We are now heading around the corner into the homestretch in this series on kingdom. There are 85 discrete references to kingdom in the Synoptics and we have examined 73 of them. We are now at #74 and I anticipate 6 more posts on kingdom \u2014 which will go on simultaneously with our \u201cPreparing for Pentecost\u201d series. Ah, I say to myself, a little more Bible won\u2019t hurt us! Here\u2019s our text today: Luke 14:15 and I include the necessary context. We are now heading around the corner into the homestretch in this series on kingdom. There are 85 discrete references to kingdom in the Synoptics and we have examined 73 of them. We are now at #74 and I anticipate 6 more posts on kingdom \u2014 which will go on simultaneously with our \u201cPreparing for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1743],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-kingdom-of-god"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n12 Then Jesus said to his host, \u201cWhen you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.\u201d
\nThe Parable of the Great Banquet<\/strong>
\n15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, \u201cBlessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.\u201d 16 Jesus replied: \u201cA certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, \u2018Come, for everything is now ready.\u2019 18 \u201cBut they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, \u2018I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.\u2019 19 \u201cAnother said, \u2018I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I\u2019m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.\u2019 20 \u201cStill another said, \u2018I just got married, so I can\u2019t come.\u2019 21 \u201cThe servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, \u2018Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.\u2019 22 \u201d \u2018Sir,\u2019 the servant said, \u2018what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.\u2019 23 \u201cThen the master told his servant, \u2018Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.\u2019 \u201d<\/em>
\n1. Here\u2019s something those who were with Jesus must have learned: Don\u2019t ask Jesus a question! or Watch what you say to Jesus! An innocent person \u2014 and the \u201cone of those at table\u201d most likely indicates someone who did not become a follower \u2014 says to Jesus after hearing him say that the kingdom will include many unlikely people, \u201cBlessed is the person who will eat at the feast in the kingdom God.\u201d
\n2. It is possible the person is saying this: \u201cNot only are those who invite the unlikely blessed, but blessed is anyone who gets to eat in the kingdom.\u201d Jesus\u2019 response then is to drill home the point that inclusion<\/em> is the name of his kingdom game.
\n3. Which means exclusiveness needs to be seen for what it is at times: haughtiness or a sense of entitlement.
\n4. Those who think they are invited may discover, at the End of the Day, that they are not invited.
\n5. So, how does one know? Does not the next section in Luke give an insight for answering that question? The answer is this: those who will eat with Jesus in the kingdom are his followers.
\n25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 \u201cIf anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters\u2013yes, even his own life\u2013he cannot be my disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
\n28 \u201cSuppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30 saying, \u2018This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.\u2019
\n31 \u201cOr suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
\n34 \u201cSalt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
\n\u201cHe who has ears to hear, let him hear.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"