In Luke 14, Jesus speaks of banquets and invitations. In back-to-back illustrations, He speaks to us when we are the host and when we are the invitees. In each perspective, Jesus speaks to things He wants us to learn which are essential for us to internalize as His followers. These things make His kingdom different from the kingdoms of this world.
In verses 7-11, Jesus observes how, at a banquet, people jockey for the best seats and positions of honor. It must have been interesting to see Jesus watch the invitees make their grand entrances. I’m not sure that Jesus is really concerned about the seating arrangements as much as He is about the hearts of people who are swallowed up in pride so much that they feel they are better than others.
How disappointed the Master, who said we would be great by serving others, must have been to witness this shameful exhibition. This is why Jesus tells us not to seek the places of honor. By humbling ourselves, we will be exalted:
“But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:10-11 ESV).
We should ask ourselves, “How do we react when we are in the presence of others who have a place of honor?” Do we subtly do things to ensure attention is on us, or are we content to let others take the seats of honor? If Jesus were with us in a social setting, what would He observe as we entered a banquet?
Then Jesus speaks to the man who invited Him to this banquet and tells him that he should not invite people who will simply return the favor by inviting him to their banquets. Instead:
“But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,
and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14:13-14 ESV).
Jesus gives this admonition after watching people trying to outdo each other for the places of honor; but the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind would be humble and appreciative of the invitation. They wouldn’t be the ones who sought the best seats or the ones who wanted to be seen by others. They wouldn’t grab the places of honor.
So the attention shifts from the invitees to the host. Jesus wants the host to consider who he wants to invite to his banquet and why he wants these people to come to his party. Is he more concerned with putting together a “who’s who” list for his banquet with the hopes that he will be on their lists when they throw a party, or is he more concerned with honoring the people who others dishonor? Followers of Jesus are cut from a different cloth from the rest of society.
And why should we take heed of Jesus’ words? Because He has a banquet that we all want to be invited to. How thankful should we be that Jesus doesn’t seek a “who’s who” list for His banquet? Instead, He reaches out to sinners like you and me.
One person at the banquet is listening to all the things that Jesus is telling the host:
“When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” (Luke 14:15 ESV).
This opens the door for the last parable on banquets that Jesus teaches. He talks about a man who threw a great banquet and invited all the usual “who’s who” “A” listers. But the invitees all began to make excuses as to why they couldn’t come.
Indeed, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” The problem is that many of the people who the Lord will invite to His banquet don’t want to be there. There is something more important to them, and so they make excuses. How did the host of the great banquet respond when the RSVPs came back, “Sorry, I can’t make it to your banquet”?
“So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’“ (Luke 14:21 ESV).
And so the man in the parable fills his banquet with the very people Jesus tells His host that he should invite to his banquets. And what is to be done with people who have more important things to do than to “eat bread in the kingdom of God?”
“For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’“ (Luke 14:24 ESV).
Jesus gives all of these lessons simply by watching how the host and the invitees of the banquet He was at acted toward each other. How carefully should we guard our hearts against pride when we are in the position of hosting or being hosted? Who is it that we are trying to impress? What are we seeking from others when we serve?
This is what makes the servants of Jesus different from the people in the world. We serve in the same way Jesus serves.
What is it to know that God is sovereign in my life?
It’s opening a pantry full of food, realizing that God has given it to me by His grace and that if He chooses, He can take it all away today before I eat another bite.
Knowing God is sovereign in my life means respecting His awesome power to give and take away, regardless of how unlikely it may seem to me.
Knowing God is sovereign in my life means that He can make the decisions to give and take away for His glory and good pleasure without having to explain Himself to me.
I must always trust my sovereign God, not only when I witness His goodness but knowing that His goodness is still there, even when I can’t see or understand it.
Faith is that step I take when I cannot see with my eyes, but I know in my heart that God always maintains His sovereignty in all things.
“But Elisha said, “Hear the word of the LORD: thus says the LORD, Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.”
Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned said to the man of God, “If the LORD himself should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” But he said, “You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat of it.” (2 Kings 7:1-2 ESV).
What do we do with this verse?
Do we bow at the feet of Jesus and submit to Him as Lord, Creator, and the sovereign I AM?
If this verse means what it says, then fear and awe should fall upon us when we face the decision of what we do with Jesus.
The greatest decision we make will be what we do with this verse:
“Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58 ESV).
John tells us that God preserved an inspired account of what happened to Jesus so that when we read, we would believe.
