A Year with Jesus

Note from Jesus

Dear Seeker,

Yesterday, I warned about one false way to approach My invitation to the table of grace - you should not come with a haughty and self-important attitude. You need to come to My Table with humility demonstrated in a life of serving others. You need to come looking for others who need to be at My table of grace.

Today, I am warning you of another false approach: You can take My offer of grace lightly. You can forget how blessed you are to be invited and find other things that feel more important to you at the moment and put off My invitation of grace.

Please understand, there is nothing more important in your life at any time than accepting My invitation to share in the Father's grace. Nothing! Yes, I know there are important things going on in your life right now. I know there are people who may not understand why responding to My invitation is so important. There may even be people who have their feelings hurt when you choose to respond to My invitation. There may be others who ridicule you or reject you completely for your choice to accept My invitation and follow Me. However, I want you to hear Me. I am journeying to Jerusalem when I share the message in the verses below. I know I am going there to die for the sins of the people - including your sins. I am going to sacrifice Myself - My dignity and My life - for you. Once you understand this, you need to respond immediately to My invitation if you have not already done so. There is nothing more important. I gave Myself to give you a place at My table of grace; don't spurn My invitation by assuming you have time later to respond. Today is the day of your invitation. Don't reject the grace that is offered you, today! If you have accepted My invitation, then please always remember the price I paid to give you a place at My table.

Verses to Live

I love Doctor Luke because he talks about My ministry around food. The first paragraph in the verses below includes one of these references to table fellowship (Luke 14:1) and serves as an introduction to today's message. I have spent both yesterday and today teaching you about the grace of joining Me at My table and reminding you of those you should include - friends, critics, opponents, the marginalized, and the lost. Today's message, dear seeker, is especially important for you. Some with whom I share this message have never really accepted the grace I came to provide. Others have never really committed themselves to the life of discipleship. Others have treated My invitation of grace with disrespect. Please hear My urgent words to you in the verses that follow!

Another Sabbath Day came and Jesus was invited to an official's home for a meal. This fellow was a leader of the Pharisees, and Jesus was still under close surveillance by them.

...

Guest:
Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!
Jesus:
A man once hosted a huge banquet and invited many guests. When the time came, he sent his servant to tell the guests who had agreed to come, "We're ready! Come now!" But then every single guest began to make excuses.

One said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I just bought some land, and I need to go see it. Please excuse me."

Another said, "So sorry. I just bought five pairs of oxen. I need to go check them out. Please excuse me."

Another said, "I just got married, so I can't come."

The servant returned and reported their responses to his master. His master was angry and told the servant, "Go out quickly to the streets and alleys around town and bring the poor, the amputees, the blind, and the cripples."

The servant came back again: "Sir, I've done as you said, but there is still more room."

And the host said, "Well then, go out to the highways and hedges and bring in the complete strangers you find there, until my house is completely full. One thing is for sure, not one single person on the original guest list shall enjoy this banquet."
(Luke 14:1; Luke 14:15-24)

Response in Prayer

Almighty God, I accept the offer of grace You have given Me in Jesus! I believe Jesus is Your Son, the long-promised Christ, the Messiah of Israel, and Lord and Savior of the world. I believe Jesus died for my sins, that He was buried, and that He rose on the third day, defeating the power of sin and death to control me. So I commit to following Jesus passionately and doing what He asks of me and rejoicing in His grace shared with me. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.