Grace & [Dis]Grace- Luke 14:7-14

I. Introduction- The day I dishonored my Family name.

“If you are not changed by Grace, then you are not saved by Grace.”- AW Tozer

A. Saved by Grace.

Luke 14:7–11 NASB95

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.”

1. Distinguished [v.8] vs Disgraced [v.9].

Many try to position themselves at the table. But Jesus positions his distinguished ones closest to him. These seats are saved for the bestowing of grace only. Those who strive to sit in a seat of grace by their works and pride will be disgraced and moved out. But those who in humility desire the crumbs from the masters table will be moved in and honored as distinguished ones.

The Thing about shame (a defining marker/ i.e. Paul not ashamed of gospel)

2. New Testament Examples:

1. Matthew 15:22-28 [The Crumbs from the Table]

Matthew 15:22–28 NASB95

22 And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.” 23 But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.” 24 But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” 26 And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 But she said, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once.

2. 1 Corinthians 5:8-13 [Do Not eat with such a one]

1 Corinthians 5:8–13 NASB95

8 Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

3. James 2:1-13 [Showing partiality]

James 2:1–13 NASB95

1 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, 3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? 7 Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called? 8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

4. James 4:6-10 [Humble yourselves]

James 4:6–10 NASB95

6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

5. 1 Peter 5:5-7 [Casting all on Jesus]

1 Peter 5:5–7 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, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

When you come to dine with Jesus, we come as we are. Is there anything more to us than being poor and humiliated with sin and its effects upon our life? But here Jesus who Hosts us at his banqueting table speaks to us the blessing that we will receive because of our humble estate. We are a people who cannot save themselves, who cannot earn a better seat at the table, who do not possess the honor of being so close to the guest of honor. And yet…

Jesus moves us closer to him and seats us in places of honor. He feeds us not of scraps but of food that fills and drink that overflows. He raises our hanging heads and out of His loving kindness bestows upon us His honor and his right to position those in the lowest position to the highest that man has ever been placed in.

3. How have you come to the Wedding Feast?

Humbled by Sin. Have you come humiliated by your sin, does your head and heart mourn over your offenses and rebellious heart? Do you believe that your sin has disgraced and dishonor the life that you were created to live. Has your sin made you sick and poor and disabled? Then Jesus has good news for you at his table. Though you have made yourself a nobody He will make you somebody. Though you worked dishonor in your life he will work honor. Though you are dead in sin he will awaken you to new life seated at his table. You who are humiliated, Jesus will exalt and make you sons and daughters of God. Come and dine with Jesus all those weary and heavy laden. Come and find rest, and satisfaction in Jesus. Lay yourself down at the feet of Jesus and He will lift you up. Humble yourself and He will lift you higher and higher.

Content with your seat. Maybe you think that Jesus has sat you closer to him. He has exalted you from your shame. Are you content with your seat? Do you say to Jesus I am close enough! I shall recline here and am content to do so. Or do you say, “I have not been lifted enough until I rest my head on His chest?!!” For those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied. In the meantime they will not be content until they have all of Jesus and see him face to face.

Don’t feel close to God? Maybe you don’t feel close to God. He feels far off or even absent. Then humble yourself and feel the cool rush of the breeze of grace flow over you as Jesus’ presence come closer as he moves you closer to himself because of your humility. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

B. Changed by Grace.

Luke 14:12–14 NASB95

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.”

1. Jesus Turns Tables of Greed into Tables of Grace.

We are not only saved by grace but changed by grace. This is event in the second parable where Jesus turns to the host and tells him to turn the tables. Turn them from tables of greed to tables of grace. The host, who has been positioned by grace, will also be changed by grace to mimic the first parable of lifting up the humble to places of honor not by seeking what they offer but what they can’t. If the host, transformed by grace opens his table not to those who love the world but those who need Him who is worthy then God himself will richly reward him with the things of Heaven. Changed by grace turns the table from seeking the things of the world to seeking the worthy one. From tables focused inward to tables focus outward. A life not of disgrace but of distinguished.

2. Agents of Grace

Our intentions turn outward (humbling)

Our attention turns outward (hosting)

Markers of Humility:

A. Sin and Humility [Recognition of inability and realizing your sin]. Your sins are not too scandalous for Jesus nor should they be for us to prevent sinners from the table.

B. Faith and Humility [Complete trust and reliance upon another].

C. External Exaltation [Doesn’t exalt oneself].

D. Radical Reciprocation [Given much will give much].

E. Equal opportunity Employer [employed to do be agents of lifting up the humbled].

3. Has Grace changed you? How will you host?

Host the Humbled. Have you been saved and exalted by the work of Jesus? Have you gone from humbled around the table to hosting at the table. Then extend the same measure that you have received to those who are walking in the shoes that you once wore. Invite into your banquet those of humble estate, who in themselves cannot afford to even feed themselves, those who are starving to death by their shame. Choose to dine with sinners like Christ did with you. That through you and through your table, Christ can do his work upon the hearts of the humbled and the heads that hang low. Be a host of grace who has much grace to spend because his account overflows with it. Invite in those who cannot pay you. Treat them to your pantries of plenty, and when your pantry has been emptied and your storehouses depleted and those starving have filled their bellies with God’s Grace, be ready to receive a reward from your king, an acknowledgement of a job well done. If you have come into your Kings house today, able to testify that He has exalted you from the life of sin and death to a life of righteousness and eternal life then you will be most blessed if you serve Jesus by taking in and inviting those who walk as you once walked. So that Jesus can exalt them as he has exalted you.

Treasury of God. The one who hosts not for what they can get but for what they can give, Jesus teaches that they will be handsomely rewards from the treasury of God. They will feast and dine with the living God, they will enter true rest, they will be given life that will not be impeded by sin, they will no longer feel guilt or shame, nor sorrow, nor humiliation. They will experience a joy that surpassing logic, and have their hunger and thirst satisfied. They will experience a close relationship with the lover of their soul and be able to know Him and experience Him without limit. This is the delight and treasure of someone who has been humbled by sin, saved by grace, and changed by grace.

Friend Day is coming! An opportunity to be a friend like Jesus to those who are not friends of Jesus yet!

“A church that does not take in those humbled by sin or humiliated by its effects to dine at their table is no church at all. The true bride of Christ will not refuse to take in those her husband has invited.”

-Sing “Humble Thyself”-