Today we will compare Luke 15 and Luke 14
A lot of questions believers are asking- what about discipleship and forsaking all u have and becoming Jesus’ disciples.
Luke 15:1- starts with the word “THEN” which means after the event in Luke14. So we know it is chronologically ordered.
The Pharisees were there.
This Man receives sinners and eats with them- what a wonderful accusation. I hope we are accused of this too. God wants you to be a friend of sinners because our LORD is also a friend of sinners.
Luke 15- world of God. After they complained, Jesus told the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, prodigal son—- parables of grace. Compare w parables of demand in Luke 14
Law demands. Grace supplies. Law has generational curses. Grace remembers our sins and lawless deeds NO MORE. At the Cross, God remembered all our sins on Christ and they were punished on Him in our stead so God doesn’t remember our sins no more. Don’t live under the wrong covenant
Grace proclaims the good news everywhere.
Luke 14:1-7
Jesus stepped into the house (aka man’s world where everything depends on your outward facade, scholastic ability, financial title, trappings).
Matthew 12- rejected by the Jews. Jesus left the house and sat by the seaside. =Left Israel to preach good news to the Gentiles.
The Pharisees (not any Pharisee, one of the rulers) invited him and watched him closely. Scrutinised. Jesus didn’t feel at home in the house of men but he went.
Someone with dropsy (elephantitis) came. Jesus healed him and asked Pharisees which of u if u have a donkey fall into a pit won’t rescue them even though it is a sabbath day?
How Jesus reacted in these two worlds, remember He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Before Jesus rescues u from the pit he isn’t going to ask u questions before healing u. U see a sick man, u heal him. Freely u receive, freely u give.
Jesus didn’t read the book how to win friends obviously from the way he responded to the Pharisees.
Lk14:11
Some people to think God doesn’t want us to be exalted. No. God doesn’t want us to exalt ourselves or we have to maintain our own exaltation and position. Have to keep looking behind u all the time. God wants u to exalt u. And when God exalts u, what can man do? So humble yourself and let God exalt u. God’s hands are bigger. Not about us or man exalting us.
When Jesus spoke about the party and invitees, Jesus was talking about the party he was attending where men were showing off to men. He was telling the host in front of everyone not to just invite the rich neighbors. Invite the blind, the maimed, the poor, the lame and u shall be blessed.
Then he shared three parables of demand.
1) A certain man held a great supper and invited many (por-lose= many in Greek). Man didn’t set out this feast. God did. The supper had a rich spiritual spread never seen before. Asked servant to announce “Come for ALL things are now ready.” ALL- encompasses all the things troubling u. It is free not because it is cheap but because it is priceless. It is free because someone paid with His blood and His name is Jesus. All the claims fully met and satisfied. Satan defeated. Men liberated. God glorified. A perfect work. Jesus sat down at the Father’s right hand because His work was complete. Not because of who He is.
The Son prepare the feast with His blood- there is healing, deliverance, favour at that table. The bread of life is at that table.
This servant is also mentioned in Gen24. Isaac is a hidden portrait of Jesus in the OT. Isaac is considered the son, the only son, the son that Abraham loved. Son of Grace. Ishmael son of Law. Abraham saw the vision of the real lamb of God. The lamb came that Isaac didn’t have to die. Abraham sent his unnamed servant to find a bride of Isaac- this became longest chap of Genesis. Servant is unnamed because Holy Spirit came not to draw attention to self but to JESUS. Jesus said of the Comforter (HS), “He shall glorify me”.
Back to parable- Son prepared feast, HS to call the invitees.
A richer feast cannot be put before men than this feast. No need of men that cannot be met at this table. U would have thought men would break down the door and rush to the table, but they have stupid and illogical excuses as to why they can’t come to the feast.
One guy said he bought the land and must go see it. Another guy said he bought oxen and must go check them out. Who buys land before seeing it? Or buys oxen before trying them out?
So consumed by the world that they can’t see what is good for him.
A child fed with so much candy, will opt for candy over what is good for him. Does he know the candy is not good for him? Of coz – his parents would have told him that many times.
Let us not look down on these men. Many of us would have made the same kind of choices. Many of us would have also given up Jesus for Barabas to be released.
What made the master angry? V21
He has so much goodness and healing and love that we can’t take a drop to consume His goodness, opting for the corrupt systems of this world.
Grace not well received because men always wanna do something (DIY).
HS brings all the maimed, poor, sick etc and still there is room
God’s grace is always greater than sin. His supply overexceeds our needs and demands.
The lamb is always more than what we can consume. We can eat until we are full and there are still twelve bucketfuls leftover.
