Luke Chapter 14

Luke Chapter 14

JC went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath.  And they watched him.  A guy had the dropsy, which is some sort of swelling of the soft tissue,  that can eventually cause heart failure.   JC asked the lawyers if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath, and I can tell you from having hear these stories a million times.  Yeah it’s unfair that there is a law against healing on the Sabbath.  No it’s not right, but it’s the law and you damn well know it by now.  Well the Pharisees, unlike me managed to hold their tongues.   JC asks them if your donkey or ox fell in a pit, would you wait until the Sabbath had ended to rescue them?  They really didn't have an answer to that.

So he told them a parable!  If you could only see me doing my happy dance!  A parable!  A parable!  We get another parable!  Let’s see if it’s one we’ve heard before! 

He noticed how they chose the chiefs rooms.  When you are inviting any man to wedding, don’t sit in the highest rooms.  They might be offered to a more honorable man.   He told you to come and said to  you, give this man this space, and you shamefully must  take the lowest rooms.   Instead go to the lowest rooms, then when the one who invited you, sees you, he might tell you to go up higher, then you will have worship with those who will dine with you.   Presumably a higher class of people than those in the lower rooms. 

Whoever exalts themselves will be debased and the humble will be exalted.  Then he told him, when you throw a dinner party, don’t invite your friends, brethren, kin, or rich neighbors or they will offer the same to you.  But when you throw a feast, call the poor, maimed, lame and blind.  Then you’ll be blessed because they can’t reciprocate.  You will be compensated in the resurrection of the just. 

You know I like the idea of helping the poor and the unfortunate, but I really don’t see why you can’t enjoy your family and friends too. 

JC  wants to tell us another parable.  Oh joy. 

A certain man made a feast invited a lot of people.  He sent his servant at supper time to tell everyone the food was ready to eat.   Well they all made excuses why they couldn’t come.  One had to see some land that he had bought, that couldn’t wait.  Another had to go test his new oxen that he bought.    Another one had just married and couldn’t come.

Well the servant came back to tell his lord these things, and the lord was pissed off.  He told the servant to go to the streets and invite the poor, maimed, the halt, which I think means lame or something, and the blind.   The servant tells the lord he did all of that, but there was still a lot of room.   The lord told the servant to got to highways and hedges, and invite them over.  

JC tell the folks, none of the men who were invited will taste my supper. Was it just me or did that sound a little dirty?   So JC tells the crowd with him, if any man loves has family, or even his own life, he can’t be my disciple.   And if you don’t bear your cross, you can’t be my disciple.

Who would build a tower without sitting down and seeing how much it will cost and whether he’d have a enough to funds to finish? If he laid down the foundation and couldn’t finish it, they would mock him saying this guy couldn’t finish his building! 

What king would start a war against another king, without sitting down and seeing if he could win the war with his ten thousand against the king with twenty thousand men?  Or else while the other king  is far away, he’ll sends a ambassador of peace. 

So whoever doesn’t forsake everything that he has can’t be my disciple.  Salt is good, but if it’s lost it’s flavor what will we use for seasoning?  It is neither fit for the land or the compost heap, but men throw it out.  If you have ears list to what I have said. 

I guess is nice that JC doesn't want you give up the good life to follow him, but he's not exactly comforting or consistent.  I mean he doesn't make it exactly clear whether you can make it into the happy circle if you don't give everything up and follow him.  So what you are damned if you are happy and have a family?  I don't know.