The Blessing of Luncheons, Dinners, and Banquets

The Blessing  of  Luncheons, Dinners, and Banquets 

“When you give a banquet, invite the poor,

 the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.

 Although they cannot repay you, you will

be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." 

Luke 14:13-14

Luncheons, Dinners, and Banquets have

something in common, besides the food.

These gatherings are by invitation.

Honor is given to the guest.

The host is building relationships.

People network to make business connections.

Luncheons, Dinners, and Banquets are

 designed to increase the quality of life.

Honor is one of the most sought

after thing at one of these gatherings.

If you ever planned a wedding banquet,

you know the cost.

We looked into some halls for our son’s wedding.

One place was $50 per person, take that times 400

and you would have to rob Fort Knox to pay for it.

Jesus addresses these types of gatherings.

Jesus sees the importance of them.

Jesus, in Luke 14, not only attends one of these events,

 but let us know He will be hosting one in heaven.

Jesus says the ones most likely to not be invited

are the ones who could most benefit from such

an event and those who would contribute the least.

I do not believe the issues is giving the starving a meal,

although no one should go hungry.

Jesus says,

"When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you,

you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." 

Be careful that your guest list is not focused

on your honor and potential pay back.

There is a blessing that comes to those who

invite those who cannot pay back.

A repayment, “at the resurrection of the righteous.” 

Is there someone you need to invite to dinner?

Maybe you will find that experience will

give you a blessing money could not buy.

Scripture Readings

Luke 14:1-14 NIV

14:1 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. 2 There in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. 3 Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?"  4 But they remained silent.

So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away.

5 Then he asked them, "If one of you has a son or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?" 

6 And they had nothing to say.

7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." 

12 Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed . Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."