Going Into All the World
Jesus gives an interesting parable: “A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled” (Luke 14:16–23).
Who are the first two groups invited to this supper, and what does it signify?
“By the great supper, Christ represents the blessings offered through the gospel. The provision is nothing less than Christ Himself. He is the bread that comes down from heaven; and from Him the streams of salvation flow. The Lord’s messengers had proclaimed to the Jews the advent of the Saviour; they had pointed to Christ as ‘the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’ John 1:29. In the feast He had provided, God offered to them the greatest gift that Heaven can bestow. . . . ‘If any man eat of this bread,’ Christ said, ‘he shall live for ever.’ John 6:51.”1
From the quote above we understand two beautiful points:
The invitation was first given to the Jews, which would represent Christians today as God’s chosen people. “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).
As God’s servants and messengers to the world, we are privileged to give to the world an invitation to receive the free gift of the bread of life, which is Christ Himself. “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life” (John 6:35).
The Jewish nation rejected the invitation due to their spiritual condition—thinking they were “rich, and increased with goods, and [in] need of nothing” (Revelation 3:17). The invitation was then given to a second class of people. The master then tells the servant in Luke 14:21, “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.” This is not so much speaking in a literal sense as it is in a spiritual sense. If those representing God’s people today are the spiritually rich, then those in streets and lanes must be those who are spiritually poor, lame, and blind.
“The servant who brought in the poor and the blind reported to his master, ‘It is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.’ Here Christ pointed to the work of the gospel outside the pale of Judaism, in the highways and byways of the world.”2
What about the last two groups mentioned in the parable, referenced as the highways and hedges (or byways)? These groups are referred to by Inspiration as the people of the world, those outside of our faith.
During recent missionary training sessions across several churches, I highlighted our efforts—or lack thereof—in reaching those outside our faith. At the start of one class, I asked the students to look around and identify how many in the room were new believers from outside the church, welcomed within the past five years. In that large group, only one or two had recently come to faith from “the world.” This raises a critical question for each of us: As servants of Christ, are we actively reaching out and inviting others to the great feast, where Jesus Himself is the bread of life?
We may wonder, “How am I to do this work? Specifically, who in the world am I to reach?” We might feel uncertain about reaching people from different backgrounds—whether they be highly educated, wealthy, or perhaps hold beliefs that differ from traditional Christian teachings. Some may feel distant from religious communities due to personal choices, sinful lifestyles, or cultural perspectives. There is often hesitation as to whether such individuals would be interested in spiritual matters or open to engaging with the church.
Many of us might assume that it probably would not even be right or appropriate to bring such individuals to church. These doubts can arise when considering outreach. To alleviate these doubts, it is valuable to reflect on what Inspiration has to say about the first group to be invited to the gospel feast—those in the “highways.”
“The invitation to the feast was first given to the Jewish people, the people who had been called to stand as teachers and leaders among men. . . . When the gospel call is sent to the Gentiles, there is the same plan of working. The message is first to be given ‘in the highways’—to men who have an active part in the world’s work, to the teachers and leaders of the people.
“Let the Lord’s messengers bear this in mind. To the shepherds of the flock, the teachers divinely appointed, it should come as a word to be heeded. Those who belong to the higher ranks of society are to be sought out with tender affection and brotherly regard. Men in business life, in high positions of trust, men with large inventive faculties and scientific insight, men of genius, teachers of the gospel whose minds have not been called to the special truths for this time—these should be the first to hear the call. To them the invitation must be given.
“There is a work to be done for the wealthy. The wealthy man needs your labor in the love and fear of God. Too often he trusts in his riches, and feels not his danger. The eyes of his mind need to be attracted to things of enduring value. . . .
“Those who stand high in the world for their education, wealth, or calling, are seldom addressed personally in regard to the interests of the soul. Many Christian workers hesitate to approach these classes. But this should not be.”3
A dear friend of my father belonged to this class. Sadly, at the time of my father’s passing, I was still “of the world.” Yet after coming to the faith and becoming a Bible worker, I felt compelled to reach out to my father’s friend. He is a friendly person, so I would visit his home and we would have dinner. As our friendship continued, I sought the Lord for a way to share the gospel with him since he was agnostic. When I visited his home, he would show me his pottery wheel and kiln, as he loved to make pottery as a hobby. Several times he asked if I would like to make pottery with him, but I always declined, as this did not interest me. Meanwhile, as we continued to visit, I was praying to find a way to share the gospel with him. Then one day as I was praying, I was impressed to go ahead and take up his offer to make pottery together—realizing that this could be an entering wedge to share the gospel.
