Luke 14:7-14

⁷When 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. ⁹If 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. ¹⁰But 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. ¹¹For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

¹²Then 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. ¹³But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, ¹⁴and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Response: Do not invite family and friends to the banquet, invite those who cannot return the favor.

To begin the sermon the pastor suggested that todays students have less intent to look at those who are helpless. That when be begin to push for the “better” more suitable future we leave behind or even step on those whose opportunity to “succeed” is questionable because of social status, race, gender, sexuality. While I agree with him, I think that the institution of the church has created this monster based on theological principles. We work hard to increase our numbers by pushing aside those who are not apart of our social group. We fight against authoritative women in the church, the heretical homo’s, and the dammed Hindus, Buddists, Jews, Muslims, creating a god-awful community of ass holes eager to save the church by pushing away its members.

And then I find myself wondering if my theology is an easy way out. Maybe these asses (of whom I love) have it right. I sit in the chair quietly, willing to share faith experiences, hoping and praying that my actions are enough. That loving and listening is all that is required of me. Faith that God will take care of the rest. But then the ass comes out and I wonder if this makes me a lofty Christian. How important is it to share with others what may be the “only way to salvation”. Will I one day be ashamed that I was not a “witness” out preaching the “message of salvation” to all men, warning them of their future in hell. Am I taking the easy way out by creating a more universalist view of heaven in which God ultimately saves all people. What the hell is required of me-how and whom am I supposed to invite to the banquet table-who are the poor, crippled, lame and blind.