Sermon Tone Analysis

*Sent to the ‘Principles’ Office*

*Luke 14:1-14*

 

v    Jesus got there early.

He had been invited to the house of a high ranking Pharisees for dinner and it was polite to be a few minutes early to say that he appreciated the invite.

After some brief pleasantries he was shown to his place and he reclined at the table.

v    He watched as all the right people filed in.

Those with money, those with connections, those with

v    He watched as the guests then proceeded to play musical chairs, fighting for the most prominent spots closest to the head of the “U” shaped table

v    He watched and he knew that this was not going to be a relaxing dinner.

He knew because he had been invited to dinners like this before.

He could see the rather indiscreet pointing, the quick glances out of the corner of their eyes, the feigned politeness with which he was greeted.

v    Jesus knew something was up so he just waited for the other shoe to drop.

v    The hall was full.

The musical chairs had finally subsided.

The guests had finally stopped fighting over who was to sit where.

All the chairs at the table were full except for one.

One on the very end.

v    A weak knock was heard at the door.

The host got up and walked to the door all the while glancing back at Jesus.

He opened the door and there stood a man who was obviously afflicted with some type of disease.

This man was certainly was out of place in this hall full of prominent, wealthy, high ranking guests.

v    No one else heard it, but Jesus certainly did.

It was a very distinct thud.

The other shoe had just hit the floor.

* *

v    This situation was not new to Jesus

Ø     He had been confronted again and again by the Pharisees

§        Especially on the Sabbath

v    But this day was different

Ø     Jesus looked around and saw an opportunity

§        The hall was full of men who had the responsibility to teach Israel about The Kingdom of God

·        */His Kingdom!/*

v    Yet these men perverted the word of God

Ø     What they were teaching /his/ flock was full of error

§        And Jesus saw an opportunity to correct them in three areas

v    The first correction…

Ø     The Kingdom of God is all about Mercy

* *

*READ 14:1-6*

 

*Mercy*

It is our misery that calls forth God's mercy.

A parent knows how this is.

When a child is suffering from a severe cold with a sore throat, runny nose, severe congestion, and assorted aches and pains, and all he can do is throw his arms around your neck and cry, what does this evoke in you as a parent?

It awakens your pity, and you reach out and try to relieve the child's distress in any way you possibly can.

Why?

Because his misery has called forth your mercy.

v    And this man’s misery awakened Jesus mercy

Ø     Because that is what the kingdom of God is all about!

§        You can see that in the two questions Jesus asks

·        Should be answered with a “yes”

¨     V.

3 and 5

Ø     Most of all on God’s day…the Sabbath

§        Mercy should be shown!

v    But that is certainly not what had been modeled and taught about God is that…

Ø     He was not a merciful God

Ø     He was full of judgment and wrath

Ø     He sat up there just waiting for them to make a mistake so he could punish them

§        Isn’t that the view that many people have of God the Father today?

v    *Youth Group Illustration*

Ø      Anderson flipping to the back of the Bible and reading *Rev 22:18-19*

§        /I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.

And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book./

Ø     His question was: Why does God threaten me?

Why does God want to take away people’s lives?

§        Do you see the view of God that he has?

·        He doesn’t see (because he doesn’t know) that God wants to protect his *Revelation* because it finally answers the two questions that plague man about God

¨     Why do bad people prosper?

(Fairness of God)

Ø     They don’t!

¨     Why do bad things happen to god’s people?

Ø     They do…in this life

Ø     This life is not fair!

§        But Jesus is coming to correct all that

·        The next one is perfect!

§        But the youth just saw the wrath and judgment of God in that verse

·        Not the grace and mercy

v    I think it takes us a while to truly understand and see the mercy of God in our own lives

Ø     How he cares and protects us

Ø     How he puts his hand of protection over us

Ø     How he shields us from so much

Ø     How he does not give us what we deserve so many times

§        For that is the definition of mercy…

·        Justice is getting what you do deserve

·        Grace is getting what you do not deserve

·        Mercy is not getting what you do deserve

¨     We all deserve punishment for our sins

¨     We all look like this man spiritually

Ø     Describe dropsy

§        We are miserable in our sin

·        *But our misery calls forth God’s mercy*

v    The Kingdom of God is all about mercy

 

v    The second correction…

Ø     The Kingdom of God is all about Humility

*Humility*

*READ 14:7-11*

v    Boy!

You can imagine the squirming that was going on while he told this parable!

Ø     Jesus was hitting them right between the eyes

§        With all the musical chairs at the beginning of the dinner

·        Pushing and shoving to try to sit next to the right person

·        Rushing to get to the head of the table