When I told this gentleman I would like to learn how to make pottery, he was very happy. The very first time there, we had a great experience together—and believe it or not, I was able to share some spiritual applications of how Christ is the potter, and we are the clay. After this time together, I was able to sow a few seeds of the gospel here and there—and our friendship deepened. I really started to understand more about Christ’s method of soul-winning:
“Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me.’ ”4 This involves deepening relationships and winning someone’s confidence. Then as we develop a closer friendship with someone, we can better share the gospel. Today, after 10 years, this gentleman and I are still close friends—and I continue to plant seeds of truth, trusting that one day he may be in the kingdom of heaven.
We are told by Inspiration that Christ put much effort into this specific class of people—and we are also shown how He reached them. Jesus “sought the acquaintance of the wealthy and cultured Pharisee, the Jewish nobleman, and the Roman ruler. He accepted their invitations, attended their feasts, made Himself familiar with their interests and occupations that He might gain access to their hearts, and reveal to them the imperishable riches.”5
We are also told to reach out to those in the “byways” or “hedges.” Speaking from the time of Moses, the Bible mentions “the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat, and be satisfied” (Deuteronomy 14:29). Inspiration tells us, “we are not to think only of great and gifted men, to the neglect of the poorer classes. Christ instructs His messengers to go also to those in the byways and hedges, to the poor and lowly of the earth. In the courts and lanes of the great cities, in the lonely byways of the country, are families and individuals—perhaps strangers in a strange land—who are without church relations, and who, in their loneliness, come to feel that God has forgotten them.”6
As a teenager, I was canvassing about five hours every day to help pay for my boarding school tuition. Our instructor taught us many good principles found in the parable of the great supper. One is that we should canvass all classes of neighborhoods, not just the ones where we might likely make the most sales. One day we would go to the rich, the next day to the middle class and another day to the poor neighborhoods.
While canvassing in a poor neighborhood one day, I had an enlightening experience. When approaching the front door, I noticed some things that revealed some rough characters living at this home. Since I grew up in greater Los Angeles, California, I was able to recognize a telltale scent—and sure enough, it was true—as the door was opened, I saw a group of men in the living room drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana. I also recognized by the colors and type of clothing worn that these were probably gang members. In starting my canvass, my first thought was that I would be told, “Not interested!” and the door would be slammed in my face.
But this was not the case. . . . I was able to canvass all four or five books I had in my hand while the man patiently listened. When I was finished, he said, “Just a moment,” and came back with a $20 bill, saying, “I’ll take that one,” pointing to a spiritual book. As I went to give him his change (since in those days the books were only $10,) he said, “Keep the change, keep doing what you are doing, and God bless you!”
While departing from that home, I contemplated the very valuable lesson I had learned. When first approaching the house, I had had some preconceived ideas. Especially after the door was opened, I had thought, “Why did I knock on this door? These guys are obviously doing things contrary to God and His word, so why would I waste both my time and theirs by sharing something that they wouldn’t be interested in?” But nowhere does the Bible ever tell us to have such preconceived ideas about souls. it simply bids us to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). As we had been taught important things about canvassing, such as dressing sharp, knowing our canvass thoroughly and keeping good eye contact, I believe this impressed the man. Maybe he thought, “This is the way I should be living my life,” or possibly, “Let me support this young man, as he is on the right path.” I also believe that a seed was planted with the book—and that he wanted to get on the right path himself.
“God has given a special command that we should regard the stranger, the outcast, and the poor souls who are weak in moral power. Many who appear wholly indifferent to religious things are in heart longing for rest and peace. Although they may have sunken to the very depths of sin, there is a possibility of saving them. . . .
“Tell the poor desponding ones who have gone astray that they need not despair. Though they have erred, and have not been building a right character, God has joy to restore them, even the joy of His salvation. He delights to take apparently hopeless material, those through whom Satan has worked, and make them the subjects of His grace. He rejoices to deliver them from the wrath which is to fall upon the disobedient. Tell them there is healing, cleansing for every soul. There is a place for them at the Lord's table. He is waiting to bid them welcome.”7 What beautiful encouragement as we take up this work! God wants to use you and me to share His gospel so He can restore to His own image people like the man in the story above, and He is waiting to give them a place at His table as they respond to His invitation call.
