The Parables of Jesus - The Guests at Our Table

This time, Jesus shows us another type of environment, one that is more intimate: the house, the home, the place where we live and receive others, that is to say, the place where we practice hospitality, and practice generosity.

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Transcript

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Welcome to this new episode of the Gospel for the Nations podcast. This podcast has been brought to you by Pastor Kareem. Our desire is to open the Word of God with you and to speak in a way that is clear, simple, and full of grace. Wherever you are listening from, we pray that the Holy Spirit will touch your heart through his word, strengthen your faith, and draw you closer to Jesus.

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The guest at our table. Well, actually, there is one parable called the guest, which goes from verse 12 to 24. But inside this parable, there are two sequences. So that's why I wanted to divide these two sequences to understand the full meaning of it. So after looking together at the parable of the wedding feast, speaking about humility and the attitude that the child of God should reflect when invited to a public or important occasion, such as a wedding, for example. We are now going to look at the continuation of this teaching as guests. But this time, Jesus shows us another type of environment. One that is more intimate and speaks to us, all of us. The house, the home, the place where we live and receive others. That is to say, the place where we practice hospitality, our own environment. So the other characteristic, according to God, that we are going to look at together is generosity. So we saw humility last week, and this week we will see generosity according to the kingdom of God. Not toward those who are close to us, who were able to repay us, but rather toward those who are far from us, strangers, or those who are needy in every way. We are not speaking about here doing charitable works for people who do not know God. The message is different. Jesus brings the light to light the heart of those who say that they love God and represent Him. Yet whose actions do not reflect that profession of faith. It is easy to speak about God, but the way we act reveals whether we truly belong to Him or represent Him. For as Jesus tells us, the whole law is summed up in these two commandments. The first one is you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and your neighbor as yourself. These are the two greatest commandments. The message drawn from this parable brings us to the very heart of what a child of God ought to live out in order to glorify God in daily life. Not by constraint, nor as a burden, but through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, who lives within us and leads us to love God and our neighbor. Just as Jesus teaches us in this parable. Amen. So first and foremost, we will see the context of it to understand the full meaning of this parable. One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of the ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. This is on the first verse of the chapter. It gives us the context. As we saw previously, Jesus is invited to a Pharisee's house on Sabbath day, which is according to the law of God given through Moses, allowed the people of God to set themselves apart from society, to rest, and to devote themselves to God, particularly through the reading of the word, biblical songs, meals shared among family, members, and friends. But not only. God commanded his people not to forget the Levites, those who were set apart to serve the people of God, the strangers, the sojourners, the orphans, the widows, but to provide for the needs. In the book of Deuteronomy, we read, at the end of the three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year, and laid it up within your towns. And the Levites, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourners, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns, shall come and eat, be filled, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do. Amen. But the same principle is found again in the public law, in the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah 8, verse 10. It says, Then he said to them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink sweet wine, and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready. For this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Amen. So therefore, these meals were not simply occasions for the rest or fellowship among relatives, friends, people we love. They were also meant to reflect the heart of God toward those who were in need. The people of God set apart for his glory, were called to demonstrate his love and compassion toward the poor and the needy. So now that we have seen the biblical and historical context of this passage, let us read today's parable together. He said also to the man who had invited him, When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you'll be repaid at the resurrection of the just. Amen. You see now that we give a context, it gives more weight to scripture. Let us now take passage verse by verse as we do usual to understand the meaning of it. He said also to the man who had invited him, When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. Jesus speaks directly to the Pharisee who had invited him, and who was the head of the house, which means he was the one who exercised authority there. Jesus is now going to teach him. In a sense, how someone who calls himself a Pharisee, a religious leader, how to behave concerning the law of God regarding hospitality, generosity that reflects the heart of the kingdom of God. Wow. To give a lesson on good conduct, on life, and on hospitality to a person who invites you, and especially to a Pharisee, in front of all the guests, could be perceived as arrogant, imprudent, or even rude, right? Yet here Jesus speaks with a heavenly authority that has no equal on