Luke 14: 7-24
Three Banquet Parables

by Gary DeLashmutt

Introduction

Jesus is on his way down to Jerusalem to lay down his life for the world.  The hostility between him and the religious leaders is growing, as you can tell by 14:1-6 (read).

But Jesus doesn't stop there. He goes from defense to offense, motivated not by vengeance but by love. Over dinner, he tells them three banquet parables. While on the surface they deal with common banquet etiquette, they are actually designed to expose their spiritual bankruptcy and convince them of their need for the kind of change that only he can give.

Self-promotion vs. self-effacement (vs 7-11)

Read 14:7. I wonder how they were picking out the places of honor: switching namecards, muscling others away from the seat, etc.? However they were doing it, Jesus addresses their behavior (read 14:8-11).

The fact that this is called a “parable” (v. 7) and that Jesus spells out its lesson (v. 11) make it clear that this story is not primarily about dinner etiquette, but about personal and spiritual integrity. The guests' behavior is symptomatic of an attitude that is spiritually dangerous.

Jesus' point is not that it is wrong to desire honor and recognition for service; it is from whom you seek it and the way you seek it. Jesus condemns self-promotion to gain people’s recognition, and commends self-effacement to gain God’s honor.

Here Jesus directly contradicts human wisdom. Whether it is political office, or our position at work, or our role in the church, the world tells us it is good—even necessary—to be self-promoting (HOW TO MARKET YOURSELF; “IF YOU DON’T PROMOTE YOURSELF, WHO WILL?”). But Jesus warns us that self-promotion will corrupt and lead to dishonor, while self-effacement will result in true and lasting honor from God.

Let’s bring this out of the abstract by contrasting these two attitudes.

Self-promotion boasts and/or milks compliments about its accomplishments (TURN CONVERSATION; BORED CONCERNING OTHERS).

Self-effacement remains quiet about its accomplishments (Prov. 27:2).

Self-promotion puts down peers & resents their promotion (ON THE JOB).

Self-effacement speaks well of peers & rejoices over their promotion (Rom. 12:10b).

Self-promotion views higher roles as positions of greater power and privilege over others (POSTMODERNISM’S INSIGHT INTO HUMAN NATURE).

Self-effacement views higher roles as positions of greater service to others (Mk. 10:42-45).

Self-promotion takes advancement into one's own hands ("ITCH" to keep climbing; PUSHING, POLITICKING, THREATENING, CALLING IN FAVORS, etc.).

Self-effacement puts advancement into God's hands (1 Pet. 5:6; NOT LAZY OR PASSIVE—BUSY SERVING AT YOUR POST; SCHAEFFER’S “EXTRUSION”).

Jesus Christ is the only Person who ever lived a life of perfect self-effacement. The One who had the right to be self-promoting instead came and "took the lowest seat," trusting his Father to exalt him at the proper time (Phil. 2:5-11). 

And he is the only One who can liberate us from self-promotion and develop his character in us. All self-generated attempts will be corrupted by our fallen natures (LEGALISTIC SEATING). Only when we turn to Jesus and then cooperate with his Spirit's work in our lives can we be substantially delivered from this form of pride and learn something of true humility.

Giving to get vs. giving freely (vs 12-14)

Perhaps the host had a snit of self-righteous indignation at his guests.  So Jesus turned his guns on the host—he wanted to make sure he didn't conclude from the first parable that he was righteous (read 14:12-14).  Like the first parable, this one searches our motives.

Jesus is not literally forbidding us from serving those who may reciprocate (e.g., have friends over for dinner; accepting a Christmas gift). It is Jewish hyperbole: "Don't do this as much as doing that . . . "  The issue is why you give more than on who you give to. The integrity issue is giving to get vs. giving freely (Lk. 6:33-35). This is a key area to look at if you want successful relationships (SPOUSES; CLOSE FRIENDS) and a fulfilling life.

Discerning the difference:

Giving to get is often “tribalistic”—limited to those you already know.

Giving freely reaches putward to those beyond your circle.

Giving to get keeps a mental list of favors and becomes angry when others don't reciprocate past favors (“AFTER ALL I’VE DONE FOR YOU!!).

