Luke 15:1–7

 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. ² And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” ³ So He spoke this parable to them, saying: ⁴ “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? ⁵ And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ ⁷ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

Commentary (Preamble)
Clearly Jesus’ previous Words were not directed against societal outcasts and sinners who have not known, nor heard the grace of God for them. But rather to those who know and profess the truth, and yet by way of abuse or neglect of it, lose their testimony and witness for Him. And so, as Jesus previously warned us all, they’re witness and testimony is only thrown out by men. That said, the Light of the World, and thus the Light of His Gospel is always radiant, and is always shinning brighter and brighter unto the perfect day, and thus Jesus is always drawing hungering and thirsting people to Himself. And so here in Luke chapter fifteen, we see that beautiful Spiritual reality undiminished by anyone or anything once again, as the Lord Jesus Christ will both reveal and declare to us all the amazing grace, forgiveness, and love of God for us all. Something we all need to be reminded of more often than not!

Vs. 1-2 ¹ Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. ² And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”

Truly the Lord Jesus Christ, when the Gospel is well presented and well represented by us, draws social outcasts and sinners to Himself. For such was the case when Jesus was presenting it Himself (vs. 1). That said, the Pharisees and the scribes who were observing these things were not only unmoved by them, but they also took an offense at Jesus and complained about Him, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” ^{Vs. 2}
Because for those who already consider themselves “righteous” in the sight of God, to be seen wilfully receiving, and eating with sinners was a sin unto itself! And so here in Luke chapter fifteen Jesus will give us three parables? to reveal the heart and love of God, that transcends seeing a person beyond their sin and only wanting to see them released from it, and restored to God! Now is there a time for us to be separate from sinners, yes there is, and that is when they are engaging in their sinful deeds and practices; and or in the church are practicing those things that are religiously invalid or clearly offense; thus we are to never validate, or make such practices seem acceptable to them, or others (consider 1 Cor. 5:9-11; 6:14-7:1; 10:14-11:1; Eph. 5:3-11; 1 John 1:6; Rev. 18:3-4 etc.). That said Jesus was not doing any such things, rather He was|is drawing all people to Himself, teaching them all things about the Kingdom of God, and offering everyone the opportunity to enter into it by repentance towards God with faith in His Person (John 3:16; Acts 4:12; 26:16-18). And that is why He is here again receiving and eating with sinners, because to seek and save that which was lost is not only His Purpose, but also is to be ours as well.

Vs. 3-4 ³ So He spoke this parable to them, saying: ⁴ “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?

Having heard the Pharisees and scribes’ complaints about Him receiving and eating with sinners, the Lord Jesus Christ now tells them a parable to reveal their own hypocrisy in finding fault with Him for doing so, while describing the great joy in heaven over one sinner who repents! And so, Jesus begins by describing a man who having a hundred sheep upon losing one of them, leaves the ninety-nine in the wilderness to go after the one which He has lost until He finds it. Clearly than Jesus is the shepherd in His parable who is looking for His lost sheep (i.e. all of us who have sinned and thus have fallen short of the glory of God, Rom. 3:23). Notice to that the search by Him for us is a diligent one, and that it does not end until He finds us, because the loss of one of His sheep from His fold will never be an “acceptable” loss to Him. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ does not give up on trying to bring us back to Himself. Only if we utterly reject Him and His offer of salvation for us, does He give up on seeking and trying to save us.

Vs. 5-7 ⁵ And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ ⁷ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

