Why Is The Kingdom Open To The ‘least Of These’? Series

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.