18-1-28, Let's Build a Church that Draws People to Christ

What do you want for your life in 2018? Resolutions for a better you?

What does God want for you in 2018?

He wants to shape you into a king or queen of the kingdom, that you may possess the righteousness of Christ. Prepare you to rule with Christ.

God wants to use you to advance His agenda in this world.

Advance His kingdom

Use you as part of the church to fulfill its mission.

Draw people to Christ

Build people up into Christ

This is all very exciting! You have the Lord’s guarantee that if you set your life on this path, you will not be disappointed ().

As I just said, aligning your life with the Lord’s agenda means joining in the work of the church.

So, I offer an invitation to you to join me for a project in 2018.

Let’s build something together.

Let’s build a church that fulfills the mission.

Let’s build a church that loves one another.

Let’s build a church that gives back

Let’s build a church that draws people to Christ.

Luke 14:12–24 ESV

12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” 15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ”

Luke 14:12–24 ESV

12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” 15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ”

This passage is in the Gospel according to Luke.

,This passage is in the Gospel according to Luke. Luke compiled an accurate and orderly chronicle of Jesus’ life and ministry.

Luke compiled an accurate and orderly chronicle of Jesus’ life and ministry.

This passage is in the Gospel according to Luke. Luke compiled an accurate and orderly chronicle of Jesus’ life and ministry.

This passage:

Jesus travels from Galilee to Jerusalem to die.

This passage takes place as Jesus travels from Galilee to Jerusalem to die. Along the way, a Pharisee invites Jesus to his home to dine with him and some other guests. This Pharisee and his guests prove to be a critical and self-righteous bunch. The dinner becomes uncomfortable immediately because Jesus heals a man with dropsy on the Sabbath.

Along the way, a Pharisee invites Jesus to his home to dine with him and some other guests.

This Pharisee and his guests prove to be a critical and self-righteous bunch.

The dinner becomes uncomfortable immediately because Jesus heals a man with dropsy on the Sabbath.

Jesus calls them on their self-righteousness and instructs them about how things are done in God’s kingdom. Then He tells them several parables about the kingdom of God. Remember, a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.

Jesus calls them on their self-righteousness and instructs them about how things are done in God’s kingdom.

Then He tells them several parables about the kingdom of God.

Remember, a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.

Luke 12:1–3 ESV

1 In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.

Luke 14:12–14 ESV

12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

One of the prominent themes in Luke is the great reversal taking place in the world with the coming of the kingdom of God.

Luke 14:12-

Luke 12:

The last are becoming first and the first are becoming last.

The proud are being brought low and the low are being exalted.

God loves the poor, tax collectors, outcasts, sinners, women, disabled, and Gentiles.

He has disdain for the self-righteous who act only in their own best interest. (ESVSB, 1938).

Here He teaches that the Pharisees should invite the poor to their feasts instead of only notable and famous people like Jesus.

Luke 14:15 ESV

15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

Luke 14:

Obviously, Jesus was making them uncomfortable.

So one of the men around the tried to change the subject away from the care of the poor and crippled.

He gives a common and cheerful blessing about the hope of heaven and dining with the Messiah at His table.

Ironically, this man failed to see that he was presently at the table feasting with the Messiah (who was currently rebuking them for their selfish ways).

Ironically, this man failed to see that he was presently at the table feasting with the Messiah, who was currently rebuking them for their selfish ways.

Also, in this man’s blessing was the suggestion that the people around that table would be in the kingdom of God. The man’s blessing betrayed that the Pharisee and his guests were confident in their own righteousness and their Judaism to secure them a place at the King’s table in heaven.

Also, in this man’s blessing was the suggestion that the people around that table would be in the kingdom of God.

The man’s blessing betrayed that the Pharisee and his guests were confident in their own righteousness and their Judaism to secure them a place at the King’s table in heaven.

Jesus noted this and told a parable that would only make things more uncomfortable for these self-righteous men.

Luke 14:16–17 ESV

16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

Luke 14:16-

In this parable, Jesus alludes to the feast the man hoped for.

We can assume some allegory in this passage.

Parable- The man hosting the great feast is the Father in heaven.

The great banquet is eternal life and fellowship with God through the Messiah in heaven.

In ancient times there were two invitations to great feasts that could last several days. The first invitation was in order to accept reservations. The second invitation was to announce that the feast was ready so, “Please come!” It took time to prepare food and implement plans for the festivities. You wouldn’t want to prepare a costly party without securing your guest list first.

In ancient times there were two invitations to great feasts that could last several days.

The first invitation was in order to accept reservations.

The second invitation was to announce that the feast was ready so, “Please come!”

It took time to prepare food and implement plans for the festivities.

You wouldn’t want to prepare a costly party without securing your guest list first.

In our allegory, the first invitation refers to the election of Israel as God’s chosen people.

He called them to be His people and told them through the prophets that their Messiah would come and deliver them from sin and oppression.

Like the guests in the parable, the Jews accepted the first invitation and secured their place on the guest list of heaven.

Then, vs. 17 says that He sent His servant to tell the guests that the banquet was ready.

The redemptive meaning of this is clear, the Messiah has come with the kingdom, it’s time for Israel to worship Him.

Then, vs. 17 says that He sent His servant to tell the guests that the banquet was ready. The redemptive meaning of this is clear, the Messiah has come with the kingdom, it’s time for Israel to worship Him. Jesus was the Messiah and these men around the table needed to bow down before Him.

Jesus was the Messiah and these men around the table needed to bow down before Him.

Luke 14:18–20 ESV

18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’

Luke 14:18-

In the parable, the guests reneged on the first invitation did not come to the banquet.

