At a meal, Jesus told of a man who prepared a great supper. The invited guests made excuses, so he sent his servant to bring in the poor, the lame and the blind, and then travelers from the country roads, until his house was full.
While Jesus was eating at a chief Pharisee’s house, a guest said, “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.” Jesus told a parable: a man made a great supper and invited many. At supper time he sent his servant to say, “Come; for all things are now ready.” But they all began to make excuses: one had bought land, one had bought five yoke of oxen, and one had just married.
The master was angry and sent his servant quickly into the streets and lanes to “bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.” The servant did, and reported, “Yet there is room.” So the master sent him out to the highways and hedges to urge travelers to come in, “that my house may be filled.”
Who’s who
Jesus Christ: who tells the parable at a meal
The master: who prepares the supper and keeps inviting
The servant: who carries the invitation
The guests: some who make excuses, and many who come
Where and when
At a Pharisee’s house where Jesus was eating; the parable moves from a feast hall to city streets and country roads.
Eight stops from the table to the highways and hedges. Scroll, or tap a number on the map.
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The story, plainly
Four scenes: the meal, the excuses, the streets and the country roads. Look for the Savior’s invitation in each one.
Read it plainly
The words that trip people up
Tap any dotted word for its meaning. The scripture stays exactly as written.1
Luke 14:15“one of them that Meaning: was eating at the table. with him”
Luke 14:16“and Meaning: invited. many”
Luke 14:19“and I go to Meaning: test; try out. them”
Luke 14:21“the Meaning: injured or disabled., and the Meaning: lame; unable to walk well.”
Luke 14:23“and Meaning: strongly urge; insist. them to come in”
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Look closer
Small details tell the story. Some cards are details in the text; others share insights from Church leaders, Church resources or outside sources. Each card says which.
0 of 9 turned
All nine. The table, the invitation, the field, the oxen, the wedding, the crutch, the hedges, the empty seats and the full house. Luke 14:15–24
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Where are you?
Too busy, glad to come, feeling left out, or inviting others. Which feels most like you right now?
A next step for you
Your choice is saved only on this device.
Try it
Who will come?
The servant carried one invitation to many people. Tap each card to see how they answered, then write your own answer.
“Come; for all things are now ready.” Luke 14:17
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Their world, their words
A little background on the meal, the meaning of the feast and two Greek words helps the story come alive. Outside sources are labeled.
Scripture · Luke 14
At a Pharisee’s table
Jesus told this story while eating at a chief Pharisee’s house. He had just taught, “When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.”2
He practiced what He taught.
Church resource · Student manual
What the feast means
“In this parable, the feast represents the blessings of the gospel,” and “though we are invited to partake of the feast, we may choose to refuse it.”4
An invitation, not a demand.
Scripture · Doctrine and Covenants 58
A latter-day supper
The Lord promised “a supper of the house of the Lord, well prepared, unto which all nations shall be invited.”3
The feast is still going.
Church leader · Elder Gong
From every place
“Today those invited to the supper of the Lord come from every place and culture.”5
Room for everyone.
Word study · Greek
deipnon δεῖπνον · “supper” (Luke 14:16)
Bible Hub: “dinner, supper,” the chief meal of the day.6Outside · lexicon
This wasn’t a snack. It was the main meal, carefully prepared, and the host wanted every seat filled.1
Each guest politely begged off. The words sounded kind, but the answer was still no.1
What the text does not say
Jesus doesn’t say fields, oxen or marriage are bad. They are good things. The guests simply let good things crowd out the invitation.1 And the story doesn’t end with empty seats; the master keeps inviting until his house is full.1
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Look to Him
He prepares the feast, sends the invitation, and keeps making room until His house is full.
“The master instructs his servants to ‘go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city’ and ‘the highways and hedges’ to ‘bring in hither’ the poor, maimed, halt, and blind. Spiritually speaking, that’s each of us.”
“Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.” Luke 14:15
The servant
He reported
“Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.” Luke 14:22
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Seek Him today
A question to ask in prayer
Lord, what invitation from Thee have I been putting off? Luke 14:17
Listen for something simple. Then say yes.
Try it today
One way to answer His invitation each day. It saves on this device, one day at a time.
0 of 7 today
This week:0 of 7 days
Seven days at His table. Come again tomorrow.
A quiet moment
“Yet there is room.”
Read Luke 14:15–24 slowly. Picture the empty seats at the long table. Then picture the servant coming to your door with the same message: all things are ready. Luke 14:15–24
A verse to hold
Talk about it
What excuses did the invited guests give?
Who did the master invite instead?
Why do you think he kept sending the servant farther out?
What invitations does the Lord give us today?
Open
For adults and deeper study
Go deeper
Longer readings, harder questions, and where to study next. Each one says what it is before you click.
Apostle
Elder Gerrit W. Gong, “No One Sits Alone” (2025)
The great supper, the wedding feast and making room for everyone in the Lord’s Church.5
Everything on this page as a 11-page letter-size PDF: the map, scenes, cards, activity, word studies, tracker, Go deeper and sources. For home, class or a quiet Sunday.
The Great Supper is part of the Scripture Story Sketch Notes for the New Testament, set alongside Come, Follow Me for April 26–May 2, 2027 (Luke 12–17; John 11).
Independent study notes from Weak Things, not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Scripture quotations are from the King James Version. The words are in Luke 14:15–24; the insights in “Look closer” are labeled by source.
