Bloomington/Normal Great Banquet Community
Your Community Leadership
From the Community Lay Director 2008.04.09 Back To The Top
Extending the invitation...
As I have been preparing my Discovering Priorities talk, I re-read Luke 14:15-24. The Message puts it this way:
That triggered a response from one of the guests; “How fortunate the one who gets to eat dinner in God’s Kingdom!”
Jesus followed up. “Yes. For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, 'Come on in; the food's on the table.'
“Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said. ‘ I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.’
“Another said, ‘I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.’
“And yet another said, ‘I just got married and need to get home to my wife.’
“The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, ‘Quickly get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and the homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.’
“The servant reported back, ‘Master, I did what you commanded-and there’s still room.’
“The master said, ‘Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party.’ ”
I began thinking of things from the servant’s perspective. Here he is seeing first hand the preparation that has been going into this great dinner party. He knows that the master is bringing out the best of the best for all to enjoy. I can almost imagine his excitement as he approaches the first guest ... “dinner is ready” … “come to the feast” … “my master spared no expense, you are in for a treat” … and then his disappointment when he is turned down again and again.
I wonder if the servant was a little scared to go back to tell the Master his guests would not be attending. But instead of lashing out at the servant, the master instructs him to go find anyone that will attend to make his dinner party full.
I believe that we as a Great Banquet Community have the same task as the servant. Our job is to continue extending the invitation until our Banquets are full.
Just like the master, our weekend teams have put in a lot of effort. Team members are offering their best and sacrificing their time to insure that guests will feast abundantly at God’s table for three days.
I know it’s hard to keep extending the invitation. I have heard several excuses over the past few months as I have invited many individuals. But aren’t all of us thankful that someone kept asking and extending the invitation to us?
My prayer is that our community will continue extending the invitation, that the Banquet tables will be full, and that our heavenly Master will be pleased with our persistence.
To learn more about sponsoring a guest to the upcoming Great Banquet weekends, click here.
To get an application to sponsor your guests, click here (a new browser window will open).
DeColores!
Shelly Hanover
Community Lay Director
From the Community Spiritual Director 2007.12.01 Back To The Top
Have you ever noticed that the Book of Acts has an introduction but no conclusion? It could be that there is no end to the many acts of God’s agape. The Spirit continues to breathe new life into Christ’s followers. And so it is that the breath of God is breathing new life into our fourth day community as well.
There is an exciting spirit of renewal among us as we begin to prepare for the upcoming Great Banquet weekends. The Lord has set a wonderful table before us with many new and meaningful opportunities to serve. We have been chosen by Christ to hold these feasts of love and invite those who will come to be His honored guests.
There are always those who for one reason or another will not come, but with enthusiasm and joyful expectation our vision is not diminished and into the highways and byways we will go to find those whom Christ is calling to dine with Him.
Our mission has not changed. As we have so many times made that Walk to Emmaus® and have seen the eyes of blinded pilgrims opened to new life as their hearts were warmed by Christ’s presence, so now we will invite guests to the Great Banquet to dine with the Master and feast on the riches of His Grace. We are one body and one message!
Please begin now to pray and ask the Spirit to lead you to the honored guest He would have you invite to this first Great Banquet weekend. Let’s continue, as a blessed fourth day community, to walk in God’s love and grace, offering to others the chance to find God’s blessing for their life as well.
See you at the feast,
Mark Wallace
Community Spiritual Director
The Bloomington/Normal Great Banquet Community
PO Box 3043 / Bloomington, IL 61702-3043
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