What’s for Dinner? Looks Like Humble Pie: 2016 Gospel of Luke #56
This is an exposition of Luke 14:1-14. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, April 30, 2017.
Intro:
“This is going to be great.” “Are you sure he doesn’t suspect anything?” “Of course he doesn’t we’ve thought of everything.” “Boy is he ever going to be surprised.” “Well it is about time he got his!” That must have been the talk around the room. A careful plan had meticulously been put into motion. No, it’s not the crew of one of the endless “real life” programs on Cable or the Jerry Springer Show preparing for a taping. This happened long before either of those. This goes way back. A couple of thousand years back! This was the talk in Palestine of some religious leaders who had planned a dinner party. Of course the meal itself was merely preliminary. The main course was the trap that had been set for that trouble making Galilean – Jesus of Nazareth. You see he just had to be stopped. The “whole world” was going after him. This new message of his is gaining popularity and he must be stopped – no matter what. He must come to an end – no matter what it takes!
Text: Luke 14:1-14
We are in the last days of the earthly life and ministry of the Lord Jesus.
In that period of time when he set his face as a flint for Jerusalem.
Hostility is mounting on the part of the Scribes and Pharisees.
Determination is increasing in the heart of our Lord.
In each event, with each passing day it is becoming more and more apparent that no one takes his life from him but he lays it down. He is the Sovereign One in charge of his own destiny.
As we explore this text we discover that this was no informal gathering.
Each person present had been invited.
And they had been invited for a reason.
For months the religious establishment had been scheming.
No detail was left to chance.
They were determined that this would finish him.
Often he had healed on the Sabbath and once more would be the final nail in his coffin.
This would prove to be an interesting evening!
Thesis: You and I are called to faithful and effective ministry after the pattern of the Lord Jesus.
Our life and ministry is to reflect his values. It is to be in keeping with his character. In his handling of ambush, our Lord passes on to us so valuable lessons for faithful and effective ministry. I want us to note three of them from this text.
- Faithful and effective ministry focuses on the needs of others. (14:1-6)
- Faithful and effective ministry counts others as more important than ourselves. (14:7-11)
- Faithful and effective ministry expects nothing in return. (14:12-14)
Conclusion:
We’ve been called to be like Jesus.
We are to caring on His ministry.
To do that we must focus on the needs of others, count other more valuable than ourselves and expect nothing in return. That is the path to faithful and effective ministry.