A sermon, based on this week's lectionary readings, that I shared at Bangsar Lutheran Church. It is a reflection on the abundance of God's grace towards those who might be said to be "undeserving". www.bangsarlutheran.org

1. Humility, Hospitality and
The People I’d Rather
Not Invite To Dinner
BLC Sermon – 1 Sep 2013

2. There are a
few people
I’d never
invite to
dinner
(or at least,
be forced to
sit next to)

4. Who’s on your list?

5. 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…
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.

6. 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.”
Luke 14:1-14

7. Jesus, as usual, throws
everything “upside down”
with a Great Reversal

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.
• 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.
• 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
•
• 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.

9. It’s bad enough my guest
list is flipped, I’m then told
how to treat “these
people.”

10. Hebrews 13
1 Keep on loving one another as brothers and
sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for
by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without
knowing it. 3 Continue to remember those in prison as if
you were together with them in prison, and those who are
mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering…
…7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to
you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith…
… 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with
others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

11. I mean, seriously, C’MON!!!

12. Because, you know, He is
inviting that part of
me to dinner

13. 13 “My people have
committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot
hold water.
Jeremiah 2:13
We swapped God:
Abandoning Him for
idols of our own.

15. And in my best behavior
I am really just like him
Look beneath the floorboards
For the secrets I have hid
Sufjan Stevens,
John Wayne Gacy Jr.,

17. “Do not imagine that if you meet a really
humble man he will be what most people call
“humble” nowadays: he will not be a sort of
greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling
you that, of course, he is nobody.
Probably all you will think about him is that he
seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a
real interest in what you said to him.
If you do dislike him it will be because you feel
a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy
life so easily. He will not be thinking about
humility: he will not be thinking
about himself at all.”
— C.S. Lews, Mere Christianity
Humility is not thinking less of yourself;
it is thinking of yourself less.

18. The Grace bit: Not only
are the parts we wouldn’t
invite, invited – they are
given the special places
of honor.

19. 11 For all those who exalt
themselves will be humbled,
and those who humble
themselves will be exalted.”
Luke 14:11

20. 9 And He said to me,
“My grace is sufficient
for you, for My
strength is made
perfect in weakness.”
II Corinthians 12:9

21. COMMUNITY is the difference between:
BEING THE CHURCH and
GOING TO CHURCH
There are implications:
We need each other1 Corinthians 12:12-27

22. 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…
One more thing: All of you saw this bit, right?

23. If Jesus didn’t flip the guest list,
I wouldn’t be on it

24. This is
There are many rooms.
All are welcome here.