A SEAT AT THE TABLE

Carl Wells, PhD

Sunday Morning Worship • Sermon • Submitted 3 months ago • Presented 3 months ago

Luke 14:16–24

Salvation

Excuse

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Don’t Make Excuses

Luke 14:15–24 ESV

15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ”

INTRODUCTION

Allow me to place tag on the text. One that is inspired by and lifted from the 14th Chapter of the Gospel penned by the writer Luke: That tag and the title of my sermon this morning is “A Seat At The Table,” “A Seat At The Table.”

The expression "a seat at the table"metaphorically implies that you have involvement and influence in important decision-making processes within a group, organization, or community. When you have a seat at the table, you have active participation, contributions, and a voice in important deliberations and decision-making

On this first Sunday of Black History Month in the year 2024, some would have us believe that the fight for a seat at the table is over.

They point to Barack Obama, a Black man, who made history by becoming the 44th President of the United States in 2009, and served two terms.

Thy point to Kamala Harris, a Black woman, became the first female, the first African American, and the first Asian American to become Vice President of the United States.

While I disagree with them, I can take us back even further.

The first African American woman elected to the United States Congress and the first African American major-party candidate to run for President of the United States of America, was Shirley Chisholm.

Long before Obama or Kamala were elected, Chisholm said, and I quote, "If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair."

My brother and sister, rejoice in this wonderful news: there exists another table where each of us is not only welcomed but also celebrated when we embrace the privileges, benefits, and blessings of taking a place at the table.

Acts 2:21 (NIV): "For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

I haven't come to discuss securing a seat in the boardroom this morning; I'm here to talk about a God who graciously opens His table, not just for the most influential and privileged, but a God who generously welcomes even the least among us.

ENCOUNTERING THE TEXT

In exploration of the text, we find the Gospel writer, Luke, begins the 14th chapter of his writings with Jesus, our Savior, seated at a table in the home of a Pharisee. But why, you may ask, would Jesus dine with those who were always seeking to catch him or confront him?

Perhaps Jesus realized that you have to “Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.”

Maybe Jesus was seizing an opportunity to teach them.

But more likely it was an occasion to challenge their hypocritical way and expose their legalistic tendencies. They were more interested in outward appearances than inner righteousness. They prioritized religious rules over compassionate justice.

And it just so happened that Jesus’ visit with the Pharisees fell on the Sabbath.

And it just so happened that there's a man afflicted with dropsy, what we now call Edema, somehow in the room.

Knowing the intents of their hearts to accuse him, and hearing the thoughts of their minds to condemn him if he healed on the Sabbath, Jesus orchestrates a turning of the table.

Sometimes to get people's attention, you have to turn the table. When Nathan wanted to get David’s attention for sleeping with Bathsheba and kill Uriah, he turned the table. When you turn the put the shoe on their feet, have them walk a mile in somebody else shoes.

It is interesting: How politicians oppose expanding access to healthcare for the poor and needy but sing a different song when the sickness hits their community or their family.

How they have a tough-on-crime mentality when it comes to Black people, change their minds when it's their buddies or cronies who end up in front the justice system.

How they are against funding for public schools, but support funding for the private schools that their children and grandchildren attend.

In our own dear State of South Carolina, we have a Governor who refuses to accept Federal money to funding summer feeding programs for the underprivileged but find funding for for big tax breaks for corporations that make their stakeholders wealthy.

Some people don’t get it until you turn the table.

Jesus turns the table. He asks them a soul-piercing question designed to speak to their self-righteousness: "If one of you had a son or if one of you had an oxen that fell into a well on the Sabbath day? What would you do? Would you leave him there or would you get him out?”

But Jesus goes further; he delves deeper by asking them, "What credit is it to you if you only show kindness to those who can show kindness back? Even sinners do the same.

Still he goes further. He asks them, “Why do you seek the seat of honor and the place of power?”

Then he turns to the host and admonishes him, "When you give a banquet, don't invite only your friends, relatives, and the rich neighbors, for they will invite you back. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind."

Finally, Jesus the master Teacher, tells them a parallel.

In this party a man hosts a banquet and invites others to attend.

The first man give the MATERIAL BLESSING EXCUSE. He is one of those folks who are all about their stuff. You know them; they TAKE pride in the new car, they are all about the big house, they show off the name-brand kicks and clothes.

You know them: "I can’t come to church to worship God I’m behind in cleaning my house, mind you, the house given to me by God.”

“I can’t come to the meeting to serve God because My club is meeting, my group is gathering.

The second man makes the WORK OBLIGATION EXCUSE. He is so busy grindin', 9 to 5, so busy climbing the ladder of success, so busy making a good living, he does not have time to live a good life.

You know them: "I can’t come to Bible study because I have to work. I can’t make it to church because I have to finish this project. I can’t help with feeding the hungry my boss gave me a new assignment.

Last but not least, the third man offers the "FAMILY RESPONSIBILITY EXCUSE." "I have children’s ball games on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday; I have family night on Friday, I have date night with my spouse on Thursday, and I have 'me time' on Saturday and Sunday. You had better learn how to give God some time before your time is up. You you say you ain’t got time, but time is winding up."