Another special story about a dear soul in the “hedges” came later when I was leading a colporteur program in Washington state. There was a young sister named Daisy in the program (I have permission to use her first name). She was very excited to experience and learn canvassing, as this was her first time. She had a desire to reach souls—and as the canvassers can keep a portion of their earnings, she was also excited to earn some money towards going to missionary school.
One day while we were all out canvassing, I was surprised to see Daisy extremely excited and even ecstatic. (She was normally rather quiet and composed.) It turned out that she had had a wonderful experience with a lady who had just bought a few books by giving her a paper lunch bag full of money to pay for them. In total there was approximately $350 in the bag in various denominations of bills. In amazement, the other canvassers asked Daisy about this lady. Was she rich?
“No,” replied Daisy. “She is quite the opposite, and she doesn’t live in the best of conditions.” At that moment, I was impressed to visit the woman to thank her for the generous contribution to help Daisy and to see if I could get her contact information so the local pastor could follow up with her further. As Daisy shared the location of the home, I parked across the street of a decrepit-looking house and walked up to the door. On the front porch was a barefoot, unkempt young girl around 12 years old, looking at some of the books just sold to her mother by Daisy.
While asking the girl to speak with her mother, the door being open, a woman of questionable-looking reputation and occupation came to the door, inquiring who I was. As I thanked her for the generous contribution to our sister Daisy, you can imagine the thoughts in my head. Why would this woman—of all people—give such a large donation to Daisy, and why would she be interested in the books or in spiritual matters at all?
My questions were soon answered. . . . I asked her if I could leave her with more books, as we had others she had not received, especially since she had more than donated enough. I also asked if I could get her contact number so the local pastor could offer prayer, Bible studies, etc.
She responded that she would not give her number for Bible studies, etc., but that she would provide it for one thing: She told me she was so impressed by our sister Daisy, her demeanor, and her desire to follow God and go to missionary school, that as a single parent she wanted the exact same thing for her daughter. She wanted me to accept her daughter into the canvassing program. As I informed her that her daughter was a little too young, I promised that we would nonetheless include her—and would come to pick her up—to join us while going on different outings during our off-time.
The woman then told me to wait, as she proceeded to go into the house to get another paper lunch bag full of money (another $350 approximately). As I had to leave the program for a week that evening, I was told by Daisy and those left in charge that they were able to pick up the girl a couple of times to include her on different outings and that the gospel seed was planted.
As I think back on this story I’m reminded of the story of Mary Magdalene while at the house of Simon. This woman, like Mary, was willing to give all she had for a chance to obtain the eternal riches of the grace of God’s kingdom for her daughter. In traveling on our pilgrim journey, as we meet others along the hedges like this woman and the man in the previous story, we should ask ourselves, “Am I, are we, like Simon the Pharisee, full of judgment and condemnation—or are we like Christ?
“The host turned from those who despised his bounty, and invited a class who were not full, who were not in possession of houses and lands. He invited those who were poor and hungry, and who would appreciate the bounties provided. ‘The publicans and the harlots,’ Christ said, ‘go into the kingdom of God before you’ (Matthew 21:31). However wretched may be the specimens of humanity that men spurn and turn aside from, they are not too low, too wretched, for the notice and love of God. Christ longs to have care-worn, weary, oppressed human beings come to Him. The veriest sinners are the objects of His deep, earnest pity and love.”8
Dear brothers, sisters, and young people! Will you answer the call to seek and save the lost? The gospel invitation is to be given to all the world— “to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (Revelation 14:6). The last message of warning and mercy is to lighten the whole earth with its glory. It is to reach all classes of people—rich, poor, high, and low. “Go out into the highways and hedges,” Christ says, “and compel them to come in, that My house may be filled” (Luke 14:23). One of the best ways to fulfill this call is to send your children, grandchildren, nephews, and nieces to colporteur programs and missionary schools, where they can be trained to share the gospel with boldness and love. You, too, may be blessed and fulfill your calling by building relationships with those in your community—whether they be wealthy professionals, struggling neighbors, or anyone else distant from faith—by showing Christ’s love through kind gestures, practical help, words of hope, or simply by listening with empathy. Share resources like food, clothing, or spiritual literature with those who may be forgotten or rejected by society, and engage also the educated and influential with thoughtful discussions about eternal truths. By mingling with all people, as Christ did, we can win their confidence and invite them to the Great Supper.
May the Lord use each one of us, through both organized efforts and personal witness, to carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19, 20) and be the light of the world as we go forth, inviting others to the Great Supper. Amen!