Luke 14:7-14
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- In Luke 14:7-11 how does Jesus' view of honor vary from that held by others at the meal?
- What does this passage teach you about the differences between kingdom values vs. social values? In verse 7 Jesus observes subtle social behavior. What does that tell you about his ability to observe your behavior?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- How do things like customs and status get in the way of loving others in your family? Church? Workplace? Community?
- If you threw a party for the "poor," "crippled," "lame" and "blind," who would you invite? How might you do this?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
https://youtu.be/jFz-SUVrrYo
Series The Generous
Life “Open Heart & Hands”
Title: No Strings
Bookmark: Click Here
Opening Thoughts: What
is your motivation for giving? We often give expecting something in return.
This type of conditional giving often honors self, whereas genuine, unqualified
generosity honors God.
v Christmas Shopping
o
Each family has a
unique way of exchanging gifts.
o
Traditions
v Rules for Giving:
o
The Great Value
Rule
o
The
Acknowledgement Principle
o
The Rule of
Reciprocity
o
The Conditions
Rule
v Your Generosity:
o
Are strings
attached to your generosity?
o
Jesus said in Matthew 10:8 “Freely you have received;
freely give.”
===============================================================
Text: Luke 14:7-14
Jesus at a Pharisee’s House
14 One Sabbath,
when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being
carefully watched. 2 There in front of him was a
man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. 3 Jesus
asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the
Sabbath or not?” 4 But they remained silent. So
taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way.
5 Then he
asked them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into
a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?” 6 And
they had nothing to say.
7 When he
noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told
them this parable: 8 “When someone invites you to a
wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished
than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host
who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’
Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But
when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he
will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored
in the presence of all the other guests. 11 For all those who exalt themselves will be
humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
12 Then Jesus said
to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your
friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if
you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But
when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the
blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they
cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
===============================================================
Summarize
main story: Describe the events of the story in your own words.
v Review and
retell the story.
Reflections
for applications:
v
Honor
is to be given, not taken.
o
Luke
5:31-32 “It is not the healthy who need a
doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
o
This
is an appeal to change the rules of giving, to upend the social structures that
reinforce me-centered giving.
o
Luke
6:32-36 “If you love those who
love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment,
what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be
repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them
without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you
will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and
wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
v
Two
Different Ways to Give
o
Conditional
Giving:
§
Me-focused
§
Contractual / Transactional
§
Reinforces power structures
o
Free
Giving:
§
You-Focused
§
No strings attached
§
Empowers others
§
Proverbs
11:25 A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
§
2
Corinthians 9:10 Now he who supplies
seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store
of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
§
Luke
6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. A good
measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into
your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
o
Give
feely: No caveats, No conditions, No credit
§
Do something for someone, just because God loves
them.
Digging
Questions:
·
How
will you respond in generosity?
·
What do these biblical texts tell you about God and His nature?
·
What is God calling us to do?
Take
Away Challenges
·
What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in
this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?
·
Whom do you know who needs to hear this?
·
What is God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What
beliefs, thoughts or actions need to be addressed or changed?
Hash
tags #Give #Generosity
Sunday sermon link
https://youtu.be/5Jn0MllJLpY
Kevin’s Blog Link to more resources: Click here for Kevin’s Blog Notes
Comments
and resources with some more resources:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+6%3A11-19&version=NIV