You see the invitation was for salvation. The first crowd who made excuses were the Jews. The ones in the byways and country side were the gentiles. But this Host, who we now know symbolizes none other than God, didn’t give up.

We serve a God who does not quit on us. A God who does not give up on us. A God who, over and over again, pursues us.

He didn’t choose him. He chose us. While we yet sinners he came for us. He would not leave us alone. Hallelujah.

RENAMING SIN

Church, we don’t miss the party by making excuses.

We have become an excuse-making generation. We make excuses for not living for God. We make excuses to not serve God. We make excuses to live any kind of way that we want to.

There was a time when we spoke plainly; we didn’t make excuses, and we called a spade a spade. Right was right, wrong was wrong. Black was black, and white was white. But today, we find ourselves navigating shades of grey.

We have sanitized sin. We have whitewashed wrong. We have renamed wrong to make is sound good. People no longer steal; they engage in embezzlement of funds. Lies are no longer lies; they're described as "stretching the truth." Drunkenness, that is drinking unhealthily and to excess, has been re-branded as a disease called alcoholism. Adultery is no longer called adultery but rather referred to as having an affair. The term "shacking up" has evolved into the more socially acceptable "living arrangement."

Oh, dear church, I must declare that we've become a generation proficient in the art of making excuses. The question we must ask ourselves is, "What's Your Excuse?"

What is keeping you from having a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ? What is keeping you from believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Jesus told Nicodemus you must be born again. However, we often find ourselves making excuses why we can’t be saved.

Some say "I'm not yet ready to live like that." But be warned, if you are not ready to live right, then you are surely not ready to die right. Don’t let excuses block your blessing.

Some people say, "I’m not ready; let me set some things in order first." I've got news for you: you can’t fix yourself. You can’t save yourself. Come to Jesus, and he will help you get it in order.

Some people say, "I don’t want to be saved because the church is filled with so many hypocrites." But the Bible tells us that every man has to give an account for himself. Don’t let how somebody lives become your excuse for not living right.

Some folks say, "I am too young. I still have time." Let me remind you that no man knows the day nor the hour. Don’t put off for tomorrow what you need to do today. Tomorrow is not promised. Tomorrow might just be too late.

The Hoop

No More Excuses

People make excuses about why they can’t serve God, why God can’t use them. The next time you feel like making an excuse as to why GOD can't use you, just remember...

Noah was a drunk Abraham was too old Isaac was a daydreamer Jacob was a liar Leah was unattractive Joseph was abused Moses had a stuttering problem Gideon was afraid Samson had long hair and was a womanizer Rahab was a prostitute Jeremiah and Timothy were too young David had an affair and was a murderer Elijah was suicidal Isaiah preached naked Jonah ran from God Naomi was a widow Job went bankrupt Peter denied Christ The Disciples fell asleep while praying Martha worried about everything Mary Magdalene was, well, you know The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once Zaccheus was too small Paul was too religious, and before he became a minister, he was a murderer Timothy worried so much he had an ulcer... AND Lazarus was dead!

...no more excuses now. My God can save you. My God can change you. My God can use you.

You can overcome your obstacles. There is no challenge too great and no mountain too high. You can get over your mountains. Faith moves mountains, and God gives the strength to climb. You can cross your river. Just like the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, I know my God will make a way for me. You can be forgiven of your sins. God's grace is sufficient, and His mercy endures forever. Like the Israelites, You can find your way through the wilderness. Like David, you can bring down your giants. Somebody said, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. You can endure your trials. In the world, there is trouble. Be of good cheer, my God has overcome the world. You can bear your burdens. My God is a burden bearer and a heavy load sharer.

You can rise above your circumstances. What the devil meant for your bad, God meant for your good.

Can I tell you how I know? I know because I have seen for myself what my God can do. Won't He do it? Won't He do it?

I heard a preacher, Gardner Taylor say:

"He was cradled in another’s crib, Sailed in another’s boat, Rode on somebody else’s animal, Was buried in somebody else’s tomb, But that’s alright because… When He was an infant, He frightened a king, When He was a boy, He confused the scholars, When He was a man, He made the angry storm stand still. Ain’t God already. I know God’s alright.

Herod could not kill Him, Satan could not seduce Him, Sin could not stand Him, The roaring sea could not withstand Him, Sinners could not resist Him, Death could not destroy Him, And the grave could not hold Him. It looked like it was all over when they whipped him. It looked like it was all over when they spit on him. They thought it was all over when they put a crown of thorns on his head. Surely, they said, it was over when they pierced him in the side. Surely it was over when they hung him on the cross. Surely, it was finished when they nailed him in his feet. Surely it was finished when they nailed him in the hands. Friday came, it must be done. Saturday rolled around, He was as good as gone. Oh, early Sunday morning. The grave opened up. Heaven called his name. And Jesus, Mary’s little Jesus.

Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus, the Savior of the world.

He got up. He got up. He died so that I might have a right to the tree of life. He died for my sins. He died for your sins. He died so that I might have a seat at the table.

[1] Taylor, G. C. (2006). Words of Gardner Taylor: “Our Great Savior,” from Quintessential Classics, 1980–Present (Vol. 3, pp. 132–133).

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