earth. For he was fully and truly man and fully and truly God. Can you imagine the kind of situation Jesus placed all the people present in that house? What about them? Oh, this person is, I don't know, zealous, okay, but very arrogant. To remind the religious leaders' presence in the fundamental principles of the law was to enter directly into conflict with them. It is as though I came to your house for dinner and told you whom to invite, how to invite them, and why to invite them. How would you take it? When Jesus tells us not to invite those who are dear to us, it seems almost impossible. Very often we are so happy to have those who we love around us. It fills us with joy when we gather together with our family and friends, those with whom we have shared so many wonderful moments. So many memories come back to our minds and echo in our hearts. Then we know that these same people will, in return, invite us, and that this beautiful relationship will continue as each one blesses the other. What we naturally enjoy, of course, is being surrounded by the people we love and who loves us in return. We appreciate the kindness, their gifts, the invitations, and everything that they are able to do for us in return. Yet Jesus teaches us that there is nothing extraordinary about this. Nothing. He had already declared the same principle. For he says in Matthew 5, 46 to 48, for if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly father is perfect. Amen? So that is to say, those who do not belong to the people of God are also able. Whether out of self-interest or for other reasons, to love, to give, or to behave well toward others. Yes. Jesus takes up the same principle again, but this time by speaking about our hospitality as sons and daughters of the Most High. He calls us to love and to do good. Not only to those who are able to repay us, which is normal, but also to those who are unable to repay us. So that we may be perfect, just as our Heavenly Father is perfect. Amen. Let's continue. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind. We can see that Jesus comes to demonstrate the character of the kingdom of God toward the needy. Because this time it is no longer a question of those who are part of our cycle of acquaintances, of our social cycle, but rather to those who are outside our cycle. Fragile, weak, neglected by society, and who have nothing to give in return. This time Jesus uses this very illustration of a feast rather than a dinner. You see, a word is very important, which is something greater and more magnificent, giving the impression of celebrating a special occasion with joy and collective rejoicing. However, at this feast, it is not the important people or those who are known by everyone who are called to be the guests of honor, but rather those who have been excluded by society. Everyone who was present knew the scriptures. Most of them were also aware of what the prophet Isiah tells us concerning the coming of the Messiah as well. Let's read together in Saiya 35, verse 4 to 6. Say to those who have an anxious heart, be strong, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the heels of the deaf unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wideness and streams in the desert. Amen. The poor are those very often had nothing to eat. Nowhere to live, nothing to wear, without access to the most basic necessities in life. The crippled, the lame, and the blind are those who suffer from physical disabilities. They were often rejected by society. There were something considered to have been struck by God because of their sin. As though they were under a curse for not following the law of God. But in the eyes of the living God, these are precisely the people toward whom Jesus turns. In the Gospel of Mark, it is written, and when Jesus heard it, he said to them, those who are well have no need of physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous but sinners. Mark 2 verse 17. This means that those whom the Lord desires to save are those who recognize the spiritual poverty and misery. And in them he desires to glorify himself. On the other hand, those who consider themselves righteous are not the ones who desire God and His kingdom. Jesus also teaches us in the Gospel of Matthew, in the Sermon of the Mount, that the poor in the spirit are blessed because the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven, belongs to them. And that those who mourn shall be comforted. They submit themselves by the grace of God to his divine and sovereign authority. If today we recognize our condition as spiritually lame, spiritually blind in this world, then this is where God desires to glorify Himself. But if we are lame and blind, and yet we say everything is fine. We do not need God, God's help. Everything is okay. Then how will God be glorified in our lives? For the children of God, it is essential to understand the heart of God and what he deeply desires to serve those who are most in need among us. First, within the church, the church of Christ, those who belong to him, our brothers and sisters who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus. The Apostle Paul, writing with his own hand, tells us in Galatians 6, 9 to 10. And let us not grow weary of doing good. For in due season we will reap. If we do not give up, so then as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Amen. But it does not stop here. We are also called to go to those whom the Lord desires to save. Accompany them on the path of meeting God through Jesus Christ, through his word, preached with zeal and truth, but also lived out as a testimony of God's love toward the needy. The first need is to bring the message of love and hope, so that those whom the Father draws may come to Jesus and be saved by his sovereign will. Jesus Himself tells us in the Gospel of John that no one can come to him unless the Father who sent him draws him, and that he will raise him up on the last day. John 6, 44. So concerning his mission, Jesus also declares that the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. Are you lost? Therefore, let us reflect what the Father desires from us. Let us embrace this mission with zeal and wholehearted devotion. So that the blind may see, the deaf may hear the truth of Christ through his word. The lame may walk in righteousness and the justice of God. The mute may proclaim with boldness the mighty works of God, and in his love. