Because Jesus is the host...

25 minutes

Food. Glorious Food. Picture this, your favorite meal, that juicy piece of….. I’m not sure about you, but I’m guessing that your saliva glands are starting to kick in and your mouth is starting to water.

When I think about food, the first place that I’m transported to is the tiny little South East Asian island of Singapore.

A Chinese restaurant was where we found ourselves invited to when we visited Singapore about a year ago. A good friend invited us out for lunch and she was paying.

Good and free and glorious food! We were anticipating a feast!

We walked in, picked the best seats overlooking the glitzy shopping street, sat down, unfolded the napkins

and the waiter walks up to us, “I’m sorry sir but you’ll have to leave because you are not wearing the proper shoes.”

“What! Proper Shoes! This is a Chinese Restaurant, there is no such thing as proper shoes for crying out loud!”

Then the manager came by and said the same thing but in a more polite manner.

I was infuriated, “If you think my footwear (I was wearing a pair of slip on Crocs) reflects my ability to pay…well, I have 1 debit card and 3 US of A credit cards in my pocket in addition to a stack of not only Singapore bills but Benjamin Franklins in my wallet, how dare you ask me to leave because of my footwear!

I deserve to be here! It’s my right to be here!”

Of course, I did not say that aloud, not wanting to kick up a fuss in front of my friends and family, we headed to the door.

The walk of shame. Oh! the eyes of the other patrons were piercing, so or I thought.

Friends, being shown the door at eating establishment because of being presumptuous is embarrassing.

It wasn’t life and death, just a loss of face and a good meal.

Friends, we are all invited to the feast of feast in the new heavens and earth with Jesus as the host of host,

it would be wise for us to know how to join the feast and not be embarrassed because of our presumptions….it’s a life and death situation. Let us hear from Jesus in Luke Chapter 14:7-11.

Reading from verse 1 (Read )

Such true words. Today I would like to share 3 points from the passage.

1) Because Jesus is the host, we must not exalt ourselves

2) Because Jesus is the host, we must submit to his authority

3) Because Jesus is the host, we must embody the gospel

Before we dive into the passage, Luke the author is asking us to notice some things he placed as signpost or motifs for us to better understand the passage.

Just the other day, I was watching a documentary on music scores made for the famous blockbusters[1] (Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones), the composers of the greatest music scores use this thing called a rhythmic motif to signify to the audience what’s going to happen and often to arouse an emotional response.

For example, what image flashes in your mind and how do you feel when I go, “Da..Da…Da…Da”…we know the great white shark from Jaws is lurking, the rhythmic motif points to danger, it says pay attention, something is going to happen.

In this passage, Luke does the same thing, he employs “rhythmic motifs” to signify to us that something important is going to happen and we should be alert, paying close attention for this is what that matters.

The first set of “Da…Das” that Luke drops for us is in verse 1, “One Sabbath, when he (Jesus) went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully.”

(Pharisees) The first “Da…Da” is dining with the Pharisees.

The Pharisees were a group of Jews who were big fans of being righteous and holy and enjoyed being perceived as righteous and holy.

Fans might be an understatement, they were zealous, just like hardcore football fans.

They love being righteous and holy so much that they worked hard by developing and obeying all sorts of rules, they even dress the part and exude righteousness from their pores.

They were arguably respected for their hard work on their righteousness the similar way we look up to a Reverent or someone Senior in ministry for their piety.

The Pharisee loved being honored, you know why?

Because deep down, they knew they deserved it, every single ounce of it.

It was their right!

So, when Luke says Jesus went to dine at the house of a RULER of the Pharisee, we should be at the edge of our seats because SOMETHING is going to happen…and “they were watching him carefully”…. “Da…Da”.

(transitioning into Mainpoint #1: Because Jesus is the host, we must not exalt ourselves.)

In verses 1 to 6, Jesus lands the first punch by healing a person on a Sabbath,

the Pharisees were left speechless.

