The Great Banquet

Luke 14 In Jewish culture it was customary for the people to participate in feasts and festivals.Feasting was an important social occasion in Jewish culture as it is with us today with thanksgiving.

Eating was an expression of spiritual communion with God. It was also a time for sharing with family and friends and invited guests.

This was a time of rejoicing and they celebrated by sacrificing animals and eating animals.

In American culture Thanksgiving is an integral part of our seasonal feasts. We have every food item you can think of ..... But in all of them celebrations there is usually a turkey squash and corn at the center of the celebration because the Pilgrims joined in with Native American Indians form the North.

And the Indians saved the white colonizers, by giving and sharing in a meal which later became known as thanksgiving. And so keeping in tradition of following the script of the socialization of American society, I want to teach, talk, and tell us about thanksgiving through the Luke 14 text in scripture.

In Luke 14 we find that Jesus was invited to a prominent Pharisee’s home for a banquet feast on the Sabbath.

They didn’t eat on the Sabbath Day until after they came home from the religious service at the synagogue.

And so it’s 12 noon and Jesus is there . And for Jesus this is the perfect opportunity to illustrate to them that God still rules and reigns.

And so let me give us a description of the setting and the scene. At the banquet there were couches made of finely carved wood.

And At the formal dinner, there were often times, 3 couches arranged around a table leaving one side open for serving.

The nearer the guest were to the host of the banquet the more highly they were honored.

And so Jesus noticed that they were watching him. Remember now it’s the sabbath day.

The bible says that there was a man that had dropsy.

In verse 3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? Then the bible says that they held their peace and Jesus healed the man that had dropsy.

The Justification for the healing on the Sabbath day is in verse 5 “Jesus said to the Pharisees and teachers of the law, “If your child or ox falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not pull him out quickly?” 6 And they could not answer him.

The reason they couldn’t answer Jesus is because that law was being abused ridiculously by the religious leaders. Jesus said if it were your animals or stuff, you’d go and see about your stuff wouldn’t you? The bible says Straightway “eutheōs (yoo-theh’-oce). (You- thet- oos) Meaning you’d go immediately for your stuff.

Jesus is saying So why can’t I heal this man on the Sabbath day? And so now Jesus is observing aggressive behavior, Prideful behavior, and puffed up behavior. They were arguing over which seat to sit in.”I sit where I am welcomed to sit”.

Because Jesus said in verse 7. And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,

Listen people pass over this part and do not adequately address the issue of ego.

My ego is big but my Grandfather would say boy don’t let it write out a check that my behind can’t cash. Be quiet when I’m talking to you.

But Let somebody forget to call somebody’s name there’re all upset because they worked on the program.

Or Let somebody sit in their seat yeah 3x and even the members will say that’s sister so and so seat that’s brother so and so’s seat.

And as always Jesus used the opportunity to put forth a parable in the form of information 3x. and we call that Induction. Induction is teaching me what I need to know and why the inform I’m teaching is right for you to learn.

Jesus said in verse

8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; 9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

For the Christian the good Lord put us in positions to be humble in the presence of people in charge. And the truth is if we humble ourselves before God and men God will do the exalting in His timing.

And sometimes humbling yourself is not pleasant it can even be humiliating. But I’d rather be asked up than to be asked down.

And so the bible says in verse 12 that “Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. 13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: 14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

“The parable of the great supper, is where Christ shows us how worldly men shall be shut out of heaven”

15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. As we look at this on the surface level, it would seem that the person speaking is on point. but obviously Jesus knows something about the character of the man or the guests that’s not revealed until we do a deeper analysis. The parishioner had already put himself in the kingdom of God as if to say “I know I’m doing right”.

Look at the text in verse 16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

Stop right there. The Lord has set the table and His feast is now ready. What ever else you got going on in life ought to be centered around making sure that we feast on the word of God, Feast on the fellowship, Feast on the service we render to God etc etc etc.

18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

The essence of the text is to show us that we ought to make time for God. And we ought to reflect on His Goodness. We ought to have thanksgiving in our hearts for the opportunities God has given us to serve.

We ought to be cognizant of how the world seeks to entice our flesh to be contrary to God. and out of the will of God. The invited guests we making ridiculous claims. These claims would be legitimate under different circumstances.But if you don’t want to come to my feast just say I don’t want to come.

Also the text is teaching us that we ought to embrace outsiders in the highways hedges and byways to come that God’s house may be filled. This isn’t none of our house it’s God’s house and so we ought to do everything in our power to fill God’s House.

And every tub sits on its own bottom because 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. Jesus said if you’re ashamed to own me in front of men then I’ll be ashamed to own you in front of my Father which is in heaven.