And so it is when He finds His lost sheep, the shepherd completely filled with joy and jubilation, and so seeing his lost and wounded sheep, he now lifts it up and lays it on his own shoulders carrying it back home with himself, which again wonderfully pictures just how the Lord Jesus Christ feels about us when He finds us, and just how He lays us as broken and wounded sinners on His own shoulders, bearing all our sins on the Cross, so that He may carry us home into the Kingdom of God with Himself. Therefore, having arrived home with his once lost sheep the man now calls all his friends and neighbors together, saying: ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ ^{vs. 6}
That man’s joy then at finding his lost sheep then wonderfully represents not only our Lord and Saviors jubilation at finding us, but also the joy and jubilation in heaven over one sinner who repents, rather than the ninety-nine “just” persons who do not think they need to repent! For as Jesus’ parable reveals there are many people (inside the church and outside of it), who do not see or perceive their own sinfulness, and thus do not see their own need for Christ because they trust in what they are, or what they do, or what they have done, or belong too, and thus they never come to grips with their own alienated state from God. For the ninety nine sheep in Jesus parable are not people already reconciled back to God, thus at home with Him, they are people who are still in the wilderness, not at home with Him in heaven, but who are seemingly content within themselves to be left as they are, where they are, for they already judge themselves as being just, or righteous, or fine in the sight of God, and thus they don’t see their own need for repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, in this Jesus’ first parable on the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents we see many things, not the least of which is the longing love of God pursuing that one lost sinner until they are found and are safely back home with Him. Now maybe you’re that one lost sinner whom God is seeking? If so, please don’t think yourself unworthy of His grace, mercies, or kindness, because it is for your restoration to God that He sent His Son the Lord Jesus Christ to die on the cross for you, so that you might have new and everlasting life the moment you believe in Him. Therefore you don’t need to hide from Him, or run from him, nor bear that self-destroying shame and guilt anymore, all you need to do is come home to Him in grace and truth (John 1:17), and He will gladly and joyfully and wonderfully receive and restore you (John 1:12).

Scripture Quotations

New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson

Luke 14:25–35

²⁵ Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, ²⁶ “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. ²⁷ And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. ²⁸ For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—²⁹ lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, ³⁰ saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ ³¹ Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? ³² Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. ³³ So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. ³⁴ “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? ³⁵ It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Commentary
Vs. 25-26 ²⁵ Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, ²⁶ “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.

In the previous passage the Lord Jesus Christ warned by way of a parable that not entering the Kingdom of God while it is availed to oneself means that one when by their own choice, they have excused themselves from it, they then will then never enter it. And so now having great multitudes following Him, Jesus turns too them and begins to say, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” Jesus then by saying as much is not looking for casual disciples who would like to try Him, or add Him to their already “busy” lives. No, the Lord Jesus Christ is looking for heart felt commitment, for those individuals who will place Him, and keep Him above and before all things in their lives! Thus, family ties which are universally held as the most important relationship in people’s lives, must be subservient to our relationship with, and loyalty towards Him.
For those family ties that once seemed everything to us will as we grow in our faith and discernment In Christ will soon become severable, and not necessarily by us! For when we receive the Lord Jesus Christ our families may initially open to our faith in Him, however as we grow in our faith, we will inevitably become to them either a fragrance of life leading to life or of death leading to death, depending on what they themselves decide for themselves about Him and His Word, whether to receive or reject Him. And so, these once inseverable ties will then be quickly and easily broken and forgotten by them in regards to us. Therefore, do not marvel at this when you find that those you once loved and cherished the most (and they once loved and cherished you) no longer have any more love or need for you. For believing in and belonging to the Lord Jesus Christ means that we will be hated by all for His Names sake. And in this our families maybe the first ones whom we truly experience this from. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ in saying that in order to be His disciple we must hate our father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even our own lives also, is not saying that we are to destroy these relationships, rather He is saying that believing in and belonging to Him means that we must choose Him and have complete loyalty towards Him above all of these most personal relationships if we want to be His disciple. For inevitably the time will come when we will have to decide to stand with the Lord Jesus Christ, (yes) or stand with those family members who have rejected Him (no). Therefore no that there will be loses in this life, but in losing our own lives down here (and especially those relationships that would only hold us back) we show that we already have eternal life, and that we are driven by and focused on doing and pursuing God’s Will and His new relationships for us which last forever, while this life and its mortal relationships and pursuits will only last for this very sort lifetime. Therefore, don’t let familiar ties and or your old life, keep you from becoming and doing all that God wants you to do and be!

