“There’s Room at the Table”
-The Kingdom of God is like a Great Banquet Table-
Luke 14:1-24
In this passage of scripture Jesus teaches that the Kingdom of God is like a banquet. The Kingdom of God is like having a great party.
The social life of Jesus got him into trouble. His social life created controversy. (Matthew 9:10-11) (Luke 15:1-2) Jesus made it a practice to eat with sinners, a practice denounced by the Pharisees and Jewish dignitaries.
As we study Luke 14 we need to ask, “Who does God what at His table?” “How big is God’s table?” “Who belongs at the Table?” “How inclusive is the table?”
Luke 14:1-24 from the Message translation by Eugene Peterson. (Read by Luke Jones)
The leader of our Hospitality Team, Mickey Jenkins has set a small table symbolizing a table set for guests.
We want to examine Luke 14 in the light of the time of Christ. Scot McKnight, Professor in Biblical and Theological Studies at North Park University, notes that the kind of people Jesus hung out with were looked down upon as second class citizens by the Pharisees. The people Jesus hung out with were people of the land; they did not know the Torah – Jewish law. They were rift raft and common people, the lowest of the low.
The Pharisees could not understand why the common people, outcasts of society followed Jesus who claimed to be a Rabbi and Teacher. The kind of people Jesus ate with and fellowshipped with would not be tolerated in their homes.
Pharisees were as likely to invite common people in the mob that followed Jesus to their table as Jocks would welcome members of the college debate team to their table. Jocks and debate dweebs don’t mix.
In Jesus’ day a righteous person would not sit down and eat with a common person – people of the land – they don’t know the Torah.
Jesus did not go along with the Jewish customs of His day. He invited all to His Table. In the story of the Great Banquet Jesus invites all to His table. There is room for all at God’s Table. This was in direct contrast to the Pharisees who believed that only certain people are welcome at God’s Table.
Do you have a list of people you would sit down with a list of people you would not invite to your table? Do you have a list of people who deserve to sit at God’s table?
In November I visited the Willow Creek Church in S. Barrington, ILL, a suburb of Chicago. John Ortberg the teaching pastor there told of going to his mother’s hair dresser. After talking to her he thought she had some interest in knowing more about God. He told his mother that he thought she wanted to know about God. His mother responded: “No way! She is on her fifth husband and is living in sin.” John said: “Mom the next time you get your hair done at the beauty salon ask her if she is interested in spiritual things?
The next time she went to have her hair done she prayed in her heart as she was taking a seat in the beauty shop chair. “God you know I don’t want to talk to her about her faith because she’s not the kind of person I want to associate with. If you want me to talk to her then have her ask me first.” The first thing the beauty operator said when she approached was, “I understand you and your husband have a Bible study. Do you mind if I come sometime?” She said that her mother was Jewish and her father a Roman Catholic. Her mother made her go to the synagogue on Saturday and when she came home her dad made her take the rosary and make confession of her sin. She grew up confused and turned to alcohol for comfort and she could drink with the best of them. To get help she went to AA meetings but could not think of her “higher power” as God so she called her “higher power” Ralph. At one of the AA meetings a guy came in half drunk. He stood up and said; “My name is Ralph and I’m an alcoholic.” The hair dresser said at that point in her life she wanted to know the true God. She and her husband started attending the bible study of John’s parents.
Who do you give up on? Who are the people you wouldn’t invite to the table? What people don’t come up to your standards? Who are not worthy to come to your table?
1. Who Belongs at the Table
Luke 14 Jesus gives the parable of “who belongs at the Table?”
Luke 14:1 “One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched.” A man outside the house was there with the disease of dropsy. They were probably hoping Jesus would heal the man on the Sabbath so they could accuse him of breaking the Jewish law.
We see the unconditional love of Jesus in going to eat at the home of those who were out to get him. They were looking for ways to discredit Jesus, yet he joined them for dinner.
Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away.” Jesus knew that the man would not be welcome in the home of the Pharisee.
Scot McKnight describes the dining arrangement of a home of a prominent person like this chief Pharisee. The Dining area was like a courtyard with a large table in the center loaded with food and three couches surrounded the table. A large couch was located at the head of the table farthest from the door and a couch on each side of the table. Important people would be placed at the couches and others at places on the floor. (Sketch out table on flip chart)
Jesus observed people elbowing for a place of honor so Jesus said: “When someone invites you to dinner, don’t take the place of honor. When you’re invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place.” Then Jesus turned to his host and said. “The next time you put on a dinner, don’t just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks.
Jesus made it clear to his host that all people should be invited to the table – all being inclusive not exclusive. Religious leaders would not think of inviting the poor, crippled, lame or blind.
Luke 14:15 One of the men at the table heard what Jesus said and he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” In other words, I’m looking forward to being part of the feast in the Kingdom of God. We are blessed because we will eat there. We are worthy.”
Jesus replied, Luke 14:16-24, with the parable of the Great Banquet. A man threw a great dinner party and invited many. When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, “Come on in; the foods on the table.”
