The Church About Him & Them

"Bible" Joke

A country preacher went looking for a job. The interviewing committee finally interviewed him. They asked him, “Do you know much about the Bible?” The preacher said, “Oh, yeah. I know the Bible through and through.” “What’s your favorite book?” they asked. “My favorite book is Mark.” “What’s your favorite part?” “My favorite part is the parables.” “Oh, yeah. What’s your favorite parable?” “My favorite parable is the one about ‘The Good Samaritan.’” “Can you tell it to the committee?” The preacher replied, “Yep. It goes this way: “Once there was this man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among the thorns; and the thorns sprung up and choked him. And as he went on, he didn’t have any money, and he met the Queen of Sheba. She gave him a thousand talents of gold and thousand changes of raiment, and he got into a chariot and drove furiously. “He was driving so furiously, he drove under a Juniper Tree, and his hair got caught on the limb of the tree. He hung there for many days, and the ravens brought him food to eat and water to drink. And he ate 5,000 loaves of bread and 2 fishes. “Then one night, while he was hanging there asleep, his wife Delilah came along and cut off his hair, and he dropped and fell on stony ground. But he got up and went on, as it began to rain. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights; so he hid himself in a cave, and he ate locusts and wild honey. “Then he went on until he met a servant who said, ‘Come; let’s have supper together.’ But he made an excuse and said, ‘No, I won’t. I married a wife and cannot go.’ So the servant went out to the highways and the hedges and compelled him to come in. “After supper, he went on and came down to Jericho. When he got there, he looked up and saw that old Queen Jezebel, sitting high up on the window; and she laughed at him. So he said, ‘Throw her down, out there!’ And they threw her down. Then he said, ‘Throw her down again!’ And they threw her down 70 times 7. And of the fragments that remained, they picked up 12 baskets full …, besides women and children. – They say, ‘Blessed are the PIECE-makers.’ “Now, whose wife do you think she will be on the Judgment Day?”

I hope we learn a great deal more accurately this parable on this day.

Turn in your Bibles this morning to Luke 14:7-14 as we look at another parable this morning from Luke’s gospel.

Let’s stand for the reading of God’s word.

Luke 14:7-14

Luke 14:7–10 NKJV

7 So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: 8 “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; 9 and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.

Luke 14:11–14 (NKJV)

11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. 14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

Prayer

Lord, as we study this parable this morning may we understand with clarity what You are communicating. Help us to grasp your truths. Speak to hearts and may we be transformed into Your image. Lord, today, if one here does not know how to have their sins forgiven and enjoy life anew, help me to explain without in any way misrepresenting the gospel. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.

Message

At this point in our study of Luke, the religious leaders are growing in opposition and are plotting a way to do away with Jesus. In this section of Luke we term this the parabolic teachings. Even though the Pharisees were plotting to figure out a way to destroy Jesus, Jesus did not veer from bringing people to a saving knowledge of Himself.

That was His mission, but in the same breath, Jesus was using teaching moments to change the culture of what He intended for the church to be.

Jesus, time again would rebuff the religious leaders, namely the Pharisees and Sadducees for not believing in Him as Messiah, but as well, not leading in a culture that drew people to God. They were the leaders. They were the example of what a relationship with God was all about.

Listen to the heart of our Savior in Luke 13:34-35.

Luke 13:34–35 NKJV

34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! 35 See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”

These verses come before our study this morning and they reveal the heart of love and compassion that Jesus has for everyone. The Jews wanted to kill Him and yet He loved them deeply.

Do you know that there is nothing you can do that Jesus would stop loving you?

Jesus loved the Jews, His chosen people. The first people group Jesus reached out to were Jews. In fact, Jesus Himself was born a Jew. Yes, Jesus loved even those that hated Him.

There may be someone here this morning in the deep cobwebs of your being that really hates God. Something terrible or tragic has happened in your life and it has changed your love for God.

I would respond with how saddened and unfortunate that is. But I would quickly respond that you have never hated God so bad that He has ever quit loving you even for one second. Jesus loves you and He loves me in spite of my failures and misgivings. Amen.

That’s hard to believe but its oh, so true.

Jesus, in the first six verses of Luke 14 revealed again His deep compassion for those that are hurting despite the legalism of the religious and their traditions.

Luke 14:1–6 (NKJV)

1 Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely. 2 And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

4 But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go. 5 Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” 6 And they could not answer Him regarding these things.

Regardless how Jesus’ actions stirred the Pharisees, Jesus’ response was to show compassion for the one who had the disease of dropsy.

By the way, dropsy is: an abnormal accumulation of water in the body (or part of the body).

As we study this text this morning we must ask the question, what is your life all about? What is your mission? And our time together brings to question, what is the church’s mission?

