Luke 14
1 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.
Christ was invited so they could inspect His actions as to entrap Him.
2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.
"dropsy" a medical term for someone that retains water within their body.
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?
There is a lesson for everyone to understand about the sabbath. Many will put bondage on you if you do anything on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, lacking understanding of The Law and lessons on working. Exodus 23:5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him. Even if our enemies are in trouble, we should set the example and help them regardless of what day it is. Traditions would have left them without any LIGHT.
6 And they could not answer him again to these things.
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.
The dinner table seating all depends on the ranking of of the person within the religious community. This parable is going to touch on this way of thinking.
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;
Someone sat at the chair for the ones having the wedding and now must be asked to move. The only reason they sat there is because they think of themselves as the most important in the room.
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.
Christ points out the shame that one should feel because they were asked to take the seat in the back.
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.
If they had started in the back, those having the wedding would have come to them and asked that they join them, showing the respect for those people.
11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
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.
Give to everyone, not just those you know personally. Christ is telling this chief Pharisee God's Word is for ALL to hear.
13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
Feed EVERYONE, especially today because there is a famine going on. Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:
14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
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.
An invitation to enter into the kingdom of heaven is to accept Christ as He tells us.
16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
"Whom so ever will."
17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
The servant is of course Christ Jesus.
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.
Christ gave the invitation and the people look for any excuse to run from Him.
19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
This one's wealth is more concerning to him. To have five oxen at this time was to have earthly wealth.
20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
He didn't have time for Christ way to life, he had his own in mind.
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.
Everyone's invited to the marriage supper. The poor in mind, the maimed in spirit and the blind to The Truth. All they have to do is seek Him.
22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
There is always room for those who choose to be a part of the marriage supper.
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.
Get out there and tell the world about Christ and The Word.
24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
Those that put the world before God have no place at the table.
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.
Who is first in your life? Hate here = Miseo, # 3404 Greek word = "to love less".
27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
If you're not ready to endure the things you must and understand the reasoning, you chose the world over The Truth that stares you in the face everyday.
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?
We must first look at the things we must do in order to serve God.
29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
If you start to serve God and just won't give Him what you started, people will see you love the world more and believe me, they may mock you, but they love it when you're with them in the worldly way.
30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
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?
When you're ready to follow Christ, you must consider the fact you're about to go to war against all the evils of satan and that includes the worldly.
32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
Understand the battle you're in and how to react to the things that come. Ecclesiastes 3:8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Do you put God first?
34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
We have enough sugar coated week "Christians" in the world today. If you put God first, you had better be one that stands against evil regardless of what others say and do. Salt will sting an open wound the world created.
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.
Christian disciples are ready for whatever may come. You're able to see when things need be done and you do the work required of you. You have separated yourselves from the world and have put The Truth in its place.