The Great Supper

Tonight we’re going to start to study the Parables of Jesus. Turn with me in your Bibles to Luke 14:15-24. While you’re turning there, I want to explain parables. A “parable” (Greek parabolē) is a teaching tool that Jesus often used. A parable will compare a spiritual truth by aligning it with a familiar physical event. The Bible says “Jesus spoke MANY THINGS to them in parables” (Matthew 13:3). Jesus’ disciples asked Him:

“Why do You speak to the crowd with parables?”
Matthew 13:10

Jesus told them:

Matthew 13:11-14 (LSB) {Jesus} said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 “For whoever has, to him [more] shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13 “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 “And in them the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 6:9-10) is being fulfilled, which says, ‘YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE;

Jesus spoke in parables for two reasons:

1 To teach Kingdom principles to those who were His followers, and
2 To hide Kingdom principles from those who lost, who were against the Kingdom

A parable was never given to help a lost person become saved. It was given to teach a saved person the things of God. It was given to perhaps chastise those who rejected what Jesus said. One pastor I heard explained it this way:

You never read a parable. A parable reads YOU!

Luke 14:15-17 (KJV) And when ONE OF THEM THAT SAT AT MEAT WITH HIM heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed [is] he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. 16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

Where Was Jesus When He Spoke This Parable?

Before you can understand a parable, you need to (1) be saved by the Grace of God, and (2) understand where Jesus was and to whom He spoke the parable. If you’re lacking either of these things, you will NOT understand the parable.

I am assuming you are all saved by the Grace of God, as it is Sunday night and you are here in Church with me. So where was Jesus, and to whom did He speak this parable? We read:

Luke 14:1 (KJV) And it came to pass, as {Jesus} WENT INTO THE HOUSE OF ONE OF THE CHIEF PHARISEES to eat bread on the sabbath day, that THEY WATCHED HIM.

Jesus didn’t just walk into a Pharisees home. Jesus was invited to supper, what the Pharisee considered a Great Supper. It’s not amazing to me that that these people invited Jesus to supper. What is amazing to me is that Jesus would go to the home of those who were so clearly His enemies. I know this if I was invited as a conservative Bible believing preacher to show up for an interview on “The View”, there is no way I would go. These people are rabidly liberal, left leaning, and Bible hating. Yet Jesus was invited to a lion’s den, where most of the guests there were Christ’s enemies. Jesus went anyway. Why? Because He didn’t give up on His enemies. I am so glad that Jesus didn’t give up on His enemies, that He was always reaching out, trying to save even the most difficult.

Jesus was there at the supper to save their souls. The “Great Supper” that the Pharisee hosted was not for Jesus’ benefit, but to gather evidence to destroy Him.

THEY WATCHED (ēn paratēreō) HIM

Word Study: Jesus wasn’t invited into this home to rest on the Sabbath. The word “WATCHED” is the Greek paratēreō, which means “they observed Him carefully, watching for fault”. The word is used in Mark 3:2 and Luke 6:7 for something by which they might accuse Jesus. Jesus accepted an invitation in order to perhaps lead someone to salvation. They gave the invitation so they might find more ammunition to destroy our Lord. In fact, they rigged this whole meal to catch Jesus out. They invited Jesus, but they also invited someone else. They were baiting a trap! They invited a man who had “DROPSY”:

Luke 14:2 (KJV) And, BEHOLD, there was a certain MAN BEFORE HIM WHICH HAD THE DROPSY.

What the heck is “DROPSY”? In olden days edema, or abnormal swelling of the legs, feet or abdomen was called “DROPSY”. Swelling like this happens when fluid leaks out of your blood vessels, and builds up in your body tissue. The causes of edema are heart failure, liver disease, or kidney disease. It was called “DROPSY” (Greek hydrōpikos) because it looked like the body was filled with “drops” of water. Edema is painful, and if untreated, fatal. With pulmonary edema you can drown in your own body fluid, and fluid around the heart can strangle your heart.

