Letters to the Family of God
by Joe Franzone | March 3, 2022 | Pastor's Blog


March 3, 2022
Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
“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.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
“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.’ “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’
“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. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’’’ (Luke 14:16-23)
Come to the feast, Come to the table
The great and the least, the rich and the poor
Come to the feast, Come to the table
Come and hunger no more.
Come to the Feast by Jeff Lawson.
All things are ready, come to the feast.
Charles Hutchinson Gabriel
Come with me if you want to live.
The Terminator
Dear Friends,
One of the ways Jesus describes life in His name was as a great banquet. When we evangelize, part of what we do is to tell about that great banquet.
As a child, I had the privilege of going to quite a few great banquets. My dad was in the hotel business, and at the time, a lot of new hotels were being built, and banquets were a way to introduce the hotel to the community. Even as I think about it now it seems like a dream. Picture this—you are a ten or an eleven-year-old child. Your Father tells you to put on your best clothes, jump in the car and go with him to the banquet. You can eat all you want at the banquet, just don't get into any trouble. He had me at you can eat all you want.
Not only did these banquets have great food in a great venue, but lots of great people were invited. City leaders, those in government—celebrities, local and national, were all on the list. To a kid like me—it seemed like those who were invited all came. In the parable Jesus gave, it wasn’t nearly as easy.
There were people you would expect to come and even received an invitation, but they did not come. Loaded with excuses, they decided to miss the feast.
Others had to be persuaded to come, hardly believing they had received an invitation, not being used to such things. Still, they came, even though they were poor, maimed, lame, and blind.
Finally, others were compelled that is, they were irresistibly urged to come, and they did. All these invites had one aim in mind—fill the great banquet hall with people feasting with the King.
As we continue to think about personal evangelism, treating each person as an individual with their particular needs in full view will always be part of wise soul winning. For example, over the past few months, my wife and I have been speaking to a 30 something-year-old professional, a 60 something-year-old retired former alcoholic, a 40 something-year-old accountant, and a sweet person recovering from drug addiction.
They each have the same need—to attend the banquet. We are trying to invite and re-invite. And the wonderful thing is, on the journey, our affections only grow for them. You see, it is impossible to love a person without wanting them to attend the banquet. In that, our love for them will only grow and mature. Indeed, the word around our house for these souls is, we love them. Do you know why? Because God loved us first.
Give as was given to you in your need,
Love as the Master loved you.
Be to the helpless a helper indeed,
To your mission be true.
Ira B. Wilson
This comes to you with all my love in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Pastor Joe