WEBVTT 00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:08.640 Hello, I'm Pastor Creighton, and thank you for tuning into New Song Churches Podcast. 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:15.359 We're a gospel centered church in Port Perry, Ontario, proclaiming the true and life-giving word of Jesus as we love and serve our neighbors. 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:18.320 May God bless you today through his life-giving word. 00:00:20.160 --> 00:00:26.320 Our second reading this morning is taken from Hebrews chapter 13, beginning at the first verse. 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:31.039 Let brotherly love continue. 00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:39.119 Don't neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it. 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:48.799 Remember those in prison as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated as though you yourselves were suffering bodily. 00:00:49.359 --> 00:00:58.640 Marriage is to be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. 00:00:59.920 --> 00:01:02.880 Keep your life free from the love of money. 00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:10.480 Be satisfied with what you have, for he himself has said, I will never leave you or abandon you. 00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:16.799 Therefore, we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper. 00:01:17.200 --> 00:01:18.879 I will not be afraid. 00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:21.200 What can man do to me? 00:01:22.719 --> 00:01:26.319 Remember your leaders who have spoken God's word to you. 00:01:26.560 --> 00:01:31.680 As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith. 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:37.840 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:51.840 Don't be led astray by various kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be established by grace and not by food regulations, since those who observe them have not benefited. 00:01:52.480 --> 00:01:58.560 We have an altar from which those who worship at the tabernacle do not have a right to eat. 00:01:58.879 --> 00:02:07.280 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the most holy place by the high priest as a sin offering are burned outside the camp. 00:02:07.680 --> 00:02:17.039 Therefore, Jesus also suffered outside the gate, so that he might sanctify the people by his own blood. 00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:23.360 Let us then go to him outside the camp, bearing his disgrace. 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:29.120 For we do not have an enduring city here, instead, we seek the one to come. 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:40.879 Therefore, through him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. 00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:47.439 Don't neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices. 00:02:48.159 --> 00:03:01.919 Obey your leaders and submit to them, since they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. 00:03:02.879 --> 00:03:10.879 Pray for us, for we are convinced that we have a clear conscience, wanting to conduct ourselves honorably in everything. 00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:17.039 And I urge you all the more to pray that I may be restored to you very soon. 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:19.439 This is the word of the Lord. 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:21.120 Thanks be to God. 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:24.479 Please stand for the reading of the Holy Gospel. 00:03:29.599 --> 00:03:33.599 This is the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke. 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:36.240 Glory to you, Lord Christ. 00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:43.599 One Sabbath, when Jesus went in to eat at the house of one of the leading Pharisees, they were watching him closely. 00:03:44.479 --> 00:04:01.680 He told a parable to those who were invited, and when he noticed how they would choose the best places for themselves, when you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, don't sit in the place of honor, because a more distinguished person than you might have been invited by your host. 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:08.319 The one who invited both of you may come and say to you, Give your place to this man. 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:13.599 Then, in humiliation, you will proceed to take the lowest place. 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:27.920 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he will say to you, Friend, move up higher, and then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:35.360 For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted. 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:48.160 He also said to the one who had invited him, When you give a lunch or a dinner, don't invite your friends, your brothers, your sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors, because they might invite you back and you would be repaid. 00:04:48.480 --> 00:05:05.040 On the contrary, when you host a banquet, invite those who are poor, maimed, lame, or blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:07.360 This is the gospel of the Lord. 00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:09.920 Praise to you, Lord Christ. 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:20.000 Joel Reinhardt practices law by trade, but uh the Lord's also used you in some uh used your teaching gifts as a lay reader. 00:05:20.079 --> 00:05:21.439 You're a licensed lay reader at St. 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:22.000 Peter's St. 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:24.000 Paul's, my previous parish in Ottawa. 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:30.560 And for those who might not be familiar with uh what a lay reader is, it's sort of a licensed uh lay minister, lay teacher. 00:05:30.720 --> 00:05:43.519 And uh Joel also serves as the uh president for our kind of Eastern Canada chapter of what's called the Order of the Sons of the Holy Cross, which is committed to fostering a contemplative, Christ-centered uh spirituality. 00:05:43.680 --> 00:05:49.199 Uh Joel's husband to Kate, father of three, uh, and a very, very dear friend and brother in Christ. 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:57.040 And I've just learned so much from Joel over the many years, and I'm very excited for us to sit uh sit under your teaching, sit under the word today. 00:05:57.120 --> 00:05:58.480 So let me pray for you, Joel. 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:01.279 Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for our brother Joel. 