Coffee With The Lord

Ever try to do something really nice and extra special for someone and they act like they’re too busy – they give you all kinds of flimsy excuses – they act like they really “couldn’t care less”?  It’s frustrating!!  It’s insulting and rude!!  It can “tick you off”!!

There’s a story like that in the Bible.  Jesus had been invited to eat at the house of an important religious leader.  During the meal, someone at the meal remarked, “Blessed (enviably privileged) is the person who will eat at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven!”

Now to process this story, you really have to understand all that the word “banquet” or “feast” represented in ancient Semitic culture – it was a very special, celebratory event!  And you also must have some understanding of Jesus’ use of the term “the Kingdom of God or Heaven” from a Biblical point of view. 

Just let me say, we’re not talking about “meat and ‘tators” here – not even “prime rib and key lime pie”!  (“The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit according to Romans 14.17-18 ESV)  We’re talking here about an incredible spiritual reality!  One that will have its ultimate glorious consummation in the future, but also one that can be experienced and entered into “this side of heaven” when an individual accepts the invitation of Jesus Christ to “enter into it” – it’s both a present and a future reality!

So, here’s the story Jesus told that day in the Pharisee’s house when he was invited for dinner…

“A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ But they all began making excuses! One said… Another said… And another said…  The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’  After the servant had done this, he returned and reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. None of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet!’” (Luke 14:16-24 NLT)

Now it seems to me there are a couple of lessons for me from this story (probably more)…

I NEVER, I mean NEVER, want to treat God’s invitation to enter Kingdom blessing lightly, or offer flimsy excuses – I want to give His invitation and offer my highest priority!  I want to say “YES”!  I want to embrace God’s best for my life in Christ Jesus!  I want all God offers me!  Don’t you?!

I realize that there have been a lot of people who have rejected God’s offer in Christ Jesus!  I admit, I don’t understand that!  But I’m not going to let that keep me from urging others – in fact, anyone else who will listen – to accept it!  I intend to “go out quickly into the streets and alleys and bring in…” anyone who will accept God’s offer in Christ Jesus! … I intend to… “go out to the roads and country lanes and compel others to come in, so that His house will be full.”

Hey, the invitation is out there… Jesus says, “Come!  Everything is now ready!” What are you going to do?  How are you going to respond?

What the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us… A wonderful “sip” of truth!!!

“You, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, He has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him!” (Colossians 1:21–22 ESV)

Just a post of a personal nature today in “Coffee with the Lord”…

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE to teach God’s Word, the Bible!  I used to joke about the fact that, at SAGU “I’d do it for nothing (but don’t tell the president!).  If ANYTHING “cranks my engine” it’s seeing “the light come on in someone’s eyes” with the awareness of a new personal discovery or insight into God’s truth.  I just love it!  I believe I was created to teach!  (Now I enjoy preaching as well, don’t get me wrong, and have taught preaching classes for years… but I LOVE TO TEACH!)

This morning during my time of “Coffee with the Lord” I came across a verse in Psalm 119 that summarizes so much about why I love to teach the Bible. Here it is…

“The unfolding of Your words give light – it imparts understanding to the simple.” (vs. 130)

That’s why I love to teach the Bible… God’s word “GIVES LIGHT!”  It reveals truth – it illuminates or makes truth personal and clear to us.  Earlier in this same Psalm is a verse that puts it this way: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (vs. 105)  Anyone who knows me, knows that I passionately believe this assertion about the Bible… “The Bible is my all-sufficient guide for faith (i.e. my relationship with God) and daily living!”)  I’ve urged students, over the years, to write those words in the flyleaf of every Bible they own!

So here’s what good Bible teaching does… “It IMPARTS UNDERSTANDING to the simple” (i.e. the uninformed, the impressionable).  Here’s what 2 Timothy 3:15-17 says: FROM CHILDHOOD you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you WISE FOR SALVATION through faith in Christ Jesus.  All scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, SO THAT THE MAN (OR WOMAN) OF GOD MAY BE COMPLETE, EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK.” … It’s effective “cradle to grave!”

How do I want to teach?… I want to “UNFOLD His word” to those I teach – to open it up, to explain it simply and clearly, to structure learning experiences that will bring insight and those “Aha” moments or discovery experiences that result in life transformation!

Those are just a few reasons why I love to teach the Bible!  I PLAN TO GIVE THE REST OF MY LIFE TO THAT NOBLE TASK however, whenever and wherever I can!! … And I pray a special blessing and anointing upon all those are involved in teaching ministry (whether it is to children, youth, adults or a special grouping of people anywhere in the world)!