Context:
Chap.14 begins with a dinner invitation that turns out not to be a very relaxing time vs.1-6
dropsy is not a very attractive disease -- various parts of the body puffed up with a lot of extra fluid -- the type of person not likely to be offered a seat at this exclusive country club but Jesus doesn't shy away from him, He heals him and mercifully excuses him from the pointed lessons he is about to direct to the Pharisees What hypocrisy on the part of the Pharisees in their elaborate legal
system:
1) no problem enjoying a good meal on the sabbath, but no compassion for those who are hurting
2) no problem looking after their own interests (a son or even an ox in trouble), but nitpicky rules against helping others
Once again Jesus has turned the tables on a situation that was stacked against Him in order to get people's attention for the spiritual lesson He came to bring
3 FEAST STORIES THAT EXPOSE HOW THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS ARE BLIND TO THE TRUE NATURE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
the first 2 answer very similar questions:
I. HOW DO YOU GET AHEAD IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD? GET TO BE #1? (:7-11) HUMILITY (NOT SELFISH AMBITION) LEADS TO A POSITION OF HONOR IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Directed to the guests
Lesson (:11) "everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted"
II. HOW DO YOU GET REWARD IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD? (very similar) (:12-14) HOSPITALITY TO THE HELPLESS (NOT SELFISHLY TRADING FAVORS WITH THE WORTHY) LEADS TO REWARD IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Directed to the host
not speaking against good fellowship with family and friends, but warning that we had better not be patting ourselves on the back about how charitable we are if our charity stops with the worthy. Not just talking about tossing some coins in the plate and hoping that some poor needy souls benefit from some of it; Talking about personally getting our hands dirty getting involved in knowing and helping such people (could be people who are poor and crippled and lame and blind physically or spiritually)
III. HOW DO YOU MISS OUT ON THE KINGDOM OF GOD? ON THE BLESSINGS OF GOD? (:15-24) HYPOCRISY LEADS TO EXCLUSION FROM THE KINGDOM OF GOD
(or for us who are saved: from enjoying the blessings God has for us right now)
PARTICIPATION IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD (ENJOYMENT OF GOD'S BLESSINGS) IS LIMITED NOT BY THE EXTENT OF GOD'S GRACIOUS INVITATION BUT BY THE LACK OF DESIRE ON THE PART OF THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS
the self-righteous claim to be devoted to God's kingdom, but they are blind as to its true nature and they desire many other things far more
In one sense we are the crown of God's creation -- a little lower than angels on the scale of beings right now, but destined for great things; in another sense when we look at our own resources apart from God we are little better than defenseless worms. Praise the Lord that the King of Kings is merciful to help worms like us.
The first point Christ makes in this parable is:
A. ADMIRATION OF GOD'S STANDARDS DOES NOT MEAN DEEP DESIRE FOR THOSE STANDARDS
The Pharisee who leaned back on his couch while listening to the wonderful stories told by Jesus, and cried out "Amen, Preach it brother!" certainly thought that he had a desire for God's standards -- He was interested in humility; he agreed with what Christ had to say about charity; Those were some beautiful stories. He can't wait for the kingdom when he will have all day to sit around and drink in such truth.
"Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God" Such platitudes sound good and they fall easily from our lips as well -- "Great message" "I really enjoyed what you had to say" --but in this case the problem was a serious one --
1) THE PROBLEM OF PRESUMPTION
Maybe you've heard the story of the husband and wife who were discussing the possibility of taking a trip to the Holy Land: Husband: "Wouldn't it be fantastic to go to the Holy Land and stand
and shout the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai?" The Wife answered wisely: "Wouldn't it be better if we stayed home, kept our mouths shut, and just obeyed them?"
It's easy for us to speak with admiration about spiritual truths; but often we are presumptuous in thinking that we are applying those same truths. We fail to own up to our failures -- we don't want to admit to ourselves and others how bad off we really are We fail to give God's grace and mercy its proper place We fail to understand God's program for our temporary walk by faith That's why we cry out to God: "That's not fair" "I deserve better than this" "How can you do this to me?" When the issue is salvation, spiritual presumption is a deadly disease. You need to be sure that you're not going to miss out on that pie in the sky when you die
But the Pharisee was not the only one with a serious problem.
2) the invited guests all had THE PROBLEM OF PREOCCUPATION -- they were hypocrites as well, since when the initial invitation went out it seems like they must have been very positive about the upcoming banquet. They probably had been quick to RSVP. The host had made plans and preparations accordingly (remember not to try to press every detail of a parable), so the expectation is that the invited guests will attend. What a surprise when they all beg off with all types of flimsy excuses. An excuse is an explanation that isn't a real reason; it can be given to others or to ourselves to get us out of doing something we really don't want to do anyway. There is some debate over whether to treat these as serious excuses or whether to expose them as ridiculous. In other words should we look at each one in turn:
a) preoccupation with possessions -- Didn't you look at the field before you bought it? Certainly you can wait to play with your toys later
b) preoccupation with business -- Can't you delegate this to someone else; how can one person check out 5 oxen teams anyway?
c) preoccupation with pleasures or personal relats. who said you couldn't bring a date? The point is that all the invited guests were looking for ways they could reject the invitation rather than being overwhelmed with gratitude that they had been included (just like the Pharisees at the beginning of Chap. 14 were looking to find fault with Christ rather than to give Him the respect and obedience He deserved)
These people had the wrong concept of God's kingdom. So when they found it involved humility and suffering and sacrifice of earthly possessions to meet the needs of the unlovely, they suddenly were not interested When we are faced with the full brunt of Christ's standards, where do we
invent excuses for not following thru in obedience? There are some parts of Scripture where maybe we just have a suspicion that if we investigated more seriously we would find something we don't like? Is our response to occupy ourselves with more secure pursuits? Do we really have a deep, desperate desire for God's blessings or do we like other things more so that we don't mind missing out on what God has for us?
