BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

Lesson 41

Dinner Guests

Luke 14:1-24

As far as I can remember I have never sat at the head table for any event.  That place has always been designated for those who were putting on the affair or honored guests.  I have to my previous statement back.  One time when I was in high school I along with some other students sat at the head table.  Although as not as well-known now the Kiwanis Clubs were a pretty important organization.  Every year they selected a number of students to be members of the key club.  Those who were chosen were nominated by the school because of grades.  Whether I truly deserved it or not somehow I managed to become a member and attended a banquet in our honor.  We had to wear a suit and tie.  The only thing I remember about the whole affair was the delicious rolls they served.  Other than that one occasion I have always sat with everyone else wondering what I would be like to be up from of all those people.  Maybe I will never know but in a way the most important thing is to know that I am going to be part of the Lamb’s wedding feast.

James wrote of a situation in which the wrong motive was given for honoring someone.  If someone was to come to church who had great possession, prestige, power and position they were invited to sit in the best seats while the less fortunate were relegated to the back seats. (See James 2:1-4) There is a real danger that we neglect the very ones for whom Jesus came to save because we are too conscious of the physical trappings of some people.  Those are those who need healing that we might choose to ignore.  There are others who we need to help to learn some humility.  Jesus has given us the answers to every one of these issues.

Luke 14:1

How Jesus happened to be in the home of the Pharisee is unknown.  It is obvious from what Luke wrote that He was not an honored guest.  If He had been invited by the man it was for one reason only.  He was being watched very closely by the religious leaders with the hope they much catch Him in some act by which they could bring accusations against Him.  Most likely they wanted to do something which in their eyes would be a violation of the Law.

1. Why would the Pharisee invite Jesus into His home?
2. What was the significance about the fact they were eating on the Sabbath Day? (Any other day the Pharisees would have disregarded Him.)
3. What did they hope He would do?
4. How do you treat new people?
5. What do you want to find about them?

Luke 14:2-3

They did not have to wait long for something to occur.  There was a man who was suffering from a swelling of the body due to the accumulation of serum in the body.  The term used in Luke was dropsy.  The modern medical term is edema.  As has been seen before why would the Pharisee who was obvious unfit to even worship in the Temple into his home? One possible reason was to trap Jesus into healing the man on the Sabbath. Jesus did not immediately healed the man.  He began by asking them a simple yes or no question.  Was it permissible or proper for a person to be healed on the Sabbath Day?  Their answer would be a true indication of how they viewed the Jewish religion i.e. the law.  Did they care more for God’s children or their precious law? 

1. Why did Jesus delay in healing the man? (He wanted to use it as a teachable moment for the religious leaders.)
2. Why was His question so revealing of the Jewish religion?
3. How could they possibly answer the question and still have control of the situation?
4. If the man was a plant how did Jesus turn the situation into a defining moment for the Jews?

Luke 14:4

Were they refusing to answer because they did want Jesus to have any credibility with the people? It was pretty much a no win situation for them. Once He determined they were not going response, He turned His attention to the man.  The man whom the Pharisees would not touch was held in the grasp of Jesus.  He healed the man and sent him away.  No longer would he be a distraction.

1. Why did the Jews refuse to response to Jesus?
2. What did their refusal say about them?
3. Why did Jesus heal the man knowing what the consequences might be? (In spite of them He had come to earth to heal mankind of physical and spiritual conditions.)
4. Why did Jesus send the man away after healing him? (He needed to give His full attention to the Jews and did not need the distraction that would come with such a healing.)
5. What answer are we to give when Jesus calls us to a specific ministry of providing for others?

Luke 14:5-6

Once again He turned His attention back to the religious leaders.  He asked His host and the others there what they would do for the animals they owned on the Sabbath.  The implication was there that they would provide for the basic needs of their possessions.  In this verse He formed into a rhetorical question.  In Luke 13:15 He put the same scenario before the religious leaders after healing the woman.  In both cases they could not answer because to do so would show them as uncaring and unfeeling men.

