Two Year Gospel Study Week 48

Luke 14:1-24; “Dinner Disaster”

Today’s story is of Jesus attending a dinner with His enemies - who have an agenda and it’s not a good one. Yet Jesus has a heart even for those who oppose Him. 

Jesus is invited to the house of a prominent Pharisee on a Sabbath day and they are all watching Him. There in front of Him they have placed a very sick man with a serious health condition of being severely swollen. 

Keep in mind: 

• It’s a Sabbath day

• Previously Jesus had done healings on the Sabbath and the synagogue leaders were extremely angry 

• No “work” was to be done on a Sabbath 

• Healings were considered “work” 

Entrapment: 

We can see this sick man placed in front of Jesus, is a set up for entrapment so that they could say Jesus broke the Sabbath by healing someone. 

Jesus recognizes the trap and He addresses it head on saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” But they did not answer Him, so Jesus healed the man and sent him on his way. They all witnessed it. 

What was that like to see the healing of this very sick man? As the swelling disappears and he goes away whole and healed. No longer critically ill. Can you imagine the murmurs and whispers of the dinner guests? 

Jesus’ concern and love for the lost (including the religious who in reality do not know the Living God) compels Him to take the conversation further because he loves the Pharisees and those that are hostile to Him. 

So Jesus asks them, “If one of you has a child or ox that falls into a well on a Sabbath day will you not immediately pull it out?” And the Pharisees made no response. 

As Jesus looks out over the table where people had worked to get the best seat reclining near the host, He continues with a parable. The summary of the parable is that you don’t go to a party and take the seat of honor, as you’ll just embarrass yourself. The lesson is one of humility before God and man and as Jesus continues the story He speaks these powerful words: “for all those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” 

Rebuttal: 

Jesus is rebutting their arrogance, their pride, their self-aggrandizement. He’s saying - when you really know the Living God it affects how you behave. Not that we are saved by our behavior - but that when we know the love of God and the forgiveness He offers in Christ Jesus, the Messiah, it changes our behavior. 

When we truly understand how much God loves us and how much Jesus paid to redeem us, that news changes our attitude about ourselves and we realize we bring nothing to the heavenly party. 

It’s not about what I can achieve, it’s about what God offers and therefore my attitude changes and how I act changes and what I think changes. 

The story continues with Jesus challenging the host to not invite friends who will simply reciprocate the invitation to his next party. Rather Jesus says to invite the poor, lame, crippled, and blind and then he will be blessed. Though they can’t repay him for the invitation - Jesus adds that he would be repaid at Chris’s return. 

Diversion: 

A dinner guest attempts to change the subject, clear the air, calm the tensions and says, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” What does Jesus respond with? 

With this profound story about an owner inviting many guests to his banquet. When it was time for the party he sent his servant out to let those who had been invited that it was now time to come.But all invitees had excuses. So the host ordered his servant to bring in the poor, crippled, blind and the lame and after doing so, the servant told the owner there was still room left. So the Master sends out the servant into the country roads to compel more to come so that his house would be full. Jesus ends the story with the owner saying that not one of those who were invited and changed their minds in coming would get a taste of the banquet. 

Jesus is saying this is what’s happened with His own people. The very one God invited rejected God and refused to accept all that He was offering through Jesus. 

These people were religious but they didn’t really have a heart for God. And when you reject Jesus, you reject the Father who sent Him. 

This story is not just for 1st century Israel - these words are for us today. Jesus is telling us that nothing is to get in the way of our relationship with the Living God through faith in Jesus. We are not to allow anything to get in the way of God’s purpose through Christ for each one of us. 

There are eternal consequences to rejecting God’s mercy through Jesus, but God is faithful and works to show them then and us now the consequences of rejecting Him, rejecting the open door to coming to Him, rejecting His love for each of us. 

There is a forever party coming! The joy of life forever in the presence of God! We don’t want to miss the heavenly banquet!

Surrender to the Living God. Jesus is summoning us to Himself. He offers life to all who repent and believe. He desires all to experience the joy of daily following Him. 

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St. Luke’s Account is part three of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. The Gospel of Luke takes a look at the life of Jesus, beginning with the well-known Christmas stories. Luke, a non-Jew, offers a unique perspective into the story of Jesus’ life. 

This study is great for large group, small group or home group Bible study.