Vs. 27 “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”

Now the bearing of one’s cross can be many things, from suffering public reproach and hostility for the Person and Name and Word of the Lord Jesus Christ, to enduring hardships and afflictions for the Kingdom of God’s sake. Yet at its heart is living a life of self-denial, which means I choose to do and pursue what God wants me to do and pursue, even if it means it costs me my life! Which means for most of us losing our own personal plans, dreams, and desires so that we might do and pursue God’s plans, designs and desires for us! That’s sort of the big picture of bearing one’s cross. For in serving the Lord Jesus Christ there will be “daily sacrifices” that will need to be made by us all who want to follow Him in discipleship.

Vs. 28-33 ²⁸ For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—²⁹ lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, ³⁰ saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ ³¹ Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? ³² Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. ³³ So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

The Lord Jesus Christ now likens His discipleship to that of man who intending to build a tower begins to build, first calculates the cost of doing so, lest when he starts building he is not able to finish, and “…all who see it begin to mock him, ³⁰ saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ (vs. 28-30). So too is discipleship with the Lord Jesus Christ, because to start one’s journey with Him and not finish it, is only to be mocked at the end!
Similarly, Jesus then uses the analogy of a king going to war, who first sits down and calculates the cost of doing so, as to whether he is able to overcome the one whom he is about to do battle with (vs. 31). Otherwise if he is not able to do so, he then sends a delegation to him while he is still a great way off, seeking conditions of peace (vs. 32). “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” ^{vs. 33}
Christian discipleship then is more than just believing and saying a prayer to receive the Lord Jesus Christ, for believing in Christ and following Him in discipleship means the forsaking of all that one has! That is the point Jesus is making in His parable, for us all to count the cost and fully embrace Him and His will for our lives!

Vs. 34-35 ³⁴ “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? ³⁵ It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Now in concluding His parable the Lord Jesus Christ gives us all a warning, a warning that is comparable to one losing one’s “seasoning” abilities. For that is what we are, Christians who season the world (especially those around us) with the Word and fragrance of God being lived out and manifested through our own persons and lives. Thus, if a disciple loses this ability through unrepentant sin and or ongoing and persistent neglect, and thus over time they only become salt that has lost it’s flavor, Jesus asks how shall it be seasoned? “It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” ^{vs. 35}
Therefore, Jesus’ warning is serious, and is not something that any true disciple would want to happen to them, to lose ones witness and testimony for Him. For if one does, (and they no longer care about it), they inevitably then go back to where they came from, doing and speaking those things which are not fitting for them, or anyone else to do and speak (consider 2 Peter 2:18-22). Now having stated as much can those who have fallen be restored? Clearly, they can, for as we will see in Luke 15 the Lord Jesus Christ did not come to condemn men, but to save them (John 3:17). The only question then is are you willing to be saved by Him?

Scripture Quotations

New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson

Luke 14:15–24

¹⁵ Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!” ¹⁶ Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, ¹⁷ and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ ¹⁸ But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ ¹⁹ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ ²⁰ Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ ²¹ So that servant came and reported these things to his master. 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 here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ ²² And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ ²³ Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. ²⁴ For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ”

Commentary
Vs. 15 “Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

Jesus’ Word on being repaid at the resurrection of the just because one was a blessing to those who could not repay them in this life, really moved a man there, who upon hearing these things said, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!” Which is really true, however as Jesus is about to make it clear, first one has to enter it!

Vs. 16-17 ¹⁶ Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, ¹⁷ and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’

Upon hearing the man’s elated response, Jesus now begins another parable and this time He is the Host of the Great Supper, and we all are the invited guests! Therefore, Jesus’ Word to us all is that we come to believe in Him and receive Him and His invitation to enter the Kingdom of God, for He now says to us all, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’

Vs. 18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’

However rather than receiving Jesus invitation through His servant\s graciously, those who are invited all begin to make excuses. Now the first one said, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ Thus, that persons focus and priorities was only on their own land and possessions, and so they couldn’t be bothered to come to great weeding feast and celebration, and so they asked to be excused! Just like many people today who when they are invited to receive the Lord Jesus Christ and follow Him in discipleship likewise have all kinds of reasons why they can’t, because their hearts, minds and lives are being spent on the temporal, not the eternal! Therefore, they too also ask to be excused!

