuxedos in the province as I saw that day. The serving staff was fast and efficient, and the foot was wonderful. Premier Richard Hatfield made a pretty flowery speech to introduce the Governor General, and the guest of honour – the Governor General – trotted out his best oratory skills to enthrall and delight the audience. It was one of the most spectacular meals I have ever attended. When the banquet was over, and the speeches all said, and the guests filtered out through the lobby into the night, I went home. It all came to an end, except for the delightful memory, and has never been repeated. That’s not how the banquet to which the Lord Jesus invites us today ends!
The disciples would often look back on how they partook of the first supper with the Lord, as they met week by week in the years that followed. They would recite the events of that night and wonder how long the weekly remembrances would continue. They still continue today. The feast to which we gather today is a continuation of that to which our Saviour invited us in His own words. In physical terms, it does not compare to the great feasts and banquets of the world. But in spiritual terms, it soars far above anything this poor world can afford. The Guest of Honour is a Personage far above the governors general and VIPs of earth. Just the fact of His presence makes it the most important event of the day.
Our text tells us that the maker of the suppeer bade many. So did our Lord. He would that everyone would eat of His supper. But they will not come. So today, in small companies in scatterd places, the feast is held, the supper is eaten. Tickets to the Governor General’s supper were expensive, I hear. So too are the tickets to the supper to which we gather today. The tickets cost the very life blood of the One who invites us. For us, the tickets are free, but for Him, the price for our attendance was all that He had.
Let us appreciate this great Supper today, and come and thank the Lord Jesus for making it possible for us to attend. -Jim MacIntosh