THE BANQUET PARABLES: THE LUNCHEON FOR THE POOR
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. The Banquet Parables
a) Jesus told the three Banquet Parables at the house of a prominent Pharisee during a banquet to which he had been invited.
b) The parables of the Embarrassed Guest, the Luncheon for the Poor, and the Slighted Invitation relate to the grace of God. These parables emphasize the humility and lowliness of heart that we must show in receiving his grace (Luke 14:7-24).
2. The Luncheon For The Poor
Luke 14:12-14
“12 He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, don't invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors, in case they return you an invitation to repay you. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 You will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, and so you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just."”
a) This parable was spoken to the Pharisee himself who was hosting the banquet in his home. Jesus pictures this Pharisee giving a banquet for the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. None of his invited guests will be able to return the favor.
b) This short and simple parable has a profound message: if you would receive kindness from God, then give kindness to others without reward. When you do good to others, do not seek to be rewarded and praised for it by men. If you do seek reward from men, then you will receive no praise or reward from God. But when you do good to those who cannot give you anything in return, then in the resurrection of the righteous God will reward and bless you far more than any man ever could. This applies also to being unappreciated. You spoil your service if you allow yourself to feel bad just because those you serve don't appreciate you. The Lord appreciates you, and that's what counts.
c) The parable of the Luncheon for the Poor shows that the kindness of God is toward the humble and lowly of heart. God has no blessing for glory seekers. Humility is one of the conditions of God's grace being bestowed. The more humble we are, the more grace we receive.
d) Another obvious message in this parable is that God's invitation to us to enter his kingdom is just like that luncheon for the poor that Jesus described. God has invited us to come into his home and sup with him throughout all eternity. Yet who are we? We are the spiritually poor, crippled, lame, and blind. We can never repay the wonderful grace of God.
The End ...
1. The Banquet Parablesa) Jesus told the three Banquet Parables at the house of a prominent Pharisee during a banquet to which he had been invited.
b) The parables of the Embarrassed Guest, the Luncheon for the Poor, and the Slighted Invitation relate to the grace of God. These parables emphasize the humility and lowliness of heart that we must show in receiving his grace (Luke 14:7-24).
2. The Luncheon For The Poor
Luke 14:12-14
“12 He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, don't invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors, in case they return you an invitation to repay you. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 You will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, and so you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just."”
a) This parable was spoken to the Pharisee himself who was hosting the banquet in his home. Jesus pictures this Pharisee giving a banquet for the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. None of his invited guests will be able to return the favor.
b) This short and simple parable has a profound message: if you would receive kindness from God, then give kindness to others without reward. When you do good to others, do not seek to be rewarded and praised for it by men. If you do seek reward from men, then you will receive no praise or reward from God. But when you do good to those who cannot give you anything in return, then in the resurrection of the righteous God will reward and bless you far more than any man ever could. This applies also to being unappreciated. You spoil your service if you allow yourself to feel bad just because those you serve don't appreciate you. The Lord appreciates you, and that's what counts.
c) The parable of the Luncheon for the Poor shows that the kindness of God is toward the humble and lowly of heart. God has no blessing for glory seekers. Humility is one of the conditions of God's grace being bestowed. The more humble we are, the more grace we receive.
d) Another obvious message in this parable is that God's invitation to us to enter his kingdom is just like that luncheon for the poor that Jesus described. God has invited us to come into his home and sup with him throughout all eternity. Yet who are we? We are the spiritually poor, crippled, lame, and blind. We can never repay the wonderful grace of God.
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