For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Then He turned to His host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” He said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbours. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”
Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!”
Luke 14:11-15
Jesus has just finished pointing out the error of the Pharisees’ ways by highlighting what was going on in the midst of the Sabbath Day lunch. Interesting isn’t it that we have just been focused on what the Pharisees and leaders had done in the midst of the lunch they had invited Jesus to. They had set it up to have a man with dropsy there at the lunch and seated him opposite Jesus so He would notice him and do something about his problem. Which predictably Jesus did. After the man left we have the farcical scene which developed among the leaders seeking the choice seats. Jesus took considerable time to reflect their behaviour back at them by describing what happens when we seek after position, prestige and power. This was indeed what was going on among them. To be seated next to the host meant you could have his ear to give him your input and impress him so he might invite you back, or better yet open up a way for him to reward you in the future. The host was likely a rich and powerful man. We were told in verse 1 that this man was a leader among the Pharisees. That made it all the more important for other Pharisees and teachers of the Law to get on well with him so they might be rewarded in the future.
Ironic isn’t it. One assumes that the dropsy man was invited specifically. The text does not tell us that he was poor and he certainly wasn’t blind, but he fitted the category of crippled or lame because of his dropsy. Is that a coincidence? No not all. They invited him for totally different reasons. They were not inviting him so that he would be healed. I am sure they were not at all interested in what happened to the man. They were interested in conning Jesus into doing what they wanted Him to do so they could accuse Him. I suspect the reason the other guests were there was to curry favour and be in the in-crowd, hoping that some day they would gain a reward. Jesus knew both the special circumstances surrounding the dropsy man and why he was there and also the default practice of these people. You Pharisees invite only those people who are rich and powerful so they can repay you for that you have done for them. It is all so in-house. But if you do that then your ONLY reward will be what they repay you with. The inference is “there will be no reward other then your earthly reward”. Yes we are returning to themes that Luke has already introduced.
Like the man they invited to trap Jesus, they need to focus on inviting the poor, crippled lame and blind. Namely those who can’t repay them this side of eternity. If your reward is earthly then you will have no heavenly reward. If you invite those who can’t repay you then your reward will be from God Himself, but not now. It will happen after the Wedding Feast of Bridegroom in heaven. When the righteous dead are raised to life again at the coming of the Bridegroom that will be the moment. Remember back to the story Jesus told of the bridegroom and thief. He is still on the same theme He was talking about in Luke 12.
Now notice what happens. One of those invited guests after hearing Jesus talk about rewards exclaims, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!” Interesting he makes the assumption that he will be there at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. But will he? Take time now to read Jesus answer to this man in the next Gem to see what the answer is.
Your life is today, yesterday is in the tomb and tomorrow is in the womb.
Rick Godwin
The secret of your future success is hidden in your daily routine.
Rick Godwin
Bad habits are like a comfortable bed, easy to get into, but hard to get out of.
Pascal Lasmana
God’s dream isn’t just to get you into heaven, but heaven into you.
Max Lucado
Since the curtain is torn from top to bottom, don’t dawdle in the courtyard of the temple, run for the altar.
John Piper