The Reading
The Gospel
Luke 14:1, 7-14
On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.
When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, `Give this person your place,' and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, `Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
The Sermon
Humility
Jesus lived in a society
where much emphasis was placed on honor and shame. It is very
evident in this reading. In this time, his time, it was perfectly
acceptable for a person to jockey for the best seat in the house and
Jesus once again told the Pharisees what they did not want to hear.
He stressed to them the
importance of humility. He tells them and us not to search out
places of honor but to look in the other direction toward a humble
place at the table. He also brings out the ironic consequence of
this situation by telling us that people will notice our humility and
honor us for it.
Many of you in this
congregation do so many kind deeds in our community and you do it
with no expectation of reward of any sort. As most of you know I was
given an award this year by Chamber/Mainstreet. I did not see it
coming and frankly I was embarrassed when they announced the award.
If I could have disappeared into a corner of the room I would have
gladly done so.
I am like so many of you.
You and I do not do things for our community so that we can be
recognized for it. Ken, Karen, Lance and Sonya are not at the food
pantry filling grocery carts so someone will praise them. They do
public service for the right reasons. They do it out of love for the
people who need their help.
Jesus said, “When you
give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the
blind.” He tells us that even though we ask for nothing in return:
no honors or awards. The rewards will come because the Father sees
and God has a long memory.
Amen
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