Draft Sermons

First Presbyterian Church
Las Cruces, NM

Draft Sermon by Rev. Norman Story

"Signs of God's Gracious Hospitality" 2010

Isaiah 61:1-3 Luke 14:1,7-14

Isaiah 61:1-3 (NRSV) The Good News of Deliverance

1The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; 2to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; 3to provide for those who mourn in Zion— to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.

Luke 14:1, 7-14 (NRSV) Humility and Hospitality

14On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the Sabbath, they were watching him closely. 7 When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. 8‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; 9and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, “Give this person your place”, and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’ 12 He said also to the one who had invited him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’

Just about a week ago, the White House Social Secretary

resigned, primarily because of Tereq and Michaele Salahi …

… that pair of Washington socialite status seekers who crashed

a presidential state dinner at the White House a few months ago.

These social wannabes may still face charges by the Secret Service,

for their attempt to pass themselves off as invited guests.

They have dishonored themselves and ought to feel embarrassed.

Of course such silly and shameless status-seeking misbehavior

is not just a game that's played in Washington DC,

but throughout our culture, even in church we see people

strive and scramble endlessly for status & position.

In the culture of ancient Palestine, during the lifetime of Jesus,

honor and status were huge and ongoing considerations,

and eating with someone was an important part

of establishing your prominence and reputation.

In the Middle East, even today, to sit and share a meal with someone

infers and defines a mutual acceptance

along with a reciprocal relationship of honor and status …

… depending upon your seating location

your position at the table increases or decreases your honor,

and your status relative to that of the other guests.

In ancient times, at such formal dinner and social occasions,

guests reclined on their elbows around a low 'U' shaped table;

and where you were situated in relation to the host

clearly defined each person’s level of prominence.

In a very public way people could see how the host ranked each guest.

As you can well imagine, there was considerable thought and effort

in trying to be seen seated as near to the host as possible,

as it was a very public opportunity to display your status.

In Luke, Jesus was invited to the home of a Pharisee for dinner.

Watching each of them,

so concerned about making the right impression

and vying for social position and status at the table…

… he reflects on their ridiculous gamesmanship for the best seat,

and comments on it by offering an observation: vs. 7-9

When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, “Give this person your place”, and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place.

That's good advice, but Jesus had considerably more in mind

than just teaching about gracious social behavior and etiquette,

and obviously his message is not

how to get ahead in life by pretending to be humble.

His parable is about motivation; our heart and attitude

how life is lived by those submissive to the Lord: vs. 11

For all who exalt themselves will be humbled,

and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Luke calls this a parable, that's really about the Kingdom of God,

as Jesus is describing living out the implications of grace

and faithfulness under the rule and reign of God's word;

à and its about the ultimate banquet that will be hosted by God.

In contrast

to the Pharisees emphasis on rules that govern outward behavior,

or jockeying to achieve impressive religious prominence,

or being seen at a White House presidential state dinner…

… Jesus is offering a vision of when God rules in our hearts, i.e.

what it is like when we are living in a relationship with God

and we are walking in faithful obedience with Jesus Christ.

With our eyes and hearts focused on Jesus and his promises,

as we recognize as silliness the playing of games for status,

à the schemes of this world lose their power to charm & distract us.

It's like when I am growing wonderful fresh tomatoes in my garden;

why would I care or have any interest in the tasteless

red rubbery spherical objects for sale at Albertsons?

So too, you and I, with God's love and Spirit present in our hearts,

as chosen recipients of infinite grace and eternal blessings

that comes freely to us and is a totally unearned gift

from the Almighty Creator God of the whole universe …

… what compared to all that,

is all the status, or the trinkets of this world really worth?

The world’s system and values, all center on looking out for # 1,

and making sure that we get everything that is coming to us

by establishing & safeguarding our position and status.

Jesus is describing a whole different way of living our lives …

… that rather than a mad scramble for the stuff of this world,

Jesus offers us freedom from this world's power constructs

and reverses our sense of who is over and who is under,

what really matters, and what relative

to God's kingdom most certainly does not!

Jesus invites His followers to live lives of humility & purpose;

to forgo their endless stress and striving and manipulating

for this world’s dubious rewards, honors and status.

Jesus offers, through humility, a far more prominent place:

as described à vs. 10-11

But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you.

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

Christian honor and position are not gained by seizing prominence,

but are freely given by God, as a gift by the grace of God,à

without playing the silly games of grabbing power and status

or trying to make a bigger & better impression in this world…

… but then Jesus takes this message even further,

that because our lives as God's beloved ones focus on gratitude

that changes the way we practice hospitality and welcome.

Because we are secure in God’s love, in God’s promises and grace,

we can let the needs and concerns of other people matter to us,

since God & God’s will is the center of our universe, not us.

When God and God’s mission & purpose is the center of our lives à

à we recognize, as the prophet Isaiah described there is

a whole other group that is honored and uplifted by God.

Isaiah 61:1~3

… he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the

brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, … and called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.

The Spirit of the Lord is present and resides in each of us,

to proclaim the Good News of the Lord's favor,

as plantings of the Lord called to blossom with God's glory.

If indeed we have received God's saving grace and blessings,

then we no longer belong to ourselves, but Jesus is Lord of our lives

… and He calls us to reflect God's glory, and not our own.

In contrast to the "looking out for self first" ways of this world,

Jesus calls us to live a life that is redirected

and recommitted to reflecting God's grace

as we ourselves have received God's gracious promise.

Notice that when Jesus describes who to invite,

it is the same list of God's favored as those mentioned Isaiah,

vs. 12-14

"When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

From these simple observations at a dinner party held long ago,

Jesus is showing how we are to live as those of the Kingdom of God;

and that hospitality, humility and generosity are

essential elements of Christian character & attitude…

… and that the call is for us to improve on our Table manners.

"A preacher had just finished his sermon and asked that if anyone was moved to make a commitment to Christ. Among the dozen or people who came forward that evening there was a woman of wealth and social position. She asked the preacher if she could speak a few words. "I want you to know, " she said, "why I came forward.

It was not because of any word spoken by the preacher. I stand here because of the influence of a little woman who sits before me. Her fingers are rough with toil, the hard work of many years has stooped her low; she is just a poor cleaning woman, who has served in my home for many years.

I have never known her to be impatient, to speak an unkind word or to do a dishonorable deed. I know of countless little acts of unselfish love that adorn her life. "

"I am ashamed that for years I have openly sneered at her faith and laughed at her fidelity to God. Yet, when my little girl died it was this woman who caused me to look beyond the grave and shed my first tear of hope. The sweet magnetism of her life has led me to Christ, for I covet that for which she lived and reflected toward me."

Jesus is promising, that when our lives are submitted to the Lord,

then our lives are empowered to express and proclaim

the grace and hospitality that we have received from God,

à and so we become like road signs pointing the way toward Christ.

The spirit of the Lord God is upon us, because the Lord has anointed us;

he has sent us to bring good news to the oppressed,

to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,

release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

You will be called oaks of righteousness,

and be the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.

Every month we come back to the Lord’s Table for another meal ---

because we need that constant re-nourishment for our souls,

that renewal of hope as a reminder of God's gracious love

that empowers us to live life anew,

in a faithful and growing walk with the Lord.

Today at the Lord’s Table let us consider our practice of hospitality

of Christ's humility and generosity in our own daily lives.

We are being called to imitate the table manners of Jesus,

by becoming living signs

of God's grace and hospitality out into the world …

… for that is the life, purpose and task to which we are called.

Send comments, suggestions, and requests to Alex. F. Burr or send e-mail to aburr @ aburr.com.
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Last update 2010-03-15 21:26:53