Accept God’s Invitation!
Accept God’s Invitation!
Lesson Text Luke 14:7-11, 15-24
Related Scriptures: Proverbs 25:6-7; Matthew 21:42-44; 22:1-14
TIME: A.D. 30
PLACE: Perea
GOLDEN TEXT—“And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled” (Luke 14:23).
Introduction
LESSON OUTLINE
ATTITUDES—Luke 14:7-11
OPPORTUNITIES—Luke 14:15-20
DECISIONS—Luke 14:21-24
Exposition: Verse by Verse
ATTITUDES
LUKE 14:7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,
8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
An observation (Luke 14:7). {Jesus had already observed that the people at the banquet had been acting to preserve their own interests. As they entered the room, they evidently had been scrambling for the places of honor at the banquet table.}Q1 The most honored places were those closest to the host, and Jesus had seen the maneuvering taking place to get into those seats of honor. Apparently this was a rather important occasion, and everybody desired to be seen as being among those of special distinction.
Even though this was apparently a fairly serious occasion, it must have been almost comical to Jesus to watch the subtle attempts to get the best places without appearing too obvious. He knew that their values were completely misplaced and that there was a much better way to handle such a situation. The scene reminds us of a modern-day political scene, where everybody wants to be as close as possible to the main person at the event. Who has not witnessed the big, often pasted-on grin of the observer standing nearby?
There is going to be a good lesson for all of us here because of the natural propensity we have for self-promotion. One of the evidences of a self-centered person is that he goes out of his way to let others know how good, how talented, or how valuable he is. As Christians, it is far better to simply let others know our interests and then wait for the Lord to open doors instead of promoting ourselves. When God wants us involved in something, He will see to it that the people in charge learn of our abilities.
A wrong choice (Luke 14:8-9). Although Jesus was probably not at a wedding feast Himself, He used that as His illustration, perhaps trying in a more sensitive and subtle way to let the people know how foolish they had been in securing their seats. Maybe nothing would happen this time to change the seating arrangement, but Jesus wanted to warn them that their assumptions in their scramble for the more prestigious seats could possibly lead to their embarrassment. The instruction He gave them was simple and straightforward.
{Jesus said that when a person was invited to a wedding feast, he should not assume that he should go to the best seat, for the host might have invited someone more deserving of that place.}Q2 When the guest arrived, the host would come to him and ask him to move to another seat farther away; this would prove to be a most embarrassing moment. The attempt at self-exaltation would turn into humiliation because of the public attention drawn to a person for the wrong reason.
We could compare this today to a banquet head table, where the host and main speaker usually sit. Often included at this table are others who hold certain positions of authority in an organization. When you have been invited to such a special occasion, it is never safe to assume that you should seat yourself at the head table unless you have specifically been told to do so. An attitude of pride can lead to humiliating situations and does not please the Lord.
A right choice (Luke 14:10-11). It is much safer for one to assume that he is simply one of the invited guests at the banquet and should sit wherever there is an open seat. Jesus said that one should go to the lowest place instead of the highest. If the host wants him to be in an honored position, he will come and invite the guest to sit in another seat. In the process it will be publicly noted that he deserves special recognition. Instead of being embarrassed, he will be properly exalted before the other attendees.
{Jesus then verbalized a very important life principle: “Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (vs. 11).}Q3 The unsaved world cannot understand this principle. It happens because of God’s control. The attitude of the world is to promote oneself and achieve recognition in order to be successful. God’s desire is that we humble ourselves and let Him do the exalting if and whenever He sees fit. Self-exaltation will ultimately result in humiliation.
In the wedding feast situation, it was not the one who honored himself who was truly honored but the one the host honored. {In spiritual terms, it is not the one who exalts himself who is truly honored but rather the one whom God exalts.}Q4 As God’s children, it is far better to humbly carry out whatever ministry He has allowed us, without seeking public acclaim. When we endeavor to exalt ourselves, we usually look foolish; but when God honors us in some way, we become a testimony to others of how He can use us effectively.
OPPORTUNITIES
15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
Blessing (Luke 14:15). Jesus followed His teaching on humility with a teaching directed to those who host dinners (vss. 12-14). He told them that they should not limit their invitations to those who have the ability to reciprocate but should include those who are financially unable to do so. For this they would be blessed and rewarded by God Himself at the resurrection. {It was upon hearing this instruction that someone present spoke up with a pronouncement of blessing of his own.}Q5
{This particular guest did not really understand what Jesus had been teaching, and his statement sounds like a pious expression meant to impress Jesus.}Q6 He seems to have connected in his mind the idea of being honored and blessed at a feast with the presupposition that the prosperous people attending the present banquet had a lot to look forward to. There is a hint in his statement that he assumed every outwardly righteous Jew would automatically be in the future kingdom.
