1. Lessons from Feasts & Banquets
Luke 14:1-24

2. 5 Then he asked them, "If one of you has a son
Luke 14:1-6
1 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. 2 There in front of him was
a man suffering from dropsy. 3 Jesus asked the Pharisees & experts in the law, "Is it lawful to
heal on the Sabbath or not?" 4 But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him
& sent him away.
5 Then he asked them, "If one of you has a son
or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?"
6 And they had nothing to say.

3. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come
Luke 14:7-11
7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited.
9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come
& say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
& he who humbles himself will be exalted."

4. Luke 14:12-14
12 Then Jesus said to his host, "When 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
& so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 & you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

5. the feast in the kingdom of God."
Luke 14:15-24
15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at
the feast in the kingdom of God."
16 Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet & invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, & I must go
& see it. Please excuse me.'
19 Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen,
& I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.'
20 Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'

6. What does life in God’s kingdom look like?
Context
Jesus was correcting
the Jewish leaders
Main Idea
What does life in God’s
kingdom look like?
Lessons…
a. from an
uninvited
guest at a
Sabbatical
meal
(14:1-6)
b. for invited
guests at
a wedding
feast
(14:7-11)
c. for the
host who
throws a
social
dinner
(14:12-14)
d. from
invitations
to the
Great
Banquet
(14:15-24)

7. 5 Then he asked them, "If one of you has a son
Luke 14:1-6
1 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. 2 There in front of him was
a man suffering from dropsy. 3 Jesus asked the Pharisees & experts in the law, "Is it lawful to
heal on the Sabbath or not?" 4 But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him
& sent him away.
5 Then he asked them, "If one of you has a son
or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?"
6 And they had nothing to say.

8. They focus on conformity, instead of sympathy
a. From an uninvited guest at a Sabbatical meal (14:1-6)
They focus on conformity,
instead of sympathy
What are
the norms
What are
the needs vs
Luke 14:3
Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?

9. Luke 14:7-11
7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come & say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, & he who humbles himself will be exalted."

10. They focus on self-glory, instead of humility
b. For invited guests at a wedding feast (14:7-11)
They focus on self-glory,
instead of humility
How I am
valued
How God
views me vs
Luke 14:11
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
& he who humbles himself will be exalted.

11. repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
Luke 14:12-14
12 Then Jesus said to his host, "When 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
& so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 & you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be
repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

12. They focus on profitability, instead of generosity
c. For the host who throws a social dinner (14:12-14)
They focus on profitability,
instead of generosity
What do
I gain
How can
I give vs
Luke 14:14
you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous

13. Thank you for giving to the Lord (Ray Boltz)
I dreamed I went to heaven  And you were there with me;  We walked upon the streets of gold  Beside the crystal sea.  We heard the angels singing  Then someone called your name.  We turned & saw a young man running  And he was smiling as he came.
And he said, "Friend you may not know me now." And then he said, "But wait,  You used to teach my Sunday School  When I was only eight. 

14. And every week you would say a prayer Before the class would start
And every week you would say a prayer  Before the class would start.  And one day when you said that prayer,  I asked Jesus in my heart."
Then another man stood before you  And said, "Remember the time  A missionary came to your church  And his pictures made you cry.  You didn't have much money,  But you gave it anyway.  Jesus took the gift you gave  And that's why I'm here today."

15. Far as the eye could see. Each life somehow touched,
One by one they came,
Far as the eye could see.  Each life somehow touched,
By your generosity. 
Little things that you had done, 
Sacrifices made,  Unnoticed on the earth 
In heaven, now proclaimed.
And I know up in heaven
You're not supposed to cry  But I am almost sure 
There were tears in your eyes.

16. And you stood before the Lord. He said, "My child, look around you.
As Jesus took your hand 
And you stood before the Lord.  He said, "My child, look around you. 
Great is your reward."
Thank you for giving to the Lord.  I am a life that was changed. 
Thank you for giving to the Lord.  I am so glad you gave

17. the feast in the kingdom of God."
Luke 14:15-24
15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at
the feast in the kingdom of God."
16 Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet & invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, & I must go
& see it. Please excuse me.'
19 Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen,
& I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.'
20 Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'

18. Everyone generally wants to be accepted into God’s glorious kingdom
d. From invitations to the Great Banquet (14:15-24)
Everyone generally wants to be
accepted into God’s glorious kingdom
Luke 14:15
"Blessed is the man who will eat at
the feast in the kingdom of God."

19. While everyone generally wants to be
d. From invitations to the Great Banquet (14:15-24)
While everyone generally wants to be
accepted into God’s glorious kingdom,
yet, when God invites all through Christ,
not many accept the invitation
pursuits
possessions
pleasures
Luke 14:16-18
A certain man was preparing a great banquet & invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses.

20. The problem doesn’t lie in God or the invitation,
d. From invitations to the Great Banquet (14:15-24)
The problem doesn’t lie
in God or the invitation,
but with people who show no
regard for God & his invitation
Luke 14:21, 23
The servant came back & reported this
to his master. Then the owner of the house became
angry….Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the
roads & country lanes & make (compel) them come in,
so that my house will be full.

21. The problem doesn’t lie in God or the invitation,
d. From invitations to the Great Banquet (14:15-24)
The problem doesn’t lie
in God or the invitation,
but with people who show no
regard for God & his invitation
They will not be accepted
in God’s kingdom
Luke 14:24
I tell you, not one of those men who were invited
will get a taste of my banquet.

22. They focus on conformity, instead of sympathy
(14:1-6)
They focus on conformity, instead of sympathy
(14:7-11)
They focus on self-glory, instead of humility
(14:12-14)
They focus on profitability, instead of generosity
God’s people have a proper regard for God
& what He says & will exercise sympathy, humility & generosity
(14:15-24)
They show no disregard
for God & his invitation;
they will not be accepted in God’s kingdom