AN INTERESTING QUESTION: How did we get to the place where “the least of these” is such a focus of the Kingdom?
- Luke 14:12-15.
- You are probably tired of hearing me repeat that important interpretation principle: context is key.
- Most of you fully know what I mean but for anyone visiting, let me explain. It is essential when you interpret a Bible verse or passage that you look at the context in which it appears. Too often people pull verses out of their original context. Sometimes it’s malicious, sometimes it’s just ignorance. But in either case you can end up saying that the Bible teaches things that it doesn’t actually teach.
- In this case, the parable that we are going to spend most of our time on is pretty straightforward, but what looking at the context helps us with here is tying this whole parable to Jesus’ instructions in vv. 12-14 about eating with the least of these.
- Notice the important opening phrase in v. 15. Someone is going to make a statement about the Kingdom of God in response to Jesus’ instructions about eating with the least of these. The subject in play was Jesus talking about the need to show love in the form of eating with the least of these. Then the statement is made about the Kingdom by this listener. In response to that statement, Jesus then tells this parable.
- We can’t be certain whether the statement was made as an agreement with what Jesus just said or as an attempt to redirect.
- Maybe it was “Yes, we should do that right now and then we will be blessed to eat the feast in the Kingdom of God.” That is, someone aware of the connection between the two ideas.
- Maybe, though, it was an attempt to redirect. Jesus said that you should eat with those who are the least of these, who are unable to pay you back. Jesus specifically says if you do that you will be “blessed.” The man might have heard that and basically responded, “Well, actually, the people that are going to be blessed while eating at a meal are those who are a part of the Kingdom of God.”
- I think the second is more likely, although we can’t be certain. It ties together the two “blessed” mentions and it better explains why Jesus would bother to tell an explanatory parable in response to the man’s statement.
- Where that takes us is that Jesus is explaining the nature of the Kingdom. Specifically, He is explaining why “the least of these” are such a part of the Kingdom.
- We would probably guess that the answer is just “well, God is compassionate.” But Jesus puts the issue into a different frame. What is that frame?
- I want to try to answer that question by posing five questions (and their answers) that are raised by this parable.
FIVE QUESTIONS (AND ANSWERS) THIS PARABLE SPEAKS TO:
- Note: Some of the points below are close in subject matter so be careful not to trample on a later point.
1. WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE KINGDOM? It is a celebration.
- Luke 14:16-17.
- Let’s start with a larger point that is easy to overlook in the details of this story: it’s a celebration. The Kingdom is a celebration.
- This is not to say that it’s not other things as well, but we should not pass too quickly over the fact that it is a celebration.
- This could have been a parable about a work party. This could have been a parable about a situation that couldn’t be redeemed. This could have been a parable about individual excellence. Instead, it’s a parable about a feast.
- Certainly, this is informed by what we just mentioned in vv. 12-14. Jesus taught about eating with people and this parable is about eating with people. (More on that in a moment.) But it is also a story about a huge party, a gigantic celebration.
- This makes me think of Luke 15, the only time Jesus tells three stories back-to-back-to-back that all have the same point. The point is the celebration that happens when something that is lost is found again. There is joy in heaven. There is joy in the heart of the Father. This is not just a matter of stale numbers of salvation. Each person matters to the Father.
- Even more directly to the point, though, I think of the Old Testament festivals. Most of us know little about them. We just presume they were dry religious ceremonies. But they weren’t.
- We could go deep into the weeds on this and detail the purpose, plan, and activities of each of the festivals. That, though, is well beyond the parameters of this sermon.
- Instead, let me offer one number: 10. Specifically, 10%.
- In the Old Testament Law, the Israelites were to put aside 10% of their income to pay for these festivals. The festivals were days-long events that did include religious ceremonies but that were also a time of joyous celebration of what their God had done for them. Think of that: putting 10% of your income aside for celebrations. And think further: this wasn’t their idea, but was something that came from the mind of God.
- It’s worth acknowledging in this moment that we as Baptists are not particularly good at celebrating. I’m not saying that we never have fun or never have a celebration, but we certainly aren’t excelling at it.
- It might be worth pondering in his moment the extent to which this is a priority and vision of the Kingdom. Maybe we need more celebration in our religious lives.
2. WHAT IS THE MASTER'S BIGGEST FRUSTRATION ABOUT THE KINGDOM? That his generous invitation is met with lame excuses.
- Luke 14:18-20.
- The response to this celebration is rude.
- Rather than embracing the invitation and coming to the celebration, the Master’s servant is met with lame excuses. One has to go look at a recently-purchased field. One has to do a trial run with his new oxen. One can’t because he just got married.
- Let’s acknowledge that these are all lame excuses. None of these activities demanded immediate attention. No one said, “My son has just broken his leg and I have to take him to the doctor” or “Bandits just stole my herd and I have to pursue them.” You know, actual emergencies demanding immediate attention.