I begin by asking the question because Jesus asked the question of the religious leaders at that home of ruler of the Pharisees.

Who Does Your Life Honor?

Look at verse 7 with me:

Luke 14:7 (NKJV)

7 So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them:

Let’s learn an important side lesson here. When people are watching you closely, you want to watch them closely.

Please consider that when someone continues to watch you that maybe God has placed their eyes on you. What do they see? What does your actions reveal as to what is important to you? You may just have someone watching you because God wants you to mentor that person. Be keenly aware what you are teaching them.

IN the first 6 verses of Chapter 14, Jesus was invited to the home of a ruler of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to have a meal. We know in those first 6 verses that the Pharisees had ulterior motives inviting Jesus to the house. They were wanting to find something against Jesus to charge Him and to destroy Him. The whole scene was orchestrated to see if Jesus would heal on the Sabbath. If He did it once, He will do it twice.

Remember a couple a weeks ago when we studied the woman that had the back issue that Jesus miraculously healed on the Sabbath that caused controversy in the synagogue?

I imagine they planted the guest with dropsy to see if Jesus would heal the individual.

Interestingly, Jesus knew the heart of the lawyers and the Pharisees. He knew what they were up to. He knew what they were scheming. He knew everything about those religious leaders. He knew what they were about, He knew their agenda, He knew what they valued. He knew what made them tick. And... He did not like what they had become.

They had lost sight of the mission. I imagine as young Jewish boys that were raised in the synagogue there was a time their hearts were tender and they had deep love for God and for His creation. But as time had gone on and they progressed in their knowledge of God, other matters figured in.

They had become so caught up in their religiosity , their lives, their walk that if they could keep the law that somehow they would earn blessing from God. In fact, they became prideful of the life they exhibited and they flaunted it.

The sad commentary was that the religious elite failed to understand what the law’s purpose was in the first place.

You know the answer to that this morning. In their purest sense, the ten commandments were created for us to act rightly toward God and our fellow man. In other words, the Lord knew that with humanities’ sin nature, guidelines must be put in place to guide us toward righteous living. Yet, the Lord knew in our carnal nature we would not be able to keep the law. And so Jesus came to erase that sin debt by calling out to us, calling us to love Him and calling us to repentance and forgiveness of our sins and removing that burden of sin. He died on the cross for our sins and the third day rose in victory! He did that for you and for me! Amen!

In verse 3, Jesus asked “is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not? but they remained silent.”

Firstly, it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath because as you read the ten commandments in Exodus 20 or the laws in Deuteronomy, there no law broken. Let’s be reminded of the spirit of the law. The laws were motivated for the good of God and the good of mankind.

They kept silent because they had made the laws so complicated, so cumbersome in the Mishna and the Talmud that they probably did not honestly know the answer. All they knew was what they practiced. They knew the traditions that were passed down, they knew Jesus healed on the Sabbath and it was a no-no.

They had lost purpose, lost touch with their mission, And at this point really did not even know why they gathered other than it felt normal.

Their lives were driven by tradition. And somewhere along the way they had lost sight with the transformation that God can bring to one’s life.

Jesus was attacking at the heart of a culture change called for among the religiosity.

And... I am fearful today that people have lost sight of why we are even here.

Honor

Jesus was addressing the aspect of honor. Dear Pharisee, when you came to the synagogue this morning, who did you come to honor? Metaphorically, this was what Jesus was communicating.

The fact was they did not come to honor anyone. They came to honor themselves. Appearances were paramount to the Pharisees and Lawyers.

Look at verse 8 with me:

Luke 14:8 NKJV

8 “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him;

Parables are earthly stories with heavenly meanings. Jesus was using metaphors to speak spiritual truths.

Jesus used a common everyday scene that people could relate to. Especially a Jewish wedding. A Jewish wedding as we read in the Bible was quite a celebration. The point we understand is that when we read verse 8 that we can apply that to our mindset when we attend a wedding today.

When we go to a wedding we must ask the question, who should be the center of attention in the celebration?

The focus should be on the bride and the bridegroom.

Now truly think about what I’m getting ready to describe.

When you go to a wedding are you more concerned about what you are going to wear? Is your concern more focused on where you will sit and who will see you there?

Are you caught up more with who came to the wedding and taking note of the guest list that showed up? Are you more concerned about being in the pictures?

Where should our focus be? Our focus should be that every need, every point of focus, every degree of our being should be on the fact that the bride and the bridegroom have an intimate celebration together. Amen?

Our lives in Christ is described metaphorically as the bride/bridegroom relationship.

John the Baptist with total clarity explains our role.

John 3:25–30 (NKJV)

25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!”

27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

The issue of this parable is honor. Who did you come to honor today?

I want to ask you this question this morning when you came:

Is the Church for Him & Them or You?

