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Texts -- Luke 14:2-35 (NET)

Context
14:2 There right in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy . 14:3 So Jesus asked the experts in religious law and the Pharisees , “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not ?” 14:4 But they remained silent . So Jesus took hold of the man, healed him , and sent him away . 14:5 Then he said to them , “Which of you , if you have a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day , will not immediately pull him out ?” 14:6 But they could not reply to this .
On Seeking Seats of Honor
14:7 Then when Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor , he told them a parable . He said to them , 14:8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor , because a person more distinguished than you may have been invited by your host . 14:9 So the host who invited both of you will come and say to you , ‘Give this man your place .’ Then , ashamed , you will begin to move to the least important place . 14:10 But when you are invited , go and take the least important place , so that when your host approaches he will say to you , ‘Friend , move up here to a better place .’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who share the meal with you . 14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled , but the one who humbles himself will be exalted .” 14:12 He said also to the man who had invited him , “When you host a dinner or a banquet , don’t invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors so you can be invited by them in return and get repaid . 14:13 But when you host an elaborate meal , invite the poor , the crippled , the lame , and the blind . 14:14 Then you will be blessed , because they cannot repay you , for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous .”
The Parable of the Great Banquet
14:15 When one of those at the meal with Jesus heard this , he said to him , “Blessed is everyone who will feast in the kingdom of God !” 14:16 But Jesus said to him , “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many guests. 14:17 At the time for the banquet he sent his slave to tell those who had been invited , ‘Come , because everything is now ready .’ 14:18 But one after another they all began to make excuses . The first said to him , ‘I have bought a field , and I must go out and see it . Please excuse me .’ 14:19 Another said , ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen , and I am going out to examine them . Please excuse me .’ 14:20 Another said , ‘I just got married , married , and I cannot cannot come .’ 14:21 So the slave came back and reported this to his master . Then the master of the household was furious and said to his slave , ‘Go out quickly to the streets and alleys of the city , and bring in the poor , the crippled , the blind , and the lame .’ 14:22 Then the slave said , ‘Sir , what you instructed has been done , and there is still room .’ 14:23 So the master said to his slave , ‘Go out to the highways and country roads and urge people to come in , so that my house will be filled . 14:24 For I tell you , not one of those individuals who were invited will taste my banquet !’”
Counting the Cost
14:25 Now large crowds were accompanying Jesus , and turning to them he said , 14:26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother , and wife and children , and brothers and sisters , and even his own life , he cannot cannot be my disciple . 14:27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple . 14:28 For which of you , wanting to build a tower , doesn’t sit down first and compute the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 14:29 Otherwise , when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish the tower, all who see it will begin to make fun of him . 14:30 They will say , ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish !’ 14:31 Or what king , going out to confront another king in battle , will not sit down first and determine whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand ? 14:32 If he cannot succeed, he will send a representative while the other is still a long way off and ask for terms of peace . 14:33 In the same way therefore not one of you can be my disciple if he does not renounce all his own possessions . 14:34 “Salt is good , but if salt loses its flavor , how can its flavor be restored ? 14:35 It is of no value for the soil or for the manure pile ; it is to be thrown out . The one who has ears to hear had better listen !”

Pericope

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  • Berlutut di PalunganMu [KJ.115]
  • Hosiana! Putra Daud [KJ.162]
  • [Luk 14:13] Good King Wenceslas
  • [Luk 14:15] Come, Sinners, To The Gospel Feast
  • [Luk 14:15] King Of Heav’n His Table Spreads, The
  • [Luk 14:16] How Sweet And Awesome Is This Place
  • [Luk 14:16] When The Comforter Came
  • [Luk 14:17] The Blessed Feast
  • [Luk 14:22] Mistakes Of My Life, The
  • [Luk 14:22] Room For The Penitent
  • [Luk 14:22] Room For You
  • [Luk 14:22] Stop, Poor Sinner, Stop And Think
  • [Luk 14:22] There Is Room In His Heart For You
  • [Luk 14:22] Yet There Is Room
  • [Luk 14:23] Calm Them In
  • [Luk 14:23] Go And Work!
  • [Luk 14:23] Ship Of Fame, The
  • [Luk 14:33] Give Of Your Best To The Master
  • [Luk 14:33] I Surrender All

Questions

Sermon Illustrations

Dense Fog; The Goal of the Holy Spirit; A Student; What is a Christian?; Moody’s Epitaph; Outline; D. L. Moody