- No, these are all the equivalent of “I have to organize my sock drawer tonight.” It’s a lame excuse that makes it clear that the person just doesn’t want to come to the celebration. They just don’t want to come.
- Why don’t they want to come?
- Turning down a big, free celebration seems an odd thing to do, unless you just don’t like the person giving the party. Certainly there could be other excuses, but that seems the most prominent.
- Does that fit with the larger point this parable is pointing us toward? It definitely does, because we know of Israel’s regular rejection of God.
- Israel persistently received the love and generosity of God, only to dump Him to pursue other gods. In many ways, it’s the largest theme of the Old Testament.
- It is also going to turn out to be the conclusion of the gospels as well. The promised Messiah comes and Israel wants no part of Him.
- Is this true today, that people reject what God is offering them?
- Without question.
- We all know the incredible story of the Son of God willingly coming to earth, taking on human flesh, walking among us, teaching and healing, and ultimately being crucified and rising again.
- Further, our situation was hopeless. We had no way to earn our way to God. No way to undo our sinfulness. No way to transform our souls.
- Jesus opens a path for spiritual transformation by what He did.
- It’s not just something worth grasping onto - it’s something worth grasping onto with incredible gratitude.
- Yet we know that Jesus Himself warned us that this is a narrow road. Most will not choose it. Most will reject Jesus.
- Why? There are a multitude of reasons.
- People don't want to give up being the boss of their lives.
- People don’t want to put aside their favorite sins.
- People don’t want to have to follow someone else’s teaching.
- People don’t want to acknowledge God’s sovereignty.
- What they all add up to is that most people will end up rejecting Him. Some of the excuses are better than others, but they all will look pretty lame on the Day of Judgment. On that day, when the stark reality that there was only one solution to sin, death, and hell is indisputably obvious to all involved, any excuse that was used to cast Jesus aside is going to look incredibly lame given the ultimate consequences of that action.
- This, understandably, would be frustrating for the one making the offer.
- It would be like someone hanging out the thirtieth floor window of skyscraper with the building on fire and no way to get down, then having a firefighter put a ladder from the ladder truck up to the window to save your life only to have you say, “I was really hoping to be rescued by someone whose fire jacket was more brown instead of tan like yours.”
- You’re going to die! Be thankful that there is a way out!
- Another piece of this is that it is generous and gracious of the Master to invite you to his party. He didn’t have to do that. You’d think that people would be appreciative of that and want to attend. But instead lame excuses are given.
3. HOW DID THE MASTRE FEEL ABOUT THOSE REJECTING HIS INVITATION? He is angry.
- Luke 14:21a, 24.
- Let’s start with v. 21. The Master is angry at the response he got. This is an important detail that we shouldn’t overlook.
- Why is he angry? Because, as we just unpacked, he has made a gracious and generous offer to be a part of his celebration and people have responded to it with lame excuses. It’s fully justified.
- Going back again to the offer of salvation and transformation that God (the Master) has made to humanity, we can see why their lame excuses frustrate Him.
- I do think it’s worth pausing for a minute to think about this. Specifically this: we might think of God as being sad at those who reject His offer of salvation, but probably not Him being angry. We think of Him as the mournful father of Luke 15, waiting on his children to come back down that road, but we don’t think of Him as angry about that. (And let me just state that I think sadness is a part of the equation as well - it’s just not the focus of this passage.)
- What are we to do with that reference to anger? Is it justified? Is it inappropriate?
- Let’s use a parable to see if we can flesh this out.
- A coworker makes some irresponsible decisions and is fired from your workplace. He is a friend of yours so you hate that he got fired but you agree that it was the right decision given what he did. He has been making some poor decisions in general lately. About a month later you stop by his house just to check on him. He is crying. He’s run out of money. He doesn’t know how he’s going to pay his rent. He doesn’t have food for groceries. His wife and kids are going to go hungry. You visit a while and then go on your way. At home, you decide you want to help him but you want to do more than just buy some groceries. You want to show him that he’s your friend and that you care for him. So you and your wife do buy ten bags of groceries but you also spend all day preparing your favorite meal and favorite dessert. You want to invite him and his family to your dinner table and sit down and eat with them. So they’ll know they’re loved and not alone. You text your friend that morning and ask, “Are you busy tonight?” and he says he’s not. Around 5 you send your teenage son over to your friend’s house to load them up in the family minivan and bring them to your house. Your friend rebuffs your son by saying, “Nah, I’m watching Wheel of Fortune.” When your son comes home you send your wife over there and she explains that you all have spent all day cooking a wonderful dinner so they can share it with his family and you all want to have them over to enjoy the meal with your family. Your friend barely looks away from the TV. “Nah, I’m watching Wheel of Fortune.” Your wife comes back home and tells you what he said. You look at your kitchen, full of dirty pots and pans from cooking all day. You look at the ten bags of groceries. You look at the dinner table, all set with the good glassware for you all to share dinner with his family. And you think of him rebuffing your invitation, without any good excuse at all. And you get angry. Angry at the lack of gratitude. Angry at the lack of appreciation. Angry that your kindness was stomped on. Angry that your attempt to show genuine love was disregarded on the slightest of pretenses.
