What Have You Done With Your Invitation Luke 14

The Second Sunday After Trinity                                    14-June-2026
Sermon Text: Luke 14:15-24
Sermon Theme: “What Have You Done With Your Invitation?” I. Think It is For Later? (Vs.15-17) II. Treated It As Optional? (Vs. 18-20). III. Laid Down Your Life To Feast With All? (Vs.21-24) By Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

I.N.R.I. “Pastor, you’re going to think is that all we do is eat?” Bernetta, a sincere seasoned Christian lady said to her newly installed pastor. After accepting the call to their congregation, he visited them during a midweek lenten service which began with a lenten supper. After his installation the congregation hosted a feast in the basement fellowship hall. This woman after feasting on God’s Word preached by an seasoned pastor at her pastor’s installation, rejoiced to be feasting with her congregation and her newly installed pastor and his family.
       Feasting is much more than consuming calories. The Gospel of Luke begins with feasting. The priests would offer the sin offering sacrifices for the people. A portion of that animal would be returned for the reconciled to feast on it together rejoicing in their reconciliation, another portion would be shared for the priests to feast, and the rest burned on the altar. It was a joyful feast reconciling them with God and one another, filled with the sweet smelling incense of God’s acceptance as the priest came out from the Holy Place to pronounce the benediction.
       Then the lot falls to the aged priest Zacharias to offer incense before the Lord. He emerges smelling sweet, but he cannot talk. The angel Gabriel was present in the Temple with the good news that aged Elizabeth and Zacharias would have a son in their old age. Zacharias couldn’t believe it, so he was silenced for nine months. Eight days after his son’s birth at the feast of his naming and circumcision. When Zacharias writes, “His name is John” that his speaking is restored. He sings forth at the feast a hymn of praise. We call it the Benedictus, Luk 1:68-69 "Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, (69) And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David,. The Church continues to sing it in the morning prayer service of Matins.
     Today we are learning again to savor the feast of the Divine Service. The liturgy, lectionary, hymns, sermon, prayers, and Supper are all aspects of the feast foretold by Isaiah the prophet; Isa 25:6-9 And in this mountain The LORD of hosts will make for all people A feast of choice pieces, A feast of wines on the lees, Of fat things full of marrow, Of well-refined wines on the lees. (7) And He will destroy on this mountain The surface of the covering cast over all people, And the veil that is spread over all nations. (8) He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken. (9) And it will be said in that day: "Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." Isaiah spoke of our Savior Jesus and the true Zion - the Holy Christian Church - and the ongoing feast filling us with joyful forgiveness, life, and salvation.
       Sainted Bernetta was right, “Pastor, you’re going to think that all we do is eat, every time you come our congregation is eating together!” The call goes out from Jerusalem to the ends of the world to all sinners: “Come, for all things are ready!” “What Have You Done With Your Invitation?” I. Think It is For Later? (Vs.15-17) II. Treated It As Optional? (Vs. 18-20). III. Laid Down Your Life To Feast With All? (Vs.21-24)I. The feast is prepared before the foundations of the world were laid. Wisdom prepares all to fill us with joy and communion with our Creator. Wisdom cries out, Pro 9:4-6 "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, (5) "Come, eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed. (6) Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding.
     The sixth day 24 hour day of the creation of all that exists outside of the Triune God about 6,000 years ago, our Creator formed us and breathed His life giving Spirit into us to feast with Him at the Tree of Life. When the rebellious fallen angel slithered into Eden he sought to destroy the feast with the fruit of sin and pride. The Lord God didn’t abandon cowering camouflaged fleeing Adam. He sought out the sinner calling him to repent and return to feast of Faith. Satan’s defeat would come through the Head Crusher born of the Virgin Mother. Feasting on faith Adam blesses his bride with the name - “Mother of All Living” - “Eve”. God clothes them by the sacrifice of another - and they are exiled to wait the fulness of time and fulfillment of the Promise.
      The night broke. God’s Holy Angel preached to cowering shepherds outside of Bethlehem, “Fear not! Christ the Lord is born FOR YOU!” The feast broke with joyful hymns, “Glory to God in the Highest and peace good will toward man!”
     Are you ready to feast with your Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier? Or do you think you have to set the table? In Luke 14, history records, that a Pharisee invited Jesus to the Sabbath feast in his home. Do you come to church to see what others are up to? What is that sinner doing here? Why isn’t she here...again? How dare that person sit in my place? I want the best spot..so all see me...but so I can leave when I want..... Jesus doesn’t fit their feasting. He heals a man with dropsy after they wouldn’t answer His question if works of love were allowed on the Sabbath. He instructs them in table manners - “Take the lowest place at the feast. He who exalts himself will be humbled.” He tells them to invite the poor, maim, lame, and the blind to their feasts - people who can’t repay them now, for shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.
    A Pharisee wants to show his learning (vs.15) He is certain the feast only begins in the Life of the World to come! Now we fast preparing the feast with our good deeds, then we shall feast upon them. Do you think that God’s invitation to feast with Him is for later? After you die and your body is raised to life eternal on the Last Day? Then you are missing God’s joyful feast - here and now! Open your ears and eat of the Bread of Heaven! (Vs.16)
    The Feast our Creator, the Triune God, sets for us isn’t a potluck meal. Potluck meals are fine, but we must still bring something to the meal. Not this meal. A certain Man - perhaps a King - the King of all Creation. He gives a great Supper. This feast is pure gift. It is the supper meal at the end of the day - the greatest meal in the midst of gathering darkness. The certain Man alone does all the planning, prepares all the dishes, pays all the costs, sets all the tables, prepares the hall for feasting and joyful song.