Vs. 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’

Again, another person when invited by the servant offers up their excuse of having just bought some oxen, and now they are going to test them in a field to see how fit they are for plowing it. Therefore, they too ask to be excused! Excused from God’s invitation to redemption, salvation and eternal life no less, so they can go play around with their smelly oxen in muddy field.

Vs. 20 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’

And again, another man when he is invited likewise asks to be excused, this time the reason is that he has just married a wife! I mean really! Why wouldn’t you just bring your wife with you! No, he didn’t because he like the others before him, and who will come after him, all have worldly priorities and focuses which they don’t want to leave or forsake, and so God’s Son and His Kingdom was not important enough for any of them.

Vs. 21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. 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 here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’

Therefore, the servant having done his duty in inviting them all now returns to his master and reports all of these things to him. Now when the master heard his report, he became angry and told the servant to, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ Thus, all of the people who have nothing in this life, and thus are not tied down to it, to living for its rewards, treasures, and pleasures, and or serving them. These then are the same people whom Jesus previously said we are to invite to our feasts and celebrations; for they are the ones He has chosen to partake in His eternal feast and celebration (again see James 2:5).

Vs. 22-24 ²² And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ ²³ Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. ²⁴ For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ”

Now the servant of the master went and did just as he was commanded inviting in the poor, the maimed, the lame and the blind and upon doing so he returned and told the master that he had done so and still there was still room. Therefore, the master told him, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. ²⁴ For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ” ^{vs. 23-24}

Notice then a couple of things, First is that there is always room for anyone who believes and receives the Lord Jesus Christ’s invitation to new and everlasting life in His Kingdom. Second is that God does not want us as His servants sitting idly by while there is room, but rather we are to compel all people everywhere in every circumstance of life to enter God’s Kingdom and House by repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, Gospel evangelism is not just for the confines of the local church, (for the local pastor to do), but must be done everywhere and anywhere by us all as an active and ongoing ministry outside of the local church confines. Thus, we as the Body of Christ collectively, and the Lord Jesus Christ’s servants individually must always avail ourselves of every opportunity to share Him with anybody, anywhere, and at anytime with anyone He leads to us, or whom we find in our journeys and travels for Him. For that is what we are all called to do, however, we may do that, for we who believe must all be sowers and reapers, workers and servants for the Kingdom of God pursuing and forwarding its goals and purposes, and not the values and desires of this world.
Finally, Jesus ends His parable by WARNING that all of those who made excuses as to why they could not attend His Supper will never taste of it! Therefore, they will never again be given an opportunity to repent and believe in Him, for they all had already decided in their hearts against it, and thus they all made some petty excuses (however politely) as to why they could not enter the Kingdom of God when it was availed to them!

Scripture Quotations

New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson

Luke 14:7-14

⁷ So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: ⁸ “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; ⁹ and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. ¹⁰ But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. ¹¹ For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” ¹² Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. ¹³ But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. ¹⁴ And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

Commentary
Vs. 7 “So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them,”

Jesus then having healed the man of dropsy on the Sabbath now begins to address another thing He observed when He entered the ruler of the Pharisees house, and that was how those who were invited when they entered all sought for the best places (vs. 1).

Vs. 8-11 ⁸ “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; ⁹ and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. ¹⁰ But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. ¹¹ For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Therefore, Jesus now begins to tell them all a Kingdom parable, and in this He uses the picture of a wedding feast to make His point. And so, Jesus begins by saying that when you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, (though the principal is applicable for any sort of dinner or function or service or ceremony etc.), “…do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; ⁹ and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.” ^{vs. 8-9} Now though Jesus is using a wedding feast to make His point. the application is a universal Kingdom principal teaching us to first be humble and contrite, rather than seeking out the best seats, places, and or positions for oneself. For though one may do so, and one may initially be granted such things, as Jesus reveals here there will be a time when God will come and say to those who have done so, ‘Give place to this man,’ (vs. 9) that is remove yourself from the seat of privilege you sought for yourself, and give place to this man whom I have chosen to sit in it! And so, when that happens there will be individuals who will begin with shame to seek the lowest place in God’s Kingdom. And so rather than having to endure that shame, Jesus says to us all when we are invited to any short of function or feast, first seek out of the lowest place, where no one will take no note of you, and thus where you cannot be put down lower, but only raised higher! For when that happens, rather than having shame, you will have honor in the presence of all! (vs. 10) Jesus then in concluding His parable says: “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Thus, if one did not understand His point in His Parable, one can surely understand His explicit Word!

