The Velvet Rope and the Scarlet Thread
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Luke 14:1–14 (NIV)
One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” But they remained silent.
So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way. Then he asked them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?” And they had nothing to say.
When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “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. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But 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 the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
THE VELVET ROPE AND THE SCARLET THREAD
We’ve been looking at the divinity of Christ as God, The Son.
Hebrews 1:2–3 (NIV)
but in these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in Heaven.
By looking up to his divinity, we have a Savior who purified us from sin. Now we look at his humanity.
Why is this important? How will looking at Jesus’ humanity help you in your every day life? It is simple. Looking at Jesus’ humanity changes the way you see the world. Jesus Christ could have come and died right away to atone for our sins. But he came to live among us for 33 years. He showed us it is possible to live a life on earth that is pleasing to God.
We will look at Jesus in one of the most human experiences- having dinner. I must tell the story out of order to make a point. Jesus was invited to dinner at the house of a prominent Pharisee. The Pharisees have received a bad rap. We demonize them because they always appeared to oppose Jesus. Let’s take another look at the Pharisees.
THE PHARISEES
THE PHARISEES
The Pharisees were the most influential religious group in Israel. Their brotherhood went back at least 150 before Christ. They boasted of the greatest Teachers and religious leaders in Israel’s history. People like Hillell, Shammai and Gamaliel.
They were known as the separated ones. They became the originators of the Rabbinic community. They were the educated and elite class of Israel. They worked to define a true Israelite. They represented the highest level of piety and devotion towards the Law of Moses- Torah.
They were highly esteemed in Jesus’ day. They were the theologians. They protected everything having to do with the Torah, the temple and the Sabbath. To promoted the idea to follow them was the way to God. They were concerned about a holy lifestyle. Their whole life was centered around the study and practice of Torah. They created the synagogue, the house of study. They were the best of the best. They were so important, the Romans looked to them to establish peace and order in Israel. The Romans were concerned with status.
One’s status was important. It was and is like being on the good side of the velvet rope.
THE VELVET ROPE
THE VELVET ROPE
A prominent Pharisee held a banquet and invited Jesus.
Eating a meal with prominent men like this was everything. Deals were made. You were considered important in the community. You were one of the elite. Your status in society was determined by where you sat. If you sat near the host, you had the best service, the best food and wine, and the best opportunities to elevate your importance.
The most prominent positions were always closest to the host. Your seat at the banquet determined your status in society. It gave you automatic prominence in the town, the village. It was not merely a recognition of importance at the dinner, it was a recognition of influence.
To sit at this table on the Sabbath meant you were a VIP. You were inside the velvet rope.
We all want to be on the other side of the velvet rope.
Recently I was invited to offer the invocation for the opening session of the 114th annual NAACP convention. When Sandra and I returned to our seats, an official stood before a velvet rope guarding a section of seats for VIP’s. I was on the inside.
The inside of the velvet rope is where all the beautiful people are. They fly first class; eat the best food, drink the finest wine, drive the best cars, they wear brand names and vacation in the greatest places. If you are on the wrong side of the velvet rope, you do not matter. if you try to get on the inside of the velvet rope, someone may ask you, “what are you doing here? Where is your ticket?”
Jesus noticed all the guests of the banquet jockeying for the best seats at the banquet.
Jesus never said, we should not sit down if we are inside the velvet rope. He said, “do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.”
Jockeying for a place in front of the prominent pharisee while sitting in the presence of the King of kings and Lord of lords is an incredible sadness. Yet, Jesus used this opportunity to teach these Pharisees about the scarlet thread.
THE SCARLET THREAD
THE SCARLET THREAD
What is the scarlet Thread?
It represents salvation running throughout the scriptures symbolizing Jesus’ blood.
When Rahab the harlot tied the scarlet cord in the window, she said to the spies of Israel, you will find safety in my house. Since then, the scarlet threat has been a symbol of salvation in Jesus Christ. Throughout the scriptures there are themes running through representing the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ.
Jesus met this man whose lower part of his body was completely swollen.
If you’ve ever seen someone suffer from this, it’s hard to look at. The person’s skin is about to burst. The fluid fills their feet, ankles, and knees so much their feet and legs look like an elephant. They walk in great pain, if they can walk at all. Furthermore, he had a disability. He was not normal, thus, he could not be welcome among the elite of the Pharisees. He was handicapped from associating with high society. This man is sitting in front of the Pharisees and they did nothing to change his condition.
There was something in the human heart that tolerates the infirmities of others. If a friend is sick for a while, we stop praying for their healing. We accept their condition and receive them in this broken identity.
Jesus asked the Pharisees a theological question: Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? , is it lawful to heal- to do God’s will on God’s day? Does not restoration start with rest? They were silent.
These were experts and scholars in Torah. If they did not answer, either they were ignorant of the right answer, which would be an insult to the other pharisees, or they were afraid to answer, lest they be put out of the group and lose their status.
Then healed the man and sent him on his way back home. Then Jesus asked them a spiritual question:
Luke 14:5 (NIV)
Then he asked them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?”
Jesus is not repositioning the swollen man at the banquet, he is telling us how God feels about the who is swollen.
He is calling the swollen man God’s child…
The ox was an important image. If a man had an ox, he had land, if he had land, he could grow food; if he could grow food, he could earn wealth and feed his family. That was not just an ox, it was his means of feeding his family and generating wealth. If you don’t help your child, you don’t love her; if you don’t help the ox, you don’t care about the ox or your future.
Wait: Jesus healed the man; TO Heal: iamoi, EE-OH-MA-HEE, to cure him, to work a miracle on him. To restore him to perfect health. Then he released him-sent him on his way. Nothing in this story says Jesus ever saw this man again. Do you mean to tell me,
Jesus healed him but did not ask him to be a follower! He did not ask him to join his church! If we heal someone, they must join the ministry, become one of our disciples and commit unquestioned loyalty to us. Jesus healed him and made no demand of him.
Maybe, if he went home whole, his family would be so happy, they would search out the cause and find the man who did it.
Back to the velvet rope...
Don’t take the highest seat. You do not have to be on the inside of the velvet rope to be important to God.
Your position in the room does not determine your worth. Your worth is determined by your heart’s condition and your relationship with God. When you become an instrument of the Master, God will bless others by your presence. Wherever you are, you bring the kingdom of God. Your presence will bless men and women. Better than the best seat on the inside of the velvet rope is to show love to those in need.
Take the lowest seat. Humble yourself and let God exalt you. Don’t worry about being seen; just help others along the way. You never hear contemporary preaching today emphasizing the importance of being last. You can never hear the great preacher get to the end of his sermon and say, “God has appointed you to be last in line.”
You want to be great in the eyes of God, TEAR DOWN THE VELVET ROPE. Instead of inviting people who elevate you, invite people who are elevated by your invitation. Instead of elevating yourself, elevate the underprivileged, the sick and people who cannot pay you back. AND YOU WILL BE BLESSED. IF YOU HUMBLE YOURSELF, GOD WILL EXALT YOU.
MEPHIBOSHETH. He was Saul’s grandson. When David became king. His parents ran for cover and dropped him. It left lame in both feet. When David became king of Israel, he showed mercy to the house of Saul. He gave Mephibosheth a permanent seat at the king’s table and gave him back all the property of his grandfather Saul.
This is what Jesus did for us. Sin dropped us and left us lame in both feet. We could not help ourselves, but Jesus, the king of Kings and Lord of Lords, gave is a permanent seat at his table. By his blood, we been invited into God presence through the forgiveness of sins. You are invited to sit at the king’s table.