Revolutionary Leaders

Amazing Race: Seriously 3!

A Serious Desire for His House to Be Full

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 it; 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 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 to be full! Let me tell you, not one of the those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party. (Luke 14:16-24, TM)

Of course we know that God’s invitation is for everyone. The point of this story is to confront people about not just inviting others, but to be mindful of whom they are inviting and how to get them to come.

People you need to invite
a. Friends: people you know and love
b. Those in need: hurting, lonely
c. Misfits: those who don’t fit in
d. Homeless: adopted, foster kids,
e. Wretched: deeply afflicted, dejected, or distressed in body or mind, inferior
f. Whoever you find!

This is God’s house and we want it to be full as well! Who are you inviting? Do you give up after one rejection? Do you stop at just inviting your friends? How serious are you about this race and about completing the task that God has given us to testify of the grace of God?

“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full’” (Luke 14:23, NIV).

How do we “make them come in”? The Message transliteration says to “drag them in”. I feel that the King James version uses the correct wording, “compel them to come in”

To compel means:
1 : to drive or urge forcefully or irresistibly
2 : to cause to do or occur by overwhelming pressure

You and I are compelled to do things all the time. Maybe Peter or Zach has compelled you to come to their football game on Saturday afternoon. Some of you have been compelled to go to the movies or a concert this past weekend.

When you compel someone, you are persuading and pressuring them to do something that YOU want them to do. You are convincing them that they need to do it.

That is how we will fill this House!
You must “compel them to come in”!