Vs. 12-14 ¹² Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. ¹³ But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. ¹⁴ And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

Having concluded His parable on seeking the lowest place for oneself, rather then the seats of privilege and honor. Jesus now in addressing the one who invited Him to his feast now gives us some great insight into what makes one truly just and blessed in the sight of God. Now in this Jesus says that when one holds a feast one should not invite one’s friends, brothers, relatives or rich neighbors to it, lest they invite you back and you be repaid (vs. 12). Thus, there is no reward from God for doing such things. And so rather than doing that Jesus says, “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. ¹⁴ And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” ^{vs. 13-14} Therefore being a blessing to those who cannot repay us is what makes one truly blessed in the sight of God, for truly these were the people that Jesus Himself ministered Gospel too (Luke 4:18), and later declared that such are blessed (Luke 6:20-26), for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven; not that one enters it by being as much; but that these God has chosen to be rich in faith (because they are poor in every other way in this life) and thus FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO LOVE God they are heirs of the Kingdom which He promised to those who love Him (James 2:5). The assembly or church then that focuses on ministering to those who are finically well off then is not only missing their calling, but also, they are missing the blessings of God. For they will not be repaid at the resurrection of just, just as every individual who does not show any care or concern for the poor and needy in this life will also miss out on the eternal blessings of God (consider Prov. 29:7; Matt. 25:31-46).

Scripture Quotations

New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson

Luke 14:1–6

¹ Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely. ² And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. ³ And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” ⁴ But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go. ⁵ Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” ⁶ And they could not answer Him regarding these things.

Commentary
The Lord Jesus now enters the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, which for Him was simply to be gracious and receiving of others, but for Pharisees this appears to be another time of trying to entrap Him, because as Jesus did so they were watching Him closely (vs. 1). Now in that house there was a certain man who had dropsy, (a condition whereby there is water swelling in the bodily tissues, vs. 2.). Why that man was there at that time is not stated, however Jesus seeing the man, and likely seeing their observing Him intently, now asks them, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” (vs. 3). However, they would not answer Jesus’ a word, but rather kept silent. Therefore, Jesus took the man and healed him in their presence, and then let him go (vs. 4). And having done so Jesus now says to them, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” Thus, if they cared so much for their personal livestock and animals that they would break the Sabbath (that is break it according to their own interpretations of it) why is it that they are angered at Jesus for healing a man on the Sabbath? For the Sabbath was a day given by God to give man rest and that is just what Jesus did. For as Jesus’ says elsewhere God did not make man for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for man (Mark 2:27)! Therefore, having asked them why they allow themselves to care for their own livestock on the Sabbath, and yet they are offended at Him for caring for a man on the Sabbath, they could answer Jesus nothing (vs. 6). Because for them keeping the Sabbath according to their man-made rules was the supreme thing, and when that becomes one’s measure of one’s faith in God, the keeping of the traditions and commandments of men one only becomes hardened to mercies and love and grace of God like those Pharisees.

Scripture Quotations

New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson

Luke 13:31–35

³¹ On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.” ³² And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’ ³³ Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem. ³⁴ “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! ³⁵ See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”

Commentary
Vs. 31 On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.”

Now on that very same day when Jesus’ warned about striving to enter the Kingdom of God through the narrow gate and He concluded His saying by saying that the first will be last and the last first (Luke 13:22-30). Some of the Pharisees now come to Him and say to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.” Now they’re doing so was not because they were concerned for Jesus’ welfare, rather behind their words no doubt was some sort of scheme by which they thought they could either frighten the Lord, and thus stop Him from what He was then doing, (i.e. publicly preaching and teaching the Kingdom of God in their region) or if He heeded them and sought refuge or help from them they likely thought they could mislead Him into one of their own traps and plots which they were already working behind the scenes against Him. (Just like what happened to Nehemiah when Tobiah and Sanballat thought to frighten Nehemiah to make him stop working on the wall, and flee and take refuge in the Temple, by which they then could accuse him of violating the holy sanctuary, see Nehemiah 6:1-14).