- I think that parable helps us to see a little what we are talking about.
- God the Father gave His only Son as a sacrifice for our sins and most respond not with gratitude but with lame excuses. “Don't you understand the pain Jesus went through for you? Don’t you know the hopelessness of your current spiritual situation? Don’t you know what I did for you? And you’re throwing it all away for basically nothing?!” You can see where that would be frustrating. You can see where that would create anger.
- And this, of course, is righteous anger, not a tiff.
- That leads us to the final verse of the parable (v. 24).
- Lest you think that word might get around at what an incredible celebration the Master was putting on and then one of the originally invited guests might show up, we see that is a shut door. The Master says none of those who were invited and then rejected with lame excuses will get in.
- This, of course, is a picture of judgment and hell.
- God has done all that He can to open the door of salvation. Jesus paid the price. The offer was expanded to both Jews and Gentiles, so that the whole world can be saved. The sacrifice of Christ was sufficient that even the worst of sinners can find relief at the foot of the cross. God has done all He can.
Yet most reject Him.
- In the judgment that is to come, when people see the Kingdom in its glory, Christ in His glory, and facing the obvious reality of all these spiritual truths, many no doubt will desperately seek to retroactively accept the invitation. “I didn’t mean it! I do want Jesus!” But it’s too late. They’ve rejected the invitation.
4. IS THE MASTER OPEN TO ANYONE COMING INTO THE KINGDOM? He instructs his servant to cast a wide net.
- Luke 14:21b.
- Luke 4:14-20.
- What happens next?
- After the generous offer, the lame excuses, and the angry feelings, the Master immediately issues a new command: go invite more in. He says, “. . . bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame” (v. 21b). The invitation list has expanded!
- There are two points to be made from this.
- First, this is obviously a picture of the offer of salvation expanding to the Gentiles after the rejection of the Messiah by the Jews.
- We know that the offer of salvation came first to the Jews. The Messiah was promised to the Jews. Jesus’ earthly ministry was focused on the Jews. Yet they rejected Him, crucifying Him.
- That opened the door for salvation to be offered to the Gentiles. This was a shock to Peter and the other Jews when it happened in Acts 10. They had no vision for that happening and yet the Holy Spirit clearly and unmistakably opened that door.
- This parable points us in the same thematic direction. The original invitees to the feast reject the offer and because of that the offer is made to others.
- Second, the specific people mentioned ties perfectly in to the mission statement about His ministry that Jesus made in Luke 4:14-20.
- It’s interesting that the Master doesn’t just say, “Go find others to invite.” No, he lists specific groups of people. These match up directly with the statements that Jesus made in Luke 4.
- There it is the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and He’s back in His hometown of Nazareth. He chooses a passage from Isaiah to read and it echoes closely mentioning the type of people who are mentioned here. It’s a mission statement for Jesus’ ministry. These are the type of people I’m going to be focusing on, He says. This is who I’m here for, He says. It’s the same type of people groups mentioned in v. 21.
- It’s always important for us to remember the type of Kingdom that Jesus came to inaugurate and who His focus was on.
5. HOW BIG DOES THE MASTER WANT HIS KINGDOM TO BE? He wants His house full.
- Luke 14:22-23.
- A final point: how many people does the Master want at His celebration. He wants His house full.
- The servant comes back after His second recruiting trek. This one has gone much better than the first. Many have responded positively. Yet the Master says something that is important for us to understand: He wants His house full.
- He commands his servant to go out and again with an even stronger message. He tells his servant to “make them come in.” It’s not a picture of kidnapping. It’s a picture of urgency and pleading. He wants his house full.
- This tells us something important about the Master. He wants His house full. He is persistent in making that happen.
- The clear analogy, of course, is the Father wanting people to come into the Kingdom of God. He wants His house full.
- This is an important truth to be told. We read elsewhere that it’s a “narrow road” and that “many are called but few are chosen.” Those and other passages might lead us to think that God is deliberately cultivating a limited response to His invitation to the Kingdom.
- As we’ve said, we get to cast a wide net as we witness. Everyone, even the lowest of the low, is invited. But knowing the corollary truth (that God wants His house full) is important in terms of the expectation on the result. Yes, many will reject the offer of salvation but God is working to pursue as big a harvest as possible. “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few” points us in this direction.
- This should raise our expectations for what we see in Kingdom work in this place. Expect greater harvest. The Master wants his house full.
