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We all know people who are very focussed on getting what they want and who are prepared to trample over others in the process. Jesus recognised such people and he had harsh criticism for those who wanted to hold positions of power over others.

When Jesus went to dinner at the home of one of the religious leaders, he used the opportunity to speak out publicly and criticise those who rushed to take the best seats at the table. Jesus said that those who behaved like this would find no reward, but those who learned humility would be recognised by God.

Jesus wanted his followers to copy his example, he had few possessions, he gave up his authority and became a servant.

It is a lesson for us all, Jesus stands human reason on its head. If we want to be truly happy, if we wish to be fulfilled and know that our contribution to life is worthwhile, then we have to learn to put put others first and be prepared to think less about ourselves.

The advice which Jesus gives to those who would walk the path to fulfilment is very different from what you will hear elsewhere.

Opening Verse of Scripture Philippians Chapter 1

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

Collect Prayer for the Day —Before we read we pray

Father of all, you gave your only Son, to take upon himself the form of a servant and to be obedient even to death on a cross. Give us the same mind that was in Christ Jesus that, sharing in his humility, we may come to be with him in his glory; for he lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

First Bible Reading Proverbs 25:6-7

Do not exalt yourself in the king's presence, and do not claim a place among great men; it is better for him to say to you, "Come up here," than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman.

Second Reading Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."So we say with confidence,
"The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name . And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Reader: This is the word of the Lord - All: Thanks be to God)

Gospel Reading Luke 14:1,7-14

When the reading is announced—Glory to Christ our Saviour. One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honour at the table, he told them this parable: "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honour, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 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 honoured in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbours; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." (Reader: This is the Gospel of Christ—Praise to Christ our Lord)

Post Communion Prayer

God of our pilgrimage, you have willed that the gates of mercy should stand open for those who trust in you: look upon us with your favour that we who follow the path of your will may never wander from the way of life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Commentary

Jesus was criticized for his lifestyle, he was considered to be a heavy drinker and a glutton. It seems that he was only too willing to accept dinner invitations, even if they were occasions used by his enemies to trap him. For Jesus meals were an important occasion and they were about much more than devouring food. The meal was an occasion for talking and fellowship, and important things were said by Jesus in this public gathering. This was a society without radio television or newspapers and meals were often large occasions with many people listening and reporting what took place.

On the occasion reported in Luke today, Jesus is invited to dinner with a leader of the Pharisees. All eyes would be upon Jesus especially by those who wanted him to make a mistake.

It would be understandable if Jesus had declined such an invitation but he does not, he is prepared to meet with everybody, even to eat in the company of those who wanted to trap him.

Indeed, not only does Jesus turn up, he uses the occasion to heal on the Sabbath and takes the opportunity to tell a parable about the Kingdom.

It is not in the reading today but we are told in verses 2-7 that there was a man at the gathering who had dropsy, he would have swelling and be suffering from his condition. He might have been deliberately placed by the opponents of Jesus, as a challenge to see how Jesus would act. Would the man be healed by Jesus, or would Jesus respect the Sabbath? Notwithstanding the medical condition of the man it would be entirely reasonable for Jesus to make an appointment for the man to come back the following day, to avoid healing on the Sabbath. Instead Jesus faces his opponents head on and performs a healing, rules are not more important than compassion.

It is then afterwards that Jesus taught a parable which is part of our Gospel reading today. The thrust of the teaching is as follows,

"all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

Perhaps at the meal Jesus noticed people jostling and trying to take the best seats. We know that Jesus frowned upon people who liked to glorify themselves and he had particularly strong words for the Pharisees. Remember this passage from Matthew Chapter 23:1

‘Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. "Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honour at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'

Jesus had harsh words for those who held high positions and who sought elevation of their position over others. advancement of their own. Christians should be people who are voluntarily humble and modest. If we seek pride of place and vainly pursue our own ambition, then eventually we are likely to find ourselves subject to embarrassment and shame. This is an important lesson in life. But the teaching of Jesus is more far reaching, if we behave in such a way we will anger God and bring upon ourselves his judgement. God does not favour the proud, rather he brings them low and exalts the humble and the meek. Anything we consider ourselves to possess worth boasting of is not ours by personal merit, it is a gift and grace of God.

Then Jesus went on to speak about who we should invite to dinner. Jesus is saying that in God’s Kingdom the rules of order and importance are very different. Christians should be concerned with those whom society does not esteem, because God cares deeply for those who are treated badly. If we care for those who are unloved and uncared for then In doing such a thing we will ourselves find blessing. At the time of Jesus the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind were examples of groups that Christians should be concerned with. This was because they were treated badly and thought to be a lower class of person. The crippled, lame and blind were forbidden to serve as priests because of their physical imperfections (Lev 21:17-23).