Vs. 32-33 ³² And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’ ³³ Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.

Now upon hearing from the Pharisees that Herod was seeking to kill Him, Jesus is neither frightened, nor moved to altar His own plans. And so Jesus tells them to go and tell that fox; for that was all that Herod was, a scheming and opportunistic fox; … “Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.” Thus, the Lord Jesus Christ was not going to stop doing and manifesting the mighty and glorious works of the Kingdom of God in Herod’s governed region or anyone else’s. Now in this Jesus also indirectly ties His own Crucifixion death and Resurrection from the dead on the third day in His rebuke of Herod to them, saying that on the third day He shall be perfected, however to them this would’ve only been veiled. Therefore, the Lord Jesus goes onto say that He must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following in order to fulfill His destiny with the Cross, “for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.” Therefore, no threats of death from Herod, or anyone else, was going to keep the Lord Jesus Christ from fulfilling His God given Mission and Purpose.

Vs. 34-35 ³⁴ “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! ³⁵ See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”

Having declared as much to them, Jesus’ heart now yearns for and mourns over Jerusalem (the city of God which David the man of God built and fortified to magnify God’s Glory on earth.) For Jesus knows that they will not receive Him, but they will kill Him, just as they and their rulers killed all of the prophets and righteous ones sent to testify against them (vs. 34). Even so Jesus’ heart still yearns for them, just as a mother hen who gathers her chicks under her brood to shield and protect them, so Jesus wanted to gather all of them to Himself to shield, protect, and nurture them, but they were not willing (vs. 34). Therefore the Lord Jesus tells them that they’re house will be left to them desolate (Spiritually devoid of the Person and Presence of God), until the time comes when they say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ” Therefore, not until they receive Jesus Christ as their Lord, Savior, and King will they see Him for who He really is, they’re longed for Messiah.

Scripture Quotations

New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson

Luke 13:22–30

²² And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. ²³ Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, ²⁴ “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. ²⁵ When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ ²⁶ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ ²⁷ But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ ²⁸ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. ²⁹ They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”

Commentary
Vs. 22-24 ²² And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. ²³ Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, ²⁴ “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

The Lord Jesus having warned us by way of His previous two parables how evil will seek to influence and pervade the Kingdom of God, now while on His journey to Jerusalem, while He was teaching in all of the cities and villages as He journeyed is asked by someone “if few are saved” (vs. 23). Now in answering the persons question Jesus personalizes it by saying to them; and by default, us all: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” Consider then Jesus statement for in it there is the exhortation to strive, not work for salvation, but to strive to enter i.e. follow Him. Now in this consider Phil. 3:7-11 where the Apostle having abandoned all of his own righteousness and whatever else he once thought would merit him God’s favor, counting them all as rubbish, now in trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ Crucified and Risen from the dead for His salvation is not an idle worker, or living an indifferent or godless life because he believed and received the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. No now he strives not for salvation, but rather to be well pleasing to the One who both saved him, and has now enlisted him as His own “soldier” in the good fight for the Kingdom of God’s sake (2 Cor. 5:9; 2 Tim. 2:4). Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ’s exhortation to strive to enter the Kingdom of God needs to be heeded by us all. For praying a prayer to receive the Lord Jesus Christ is one thing, but following Him in discipleship requires a concerted and ongoing effort, which will require us to forsake all to follow Him. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ says to us all, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” ^{Vs. 24}
For there is now an open door whereby anyone can enter a local church or assembly and hear a few Christmas or Easter messages, and having heard go out and feel like they have “done their part,” and thus they go out and carry on living their lives the same way they always have. Similarly, there are those who go to church for years on Sunday (maybe their parents brought them to Sunday school) but now their lives are only spent doing and pursuing their own goals and desires. And so, in time they begin to look and speak and act no different than the unbelieving world. Therefore, Jesus is warning about this sort of complacency, where one’s person and life though they maybe even in a church fellowship, yet they are not in a right fellowship with Him! For again by saying as much to us all the Lord Jesus Christ is warning us all to not to be complacent, or self-assured, or self deceived! But rather to: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” ^{Vs. 24}

