Excuses Excuses - Luke 14:18

Luke the beloved physician wrote how Jesus said, “A certain man made a great supper, and bade many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready”, and in chapter fourteen and verse eighteen of his book Luke shared how Jesus said all the invited guests, “with one consent began to make excuse” where we read:

And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray you have me excused.

The verse reads, “And they all with one consent began to make excuse.” Luke began with the words, “and they all” or “and each, every, the whole and everyone of the invited guests” “with one consent” which means “in one accord or simultaneously” “began to make excuse” or “initiated, started and made a beginning of entreating, asking, supplicating and begging to avert, deprecate, refuse, decline, shun and avoid the certain man's invitation”. Luke shared how Jesus said “everyone” of the invited guests began to provide reasons why they could not attend the “certain man's” feast.

The verse goes on to say, “The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray you have me excused.” Luke continued with the words, “the first said unto him” or “the foremost one uttered, declared and proclaimed to the certain man through his servant”, “I have bought” which means “I purchased” “a piece of ground” or “a field, piece of land, bit of tillage, farm or hamlet”, “and I must needs go” which means “and it is necessary to arise, depart and leave” “and see it” or “and perceive, become acquainted with by experience and pay heed to the piece of ground”: “I pray you” which means “I beg, request, entreat and beseech you” “have me excused” or “allow me to avert, deprecate, refuse, decline, shun and avoid your invitation”. Luke shared how Jesus said the “first” invited guest asked to be “excused” from the “prepared feast” because he purchased a “field” to which he needed to attend.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we see how Jesus said this first invited guest made an “excuse” to not attend the “feast” because he purchased “a piece of ground”. Many people allow “possessions” to keep them from a personal relationship with Jesus, and rather than attending to His Kingdom, they attend to their own. They forget they would have “nothing” if the Lord did not provide for them,“The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein” (See Psalm 24:1), and yet, they conduct their lives as though they have created and made everything they own by themselves. God's desire is to be “first” in every person's life, “Seek you first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (See Matthew 6:33), and when a person submits themselves to Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, they align without excuse to God's purpose, plan and direction for their life.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus said one of the invited guests said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".