Luke 14:1-14
Power for Service!
Imagine that you’ve just been invited to a wedding. The bride and groom have expressed their sincere desire to have you present for their wedding. You have been best friends with both of them for many years and have been looking forward to this moment. The time comes for the reception after the ceremony. Everyone begins showing up to find out that there’s no seating chart. You’re told that it’s open seating so you can sit wherever. You look around and see all the tables arranged in rows and numbered, with the big head table at the front. Would you be so bold to go and sit at the head table? No! Of course not. We all understand this basic etiquette, who that table is reserved for. And I know, I’m talking to Lutherans who all would be congregated at the back! I digress. Nonetheless, it would take a lot of pride and arrogance for someone to think that as a regular guest they could go and sit at the head table of a wedding... no matter the circumstances. For we understand that there’s a certain level of humility we should have when it comes to interacting with others. Humility is the modest view of ourselves, acknowledging that we’re not the best at everything. Others might be better singers than us, or better in sports, or get better grades than us in school, and so on. No matter how well we do, we look at ourselves and say, I’m not the best or most important person in the world. It’s a willingness to put others above yourself and not be the center of attention.
In our Gospel lesson today, Jesus argues again with the Pharisees. They try to test Jesus to catch him in their trap, but rather, Jesus turns it right back on them. For Jesus shows us just how corrupt and twisted the Pharisees have become, a reality that is all too natural to our sinful flesh. For let us learn today:
THE HONOR AND AUTHORITY OF CHRIST IS HUMBLE SERVICE, NOT POWER.
I.
Jesus regularly ran into the Pharisees. They had been following him wherever he went and listening to everything he did. Not because they were interested in Jesus. Quite the opposite. They wanted to be there when Jesus messed up to catch him. For today, Jesus goes to dine with them in their own house. As he does so, they try to spring a trap on him by bringing before him a man who has dropsy. For those that don’t know, dropsy is the buildup of fluid in the body’s tissue, particularly at joints. Seeing this man brought before him, Jesus asks them a question, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?’ But they remained silent,” Luke 14:3-4. Now this was the third time he had collided with them on the Sabbath and there’s been a progression each time. First was anger (6:7,11), then came humiliation (13:17), now, they’re simply silent. It’s become clear that the way of Jesus is completely opposite of the way of the Pharisees. For Jesus heals this man miraculously, showing compassion on him. Yet, for the story we’re told, this healing isn’t the focus. Just as quickly as this man is brought, he’s also sent away.
For you see, we can mock the Pharisees all we want. We can point our fingers at them and say, “How horrible are they because they did this or that.” Indeed, the Pharisees were corrupt and there’s no question about it with how much Jesus calls them out. However, as the old kid saying goes, “When you point a finger, four fingers are pointing back at you.” Jesus notices the way the Pharisees operate, as we read, “Now [Jesus] told a parable to those who were invited when he noticed how they chose the places of honor…” Luke 14:7. They prefer power over weakness, honor over shame, and pride over humility. And all too often, we’re no different from them. Our world works the same way the Pharisees did. Power is a currency in our world, one that is all too often tossed around in the workplace, in schools, in politics, and even in churches. Whoever holds the most power, that is whoever can tell others what to do, is seen as the most important person. For we fight, and compete, and try to claw our way to the top just because that’s our nature too. When we live in a world that considers ourselves as the most important person in the world, there’s no room for compassion. It’s only rules and punishments.
II.
Thus, we learn that leadership in the church is never about telling others what to do. It’s not about how much power you hold. Rather, I’m here not as one who’s meant to be served, but to serve. For this is exactly what Jesus did for us. Jesus chose to be considered the lowest, the most worthless, the greatest servant of all rather than to be seated upon his throne and adored. This is the reason for the parable Jesus tells and the lesson he attaches to it, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted,” Luke 14:11. Jesus humbled himself by taking upon himself our flesh and being born of a virgin. He humbled himself by serving the poor and widow and orphans. Jesus humbled himself by giving himself up to be arrested and beaten. Jesus humbled himself to the point of death, even death upon the cross. For the way of Jesus is humble service, not power and pride. Yes, Jesus came to serve us by being our savior, dying for our sins, granting us forgiveness and freedom that he may also give us eternal life!
All this he did, not for angels who could serve him in perfect obedience, but for us, sinners. Jesus prepares his own feast, not for friends or relatives, but for those who were once his enemies. We who are poor and destitute in the things of God are brought before him at his table. When we come, sinners though we are, Jesus doesn’t say, “Go stand in that corner where you belong.” No! He says, “Friend, come and sit in the place of honor. Be my honored guest at my table. Take, eat of my body. Take, drink of my blood.” Yes, here at the table, the altar of our God, Jesus crowns us with his grace, feeding us his own body and blood. He exalts us with his forgiveness that we may have faith unto eternal life! For what could we ever do to repay him for such a luxurious feast? What offering could we bring before our Lord to repay him for the gifts he gives? It’s only by Jesus’s grace and mercy that we’re made saints—forgiven and redeemed.
May we in Christ-like humility think of others more highly than ourselves that we may serve one another just as Christ has served us. For Jesus who humbled himself unto death has been exalted far beyond the heavens to the right hand of God where he continues to serve us with grace and mercy unto life everlasting! In Jesus’ name! Amen!