To a certain extent this is always the way in which the poor are thought of, but each generation has other groups which are marginalized. The words of Jesus are challenging because his words are not about who we say prayers for, or who we donate money towards. Jesus demands action at a most fundamental level, who we eat with.

Jesus is not against hospitality towards our families and friends, but he is making very clear the point that those who do good to their relations and friends but are tight fisted to the poor, are certainly not praiseworthy, for they are not exercising love, but thinking only of themselves.

Caring for others has nothing to do with mutual return, liberality which is given in the pursuit of personal gain is something to be ashamed of. Such deeds have their own reward and will not be congratulated or rewarded by God. Rather, they are blessed who give without hope of any earthly reward, it is they who carry out God’s work.

God calls Christians to participate in an the values and principles of the Kingdom. When we do so we are blessed by God, not in a material, but a spiritual way. We store up riches in heaven, even if we are broke on earth! We should seek to please God, not other people. "

Charles Royden

Meditation

True godliness is an apparently reckless investment in the parts of the world that beg for attention in real need, but that show no potential of paying back dividends. Yet, Jesus promises that God sees and that God will pay the interest on an investment.

Hymns

Praise to the Lord 16
Kum ba ya 595
O Christ the healer 395 (Tune Heronsgate)
Father who in Jesus 607

Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead

representation of prayer as seed growing

"Prayer is a plant, the seed of which is sown in the heart of every Christian.
If it is well cultivated and nourished it will produce fruit, but if it is neglected, it will wither and die."

Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead

Lord, teach us that your Son died to save us, not from suffering but from ourselves; not from injustice, but from being unjust; and not from dying but so that we might die to ourselves; and this we ask through the same Christ our Lord. Amen
George Macdonald 1824-1905

O blessed Jesus, immortal and victorious, by the sorrow you suffered when all the powers of your heart failed you, have mercy on us and help us in our days of darkness and in our hours of weakness, that we do not lose hold of you either in this life, or in the life of the world to come; and this we ask for your own name's sake. Amen
St Bridget of Sweden, 1303-1373

Gracious God, whose only desire it is that men and women will come from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south and will sit down together at the feast of your Kingdom; have mercy on those of Abrahamic faith, whether they are Jews, Christians or Muslims, and grant that they may behold in you the one God and Father of all, and see in each other only those created in your own image and likeness; and that thus beholding and seeing they may turn aside from all evil and violence and, with one mind, undertake that ministry of reconciliation which you have committed to them; for to you belongs all honour, all glory and praise, now and for ever. Amen
Norman Wallwork

Additional Resources

Opening Verse of Scripture, Hebrews Chapter 13:15

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Collect Prayer for the Day-Before we read we pray

Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray and to give more than either we desire or deserve: pour down upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Bible Reading, Jeremiah Chapter 2:4-13

Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, all you clans of the house of Israel. This is what the LORD says: "What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. They did not ask, 'Where is the LORD, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and rifts, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?' I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable. The priests did not ask, 'Where is the LORD?' Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols. "Therefore I bring charges against you again," declares the LORD. "And I will bring charges against your children's children. Cross over to the coasts of Kittim and look, send to Kedar and observe closely; see if there has ever been anything like this: Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols. Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror," declares the LORD. "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. (This is the word of the Lord—Thanks be to God)

Second Bible Reading, Luke Chapter 14:1, 7-14

One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched.

When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honour at the table, he told them this parable: "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honour, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 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 honoured in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbours; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." (This is the Gospel of Christ - Praise to Christ our Lord)

Post Communion Prayer

God of all mercy, in this eucharist you have set aside our sins and given us your healing: grant that we who are made whole in Christ may bring that healing to this broken world, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Commentary

The passage from Luke today appears at first glance to read like something we find on the back of a lifestyle section from a Sunday newspaper. Jesus reads like an early John Morgan giving the kind of advice which we would discover in Debretts guide to manners. So what is Jesus saying in the story from Luke today? Is he really speaking about our strategy for eating at tables? The implication of the teaching appears to be that when we are invited to a dinner, if we want to impress, we should not seek out the best place. If we want to look good, impress our friends and enjoy the esteem of our companions at the table we should go humbly to the last place, knowing all along that we will be called up higher by the host! (Crafty) This is a very strange gospel passage indeed. Jesus seems to be suggesting a strategy that has nothing to do with the reign of God; but more to do with making an impression at social events. What's going on here?

