431. Walking in the Word, The Power to Serve

Jesus attended a Sabbath meal meant as a form of entrapment, yet He turned it around by serving in humility. We, too, have the glorious power to serve others with humility and respect! (Luke 14:1-11)

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Welcome to Walking in the Word, the biblical teaching arm of the Women World Leaders podcast. My name is Julie Jenkins, and we are honored that you have joined us today as we open scripture and ask God what He wants us to know today.

God is continuing to do a mighty work in Women World Leaders. Our mission is to empower you to walk in your God-given purpose. When God calls you as His child, He also sets you on a mission to lead for Him – that is part of YOUR purpose. So, whether you are in business, a servant in your church, a mom – or maybe all three – God has a unique calling for you to lead others, and we want to walk beside you as you do!

Besides this podcast, which comes to you each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with a bit of a different flair each day, we also offer daily devotionals through email or FaceBook, community through Facebook and our Prayer Wall, encouragement through Voice of Truth magazine, fellowship and growth through events, and opportunities to grow and serve through writing, music, art, and utilizing leadership skills in finance, social media, organization, and coaching. Our God is endless and miraculous, and He has given us an endless and miraculous mission to reach and include you.

We have recently released our newest book, Joy Unspeakable, and we are also continuing to guide and lead new writers as we prepare to publish other books through the ministry. Writing your story can be tough, but it is so important for us all to be transparent with each other so that we can relate to and hold each other up. Because of the enormity of these projects, we’d love you to partner with us in prayer for our writers and editors. And if God is nudging you to share YOUR story, we invite you to reach out to us at [email protected].

But now…on this, the Wednesday edition of the podcast, let’s take time to put down our pens, agendas, struggles, and strivings and simply rest in God’s presence as we learn from His Word. We are currently walking through the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John chronologically as we ask God to teach us all that He wants us to know today. Today’s teaching comes from Luke, chapter 14, verses 1-11.

Before we begin, let’s pray…

Dear Most Holy God, we come before you humbly, in awe of who you are and the fact that you speak directly to each of us – all you ask is that we quiet our hearts and listen. As we open your Word today, God, I ask that you be my mouthpiece. God, you know I have studied and prayed over this teaching, and now I give it all to you. You know what you want each listener to hear, and I ask that you allow those precise words to flow from my mouth. We thank you for your Word, your presence, and this teaching. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Let’s dive in, shall we? Luke 14, as written in the New Living Translation, begins.

One Sabbath day Jesus went to eat dinner in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and the people were watching him closely.

Sabbath hospitality was an important part of the Jewish culture, so it wasn’t unusual for Jesus to be invited to a Sabbath meal. What may have been a bit awkward, however, is WHO invited Him. Luke tells us Jesus went to the home of a LEADER of the PHARISEES. Remember – the Pharisees had tried to trap Jesus and had even come after Him on several occasions. So if it seems odd that Jesus would go to dinner with His enemies, you aren’t off base. But Jesus, as we have seen in the gospels and, hopefully, we have all seen in our own lives, offers His presence to everyone.

Luke also makes it clear, however, that for the Pharisees and those in attendance, Jesus wasn’t there as an honored guest – instead, He was invited so they could keep an eye on Him – they were “watching him closely.”

And as we read on, we get a better sense of the entrapment occurring…verse 2…

 2 There was a man there whose arms and legs were swollen.[a]

Some Bible versions explain that the man had Dropsy, which was a painful swelling of the limbs due to fluid retention, likely a symptom of another serious medical issue. Many people at the time actually considered that this condition was a result of God’s judgment on the affected individual.

Of course, Jesus notices this man and has compassion on him. And Jesus fully understood that the man, in all his misery, was being unmercifully used as a pawn.

In Jewish culture, people hung out around people who were like them. We can ALL understand segmented society. As much as we would like to say we are open to and accepting of people from other cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, and walks of life, if we each REALLY look at our lives, the majority of us tend mostly to hang around people we are similar to. This is a tough thing to recognize, acknowledge, and face. And it is something we should never become comfortable with.

So you can understand that this dinner crowd was a bit unconventional.

Here was Jesus…a teacher who was disrespected and even hated by the Pharisees, invited to dine with the Pharisees. And also invited to dine with the Pharisees was a man who was afflicted with a terrible illness that was believed to be the result of God’s judgment.