Reading the Word of God is how we build our faith. God doesn’t zap faith into us.
Faith doesn’t come supernaturally or irresistibly from God.
All who read can believe and have faith. No one is prevented, and no one is compelled.
But to have the faith that leads to salvation, we must spend time in the Word.
We do that by reading, or we do that by hearing.
We gain faith by bringing the Word into our hearts. It is our choice, and we must open the door of our hearts to receive it.
But if we neglect to hear or read, then the very things God provided for our faith cannot work in us.
When was the last time we were in the Word of God, whether reading or hearing?
If it’s been a while, Satan can easily gather away the seeds that fall before they can take root.
Read, hear, and have faith.
“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31 ESV).
I am in the book of John in my daily Bible reading. John shows that Jesus is divine, coming down from heaven, having existed from the beginning with God.
John calls Him the Creator and says He is the only way to the Father.
John shows us men who worshiped Him while He never chastised them for doing so.
But John also shows us that Jesus obeys God the Father and is in submission to Him.
John shows us that Jesus serves men.
John shows us that Jesus seeks to do things that glorify the Father.
John shows us that Jesus extends mercy to those who, by their guilt, deserve condemnation.
John shows that Jesus forgives and extends grace to others.
What should this mean to me?
If Jesus, who is worthy of praise, worship, glory, and honor...
Obeys, serves, glorifies God the Father, extends mercy to others, forgives, and extends grace when grace is not deserved,
Who am I to refuse to do the things to God and my neighbor that my Lord and King has done?
“For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” (John 13:15 ESV).
I am attending our BLAST studies that Campbell Rd church of Christ is hosting this weekend. Our Elders are part of the teaching.
Breck Lovinggood just made a statement that I find profound. Breck was given the topic “Tell of the years of His Labor.”
Breck pointed out that serving in His role as Savior, Jesus’ labor was in transforming people. We see it as a result of the fall of man in Genesis 3, and everything He did was to transform what was broken.
What wisdom in this observation about the years of His labor.
Terry Bennett reminded us yesterday that God made us in His image the way He wanted us to be. That means we have value.
We live in a world that tempts us to see ourselves as worthless, but God gave us an unspeakable gift in Jesus that proves we have more value than we can ever imagine.
As parents, teaching our children the value they have to God is the counter to the lie of Satan that causes much of the negative self-talk we all struggle with from time to time.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Terry.
I wonder what it would have been like to be a Jew in the days of Jesus.
If I saw Him heal, feed the multitude, or raise the dead, would that be enough for me to go against my Jewish leaders who hated Him?
Would I marvel but slowly distance myself from Him when it became apparent that I’d have to take an unpopular stand to follow Him?
Or would I quietly dismiss Him and hold on to my life as I knew it? Would I continue to attend synagogue and forget His call to me?
Today, Jesus calls to me. It’s an unpopular call that will cause me to make a sacrifice to follow Him.
Today, will I marvel at the transforming, living Word but slowly distance myself from Him when it becomes apparent I’ll have to take an unpopular stand?
Or will I quietly dismiss Him and hold on to my life as I know it? Will I continue to live my life and forget His call to me?
We all face the same choices when presented with the living Word of God.
Simple choices we make that will determine how hard or how easy our walk with Jesus will be:
Do we choose to spend time with godly people outside of public worship?
Do we spend time in His word daily?
Do we pray throughout the day?
Do we perform acts of service to others?
Do we look for ways to build up someone rather than tear them down with our tongues?
If we are purposeful with these choices, then our walk will be easier. If we are not, we make our walk harder each day than it needs to be. God equips us with everything we need if we only listen to Him and follow His wisdom.
What would you think if I told you I planned on dropping by your house soon without warning?
What would you do?
Would you worry and be filled with anxiety because I did not tell you when I was coming to visit you?
Would you stop what you’re doing and make preparations for my eventual visit?
What would you do, what would you think, how would you feel if I told you I was going to visit you at any time?
Most likely, you wouldn’t give it a second thought. You probably wouldn’t go out of your way to accommodate me, especially if I didn’t tell you when I was coming.
In the big scheme of things, I’m sure I am not important enough to you to cause you to center your time and energy on making preparations for my eventual arrival.
The real question is, do we treat the eventual return of Jesus the same way we’d treat the unexpected, eventual visit of someone like me?
I understand that I’m not worthy of people rearranging their lives in preparation for meeting me when my imminent visit comes without warning...
But do we treat Jesus as unworthy in the same way?