This would have been hurtful, but he could have accepted it and moved on if an emergency prevented the guests from coming.

But the excuses the guests provided were weak.

One of them said he bought a field and needed to examine it. In our culture, we don’t tend make major purchases sight unseen. Did this man? Couldn’t the survey wait until after the banquet. If it couldn’t, then why did you go through with the deal knowing you had such an important obligation.

One of them said he bought a field and needed to examine it.

In our culture, we don’t tend make major purchases sight unseen. Did this man? Couldn’t the survey wait until after the banquet. If it couldn’t, then why did you go through with the deal knowing you had such an important obligation.

It’s the same thing with the man with yoke of oxen. After just a little thought, it gets exposed as a weak excuse.

The man who just got married, in this culture, there would not have been a reason he and his wife could not have attended.

Given the flimsy excuses, the host becomes angry.

In reality, the excuses are a great insult to him.

Given the flimsy excuses, the host becomes angry. In reality, the excuses are a great insult to him. Whether they are valid or not is secondary to the fact that these men did not consider this man, or his banquet to be their highest priority. And now the host has a house full of food.

Whether they are valid or not is secondary to the fact that these men did not consider this man, or his banquet to be their highest priority.

And now the host has a house full of food.

In this parable, these men who cancelled on the invitation are the religious leaders of Israel. They put their trust in their own self-righteousness, as evidenced in that God sent His Messiah, Jesus the Christ, and the religious leaders rejected Him and opposed Him.

In this parable, these men who cancelled on the invitation are the religious leaders of Israel.

They put their trust in their own self-righteousness, as evidenced in that God sent His Messiah, Jesus the Christ, and the religious leaders rejected Him and opposed Him.

Luke 14:21 ESV

21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’

Luke 14:21

The host did not plan on wasting his banquet.

He had his servant go out into the city and invite the poor people, the disabled, and the infirmed.

This group stood for Israel’s outcasts and the Jews who were spiritually poor, those who didn’t measure up to the religious leaders’ standards. The religious leaders saw their poverty, and disability as the judgment for sin, so they were unworthy of God in the eyes of the religious elite.

This group stood for Israel’s outcasts and the Jews who were spiritually poor, those who didn’t measure up to the religious leaders’ standards.

The religious leaders saw their poverty, and disability as the judgment for sin, so they were unworthy of God in the eyes of the religious elite.

Can you imagine spending thousands on a party and then inviting homeless people to come? This was going to be quite a party.

Luke 14:22–24 ESV

22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ”

Even after the spiritually poor of Israel were brought in to the banquet hall, the servant tells the master, “We have room for more.”

At this, the host tells His servant to draw the circle wider and to go out of the city to find people to come in.

In the allegory, this refers to the Gentiles.

In the parable this refers to the Gentiles. This would have been a shock to the other men reclining at the table. The Jews came to see non-Jews as objects of God’s wrath, but here Jesus says they will be at the great feast!

This would have been a shock to the other men reclining at the table.

The Jews came to see non-Jews as objects of God’s wrath, but here Jesus says they will be at the great feast!

Jesus concludes the parable by saying that the original banquet guests, the distracted and self-righteous ones with the flimsy excuses, are no longer invited.

The point of this passage is: The banquet hall of heaven will be filled by the spiritually poor Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus, not by the self-righteous ones who feel they have better things to do.

The point of this passage is:

The banquet hall of heaven will be filled by the spiritually poor Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus, not by the self-righteous ones who feel they have better things to do.

However, there is a special meaning in this passage for us.

With whom in this parable do you identify?

I hope you see that you and I are the spiritually poor Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus.

However, there is a second character we should identify with.

We are the servants who go out and compel people to come in.

However, there is a second character we should identify with.

Luke 14:23 ESV

23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.

Remember, as believers we are the church. The mission of the church is to draw people to Christ and build them up into Christ.

We are the servants who go out and compel people to come in.

Luke 14:23 ESV

23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.

Remember, as believers we are the church. The mission of the church is to draw people to Christ and build them up into Christ.

Reach Out, Reach Up

Matthew 28:19–20 ESV

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew

We invite people to the Lord’s banquet. We invite them to follow Jesus in His church.

We invite people to the Lord’s banquet

We are to compel them to come in.

We are to compel them to come in. This is not forceful conversion to Christianity, but it is persuasive insistence for the outcasts to enter. We do this to help people overcome their shyness and feelings of unworthiness that may keep them from submitting themselves to the Lord.

This is not forceful conversion to Christianity, but it is persuasive insistence for the outcasts to enter.

We do this to help people overcome their shyness and feelings of unworthiness that may keep them from submitting themselves to the Lord.

We do this so the Lord’s house will be full, so that all that would be saved will be saved, from every tribe and tongue.

How are you and I going to fulfill this mandate as the Lord’s servants?

Individually we are hit or miss. It’s scary and we need to grow in our ability to do this.

As a large group it is difficult to mobilize.

Growth Groups are key to inviting people to follow Christ in 2018

Identify a pool of people to reach.

Become friends with people in that pool.

Love your neighbor; with sincerity, invite them share life together. Fellowships, sports, judo, quilting. When the time is right- invite to growth group, disciple one-on-one

Grow the group

Get to 20-40 people and then Plant a new group

Join a growth group

Identify a group to love

Commit as a group to care for that that pool of people.

Grow the Group

Plant another Group

18-1-28, Let's Build a Church that Draws People to Christ

Introduction: Aligning with God’s Agenda in 2018

Passage Context

Context

Context

Passage Interpretation and Meaning

Passage Interpretation and Meaning

Passage Interpretation and Meaning

Application

Application

Assignment