Happy & Privileged to Share In the Joy

Can you imagine being invited to a dinner by Queen Elizabeth?

"Her Majesty The Queen" has ruled for longer than any other Monarch in British history, becoming a much loved and respected figure across the globe. Her extraordinary reign is famous for her sense of duty and her devotion to a life of service, throughout the world.

{ https://www.royal.uk/her-majesty-the-queen }

The Crown Series on Netflix captivated audience and enabled common people to gain glimpses and insights to the anointing and authority of her reign, with "a true look behind the curtains" to the wonder and worries of her authentic life and family.

https://www.netflix.com/title/80025678

She is Royalty at its finest in my book! I consider her a hero and a true Queen in title and in her living true to her royal position and role before God.

Today I read about a man who truly was invited to a lunch with Queen Elizabeth. Here is his story:

"It's a Party!

One day, I received a message that the Queen of England had invited me to lunch. At first, I thought it was a practical joke. But it wasn’t. I turned up at Buckingham Palace on my bicycle, which an amused policeman looked after for me. I sat next to the Queen as we ate some amazing food. Then she turned and began to talk to me as the ‘Parfait de Rhubarbe et Chocolate Blanc’ arrived.

It looked delicious. But I did not want to talk with my mouth full – nor did I want to seem rude by cutting into it while the Queen was speaking to me. Eventually she asked me whether I did not like the food. ‘No, no, no,’ I said, ‘I love it’ (as I quickly began to eat). I did not say it to her, but the real reason I had not eaten was that I was overwhelmed by the privilege of being invited to lunch with the Queen of England.

Jesus likens the kingdom of God to a great party with the King, one to which we are all invited. It is an even greater privilege than lunch with the Queen of England, and it is extraordinary that anyone would refuse this invitation."

(Excerpt from Day 102 of The Bible In One Year 2019 by Nicky Gumble)

The writing went on to show in the Bible that God is The King and is often addressed or titled King. Then followed The Parable of the Great Banquet:

Luke 14:15-33 The Passion Translation (TPT) 15 When they heard this, one of the dinner guests said to Jesus, “Someday God will have a kingdom feast, and how happy and privileged will be the ones who get to share in that joy!” 16 Jesus replied with this parable: “There was a man who invited many to join him in a great feast. 17 When the day for the feast arrived, the host instructed his servant to notify all the invited guests and tell them, ‘Come, for everything is now ready for you!’ 18 But one by one they all made excuses. One said, ‘I can’t come. I just bought some property and I’m obligated to go and look it over.’ 19 Another said, ‘Please accept my regrets, for I just purchased five teams of oxen and I need to make sure they can pull the plow.’ 20 Another one said, ‘I can’t come because I just got married.’ 21 “The servant reported back to the host and told him of all their excuses. So the master became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go at once throughout the city and invite anyone you find—the poor, the blind, the disabled, the hurting, and the lonely—and invite them to my banquet.’ 22 “When the servant returned to his master, he said, ‘Sir, I have done what you’ve asked, but there’s still room for more.’ 23 “So the master told him, ‘All right. Go out again, and this time bring them all back with you. Persuade the beggars on the streets, the outcasts, even the homeless. Urgently insist that they come in and enjoy the feast so that my house will be full.’ 24 “I say to you all, the one who receives an invitation to feast with me and makes excuses will never enjoy my banquet.”

Emotions welled up when I read this today. How sad that the Creator King, The King of Kings, The Messiah King would be so rejected and ignored! What generosity, grace and giving He offers to any whosoever. A surge of emotion hit me and comes with the realization of how much God wants us all with Him and I felt compelled to write about such a great invitation and great impact event.

The King had prepared the Kingdom for the people. He had the feast ready and the guests invited by personal courier. The magnificence of The King's Presence, of the dinner offered, of the celebratory event is extraordinary and beyond our finest kingships here on earth. How is it "that they all began to beg off one after another making excuses" (v 18 MSG) Making lame excuses and going on their ordinary ways ignoring such an enormous offer of abundance seems unbelievably sad, tragic even because it represents eternal loss!

As I looked into this parable at

https://www.gotquestions.org/parable-great-banquet.html,

these facts jumped out:

The detail that the invitation is opened up to society’s maimed and downtrodden is important.

These were the types of people that the Pharisees considered “unclean” and under God’s curse (cf. John 9:1-2, 34).

Jesus, however, taught that the kingdom was available even to those considered “unclean” (cf. Acts 10).

His involvement with tax collectors and sinners brought condemnation from the Pharisees, yet it showed the extent of God’s grace (Matthew 9:10-11).

The fact that the master in the parable sends the servant far afield to persuade everyone to come indicates that the offer of salvation would be extended to the Gentiles and “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people” (Romans 15:10). The master is not satisfied with a partially full banquet hall; he wants every place at the table to be filled.

John MacArthur’s comment on this fact is that

“God is more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved.” Those who ignored the invitation to the banquet chose their own punishment—they missed out.

The master respects their choice by making it permanent: they would not “taste of my banquet.”

So it will be with God’s judgment on those who choose to reject Christ: they will have their choice confirmed, and they will never taste the joys of heaven." {https://www.gotquestions.org/parable-great-banquet.html}

The invitation to meet The King of all Creation, The King of All Kings is to get a glimpse into the magnitude of God's Majesty and Mercy, His Crown and Eternal Royalty beyond our full understanding this side of heaven. We are warned clearly not to reject His Grace!

This really is eternally important, an impact event decision!

May God's Grace be with you as you contemplate and decide and share His Truth and Love,

In Jesus Name,

Deborah