Jesus told a parable about a man who threw a big party. The originally invited guests made excuses and didn’t come to the party. The man was determined to fill his house with guests. He sent his servants to invite people from the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, the lame, and those far away in the country lanes and roads.

Through this parable, Jesus taught us that: (1) The Kingdom of God is a big party. Yes, the Kingdom is a place of pleasure, joy, and happiness! God calls us into a place of joy. It is when we underestimate the level of joy in the Kingdom that we satisfy ourselves with the measly things of the world. (2) Our idols impede our coming to the Kingdom party. Our idols are good things that we make into ultimate things, the main source of security, identity, pleasure, and happiness. The more good things we have, the more we are likely to create excuses to miss the kingdom party. (3) Only those who are poor in the spirit, those who are desperate, end up coming to the party. The kingdom party is for people who acknowledge their desperation and humbly come to God for God.