1. Why did He again ask the question about giving the animals nourishment? (He wanted them to face the importance of caring more for those who were Abraham’s children than the animals even it was done on the Sabbath.)
2. From their silence what can we conclude about the men? (They did not want to admit that Jesus was right.)
3. How would their answer incriminate them?
4. What questions might Jesus put to us regarding those who have tried to become a part of the church but were not encouraged by others?
5. What are the basic needs we are to meet of those who come into the church?

The following parables are all directed at the religious leaders.  Everything they did was to promote themselves.  In the book of Esther Haman displayed the same kind of attitude.  As will be seen there are always consequences for the actions taken by any individual.

Luke 14:7-10

As has been seen many times before Jesus was a keen observer of people.  Their actions conveyed their lifestyles.  He noticed that certain people were jockeying for the best seats at the wedding feast.  These were people who thought very highly of themselves and believed that others should also understand how important they were.  Jesus turned that whole practice on its head.  Rather than taking the best seats and possibly being humiliated when someone of greater stature arrived and having to give up the place of honor start in the back of the room.  If the host then should move that person into a better seat everyone would notice.

This was the problem with the Pharisees. Everything they did was for show and to receive the adulation of the people.  They prayed out loud on the street corners.  Fasted in a way that it was obvious that they were being contrite.  Even in the giving of alms they made sure everyone observed that they were doing.  This was the kind of performance Jesus condemned over and over.  In last week’s lesson He spoke of those who were last on the social register would be welcomed into God’s kingdom while those who thought they were saved would find themselves as outsiders in the kingdom.

It is interesting that this was not the first time that in Scripture that this issue was addressed. In Proverbs 25:6-7 Solomon admonished the people to take care how they behaved in the presence of the king.

1. To whom was Jesus directing the parable?
2. What did He notice about the guests at the event He was attending?
3. In what ways have you observed this kind of attitude in the church?
4. How have you handled be honored?
5. What is the consequences of false pride?
6. In what way did Jesus turn the practice on its head?
7. What can you do to keep this kind of thing happening in your life?
8. Who is the one who truly gives honor to each of us?
9. In what ways does He do it?
10. Why would Solomon deal with the same situation as is found in Proverbs 25:6-7? (The nature of man had not changed in approximately nine hundred years.)

Luke 14:11

Only Jesus could have made the statement about the consequences of one who promotes himself.  He was the total opposite of those who exalted themselves.  Here was God’s own Son who had given up His place beside His Father for a while as Creator of the whole universe to become like man. (See Philippians 2)  In Matthew 20:28 Jesus shares His feelings of why He came to earth.  He said that He came to serve not to be served.  Those who exalt themselves have the attitude of being worthy of being served by others and that they know what is best for all others. Jesus very strongly states that the men are doomed to failure.  The pages of history are full of those who were once great but ended in dismal defeat.  A whole study could be made on the men and women of the Bible who were humiliated because of their actions.  Jesus had hope for some of mankind.  His words were comforting to those who understood the true nature of God and man’s position before Him.  He said, “He who humbles himself will be exalted.”  The man or woman who thinks more of God and others will receive the praise of the Father.

1. What are the words of judgment are to be found in this verse?
2. What examples come to mind that affirm these words?
3. How you be sure that you will receive praise from the Father?
4. What is the danger for us in this verse?
5. What are examples of false humility that would negate the meaning of these words?
6. What is true humility?
7. Why does God like a humble person so much?

Luke 14:12-14

Jesus spoke of true hospitality.  To show that one truly cares about others he should not just have gatherings with those who could reciprocate in kind.  He should invite those who would be considered unfit to be a part of upper class receptions.  By doing so he would truly be blessed.  It is almost like giving Christmas gifts to family and friends.  Gifts of like value are passed back and forth.  A good example is the exchange of gift cards.  Jesus said to give to those who cannot do the same.  Rather than receiving a repayment for your actions in the present age it will be placed in your account where the treasures cannot be destroyed.

1. Who are the people you normally invite to your parties or other events?
2. Why do you invite those particular people?
3. How can we do what Jesus instructed His host to do?
4. Who are those you know that cannot reciprocate when you do something special for them?

