Psalms 8:1, and 31:1-3a
My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and again laid me down to feed in Luke 14. After a bit of grazing in the parable of the wedding guest, He called me over into verses 12-24. I gathered up a heart full of insights.
The Mind of the Spirit piqued the curiosity of the mind of my spirit when I noticed the contrast Jesus drew between the well and the unwell.
Luke 14:13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
Luke 14:21 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.
Jesus spoke to the Pharisee who invited him into his house to break bread on the Sabbath, that he should invite not those who are in power to recompense the invitation, but rather to invite those who are poor, maimed, lame, and or blind, who cannot reciprocate. Jesus informed him that he would be “recompensed at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:1, 12-14).
One in the company heard Jesus speak of the resurrection of the just, and interjected: “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God” (Luke 14:15). This prompted Jesus to offer the parable of the great supper (Luke 14:16-24).
Jesus described the Father’s invitation to His great feast as a “certain man [who] made a great supper, and bade many” (Luke 14:16; see 13:34-35).
His invitation was initially extended to “many,” and it is presumed they received it. When the table was set for his guests, he sent his servant to call them to supper, but each gave excuses for not attending the feast. Jesus describes these invitees as people with the means to reciprocate his invitation: those who did not need someone to provide them with supper, such as those with means to purchase property (14:18) or five yoke of oxen (14:19). And another, presumably a young man, who had recently married and said “therefore, I cannot come” (14:20).
The host was angry and extended his invitation to include the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind (14:21). His parable ends with an express exclusion against those originally bidden (14:24).
Along the still waters, I reflected on this in light of what Jesus had taught that day in the Synagogue (See 13:10-35). See Luke 13:28, “Luke 13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.” (See Luke 13:23-30; 34-35). The generation that was offered “the kingdom” was not fit to receive it. So Jesus turned to the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind.
I thought of the church that could boast themselves rich, and increased with goods, having need of nothing (Revelation 3:17a). But in Jesus’ eyes, they were “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17b). It’s what they couldn’t see about themselves that moved Jesus outside of that church, knocking on the door, calling for the attention of anyone in it that might have Him missing (Revelation 20).
Most of the churches invest most of their time and treasure in those who imagine themselves “in need of nothing.”
It should be noted that material prosperity is not a disqualification for inclusion—in each of these parables, the “well-off” were the first to be called to the kingdom. But Jesus is looking at hearts! The poor in spirit, those who seek comfort, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who remain faithful in persecution (Matthew 5:3-11), these He calls “blessed.”
One can be rich and yet recognize their need for GOD.
One can be physically strong and yet recognize that they are spiritually crippled without Christ.
One can be healthy yet acknowledge they limp and walk haltingly in the “narrow way.”
One can have 20/20 physical eyesight, but know they are weak in faith and depend on His eyesalve to see spiritually (Revelation 3:18).
Also, one can be poor and filled with pride and envy, injured and filled with bitterness, lame and resentful at those fleet of foot, blind to the light of day, and content to remain in Satan’s darkness. Jesus said, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).
What is a church that refuses to open its doors to the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind, who come looking for Christ? If a sinner broken in this world comes to such a church looking for the healing touch of Christ, he will more likely find Him outside than inside. Christ is not welcome where the spiritually poor, maimed, lame, and blind are not.
In the valley, kneeling in the shadow of His Cross, I heard Him announce His daily orders: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
At the table, He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup to overflowing with His grace. Goodness and mercy followed as we went into the harvest together.
Praying for revival! 🙏
Going live asap:
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