By He Reads Truth
In this study of the Parables of Jesus, we are reading many of the stories Jesus used to teach hearers about how to live as His followers. Each day we’ll read parables in their immediate context, focusing on a different category of parables each week. Then we will work through a series of questions to understand the meaning of the text and take to heart the “secrets of the kingdom.”
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Week 2: Parables about Repentance and Grace
Stories about other people often reveal things to us about ourselves. This week’s selection of parables all deal with themes of repentance and grace, and in them we see that Jesus meant for His parables to stir the hearts of His hearers. As you read, let these parables serve as a kind of mirror, and ask what Jesus is showing you that you might not have otherwise seen. Use the questions below to help.
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Questions:
1. What is the specific setting of this parable, and how does the setting help us make sense of Jesus’ story?
2. What is the problem this particular parable is responding to, and what is the parable’s outcome?
3. What is the central point of this parable?
4. What is your response to this parable?
6 thoughts on "The Wedding Banquet"
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Ryan Schulze says:
How often is God extending a hand to me to draw close, be held, feel peace, experience joy?
Don’t miss the invitation.
Throughout my week there are countless moments where I make a decision to skip the banquet. I choose instead to indulge in lesser things, distracting things. Sometimes the road to reaching the banquet is not easy. You have to go to the next town, get up early, dress up, bring a gift or whatever. There’s always a price to pay to accept the invitation, but the banquet is always worth it.
God’s presence is never overrated.
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Roy Rodas says:
1. Jesus is at a dinner and he begins sharing a series of dinner themed parables that focus on humility and compassion for the least of these, but also deals with the results of those that rejected him.
2. It’s addressing the problems of pride and selfishness in the behavior of the rich, he focused on the compassion and mercy piece, he also talked about the need for humility.
3. That we should humble ourselves in order to be glorified, and that we should not give to those who can pay us back but that we should treasures in heaven by giving to the poor, sick, crippled and lame.
4. I feel that I have to be more generous with what God has given me, not seeking my own interests but seeking to honor God and give him my best! I’m not using what he has given me appropriately. I need to be more generous and also seek to have a humble heart. -
Trey says:
I imagine Jesus sitting around a table with prominent Jewish leaders of his day, guys who rarely took the least of these into consideration. Based on verse 7, there were ones there who we interested in social status and getting ahead on the social ladder as well as glorifying themselves.
It’s interesting that in this setting Jesus has plenty to say about humility and concern for others, likely because he was seeing so little of it at this meal he was at.
This parable is slightly different than many other ones, it reads less like a story. It is telling the listeners that God is interested in humble people, ones who put others ahead of themselves and aren’t too occupied with their own seemingly important lives that they miss out on the greatest banquet of all: having an intimate relationship with Jesus.
This parable speaks to me personally; it makes me think about how being preoccupied with my own advancement and my own life makes me miss the best banquets. If Jesus, the creator of the world, can humble himself before others, so can I! -
Kevin says:
Day 10: 1. He’s kinda shocked the Pharisees he’s talking to with his questions of picking up the bull that’s fallen over. I think he’s showing them that the rules are good, but not steadfast in not serving others.
2. Opening up our homes and lives for people is great. We should open that up to everyone too because the lord did too.
3. We should be selfless. Straight up making things about other people. Welcoming others to our life and also the lord.
4. Sometimes I get caught up in staying with the same people and not branching out. God has us in relationship with others for a reason. I want to invite anyone and everyone.
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Tim Bowditch says:
Luke 14:11 “for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
The humility of Christ is so palpable in this parable. To have the hospitality of the banquet host is to be a participant in the Kingdom of God.
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