Luke 14
The Dinner Guest
I'm trying to imagine what it would have been like
if I were a Pharisee...
I've spent my life studying the law,
finding out what is required to stay in the good grace of God,
doing my best to adopt the rules as my own
and obey them.
and encourage others to obey them.
I've now become a leader,
a pinnacle of society
trusted as a pillar
holding up the structure.
People depend on me,
look up to me.
They need me.
Now we are under Roman rule.
We are able to keep our religion
as long as no one makes trouble.
The Romans have agreed to leave us alone,
as long as we keep our own under control.
So I have a great responsibility,
not only to my God
but to my people.
It is my job to identify anyone
who threatens the peace of our society,
When anyone breaks the law we have agreed to.
I deal with them.
So....
I've heard about this wandering teacher.
There is such a buzz about town!
an excitement.
This man Jesus is shaking things up,
and I'm starting to get worried.
People are depending on me to maintain
I must investigate.
Of course it won't do to pass judgement
before I have even met the man,
So I invite him to dinner.
Today is the sabbath day...
I must say, nothing about the man impresses me,
but as long as he is harmless,
what is that to us?
Suddenly I am confronted with a willful act of rebellion
that I simply cannot ignore!
A man in our midst is sick, and
and I was silent.
Oh, no.
This is not going well.
On one hand he has just healed a man like it was effortless,
(a miracle I have never witnessed before)
and yet he purposely broke the law right before my eyes.
so defiant.
challenging my authority to do something about it.
You can imagine how stunned I was,
not sure how to react.
but before I could even collect my thoughts
he began to speak to my other guests about my dinner table!
Oh, great... just GREAT!
Now everyone is feeling uncomfortable.
My whole life, everyone chooses their seats
using a perfectly acceptable and mutually understood ranking,
and now no one knows where to sit,
leaving all the burden on ME as the host to sort them out.
Why couldn't he leave well enough alone?
Yes, radicals sure enjoy throwing wrenches into the gears, don't they?
Well, that's the last invitation he is getting from ME,
that's for sure.
During dinner he tells me who I should be inviting to my dinners,
in place of my friends and relatives
that I should be inviting... Well, don't take it from ME,
Here is a direct quote:
The way he says it makes me stop and think.
I can tell he has a good point,
and he certainly seems sincere,
but how can I respond to that?
People are looking at me,
and I don't like being in the spotlight.
I really wasn't prepared for this.
What do they expect?
-
After dinner...
He tells a story about another man
who was preparing a great supper,
but his chosen people declined the invitation.
Now, what in the WORLD can THAT mean?
I know I'm one of the chosen people!
Is he saying that we might not make it?
and the doors are being opened to others?
Well, I can't prove that's what he meant,
but I smell trouble.
This has certainly been a disquieting evening.
I've never been more relieved than when it was finally over,
and I could shut my door and lie down awhile.
Somehow, I don't think I've heard the end of it.
This could get ugly.
.
I'm trying to imagine what it would have been like
if I were a Pharisee...
I've spent my life studying the law,
finding out what is required to stay in the good grace of God,
doing my best to adopt the rules as my own
and obey them.
and encourage others to obey them.
I've now become a leader,
a pinnacle of society
trusted as a pillar
holding up the structure.
People depend on me,
look up to me.
They need me.
Now we are under Roman rule.
We are able to keep our religion
as long as no one makes trouble.
The Romans have agreed to leave us alone,
as long as we keep our own under control.
So I have a great responsibility,
not only to my God
but to my people.
It is my job to identify anyone
who threatens the peace of our society,
When anyone breaks the law we have agreed to.
I deal with them.
So....
I've heard about this wandering teacher.
There is such a buzz about town!
an excitement.
This man Jesus is shaking things up,
and I'm starting to get worried.
People are depending on me to maintain
I must investigate.
Of course it won't do to pass judgement
before I have even met the man,
So I invite him to dinner.
Today is the sabbath day...
I must say, nothing about the man impresses me,
but as long as he is harmless,
what is that to us?
Suddenly I am confronted with a willful act of rebellion
that I simply cannot ignore!
A man in our midst is sick, and
Luk 14:3
Jesus spoke, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
and I was silent.
Luk 14:4
And taking him, He healed him
Oh, no.
This is not going well.
On one hand he has just healed a man like it was effortless,
(a miracle I have never witnessed before)
and yet he purposely broke the law right before my eyes.
so defiant.
challenging my authority to do something about it.
You can imagine how stunned I was,
not sure how to react.
but before I could even collect my thoughts
he began to speak to my other guests about my dinner table!
Luk 14:7
And He put forth a parable to those who were invited,
when He noted how they chose out the chief places,
saying to them,
Luk 14:8
When you are invited by anyone to a wedding,
do not recline in the chief seat,
lest a more honorable man than you may be invited by him.
Luk 14:9
And he who invited you and him shall come and say to you,
Give place to this man;
and then you begin with shame to take the last place.
Luk 14:10
But when you are invited,
go and recline in the lowest place,
so that when he who invited you comes, he may say to you,
Friend, go up higher.
Then glory shall be to you before those reclining with you.
Luk 14:11
For whoever exalts himself shall be abased,
and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.
Oh, great... just GREAT!
Now everyone is feeling uncomfortable.
My whole life, everyone chooses their seats
using a perfectly acceptable and mutually understood ranking,
and now no one knows where to sit,
leaving all the burden on ME as the host to sort them out.
Why couldn't he leave well enough alone?
Yes, radicals sure enjoy throwing wrenches into the gears, don't they?
Well, that's the last invitation he is getting from ME,
that's for sure.
During dinner he tells me who I should be inviting to my dinners,
in place of my friends and relatives
that I should be inviting... Well, don't take it from ME,
Here is a direct quote:
Luk 14:12
And He also said to him who invited Him,
When you make a dinner or a supper,
do not call your friends or your brothers,
or your kinsmen, or your rich neighbors;
lest they also invite you again,
and a recompense be made to you.
Luk 14:13
But when you make a feast,
call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind,
Luk 14:14
and you shall be blessed, for they cannot repay you;
for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.
The way he says it makes me stop and think.
I can tell he has a good point,
and he certainly seems sincere,
but how can I respond to that?
People are looking at me,
and I don't like being in the spotlight.
I really wasn't prepared for this.
What do they expect?
-
After dinner...
He tells a story about another man
who was preparing a great supper,
but his chosen people declined the invitation.
Luk 14:21
And coming up that servant reported these things to his lord.
And the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant,
Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city
and bring in here
the poor and the maimed, and the lame and the blind.
Luk 14:22
And the servant said, Lord, it is done as you have commanded,
and still there is room.
Luk 14:23
And the lord said to the servant,
Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in,
so that my house may be filled.
Now, what in the WORLD can THAT mean?
I know I'm one of the chosen people!
Is he saying that we might not make it?
and the doors are being opened to others?
Well, I can't prove that's what he meant,
but I smell trouble.
This has certainly been a disquieting evening.
I've never been more relieved than when it was finally over,
and I could shut my door and lie down awhile.
Somehow, I don't think I've heard the end of it.
This could get ugly.
.
<< Home