Matthew 23:1–11 “1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ 8 But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.”

Luke 11:42–43 “42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.”

Jesus was saying that you are caught up in the minutia rather than the mission.

Are you caught up in the trivial details or the transformation of souls?

John the Baptist shared our mission in word and action.

John 3:22–30 “22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. 24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison. 25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!” 27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because

The Culture Change Begins with Humility

Verse 9 would be an embarrassing scene if it happened to us.

Luke 14:9 “9 and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.”

Here is the scene. A big Whig comes to the wedding or so he thinks proceeds to takes a seat at position 4 or 5 at the wedding seating’s party. The bridegroom quickly comes and taps him on the shoulder, and says Hey bud, you are in the wrong place. God sit at the table in the back. Could you think of anything more embarrassing that could happen?

What is Jesus telling the church today in this metaphor?

Rather than leaving our homes on Sunday morning to come to the wedding feast, that beautiful scene of intimacy between the bride and bridegroom, if we would be less worried about where we are sitting, looking at who attended the wedding and keeping count, noticing all the etiquette and the traditions of the service and who is breaking norm, worrying about someone not wearing proper wedding attire, and focus on the synergy, the energy, the intimacy on the service. Our aim is to be so overwhelmed with the love in the air from the bonding of the bride and bridegroom in the ceremony. That is our mission.

Would you along with me, let’s change the culture today? Could we be the type church where all eyes are on the bridegroom and its bride, the church, but more importantly a greater focus on one that will become a bride, one falling in love with Jesus. Would you commit with me to do everything in our power to make it an intimate time for those seeking the bridegroom?

What can we do that promotes that intimacy for the bride and the bridegroom in making it a magnificent celebration? If you are a believer and you’ve experienced the wedding feast, and really experienced the wedding feast, salvation in Christ, you desire that for someone else.

If you have truly been blood bought, and know of the liberation and intimacy of falling in love with Jesus, could there be anything more important than someone else enjoying their wedding feast? becoming married to Jesus?

I ask the question, what changes can you and I make to encourage the feast? How can we have eyes that see and ears that hear how we can make the ceremony more meaningful for a lost person that comes in our midst?

Is it making over the potential bride rather than quickly going to find our seat? Is it getting to know the bride rather than discussing all the behind scenes situations you see that bothers you at the wedding? Is it thinking about the wedding on Saturday night planning some act of kindness for the potential bride? Is it praying in your pew that the bride and bridegroom would find deep love together?

Lastly, but most importantly, do you realize that your love for the bridegroom at the celebration makes others fall in love with the bridegroom?

When we hail the bridegroom’s great love for us, we worship Him in love and truth and we praise His goodness in our lives, that love is contagious dear brother and sister. If that is our first mission all the other will fall in place.

So:

Who did you come to honor today? And, if it’s Jesus, begin with humility, placing God and our fellow man before ourselves to allow them to experience real intimacy with the Father.

“Friend, go up higher. Then you will glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.”

Isn’t that what we all want? Do you not want our time together to be a big gleeful celebration of the marriage supper of the lamb? Oh, I want hearts warmed by His presence with each one of us. Amen.

The Marriage Feast will be Heaven!

Let’s let that verse be a memorization verse for this week:

Verse 11:

Say it with me:

Luke 14:11 NKJV

11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

And then Jesus shares another emphasis:

Luke 14:12–14 NKJV

12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. 14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

Jesus was saying in these metaphors, Pharisees, you are getting it all wrong. You spend all your time with those that you are familiar with, those you are comfortable with, you are spending time with others of like mind, get out of your comfort zone and invite those that need to become intimate with the bridegroom.

“the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind”

Jesus was not saying that we never fellowship with one another, but make time to allow others into the fold. Get to know some lost people. Reach out to those that are poo-spiritually bankrupt, maimed-they are bruised because of transgressions, the lame and the blind-they can not find their way dear brother and sister. You know the way, the truth, and the life and others need to know Him.

Dearly beloved, we have something the world doesn’t have. We have a relationship with the bridegroom. We know the intimacy of a heavenly Father that loves us, His Son Jesus that loved us so much that He died in our stead, and a Holy Spirit that helps and comforts us with each passing day. A lost world needs to be invited to the marriage supper of the lamb.

Where do we begin today?

Ask yourself the hard questions today.

Who did I come to honor? Am I more focused on me and how the ceremony affects me? Or, is my life about doing anything and everything that the encounter with a potential bride for the bridegroom be all that it can be. Will I let my life reveal that there is nothing more important in the room than my love relationship with my heavenly Father, His Son and the wooing of the Holy Spirit?

John 15:13 “13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

Will you lay down your life for the sake of another to know Jesus?

Let’s pray.