BANQUETS
In the church I grew up in we held many banquets. We had potluck’s but our banquets were grand. There were the Mother’s and Daughter’s Banquet, the Father’s and Son’s Banquet, the Birthday Banquet and even an annual Youth Banquet which was held on Mission’s weekend. These occasions with a theme, decorations, guest speakers, music and dressing up were looked forward to with great anticipation. With paid reservations and tickets in hand, our meals were served and it was a super night out for all.

The Birthday Banquet was the most attended at the church. There would be a table for each month of the year which was decorated by that months committee. They would provide a special cake for their table and prizes would be given out for the various categories. This banquet was a potluck, but no one minded because it was always so much fun and special.

The Mother’s and Daughters Banquet sometimes would be held in the school cafeteria because it was the largest Banquet. Women love to show up in their very best and to especially show off their daughters. My Mother often won the prize for the most daughters present!

In my youth I was involved in many of the Youth Banquets. It was a well attended affair because we not only had a great youth program but our youth also had many friends whom they would invite. Tickets were sold! I remember once borrowing decorations from a dress shop in town. Our programs were always fun and well received. Our speaker would be the visiting missionary. Our favorite meal served was Swiss steak! The steak was browned and sauteed in gravy, along with mashed potatoes, green beans, salad and of course, dessert. Our ladies knew how to cook!

Even now, when I hear there is going to be a banquet my ears perk up and I want to know more. Jesus liked banquets! He attended many and just because they knew Jesus was coming it was always well attended.

"Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready"; Rev. 19:7. We, the church are the bride and we are to be clothed in all our finery of righteous deeds. "And the angel said to me; Write this, blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb"; Rev. 19:9. The church is held in high esteem because we are the Bride of the Lamb!

The scene now changes. It is a frightening and repulsive scene that makes an Alfred Hitchcock movie like The Birds seem about as tame as Walt Disney’s Donald Duck. What a contrast! At the marriage banquet of the Lamb the saints dine personally with Jesus. At the ‘great supper’ the sinners are the feast for the vultures. "Then I saw an angel standing in the sun and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly in mid heaven; "Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great"; Rev. 19:17-18.

When we think of being around the table we are thinking of being among friends. At God’s two banquets; "The marriage supper and/or the great supper of God" we are perplexed and wonder, just what that could mean. Christ’s victory over evil will be final! The joy of the church, the Bride, will be complete. However, if we refuse the invitation to the marriage supper, you will be attending the great supper. Christ already paid for your reservation, will you accept it? What’s it going to be; the marriage supper or the great supper of God? What’s it going to be; heaven or hell? Jane Ann