I learned this song at a kid's program many years ago and have liked it since. I altered some of the lyrics to better fit my theology.
-chorus-
I cannot come
I cannot come to the banquet,
don't trouble me now.
I have married a wife;
I have bought me a cow.
I have fields and commitments
that cost a pretty sum.
Pray, hold me excused, I cannot come.
-verse1-
A certain man held a feast
on his fine estate in town.
He spread a festive table
He wore a wedding gown.
He sent invitations
to His people far and wide
but when the meal was ready,
each of them replied:
-verse2-
The master rose up in anger,
called his servants by name,
said: Go into the town,
find the blind and the lame,
find the peasant and the pauper,
for this I have willed,
my banquet must be crowded,
and my tables must be filled.
-verse3-
When all the poor had assembled,
there was still room to spare,
so the master demanded:
Go and search every where,
to the highways and the byways
invite them all to come
Ask every single person
For the banquet has begun.
-verse4-
Now God has written this lesson
for the rest of the mankind;
If we're slow a responding,
we may run out of time.
He's prepared us a banquet
and invites us still today
when the Lord and Master calls you,
be careful not to say:
-chorus-
I cannot come
I cannot come to the banquet,
don't trouble me now.
I have married a wife;
I have bought me a cow.
I have fields and commitments
that cost a pretty sum.
Pray, hold me excused, I cannot come.
-verse1-
A certain man held a feast
on his fine estate in town.
He spread a festive table
He wore a wedding gown.
He sent invitations
to His people far and wide
but when the meal was ready,
each of them replied:
-verse2-
The master rose up in anger,
called his servants by name,
said: Go into the town,
find the blind and the lame,
find the peasant and the pauper,
for this I have willed,
my banquet must be crowded,
and my tables must be filled.
-verse3-
When all the poor had assembled,
there was still room to spare,
so the master demanded:
Go and search every where,
to the highways and the byways
invite them all to come
Ask every single person
For the banquet has begun.
-verse4-
Now God has written this lesson
for the rest of the mankind;
If we're slow a responding,
we may run out of time.
He's prepared us a banquet
and invites us still today
when the Lord and Master calls you,
be careful not to say:
3 comments:
This makes my eyes gloss over. And, it reminds me of last Thursday's chapel speaker who was planting a church. In order to publicize she made all the phone calls to "all the right people" and she made all the personal visits to all the newcomers to the community and other suburbans who were "most likely" to be interested. After three months of this, her church had only 10 people, four of which were her family. She was frustrated. But, God showed her this parable. And so she went out a second time, this time inviting the poor, the drug adicts, the foster kids, the old, the illiterate, the foreigners, the ill, and all the other "least likely" (by church planting methodology). Now, only a year later, there are 300 hundred people worshipping there, who are in genuine community with one another, and who are helping eachother with their struggles. :)
oh yeah, and you know what kind of "ministry" and "evangelism" these people like to do? Yep, feed the hungry, find shelter for the homeless, visit the prisons, host drug addiction recovery support groups, and host ESL courses, and tutor one another in such things as how to do taxes, learning to read, how to do fractions, the basic outline of God's Story for Humanity, how to keep a checkbook, how to write resumes, how to fill out applications to community college, etc.
Hmmm....no tracts were involved, and no "ye must be born again" preaching was done on the street corners. Yet, somehow, they all are seeking to love God and eachother.
hey thanks for sharing that jo'anna'
it also illustrates the shorter parable that comes right before in Luke:
Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
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