The Value of the Invitation
Luke 14:12-24
The Gospel's impact on our lives is revealed through our actions to bless others. Before Jesus tells the parable of the Great Banquet, He gives instructions to invite to our table people who have no ability to repay the favor. In our culture, this would be comparable to backyard cookouts, or a simple shared experience over a meal.
One of the attendees responded: “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God.” It’s important to realize that Jesus does not accept this statement or at least the thought process that produced the statement. It is likely that the statement came from a position of a limited and selfish blessing.
Jesus responds with the parable at this point, expressing that a single messenger was sent to those who had already been invited and accepted the initial invitation. There is a broad wave of excuses given from the original recipients, reflecting that their initial acceptance of the invitation no longer held enough value to impact their lives. Jesus closes the parable, expressing that “those men who were invited” will not taste the banquet. Reflecting on the initial instructions of Jesus, the Gospel should cause us to strive to bless those who could never repay us because we believe that what God will provide in His kingdom is more valuable than anything we could amass in this life.
Take Steps to bless those who could never repay you.
The Gospel's impact on our lives is revealed through our actions to bless others. Before Jesus tells the parable of the Great Banquet, He gives instructions to invite to our table people who have no ability to repay the favor. In our culture, this would be comparable to backyard cookouts, or a simple shared experience over a meal.
One of the attendees responded: “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God.” It’s important to realize that Jesus does not accept this statement or at least the thought process that produced the statement. It is likely that the statement came from a position of a limited and selfish blessing.
Jesus responds with the parable at this point, expressing that a single messenger was sent to those who had already been invited and accepted the initial invitation. There is a broad wave of excuses given from the original recipients, reflecting that their initial acceptance of the invitation no longer held enough value to impact their lives. Jesus closes the parable, expressing that “those men who were invited” will not taste the banquet. Reflecting on the initial instructions of Jesus, the Gospel should cause us to strive to bless those who could never repay us because we believe that what God will provide in His kingdom is more valuable than anything we could amass in this life.
Take Steps to bless those who could never repay you.
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