CHAPTER 14

1 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 answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;
5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?
6 And they could not answer him again to these things.

See also: Luke 6:6-9

Jesus knew the Pharisees were watching Him closely.
They were only there to try and find something they could use against Him!

Notice the power of Christ for our help is based on willingness to do as He said.
The man with the withered hand stretched out his hand on Christ's command - and He was healed!

The "scribes and Pharisees" with the withered hearts would not stretch out their heart to Christ, and were not healed!

Life is difficult. We will face circumstances which hurt us.
Jesus is quite willing to give "grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4:16)

But we must be willing to be obedient servants to Him ( Luke 9:23)

7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,
8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the
presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The reason that Jesus had come to one of the "chief Pharisees'" house is because He was "bidden." Many other people were "bidden" (or asked) to come also.

Jesus noted that they were elbowing to get first place at the head tables.
And, He took the opportunity to teach a great lesson.

When one is asked to attend a special dinner, he should not try to get the most important seat. The dinner host might have someone ELSE he wants in that position.
And, if one is in the wrong place, the host might come and ask him to move!
Then, he would be embarrassed in front of all the guests.

It's best to take a "back seat," so to speak. Let the host come and move you UP and not BACK!

Of course, most of the time nowadays, there are specific reservation cards set in the places for guests.

However, the same principle applies in other areas of life also.
Putting ourselves ahead of someone else exhibits greed and selfishness.
Willingly putting ourselves behind someone else exhibits humility and genuine concern for others.

12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.
13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

Jesus also had a "word" for the host. Obviously the host was well-to-do, and could afford what Jesus suggested.

There times to entertain guests who are misfortunate.

It is one of the responsibilities of the "well-to-do" to care for the less fortunate!
Greed and selfishness are also shown when one does not attend to that responsibility!

Wealth is a privilege endowed by God.
When we utilize it selflessly, honor is given to God.
This type of behavior usually is a result of someone realizing that ALL we have belongs to God.

15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

This parable is different from the one discussed in Matthew 22:2-14.
However, the principles remain almost the same.

Notice that the servants went to call those "that were bidden." In other words, these people had been sent a previous invitation and had been given time to prepare for the date of the supper. Now they were being reminded and called to the supper.

But they all began to make EXCUSES!
They were too busy with their own lives to attend as guests for another!

To those who were standing, or sitting, around, this was a very CLEAR teaching!
They were so encumbered with selfish pride over their own lives, they failed to see the invitation of God to become saved by JESUS!
Here was the "supper" of God given to mankind! Yet they didn't want to ATTEND!

Jesus continued the story, and told how the host sent out for the "poor," "maimed," "halt," and "blind!"
When the host's servants returned and said "YET there is room," he told them to go get the beggars from the "highways and hedges!"
This man was quite willing to spend what he had to help others!

Isn't that like God?
He OWNS all! Yet, He is willing to SHARE!
The only way God can share is through Jesus!
Mankind must come at the invitation, and partake of the goodness of God through surrender to Christ! ((See .

And, as Jesus pointed out in verse 24 above, NONE of those who received the invitation and REFUSED it will have part in His great supper!!

May I say, God's heaven is going to be FILLED with those who were willing to come to Christ?!
And Christ Himself will serve the WEDDING FEAST!

25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

To live life that is pleasing and satisfying to self, is to worship self more than Christ.
This is the context of sin. The middle letter in sin is "I."
Pleasing self has been the greatest idol of man since Adam and Eve.

Jesus taught this parable for a specific purpose.
"Multitudes" were following Him.
Some came because of the "rumors" that were spread about Jesus.
Some came because they were genuinely searching for a relationship with God.
And, some came because they had heard Jesus healed, and they wanted healing.
And, some came just for the "show." They just wanted to "see" for themselves.

But Jesus turned the multitudes physical following into a tremendous spiritual lesson!
One must love Jesus MORE than anyone or anything else in order to follow Him to eternal glory!

COUNT THE COST!!
Don't START something you aren't going to FINISH!

One of the hardest lessons to teach people of this world today is this lesson!
In order to be assured that you are ACCEPTED by Christ, you must SURRENDER to Him as LORD!
One must GIVE UP self, and become SERVANT to Jesus!
One must give up selfish ways, and become what Jesus wants us to become!
I'll say it again! I've been preaching it for 30 years!
WITHOUT SURRENDER THERE IS NO SALVATION!!!

There is a REASON for this principle.
A person cannot, I repeat CANNOT, "finish" the life of Christianity!!!!
Only God can do it FOR you!
To FINISH getting to eternal glory, one must START by surrendering ALL he/she is to Jesus!
One cannot "follow" Christ into eternal glory by choosing his/her own paths!!
Because God's Holy Spirit will not "seal" one in salvation until that person is SURRENDERED!
SEE ALSO: Luke 9:23, Matthew 10:32-33, Matthew 10:38-39, John 14:6.

SALT. Salt was considered a preservative.
If salt lost its ability to preserve, then it was useless and should just be thrown away.

Christian, you are a preservative in this world. If it weren't for you, people would commit worse acts more often than they do. Your influence upon the world is necessary to restrain evil.

Now, here's what I hear Jesus saying: "If you are not exercising your influence, you are UNnecessary, and God will allow you to be run over ("trodden under foot")!
WOW! That puts a whole new perspective upon remaining active in ministry for our Lord!

That's why we must START Christianity with SURRENDER to Christ!
We CANNOT "finish" unless He HELPS us!!

Have YOU surrendered all you are to Jesus?

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.