2/23/10 Luke 14
The Parable of Excuses
Jesus has been warning and challenging the religious leaders of his day. In Luke 14:1 Jesus was invited to have a meal on the Sabbath with a leader from the Pharisees. He had been invited as a test to see if He would heal on the Sabbath again. Jesus has demonstrated prior to this that it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath in Luke 6:6-13 and Luke 13:10-17. So here again he confronts the religious leaders with their unwillingness to learn the truth.
He then confronts their pride by teaching a parable about honor at a wedding feast. The Pharisees desired places of honor during these social occasions. Jesus warns them of the disgrace they face if they wrongly assume a place of honor, when the host has someone else more distinguished in mind. True honor comes from others not ourselves. Jesus also takes this opportunity to teach them about hospitality. True hospitality is given to those who cannot reciprocate the things shown or given to them. Blessing comes from God to those who show hospitality to the marginalized of society. When this is done we display sacrifice and unconditional love similar, but nowhere near, what God does.
Then one of the more optimistic individuals at this Sabbath meal states something like this “How great it will be when everyone will eat bread in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 14:15) Jesus immediately takes issue with his presumptuous statement. Jesus speaks directly to him in a parable of dinner guests or what I like to title the Parable of Excuses. The custom of the day was to send out invitations to get and initial commitment of those who would attend. Much like we do today with RSVP’s, except they were not given the exact date or the time that it would occur. Then a servant of the host would go and invite everyone to come at the proper time. In this parable we find three cases of excuse. One has to go and survey the land that he just acquired, another has to go and test his five oxen he just purchased, and the final one has just been married. The point of the parable is the promises of God will not be postponed and Jesus is inviting them to the banquet table of God, which they assume they will attend. Jesus warns them if they do not follow Him they will be like these that have become preoccupied with other things and will not be able to attend.
Do you assume that you will be at the great banquet in heaven? On what do you basis your assumption? Has there been anything that has become more important than following Jesus in your life? The scriptures are clear that Jesus has promised to return and that no one knows the day or the hour. Those who are truly following Jesus will experience great blessing, but there will be those who are not following Jesus even though they have been invited, to their great shame.
Prayer: Father, show me Yourself more clearly that I would not desire anything above you. Father, give me understanding to learn from the past that I would not continue in any disobedience, protect me from being proud and arrogant, give me a heart of humility and hospitality. Teach me what it means to be sacrificial and to love unconditionally as you have done for me. Finally, may I be faithful to follow you until you call me home or you send Jesus to say, “Come, for everything is ready now.” In His great name I pray. Amen.