As kids in the Dickson household when it came to dinner time often the plea was heard. “Can we eat dinner in front of the TV?” However the majority of the time the answer was no. Instead we would sit round the table to eat together. When I was younger this was disappointing as there was always exciting things on TV at dinner time... like star trek! But now that I'm older and particularly being married I appreciate the time I can share with others over a meal. Its a chance to pause from the rush of the day. A chance to talk and build relationships. A chance to laugh together and a chance to hear each others pains. In fact often the world's problems are solved over a hearty meal!
In these three passages the consistent context is that of a meal. Jesus is taking the time over lunch to challenge the leaders of the day in their response, firstly to those around them and then to Jesus himself which ultimately demonstrated their response to God the Father as Jesus acted with authority his authority. Jesus is not preaching in a synagogue this time, he is not out on the hill preaching to thousands of people but instead he is at lunch with the leaders of the Jewish nation, the lawyers and Pharisees. He is there to challenge them and then ultimately present a dire warning. The intimacy of the situation amplifies the response of the lawyers and Pharisees.
Make no mistake we cannot excuse ourselves from the teaching in this passage. Although Jesus spoke here to the leaders of the day his observation and warnings relate to all mankind and are just as relevant in the 21st century as they were in the 1st.
Jesus came to earth to usher in a new kingdom. In that kingdom he rules and reigns with the authority given him by God the Father. The authority that Jesus has been given to rule and reign demands a response from us.
Life is full of relationships and each relationship requires a response. The response that we give reveals our heart. If we are dead in our sins that heart response will also be dead and its result, 'self-centred-ness'. If we are born again and our spirit is alive in Jesus that heart response will be life and its result 'other-centred-ness'. So Jesus challenged the response of the lawyers and Pharisees to show them what their heart really looked like and finally to warn them where that heart would eventually find them.
If we are dead in our sins our heart response will be legalism, pride and selfish relationships a selfish attitude that clutters our lives and prevents us from hearing the call to the great banquet. If we are alive in Jesus our heart response will instead be compassion, humility and sacrificial relationships a selfless attitude that frees our lives to hear the call to the great banquet.
So the scene is set. Its a Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath and its time for the midday meal. Jesus has accepted the invitation to the house of a ruler of the Pharisees. All the lawyers and Pharisees also in attendance are watching Jesus closely because also present at the meal is a man with dropsy. Its symptoms being swollen limbs and tissue from excess body fluids. For such a man to be present in this house is surprising as dropsy was considered as resulting from sin. A Pharisees would not normally be seen associating with such a man. A set-up?. Not one to pass up such an opportunity Jesus uses the situation to challenge the lawyers and Pharisees. "Is it right on the Sabbath to heal or not?" Jesus does here what he has been doing throughout history. He challenges in order to get a response and its the resulting response that reveals the heart. In this episode Jesus challenges the Pharisees with the presence of the man with dropsy. Will they respond with compassion or will they respond with legalism? Jesus responded with compassion but the Pharisees responded with legalism.
Jesus' challenge forces us to consider our heart response to the rules we live our lives by. Are we prepared to get our hands dirty as Jesus did or will we stand back separated from others by our legalism. That person at your work who is struggling with debt or a relationship or even just in need of a friend. Are we willing to put aside that legalism that keeps us separate and instead act with compassion. What legalistic excuses are holding us back from being compassionate.
Next it is Jesus doing the watching and he observes how those invited to the meal rush to sit round the table. Jesus is observing their response that reveals their heart. Those who consider themselves highly rush to seat themselves in the place of honour reveal a proud heart. In contrast those who have a right understanding of themselves and avoid the seat of honour reveal a heart of humility. Those with a heart of humility will allow their station to be suggested by others. Those with a heart of pride look to seize station for themselves. Verse 11 begins to suggest the importance of such response. To act with pride does not just end with a humiliation amongst peers. In our pride God will humble us but in our humility God will exalt. Our response reveals our heart and God responds to what is in our heart!
Jesus' challenge forces us to consider our heart response to how we view ourselves. Do we think we are above certain jobs. Do we skip out on responsibility that should be ours and leave it for others. Do we view ourselves with a sober judgement?
Jesus turns this time to challenge his host. Jesus' challenges the Pharisees is one of inclusion in his hospitality. If the Pharisees continues to be so exclusive inviting only those who he knows will also invite him back then he has received his reward in full. There is no sacrifice involved in his giving out to others. If however instead the Pharisees would be sacrificial in his relationship with others, giving out with no expectation of a return, his reward comes from God.
Jesus' challenge forces us to consider out heart response in our relationship to others. When we give out do we look only for those people who can also give back to us. In our relationships do we seek out that funny because he makes us laugh or do we search for that person who is not easy to talk to and we give out without a return.
Verse 15 is very telling. Despite the challenges of Jesus revealing the heart response of those present at the meal one Pharisees spoke up. “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” This Pharisees has not grasped the depth of Jesus' challenges. As a Pharisees, a leader of the Jewish nation this man considered his automatic inclusion in God's kingdom. Instead Jesus speaks a dire warning. It is true that the Jewish nation received the first invitation into God's kingdom but without the right heart response when the Jesus actually arrived to usher in the kingdom they couldn't see it. Their heart was filled with legalism, pride and selfish relationships that blinded them to the presence God amongst them. The warning here is that their invitation into the Kingdom will go to others whose heart response frees them to receive.
Are we too busy, are we too self focused to realise what Jesus is inviting us to? When Jesus challenges us daily with that person in trouble in the office, with that menial task or that difficult relationship what will our heart response be? Will we realise our need for Jesus because of the selfish response of our hearts? Will we allow Jesus in to change our heart of stone to a heart of flesh?
No comments:
Post a Comment