These critics of Jesus did not invite this poor man because they felt sympathy for him. In the hardness of their hearts they used this man like cheese on a trap, hoping to catch Jesus out. Before doing anything, Jesus asked these people a question from the Bible:

Luke 14:3 (KJV) Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, IS IT LAWFUL TO HEAL on the sabbath day?

These are SCRIBES, people who allegedly know what the Bible says. These are PHARISEES, people who claim to be masters of the Word of God. So Jesus puts them on the spot. He asks them, “IS IT LAWFUL, according to God’s Word, to HEAL on the Sabbath”? They weren’t expecting this. They thought Jesus would heal the man, then they could accuse Him. But Jesus put THEM on the spot. “You invited this man here. IS IT LAWFUL to heal him? What do YOU say”. What did they respond?

Luke 14:4 (KJV) And they held their peace.

Like most religious cowards, they wouldn’t stand up individually and speak truth. These type of people do better in crowds. They are, in fact, a cult, not a church. A church is based on what the Bible says. A cult is based on what the leaders of the cult say, not the Bible. Jesus healed the man, and then once more returned to the Bible:

Luke 14:5 (KJV) {Jesus} answered them, saying, Which of you shall have A DONKEY OR AN OX FALLEN INTO A PIT, and will not STRAIGHTWAY PULL HIM OUT ON THE SABBATH DAY?

The Law said that if a fellow Israelite saw a neighbor’s donkey or ox fall into a pit (Deuteronomy 22:4), then you were commanded to help them get the animal out of the pit. God said that “if you meet your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering astray, you are to catch it and return it to the enemy” (Exodus 23:4-5). The Jews had understood the Law that, if an animal was in distress, that you would rescue that animal – even if it were the Sabbath. And yet here was a fellow Israelite with edema, one they invited to a Great Supper. But they wanted him to suffer rather than Christ to heal him.

How Dark Is The Religious Heart?

These people invited this poor man in order to trap Jesus. Now Jesus speaks “The Parable of the Guests”.

Luke 14:7-14 (KJV) And {Jesus} put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, 8 When thou art bidden of any [man] to a wedding, SIT NOT DOWN IN THE HIGHEST ROOM {prōtoklisia, the chief place at the table}; lest a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him; 9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 11 For WHOSOEVER EXALTETH HIMSELF SHALL BE ABASED; and HE THAT HUMBLETH HIMSELF SHALL BE EXALTED. 12 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 recompense thee: for THOU SHALT BE RECOMPENSED AT THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST.

Jesus began by addressing those who were invited to this rich Pharisee’s Great Supper. When these people were invited to this Great Supper, they did not give Jesus the chief place. They themselves occupied the chief places.

They were not attending this Great Supper in honor of the Sabbath or of the Lord, but to puff up themselves, to hold themselves above even Jesus.

Jesus told these fine people that “WHOSOEVER EXALTETH HIMSELF SHALL BE ABASED; and HE THAT HUMBLETH HIMSELF SHALL BE EXALTED”.

This is not just a New Testament “Christian” concept. God throughout the scripture has said this over and over again.

Proverbs 29:23 (ESV) One’s PRIDE WILL BRING HIM LOW, but he who is LOWLY IN SPIRIT WILL OBTAIN HONOR.

Abraham humbled himself before God, and became the father of faith. Cain puffed himself up, and became the first murderer. The Bible says:

James 4:6, 10 (ESV) … God gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” … Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

God can and will work with broken people who humble themselves, but God despises arrogance. “God shows strength with His arm; He has scattered the PROUD in the thoughts of their hearts” (Luke 1:51). When Jesus came to this “Great Supper”, both He and this poor man with edema were set in the lower places.

If you are a saved person, a child of God’s Kingdom, then like Jesus you would want to bless the broken. God blesses the broken. God will not bless those who feel they are perfect!

