Parable of the seats (Lesson 9)

Introduction

Have everyone turn to but do not read yet: Passage: Lk14:1-14

Introduction:

We have gone from Kingdom parables to now discipleship parables. Last week we look at who is my neighbor (Lk10:25-39) today we are looking at the parable of seats at the feast (Lk14:1-14).

Jesus lived a life under constant scrutiny due to his teachings. They were contrary to what the people were being taught by the religious leaders and he was considered by some commentators to be revolutionary. Jesus was anti-culture and through the parables teaches us much we can learn from. So now may we look together at our passage.

Turn to and read Lk14:1-14 (ask the questions)

Luke 14:1–14 NASB95

1 It happened that when He went into the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to eat bread, they were watching Him closely. 2 And there in front of Him was a man suffering from dropsy. 3 And Jesus answered and spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” 4 But they kept silent. And He took hold of him and healed him, and sent him away. 5 And He said to them, “Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?” 6 And they could make no reply to this. 7 And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, 9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. 10 “But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. 11 “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” 12 And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. 13 “But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Background:

Dropsy - a disease that attacked the limbs of a person that are distended with water. Or a disease that was confined to the lower body which caused liver problems.

Why was he there - Remember we were at a “great feast” (Lk14:15-24) in the home of a Pharisee (14:1); why would someone diseased be there? Was he on the original guest list? Hum, maybe someone brought him knowing Jesus was there and that Jesus could heal him.

Jesus knew their minds - He knew what they were thinking and responds to it (14:3); were their minds stumped and they had nothing to say in return? They kept silent (14:4)

Jesus gives hard to hear illustration - (14:5-6), again they could not answer, or would not answer Him.

Scrutiny- Do you ever feel you are under scrutiny for your Christian beliefs? Jesus in our parable today gives some teaching that is much needed today about humility.

Guests - Invitations sent, servants sent, people would come at different times. When they would come many would try to take the seats of honor, as close to the head of the table, the host as possible. To the right and to the left were spots of honor and people wanted those for themselves. Jesus is watching all this going on, people jockeying for positions and uses this for a teaching. He never misses a good teaching opportunity.

Explaining the text

Your version may say in (v.5) son, or may say donkey, it comes from variations of the Greek word (huios) just an interesting fact to bring to your attention. It does not impact the parable or the meaning of the parable in any way.

The law of Moses did provide taking care of emergencies on the Sabbath day. - - - - though what is lawful, what is not, is not the focus, the point of this parable.

There was a real dilemma that was posed to the Pharisee’s, heal, rescue or not on the Sabbath, they had to be careful of their answer, so they said nothing (v.6).

Another thing Womack expounds on is the “higher seat.” In the Greek it means “come up higher, come to higher position.” This is something in the parable that is being offered by the host.

Purpose and application

The Host / Guests

Jesus uses this parable to address two parties. The host (14:12-14) and the guests (14:7-11)

To the hospitable host, invite others, not just those you love. Our purpose should be to love, be hospitable to all, including those who are less fortunate (i.e. the man with dropsy). Look at who Jesus points out (14:13; read it again). Lesson for us is to look, invite, serve all.

To the presumptuous guests who jockey for a better seat, place at the table. Jesus is teaching the only way up in the kingdom is down. Jesus is teaching to be humble and take a lowly position and then you may be asked to move up. Makes me think about Jesus and the position he took in washing the feet of the apostles (Jn13:1-17). We learn that the way up is through humbling yourself and being a servant. To humble yourselves before the Lord that He may lift you up (1Pt5:5-6- turn there)

1 Peter 5:5–6 NASB95

5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,

Dr. E. W. McMillan used to say “Humiliation always proceeds exaltation.”

Again to the host: Don’t get prideful, arrogant and only invite the elite, be willing to invite the less fortunate too.

To the guests, be humble, don’t look to honor yourself.

Learning to live the parable

Look, consider attitude, do I have the mind of Christ (see Php2:5)?

Philippians 2:5 NASB95

5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

We should be greatly humbled by Jesus example, and Jesus words

He was the suffering servant of Isa53.

He was the man of the towel of Jn13:1-17)

Womack: “Even the strongest person among us is woefully weak --- physically and spiritually. We are a people who have turned our eyes and our ears away from God. We are mired in moral weakness and failure. There is no way out except through the Cross of Christ.” The moral weaknesses and failures should humble us. In this humbling because of the suffering servant, the man of the towel we can move up, go up!

Attitude matters, we should not be asking “What can i get in return?” in looking at verses 12-14, you see the ones Jesus says to invite have nothing that they can give in return. you will get a return one day (turn, read v.14 again, focus on the end!) -repaid at the resurrection of the just!

Luke 14:12–14 GNB

12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your rich neighbours—for they will invite you back, and in this way you will be paid for what you did. 13 When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind; 14 and you will be blessed, because they are not able to pay you back. God will repay you on the day the good people rise from death.”

Put aside traditional thinking: The Pharisees in this parable are being challenged to put away their traditional thinking. To put aside their view of the ceremonial laws and be more concerned about those who need help. In their case if was the man with dropsy. - - - - We too need to know we are to be a hospital for sinners, and should be more concerned about the sinners and their souls than the places our friends sit. May we be people of the towel, people who see the humanity and frailty of man and look to help them to find what is available in Christ Jesus!