Now, we might be forgiven for thinking that Jesus liked to get on the Pharisee’s case because he likes making people feel uncomfortable.

Let’s think further for a moment, if Jesus did not point out the error in their ways,

there was no way for them to know that they were heading further and further away from God

because their thinking was so entrench in their lives. Jesus corrected because he cared.

The guests were watching Jesus even more closely now but they did not know that it was Jesus who was watching them.

The tables were turning, the audience was now the main cast.

Jesus saw another problem, what was the problem?

Jesus noticed that the invited guests were choosing the places of honor.

The problem was so huge and important,

a matter of life and death and

Jesus cared so much that he winds up for another correcting blow.

In verse 7, Jesus pierces their heart with his words, using a parable, an illustration to drives home the point.

He said in verse 8, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast…“Da…Da”

Why wedding feast?

Why did he just not say a meal? breakfast? lunch?

When Jesus mentions “wedding feast” the main imagery that would be flashing in the minds of his hearers, who were well verse in Scripture, was the heavenly kingdom of God..

They would be thinking about the deliverance from oppression,

where God was going to make thing right.

They would remember that the OT prophets symbolize the promise of the messianic age as a wedding feast (, ).

In fact, in the gospels, Jesus tells people that he is the bridegroom and that they are his bride.

In , we see the heavenly feast hosted by the resurrected and exalted Jesus.

Friends, you see, although Jesus is using this parable to tell us what we should do in an earthly wedding feast,

what he was really pointing to was the feast of feast,

the heavenly feast,

the eternal feast with our eternal HOST.

We must not miss this:

He is the host, we are the guest.

He is the host, we are invited to eternal feast.

He calls us to come, come on His terms, and later we will see how he makes it possible for us to come.

It is a feast that we will want to enter.

First, what we must not do.

(Mainpoint #1:) Because Jesus is the host, we must not exalt ourselves.

The seating layout in those days indicated how honorable you were.

The low tables were positioned in a horse shoe shape and the most honorable guest would be seated at the top of the horse shoe, and following that to the left and right of that seat.

The closer you are to the top of the horse shoe, the more honor you had.

Jesus noticed that when the guest came,

they made a bee-line for the seats with more honor.

It was probably a pre-meditated move,

“Visualize the seat,

Visualize the feel of seating on it,

Time my arrival, Walk as quickly as I can,

Say a quick hi to the host, Stay focus, Sit down.

Ah, this is rightly my seat. I deserved this.”

We begin to wonder, why would he think he deserved it?

Why would he think it was his right to be bestowed such honor?

Friends, those who worked hard for their righteousness always feel entitled to the honor that their hard work entailed.

After all, we could have enjoyed all the pleasures that this world could afford but we chose to go on a diet from all that is evil (I’m not just referring to food here).

We spend more time studying God’s Word,

filled more blocks in our schedules with ministry matters,

spent more hours at church than any lay member,

chose a ‘lowly career’ even when it would take longer to repay our student loans,

we are willing to go to places where there is no access to clean water, regular power, a place without, oh God forbid, without wifi and cellular data!

What sacrifices we make for you Lord.

Of all people, we deserve to be in the kingdom of God!

Of all people, it is our right!

Of all people, it is us who should be honored!

Of course, we don’t say this out loud. We never say this out loud.

Brothers, self-glory is dangerous because it’s silent. We just read Merida’s book this week, allow me to quote (page 36 Last paragraph starting from Sadly….)[2].

Jesus says to all of us, ”Don’t Do That, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him and he who invited you both will come and say to you, “Give your place to this person” and then you will BEGIN with shame to take the lowest place.” ().

Luke emphasizes the fall from honor.

We presume and desire to determine our honor but in the end have to BEGIN with shame to take the lowest place,

placing one foot before the other,

looking down, certain that the eyes are piecing on our backs.

We don’t dare look back.

How bland the meal must have tasted after that.

How painful and shameful it must have been.

Friends, let us not get it wrong, we do not determine our own exaltation,

the host determines our exaltation.

