Risen and Repaid Luke 14:1-14; Proverbs 25:2-20; Hebrews 13:1-17

Grace, mercy and peace to you, from God our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who raises us and repays us with glory.

If you’ve ever taken out a loan for a car, or a mortgage on a house, or some other debt, it’s a great feeling when you get it all repaid. 

If you lend something to someone, maybe a power tool, for example, it’s nice to get it back in good, working condition.

But even better, is to share with someone in dire need, and to expect nothing in return. 

That’s the better feeling, because it gives you joy in seeing a hurting person helped; and it pleases the One who has richly blessed you with so much grace.

This is what Jesus teaches us to do in today’s Gospel. And He attaches a promise to it. He says. “You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

Risen and repaid!

In our Gospel Jesus tells us two parables: the parable of wedding feast, and the parable of the great banquet.

The parable of the wedding feast teaches us to be humble and not seek glory, nor try to set ourselves above others.

The parable of the great banquet teaches us to be willing to share with those who don’t the means to repay us, to rise above the principle of reciprocity, which we’ll come back to in a few minutes.

Our Old Testament lesson is from the great book of Proverbs, which is so rich in teaching and wisdom.

These verses are in the context of being in the presence of the king, having the right attitude and taking the right approach:  6 Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great, 7 for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

Jesus likely had these verses in mind when he told the parable of the wedding feast: 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 

At social events in those days, people would be seated according to their station and status. 

There’s a series right now on history channel about the ancient Roman Coliseum. And people were seated by social status, with of highest status closest to the action, and slaves and others of lowest status seated farthest away, in what’s sometimes called, the nose-bleed seats.

At a wedding banquet, those seated closest to the groom would be those most important or valued in his life; the closer to the bride and groom, the greater the honor.

Even today in wedding receptions, there’s often a head table reserved for the bide and groom, and often the wedding party is seated around them. 

If you were to just boldly walk to the head table and sit down in the bride or groom’s place, or right next to them, you’d probably be asked to move to a different table; and you’d look like an arrogant fool.

Jesus goes on: 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 

Jesus isn’t saying that you should play a game to try to get yourself honored, quite the opposite. He’s saying, “Don’t seek honor and glory among men.”

11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

We don’t humble ourselves in order to be exalted; but that’s the reward God gives. We should humble ourselves so that we’re treating our neighbor as we should, with love and respect. 

And because that’s what Jesus did for us. He didn’t come to earth seeking glory, but seeking to serve; even humbling Himself to intervene for us, taking our punishment for sin, and dying in our place. 

In coming to earth to die for us and save us, Jesus took, we might say, the lowest place at the table.

But His Father raised Him to the highest place, seating Him at the right hand of God, with all power and glory belong to Him for all eternity.

As we humble ourselves to recognize our sins and short-comings, and as we repent and look to Christ for mercy, He’s gracious to lift us up to a place honor, to the status of a saint, a person fully forgiven.

He draws us close to Himself, and blesses us with joy in His presence.

Knowing that glorious joys and blessings await us, we need not seek glory now on earth, but rather, humble ourselves to serve others, treating them love and respect, making sacrifices to help them.

This humble approach to life that the Holy Spirit gives us, helps us to live as Jesus teaches us in the second parable in our Gospel.

In this parable Jesus goes on and further describes this life of humble service. 

“When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brother or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

We will be risen and repaid with eternal joy and everlasting glory. But that’s not why we do it; that’s God’s gift to us, His grace.

We do it because Jesus has done this, and far more for us. Because everything we have in body and soul is by God’s mercy; because all we give and share with others really isn’t ours, it belongs to God in the first place, and He shares it with us so that we can share with others in need.

Jesus tells us to share, while expecting nothing in return. That’s when it’s truly a gift. If we expect a favor in return, then we’re not really giving a gift.

When we share with those in need, or serve, or help, or love, or forgive others, even though they may never do the same for us, that’s the charity, the kindness and the graciousness that honors God.     

Our Epistle also teaches this unconditional love and charity. Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, (whom we may never see again, but this one time in life that our paths will cross, we can be a blessing to that person.) 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 

They’re not in a position to repay you with a favor, and maybe never will be, but you can be like Jesus to them. 

You can help them because as our Epistle tells us, 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Back to the principal of reciprocity that we mentioned before, this idea that “I’ll scratch your back, if you scratch mine”, I’ll help you if it’s some kind of benefit or advantage to me.

Jesus teaches us a better way to relate to our neighbor than to expect favors in return for our help.

In the sitcom, The Office, there’s an episode where Dwight has driven to New York and gotten some delicious New York bagels, and he’s giving one to each of his co-workers, and he’s saying, you owe me a favor, you owe me, you owe me.

That’s not how Christian love works; the love that’s born of God, is selfless, expecting nothing in return; we love and serve others because God calls us to, and it’s an honor to do so in His name.

But when we’re helped by others, it’s good for us to be loving and grateful, and to help that person or others when we have the opportunity to do so, or to pay it forward, as some say.

Then, when God raises His faithful children in glory, we’ll all be serving each other with joy, and gratefully honoring God with love and praise.

May God bless us with humble, selfless hearts, happy to help and serve others, while expecting no favors in return, only wanting to do what pleases and honors our gracious God, whose love is unconditional, and whose peace surpasses our understanding. May it guard our hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus, who, by His grace, repays us with eternal glory. Amen.