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The parallel between wisdom's invitation and the one Jesus Christ extended to everyone to come to His feast shows the similarity between wisdom and responding positively to God's Word (Matt. 22:1-14; Luke 14:15-24). The "seve...
  • Isaiah contrasted God's conception of fasting with that of His people.58:6 The type of fasting that pleases God is giving up wickedness, oppression, enslavement, and binding of other people, not just food. Isaiah did not mean...
  • Malachi's style is quite different from that of any other writing prophet. Instead of delivering messages to his audience, he charged them with various sins, six times in all. His was a very confrontational style of address. ...
  • The revelation that Yahweh gave Malachi for Israel consisted of six "heavy"messages. The first one reminded God's people of His love for them and of their ungratefulness.1:2a The Lord's first word to His people was short and ...
  • Though Mark did not record it, Jesus gave His disciples much additional instruction as they travelled from Capernaum in Galilee toward Jerusalem (cf. Matt. 8:19-22; 18:15-35; Luke 9:51-18:14; John 7:2-11:54). Evidently Jesus ...
  • The first Gospel presented Jesus as the King. The second Gospel presented Him as the Servant. The third Gospel presents Him as the perfect Man. Matthew wrote to Jews about their King. Mark wrote to Romans about a Servant. Luk...
  • I. Introduction 1:1-4II. The birth and childhood of Jesus 1:5-2:52A. The announcement of John the Baptist's birth 1:5-251. The introduction of John's parents 1:5-72. The angel's announcement to Zechariah 1:8-233. The pregnanc...
  • Luke's account of this incident is the longest of the three. Luke stressed Peter and omitted any reference to Andrew, his brother (Matt. 4:18; Mark 1:16). He characteristically focussed on single individuals that Jesus' touch...
  • This incident, appearing only in Luke's Gospel, illustrates the truth just expressed in verse 35. Here is a case in point of what Jesus had just described happening (v. 34). Jesus reached out to a sinner only to receive criti...
  • Luke's account stresses that concern for the multitudes motivated Jesus' mission. Mark, on the other hand, presented opposition from the Jewish religious leaders as a reason for His activities. Matthew stressed Jesus' desire ...
  • In this last major section describing Jesus' ministry in and around Galilee (4:14-9:50), Luke stressed Jesus' preparation of His disciples for the opposition that lay before them. This was the climax of Jesus' ministry in Gal...
  • 11:37-38 Many of Jesus' teaching opportunities arose during meals (cf. 14:1-24; Matt. 15:1-20; 23:1-36; Mark 7:1-22). This was one such situation. Jesus offended His host by not washing ritually before eating. Luke omitted an...
  • Teaching of the disciples continues as primary in this part of the third Gospel (9:51-19:10). Jesus' words to them at the beginning of the present section (12:1-13:17) broadened to include the crowds toward the end....
  • Jesus' teaching on the same occasion continued. He clarified next that His disciples could anticipate a period of intense persecution. This is the reason He charged them to be faithful (vv. 41-48)."In Luke 12:49-14:24, Jesus ...
  • Jesus addressed these words to His disciples primarily (cf. vv. 41-42).12:49-50 In view of the context Jesus' reference to fire must be as a symbol of judgment primarily rather than purification, its other common significatio...
  • There are several thematic connections that tie this pericope with what has preceded and show its role in the development of Luke's argument. Jesus had just called the nation to repentance (vv. 3, 5). Now He showed that chang...
  • Another question led to this teaching. The thematic connection with Jesus' words about the small beginning of the kingdom (vv. 19, 21) should be obvious. As elsewhere, Luke recorded Jesus teaching lessons and using illustrati...
  • 14:1 The setting for what follows is secondary to the attitude of the Pharisees who were present. They had already decided to do away with Jesus (11:53-54). Now the Pharisees and lawyers were watching Him like vultures waitin...
  • Jesus next gave the assembled guests a lesson on the importance of humility. By identifying this teaching as a parable (v. 7) Luke informed his readers that the lesson has importance in people's relationship to God, not just ...
  • Jesus addressed the former parable to His fellow guests, but He directed this teaching to His host. This lesson, like the former parable, could have applied only to social relationships. However, Jesus' teaching was never sim...
  • Jesus continued to use the meal in the Pharisee's house to teach about the messianic banquet and the kingdom to come. He had taught the importance of humbling oneself to participate (vv. 7-11) and had justified that requireme...
  • 14:25 Luke described a setting different from the preceding meal. Jesus was on the road again heading toward Jerusalem. It was evidently the great size of the multitude that accompanied Him that led Him to say what He did.14:...
  • 14:31-32 This second parable makes essentially the same point as the first one. However the cost of failure in this one is not just embarrassment but personal destruction. It is very important to assess the strength of one's ...
  • The present section is a development of the theme of Jesus calling the poor and needy to salvation. This motif has appeared earlier in Luke's Gospel (cf. 14:2-5, 13-24; et al.). Luke had a special interest in this group proba...
  • Luke just recorded that Jesus called would-be disciple to pay attention to what He said (14:35). Now he noted that many tax collectors and "sinners"were doing precisely that. Thus he presented that group of needy spiritual ou...
  • 15:11-12 The man in the story had two sons, a younger and an older one (v. 25). Therefore the younger son's inheritance would normally have been one-third of his father's estate since the older son would have received a doubl...
  • Jesus' began His response to the Pharisees' rejection of His teaching by pointing out the importance of submitting to God's Word.16:14-15 Jesus rebuked His critics for their hypocrisy. They were able to explain their covetous...
