Reflection on Luke 14:1, 7-14

Jesus actually cares. 

When Jesus told a rich guy to invite “the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind” to the feasts he throws instead of inviting good friends and family Jesus was not just spouting off some ideal to make himself look compassionate and wise. 

In no way would Jesus tweet messages out to the world about caring for the poor while walking past those same people on the street. 

Jesus actually cares. 

Jesus actually seeks out and spends time with those who are poor.  He actually touches the crippled, the lame, and the blind, and brings healing while doing it.  Jesus actually goes out of his way to care.

Jesus does not hold a thousand dollar per plate feast for the elite, the proceeds of which go to help the poor, but to which the poor are not invited to eat.  Instead Jesus throws a feast of bread and fish for well over 5,000 people who have desperately sought him out.  Jesus does not just appear to care, Jesus actually cares.

Jesus does go and sit on a throne while he instruct us, his followers, to sit at the lowest spot at the table (at the least prestigious spot) instead of the place of honor next to the host.  Absolutely not! 

As Philippians 2:5-8 clearly teaches: “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.” 

The cross is the spot at the table of humanity that Jesus chooses to take.  This place of horror, shame, and torture is Jesus’ throne.   And, he does it not because it looks good.  Nothing about Roman torture looks good.  Rather, Jesus does it in order to save the world, that we might be raised with him on the third day.

Jesus could not care less about what others think.  Jesus could not care less about presenting himself well.  Jesus only cares about doing works of grace and being an agent of God’s grace. 

In Jesus, we find a sort of authenticity that we yearn to have.  Jesus is who he is.  Jesus does what he says.  Jesus loves because Jesus is love.  Jesus actually cares.

I want that.  I want that kind of life.  I want that sort of unreserved, selfless, caring sort of life.  I want a life of showing authentic love that does not have to worry about dressing things up or creating a good looking mask. 

In other words, I do not want to have to mow my lawn.  Right?  I do not want to have to wash my car.  Right?  I do not want to have to put on an hour’s worth of makeup just to go out for the evening.  Right?  Now, I know what many of you are thinking, “Pastor, you don’t really mow your lawn now.”  But, there is this very real pressure to present yourself in a certain way.  Presenting yourself well to the world can take a lot of time and, some cases, a lot of money. 

Deep down, I do not want to waste my time looking good.  I would rather use my time being good. 

I do not want people to just think that I am loving.  I want people to be loved.  I want that authentic life that Jesus has!  I want to step into that life into which Jesus is inviting us to live.

One of the first steps that Jesus lays out for us to live this sort of authentic life is to live blessed.  But, that may not mean what you think it means.

When I scroll through social media, I see a lot of people who say they are blessed.  I see pictures of people standing in front of their new home and underneath it I see the words “Blessed.”  I see celebrities relaxing on the white sands of a private island beach and nearby are the words, “Blessed.”  I see people sitting at feasts with family and friends with the word “Blessed” drawn graciously in those swoops and swirls of fine calligraphy. 

Now, there is no doubt that each of these people feels blessed.  I do not doubt their authenticity in this.  If you were to plop me on the white sands of a private beach and I would feel blessed also.  But, Jesus is clear that this is not what blessing is about.

Notice in the story that the man who throws the feast for his friends, family, and social movers and shakers is not blessed because of his ability to throw a feast.  Just because the guy has lots of money and food does not mean that he is “blessed” in Jesus’ mind. 

Rather than calling him “blessed,” I guess that we should more appropriately call that guy “privileged.” 

Maybe that guy could throw that feast because he had rich parents.  Maybe, he could throw that feast because he was at the right place at the right time to make lots of money.  Maybe, he could throw that feast because he worked hard for what he got and saved well. 

It does not matter how he got to his place of privilege in the world, his ability to throw a feast for his family and friends is not what makes him blessed.  Read close Luke 14:13, “…when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.  And you will be blessed.”  In Jesus’ world, it is not what you have that makes you blessed, it is what you do that makes you blessed. 

Just consider, in the matter of material things, Jesus had nothing.  He was as poor as the people that he healed.  But, we would never say that Jesus somehow lacked blessing, because, again, it is not what you have that makes you blessed.  Having a lot of things and wealth just makes you privileged.  In order to join the ranks of the “blessed” we join Jesus in doing the loving things that Jesus does and care about those who Jesus cares about. 

Do you want to live a blessed life?  Jesus has an answer for you: invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind to a banquet.  Do not feel blessed, rather, be a blessing to others.

A church in North Dakota decided to take Jesus literally here.  Instead, of having potlucks where members essentially serve each other, they decided to throw banquets for the poor.  And, banquets they are.  The people who come may have dirty clothes and unshaven faces, but they sit at tables with white tablecloths, eating off of fine china.  They are served by the church members as if they have stumbled into a fine French restaurant, and after everyone invited to the banquet are served, they are joined at the tables by those who did the serving.  Together, they eat.  And, the whole thing is Jesus’ literal picture of blessing.

Jesus actually cares.  Jesus does not just look like a blessing, Jesus is a blessing.  And, through his grace, he has brought us into that blessed life.  Be bold, and be blessed.  Walk with Jesus and be a blessing to others.