Jesus has been invited to the house of a prominent Pharisee. It is the Sabbath and it was the practice to invite guests for a meal at the conclusion of the synagogue service. The atmosphere is charged, people are "observing him carefully." Jesus has noticed how the other guests are manoeuvring for choice seats, the places of honour. Jesus uses this earthly meal table to stress that real places of honour are to be given by God; we don't have to strive for honour ourselves. When the reign of God comes in its fullness, God will bestow honour on us at the banquet table. We, in the meantime don't have to be anxious, or greedy for honour from God. Instead, we can concentrate our energies on tending to the humbler tasks involved in serving God. Hearing Jesus' invitation to this banquet, the truly humble disciple puts aside strivings for high position and any claim of one's own social standing. Places at the table are given as a gift by God. They will all be good seats, places of honour.

Jesus turns to the host with a challenge "Why do you entertain guests? Are you trying to gain points with influential people?" Rather, he tells them, they should be hospitable to the poor and outcasts who can't pay back. We don't need to be paid back or honoured, not if we believe in the One in whose presence we stand. We are already invited as special guests to the banquet God is preparing for us. Our footing is secure, we stand honoured by a most gracious "host". Jesus is really saying to the guests at the banquet, 'remember where you stand, and in whose presence.' If we are conscious of the God of this banquet and the esteem with which we are already regarded, this might embolden us to speak out more forcibly when injustice is done to ourselves or to others. For we know where we stand and in whose word we have placed our trust.

Humility This passage has been used to speak of humility but we must be very careful. We must not use the teaching of Jesus to reinforce old and possibly repressive notions. Humility may be the least understood and most maligned of Christian virtues. People have kept themselves in miserable, even abusive situations, in the name of humility; "humbly" accepting their lot in life. While those with vested interests, have extolled this virtue, not for themselves, but for others to observe who should, "know their place." What we may need in our church today is less false humility and more truly humble people who know their gracious God and speak and act boldly out of their gospel convictions.

Jesus speaks about the guest list and who is on it. He has already identified with social unfortunates and outcasts. His message is sent to the highways and byways to call them in to the table he is preparing for them. They will sit with him at the banquet as honoured guests. His disciples must understand that they, and anyone who acknowledges their poverty and need before God, are the special recipients of God's honour. If disciples really understand this message, they too will invite to the table of reconciliation and equality the very same honoured guests-the blind, poor and those held captive by sin. We want to be sure we have not erected social barriers that keep some from joining us. People should feel comfortable in the church of Christ even if they come from a different economic status, are divorced, gay or single parents or are less well educated.

In these teaching in Luke's gospel Jesus breaks through the barriers society and religion have constructed. Luke keeps reminding us that at this stage of the narrative Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem and along the way he is showing his disciples who God is and how they are to live a life that reflects this hospitable God. To enable us to do so, he will die because of these teachings and his death will make this new life possible in us. The Reverend Charles Royden

Prayer

O most loving Shepherd, in the deepest of all waters we will trust you. In the darkest of all valleys we will rejoice in your presence. In the worst of our days we shall rest at peace in your arms. In the most troubled of our nights we shall be comforted by your saints. Amen. Archibald Campbell Tait, 1811-1882

We give them back to thee, dear Lord, who gavest them to us. Yet as thou didst not lose them in giving, so we have not lost them by their return. For what is thine is ours always, if we are thine. A Quaker prayer

God of the ages and our parents, thank you for rest and the freshness of morning: before we see any human face, you show us your glory. Cleanse and keep us from all evil this day. Help us to shine among the poor as the morning sun, and inspire our thought with love like the sun at noon. Strengthen us to translate your Word into deeds. Open our eyes to see you in the natural world; open our ears to hear your loving voice; open our mouths to proclaim your salvation; open our hands to uplift the downtrodden; and open our hearts to be in fellowship with you always. Let us so walk in your light that the glory and honour will always be yours. Amen D Soundararadan, Church of South India, student at the United College of the Ascension

Creator God, as we consider the works of your hands, help us to cherish the gift of life; as we learn more of life's beginning, teach us also to be mindful of its end and fill each day with your glory. Amen Ermal Kirby, Chair of London NE District

Hymns (Hymns and Psalms)

Praise to the holiest 563, Lord the light of your love 445, Make me a channel of your peace 456, Jesus is Lord 367, The King of love my shepherd 649

Sermon (The parable of Manners) for 2nd September 2001

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