LUKE 14:12-14 JESUS ON WEALTH: HOW DO YOU WISH TO BE REPAID? “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, 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. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” 1 nstant gratification marks contemporary society—people want immediate fulfilment. People complain because it requires a full minute to reheat a cup of I coffee in the microwave. It was a drive for instant wealth that fuelled the stock markets to unsustainable heights in the late nineties and in 2008. Whereas Canadians were once a nation of “savers,” we have today become a nation of debtors. Personal gratification appears to be the driving motive for far too many actions witnessed in contemporary society. Even Christians are caught up in this drama of irrational exuberance. We worship, singing the songs we enjoy—selections chosen because of rhythm and melody instead of being concerned about the theological expression of what is sung. We sing, seeking personal gratification rather singing from desire to honour the Lord. Participation in the work of the Faith is too often motivated by a desire for recognition. We give, anticipating that we will obtain some immediate benefit. Televangelists have taught us that rewards are our due and the rewards sought must be immediate. Much of the labour of contemporary Christians is performed with an eye on the moment instead of looking toward eternity. None should question that God is a gracious and a just Master; He knows our labours and He has pledged to reward those labours that are worthy of His Name. While some argue that anticipation of rewards is not a proper motive for serving Christ the Lord, God seems unimpressed by our scruples. Nevertheless, Christians have often focused on serving solely for what they can receive, instead of focusing on the honour of service to God, as taught by the Master. Such Christians anticipate immediate repayment for their service. God alone is able to recognise motives for service, but we may be assured that He does know the motive for every service presented in His Name. THE BACKGROUND TO THE MESSAGE — Since so many of the incidents recorded in the Gospel accounts are unfamiliar to newer Christians, and since it is always helpful to review familiar stories to ensure that nothing is neglected, it will no doubt be helpful to review this particular pericope in order to ensure that each of us fully understand the events that elicited this teaching from Jesus. The ministry of the Master was marked by conflict from earliest days. Civic and religious leaders were especially incensed at His teaching. Though divided by worldview, they nevertheless united against every threat to their tenacious grasping for power. Jesus, through His emphasis that man is created to be free before God, was a threat to their position and to their power. Therefore, they sought to discredit Him. 1 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Good News Publishers, 2001. Used by permission. All rights reserved. LUKE 14:12-14 Page 2 JESUS ON MONEY: HOW DO YOU WISH TO BE REPAID Consequently, the Master frequently cautioned His followers not to fall into the trap of the Pharisees—the trap of “telling” but not “doing.” For instance, reviewing the preceding chapters, we are informed that Jesus cautioned against the great sin of the Pharisees—hypocrisy [LUKE 12:1-3]. He followed this up with a call to fear God instead of fearing man [LUKE 12:4-7]. Thus, those individuals who fear God will acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ [LUKE 12:8-12]. He related the story of the rich fool [LUKE 12:13-21], taught the people not to live in anxiety [LUKE 12:22-34] and instructed His followers to be ready for His return [LUKE 12:25-48]. He called all to repentance, warning that those who failed to repent would perish [LUKE 13:1-5], compared Israel to a barren fig tree [LUKE 13:6-9], healed a woman on the Sabbath [LUKE 13:10-17] (a most grievous offence in the estimate of the Pharisees), and then related several parables and clear warnings to those who were religious, but lost [LUKE 13:18-35]. Yet another man was healed on the Sabbath [LUKE 14:1-6], again distressing the religious leaders. Jesus also accepted an invitation to a banquet in His honour, and insulted the other guests by noticing how they were jockeying for position [LUKE 14:7-11]. He followed this up with the parable that serves as the focus of our study for this day. Throughout these events, conflict and stress marked the relationship of Jesus with the religious leaders. They seem to have been hoping that He could be co-opted so they would be able to strengthen their position in the estimate of the people; but Jesus would not play their game. His every action was scrutinised and criticised, especially because the religious leaders exalted religious observance over transformation. Every parable He told stung those leaders because it exposed the unworthy nature of their actions. More particularly, this second healing, immediately prior to the parable serving as our text, occurred at the very dinner to which Jesus had been invited. This particular meal happened to be on a Sabbath, which becomes important in understanding the reaction of the religious leaders to Jesus’ actions. When He entered the house, there was a man suffering from dropsy. The condition is actually the result of another medical condition. It is expressed in swollen limbs and tissue, the result of excessive retention of body fluids. Many Jews considered dropsy to be the result of sin.2 Likely, this man was uninvited; he probably just “dropped in.” Uninvited guests would often walk into a dinner party, especially when a guest of some note was present. It was perhaps comparable to people in this day thinking it is all right to approach a celebrity to ask for an autograph, or to attend an Academy Awards ceremony just to see the stars. Then and now people enjoy being in the company of the great. However he came to be present, the religious leaders watched Jesus intently to see what He would do. Jesus not only healed this man, but having sent the healed man on his way, He seized the opportunity to challenge the religious critics [see LUKE 14:1-6]. Unable to respond to His teaching, they kept their silence, probably burning inwardly all the while. Jesus then told a parable based upon His observation of the way in which these self- important men promoted themselves by jockeying for the seat of honour. The Master cautioned them to remember that honourable men do not seek honour, but rather honourable men recognise that someone other than oneself awards honour. Jesus was saying that it is easier to go up the ladder than it is to be forced to go down the ladder. 2 Darrell L. Bock, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: Luke 9:51-24:53 (Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI 1996) 1256 LUKE 14:12-14 Page 3 JESUS ON MONEY: HOW DO YOU WISH TO BE REPAID THE ASSUMPTION BEHIND THE STORY — The unspoken assumption is that those hearing this story are able to give a party. Jesus assumes those hearing Him have at least some friends, family or colleagues whom they wish to impress on occasion. This story was not directed toward the common people; but rather it was addressed to a man whom people would have considered wealthy. We would not consider the average person of that day to be wealthy, but rather we would think him to be quite poor. However, the story Jesus told is well suited to those of us living in this great nation in this day. We are wealthy! Ours is a most unusual society in the history of mankind. From a historical perspective, overwhelmingly the majority of mankind has been insufficiently fed, inadequately housed and unsatisfactorily clothed. Throughout much of history, meat was a luxury, as was a ready supply of fresh fruits and vegetables. Not so many years ago, every home had a root cellar precisely because root vegetables were stored for eating during the winter and spring months as the family awaited fresh produce produced during the summer and fall. The few families that did not raise milk cows or chickens either purchased fresh milk and fresh eggs from local farmers, or they purchased canned milk and eggs packed in sawdust for use throughout the long winter months. Until very recent times, the thought of time away from home, especially anticipation of an annual holiday, was foreign to the average Canadian. Even during the first half of the previous century, holidays were rare, except for the very wealthy. Until immediately after the Second World War, hunting and fishing as recreation would have been most unusual. For most inhabitants of this northern country hunting was a necessity and fishing, if time for such was available, was to provide food for the table. Perhaps families were able to observe a few holidays—Thanksgiving and Christmas, perhaps even Dominion Day—but government-mandated holidays would have been unprecedented. One day in seven was invested with significance, allowing for some rest from routine labours as families throughout the English-speaking world gathered for worship of the Almighty, whom they acknowledged as the Giver of every good and perfect gift.