George was a teenage boy who did not like anyone to say “no” to him, but he was always quick to say “no” to other people. That is why when his brother invited him to a gospel meeting his quick answer was “no!”
But then as George thought it over he wondered to himself, “What kind of people go to gospel meetings anyway?” So he decided he would go with his brother just to watch the people going in, but he would not go inside himself.
However, when they reached the door of the building where the meeting was going to be held, George heard something which stirred up all the rebellion in him. There was a man standing at the door telling those still waiting to go in, “No, the place is filled. You cannot go in.” Immediately George decided he was going to go in anyway.
Looking around the outside of the building for another way to get in, he found a gutter downspout from the roof to the ground, and up near the roof was a small window open for ventilation. Hand-over-hand George climbed up the downspout and managed to seat himself on the windowsill of that small window with his legs dangling inside the room. From his perch he looked down on the sea of faces below him.
The songs and prayer were slightly interesting, but the preacher’s subject was such a surprise after what he had heard at the door that it almost startled him from his seat. The subject was, “Yet there is room!” The preacher read the story from Luke 14 about the man who made a great supper and invited many people to come. But the answer from each of the invited guests was “No!” All their excuses were different, but each of them refused his invitation. The man then sent his servant out into the streets, lanes and highways to bring in poor and handicapped people to be his guests at his great supper. “Yet there is room,” said the servant. The man really wanted his house filled with guests, so he sent the servant out to bring in more. We are not told at what moment his house was filled, but then the invitation was changed to the sad message, “No room.”
What about the first guests who were invited and said “no”? Were they still welcome to come along with the poor and handicapped people to the supper? NO. We are told of the final decision of the man who had invited them: “None of those men which were bidden [first invited] shall taste of my supper.” It was his time to say “no.”
The preacher did not notice George sitting in the window, but he told those listening of God’s invitation which is so often refused. The invitation welcoming any poor sinner into God’s home of everlasting joy in heaven is possible because of the death of God’s beloved Son. Those who say “no” have their pleasures and friends now, plus troubles and worries and eternity in the sinners’ hell. Those who come to the Saviour have His joy in their hearts, plus troubles too, but we never have to bear them alone, and we have a home in heaven with Christ forever.
After the meeting was over George climbed down, an unhappy young man, but he decided not to forget about it until he found the Saviour for himself. For two weeks his misery lasted, and he decided to go back to the pleasures of the world and forget the whole thing. But then he thought, “I will still have to face God about my sins.” He had to make his decision right then, and God brought these words from the Bible to his memory: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15). “That’s it!” he cried, “I’m a sinner, and Christ Jesus came into the world to save me!”
He lay awake for hours thanking and praising God, and then fell into the best sleep he had had since the night of the gospel meeting. In the morning he told the good news to his family, and from that time he wanted to tell others of his Saviour. He loved to write hymns. Here is one of them which you may already know:
“O blessed gospel sound!
‘Yet there is room!’
It tells to all around
‘Yet there is room!’
The guilty may draw near;
Though vile, they need not fear;
With joy they now may hear
‘Yet there is room!’”
God has not yet said, “No room.” You are still welcome to come from the streets or the highways, or wherever you are, and receive a welcome from the Saviour of sinners. Will you come?
ML-11/16/1986