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:11.439 We give you thanks for the brothers and sisters we have in Christ around the world, and we pray, Lord, that as uh we open up the word today, you would speak your life and grace and goodness to us. 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:13.680 Uh, illuminate your word by your Holy Spirit. 00:06:13.839 --> 00:06:14.879 We pray in Jesus' name. 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:15.519 Amen. 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:17.759 Thank you. 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:22.240 Good morning. 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:38.240 Go and sit in the lowest place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he will say to you, Friend, move up higher. 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:53.360 So today's gospel reading presents us with, uh, in the words of Christ, one of the great themes of Scripture, which is feasting, specifically uh a wedding banquet. 00:06:54.720 --> 00:07:18.879 And the two teachings that Jesus provides in this passage regarding not taking a place of honor at a wedding banquet, and of inviting people of the lowest social status to your dinner parties, those teachings can perhaps be read on a surface level as a straightforward sort of ethical teaching, a social teaching. 00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:20.399 Be a generous person. 00:07:20.560 --> 00:07:24.399 Don't be conceited or think too highly of yours of oneself, etc. 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:28.160 And those observations are right and they're true. 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:30.399 And take note of them. 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:47.519 However, I would like to suggest this morning that to stop at that would be to miss the potentially deeper spiritual application running through this passage and many other feasting passages like it in the Bible. 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:52.959 So, first, what is this theme of wedding banquets and dinner parties? 00:07:53.199 --> 00:08:00.959 Well, this theme of a great and ultimately heavenly feast appears across the pages of the Old and New Testament. 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:08.720 In the Old Testament, the theme is a wedding ban the theme of a wedding banquet is especially associated with the prophets. 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:18.399 You see it in various prophets, and scholars note that predictions about the Messiah are also connected to this theme. 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:26.560 The New Testament, of course, has numerous passages addressing the theme of the wedding banquet and Christ the bridegroom. 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:40.399 And we can think of it both in parables, like ethical parables such as this Luke parable, or, for example, the famous end times parable of the wise and foolish virgins awaiting the bridegroom. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:59.120 And even in the visions of heaven, such as John's vision in the book of Revelation of the marriage supper of the Lamb, so clearly there is a depth to the biblical theme of wedding feasts throughout the scriptures for those who have eyes to see. 00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:05.039 But how do we discern these deeper applications, potential applications? 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:13.600 Well, one source that we can go to for guidance are the trusty English Protestant reformers. 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:16.080 What do the reformers have to say? 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:26.080 Well, they connect these parables of the wedding banquet to the banquet of the gospel, to the celebration of Holy Communion. 00:09:26.399 --> 00:09:40.080 That feast is both a celebration of marriage, like we see in this gospel reading, and the celebration of a sacrifice, as we see in the reading this morning from Hebrews chapter 13. 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:50.799 So in Hebrews, in speaking to his Jewish readers, the writer of the epistle contrasts Christianity with first century. 00:09:52.399 --> 00:10:02.080 The Judaism of the time worshipped at the temple in Jerusalem and exercised discipline over who could access the temple. 00:10:02.320 --> 00:10:12.159 And therefore, who could access the mediation of the priest in seeking the favor of God and reconciliation with him through biblical sacrifices. 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:22.960 But when hundreds and thousands of Jews of the day accepted Jesus as Messiah and Lord, they were excluded from the temple. 00:10:23.759 --> 00:10:28.159 And all the perceived spiritual benefits that went with temple worship. 00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:52.320 And it is these excluded Christian Jews, Hebrews, these converts, to which the writer of Hebrews speaks when he says in chapter 13, verse 10 quote, we, the Christians, have an altar from which those who worship at the tabernacle do not have a right to eat. 00:10:54.639 --> 00:11:00.000 There are a few things to observe with this very loaded statement. 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:09.279 First, despite not being temple participants, the Christians have an altar. 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:19.200 That altar is the altar of the cross, where Christ's human body was made that perfect sacrifice for sin. 00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:27.919 Second, the right to accept the altar of the cross is, like the temple in Jerusalem, conditional. 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:34.559 Conditional upon accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord. 00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:45.519 Those who reject the Lordship of Christ but still worship in the temple do not have a right to eat from that Christian altar. 00:11:46.799 --> 00:11:54.559 Third, the right to access this altar is the right to eat. 00:11:55.600 --> 00:12:00.879 This is a very important and often forgotten aspect of biblical worship. 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:11.279 Generally speaking, portions of the sacrifices, of the Old Testament sacrifices, are eaten by both the priest and the worshipers. 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:16.960 Every sacrifice is a feast in this sense. 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:22.320 And to eat the sacrifice is a necessary aspect of participating in biblical worship. 