When the host planned a dinner he planned it weeks in advance. His invitations were given out in person to invited guests. When a person was invited they either said they would come or could not come. No time set for the dinner. Why? You guessed it there were no clocks then. When the day arrived for the dinner the servant went out and told all that had said they would come and told them when to come to eat.
When the servant contacted the people who had agreed to come one after one, they made excuses.
One said he bought a piece of property. I must go and look over the property and make sure it is still there. Another said he couldn’t come because he bought a time of five oxen and he needed to go see if they were still alive. Yet another said he couldn’t come because he got married and needed to get home to see how his wife was doing.
These invited guests were out to snub their host and kill the party.
The Pharisees and guests at the dinner were getting the message. Jesus is telling them that the Kingdom of God banquet is ready and they are being invited, but they are refusing to come. Who are refusing to come? All those present that were sitting around the table.
Outside the door are the common people, the rift raft. Jesus is next telling in his story and says to the servant: “Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.” Jesus was including all those standing outside the door. They are also being invited to sit at the Kingdom of God table. The invitation was to all Jewish people of all social economic standings, rich and poor.
The servant in the story goes out and comes back and reports that he did as told – verse 22 “And there is still room.” Here’s a great promise: There’s still room for you and for me.
Then the Master said to the servant: “Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party.” Jesus was saying, “go farther out. Go to the Gentiles.” All are welcome at my table. Jesus would say to us: Go to East San Jose, Go to South Morgan Hill, Go West to Campbell and Los Gatos, and North to Santa Clara so that the Willow Vale Church will be full. God is after and for everybody.
Luke 14:23 “Compel them to come in.” Not forced, but persuaded. It would be polite for common people to decline and say “no” to eat at the table of a host of honor. The Master is saying: “Don’t take no for an answer. Give them a hand and let them know they are welcome to come to my table so that my house may be full.”
2. The Parable gives a picture of God’s Love.
Here is a picture of God’s love. Jesus doesn’t wait for people to come to Him. He goes out to them seeking to save the lost. Who did Jesus use to seek you out? Did He use a loved one, a relative, a mother or father, a friend or a neighbor?
This parable is giving you the challenge: “Who are you inviting to the table?” “Who are you bringing to the table?”
We have many in the Willow Vale Church bringing people to the table. From time to time one of our school teachers tell me that they have prayed with students in their class that want to become a Christian. Almost every week some one who attend this church has the privilege of praying with someone. Yes there is room at the table. God’s table is set for all – all who will say “yes” to his invitation.
Tony Compolo is a professor of sociology at Eastern College in St. David’s Penn. He is a prolific writer and is in demand as a speaker. He tells of one trip to a conference in Hawaii. He arrived in Hawaii in the evening and with the time change from the East he had a difficult time going to sleep. He walked from his hotel to a coffee shop for coffee at 3:30 AM Hawaiian time. As he was sitting at the counter a group of street ladies – prostitutes came in for coffee. He over heard one of the ladies say that the next day was her birthday and they she had never had a birthday party given for her.
After the ladies left Tony Compolo asked the restaurant owner who the lady was that was having a birthday. He said her name was Agnes. Tony asked if the ladies came in every night at that time. The owner said that they did. Tony said, "I would like to give her a birthday party tomorrow night." The owner said he would bake the cake. The next night Tony Compolo arrived back at the restaurant at 2:30 AM to decorate for the party. At 3:15 the ladies started coming in. Word had spread and it seemed that all the prostitutes in Honolulu heard the news and came to the party. Tony said there he was in a Coffee Shop in Honolulu surrounded by prostitutes. At 3:30 Agnes walked in and they surprised her and sang “Happy Birthday Agnes.” Agnes was taken back and was in shock. Her knees almost buckled and she had to be helped to a chair.
Harry said, “Agnes, blow out the candles and cut the cake. The candles were blown out and then Agnes paused and said: Can I keep the cake. I only live a couple blocks from here. Can I take it home? Tony and Harry agreed and she carefully carried out the cake to her apartment. After she walked out there was complete silence. Then Tony felt led to say, “What do you saw we pray.” He prayed for Agnes and her salvation. He prayed for God’s love for her and all her friends.
After his prayer Harry leaned over the counter and said, “Hey, you never told me you were a preacher. What kind of a church do you belong to.” Tony wasn’t sure what to say, he said: “I belong to a church that throws parties for Prostitutes at 3:30 in the morning.” Harry said: “No you don, if there were a church like that I’d join it if there was.”
The parable of the Great Banquet teaches that Jesus gave parties just like that. He gave parties for the outcast, prostitutes, and lepers. They were all welcome at His table. To each one that came with open hearts Jesus said: “I forgive your sins. Though they be as scarlet they become whiter than snow.”
God says, “Thee is still room at My table.” Here is the question Jesus is asking us today: “Who are you bringing to the table? What people do you know that are far from God that need to come to God’s table?”
Pray that God will help you to bring people to His Table.
Let’s pray.
