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INJ
St Luke 14:16-24
'Why is Jesus Always Calling Us Poor?'
Matins
Trinity 2 | The Sunday of the Great Banquet | 25 June 2006
Dear Saints of God,
“A certain man gave a great supper and invited many.” [Luke 14:16] That's nice, and it seems like this parable that Jesus is telling about the church is going to be nice. But look, all those who were invited blew the “certain man” off, sending their excuses. “I've bought some land: I've bought some more oxen; I just got married.” The invitation to the feast is put off.
The house, the job, the family, these are all very good things, but nothing is to be put in front of the invitation of the Lord, His call to His own feast. There are many good things that the Lord has given us, but if we worship them then they are the worst wickedness and idolatry. Nothing should keep us from the feast, from the great supper that the Lord has prepared for us.
We know what this feast is, how week after week the Lord sets His table, feeds us with forgiveness and His word and the comforting promise of the Gospel, and even serves us His own body and blood. Here is His table, His chairs, His beloved guests.
But in the parable that Jesus is telling, all those who are invited did not come. Jesus lets them have it. So this text is really meant for all of our delinquent members and those who don't come to the Lord's Service. “Look,” Jesus is saying, “all is made ready. The riches and treasures of My love and grace are laid before you. Come to the banquet. If you refuse, you will never taste my supper.”
But the problem with preaching a sermon about delinquents is that they aren't here to hear it. And it does no good to us who have shown up to hear about the sin of those who haven't. For this text and this parable to be for our benefit, we must find ourselves in it.
Now, most of the times I've heard this preached the preacher found us in those who were sent. We are the ones who are to go into the highways and byways and compel people to come to the feast. But I would suggest to you that the Lord Jesus would put us somewhere else in the text.
After his original invitations are refused, the master who had prepared the feast was angry, and he said to his servants, “Go quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor, and the maimed and the lame and the blind.” And when there is still room he says, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house will be full.” This is who we are: the poor, the maimed, the lame and the blind, the ones who fill the Master's house.
And this begs the question, “Why is Jesus always calling us poor?” It seems like there's been a lot of this type of talk lately, especially from this pulpit. Two weeks ago we heard of the note found in Luther's pocket when he died, “We are beggars, this is true.” Last week we heard of Lazarus, who was so poor that he begged from crumbs. And this week, those who come to the banquet are the poor and maimed and lame and blind. We after week in this very room we say, “I, a poor, miserable sinner...” Perhaps this is important, that we get a grip on who we are, who we really are in the eyes of God, that we learn, or at least we begin to learn how really poor we are.
For the world would tell us differently, and convince us that we are rich. Our pride can't stand the idea of being poor and impoverished and in need. It's no good for our self-esteem. We all want, I think, to be self-made people, depending on no one. We often sound a lot like the church in Laodicea. They said, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing.” Jesus' response? “You do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” [Revelation 3:17]
Why is Jesus always calling us poor? Three reasons: (1) because we are poor, (2) because we always forget it, and (3) when we know that we are poor, then we know that we need the Lord Jesus and His gifts. We think that we are rich, that we have become wealthy, that we have need of nothing. That everything is alright, that I'm doing pretty well. That we're pretty good, a good person that does good things, and how could God not be impressed with that?
But all of our goodness, all of the riches of our self righteousness, all of this Jesus is stripping away. “You are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.” Which means that you are cold and sick and hungry, and that's no good, no good at all, unless Jesus is around. Jesus is the Good Physician who comes to heal not the healthy but the sick. His robes of righteousness are meant to cover those who are naked and without the pride of good works. He is the light of the world who gives light to the eyes of the blind. And His riches, the riches of His kingdom are meant for the poor.
When we know our poverty, we know that we are utterly Dependant on the Lord Jesus, on His goodness and grace and gifts and promise. When we are despairing of our own goodness then our only hope is trusting His. And He is faithful and true; He table will always be set and His feast will ever be full of His promises of life and salvation and the forgiveness of sins.
To the “We are rich” Laodicians, Jesus says, “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.” [Revelation 3:18] He has everything that we poor sinners need.
And so the poor, and miserable, and blind, and lame and maimed, these are the people on Jesus' guest list, the one's He would have to fill His house. “Go quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor, and the maimed and the lame and the blind,” and we rejoice, rejoice that the Lord Jesus has called us by the Gospel, enlightened with His gifts, and keeps us with Himself in His banquet. Amen.
And the peace of God which passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller
Hope Lutheran Church | Aurora, CO
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