00:12:22.559 --> 00:12:37.440 So the epistle to the Hebrews is telling us that we as Christians worship by participating in, by eating, Jesus' once-for-all sacrifice of the cross in this new covenant. 00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:49.039 And this new covenant is in that sense a fulfillment of all that the temple sacrifices represented, as a type and a shadow in the old covenant, but could not deliver substance. 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:52.639 So far, so good. 00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:55.759 But what does this have to do with a wedding banquet and dinner parties? 00:12:55.919 --> 00:13:11.039 Well, it is through this lens of biblical sacrificial participation by eating that the English reformer Thomas Cramner describes in the Book of Common Prayer when he's addressing Holy Communion. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:17.759 He says this quote We spiritually eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood. 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:22.399 Then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us. 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:26.399 We are one with Christ and Christ with us. 00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:36.000 Therefore let us keep the feast. 00:13:36.879 --> 00:13:41.039 So this is the sacrificial aspect of the feast of the gospel. 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:54.240 But the English reformers go a step further, and they see an image of marriage in this gospel feasting, where we are made one with Christ and Christ with us, the two shall become one flesh. 00:13:54.480 --> 00:14:01.519 Or as the Apostle Paul again says, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. 00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:03.360 Galatians 2.20. 00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:14.639 So again, the reformer Thomas Cramner places this theme of the wedding banquet in the mouth of the pastor by these words before the reception of Holy Communion. 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:52.399 Quote, My duty is to exhort you to consider the dignity of that holy mystery of communion, and the great peril of the unworthy receiving thereof, and so to search and examine your own consciences, and that not lightly, and not after the manner of dissemblers with God or hypocrites, but so that ye may come holy and clean to such a heavenly feast in the marriage garment required by God in Holy Scripture, and be received as worthy partakers of that holy table. 00:14:52.879 --> 00:14:53.919 End quote. 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:18.159 But one unfortunate fellow in that parable is found at the banquet without the required attire. 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:20.240 And he's promptly tossed out. 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:39.919 So, in other words, what Cramner and the Gospels are telling us is that this wedding banquet requires a grave examination of conscience, which has bearing on our spiritual condition, our spiritual worthiness, or our marriage garment, to partake of that wedding banquet. 00:15:40.240 --> 00:16:02.000 But with the right disposition of faith and trust in Christ alone, we are indeed clothed, raised up, and welcomed to partake of that holy table and to receive the greatest blessing and the most divine honor possible, which is to be made one with Christ and Christ with us. 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:18.799 So this perspective on the gospel, the idea of gospel feed, uh is what I wanted to speak to first before then coming to our reading in Luke's gospel. 00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:27.120 And hopefully we can see some of the potential deeper applications that Christ is providing his followers in this gospel. 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:37.120 So first we see that Christ is attending a dinner in the home of a Pharisee on the Sabbath. 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:41.679 So, as a biblical scholar, N. 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:41.919 T. 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:53.120 Wright has uh explained, for example, that the Sabbath in biblical terms is a restful hope of the world to come, anticipating the new creation prophesied in the Old Testament. 00:16:53.360 --> 00:17:00.960 In other words, this feast that Christ is attending is a Sabbath feast with important biblical implications. 00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:09.440 And it is in that context that Christ then addresses two different groups in attendance at this Sabbath feast. 00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:16.559 First, he addresses the guests with a parable, and afterwards he addresses the host. 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:21.039 So Luke chapter 14, verse 7. 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:28.400 He told a parable to those who were invited when he noticed how they would choose the best places for themselves. 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:37.359 When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, don't sit in the place of honor, because a more distinguished person than you may have been invited by your host. 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:46.240 The one who invited both of you may come and say to you, give your place to this man, and then in humiliation you will proceed to take the lowest place. 00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:59.839 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when though when the one who invited you comes, he will say to you, Friend, come up higher. 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:12.000 You will then be honored in the presence of all the other guests, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted. 00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:25.519 So here we see Jesus addressing how we as guests should view ourselves when we come to the heavenly wedding banquet. 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:39.440 We should not seek honor and distinction when we come to that banquet, and this is true in terms of how we conduct ourselves physically in church, but even more it is true inwardly and spiritually. 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:45.519 We should sit in the lowest place of humility in our hearts. 00:18:45.920 --> 00:19:03.119 We should acknowledge that we draw near sick to the physician of life, foul to the fountain of mercy, blind to the light of eternal glory, poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth. 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:13.680 We should not presume to come to the Lord's table trusting in our own righteousness, but in his abundant and great mercies. 