Such an understanding leads us to think that this man was one of the Pharisees. When Jesus mentioned the resurrection of the just (vs. 14), this man’s mind went to the future kingdom. It may have been his understanding that when the Messiah came, He would deliver the Jews from the domination of the Roman Empire. Then they would live in peace and prosperity, without warfare and uncertainty. Undoubtedly he was convinced that all Israelites would be there enjoying kingdom blessings.
Invitations (Luke 14:16-17). {In this parable Jesus used the idea of a great supper to portray salvation, which results, of course, in becoming a part of God’s kingdom. The invitations to the supper represent the invitation God has given to people to become part of His family through His Son, Jesus.}Q7 Since it was clear to Jesus that the man who had just spoken did not understand salvation, He specifically addressed him in response to his comment about eating in the kingdom.
In Jesus’ parable a certain man planned a huge dinner party and sent invitations to everyone he wanted to attend. It was customary to invite people well in advance of the event, with an approximate starting time specified. When everything was ready, a servant went to tell those who had accepted the invitation that it was time for them to come. Apparently, everyone had accepted the invitation, so the plans had been made accordingly. At this point it would be extremely insulting to not show up for the event.
Throughout the Old Testament, announcements were made that the Messiah was coming and that the Jews should be getting ready for His arrival. The announcements were received and accepted gladly. No one knew the exact time of His arrival, but it was certainly good news that He was coming, for He would provide deliverance for His people. The people of Israel were expectant and ready—or so they thought.
Excuses (Luke 14:18-20). {As the servant went from person to person to let them know it was time for the dinner to begin, he received many excuses as to why they could not attend after all. Every excuse reeked of insincerity. Each person indicated a preoccupation with other things that they considered more important than the dinner.}Q8 The first said he had bought a piece of ground and needed to go see it. The second said he had bought five yoke of oxen and needed to test them. The third said he could not come because he had just married.
It is easy to see these are nothing more than excuses. Who would buy a piece of property without having seen it first? We have heard of certain scams involving the sale of unusable property to unsuspecting buyers sight unseen, but not many fall for that type of scheme. Likewise, who would invest in five yoke of oxen without knowing they were good, strong, and useful? As for the bridegroom, why did marriage suddenly prevent him from attending such an important function? The people’s preoccupation with things they felt were more important reveals a lack of interest in fulfilling the commitment they had made when they accepted the initial invitation.
When the Messiah finally arrived in Israel, a large number of the people were so involved with their everyday lives that they were not interested in hearing what He had to say. They paid little or no attention to the message He proclaimed. They were simply too busy and too involved in their normal activities to make any changes at that time.
DECISIONS
21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
New invitations (Luke 14:21-22). {When the servant returned and told his master about the excuses he had received, the master became angry and devised another plan. “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind,” he said.}Q9 The dinner was ready, and time was now of the essence. If those invited were so unappreciative that they would offer terribly lame excuses for not coming, invitations would go to those who would respond eagerly and be grateful for them.
The master specified that the servant should go into the various areas of the city, both the broad streets and the narrow lanes, and invite the poor, maimed (crippled), halt (lame), and blind. The master had first invited those of higher class, but he now turned to others when his invitation was rejected. In the eyes of the Pharisees, these people were outcasts, much like the tax collectors.
In Israel it was the religious leaders who first rejected Jesus and eventually saw to His death. They had an opportunity to receive Him but refused. Jesus therefore turned to the common people with His invitation. Since the religious leaders showed no interest in spiritual truth, Jesus went directly to the people with His teaching. The Gospels indicate repeatedly that this was where He received His greatest response.
In Jesus’ parable, the servant reported to his master that he had done as he was told. The people had responded and come, but there was still room left for many more.
Expansion and exclusions (Luke 14:23-24). Since there was still room in the dining hall, the master told his servant to expand the parameters of the invitation. Now he should go beyond the city limits out into the countryside and invite people on the highways or along the hedges that acted as fences. He was to speak urgently to them, compelling them to come so that the master’s house would be full of people. Persuasion was required, for this group would not feel worthy of such an invitation and needed to know that they were welcome.
The master’s concluding statement was a somber one: “For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper” (vs. 24). Those who had rejected his invitation would be excluded forever. Jesus’ parable described His own offer of salvation for people to become part of the family of God. It remains true today that many reject the invitation while others accept it gladly.
{Just as the guest who pronounced the blessedness of those who eat in the kingdom of God did not understand how to get there himself, so there are many today who speak of God and heaven without an understanding of how to be sure of going to be with God after this life. We should willingly reach out with the good news to everyone we can. It is a message of utmost urgency.}Q10
Union Gospel Press, Union Gospel Press; Union Gospel Press, Union Gospel Press. Bible Expositor and Illuminator (pp. 156-165). Union Gospel Press. Kindle Edition.
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