It is easy to fall into that thinking even after we have been saved by grace, through faith.

Thinking that we are deserving because we contributed in many tangible ways.

Thinking that it is our right because of the sacrifices we make.

Isaiah reminds us, our works are but filthy rags (), there is no place for our works to let us into the kingdom of God.

Let us always remember that we are saved by grace, through faith,

not a result of our works

SO THAT we can walk in the good works that God has prepared beforehand ().

We have nothing to boast about.

We do not determine our honor, Jesus does.

(Mainpoint #1): Because Jesus is the host, we must not exalt ourselves.

Mainpoint #2: Because Jesus is the host, we must submit to his authority.

If our wrong presumptions of ourselves do not get us into the kingdom of God,

how then should we see ourselves?

Jesus says, “But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place so that when your host comes he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher.” Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.” ()

First, let me say what this is not.

Jesus is not suggesting a cunning way to force the hand of host to exalt us.

Let us be clear, Jesus is not promoting self-exaltation which the Pharisees are so good at.

He is speaking against it in this passage and in other passages such as the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector among others as our friends preached a couple weeks ago.

In fact the more literal English translations such as the ESV and NASB uses the interpretive term “he MAY say to you” demonstrating that the action of taking the lowest seat is of no way a guarantee of being exalted later.

There is no place for self-exaltation in God’s economy.

This is also not false humility.

No no really, I prefer the low seat but if you must insist.

I’ll take it because I know (and you know) I deserve it.

Being Chinese, I’m an expert at false humility, it’s part of my Chinese DNA what I want to rid off.

“Albert, thank you for the great sermon,” “No…no, it’s all God”

Being Chinese, I’m an expert at false humility, it’s part of my Chinese DNA what I want to rid off.

“Albert, thank you for the great sermon,” “No…no, it’s all God”

while quietly saying, “Why thank you and you would praise me even more if you found out how many hours I poured into this”.

It’s so easy for our works, to slip under the door of grace.

while quietly saying, “Why thank you and you would praise me even more if you found out how many hours I poured into this”.

It’s so easy for our works, to slip under the door of grace.

What Jesus is trying to tells us is how we should see ourselves:

see ourselves as lowly, under the authority of the rightful host.

What Jesus is trying to tells us is how we should see ourselves:

see ourselves as lowly, under the authority of the rightful host.

We approach Jesus as the person in charge.

We do not approach him presumptuously with our self-determined goodness.

We approach Jesus as the person in charge.

He is the host, we must perceive ourselves correctly

We do not approach him presumptuously with our self-determined goodness.

He is the host, we must perceive ourselves correctly

and when we do, we show that we recognize him as the rightful authority.

Because Jesus is the host, we must submit to his authority.

and when we do, we show that we recognize him as the rightful authority.

There are no, “because I deserve” when we meet Jesus.

Because Jesus is the host, we must submit to his authority.

There are no, “because I deserve” when we meet Jesus.

( Transition into Mainpoint #3: Because Jesus is the host, we must embody the gospel)

Friends, for all the talk about wedding feast and host,

you may be asking this important and fundamental question,

how is it that Jesus is the host in the first place?

The whole argument stands or fall on the fact that Jesus is the host.

how is it that Jesus is the host in the first place?

The whole argument stands or fall on the fact that Jesus is the host.

I know you said that the heavenly wedding feast is about Jesus.

How did Jesus get to be host and determine who is to be honored and not.

I know you said that the heavenly wedding feast is about Jesus.

How come I don’t get make that decision?

How did Jesus get to be host and determine who is to be honored and not.

Short answer: Jesus is God and we are not. Jesus is the creator and we’re the creation.

How come I don’t get make that decision?

Passage answer, let’s look at verse 11. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Short answer: Jesus is God and we are not. Jesus is the creator and we’re the creation.

