Is This Seat Taken?
Luke 14:7-14
Intro / review:
- Jesus is eating at a Pharisee’s home
- it is the Sabbath and he just healed a man
- his pointed question (v. 3) is backed up with pointed actions (v. 4)
v. 7
- parable: a story that is similar to real circumstances
- makes a point, usually in response to the context
- the context: people trying to position themselves in a place of honor
the story(v. 8-11)
- a wedding feast / the reception dinner
Example: our presence at our daughter’s wedding was to celebrate them and share their joy
we had a choice:
1. accept their seating assignment & celebrate
2. try to manipulate and face possible embarrassment
3. lament our placement and miss the celebration
- in life, even within our church family, we have those same choices…
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. (1 Corinthians 12:12-18 ESV)
- God is the master planner of this feast
- He places us where He chooses!
- are you content where He has placed you?
- enjoying the celebration?
- honoring Him and sharing His joy?
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. (Romans 12:4-10 NLT)
This is a recurring theme:
And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. (Luke 6:31 ESV)
You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:39)
…husbands should love their wives as their own bodies… (Ephesians 5:28)
- our culture says that’s a good strategy if it gets you ahead!
- God’s culture:
It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glorious to seek one's own glory. (Proverbs 25:27)
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips. (Prov. 27:2)
… whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:43-45)
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you… (1 Peter 5:6 ESV)
- taking the low place is not a positioning strategy
- God defines greatness as serving
- the reward is the joy of participation
… when you have done all that you were commanded, say, “We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.” (Luke 17:10 ESV)
So, Jesus tells us not to try and position ourselves in a place of honor.
- one way we try to do that is positioning, picking the best seat
- then Jesus addresses another way we shoot for the place of honor…
v. 12-14
- is Jesus telling us that we can’t have our friends over for dinner?
- 1 Timothy 3:2 & Titus 1:8… church leaders are to be hospitable
- 1 Peter 4:9… we are to be hospitable with each other
- CONTEXT! don’t try working your way into the place of honor
- another way to do this is through a mutual admiration society
…as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:31-36)
…God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
- this was not an afterthought, nor a reaction
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. (Ephesians 1:3-5 NLT)
- note who planned this out
Living it now…
- are you busy trying to get yourself in a place of honor?
- it’s natural to both our selfish bent and the influence of our culture
- are you using your relationships with others to get honor?
what is the motive of your generosity?
Is it duty? self-interest? getting something back? superiority? or…
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 ESV)
Are you a follower of Jesus? trusted Him as Savior?
Is His life in you becoming more visible to you? to others?
How will you respond to what God is speaking to you right now?
Have you never accepted Jesus as Savior, Lord, ruler of your life?
Wouldn’t you like to know you are right with God?
Wouldn’t you like to know your sin is forgiven?
Wouldn’t you like to have the joy of working with God in something that has worth & value, and will last for eternity?
Bethel ChurchNovember 9, 2014
project: DeeperPastor Brett Terry
Is This Seat Taken?
Luke 14:7-14
- Is my place at the banquet a question of person ambition or joyful participation?
- When it’s my time to throw a banquet, what am I trying to accomplish?
- What is more important: my participation in God’s mission, or the honor I’m trying to attain for myself?
Homework and Discussion Guide
Knowing Each Other
If you can, tell us about a time you were received honor unexpectedly. (This could be as simple as a parent’s or friend’s praise, or as public as a community award.)
Understanding the Word
Brett explained that sitting in the lowest place is not Jesus teaching political tricks, but rather a change of attitude about living by God’s priorities. How does it make you feel to consider that God values humble service more than anything?
The second example in today’s passage exposes the human tendency towards using honor as a “quid pro quo”, where we hope to get something out of every ‘good deed’ we do. How does this make you feel about your own eagerness (or lack thereof) to give where nothing can be given in return?
Was there anything in this week’s message that struck you as particularly important or challenging?
Connecting with Scripture: Quit Your Boasting
Read 1 Corinthians 3:1-23carefully, jotting down any important notes or thoughts below. Once you finish, go back and read it again. (Read in another translation if possible.)
This passage was written to a Church that evidently had a lot of division and jockeying for position within it. What is Paul’s general attitude towards those who would dare to join a faction within their congregation?
Paul gives all the credit for spiritual growth to God (v. 6-7), but he also implies that faithful servants will be rewarded. When can faithful servants expect their rewards (see v. 13-15)?
A guarantee of future rewards from God and not people should encourage those whose faithful service goes unnoticed or unappreciated here on earth. Why do you think we still find it so hard to be ‘overlooked’? Do you think that reveals anything about the purity of our motives?
Bring it to Life
If you have you ever served in some humble position and not been recognized for it, how did that affect your attitude towards serving? Why is that?
If God did not exist, do you think Jesus’ advice to claim less honor that you deserved would make any sense? Why/why not? If you forget that God does reward those who live by His love (see Heb. 11:6), how will that affect your willingness to obey?
At the bottom of today’s material is the idea that only God can give lasting, meaningful honor, and He pours out his honor upon the humble. Write down one of your attitudes or habits that is primarily concerned with getting people to recognize your worth, or build up your own prestige/image:
What do you think God would say about that attitude/habit?
For the Bold
Pride is the attitude of prioritizing personal honor or image over honoring God or others—and it’s so subtle that we almost always do it unwittingly. Ask God to show you one proud habit in your life this week that you are unaware of.
Memorize 1 Corinthians 3:3
Pray Together
project: Deeper
USE THIS GUIDE to help encourage your friends to respond to this week’s message with actions!
This is an exercise in becoming more like Christ!
Here’s how it works:
During the message: Take notes on the first page to help you process and remember what you’re hearing.
At home: During the week, work through the Study Guide alone or with a partner. It won’t take long, but in order to be useful you must think about it sincerely, and not just try to get the work done.
With your Life Group, Family, Spouse, or Friends: Talk through the highlights of what has been especially relevant or important to you in the study guide. Depending on the week’s material and size of the group, you may not have time to talk about all the questions, so focus on the highlights!
Caution: Some of these questions may require a lot of trust to answer. Start where you’re comfortable, and each week work towards deeper and more trusting relationships, which will help you to better love, support, encourage, and pray for those you’re meeting with.
Additional Help:
- We publish a 5-10 min. weekly podcast for Life Group leaders with advice on running small groups and extra information regarding the study guide. You’re welcome to listen in! You’ll find them linked with each sermon in our archive at or search the iTunes store for “Extra Dirt” (a free podcast).
- The pastoral staff and elders at Bethel are more than willing to help you work through any difficult questions that may arise during the course of your study. If your group can’t help you fully understand the ideas you’re studying, please give us a call at 308.532.7040.