These facts, combined with Luke's words that the people were watching Jesus, reveal this as a set-up.

Those who knew Jesus bet on the fact that He was compassionate and would not turn away from a suffering man. And yet it was the Sabbath; if Jesus, in His compassion, healed the man on the Sabbath, it would be in full view of everyone and certainly go against God’s will.

Jesus doesn’t skip a beat…verse 3…

 3 Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in religious law, “Is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?” 

By presenting this question, Jesus put the Pharisees in the hot seat. If they maintained that healing was NOT permitted on the Sabbath, they would reveal themselves as unfeeling and unloving. After all, here was this man in misery alongside a man who was ABLE to heal him. Remember, the Pharisees themselves couldn’t heal the man, yet they had invited him to dine with THE miracle-worker, who could change his life forever. And yet, if the Pharisees answered Jesus’ question by saying that it was okay to heal the man, they would not be holding themselves to the law that they held everyone else to.

The Pharisees had attempted to trap Jesus, but Jesus actually cornered them with their own ammunition.

They were stunned… and said nothing. Verse 4 continues…

4 When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away. 5 Then he turned to them and said, “Which of you doesn’t work on the Sabbath? If your son[b] or your cow falls into a pit, don’t you rush to get him out?” 6 Again they could not answer.

This dinner was off to a rocking start! I bet it was pretty tense in that room.

So everyone, no doubt murmuring, makes their way to the table…and Jesus continues to pour out the teaching…verse 7…

7 When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: 8 “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? 9 The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!

10 “Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. 11 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Jesus is taking this opportunity to teach about humility.

Before we look at the actual teaching – I want to point out how adeptly Jesus takes advantage of this chance to share wisdom.

As we grow older, we hopefully also grow wiser. And as we walk more closely with Jesus, we certainly grow wiser. Be assured, there are people in your life with whom God wants you to share your wisdom. But sharing wisdom is an art! We can teach others through our actions and by taking advantage of the opportunities God presents us with. If you are praying for someone in your life to gain wisdom, be aware of the circumstances that present themselves in which you can humbly share your wisdom.

Jesus slid in this teaching as, I’m betting, He took a seat at the FOOT of the table. Actions speak louder than words!

You see, just like who was invited to what dinner was based on a hierarchy of society, so too was the seating arrangement at those dinners. The most honored guests would sit closest to the host, while the least honored guests might even be placed in another room. And it also wasn’t unusual for several different tiers of food and wine to be served. Think of it as first-class verse coach on an airplane! We’ve all been there!! Who wants to be squished in those tiny seats being served peanuts while there is an opportunity to sit in a comfy seat, complete with meal service and a steaming hot washcloth to cleanse your hands. Ah – the luxury of first class!

Imagine this scene in those terms. What if Jesus boarded a plane and went straight to the back to sit by the bathroom – you know, in the last seat that doesn’t even recline.

We are called to walk through this life in humility. Jesus doesn’t want us to think less of ourselves – we are honored in God’s sight. But He does want us to think of ourselves less. He wants us to put others ahead of us. To think in terms of honoring THEM – whoever THEY are. Even, and especially, those who may be from a different culture or live below our own socio-economic means. When I think of the word humility, I think of the word respect. God calls us to respect others. When you respect someone, it naturally follows that you will want THEM to take the place of honor.

What a privilege and what POWER we each have to place others above ourselves! Isn’t it so fun to see others succeed? To cheer them on? As God’s children – we KNOW we are invited to THE most important banquet and that God WILL honor us. That truth gives us so much FREEDOM to live our lives honoring others.

You, Christian, have the privilege of taking the backseat. When you do, you will witness a sea of God’s loved ones in front of you  – and you will have the vantage of basking in the glow of the smiles of those before you! Be like Jesus – show up at the party ready to serve others no matter the cost. Who needs a hot dishcloth anyway!

Let’s pray!

Dear Most Holy God – thank you for showing us today the privilege and honor it is to take the backseat as we live our lives in service to others. Jesus, you descended from your throne and came to earth as our humble servant. Thank you for showing us today that you have given us the POWER to walk in your footsteps – to RAISE others up, to join with them, rejoicing in their blessings. We love you and we humbly submit as you guide and lead us to be your servants. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.