Vs. 25-27 ²⁵ When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ ²⁶ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ ²⁷ But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’

Here then using some allegory language to describe His return and His setting up His everlasting Kingdom whereby He will welcome and receive all the true citizens of it (that is all who truly believe in Him, and thus have been born-again by His Holy Spirit) and so we will enter into it. However at that time there will also be many seeking to enter into it, saying to Him, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us’ ^{vs. 25} However as the Lord Jesus Christ makes clear it will be too late at that time to repent and believe as Jesus says, for the door of salvation will then be shut, and so He will answer them by saying, “I do not know you, where you are from.” For it is one thing to say that one knows the Lord, (maybe associating this with Christian church attendance or service, or having been baptized etc. but it is quite another to love Him, and thus to be known by Him (consider 1 Cor. 8:3). For truly only those who love God, truly belong to Him, and in this no one can love God until they have received His love for themselves through His own Son Jesus Christ. Therefore, until one repents and believes and receives the Lord Jesus Christ for themselves, they are not saved. However, when they do, He by His Spirit transforms them into new creations In Christ, giving us new hearts with new righteous and Godly desires, for having cleansed us from our old sins, He now ushers in the new (2 Cor. 5:17; Heb. 1:3). Now in this it is individually our own responsibility to grow in Him, and then live Him out, which is our life long journey and purpose down here, to become more and more like Christ. For that is the striving the Lord Jesus is talking about that we all do and pursue (see 2 Peter 1:5-11). However, as Jesus makes clear there will be those who though they ate and drank in His Presence and heard Him teach in the streets; that is they had Christian fellowship in their lives, and they heard and were taught His Word (Vs. 26), and yet it did not affect their persons and lives, and so they never came to the place of repentance and faith, of truly coming to grips with their own sins, and thus their own need for Him. And so, they never came to know Him, because they did not see their own need for Him. Therefore, though they were in Christian fellowship they only continued on dead in their sins and transgressions, living as they have always lived, and so here Jesus plainly says He does not know them, for having not known them in this life, because they never came to believe in Him, He now says to them: …‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’  
The only question then is, does the Lord know you? Does He know you as His own, as a child of God, born again by the Spirit of God through faith in His Person Crucified and Risen from the dead. For that is how one becomes known by Him by repenting of one’s sins, or selfishness, or arrogance, or dead works by which one has been trying to save oneself and simply believing in the Lord Jesus Crucified and Risen from the dead (Rom. 10:9-10, 13). And thus, believing in Him and receiving Him unconditionally one enters His Rest. Therefore, do not delay be reconciled to God today!

Vs. 28-30 ²⁸ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. ²⁹ They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”

In these verses the Lord Jesus Christ is rebuking the Jews for their obstinance and unbelief towards Him telling that there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when they see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and themselves thrust out (vs. 28). Thrust out because they themselves were trusting in the fact that they were the descendants of all of these Godly men, and yet these very men were the ones who believed the revelation God had given them, and so they longed for and desired to see the Lord Jesus Christ as they could now see, hear, and believe in their lifetimes, Therefore, the Lord Jesus also goes on and says that, “They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.” ^{Vs. 29}
Thus, not only will they be cast out for their unbelief, but the very Gentile peoples and nations whom they so frequently scorned and hated will be ones who will take their places, because when they heard about the Lord Jesus Christ they believed! Therefore, the Lord Jesus also says that there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last (vs. 30). Thus many in this lifetime who enjoyed the privileges of being first; who always made sure they were first; will find themselves being last in the Kingdom of God, while those who were relegated to being last in this lifetime, who were considered of little significance to them, but were of great significance to God, will find themselves being first!

Scripture Quotations

New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson