It’s a Banquet-We’re Invited

It will be the greatest banquet in recorded history. No other banquet ever held compares. No, it hasn’t happened yet. We have an invitation. It will be huge…uncountable numbers of people will attend. We will know many of them…People of history, well known. Many will be new to us. None of us will care about status. Wealth and fame on earth will have no significance.

This banquet will be in heaven. God is in charge of all the details.

We’ve come to the last supper. It was the last Passover observance Jesus had with His disciples…on earth. This is how Luke recorded this evening event in the city of Jerusalem:

“And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise, the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”  Luke 22:14-19

When we observe this event with Jesus and His disciples today, we call it communion…we say we’re observing “the Lord’s Supper.” Communion is a time to confess personal sin-and be forgiven. Communion is when we remember the final Passover observance of Jesus and His disciples.

Final…only because Jesus would in a few hours, become our human Passover lamb. A few hours after this last supper Jesus was hanging on a Roman cross dying for our sins.

We are best advised to not overlook these words of Jesus:

“For I tell you I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

Jesus used the word “again.” He was referring to the great Passover celebration in heaven. It is coming. It will happen just after the “end of the age” Jesus spoke of in Luke chapter 21. We have no idea how grand, how marvelous this will be. This great feast in heaven is already planned. We are invited. If we accept Jesus’s invitation-we will be at this great heavenly banquet with Him.

Our invitations are uncommon. Jesus bought our invitations with His blood. We receive our invitation when we believe Jesus died for our sins. It’s easy. Believe. It’s hard-to believe means we must admit our sins. But, the best part about confession is God’s Holy Spirit. When we do a serious investigation of our heart, we realize how sin filled we are…and when we realize this fact-God’s Holy Spirit brings us to ask forgiveness. It’s called GRACE! It’s favor and mercy from God we do not deserve.

Did you know you have an invitation? This banquet is just the beginning of a forever that exceeds every good thing we can think of. It’s heaven! No more death, no sickness, no sadness, no suffering…no evil…in the presence of God whose love will bless us …forever.

This is a banquet neither of us want to miss. Will you accept your invitation? To be present you must accept your invitation.