From the plain reading, verse 11 is a summary the parable: The parable is telling us that

Passage answer, let’s look at verse 11. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

From the plain reading, verse 11 is a summary the parable: The parable is telling us that

in God’s economy, there is no place for self-exaltation,

we can only approach God

with a posture of humility,

we can only approach God

perceiving ourselves rightly before God;

with a posture of humility,

However, it must not miss that this verse also embodies Jesus’s life and mission.

perceiving ourselves rightly before God;

Jesus, the eternal Son of God, the creator and sustainer of everyone and everything,

However, it must not miss that this verse also embodies Jesus’s life and mission.

humbled himself, taking on the nature of man,

Jesus, the eternal Son of God, the creator and sustainer of everyone and everything,

humbled himself, taking on the nature of man,

leaving the heavenly places to take on the sufferings of man in his life,

to experience tiredness, thirst, temptation, rejection, shame

and finally that painful journey to death on the cross.

Jesus a picture of humility par excellence.

Why did He do this?

Jesus a picture of humility par excellence.

Why did He do this?

It is not to inspire us to a sacrificial life.

It is not to inspire us to a life of humility.

It is because He saw that we had a problem, a problem which the bible calls sin.

It is not to inspire us to a life of humility.

It is because He saw that we had a problem, a problem which the bible calls sin.

Sin is thinking of ourselves more highly than our creator, God.

Sin propels us to think we deserve to be in heaven because we think we are the ones who make that decision.

Sin is thinking of ourselves more highly than our creator, God.

Sin propels us to think we deserve to be in heaven because we think we are the ones who make that decision.

Sin makes us think we’re the ones in authority.

Haven’t we always thought that we have the right to determine what is right and wrong;

what we deserve and what we do not,

Haven’t we always thought that we have the right to determine what is right and wrong;

Friends, that’s sin.

what we deserve and what we do not,

Such rebellion against God’s rightful authority deserves punishment and the bible tells us that the wages of sin is death ().

Friends, that’s sin.

Such rebellion against God’s rightful authority deserves punishment and the bible tells us that the wages of sin is death ().

God will not be a just and fair God is he did not punish our rebellion against Him.

It would be travesty at its highest!

God will not be a just and fair God is he did not punish our rebellion against Him.

Sin would spit in the face of justice.

It would be travesty at its highest!

So God punishes, it is eternal death.

Sin would spit in the face of justice.

However, because God loves us and sees that we’re not able to save our own selves,

So God punishes, it is eternal death.

However, because God loves us and sees that we’re not able to save our own selves,

God the Father, sent the His eternal Son, Jesus, to humble himself, to take on the frailty of man, to suffer and die the most cruel and shameful death.

Jesus took on the punishment not because he deserved it, it was our punishment that he took on. Jesus took it on because it was the only way out for us.

God the Father, sent the His eternal Son, Jesus, to humble himself, to take on the frailty of man, to suffer and die the most cruel and shameful death.

Jesus took on the punishment not because he deserved it, it was our punishment that he took on. Jesus took it on because it was the only way out for us.

He chose to be humble because he loved us.

And because of his sacrifice, God resurrected and exalted Jesus to the highest place.

He chose to be humble because he loved us.

And because of his sacrifice, God resurrected and exalted Jesus to the highest place.

Now, Jesus sits at the right hand of God,

putting together the feast of feast and invites us to join in.

Now, Jesus sits at the right hand of God,

putting together the feast of feast and invites us to join in.

Jesus’s exaltation is an exaltation par excellance. He is the host par excellance.

It is Jesus who makes our participation in the feast possible.

Jesus’s exaltation is an exaltation par excellance. He is the host par excellance.

Without his sacrifice, we would still be in our sin, there is no way to join in the feast.

It is Jesus who makes our participation in the feast possible.

Without his sacrifice, we would still be in our sin, there is no way to join in the feast.

He didn’t die to inspire us, he died so that we might feast with him.

Jesus’s death and resurrection opened the doors of the banquet halls and invites us in.

He didn’t die to inspire us, he died so that we might feast with him.

