In Luke chapter 14 Jesus has dinner with one of the Pharisees. There with them was a man swollen with fluid. Jesus asked the religious leaders if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. No one answered him. Jesus then healed the man and sent him away. Jesus asked the leaders which of them would not hesitate to pull an animal from a well on the Sabbath. No one could give him an answer. Jesus told a parable about a person’s position at a feast. He said when you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t take the best seat. Someone more important than you might show up. The host who invited you both may come by and ask you to move so the other man can have your seat and you will be embarrassed. So when you are invited you should take the worst seat, and then your host may come by and ask you to move to a better seat, thereby making you feel honored. Therefore, everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone that humbles himself will be exalted. Jesus said that when you have a dinner, don’t invite your friends, family, or rich neighbors. They might invite you to their dinner and repay you. No, when you have a dinner invite the poor, lame, and blind. They cannot pay you back and you will be blessed and repaid in heaven. There was a man having a large banquet and he invited a lot of people to come. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to tell all those invited that it was time. All those he invited started coming up with all kinds of excuses why they couldn’t come. So the servant returned and told his master everything those invited had said. So the master was angry and sent the servant out into the streets to bring in the lame, the poor, and the blind. The servant said that they had already done that and there was still room. So the master sent the servant into the streets to make people come in so the banquet would be full. Not one of those who were invited will enjoy the master’s banquet. Jesus told the crowd that if anyone comes after him and does not hate their own family, yes even their own life, they cannot be his disciple. Anyone who does not bear their own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Does anyone wanting to build a tower not first sit down and consider the cost to make sure they can afford to build it? Otherwise, you will get started and not be able to finish it and people watching will laugh at you because you started something you can’t finish. What king going to war does not first sit down and decide whether he has a large enough army to defeat his opponent? If he determines he is unable to win he will send a delegation asking for terms of peace. Jesus said in the same way, everyone who does not give up all their possessions cannot be his disciple. Now salt is good, but if it loses its taste what is it good for? It isn’t even fit for the ground or manure pile, it is just thrown away. Whoever has ears should listen.
Posted on: Thu, 10 Apr 2014 09:00:00 +0000
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