Who are the Guests?

The parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:14-24) - A man gave a great banquet but the invited guests all made excuses and didn't come. In the end, the master sent his servants to bring in the poor, the cripple, the blind, the lame & compelled others to come to the banquet instead.

This parable is usually used to tell the story of the rejection of the Kingdom of God by the Jewish leaders and how the "unworthy" & the "unexpected" ended up inheriting the Kingdom instead.

My cousin was sharing with me how one of his church friends used this parable to illustrate the doctrine of Free Will - the invitation was open to all but some refused & some accepted - it's a free choice thingy.

Funny thing is, when I reread the parable I was "shocked" to see the doctrine of Predestination/Election happening here in this parable! :) Here are the main elements:

1) Invitation.

This is kinda like an evangelistic meeting - the call of salvation is open to all - but men in their natural fallen state have ZERO desire for the things of God (John 3:20). Unregenerate men are DEAD in sin (Ephesian 2:1). In fact, they are HOSTILE to God & CANNOT submit to the will of God (Rom 8:7).

Therefore, NO unregenerate men can/will response positively to the call of salvation.

2) The Poor, Cripple, Blind & Lame.

Isn't it interesting the master named the specific "types" of people he wanted the servants to "bring in"? Does it smell "election"? And notice there was NO invitation? Just "bring in"?

Btw, I am sure this group of people didn't come to the banquet "kicking & screaming" as if they had been "forced" to join. I can ONLY imagine the cry of utmost gratitude for they knew they were 100% unworthy. They were "saved" 100% by GRACE.

3) The People.

The 3rd group of people listed in the parable are the people who were "compelled" to come in. The servant went the extra mile to do something extra - to "compel" - an ingredient missing in the first "open invitation" group.

Smells like Titus 3:5 - by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit - perhaps?

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(2Th 2:13-14)