Luke 14:23
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.
Everyone enjoys being in a church that is full, including God. God makes it clear that He wants His house to be filled. God does not want an empty house because an empty house shows a failing or dying house. It ought to be the passion and drive of every believer and pastor to be sure the church house is filled. In this parable of the great supper, Jesus shows several things we can do to fill His house, the church.
First, you must have a vision to fill the house. If you don't have a vision for it to be filled, you won't have a drive to fill it. If you are okay with an empty church, you will never push yourself to fill it. Empty seats ought to bother you! Empty seats are seats that could be filled with a lost person who is about to get saved if you will get a vision for that seat to be filled. You will always have an empty church house until you get a vision for it to be filled.
Second, it takes hard work. I don't believe vision is the greatest reason the church house is not filled, but I believe it is not filled because most people don't work hard to fill it. Most people want to play instead of work, but working to see people saved is much more beneficial to eternity. Every church that has been filled has done it with hard work. You cannot fill the church with people if you are not willing to work hard.
Third, it takes diligence to fill the church with people. Jesus told us to go out quickly to invite people to church. You must be diligent to invite people to church if it is going to be filled. To keep putting off the inviting of someone will result in seats that are empty in the church. Every person must be diligent about inviting people to church. Every church could be filled if every church member diligently invited people daily.
Fourth, you must go after everyone to fill the church. Stop qualifying what type of person you want in your church and just fill it with whatever type of person God will give you. Whatever crowd will come is the crowd you should invite. Because you don't know what crowd will come, you should invite everyone to church. When you go after everyone is when you will find someone to come with you to church.
Fifth, make it compelling for people to come to church. There is nothing wrong with having something that compels someone to come to church. Jesus compels people to get saved by telling them they can go to Heaven if they will accept His payment for their sins. In this parable, people were invited to a supper. Certainly the pharisees will be critical of giving something away for people to come, but if they hear the Gospel, whatever you spent on the giveaway is money well spent. Simply put, what is the price of a soul?
Sixth, don't quit until the house is filled. Jesus kept sending them out until His house was filled. You can’t quit because you have a down day; you must continue to go until it is filled. Filling the house is a Godly desire, and you should keep working to fill it until you have filled it.
Seventh, when the house is filled, expand the house. Never stop trying to reach people. Find a way to bring more people in by expanding the use of the house God has given you to fill so that more people will get saved.
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