Luke 14:16-23

16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

22 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.

Pondering Point

Jesus often used parables to drive home teaching points. This one should cause us to heed the warning of a life too busy or distracted by lesser things, no matter how important are labeled – be it family, responsibilities, et cetera. Don’t let it happen, even if you need to employ others to help you.

Hurry is the great enemy of souls in our day. Being busy is mostly a condition of our outer world; it is having many things to do. Being hurried is a problem of the soul. It’s being so preoccupied with myself and what myself has to do that I am no longer able to be fully present with God and fully present with you. There is no way a soul can thrive when it is hurried.”
~ Dallas Willard

Prayer

Father God, lead me to eliminate the enemies of busyness and hurry from my life so that I am able to be fully into You. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Hook Questions

Use these questions with your group when you are using Bible stories as central to your time together.

• Share a unique time in your life associated with being at or missing a wedding.
  

Bible Storying's Core Questions

1. What did you like (or learn new) about the story?
   
2. What did you not like (or not understand) about it?
   
3. What are the various people doing in the story? With whom do you identify within the story?
   
4. What is God doing in the story?
   
5. What might God be asking of you triggered by this story? How is He challenging you?

Remember: A great way to get God’s stories to stick with you is telling them to other people.