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just. Jesus says that we will be blessed because they cannot repay us. Isn't that challenging? Considering the world we live in today, to give without expecting anything in return, nothing. We always complain. I did that, but he didn't give me anything back. We always complain. It's true. Here Jesus reveals more fully a reality that many were seeking to understand, but which could not only be fully understood through the work of the Holy Spirit, given at Pentecost, who enlightens the believers in the understanding of the scriptures, but also manifesting scripture. By manifesting the kingdom of God, Jesus was preparing his glorious and triumphant victory at the cross over the power of death, thus opening access to the Father for all those who would place their faith in him, in the King of Kings Jesus Christ. So the reality of these last days, in fact, it had to be understood. But the fact of being raised from the dead and being blessed in the kingdom of God, who could understand it? And today, who can understand it really? Yes, we can hope for it, but to understand it, it is another matter. For we will experience it when we see Christ and spend eternity with Him. Then we will understand. On the last day, by the power of Jesus Christ, at the final judgment, the bodies of the saints will be raised and reunited with their souls. They will receive their glorified bodies, and we share eternity with Him. The body of the unrighteous will also be raised for judgment, reunited with their souls, and then cast into the eternal fire, separated from God for eternity. This hope of which Jesus speaks will include a reward, a price, a crown that will be given to those who have given without expecting anything in return. That's what scripture says, not me, to the poor and the needy, who first of all will hear the glorious gospel, the gospel that saves when we hear it and believe it. So realizing that the happiness of those who have received our help should also bring us joy. For as children of God, we know that on this earth nothing can truly satisfy us. It's a reality. Because everything is temporary and limited. The blessings or the joy of which Jesus speaks are not necessarily something physical or material, but certainly a spiritual grace given by the Holy Spirit. For what? To sanctify us, to transform us, to prepare us to meet our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To prepare the bride. For it is Jesus Christ who is preparing a dwelling place for us in heaven. He is the one who will say to us, Well done. Good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over little. I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. Amen. And we will praise him, his majesty forever. Isn't it beautiful? No more pain, no more suffering. So to conclude, Luke brings before us the manifestation of the good news of Jesus by faithfully showing how Jesus contrasted the values of the world with those of the kingdom of God. As we have seen throughout these parables, and as we will continue to see, Jesus came to reveal the kingdom of God in order to what? To fulfill the law and prophets. According to everything that had been written about him in the scriptures. He came to reveal the love of God through his life, his earthly ministry, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, so that whoever believes in him may be forgiven for the sin. Saved, justified by the Father, regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and enabled to accomplish the good works that God prepared beforehand. Therefore, let us follow his teaching today. The example of his disciples, the example of the children of God throughout the centuries, so that Christ may be exalted through our generosity and our acts of kindness, first within his church, and then toward our neighbor. Let us love God in spirit and truth and love others in both words and deeds. Amen. What can we learn and apply? Application is very important as well. I know many people are waiting the last slide. First of all, a self-centered heart seeks repayment. But a Christ-centered heart seeks eternal reward. Secondly, a self-centered heart serves self. But a Christ-centered heart serves others. A self-centered heart gives to receive. But a Christ-centered heart gives without expecting in return. A self-centered heart reflects the world. But the Christ-centered heart reflects the kingdom of God. And lastly, a self-centered heart honors self. And a Christ-centered heart glorifies Christ. Men. So let's pray. Heavenly Father, Almighty and Sovereign God, we just want to thank you, Lord, for your might, for your power, for your word, for your living word, for your grace that enables us to know you, to worship you in spirit and truth in this place. We know that you are merciful, compassionate. We ask you to grant us hearts of generosity, of hospitality, and a deeper desire to become like you, Lord, to depend on you. We surrender every aspect of our lives into your hands, trusting you fully walking by faith. Keep us on a narrow path and continue to sanctify us, transform us into the likeness of your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. We thank you, Lord, and we all pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Hallelujah. Praise God.

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Thank you for listening today. If the Lord used this message to bless you, feel free to share it, so others can also be encouraged and strengthened for the coming days. Keep seeking Him, keep reading His Word, and keep trusting His grace every single day.