From the beginning He sent out His invitation to come feast with Him and one another - share His joyful communion of life!
   Now all is prepared. (Vs17) The fullness of time has arrived, the evening of our fallen creation’s history is now. Now the Servant of the Lord appears to all invited, “Come, for all things are ready!” Now is the time to Feast on the Bread of Heaven - to receive the Father’s grace in His only Begotten Son Jesus as the Holy Spirit fills you with joyful life and comforting forgiveness of all your sins in His Church. If we refuse to feast now with Jesus in the Divine Service every Sunday, daily at our family altar, why do we imagine we’d be comfortable feasting with Him forever? The feast is now! Heed Wisdom’s cry - come to the feast daily as your family gathers to hear the Holy Bible read, prayed, and joyfully singing hymns to feast your ears.
II. What would you do with 260 tons of frozen turkeys with thanksgiving past? The only way to keep them frozen is to pay to have them shipped back and forth from Nebraska to the east coast in refrigerated rail cars. What would you do? It was the dilemma that Swanson Foods found themselves in the fall of 1953. Gary Thomas, a salesman came to their rescue with an idea of creating frozen meals with turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, all in an aluminum tray easily heated up in the oven. In 1954 they sold 10 million meals calling them, ‘TV Dinners.”
     Television screens had just begun to invade American households. Before that every evening the family sat at table for a meal together. Even if they only had soup - the meal was a feast - a time to talk, laugh, cry, read devotions, pray, and sing hymns together. “TV Dinners” were marketed as “family meals.” But sitting in front of the “Wonderful World of Disney” on a Sunday night took your eyes off the face of family to be isolated in the screens. The effects became so evident many first ladies have encouraged American families to eat at least three meals a week at table together with no distractions to boost education and battle drug abuse.
     Have we forsaken the feast in our homes to be isolated from one another with our screens? How many couples sit silent at meals staring at their phones or the flashing images on their TV? We’ve lost the joy of feasting together as families. We need to repent and learn again to listen, talk, sing, and pray together.
    Do you treat the invitation to God’s great feast in Jesus as only a TV dinner? Not really that important? (vs. 18) What’s your excuse? Our flesh is lazy and rebellious against the Word of God. We’d gladly pay dearly sacrifice hours our lives and empty our wallets to attend sporting events, concerts of our favorite pop or country stars, play the course, hunt, or fish - but if Church goes too long we complain - we have more important things to do.
    We make poor excuses (vs.18-20) Temporary property more value than the everlasting kingdom of Christ? Farming more important than having the Seed of God’s Word planted in your heart as Jesus is preached? Your marriage doesn’t need Jesus present every hour - so you can’t come? Why can’t we feast with our loved ones without staring at our screens? Business more important than the life of your spouse and children? The latest tic toc and reel more important than looking your child or parent in the eyes while you talk? Listening to the noise more important than learning to listen to your spouse and comfort her with Christ’s Word and prayer together?
     Do you treat God’s invitation to His feast as optional? Repent! Return and feast now and forever!
III. Don’t be surprised that the world hates you and mocks you for coming to the Feast - Sunday after Sunday. Standing with St. Paul we are fools for Christ’s sake in the world’s wisdom. We have passed from death to life, the Holy Spirit assures us through the pen of St. John, because we love the brothers. We are our brother’s brothers, and our sister’s sisters - we lay down our lives for them - tirelessly inviting them to feast now with Jesus!
       Listen. (Vs.21) The Master’s grace is spurned by the majority held captive in sin’s darkness and Satan’s lies. God is heartbroken and angry with those who have refused His love in Jesus. Parents understand this anger when their children abandon their love and refuse to return to the family table.
      What does the Master do? He sends out His Servant! Persist! Bring in the rejected of Israel - the poor, maim, lame, and blind. Jesus sent out the 70 men two by two to preach in every town. Luk 10:2 Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. They are called and sent to preach in every town: Luk 10:9.... , 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' The Word they preach is God the Father’s through God the Son - Come, All is Ready! Luk 10:16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me." On Pentecost the Holy Spirit gathered 3,000 of the Jews into the Church. They came to the Feast! Act 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Gathering around Christ’s Word preached and His Sacraments given. The Church grew in faith and love as they feasted together. History records: Act 2:46-47 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, (47) praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
   God’s House and Table are set for all sinners. (Vs.22-23) The Master instructs His Servant to send the invitation to us Gentiles - to the end of the earth. The Crucified and Risen Servant tells the Apostles: Luk 24:46-47 Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, (47) and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. At the end of Matthew’s Gospel we hear His voice, Mat 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
     How can we keep this great invitation to ourselves? Joyfully sing at this feast: 2 If you cannot speak like angels, If you cannot preach like Paul, You can tell the love of Jesus, You can say He died for all. If you cannot rouse the wicked With the judgment's dread alarms, You can lead the little children To the Savior's waiting arms.”
     Now is the day of grace, but it will pass. (Vs.24) Love your fellow sinner - invite them to come, to return to the feast of forgiveness, life, salvation, and rest found only in Jesus! Listen! He invites you! Mat 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (30) For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Amen.