Daily D – Luke 14:15

by | Oct 27, 2022 | Daily D | 0 comments

David G Bowman Logo

Luke 14:15  When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” (NIV)

Have you ever attended a party where the hosts and other guests treated you like a zoo animal? They look at you and listen to you only to see how different you are? This happened to Jesus all the time. 

This chapter begins with such an occasion. The hosts even brought props. It was the Sabbath. Jesus had, to his hosts and guests, a bad habit of healing people on the Sabbath. According to them, this was work. Work was forbidden on the Sabbath. In other words, they set up Jesus for an argument, and worse. 

Hallelujah, Jesus did what Jesus does. He healed the man who was desperately ill.  Jesus then asked one of his many questions: “Then he asked them, ‘If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?’” (verse 5).

Verse 6 is illuminating: “And they had nothing to say.” In other words, it’s a good thing you are not those people’s child or ox. 

Jesus noted how everyone jockeyed for the seats of honor (verse 7). Working the room is okay, but saving your child is not. Jesus had thoughts on that (verses 8-11). 

Someone tried to move the conversation in a different direction in verse 15: “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” Jesus responded with a story about a certain man who threw a great banquet and invited many guests (verses 16-24). None of the important people came. The seat jockeys stayed away. 

What to do? The host invited the last and the least likely to get invited to a major-league shindig. He even had the room packed to overflowing with people nobody ordinarily wanted in their homes or at their parties. 

You get the idea, upon reflection, there was a kind of mutuality taking place in this conversation. The hosts didn’t want to attend any party Jesus was throwing, and Jesus didn’t want anyone at his party who restricted the good he could do or who he could do it for. Some people self-selected themselves out of Jesus’ party. They were too busy or too important. 

Remember this. Some people are too busy or too important for God. When we all get to heaven, not all of us will get to heaven because not all of us really want to go. If there were a third option—heaven, hell, or something somewhere in between—those people would choose the third option. Not so heavenly and not so hellish would be just right. 

There is no Goldilocks option.

So, either we spend eternity where everything is good all the time, or we spend eternity praying for climate change. Either we go to Jesus’ party with the wide-open guest list, or we end up with the social climbers who see you as a zoo animal and really don’t care one thing about you. Besides, it’s so darn hot. 

Jesus said, “Whosoever will may come.” I’m with Jesus. And you?

I will attend Jesus’ party.

Our Father, your guest list includes everyone. Only those who do not want to come will not join in the everlasting joy. Thank you for keeping the invitation open for all people everywhere for now. Give us success in recruiting others for the greatest party ever thrown (Matthew 22:1-14). Amen. 

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

CONNECT WITH ME!

Interested in learning more about Church Unique or Life Younique? Send a note through the Get In Touch box or Message me through the Facebook link above.

          Church Unique Logo          Auxano Logo

GET IN TOUCH!

READ MY BLOG!

Daily D – Psalm 131

Psalm 131
Lord, my heart is not proud;
my eyes are not haughty.
I don’t concern myself with matters too great
or too awesome for me to grasp.
Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself,
like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk.
Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, put your hope in the Lord—
now and always.

Daily D – Isaiah 55:8-13

Isaiah 55:8-13
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

“The rain and snow come down from the heavens
and stay on the ground to water the earth.
They cause the grain to grow,
producing seed for the farmer
and bread for the hungry.
It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
You will live in joy and peace.
The mountains and hills will burst into song,
and the trees of the field will clap their hands!
Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow.
Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up.
These events will bring great honor to the LORD’s name;
they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.”

Daily D – Isaiah 50:4-5

Isaiah 50:4, 5 “The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom,
so that I know how to comfort the weary.
Morning by morning he wakens me
and opens my understanding to his will.
The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me,
and I have listened.
I have not rebelled or turned away.”

Daily D – Isaiah 48:17-18

Isaiah 48:17, 18 This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the LORD your God,
who teaches you what is good for you
and leads you along the paths you should follow.
Oh, that you had listened to my commands!
Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river
and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea.”

Daily D – Isaiah 41:10

Isaiah 41:10 “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”