If only u knew the infinite value of that MAN, u would know He can die for the past, present and future and there will still be much more leftover.
The first Adam can’t undo his sin by doing right. U can’t undo your position of being a sinner by doing right.
Yet some preachers tell people that be careful, if u do something wrong, u will undo what the last Adam did. How can that be? Are we saying the last Adam is lesser than the first Adam? That the first Adam did so great that we can’t undo the unrighteousness yet what the last Adam did was so little that he cannot do what the first Adam did? Something wrong here…
The hedge represents the curtain. Bring in from the highways and hedges because there is still room.
What is it about us that we need to be compelled (forced) and not just invited to come?
One day we are gonna be in Heaven and see that perfection God intended for us and in a state of good health and bliss, and realise we are all compelled guest. God doesn’t compel disregarding our will. He does so by making us willing. One morning Zachaeus suddenly wakes up and wants to climb the tree to see Jesus, the prodigal son one day realises he needed to go back to his father—- they were compelled.
If God doesn’t make u see, u won’t see it.
John 6:65-68–11 Jesus said “No one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father” & many of the disciples (not the twelve) left out of pride. They were upset it was told to them that God was the one opened their eyes and they were not given credit because they themselves saw it for themselves.
The many (the por-lose) = the multitude in v26
Some come to Jesus as a pattern, a great teacher, a great healer but not as a saviour.
Teach me what u know and what u did to cleanse the leper so I can do the same.
U can come to Jesus to learn success but not receive for Him. Everyday we need saving from our lust, stress, worry, bad habits etc. How do u treat Jesus? Yes Jesus is a good example but his calling for us is not to be an example but as our Saviour.
Ephesians 5:1- be mimickers—- as God’s agapetos— know u are loved by Father will imitate their Father. Bring up kids by showing love. When know they are loved, will mimic their parent.
See Amplified of Eph5:1-
Humble yourself and everyday let Him know we have a lot of saving for Him to do but it is ok. His name is SAVIOUR.
Jesus doesn’t just save once in a while. His job is always to save. Even saving your face.
Ps share he used to study discipleship in the last. Not mocking it. Discipleship means learner in Greek. Jesus had His disciples. Doesn’t mean they all are saved. They are all learners. Not against discipleship but dismayed when people exalt Discipleship over SONship.
Jesus said u want me to be an example, u give up everything and die on the Cross for mankind. Can u?
Discipleship was never mentioned after the book of Acts. We must not exalt discipleship over grace and SONship.
Discipleship see Him as a pattern but not as a saviour. Prideful. Self righteousness.
Luke 14 last verse enters into first verse of like 15. All the tax collectors and sinners drew to hear Jesus and in that moment His heart gave out the three parables of grace. They come to be saved and He loves it.
Once u experience His love then can u mimic Him.
The moment a sinner draw nears to Jesus and make that connection with Him as Saviour and not teacher, His heart is moved.
Luke 15- lost sheep parable
One person who repents bring much joy to heaven.
How did the lamb repent? The lamb consented to be loved, to be saved, to be carried, to rest on His strong shoulders and rest in His love. That is bible repentance.
And what shepherd would leave 99 to seek 1? Only the true shepherd. He went, He found, He carried, He rejoiced!
All these three parables are about us or our joy in the matter of salvation.
All three parables are about God’s joy and that only. God’s joy in recovering u, saving u, redeeming u. About the finder’s joy, not the joy of those found.
God’s world is made happy by sinners entering into it.
We misquote and say angels rejoice when sinners are saved. No. The angels are present in the rejoicing but the joy belongs to the Saviour. See Luke 15:10- who is rejoicing? GOD.
Woman who found lost coin- UNCOMMON JOY.
GOD finding and redeeming me has formed His joy.
Jesus entered the self righteous world of Pharisee and was uncomfortable. “If that world disappoints u, come to My world.” If he didn’t seek, we would not have been found.
By Galilee, Emmanuel LORD. And to the broken and humbled He taught. In streams of beauty, man could not see. Angels of glory, watching over him. Love has come down. Love has come down. Hear the joyful sound, love has come down.
You went away back to Your home. But You have said we will need be alone. You sent Your spirit down from above. Your Holy Spirit, spirit of love. Love has come down. Love has come down. Tell it all around, love has come down.
Love has come down, love has come down. Hear the joyful sound, love has come down.
Come. Come all thing are now ready. Come take the water of life freely= last command of holy scripture. Come and take. Salvation is free- paid for by the blood of Jesus but free for you. Come. Take.
He suffered my curses that I might be blessed. Amen.
Tqvm Geri! Appreciate yr good notes!