March 10, 2013
Evening Service

Luke 14.

 

This chapter has four valuable lessons, two of them are in the form of parables.

 

INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING THE SABBATH:

Luk 14:1-35  And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. 

·         You see they had denominations in those days also.  Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and a few others.

·         Jesus was invited to go into this important man’s house to eat.

(2)  And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.  (3)  And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?  (4)  And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;  (5)  And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?  (6)  And they could not answer him again to these things.

·         Jesus asks them the question, but shows by His actions the answer.  No one questioned Him.

PARABLE OF THE AMBITIOUS GUEST:

(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. 

·         A simple lesson of humility.  Always consider others needs more important than your own.  This lesson is not to say you are not an equal to anyone else, but to think of others before you satisfy your own needs. 

(12)  Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.  (13)  But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:  (14)  And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

·         Do you see how different the Lord’s teachings are than the world?  There is no lobbying going on here, besides for the souls of the lost.

·         You don’t throw a great supper, expecting to have the favor returned.  Jesus says throw it for people that can’t return the favor.  Then you will have your blessing.

PARABLE OF THE GREAT SUPPER:

(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. 

(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.

·         This is a very accurate description of the gospel invitation.

·         The Jews were first to be invited.  Their excuses, this is a local boy, from Nazareth, can any good thing come from there?  We are disciples of Moses.  BUT THERE WERE SOME THAT CAME, AND BELIEVED.

·         Then the offer left the Jews, and came to the gentiles, but some of them refused to come also.  Their excuses;  too many hypocrites in the church, all they want is your money, I have too many school functions to attend I don’t have time for the church, etc; etc;  BUT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COME, AND BELIEVE, AND ARE WAITING FOR THEIR LORD’S RETURN.

·         No matter who you are if you continue to shun the gospel invitation it will one day be too late.  The door to salvation will be closed and no one will be accepted into the family of God.

COST OF DISCIPLESHIP:

(25)  And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,  (26)  If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.  (27)  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 

·         You can see the amount of total consecration that the Lord requires of His followers.

·         Do not be thinking that the Lord means that you must turn your back on your family, or to leave them totally, but you must be willing to do it, if it becomes necessary.

·         I understand that when I put God first in my life, everything else falls into place.

·         My total allegiance is to Him, then my family, then my work or lively hood.  Everything falls into place with much more meaning.

·         THE IMPORTANT WORDS ARE;  DEDICATED, AND FAITHFULL.   Apply these to your service to God, family, and work, and see what happens.

(28)  For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?  (29)  Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,  (30)  Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 

·         Another admonition that we must take time to realize that in order to be a disciple of Christ we must be willing to be totally sold out against the things of the world.  You can’t do it other wise.

(31)  Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?  (32)  Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 

·         You see the answer:

(33)  So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.  (34)  Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?  (35)  It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

·         Jesus is saying, follow Me, and be faithful, and you will be as the salt of the earth, worth something.  But go back from following Me, and you will be worth nothing.

 

Always remember Peter’s reply when the Lord ask him if he would leave following Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go, thou hast the words of eternal life.”

 

There are hard sayings, and teachings that we must learn to adhere too, and this particular one was concerning the Communion service, the partaking of the body, and blood of Christ.

Mat 11:29-30  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  (30)  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.