Luke 14
COMMENTARY:
: 1 And it came to pass, as HE went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath day, that they watched HIM. (740 “bread” [artos] means any food, source of nourishment, cake, loaf, or showbread.)
DEVOTION: Have you ever been invited to another person’s house for dinner? Have you ever invited anyone to your house for dinner? If the answer to these two questions is yes you should find this verse interesting.
Jesus was invited to dinner by someone who didn’t like HIM or HIS ministry. This leader of the Pharisees invited HIM to dinner to find fault with HIM. His whole purpose was to have Jesus eat with him to find fault. Jesus knew what he was looking for and gave him a reason.
It was the Sabbath when the Pharisees believed nothing should be done. Their food had to be prepared the day before because cooking was considered work. So when Jesus healed the man with swollen legs and arms they had a reason to condemn HIM.
Our dinner guests should not have to worry about us looking for their faults. If we are looking we will find some. We are supposed to be individuals who are given to hospitality. Our homes should be open to those who want to drop by for a visit. We have always enjoyed company when our children were growing up. We almost always had someone else living with us.
CHALLENGE: Be given to hospitality. The LORD will honor your home because of it. No fault finding necessary.
: 11 For whosoever exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted. (5013 “abased” [tapeinoo] means humble, bring low, to be ranked below others who are honored or rewarded, making level, reducing to a plain, or to depress.)
DEVOTION: We are people of extremes at times. There are some people who think too highly of themselves and too little of others. There are people who think too lowly of themselves and think the LORD is pleased with them.
Jesus wants us to realize that there needs to be a balance in our thinking regarding ourselves. We are the light of the world once we become followers of Jesus Christ. Because of this fact we need to share the gospel with power. The power comes from the Holy Spirit but we are the instrument HE has chosen to use to reach our world. We have to have the confidence HE gives us to do this.
The other side is that we can get the idea that God can’t do anything without us. Many in Christian leadership have too high an opinion of them and cause a problem in our world that makes them not want to listen to us.
Our balance between humbleness and exaltation can only be achieved by a constant dependence on the Holy Spirit. If we met this goal we will treat people around us equally with love and respect. We will not mistreat those who are followers of the LORD. We will not look down on those who are not followers of the LORD. We will look with love on both with the purpose of encouraging Christians to grow more Christ-like and those without salvation with the love to draw them to the gospel. It is a ministry of caring genuinely for all that the LORD is bringing into our world.
There are too many in the church that does not care for one another, even though the LORD commands us to love one another. Many don’t care to even learn basic things about those sitting in the pew next to them each Sunday.
CHALLENGE: First priority for believers is to get to know those in the pew next to them and pray for them. Each church should have a list of members given to other members to put on a prayer list. Secondly, pray for the lost that you genuinely love.
: 26 If any man come to ME, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be MY disciple. (3404 “hate” [miseo] means detest, love less, disregard, be indifferent to, to abhor, disfavor, or feel antipathy or aversion towards.)
DEVOTION: Our first loyalty as believers must always be to the LORD Jesus Christ. HIS word is our guide and the Holy Spirit gives us directions. Our obedience to HIM will cause some family problems at times.
Our families must know that we love them but it will always be with the thought that Jesus comes first in our actions and attitude. We should never let our family or friends get between the teachings of the Word of God. If there is a choice we need to choose obedience. It is not always easy.
As a disciple of Jesus there is an obligation to stay consistent in our daily life around our family. Many people act one way in church and another way at home. This is not what this verse is talking about. Our actions have to be a witness to our family of our loving the LORD. This verse is just instructing us to keep our priorities straight. This is not what this verse is talking about. Our actions have to be a witness to our family of our loving the LORD.
CHALLENGE: How are your priorities in the eyes of the LORD?
: 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. (3101 “disciple” [mathetes] means learner, pupil, follower, student, apprentice, adherent or one tutored.)
DEVOTION: Being a follower of Christ was a lifestyle. Jesus defined what it meant to be a learner. In this verse he states that an apprentice has to bear his own cross. In another passage we learn that he must bear his own cross daily. It is a daily choice that a follower makes regarding the daily yielding to the LORD.
This chapter also informs us that a student has to submit all relationships under the relationship he has with the LORD. It informs us that a follower has to be willing to give up all his possessions to follow the LORD. Someone who adheres to the teachings of Jesus has to spread HIS message to all those around him whether they want to hear or not.
If we are going to be a true learner of the LORD, we have to be willing to submit all personal relationships and possessions and take up our cross to follow HIM. HE is only willing to tutor those who are willing to give their all to HIM.
Does this mean that we can’t own anything? NO!! It means that people or things can’t own us. Does this mean that we can’t have any friendships or family? NO!! It means that we can’t put friends or family in front of the LORD. These are hard choices we have to make daily. Many will tell us that we don’t have to give up things to be pupils of Christ but they are lying to us.
Some of us are people pleasers instead of LORD pleasers. Some of us are possession controlled instead of LORD controlled. When we are part of the family of God, we have to submit all aspects of our life to HIM.
Jesus wants those who say they are followers of HIM to count the cost. The cost is rejection by men. This includes family members. This includes the world in general. The ultimate cost could be that a pupil would lose his life for the sake of the message of Christ.
CHALLENGE: Being a true follower of Christ takes time and effort. This can be a great cost to friendships and possessions. Count the cost!!
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