Major Dalton - June 30, 2024
Where Are Your Manners?
Truth can often make people uncomfortable. Have you ever invited someone over for a meal; only to regret it later. That must have been how one religious leader felt after inviting Jesus to an "after-church" lunch. Jesus had apparently been in the man's home no time when he started an argument about the divisive topic of healing on the Sabbath. He next insulted the guests with a lecture on their poor social etiquette. Finally, he offended the host with a lesson on who should and should not have been invited to the dinner. The air must have been tense. Maybe you could have heard a pin drop when someone tried to lighten the mood by mentioning heaven: "Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" (Luke 14:15). But Jesus refused to let the discomfort subside. In response to the would-be peacemaker's attempt to lighten the mood, Jesus tells a parable. The point of his story is essentially, "Sure, heaven will be great. But what makes you so sure that you will be there." It must have been a dinner folks talked about for weeks! Some may have thought Jesus was being rude. But he was not. He was being loving. Comfort can cause complacency. Sometimes danger demands discomfort. Join us Sunday as we examine Jesus's parable about a great feast and some people who actually were rude.