Luke 14:13-14 But WHEN THOU MAKEST A FEAST, CALL THE POOR, the MAIMED, the LAME, the BLIND: 14 And THOU SHALT BE BLESSED; for they cannot recompense thee: for THOU SHALT BE RECOMPENSED AT THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST

What the rich Pharisee and his friends are doing at this “Great Supper” will never be rewarded in eternity. At this point I suspect there is a deadly and uncomfortable silence from those listening. How dare Jesus say anything critical of them? The silence perhaps went on for a minute or two while Jesus waited. Then one spoke up:

Luke 14:15 (KJV) And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, BLESSED IS HE THAT SHALL EAT BREAD IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

I was talking with Brother Ronnie Burns the other day, and he told me how one of his church members said something like “No one will be in hell”. What the member was saying is that anytime anyone dies, everyone says “they went to Heaven”. No one goes to hell but Hitler, Stalin, or maybe some President you don’t like. This Pharisee speaks up and says, “You’ll be blessed when you eat bread in the kingdom of God”.

How do you know you’ll even BE in the Kingdom of God?

If Jesus Christ is the King of the Kingdom, will you who are judging Him be invited into His Kingdom (Matthew 12:28)? It is Jesus Who preached the Gospel of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15). As the King, Jesus told all who would listen “The Kingdom of God is at hand: REPENT and BELIEVE the Gospel”. Jesus said:

Mark 10:15 (KJV) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not RECEIVE THE KINGDOM OF GOD AS A LITTLE CHILD, he SHALL NOT ENTER THEREIN.

These people are puffed up with pride, fighting for the best seats at an earthly “Great Supper”. Will they be taking bread in the “Great Supper” in glory?

The Parable Of The Great Supper

Luke 14:16-20 (KJV) Then said {Jesus} unto him, A CERTAIN MAN MADE A GREAT SUPPER, and BADE MANY: 17 And SENT HIS SERVANT at supper time to say to them that were bidden, COME; FOR ALL THINGS ARE NOW READY. 18 And they all with one [consent] began to make excuse. The FIRST said unto him, I HAVE BOUGHT A PIECE OF GROUND, and I MUST NEEDS GO SEE IT: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I HAVE BOUGHT FIVE YOKE OF OXEN, and I GO TO PROVE THEM: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I HAVE MARRIED A WIFE, and therefore I CANNOT COME.

God made a Great Supper. God invites many, whosoever will come. Jesus was invited to an earthly “Great Supper” and came to win souls. God sent Jesus to invite whosoever will to His Great Supper.

Jesus is God’s Son, but He is also God’s Servant. The Prophet Isaiah (42:1) wrote, “Behold My Servant, whom I uphold; mine Elect, in Whom My soul delighteth…”. Jesus said,

Matthew 20:28 The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister

and we are told in Philippians 2:7, “Jesus took upon Himself the FORM OF A SERVANT”. The “CERTAIN MAN” that Jesus speaks of is God the Father. The “SERVANT” in the parable is Jesus Himself.

The self righteous invited Jesus to a human supper, but Jesus came to invite them all to a Great Supper, the Kingdom of God.

What was the invitation? “COME; FOR ALL THINGS ARE NOW READY”. What must we bring to God to eat bread in the Kingdom of God? Nothing! We as broken creatures just accept His invitation. We take the hand of Jesus, and let Him lead us to glory. God has said in:

Isaiah 43:11 I, even I, am the Lord; and BESIDE ME THERE IS NO SAVIOR.

Isaiah 45:21 {I am} a just God and a Savior; there is NONE BESIDE ME.

Everything is ready. Accept the invitation. Grab the hand of the Savior, and go with Him. Jesus is the Savior of His people (Luke 2:11; Titus 2:13). All things are ready. Just come to Him.

But the self righteous made excuses. The self righteous always make excuses. I hear them every week. I ask, “Why couldn’t you be at Church worshiping the Lord you say you love this past week?” Out pops an excuse out of Satan’s Pez dispenser.

The FIRST said unto him, I HAVE BOUGHT A PIECE OF GROUND, and I MUST NEEDS GO SEE IT: I pray thee have me excused.

