Thoughts
I haven't thought about one my favorite parables in a little while.
“A man once planned a feast, and invited many of his friends. And at the time for the banquet he told his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, the feast is ready.’ But they all made excuses. The first said to him, ‘I just bought a property, and I must go and see it. Sorry, excuse me.’ And another said, ‘I just bought five yoke of oxen, and I need to go examine them. Please, excuse me.’ And another said, ‘I was just married, and therefore I cannot come.’ The servant came back and told his master this. The master of the house was not happy, and he said to his servant, ‘Quickly, go onto the street, and invite the homeless and the beggars.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, I've done that, but there is still room.’ Then the master said, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, so that my house will be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”
-Luke 14:12-24 (rephrased)
Humans *love* to discuss who is invited into heaven. There's one line in Revelation about a book of names and that has become the dominant image that we use. But the image that Jesus uses is that the people who are invited at first don't come. The question, for Jesus, is not if you're invited but if you will come.