One said he had bought a piece of land, and he must go to look at it. Another said he had married a wife, and therefore could not come; and another that he had bought five yoke of oxen, and he must go to prove them: till at last all of them made excuses that they could not come!
Then the master told his servants to go to the highways and bring in all the lonely and homeless, and wandering ones, and compel them to come in, that his house might be filled.
And the master of the house said very sorrowfully that none of those who had refused could taste of his supper.
And the meaning of this great feast seems to me to be like one of the glimpses of Heaven which we get in the Bible. They tell us of the joys which those who are willing to accept "God's invitation" will have for ever and ever.
I knew a little girl, years ago, who heard a sermon which changed all her life.
We were listening to a great preacher, and he was saying, "God's Holy Spirit is here, and He is asking you to come to Jesus, and be saved. The Holy Spirit seems to say, 'Yet there is room.' Let us pause in silence for a few minutes, while you answer this question: Will you come to Jesus, now?"
In the solemn silence that followed, I found my little girl's arm gently put into mine, with a little squeeze: and I guessed that all was right.
When we were going home, I whispered, "What did you answer?"
And she said softly, "I said, 'Yes.'"