PREVIEW OF THE BOOK OF LUKE:
Luke 14 - Feasts and Invitations

A. Healing on the Sabbath

1. (1) Jesus eats in a Pharisee's home
a. Even though Jesus had some of His greatest disputes with the Pharisees, He still associated with them - not to be one of them, but to show them a godly example
b. People watched Him closely; Jesus was under constant observation. People wanted to know what He would do in different situations, and they would form their opinions about God and Jesus based on what they saw

i. In 2 Corinthians 3:2-3, Paul explains that we are letters from Jesus, that all men read; that the letters are not written with ink, but with the Holy Spirit, and not on paper, but on our own hearts. We are the only Bible many will ever read
2. (2-4) Jesus heals the man in front of the eyes of His critics
a. Dropsy is an "abnormal accumulation of serous fluid in the tissues of the body." (Liefeld) The word for dropsy here comes from the Greek words for "water" and "face", because the disease often made a person look bloated in their face
b. We notice that there seems to be no ceremony or hocus-pocus in the healing ministry of Jesus; He just did it, and the man was completely well

c. But the issue revolves around the Sabbath - is what Jesus did on the Sabbath to be considered work, and therefore against God's commandment?

i. Of course, Jesus never broke the commandments of God; but He did often offend man's traditions that surrounded the commandments of God. We can do the same thing; for some reason, Christians have come to think that smoking breaks a commandment of God; that dancing breaks a commandment of God, and so forth. We are challenged enough by God's commandments without laying man's traditions on top of them!
3. (5-6) Jesus explains why He can heal on the Sabbath
a. If it is all right to help animals on the Sabbath, how much more is it right to heal people who are made in God's image?
b. This attempted trap, and the happenings of the feast display pride among the Pharisees - what can be more proud than to set man's traditions above the law of God?

B. Jesus teaches on pride and humility
1. (7) The setting for this teaching
a. What follows is a parable; a real-life illustration set along side a Biblical truth to give an example. Parables are not fables; Jesus didn't tell fanciful stories with morals. He used real-life occasions all were familiar with to illustrate God's truth
b. At the home of the Pharisee, Jesus noticed how people were strategically placing themselves so as to be in the best places; that is, the places of most honor

c. In Jesus' day, the seating arrangement at a dinner showed a genuine "pecking order"; the most honored person sat in a particular seat, the next most honored person in another seat, and so on down the line

2. (8-9) What not to do: don't take the highest place on your own initiative
a. If one takes the most honored seat for himself, he may be asked to be removed if the host would rather have someone else sit there
b. This is a perfect picture of a person trying to advance himself by self-promotion and politicking, instead of being humble letting God do the work

i. Then how do you get promoted? Don't play the self promotion games; do your work hard and unto the Lord, and let God raise you up. For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south, but God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another (Psalm 75:6-7)
3. (10-11) What to do: take a lower place, and let God move you up
a. When we are at the lower place, we aren't there just to be noticed so we can go up higher. Nor are we miserable there, and letting everyone know by our facial expressions that we really don't belong there
i. Jesus isn't merely teaching good manners, but a lifestyle that in lowliness of mind esteems others better than himself (Philippians 2:3)
b. Instead, we joyfully embrace the lower place; we aren't filled with such a high opinion of ourselves that we think we don't "belong" there. To truly humble yourself is to get your eyes off yourself, and to start living an others-centered life
c. When we seek to take honor to ourselves, we will always be humbled - if not on earth, then for all of eternity. The promise of exaltation for the humble and humiliation for the proud is one ultimately fulfilled in eternity

i. We don't the same cultural situation for wedding feasts today; but we certainly do have the desire to grasp for a certain position or status. And we even learn how to do our grasping with a spiritual veneer!
ii. We may choose the low place, and act meek and humble, so that others may notice how humble we are! This is a subtle form of spiritual pride that is very dangerous

iii. When we get our own position, either through outward or subtle pride, we can even say "it was the Lord, it was the Lord" - but in our heart of hearts we know it was us, our own calculation, our own schemes, our own grasping. We should remember the words of George MacDonald: In whatever man does without God, he must fail miserably - or succeed more miserably.

d. Jesus had the right to issue such a challenge, for He fulfilled it perfectly - He is the ultimate example of someone who deserved the highest seat, but took the lowest seat, and was "moved up" to the highest seat (Philippians 2:5-11)
4. (12-14) Jesus warns His host about the danger of pride when it comes to the guest list
a. We can show pride not only as the guest, but also as a host - and we do so through our "guest list"
i. Do not ask is actually "do not habitually ask"; it isn't wrong to ever invite your friends, your brothers, and so on; but it is wrong to only invite such people
b. Do we associate only with people who can "advance" us or give something to us? Or are we willing to be "givers" in relationship also? It is easy for us to limit our "guest list" to a few comfortable, easy people, instead of reaching out to others
i. Jesus is telling us to not associate with people on a "what's in it for me?" basis. That is self-centered living; we are called to follow Jesus, who showed others-centered living
c. This kind of living will cost us something, and the full repayment comes only at the resurrection of the just; but it is worth it!
C. The guests of the Messiah's Banquet
1. (15) An exclamation about the Messiah's Banquet
a. From Old Testament times, the Messianic Banquet was greatly expected; in the New Testament we know it as the marriage supper of the Lamb: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the the Lamb! (Revelation 19:9)
b. Feasts were the most joyous, happy occasions of life; Jesus is showing us that we are not to have a dull, gray Christian life

