Sermon Tone Analysis

*Read Lu 14:12-14* – There is a great story about George Gershwin who gave a party one time solely to show off his music.

Groucho Marx was there and someone asked, “Do you think Gershwin’s melodies will still be played 100 years from now?” Groucho replied, “Sure – if George is still around to play them.”

That is exactly the point Jesus makes in our text.

He teaches us that there are two ways to live – to serve self or to serve others.

And his point is if we live to serve self, our efforts will last only as long as we do.

But serving others has eternal reward.

The message is that simple and I’d say, “Let’s go home.”

But I know you’d be disappointed if we didn’t flesh it out a bit!

The setting here goes clear back to v. 1. Jesus has been invited to Sabbath lunch by a leading Pharisee.

But it’s a setup.

They’ve also invited a sick man hoping Jesus will heal him and they can accuse him of breaking the Sabbath.

Jesus points out that they even take care of animals on the Sabbath and can hardly object to the healing of a human being leaving them speechless.

Next, Jesus gives a lesson in humility – a parable showing entrance to His kingdom is reserved for those who give up trying and turn to Him to receive salvation by grace.

But He’s not done!

He now uses the example of a dinner party to further expose the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, hoping to provoke repentance.

Jesus’ intro in vv.

12-14 teaches the kingdom principle that advancement into the kingdom and within the kingdom comes by serving, not by self-promotion.

Jesus tells what not to do (Prohibition), what to do (Prescription) and why (Promise).

*I.

The Prohibition (12) (Selfish Service)*

12 “He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid.”

So, a prohibition against having friends over for dinner?

Not exactly.

We must go a little deeper than that.

Jesus is using this social occasion to typify a much broader problem.

The key is in the last phrase -- lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid.

Jesus is not objecting to a meal among friends, but that calculating attitude and lifestyle which does for others only to get back in return.

It doesn’t matter whether the event is a dinner party aimed at getting a reciprocal invitation, helping someone’s political campaign with an eye to personal political advancement, contributing to the hospital wing to get your name on the wall, or giving a loan at an exaggerated interest rate.

This is the person who never does anything for anyone – without an angle.

Personal gain is their only aim!

They serve with an eye to reciprocation.

This is the kind of behavior that Jesus is prohibiting.

It was rife among the Pharisees.

They were happy to invite friends over who could advance their political or religious ambitions.

They only wanted to be seen with the “best people.”

They didn’t mind doing for others – as long as there was something in it for them.

They represent people who are always looking for a return -- whether it is an invitation to dinner, a contribution to a cause, volunteer work or whatever.

It’s an attitude that easily invades the church.

We’re believers, but we still contend with the old nature.

We’re Pharisees at heart, an attitude does not die easily.

British theologian N.T. Wright preached on this passage one time.

Don’t invite friends and neighbors but invite the poor and disabled to dinner.

Next week, he and his wife got 3 invitations to dinner from people who had been there, leaving them unsure which category of guest they fell into – poor or disabled.

They were too polite to ask!

The point is Jesus desires selfless service, not service aimed at advancement, even religious.

Like the poem:

He dropped a penny in the plate

And meekly raised his eyes,

Glad the week’s rent was duly paid

For mansions in the skies.

That is someone who thinks he can even put God under obligation by service.

That is the attitude that Jesus is condemning here.

Our service must not be with the prospect of using others to further our own ends.

Like the lady who complained, “All my husband and I do anymore is fight.

It’s upset me so much I’ve lost 20 pounds.”

Someone asked, “If it’s so bad it’s affecting your health, why don’t you just leave?”

She replied, “Well, I’d like to lose another 15 pounds first.”

She was willing to go on serving as wife as long as she was getting some benefit.

Similarly we can serve on for personal gain!

Serving others for what you can get out of it is hypocritical.

Acts 8 tells the story of a magician named Simon who lived in Samaria in the time of the apostles who amazed locals called Simon the Great.

But then revival came to town under Philip and many believed, including Simon – or so it seemed.

His true colors showed when Peter and John arrived and laid hands on the new believers at which point they received the HS.

Let’s pick up on Acts 8:18, “18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

(In other words, Simon hoped to advance his magician’s career with this new approach.

Peter goes on).

21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.”

When we do for others only for what we can get out of it, we are no better than Simon.

That’s the attitude Jesus is condemning – service aimed at personal gain.

*II.

The Prescription (13) (Selfless Service)*

13 “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.”

Once again, Jesus isn’t just giving advice for dinner parties – altho helping feed the poor, the lame and blind is a great place to start.

But this is a parable aimed at our lifestyle in general, not just one aspect.

Jesus is teaching that we are here to give to and live for others, not just ourselves.

We are to serve in a selfless way, not in a selfish way.

Jesus was calling out his host because he knew that everything he did was calculated for his own benefit.

And in calling him out, Jesus is calling us out as well.

In a way, this is just another way of saying what Jesus says in Matt 22:37, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

38 This is the great and first commandment.

39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

In other words, you get these two right and you can forget the rest.

They fall into place automatically.

But loving your neighbor just like you love yourself is not easy.

We are born selfish.

Surely we all recognize that.

If the first words a child learns are Momma and Dada, then the third is “MINE!”

And sometimes that one comes first!

It’s only natural that we are more about me than we are about thee.

But Jesus is challenging us, “Listen, if you want to follow me to the kingdom – “me” has to take a backseat!”

The world thinks, “What can that person do for me?” Believers are learning to think, “What can I do for that person?”

In Luke 6:35, Jesus even applies this to enemies: “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.”

Perhaps we expect nothing in return from our children – altho even there we’re usually looking for reciprocation – but when was the last time we really did something for someone else with no expectation of any kind of return?

A man and his wife were visiting with the doctor about the wife’s upcoming surgery.

They doctor went thru his whole speech then asked if they had any questions.

The husband said, “Yes, I have one.

How long will it be before she can resume housework?”