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:18.559 For we are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under his table. 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:31.519 And that is why we as Anglicans or many, many different Christians always confess our sins in the service immediately before we celebrate communion. 00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:37.279 It's to put ourselves in this place of humility. 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:48.640 The Song of Hannah, read this morning from 1 Samuel chapter 2, provides us with a vivid poetic picture of this kind of humility and trust in the Lord's honor. 00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:54.160 Hannah sings, Do not boast so proudly or let arrogant words come out of your mouth. 00:19:54.880 --> 00:20:04.400 Rather than claiming riches and strength, Hannah testifies that the Lord raises up the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the trash heap. 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:09.519 He seats them with the nobleman and gives them a throne of honor. 00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:27.279 In other words, the guests at Jesus' Sabbath feast were jostling for a throne of honor in the Sabbath feast when they should have known from their own scriptures that it is the Lord, not us, who seats us in the place of honor. 00:20:27.920 --> 00:20:32.799 To usurp that prerogative from the Lord is to risk utter humiliation. 00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:43.920 It is from this place of humility, confession, and supplication that we then lift up our hearts to the Lord. 00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:58.240 The Lord then meets his worthy partakers in his supper and raises them into the heavenly places to be united with him at the right hand of the Father, seated with him in Hannah's vision of the throne of honor. 00:20:59.599 --> 00:21:10.000 It is from our union with Christ in his supper that we can say with the Apostle Paul, It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:14.480 In spiritual terms, you are what you eat. 00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:19.519 We become little Christs in this world or Christians. 00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:26.559 So this is Christ's parable to the guests and his parable to each of us. 00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:34.079 Next, Christ speaks to the host of the Sabbath feast. 00:21:35.759 --> 00:21:38.319 Chapter 14, verse 12 of Luke. 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:51.200 He also said to the one who had invited him when you give a lunch or a dinner, don't invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors. 00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:55.440 Because they might invite you back and you would be repaid. 00:21:56.079 --> 00:22:05.680 On the contrary, when you host a banquet, invite Those who are poor, maimed, lame, or blind. 00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:11.039 And you will be blessed because they cannot repay you. 00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:16.240 For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. 00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:30.720 Here I would suggest that we see Christ pointing out to all of us again how we should model and live Christ's gracious hospitality in this world. 00:22:31.119 --> 00:22:38.240 By being guests at His supper, we partake of Christ, and it is now Christ who lives in us. 00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:52.400 Thus, when we cultivate that virtue of hospitality for those who are actually needy and of low degree in our communities, we are showing that we understand and live the gospel. 00:22:53.359 --> 00:23:12.480 We're not doing a charitable and hospitable work to get a reward in heaven as a bargain, but rather in hosting the poor and needy, we are hosts living out the gospel visibly for others, of what Christ, the true host, does for us. 00:23:15.119 --> 00:23:24.480 Or another way of saying that might perhaps be found in the mission statement, which I found out about last night, of this church. 00:23:24.799 --> 00:23:30.640 Proclaiming the true and life-giving word of Jesus as we love and serve our neighbors. 00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:42.079 Now, the reason Christ says that we are repaid at the resurrection of the righteous, again, isn't because of a bargain. 00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:44.720 We're going to do this work and we're going to get something back. 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:50.000 But it's because we are pouring out God's gospel hospitality that He gives to us. 00:23:51.039 --> 00:24:02.880 Us who were the spiritually poor, lame, and blind, before being invited, enriched, healed, and illuminated by Christ the host. 00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:12.000 The Lord will not fail at the resurrection to fill us to overflowing with his all-sufficient grace and favor. 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:23.680 It is in this imitation of Christ, in the grace of the gospel, that I would suggest that's where we find the heart of Christian hospitality to the poor. 00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:49.680 So as we come to the Lord's table today, in the grateful humility of a worthy wedding guest, let us be encouraged by the epistle to the Hebrews, the words of Hebrews, to continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise that is the fruit of lips that confess his name. 00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:57.599 Do not neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices. 00:24:58.640 --> 00:24:59.279 Amen. 00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:04.319 We hope that you've been blessed by God's Word today. 00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:09.920 If you live in the Port Perry area, we hope that you'll come and worship with us in person on Sunday at 10 a.m. 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:13.599 If you'd like to learn more about Newsong Church, we'd love to connect with you. 00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:18.640 Please find our contact information at newsongportperry.ca and reach out to us. 00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:24.000 Newsong's ministry is entirely funded by the generous giving of those who worship and journey with us. 00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:32.400 If you feel called to support our ministry with a financial gift, please go to newsongportperry.ca slash giving to make a contribution. 00:25:32.640 --> 00:25:35.359 Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.