2. (16-24) Jesus' parable about the great feast
a. In a day without clocks, the date of the banquet was announced long before, but the exact time only was announced the very day
b. Central to this parable are the excuses that are offered. The excuses are different, but really all the same - they all with one accord began to make excuses

i. Excuses are made - they are fashioned for convenience, and are clung to in desperation
ii. The first two excuses have to do with material things - and are each pretty lame. After all, what kind of fool buys a piece of land first, and then goes to check it? If you have already bought ten oxen, what is the use of testing them after you have already bought them?

aa. When we buy something new, we are almost always preoccupied by it. Preoccupation with the things of the world is a common excuse for not following Jesus
iii. The third excuse has to do with a man who puts his family before the Lord; the best thing we can show to our family is that they are not first in our lives, that the Lord is.
iv. These excuse makers condemn themselves; their excuses are only a thin veil hiding the fact that they do not want to come. "Back of an excuse is a lack of desire." (Morgan) There is no rational reason why someone would not want to be part of this feast; they just don't want to

c. If those first invited to the feast refuse, there will still be a feast - the master will not give a feast in vain!
d. Jesus responds to the man's exclamation Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God! by saying "You admire the Messianic Banquet; are you ready to receive the invitation to come? Will you make excuses?"

i. Especially when you know what sort of people will be there: redeemed sinners and the maimed and the lame and blind
e. Augustine and others have used the phrase compel them to come in as a justification to coerce people into Christianity, sometimes using persecution and torture
i. Why did Jesus say compel? These wanderers and outcasts would need to be convinced that they were really welcome - compel, yes; but in love
ii. Bruce on compel: it "reflects in the first place the urgent desire of the master to have an absolutely full house, in the second the feeling that pressure will be needed to overcome the incredulity of country people as to the invitation to them being meant seriously. They would be apt to laugh in the servant's face."

C. The cost of receiving the invitation
1. (25-26) Disciples must put Jesus first
a. What is a disciple? The word disciple simply means "learner"; a disciple is someone who is a student, a learner of Jesus
b. So, what does it take to become a learner of Jesus? Jesus has just shown us that coming to God is like accepting an invitation (14:16-24); is that all there is to it?

c. First, Jesus was boldly saying that nothing can come between you and God - even good things such as family and the instinct of self-preservation

i. Think of how audacious Jesus is! He asks for this kind of ultimate commitment, and we give it to Him - why? Because of love. When we know the love of Jesus; when we are in a love-relationship with Him, only then can we be committed to Him like this
ii. Napoleon: "I know men; and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander [the Great], Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and this hour millions of men would die for him."

d. Hate is a strong word, but that is exactly how it can seem to family members and friends when we put Jesus before them
2. (27) Disciples must count themselves as dead; they must go all the way
a. The one carrying a cross was essentially walking down death row to their place of execution; they knew there was no turning back; it was a total, complete commitment, and your life was completely yielded - you knew your life wasn't yours any more!
b. This is total commitment; Jesus gave Himself for us totally, and expects us to give ourselves to Him totally

i. We can understate the demands of Jesus when we preach the gospel to others; we can give them the impression that coming to Jesus is like believing some facts instead of yielding a life
c. "The general idea that these words of Jesus about bearing the cross refer to passive submission to all kinds of afflictions, like disappointments, pain, sickness and grief that come upon man in life, is totally wrong. . . . only a person who for the sake of His service surrenders all self-seeking and abandons all striving after his own interests can be His disciple." (Geldenhuys)
3. (28-33) Counting the cost before you come to Jesus
a. In the parable of the tower, Jesus says "sit down and see if you can afford to follow Me"
b. In the parable of the king, Jesus says "sit down and see if you can afford to refuse My demands"

c. We have a difficult challenge in understanding and communicating the gospel here; there are two extremes to avoid

i. We can never give people the impression that they have to clean up their lives before the come to Jesus; that is like washing up before you take a bath!
ii. But also, we can never give people the impression that Jesus won't want to clean up their lives with their cooperation after they come to Him

iii. It is as if we have an apartment and give the ownership of that apartment to Jesus. We don't have to remodel the apartment before we give it to Jesus; but once we do, He comes in and starts tearing down walls and fixing up things. Being a disciple means that you help Jesus in that work instead of resisting it, or changing things back to the old way

d. The word for forsake all that he has, when it was applied to people, meant "to say goodbye to"; Jesus is telling us to "say goodbye" to everything we have, entrusting it to Jesus
4. (34-35) Don't be a lukewarm follower of Jesus!
a. Salt that loses its "saltiness" can't be of use to Jesus; God is looking for believers with "tang" that He can use
b. Salt is only valuable when it has the nature of salt; a Christian is only valuable when he has the nature of Christ

6. (15:1) How do people react to the radical demands of the gospel? These sinners respond, they do not reject
a. This stern gospel was not inconsistent with Jesus' love, it was the result of His love
b. People respond to a challenging gospel, if the truth is spoken in love. We do a grave disservice when we "soften" the demands of the gospel - for others or for ourselves








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