Each week Pr. Bogholtz sends an e-Devotion to members of the congregation. A recent one is posted here, unfortunately we are in the process of building a new website and the e-Devotions may not be as up to date as we would like..
If you would like to subscribe to Pastor's e-devotions, you may do so by sending a request to stpetersri@verizon.net.
Luke 14:15-24
15One of the dinner guests, on hearing this, said to him, "Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" 16Then Jesus said to him, "Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. 17At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for everything is ready now.' 18But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my regrets.' 19Another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my regrets.' 20Another said, 'I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.' 21So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, 'Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.' 22And the slave said, 'Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.' 23Then the master said to the slave, 'Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. 24For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner.'"
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Wait for responses to invitations is often one of the trying parts of the period leading up to a wedding. Who is actually going to come? Who will send their regrets? Will need to send more invitations? Will be meet the guarantee number of meals?
In the parable of the great dinner the invitations have gone out and the guests are sending their regrets and their excuses. No one is coming to the banquet! The invitation goes out to others. It goes to those identified in Sunday’s reading. “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid.13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.” [Luke 14:12-13]
God’s gracious invitation goes out to everyone. The invitation is to come and taste and see. When the invitation comes, how do we answer?
It is too easy to come up with excuses. We can think of all sorts of reasons why this week is not good for us. There is something we need to do. Someone or place we need to see. There is sports. The weather is not good. The weather is too nice. The list can go on and on, you name it.
Jesus comes and asks will you come and follow me? What is our answer?
O God, you resist those who are proud
and give grace to those who are humble.
Give us the humility of your Son,
that we may embody the generosity of Jesus Christ,
our Savior and Lord. Amen