Luke 14:15

There was at least one person at the meal that understood what Jesus was saying.  He saw that it was not what one receives now that is important but being a part of God’s kingdom in the future.

1. How does one receive the kind of blessing the man spoke about?
2. What have you done to make sure you are part of God’s kingdom in the future?

Luke 14:16-17

This is the third of three pictures Jesus painted about the relationships of different groups of people with the Father. Each one is built around a dinner of some type or another.  In this case the host, God, gave a big dinner.  He invited many to the feast.  One after another came up with some excuse for missing out on the meal. It was important to note that all of those invited well ahead of time that the date for the dinner had been set.  Each excuse given showed a disregard and disrespect for the host giving the party.  They said:

• Land had been bought which needed to be checked out.
• Yoke of oxen had been bought and needed to be inspected.
• I just gotten married and cannot come.

Those invited represented the Jews who had for most of their history had rejected the host and disobeyed the Father. The response of the host to those who had turned their back was to close the door on the opportunity to be part of what He was offering.

1. Why did Jesus use the picture of the dinner? (It is a time of joy, fellowship and fulfillment.)
2. What do you think about the excuses of the men who had been invited?
3. How did Jews reflect the attitudes of the invitees?
4. Why do we not have any excuse for not responding to God?  (The message has been available for as long as man has been on earth.)
5. What will those who reject the message find at the end of their lives? (That God is real and they were mistaken.)

Luke 14:21-23

Although the Jews have rejected the opportunity to become part of God’s kingdom through His Son for whom the dinner was given, He did not cancel the feast.  He had His servants, the prophets and apostles to issue an invitation to those who had been denied access to Him by the Jews.  The door of opportunity to hear the gospel was given to the Gentiles who had been waiting to hear it.  Even with all who have entered into the kingdom there is always room for more. 

The host then sent others out to encourage those who did not believe they were worthy to be a part of God’s family to come into the feast. They are to be found in all of the out the way places of the world.  Many in third world countries believe they have been completely forgotten by God.  He was telling the slaves that no one should be considered beyond His reach.

1. What opportunity did the rejection by the Jews of the gospel give to the rest of us?
2. Who were the slaves that He sent out?
3. What does His command to the prophets and apostles of every generation say about God?
4. Who has God forgotten?
5. If a person does not come to the part who is to blame? Why?
6. Who are those that God still wants us to tell about Him?
7. Who is beyond His reach?

Luke 14:24

The last statement by Jesus at the end of the trilogy pointed out how devastating for the Jews that they rejected the invitation of God. They would find their seats at the table taken by those that they had considered not to be fit to be part of their idea of God’s kingdom.

1. Why was this statement so devastating to the Jewish mindset? (They thought that they could anyway they desired and still be part of God’s family.)
2. What has been their fate throughout history?
3. What was their attitude to those who are now part of God’s family?
4. Why is it important that you do not live as you have exclusive rights to God?

    

• Consider all those who come into the church who have needs of different kinds.  For each of them be part of the healing they need and not a hindrance.
• Although it is difficult for man, learn that those who have true humility can serve in the way that Christ did.
• Understand that everyone that God brings into our presence is important to Him and needs to be treated with kindness and great interest.
• Never make excuses when ask to be part of God’s kingdom, serving Him when He calls.
• Consider your life.  Have you made the decision to make sure you are included in God’s kingdom?

In the church there are all types of individuals.  In this trilogy we have just studied there are Pharisees and the physically sick.  We need to do everything possible to minimize the influence of those who are self-centered who do not care for the needs of others. God intends for the church to be a place of healing.  In the parable wanted us to develop a spirit of humility. We are to be thankful for the position in His kingdom He has provided for us.  He is the One who opens the doors of opportunity to be leaders and servants in the church. We do not need to promote ourselves only to be servants.  Finally, we have been invited to participate in the feast at which Jesus is the host. We dare not miss out on finding ourselves at the table.  To reject the invitation will cause us to miss out on the eternal life He offers to each of us.  Chapter 13 started out with the narrow gate and ended with a dinner that can only be attended by those chosen by the host to be there.  Like the church it will include a very diverse group of people.  Thankfully, He has invited us to be a part.