When You Make a Feast - Luke 14:13

The beloved physician Luke wrote how Jesus said, “When you make a dinner or a supper, call not your friends, nor your brethren, neither your kinsmen, nor your rich neighbors; lest they also bid you again, and a recompense be made you”, and in chapter fourteen and verse thirteen of his book Luke shared how Jesus said, “when you make a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind” where we read:

But when you make a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:

The verse reads, “But when you make a feast, ...” Luke began with the words, “but when” or “however, nevertheless, nonetheless and moreover at the time and moment” “you make a feast” which means “the chief Pharisee produces, constructs, forms and fashions a banquet, convivial entertainment and reception”. Luke shared how Jesus began to instruct the “chief Pharisee”concerning what he should do when he “fashions a banquet”.

The verse goes on to say, “... call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:” Luke continued with the words, “call the poor” or “invite and salute by name the begging and destitute of wealth”, “the maimed” which means “the disabled in limbs, injured and bereft of some member of the body”, “the lame” or “the deprived of foot, halt and crippled”, “the blind” which refers to “the opaque and smokey in vision”. Luke shared how Jesus told the “chief Pharisee” to invite people who are “destitute of wealth, disabled, crippled and without vision” to be guest at his feast.

When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we see Jesus identify who should be invited to their “feasts”. Rather than people who are well known to the host, he should invite people who have “difficulties” in their lives. “The poor, maimed, lame and blind” have greater afflictions than people with familiarity and means, and when they are invited to special dinners, they accept the bidding without any ability to repay those who invite them. God knows people can never repay Him for sending His Son Jesus to die on the cross for their sins, and when they accept His invitation to receive Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, not only will God graciously receive them, but He will forgive them and provide them with everlasting life.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “and you shall be blessed; for they cannot recompense you”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".