Every one of these excuses, and the excuses people often tell me, are nothing but lies. Who in the world buys land without first looking at it? No one! The truth is, this person’s heart was on the earth, on the things of this world, and not on the Great Supper of the Kingdom. He didn’t want to be there – and he won’t be. The second person said:

I HAVE BOUGHT FIVE YOKE OF OXEN, and I GO TO PROVE THEM: I pray thee have me excused

Again, this is a silly excuse. And yes, it is a lie. No one buys a tractor without first test driving it. I remember years ago Tommy Hanvy and Billy Pilkerton offered to sell me a lawn mower. We started out with a John Deere lawn tractor, which started quickly, and ran well. It had a problem, though, that it smoked like a steam engine. I refused it for that reason. I ended up spending about $100 more for a Snapper 30 inch cut mower – and I still have it today. No one invests money in a bunch of oxen or a tractor without first trying them out! Again, this person’s heart was on the earth, on the things of this world, and not on entering the Kingdom for the Great Supper.

another said, I HAVE MARRIED A WIFE, and therefore I CANNOT COME.

This particular lie was mixed with the Law of God. The Law said:

Deuteronomy 24:5 When a man hath TAKEN A NEW WIFE, he SHALL NOT GO OUT TO WAR, neither shall he be CHARGED WITH ANY BUSINESS: but HE SHALL BE FREE AT HOME ONE YEAR, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.

Though this lie had a tinge of Biblical Law to it, it was nonetheless silly. I believe even a newly married man and his wife would love to come to a Great Supper where everything was already prepared. He could have brought his wife with him, and given her a break from the kitchen! She would have enjoyed the meal.

They all made sad and silly excuses. The Evangelist Dwight L. Moody wrote:

“”Christ brought the hand of the Father clear down to the world; He put the hand of the sinner into the hand of his Father and died that they might be reconciled. You have nothing to do then to bring about a reconciliation. God is already reconciled to us and is ready to save us. If you will, you will; if you won’t, you won’t. Do you think that God would come down here to give you salvation without giving you the power to take it, and then condemn you to eternity for not taking it? With the gift comes the power, and you can take it and live if you will. … Whosoever will, let him drink of the waters of life freely”.

For each of these people in Jesus’ parable, I want you to notice that they were asked but once. God does not chase and chase. He bid Abraham follow Him, but did not beg Abraham. So many hear the Gospel call, and reject it when they should have ran to seize it. Oh foolish person – God does not have to ask you twice!

Who came to eat bread in the Kingdom?

Luke 14:21-22 (KJV) So that Servant came, and shewed His Lord these things. Then the Master of the house BEING ANGRY said to His Servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and BRING IN HITHER THE POOR, and THE MAIMED, and THE HALT, and THE BLIND. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and YET THERE IS ROOM.

The well to do man who had land, the grand farmer who had oxen, the handsome man with the new wife all rejected the Great Supper. They “gained the whole world, but lost their own souls” (Matthew 16:26). Everything the sought was the things of this earth – and they lost their place at the Table in Eternity. So God told the Son, go out and “BRING IN THE POOR, and THE MAIMED, and THE HALT, and THE BLIND”. Bring Me the broken, God says. God wants the broken, not the self righteous.

It is only the ragged sinner that opens God’s wardrobe!

Luke 14:23-24 (KJV) And the Lord said unto the Servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and COMPEL [them] to come in, that MY HOUSE MAY BE FILLED. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

God has room in Heaven for the broken who repent and cast themselves upon Jesus. Space is not an issue. I have heard of that silly cult who was headed by a retail clothing merchant named Charles Taze Russell. Russell was a great salesman. He helped manage and expand several men’s clothing stores. Russell knew how to pitch a sale, so the cult he started said that only 144,000 would be in heaven. So if you wanted to get in to the Great Supper, you’d better do so while there was room!

There’s room in Heaven. There’s no room for the self righteous, the self made, the self sufficient. But there is room for whosoever will. Sadly, many won’t, and will find themselves excluded from the Great Supper. I hope you’re not one of them.