Luke 14:12-14 Reading
from NLT: Then He turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a dinner,”
He said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors.
For they will repay you by inviting you back. Instead, invite the poor, the
crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14) Then at the resurrection of the godly,
God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”
Reading from KJV:
Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper,
call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors;
lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. 13) But when thou
makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: 14) and thou
shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompensed thee: for thou shalt be
recompensed at the resurrection of the just. [The word, recompense means to pay
for or pay back or repay]
I want you to
notice this: Jesus was speaking to his host who had invited Jesus to his
dinner. The word, host means the one who serves and entertains guests socially.
The host was rich and he could afford to invite anyone and others would invite
him again “to be fair” by taking turns. But Jesus wanted to tell the host how
God would reward him better by inviting those who could not pay back to the
host.
Jesus used the demonstration
of humility by inviting those who have nothing. Jesus’ true meaning of humility
is not serving those who can pay you back. Jesus showed that true humility is
serving those who are needy & cannot pay you back. Jesus emphasized
strongly that true humility shall be rewarded.
When will that
be, a rewarding time? At the resurrection of the godly. It means that at any
time when the godly or born again believers in Jesus Christ will be caught up
in the air to meet the Lord. There will be a rewarding time. He promised to
“repay you” for all you have done for helping others who could not pay you
back. Imagine that! God is so good!
So let’s trust
God today!
Song: If You
Would Be Great in God’s Kingdom
If you would be
great in God’s kingdom,
Then learn to be
servant of all.
If you would be
great in God’s kingdom,
Then learn to be
servant of all,
Learn to be
servant of all,
Learn to be
servant of all.
I’ll open up a
river, when you are a giver,
Learn to be
servant of all
(Song
collection, author unknown)
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