In Luke 14:16-24 (NLT), Jesus shares the Parable of the Great Feast: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

“The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’”

What word best describes the excuses that were given in this parable? How about lame? Who buys property without first seeing it? Who buys oxen without first testing them? What’s with the excuse offered by the third guy? Why couldn’t both he and his wife attend the event together?

It’s clear, by the responses of the three people, that they didn’t have a legitimate reason to miss the banquet. They simply didn’t want to attend.

Are you familiar with the abbreviation RSVP? It stands for a French phrase which means, “Please reply.” It’s commonly used in invitations to request a response from the invitee regarding their attendance at an event. It’s either “Yes, I’ll be there,” or “No, I will not be there.”

Rather than RSVP being on the invitations sent out by the host in Jesus’ parable, I believe the unwritten, or unspoken equivalent of another phrase was included — “All excuses ceasing.” Allow me to explain what I mean by this.

Various online sources provide the following account: When Princess Elizabeth of York was to be crowned as Queen of the United Kingdom in 1953, formal invitations went out to thousands of guests around the world. In England, a cross-section of subjects of the Crown also received invitations. The formal requests provided the essential details of the event but also included these words at the bottom — “All excuses ceasing.”

Notice that it didn’t say “RSVP.” The new queen was being crowned, and each invitee’s attendance was required — no ifs, ands, or buts! You see, when royalty invites his/her subjects to such a significant event, it’s not a mere suggestion or left to the discretion of the individual. It’s actually a command and obligation.

Likewise, God doesn’t want our excuses. He doesn’t want us to point to our circumstances and decline his directive when we’re instructed or prompted to do something. So, what does God want from us? He wants humility, submission, confession, repentance, and obedience—all in a timely fashion.

What excuses must cease? Here’s a partial list: Excuses for not coming to Christ. Excuses for not truly repenting and leaving sin behind. Excuses for not regularly attending church. Excuses for not serving in the church or helping someone in need. Excuses for not regularly praying, reading the Bible, and sharing our faith. The list could go on and on!

What excuses have you used when God has invited or commanded you to do something? Are you currently offering up excuses to him? Are they as lame as the excuses offered by the invitees in Jesus’ parable?