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I. Let us try to ACCOUNT FOR THE FACT, THE SAD FACT, THAT MEN ARE SO READY TO MAKE EXCUSES RATHER THAN TO RECEIVE THE WORD OF GOD. We account for it in the first place by the fact that they had no heart at all to accept the feast. Had they spoken the truth plainly, they would have said, "We do not wish to come, nor do we intend to do so." If the real secret of it was that they hated Him and despised His provisions, is it not melancholy that they were not honest enough to give Him a "nay" at once? It may be that you make this excuse to satisfy custom. It is not the custom of this present age to fly immediately in the face of Christ. There are not many men of your acquaintance or mine who ostensibly oppose religion. It may be you make these excuses because you have had convictions which so haunt you at times that you dare not oppose Christ to His face. Satan is always ready to help men with excuses. This is a trade of which there is no end. It certainly commenced very early, for after our first parents had sinned, one of the first occupations upon which they entered was to make themselves aprons of fig-leaves to hide their nakedness. If you will fire the gun, Satan will always keep you supplied with ammunition.

II. We come to RECOUNT THESE EXCUSES. Many will not come to the great supper — will not be Christians on the same ground as those in the parable — they are too busy. They have a large family, and it takes all their time to earn bread and cheese for those little mouths. They have a very large business. Or else, if they have no business, yet they have so many. pleasures, and these require so much time — their butterfly visits during the morning take up so many hours. Another class say, "We are too bad to be saved. The gospel cries, 'Believe in Jesus Christ and live,' but it cannot mean me; I have been too gross an offender." Then comes another excuse, "Sir, I would trust Christ with my soul this morning, but I do not feel in a fit state to trust Christ. I have not that sense of sin which I think to be a fit preparation for coming to Christ." I think I hear one say, "It is too soon for me to come: let me have a little look at the world first. I am scarce fifteen or sixteen." Others will row in the opposite direction, pleading, "Alas! it is too late." The devil first puts the clock back and tells you it is too soon, and when this does not serve his turn, he puts it on and says, "The hour is passed, the day of grace is over; mercy's gate is bolted, you can never enter it." It is never too late for a man to believe in Jesus while he is out of his grave. Here comes another, "O sir, I would trust Christ with my soul, but it seems too good to be true, that God should save me on the spot, this morning." My dear friend, dost thou measure God's corn with thy bushel? Because the thing seems an amazing thing to thee, should it therefore be amazing unto Him? "Well," says one, "I cannot trust Christ, I cannot believe Him." It means, "I will not." A man once sent his servant to a certain town to fetch some goods; and he came back without them. "Well, sir, why did you not go there?" "Well, when I got to a certain place, I came to a river, sir, a very deep river: I cannot swim, and I had no boat; so I could not get over." A good excuse, was it not? It looked so, but it happened to be a very bad one, for the master said, "Is there not a ferry there?" "Yes, sir." "Did you ask the man to take you over?" "No, sir." Surely the excuse was a mere fiction! So there are many things with regard to our salvation which we cannot do. Granted, but then there is a ferry there! There is the Holy Spirit, who is able to do all things, and you remember the text, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?" It is true you cannot make yourself a new heart, but did you ask for a new heart with sincerity and truth? Did you seek Christ? If you say, "Yes, I did sincerely seek Christ, and Christ would not save me," why then you are excused; but there never was a soul who could in truth say that.

III. HOW FOOLISH THUS TO MAKE EXCUSES. For first remember with whom it is you are dealing. You are not making excuses before a man who may be duped by them, but you make these excuses before the heart-searching God. Remember, again, what it is you are trifling with. It is your own soul, the soul which can never die. You are trifling with a heaven which you will never see if you keep on with these excuses. Remember, again, that these excuses will look very different soon. How will you make excuses when you come to die, as die you must?

(C. H. Spurgeon.)

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KJV: Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

WEB: But he said to him, "A certain man made a great supper, and he invited many people.