59 lines
3.2 KiB
Markdown
59 lines
3.2 KiB
Markdown
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title = "Luke 14:12–24"
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date = "2022-12-29"
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### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Lk14.12-24)
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Perhaps verses 12 through 14 should have been included in yesterday's entry.
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They deal with the same theme as the previous verses, but they also serve as a
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transition point to the next parable. Just like a guest should have humility in
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deciding where he sits, a host should be humble in his guest list. That is,
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stop inviting only your rich friends and relatives because then you can expect
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an invitation of your own to their house. Instead, be hospitable to those who
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have nothing to feed you. Then God will reward you for your good deeds because
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He is just.
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At that point, one of the other guests offers up a pious saying. "Blessed is
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everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" (_v. 15_) This sounds nice,
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but there's actually a problem hidden behind the words. Do you see it? The
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problem is that the speaker presumes that he will be there to eat bread in the
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kingdom of God. Jesus recognizes this attitude and tells a parable to explain
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the problem.
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The story goes that a man throws a very large banquet. The custom is that you
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send out invitations well in advance, and then again a second time to those who
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accepted when everything is ready. This time, all of the invited guests had
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"excuses" for why they couldn't be there. "I need to inspect this field I just
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bought." "I have to examine my new oxen." "Sorry, I just got married; I can't
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come." "Excuses" is in quotes because these are flimsy at best. No one
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completes purchase of land or a bunch of animals without looking at them first,
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and even if they did they could put it off until after the feast. And how did
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the host not know about his guest's wedding? I'm all for honeymoons, but there
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should have been some communication between these people at the very least.
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The man is justifiably angry, so he sends his servant back out to find people
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to fill his feast hall: the poor, lame, blind, and crippled. Even after this,
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there is still room for more guests, so the servant is sent out again, further
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afield. His instructions are to bring in anyone except those who declined the
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invitation in the first place.
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Back to the dinner Jesus is attending. The man Jesus responded to presumes he
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will be in the kingdom of God because he is a faithful Jew: he keeps the Law of
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Moses, he attends synagogue, he gives to the poor, he offers the right
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sacrifices at the right time, he's a descendant of Abraham and one of God's
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chosen people. Except for having Abraham as an ancestor, that list sounds a lot
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like a bunch of people in churches today. They talk the talk, they show up to
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church every week, they give to charities. But they have the same problem: they
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haven't really accepted the living Invitation into God's kingdom by repenting
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of their sins and trusting Him to bring them in. They're trying to get in on
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their own, through their own good deeds and intrinsic merit. They may even eat
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at the same Communion table with Jesus, and still say, "No thanks. I don't need
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your help."
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* * *
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We are unworthy sinners who cannot even see Your perfect holiness, much less
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reach it. Even accepting Your invitation is beyond our ability, so we beg Your
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forgiveness and grace.
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