God's Houseguests I (Luke 14:7-11)

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robert austell – 10.07.07 God's Houseguests I (Lk 14)

Sermon by: Robert Austell
October 7, 2007


Last week, we left off with Jesus at dinner in the house of one of the Pharisees (religious leaders of his day). While there, Jesus “broke the Law’ by healing a man who was swollen with fluid. Asking the dinner guests which one would not pull their own child out of a well on a Sabbath, Jesus rendered them speechless as he restored this man to health and life, fulfilling the very purpose of God’s Sabbath commandment.

The dinner party continued and Jesus begins to talk to the gathered group, using the setting of the dinner table as the main illustration in his teaching. Today we will look at the first of four such teachings, all with this same group, gathered around the dinner table.

What sets up this first parable is the situation described in verse 7:

… He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table…

Jesus is a master teacher and God in the flesh. What he says to the folks around the table may just sound like Table Etiquette 101, but he ends with a statement that draws the surface principles deeper into the spiritual realm. That is ultimately what we will focus on as we ourselves draw around the Lord’s Table today for communion and then go out to follow after Jesus with our lives.


Don’t Do That (vv. 8-9)

Jesus begins by calling them on this behavior, saying:

When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor… (v. 8)

Now this was not a wedding feast, but this group had been invited to this dinner. Let’s focus on several things here.

First, Jesus is highlighting the idea of ‘invitation’ and what it means to be a guest. Even now, we understand this basic notion of hospitality. You are not typically invited to someone’s table on merit, but as an act of friendship or graciousness. At a wedding feast (or reception), in particular, the one qualifying trait for being there is that you know the bride or groom. That’s implicit in being invited.

Second, Jesus purposely bridges the gap between the specific dinner he is having with the group of Pharisees and the eternal banquet table of God, which is the point he is moving toward. He does so by stretching beyond the local dinner to the concept of a wedding feast, which becomes a “pointer” to the eternal banquet. This is Jesus being a good teacher.

So, using the immediate situation, Jesus connects those present to an imaginary and more universal situation – a wedding feast – so that in the end he can address the spiritual implications of the (broad) behavior of these Pharisees.

Having issued these instructions, Jesus goes on to explain why such behavior is inappropriate:

“… for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him,” and he who invited you both will come and say to you, “Give your place to this man,” and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. (v. 9)

Jesus words specifically recall Proverbs 25:6-7, which his hearers would have been very familiar with:

Do not claim honor in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men; for it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,” than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.

It’s good, solid, practical advice. What Jesus is getting at is the sin of pride resulting in competition and one-upsmanship. This is what the Pharisees around the table had been doing. In a far deeper sense, this is what they were doing with their religion – trying to be the best law-keepers of the land, to earn God’s blessing and favor and “move up” in the coming Kingdom.

Similarly, for us, Jesus’ words have an everyday, practical application as well as a deeper, spiritual significance. It is a good application of his teaching to “Love your neighbor” to see those we work with, do business with, attend school with, and socialize with, not as competitors to be stepped on, beaten, and surpassed, but as people to whom we are to be salt and light. If we really grasp that, it goes strongly against the grain; I know it goes against mine. I am super-competitive, and it takes a real act of submission to lay that down in some situations.

Jesus’ words also have a deeper, spiritual significance. It is easy to take the competitive, achievement-oriented value of our culture and apply that to our faith. God becomes a boss to please and a test to pass. This can turn Christian faith into a system of do’s and don’ts that in reality are not the basis of salvation or even of God’s good pleasure.

Jesus has more to say – let’s listen.


Do This (v. 10)

Having called them on their behavior, Jesus positively challenges those listening:

But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place…” (v. 10)

Again, note the importance of being an invited guest. Jesus will continue in the coming parables to discuss the significance of being invited by God.

What he says here, though, is to take the last place. Why? It is…

… so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. (v. 10)

Now this is not the pessimism principle: look for the worst and you may be pleasantly surprised. Rather, Jesus is upholding the right of the host to determine honor. It is not something to claim for yourself: “I will choose the best seat because I am important.” Rather, it is to defer to the authority of the host, since you are His invited guest.

When Jesus concludes, “You will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table,” he is describing honor bestowed on you, not claimed for yourself.

On a spiritual level, Jesus is recognizing God’s authority to declare and bestow honor on whom He will. Ours is to be a posture of humility.


Governing Principle (v. 11)

Lest his audience confuse Jesus’ words for simple dinner etiquette, he concludes his teaching with a broader clarifying statement:

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (v. 11)

This is a statement about our ultimate spiritual position before God. ‘Exalt’ is what God did when He raised Jesus from the dead. We can try to raise our position in life, whether materially or spiritually, but only God can raise us ultimately. Only God can raise us from death and truly ‘exalt’ us.

Jesus is teaching the way of salvation. It is not by elevating ourselves – that ultimately is a way of seeking to make ourselves God. Rather, it is by humbling ourselves that we will have the correct attitude to believe in, worship, and serve the God who exalts.

Why does it take humility to have saving faith?

It takes a submission of the will, to lay down my own self-importance and self-priority to make God my first priority.

It takes a submission of the heart, to lay down my earthly “loves” and love God alone. That sounds extreme – and it is – for Jesus will get to that in the fourth teaching at the end of this chapter. In comparison to our love for God, even love for my mother, father, and family pale. That is submission of the heart.

It takes submission of the mind, to recognize that there are limits to my intellect, and God, if He is God at all, is by definition far more and far beyond what I can comprehend. I must yield my mind – not disconnect it, but yield it – at the throne of God.

Jesus is getting at a central principle of Christian faith and life. Our life, our love, all that we have and all that we are, belong to God.

This is parable #1. There are three more coming. In each, the central character is the host, who is inviting men and women, boys and girls, to the Table of God. Jesus is inviting you to “Come, believe, and follow me.” I invite you to come to Jesus, to this Table [communion], and to a life of worship, humbly offering God who we are and what we have.

Come, the Table is set! Amen.