Jesus’s death and resurrection opened the doors of the banquet halls and invites us in.

For those of us who have yet to accept this invitation, there is no better day than today. How do we accept this invitation?

We approach Jesus with humility, admitting our desire for self-exaltation on our own terms,

For those of us who have yet to accept this invitation, there is no better day than today. How do we accept this invitation?

We approach Jesus with humility, admitting our desire for self-exaltation on our own terms,

admitting our sin.

Thank Him for His sacrifice and ask Him to be your Lord from this point forward.

admitting our sin.

Thank Him for His sacrifice and ask Him to be your Lord from this point forward.

Then, don’t keep it in, share with the person who invited you and let them know you’ll be coming along to the feast of feast!

For those of us have committed our lives and are coming to this feast, this is the third and last point

Then, don’t keep it in, share with the person who invited you and let them know you’ll be coming along to the feast of feast!

Main Point #3: Because Jesus is the host, we can and must embody the gospel.

For those of us have committed our lives and are coming to this feast, this is the third and last point

Because our host humbled himself, died and purchase our admission into the feast,

Main Point #3: Because Jesus is the host, we can and must embody the gospel.

Because our host humbled himself, died and purchase our admission into the feast,

we are called to do the same.

Our lives should reflect the effects of his humility and exaltation.

What does that look like?

Our lives should reflect the effects of his humility and exaltation.

What does that look like?

The apostle Paul reminds us in , “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,..and you know how the verse goes on…Paul talks about Jesus’s humility and exaltation.

Our host made it possible for us to not only join the banquet, but also to be clothed in humility in our ministry to others.

The apostle Paul reminds us in , “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,..and you know how the verse goes on…Paul talks about Jesus’s humility and exaltation.

Our host made it possible for us to have his mind while we serve.

Our host made it possible for us to not only join the banquet, but also to be clothed in humility in our ministry to others.

Our host made it possible for us to have his mind while we serve.

Our host made it possible for us to embody the gospel we share.

Brothers, you and I know that when we serve in humility, it gives off a fragrant smell to others.

Our host made it possible for us to embody the gospel we share.

Brothers, you and I know that when we serve in humility, it gives off a fragrant smell to others.

When we think about others first, void of selfish ambition,

our message suddenly becomes relevant and attractive

because they see what it does to us.

our message suddenly becomes relevant and attractive

When we bow low before our host,

because they see what it does to us.

When we bow low before our host,

people notice that we are not trying to exalt ourselves and

that makes the message that we bring all the more sweeter.

people notice that we are not trying to exalt ourselves and

When we bow low, we exalt our host. Because our host is exalted above all, we too we will be exalted.

that makes the message that we bring all the more sweeter.

When we bow low, we exalt our host. Because our host is exalted above all, we too we will be exalted.

Jesus invites us all to the feast that matters.

He is the rightful host.

Jesus invites us all to the feast that matters.

He is the rightful host.

Because Jesus is the host, there is no place for “because I deserve”.

Because Jesus is the host, we must submit to His authority.

Because Jesus is the host, there is no place for “because I deserve”.

Because Jesus is the host, we can and must embody the gospel.

Because Jesus is the host, we must submit to His authority.

Friends, be prepared. The feast WILL happen. Which seat will you take?

Because Jesus is the host, we can and must embody the gospel.

Friends, be prepared. The feast WILL happen. Which seat will you take?

Feedback

· Overall good delivery

[1] Score! A Film Music Documentary, 2017

· Need to show more how I saw the banquet as a heavenly feast theme. Perhaps expand on ?

· He may say to you – may is not in the greek

· Need to expand on false humility – how do you know it is not, how does it work out here?

[2] Tony Merida, The Christ-Centered Expositor, 2016. Page 36

· More hand gestures would be helpful

· More emotion into the sermon because I have punchy lines and that helps with emphasizing with the points.

[1] Score! A Film Music Documentary, 2017

[2] Tony Merida, The Christ-Centered Expositor, 2016. Page 36