Giving freely is "forgetful" of past service (Mt. 6:3-4) and accepts denial of request without anger.

Giving to get views happiness primarily as receiving from others ("YOU MUST MAKE ME FELL LOVED, SECURE, ETC.” >> DESTROYS RELATIONSHIPS).

Giving freely understands that the highest happiness is giving to others (Acts 20:35; ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE FEELINGS EQUATED WITH GETTING LOVED).

Giving to get is the result of believing you must meet all your own needs.

Giving freely is the result of trusting God to meet your needs (Lk. 12:32-33).

Again, notice that this integrity issue is a spiritual matter. It is possible to give freely only when we learn and believe that God is good, and that he is committed to our welfare. This is why only by receiving and walking with Christ can we cultivate a lifestyle of freely giving to others.

The Preoccupied Guests (vs 15-24)

Read 14:15. Perhaps this guest sensed the atmosphere was getting tense, so he seized on Jesus' mention of the resurrection of the righteous and tried to change the subject and propose a toast. (“Won’t that be a great banquet—not like this one!”)

Both the Old Testament and New Testament speak of Messiah's salvation as a banquet, symbolizing the close personal fellowship God wants with his people. The guests, being all socially acceptable and religiously practicing Jews, were confident that they would be present at God's salvation banquet. 

Instead of agreeing with him, Jesus tells a parable to correct this misconception.

Read 14:16-17. In first century Jewish custom, hosts sent out the invitations weeks in advance so that preparations could be made. Then, on the day of the banquet, he sent out a servant  to summons the respondents when all was ready. To not attend was a grave insult to the man giving the dinner—like RSVPing and then not showing up.

The man giving the banquet is obviously God, and his banquet is obviously salvation. After centuries of preparation, God was now sending out his invitation to salvation through Jesus.

Read 14:18-20. These are really lame excuses (“I’M BUSY—I’VE GOTTA WASH MY HAIR.”)! The time to look at a piece of land or check out oxen is before you buy them. I won’t even touch the one about just getting married! They just weren’t interested in the banquet.

This refers primarily to his immediate audience. They had a variety of lame excuses for not responding to Jesus (ILLEGITIMATE BIRTH; NAZARETH; DEMON-POSSESSED), but the real issue was that they were more into their religion, business, etc. than fellowship with God.  Because they belittled the importance of this invitation by being too busy for it, it is withdrawn from them (v. 24). God invites; he doesn't beg.

Read 14: 21-22. This probably refers to the "sinners" of Jewish society.  Many of them recognized their need for God's forgiveness and responded to Jesus' message of grace.

Read 14:23. This probably refers to the Gentiles. Like the Jewish "sinners," many of them also recognized their need for God's forgiveness and responded to Jesus' message of grace.

The point is that salvation is for those who value it enough to respond actively to God's invitation!

APPLICATION: God invites you to his banquet through the person of Jesus Christ. You don’t have to wait until the end of the age because Jesus offers to begin this banquet now in your heart (Rev. 3:20). This invitation is the most important invitation you will ever receive, and it demands a decisive, positive response.

You may say, “Hey, I don’t mock God. Things are probably OK between him and me. We have a nice arrangement—I don’t bother him and he doesn’t bother me.” What’s the difference between this and the people who got the dinner invitations? Yet Jesus viewed their response as a rejection. There is no “truce” or “DMZ” with God—you are either his ally or you are collaborating with the enemy.

You may even think, “Christ's invitation is one I’d like to accept some day—but not now because I’m so busy with other matters.”  They don't have to be morally bad matters (SCHOOL; CAREER; MARRIAGE; CHILDREN)—none of these people was involved in such things. But when even good matters become more important to us than getting to know God, they have become too important!! No other matter is important enough to justify putting off God's invitation.

Besides, preoccupation with other matters has a way of becoming a habit. Maybe you said two years ago "I'll get around to God as soon as I'm not so busy”—but it's two years later and you're still too busy. If this is your attitude, you'll likely still be too busy two years from now. The world-system will always have something to keep you distracted from a life-changing personal relationship with Christ!

Listen! God is inviting you into fellowship with himself right now through this teaching! The time to respond is now!