Table Talk

Since preachers in the tradition that I grew up have always been men, it has created a division in the way Mother’s Day and Father’s Day have been represented in the pulpit. MD was always an opportunity to bless the role of motherhood, and FD has provided challenge for men to do better. Both ideas are true! Mothers and Father’s both deserve to be given honor (it is commanded in Scripture) and all honest mothers and fathers know that they are in need of mercy from God, spouse and children.

The text today will highlight 3 areas where Christ-followers, whether we are male/female or parents/single can make room for improvement. Please do not think you are exempt from the message just because of your parent status.

Transition: I believer today’s text has something challenging to say to EACH of us regarding our ethics, our pride, and the way we treat others. First we see…

The Priority of Love (vv.1-6)

An awkward situation

1. Jesus finds himself at a luncheon. (v.1)

a. Jewish historian Josephus describes the expectation by writing, “the sixth hour, which was now come, had dissolved the assembly, at which hour our laws require us to go to dinner on Sabbath days[i]”

Now that you are aware of this Jewish law, I expect Chris Harris or Casey Harshman or one of the teens will probably laminate a sign to keep in their Bible. If the clock hits 12:00 (the 6th hour) I may just be reminded of 279—the Greek rule # that says we must dismiss and go to lunch.

b. Vv.7-15 one particular word appears 10 times: invite (10this in the host in v.10– lit. “the one who invites”). But this word does not appear once in the first 6 verses.

c. V.1 says that they were watching him carefully.

d. I get the sense that Jesus is not there as a cordial guest, but He feels like He is being setup.

2. A man with needs is present. (v.2)

a. Notice what happens as soon as Jesus heals him in v.4—he is sent away. I guess he wasn’t welcome at the luncheon.

b. What the ESV/NASB calls dropsy and the NIV calls abnormal swelling, was edema or swelling of the lymph nodes that could be very painful and a symptom of heart or kidney failure.

c. In 13:10 Jesus had already healed in the synagogue on the Sabbath, likely this is just a “let us see with our own eyes” what He will do on the Sabbath after synagogue, just to make sure it wasn’t a one-time thing.

3. A Question of Legality (v.3)

a. Just because Jesus may have found Himself in a situation that the others did not anticipate, does not mean that protocols disappear.

· Eating on the Sabbath would have required preparation on Friday

· As a ruler of the Pharisees, the host was in upper ranks of society with all the expectations that go along with that.

· Jesus does not permit rules or protocols to get in the way of ethics—He does the right thing!

b. These leaders had learned from the mistake of others—they knew not to say anything or they would be shamed just like 13:17.

c. In the last chapter Jesus pointed out that humans deserved better treatment than livestock. Here he brings it even more intense. In ch.13 He spoke of livestock approaching a well to drink. Here He mentions a son falling intothe well—a situation that any father would immediately leap into action without thought or hesitation.

Application

1. If Jesus didn’t allow being in a synagogue on Sabbath to keep him from showing compassion to a crippled woman, He sure wasn’t going to allow a Sabbath luncheon to keep Him from being kind to a man with potential heart failure.

2. Don’t allow any situation to keep you from doing the right thing!

1 John 4:20 ESV:2016

20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

Transition: Jesus then moves from a real predicament to a theoretic parable. He tells a story about…

The Place of Honor (vv.7-11)

When an invitation is more than a nicety

1. I’ve already told you that invite appears 10x. What I didn’t say earlier is that the language Luke used to write this chapter has no less than 30 different words in the range of to Invite, to call, to Urge or Persuade, to Insist or to command. This word is right in the middle of the range so it kind of carries both the nuance of a polite invitation, a special event, and “it is in your best interest to be there”

Some invitations are low expectation like, “we ought to get together for coffee some time.” Other invitations are more like a date to Senior Prom.

2. Picking up on the narrow and shut door from the previous chapter where those inside recline; while those outside weep and gnash their teeth, I believe Jesus wants us to think about a feast that is more than just a weekly dinner. Wedding feasts in Jesus’ day were likely to last for a week or so.

3. By mentioning the resurrection of the just (v.14), I believe Jesus has in mind how important it is for people to choose to align now with His eternal kingdom and prepare for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

4. Where we see ourselves in terms of His kingdom now, and inviting others to the final banquet is more important than what you may choose to grill or where you may choose to eat for Fathers’ Day.

5. Jesus observed the seating at his luncheon and chose to point to a bigger reality in his parable.

Seating Matters (vv.8-9)

I was visiting with someone this week who has a very similar experience to my family when it comes to “Dad’s chair”. Any who have watched All in the Family featuring Archie Bunker will recall that Archie was quite protective of his chair. The person I was talking with spoke of how her adult son was visiting her, but when her husband returned, her son got out of “Dad’s chair” without a word being said.