As Christ looked at these first century Jews, He condemned every excuse for rejecting Him and the good news of the gospel as ridiculous!
cf. cries of God in the OT where He describes Israel as a vine that He has planted and cultivated and expected to bring forth good fruit; but sadly turned out to bear nothing but thorns and rotten fruit; the fault was not with the vinedresser
The problem here is a basic lack of desire -- These people will get what they want -- they can have all the toys they can collect in this life; they can have a great time making money and being successful; they can enjoy their wife and other relats. (to some extent); but they don't want the right thing so they will miss out on the indescribable blessings of God
John 5:39-40 "you diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life."
It's not enough to admire the precepts of the Bible; we must have a deep passion for the person of the Bible -- our Lord Jesus Christ We are commanded to work out our salvation with fear and trembling knowing that it is God who works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure Many people claim to admire the example of Christ. You tell them the Biblical parables like these we find in Luke 14 and they praise the wisdom of these words. But they are just as blind as the Pharisees to their own self-righteousness or lack of understanding or lack of interest in the reality of the kingdom.
How else does Jesus show that participation in the Blessings of God is not limited by the extent of God's Gracious Invitation?
B. NO FAULT CAN BE FOUND WITH GOD'S GRACIOUS INVITATION
1. THE INVITATION IS TO A WORTHY EVENT - "a great banquet"
"mega" not megabucks here, but mega feast -- lots of food for lots of people on a worthy occasion
great because of who is giving it -- everybody always jokes every four years of receiving invitations to the presidential inaugural ball; we have an invitation from the King of Kings
great because of the cost involved -- the preparations have been more than adequate; the Lamb slain for this feast is the precious Lamb of God Himself who shed His blood for our sins so that we might be forgiven and be able to feast with Him in the kingdom
great because of the blessing it brings -- far beyond all we imagine
How can someone spurn such an offer to the most worthy event of all-- eternal fellowship with our God and Creator and Redeemer
the invitation is not just to a worthy event, but
2. THE INVITATION IS REPEATED, IT IS PERSONAL, AND IT IS CLEAR
a. God prepared the way with OT prophecy -- specific, detailed predictions hundreds of years before so that there should be no surprises, but everyone should make themselves ready
He didn't get the invitations out late -- the Pharisees should have been ready and waiting
b. God announced the coming of the King with John the Baptist the voice of one calling in the desert, Make straight the way for the Lord He gathered the crowds and then pointed them to the Savior: "Behold the Lamb of God"
c. God sent His Servant, the Lord Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, to personally deliver the message
d. The simple message is clear: "Come, for everything is now ready"
can't complain about problems of interpretation
there is no question what response is called for
the timeframe is immediate -- you can't put it off and expect to have opportunity later on at your convenience
III. MAKE NO MISTAKE: REJECTION OF GOD'S GRACIOUS INVITATION BRINGS THE WRATH OF GOD
vs.21 "the owner of the house became angry"
Most invitations are optional. Turning down an invitation just means we lose a nice evening. The host might be angry and never invite us again, but no big deal.
But when the issue is eternal life, when the satisfaction of a Holy God against sinners is at stake, the invitation is really a command.
sometimes we change our minds and come late to a party or we check with someone who has already been there to see if we want to go.
There will be no such second chance for those who have spurned God's free offer of grace.
Remember the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:24 he called out for just a drop of water to ease his agony in the fires of hell
he pleaded for someone like Lazarus to be sent back from the dead to warn his family
But the answer he got is the same one for us today: Believe the revelation from God that we already have while there is still time.
the angry host promises: "not one of those men who were invited (and turned down the chance) will get a taste of my banquet"
that is FINAL judgment
the same God of mercy and love and grace is a righteous, holy, God of wrath
IV. ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO ROOM FOR THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS WHO WILL LOSE OUT, THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM FOR THE SPIRITUALLY NEEDY
there is room not just for the big-shot Jews, but for all the Jews
"the streets and alleys of the town"
there is room not just for all the Jews who respond, but also for the Gentiles "the roads and country lanes"
"make them come in" "compel them" -- not talking about using force to round them out; but overcoming their amazement at being included in God's kingdom -- the opposite of the presumptuous self-righteous
they can come as they are
they don't need any fancy clothes
Maybe like the Pharisees, you say without even realizing it the words that Christ condemns in Rev. 3:17 "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."
Whatever the blessing we desire from God, only those who recognize their poverty and need can receive grace. But God's arms are open wide inviting all to come "Come unto Me all you that are weary and burdened and I will give you rest"
CONCLUSION:
You want to be great in the kingdom of God? live a life of true humility and hospitality. Let's pray that God would increase our deep desire for His standards and for His kingdom so that we would not be hypocrites who just admire His truth but fail see our need and apply it. We need our spiritual eyes opened to see where we are presumptuous or preoccupied with other things.