  • In this parable the rich man and his brothers who did not listen to Moses and the prophets (vv. 29-31) represent the Pharisees (vv. 16-17). The Pharisees believed in a future life and a coming judgment, but they, as the rich ...
  • This teaching is quite similar to portions of the Olivet Discourse (cf. Matt. 24:23-28, 37-39), though the differences suggest separate teaching situations. It is one of several teachings that Luke recorded that deals with th...
  • Luke next developed the idea of faith on the earth that Jesus introduced in verse 8. This whole section clarifies how people become believers. This subject is a fitting conclusion to the part of Luke's Gospel that deals with ...
  • The superficial connection between this pericope and the preceding one is that they both contain parables about prayer. However the more significant link is the people of faith (v. 8). This parable graphically contrasts the r...
  • This is another lesson on riches that Luke recorded (cf. 6:24; 8:14; 11:41; 12:13-34; 16), but the context here is instruction on wealth as it pertains to entering into salvation and the kingdom. Someone might conclude from t...
  • Jesus continued talking with His disciples about the preceding conversation. However, Luke did not identify the disciples as those to whom Jesus spoke. This gives the impression that what Jesus said has relevance to all peopl...
  • Jesus' passion announcements to His disciples constitute important structural markers in Mark's Gospel. Luke and Matthew did not use them this way. The incident before us was the third passion announcement that Jesus gave bes...
  • This section in Luke's long narrative of Jesus' ministry as He travelled to Jerusalem (9:51-19:27) is climactic. It is a choice example of Jesus offering salvation to a needy person. Zaccheus accepted Jesus' offer and respond...
  • This parable serves in Luke's narrative as a conclusion to the section on salvation's recipients (18:9-19:27). It provides something of a denouement(i.e., a final unravelling of the plot) following the excellent example of Za...
  • Luke showed how the religious leaders' antagonism was intensifying against Jesus. This was another attempt to discredit Him (cf. vv. 1-8). Luke may have included it also because it shows that Jesus did not teach hostility tow...
  • These verses record Jesus' introduction to what followed and are similar to the welcoming words of a host before his guests begin their meal. This is the seventh of nine meal scenes that Luke recorded in his Gospel (cf. 5:29-...
  • Jesus balanced the need for humility and service with a promise of future reward. Though the Twelve are in view the implication of reward for other faithful disciples is strong. Jesus evidently repeated this promise in differ...
  • Luke probably chose to insert this apparently insignificant incident because it provides such a good example of an ideal disciple. Jesus had taught His disciples to forsake all, take up their cross, and follow Him (9:23; 14:2...
  • This is another of Luke's exquisite and unique stories. Various students of it have noted its similarity to the stories of the feeding of the 5,000 (9:10-17), the appearance in Jerusalem (vv. 36-49), and the Ethiopian eunuch ...
  • Alford, Henry. The Greek Testament. New ed. 4 vols. London: Rivingtons, 1880.Bailey, Kenneth E. Poet and Peasant: A Literary-Cultural Approach to the Parables in Luke. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1977.Bishop...
  • More than once Jesus used His Sabbath activities to make the Jews consider who He was (cf. Matt. 12:1-14; Mark 2:23-3:6; Luke 13:10-17; 14:1-6). Here He wanted them to realize that He had the right to work on the Sabbath as H...
  • 12:20 The New Testament writers frequently referred to any Gentiles who came from the Greek-speaking world as Greeks (cf. 7:35; et al.). We do not know where the Gentiles in this incident came from. They could have lived in o...
  • The apostle dealt first with the importance of not judging one another. This was a particular temptation to those Christians who believed that they should refrain from some practices that they believed were displeasing to God...
  • 4:6 God has set a high standard of wholehearted love and devotion for His people, but He gives grace that is greater than His rigorous demand. Proverbs 3:34, quoted here, reminds us that God opposes the proud, those who pursu...
  • Peter proceeded to address the situation of Christians working under the authority of others."The unusual fact, unnoticed by most Bible readers, is that he [Peter], along with Paul (1 Cor. 7:21; Eph. 6:5-8; Col. 3:22-25; 1 Ti...
  • 5:6 God's almighty hand had permitted affliction to touch Peter's readers. The apostle urged them to submit to God's working in their lives as to the skillful hand of a surgeon. He assured them that God would raise them up ev...
  • An invitation preceded the promise, as in all the letters to follow (cf. 1:3). Jesus was the only person to issue this invitation in Scripture. The Gospels also record Him doing so seven times (Matt. 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9...
  • This pericope has strong ties to what precedes (16:17-18:24). It is the concluding revelation concerning the fall of Babylon, the latter-day Egypt and Tyre, and Antichrist, the ultimate Pharaoh of the Exodus and King of Tyre....
  • ". . . it is not difficult to see why the early church understood John to be teaching a millennium in Revelation 20. Three arguments support this interpretation: (1) the teaching of two resurrections, (2) the binding of Satan...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • 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. 2. And, behold, there was a certain man before Him which had the dropsy. 3. And Jesus answer...
  • They all with one consent began to make excuse. --Luke 14:18.JESUS CHRIST was at a feast in a Pharisee's house. It was a strange place for Him--and His words at the table were also strange. For He first rebuked the guests, an...
  • Which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it! '--Luke 14:28.CHRIST sought for no recruits under false pretences, but rather discouraged than ...
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