“Go out into the highways and Hedges”...the Wayfarer, 8/2/13

8/2/13

“Go out into the highways and Hedges”

“And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”

 (Luke 14:23)

Today, we go to another of our Lord’s precious parables, this one found in the 14^th chapter of Luke.

Once again he is teaching his disciples and other followers in the presence of the lawyers and Pharisees, who of course are seeking some way to refute his teachings.

“And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath day, that they watched him.

And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?

And they held their peace, And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;

And answered them saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?

And they could not answer him again to these things.”

(Luke 14:1-6)

The man with the dropsy had a need of healing. Jesus saw that need as an immediate need and knew that it was the Father’s will that it be cured. The stipulation against work on the Sabbath day did not come into play for this very reason.

Despite the fact that He knew that there would be consequences, and condemnation of those gathered, Jesus did what He knew needed to be done.

The first verse of this passage gives us insight into the purpose of those lawyers and Pharisees, who watched Him, through the self- righteousness and envy always displayed by them, only to find a way to condemn Him.

These same attitudes are still far too prevalent in our own world, too easy to slip into when viewing the actions of those attempting to continue the work of our Savior in a manner not used by a majority, but in the manner demanded of them by our Lord.

Christ tells them of the urgency to do what needs to be done as it needs to be done with His question about the animals falling into a pit. That pit also still exists today, but it is not the animals we need concern ourselves with, but, our fellow men in need, spiritual and physical!

“And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,

When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him;

And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.

But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher; then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbeleth himself shall be exalted.”

(Luke 14:7-11)

At this gathering attended by our Lord, as at all gatherings attended by the “religious leadership” of the time, Jesus noted how they each attempted to outdo the other in their placement of honor at this gathering. With the parable, he made his point about the requirement for humility as opposed to self-aggrandization. It is a lesson, not only for those gathered then, but to us as well. Humility is far better to be sought out in honoring our God. It is after all He who deserves all credit and honor, we are mere tools to be used by Him, worthless without His guiding hand in the use of those tools!

“Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.

But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:

And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompence thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.”

(Luke 14:12-14)

Jesus spoke directly to his host for the dinner, telling him of the need to pay more attention to the needs of those around him instead of the glory to be gained by sharing only with those of equal or greater stature!

We find the same gatherings all about us continually and consistently today. Everything from State dinners that include heads of nations, ambassadors and other important people, who are served only the best of the available foods, down to the observances by individual smaller churches and other religious organizations who again invite only those of the same or greater stature than they, when the need is in the soup kitchens and missions for the homeless and helpless.

Glory seekers will find that glory. The rewards they gain will be fleeting and to no avail when they stand at the throne. The glory that needs to be sought may only be sought through patience and labor fraught with humility!

“And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

And they all, with one consent, began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it. I pray thee have me excused.

And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. 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 hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt and the blind.

And the servant said, Lord it is done as thou hast commanded, ant yet there is room.

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

For I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.”

(Luke 14:15-24)

“Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.” Words spoken by one of the gathered, once again in the attempt to state that only those gathered or those of equal stature would be the ones to partake of the rewards of the resurrection, that in turn sparked the parable Jesus gave, in an attempt to educate those gathered that  their self-righteousness was not a way to that kingdom!

The parable of the great feast is another lesson to be paid close attention to today. The feast that we set for ourselves, and those who are like minded, is intended to be shared by those most in need.

The feast I speak of, and the one spoken of in this parable, is not only the feast that includes mere food for the body, but the bread of life necessary to the soul as well. The nourishment of that soul may only be accomplished if the invitation to the dinner is accepted.

The excuses given by those invited were varied, and those given today are equally varied. No doubt some of those excuses are indeed sincere, without having given thought to the need of that very nourishment being offered. Others are continual and simply a means of expressing that one is better than those offering to share that feast in some manner.

 As the Jews of importance rejected Jesus, the parable tells of those to whom the feast was instead given. The fact that those who rejected that feast will not partake of it is saddening, but the fact that it is made available to all the broken ones mentioned in the following verses gives hope to the rest of us who find ourselves not of that Great Stature who offer no excuses, but are instead willing partakers of that which has been offered.

Once again humility, and repentance, is demanded before we may be guests at the dinner that awaits us, but oh what a dinner it is!

We need to recognize that God is no respecter of persons, of titles, of glory given to man by man, but respects only that which is in our heart, and whether that heart has been cleansed by the acceptance of His Son as our Savior and Intercessor.

The respect and honor that we give, should be no less than which He has given to us. It should not be to the glorification of any except that Son and Intercessor.

Once invited to that feast, there can be no excuse, lest, as did those invited in the parable it be determined that once bidden and excuse made, the invitation be withdrawn forever.

Each day lived is one less left us to live, each one wasted can never be replaced.

 Each opportunity to share the feast of fellowship and prayer with others that is ignored for whatever excuse, is one less opportunity to know the joy and power that is available through that fellowship and prayer.

Each time we are given the task given that servant, to go out, and fail to do so is one more failure to be answered for on a day yet to come.

Each time we fail to realize that we are only servants attempting to meet the requirements of that task and choose instead to find cause not to take that invitation to any and all is a failure to remember that Jesus said, “Whosoever!”  That must include all, not just those which we choose to look upon as equals or betters. 

It must include those wounded, the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind, not only of body, but of Spirit as well.  We must go out to the highways and hedges as has been asked of us, and was required of us by the Great Commission. 

Instead of “inspecting” the fruits of others, it is past time to inspect those of the one we face each day in the mirror. 

The time draws near when the real fruit inspector will arrive, and it is his judgment, not ours that needs be paid attention to!

If we are to bear the fruit required of us, the concentration needs to be on bearing that fruit, and helping others to bear it as well.

We have been invited, what is your excuse?

I close as always in the sincere hope and prayer that all who have ears to hear and eyes to see accept that invitation, and carry it forward to others as well.

  I leave you with the love of that Savior, whose invitation I chose to accept so many years ago, still as always only a simple sinner saved though the grace of my God through faith in that Savior, still only that which I am, and only that which I am capable of being, the same unworthy but willing soldier in His service, just a servant of the Master, knowing that the only worthiness I will ever attain is through Him alone.

2 Timothy 1:12
¹²For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

AMEN and AMEN 
the Wayfarer