1. I still recall the pecking order of seating in our family home for Saturday evening Hee Haw or Sunday evening Wonderful World of Disney. Dad’s chair (an awful green recliner) was immediately in front of the television. Seat #2 was the left 1/3 of the sofa because it has an arm and a good angle, Seat #3 was the right 1/3 of the sofa because it had an armrest, but the angle wasn’t as comfortable. Seat #4 was Mom’s chair (mom was usually busy and didn’t sit in it). It had 2 armrests but was farther away from the TV. Then seat #5 was the middle of the sofa but the two people already there had to take their feet off the middle cushion. And finally seat #6 (if mom was sitting down) was either on the piano bench or lying on the floor.

2. We all knew that dad’s chair was likely to be used, so sitting there may mean getting left in seat #6. Mom’s chair was more of a predicament. Choosing seat #4 (mom’s chair) would mean avoiding the argument with siblings already on the couch, but could also mean getting bumped to seat 6 if she decided to join us. But choosing the piano bench meant you were likely to get bumped up if the arm seats on the couch came available.

Application

I enjoy the parades we have here in Chase County: the Senior Promenade, the Homecoming parade and Pep Rally at the Courthouse, the Rodeo Parade 2 weeks ago. While the parades we have here are usually over-an done in less than an hour. I’ve lived some other places where police have literally been called to intervene in seating issues. The 4th of July parade in Kenosha, WI is a BIG deal. More than 24 hours in advance people will mark out their territory on the parade route. Blankets are laid out to mark turf. Lawnchairs and cones are set out to call dibs on a certain location. Ropes are tied between mailboxes with signs declaring property that is spoken for. Families are known to have a tradition of sitting on the same side of the block year after year. Parade seating is a HUGE deal! Don’t even think of setting up your chair in front of a group that has already staked their claim.

1. The lesson in the parable is made explicitly clear in v.11

Luke 14:11 ESV:2016

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

Proverbs 16:18 ESV:2016

18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

2. Is just as true now as when it was written over 4,000 years ago; and it remained true after the resurrection where we read in some of the latest New Testament writings

James 4:10 ESV:2016

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

1 Peter 5:6 ESV:2016

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

Transition: What starts at the table as a predicament leads to a parable and then Jesus pronounced a principle.

The Prominence of the Marginalized (vv.12-14)

Explanation

1. Even more important than where people sat was which people are at the banquet.

2. Vv.7-11 describes when you find yourself as a guest, but these next 3 verses speak to whey you are a host.

Over the last 18 months we have found how difficult it can be to distribute tickets when seating is limited.

3. V.12 speaks of who gets prioritized when social standing is considered important.

· We invite those who are in our best interest

4. V.13 explains how generous we can be when seating is not limited.

· We invite all who it is in THEIR best interest.

· I love how Is 55:1 invites all to come to God’s banquet

Isaiah 55:1 ESV:2016

1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Matthew 10:8b (NASB) —…Freely you received, freely give.

Application

1. Have you ever been placed in a situation where you got to spend somebody else’s money?

Because of my position as a minister to the community I have found myself in different situations.

a. Administer a fund – I was in one community where the ministerial alliance had a shared fund that every pastor in town could use to help motorists or those with pressing financial need. I participated freely because, like our food pantry, there were firm regulations about who got what and how much we could distribute. If one person was “too generous” it would come back an bite us when the same person would go to another pastor and say, “well so-and-so gave me this much!” b. Account for a fund – I’ve also been in churches that a lot a flat amount for the year and entrust me to give as much or little as I think best in each situation. Knowing that the money has to last all year, I tended to be more generous in November and December than I was in January and February because I was aware of limitations c. I’ve also been in situations where I reached into my own pocket because getting reimbursement could have meant more questions and hassles and so I just covered it myself. d. But the MOST freeing situation is when somebody says, “Here’s a Jackson or a Grant, give it to somebody in need.” I that situation, I have freely received and I am free to give it away without accountability or limit.

2. This last situation is what Jesus describes in v.14. God gives us tickets to His banquet that have already been paid for by Jesus’ death on Calvary. It is our privilege to go out into the highways and gravel roads and invite people to accept Christ!

Matthew 22:9 CSB:2020

9 Go then to where the roads exit the city and invite everyone you find to the banquet.’

Conclusion:

The application of today’s text is pretty simple to describe, but much harder to carry out.

1. Prioritize Love by never allowing protocol to keep you from doing the right (and loving) thing for another person.

2. Humble yourself by seating others in the place of Honor and trust God to elevate you in His timing.

3a. Accept the free invitation to sit at God’s Banquet by admitting your sin, Believing that Jesus paid the full penalty with His death, and Confess Him as your Lord.

3b. Give Preference to the Marginalized by inviting, urging, persuading, calling, them to accept the free gospel as well!

[i] Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 18.