Where Is My Place?

Jann Martin September 2, 2007

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Luke 11: 1-13

Gospel Lesson

¹ One Sabbath day Jesus was in the home of a leader of the Pharisees. The people were watching him closely,

⁷ When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: ⁸ "If you are invited to a wedding feast, don't always head for the best seat. What if someone more respected than you has also been invited? ⁹ The host will say, 'Let this person sit here instead.' Then you will be embarrassed and will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!"

¹⁰ "Do this instead-sit at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, 'Friend, we have a better place than this for you!' Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. ¹¹ For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored."

¹² Then he turned to his host. "When you put on a luncheon or a dinner," he said, "don't invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will repay you by inviting you back. ¹³ Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. ¹⁴ Then at the resurrection of the godly, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you."

This is the Word of the Lord.
Praise to You, O Christ.

In our lesson this morning we hear Jesus challenging the lawyers and the Pharisees. He tells a guest that if he tries to choose his own seat near the head of the table that he may end up asked to move so a guest that is more prominent can have that place. Then he may end up at a much lesser spot and very embarrassed. It's better to sit at the foot of the table and be moved to a place of higher position, and then you will be honored. Then Jesus tells His host that if he only asks prominent people and family over for dinner, they will feel like they have to repay him for the dinner. It is better to ask those who are in need over for dinner and be repaid in heaven for reaching out to those in need. I don't think this means that we are never to invite family and friends over for dinner, but that we are to remember to also care for those who are around us that are in need.

Jesus seems very rude talking to His host and the guests in this way. He may be rude but He is getting everyone to think about how to react to those who live around them. We are not to live our life just doing for those who are in our same station in life. We are to stretch and reach out to those in need and bring them the news of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus and the disciples were probably beggars. I read this as I was preparing this sermon. I never thought of them in this way before. But it's true. Jesus learned to be a carpenter and among the disciples were a tax collector, a doctor and fishermen. Once Jesus began His formal ministry after His baptism and the disciples joined Him, none of them had regular jobs. They traveled from town to town preaching, teaching and healing those that came to them. They stayed in people's homes and were also fed by them. Remember the boy with the two fish and the loaves of bread; he gave the food to them. They didn't go to the market and buy the food to feed the 5,000. So in essence Jesus and the disciples begged for food, but Jesus turned this act into a miracle to feed many people.

We are called to be examples to those who are around us. I heard of a professor at a seminary asking an Episcopal priest to come and show his class the "right" way to preside over the liturgy. The priest showed the class how to properly prepare for worship and communion. He explained each action and each piece of the garments that he put on. He put on his robe, a cincture, which is a rope around the waist, a stole, then a chasuble, which is a special robe to wear over everything for a special service such as communion. Then the service began and the lesson in Luke was read where Jesus warns the people about those who wear long robes, march in processions and sit in the best seat in the assembly. Then the priest doubled over in laughter as he learned a lesson in humility. We are not to act as if we are better than everyone else by the way we dress or act. We are all children of God and equal in his eyes.

Have you ever had car trouble and been stranded on the side of the road, or were you ever lost and needed help in finding your way? In both situations you could be considered a beggar. You need help and need to rely on someone, possibly a stranger, to help you. I was lost heading to a seminar one time. I finally had to pull into a gas station to find out where I needed to go. The man behind the counter gave me directions, but I must have looked confused and another man and his son told me to follow them and they would take me to where I needed to go. I don't know about you, but I would rather be the one helping someone than the one to ask for help. But when you have to humble yourself and ask for help, it is a lesson you can learn in humility, thus teaching you how someone else feels if they have to ask for help. Next time you are asked for help remember not to judge that person but help them, remembering that Jesus was once begging for help too.

When Jesus and the disciples were traveling there were not inns and hotels as we have now. They had to rely on the hospitality of others for a place to sleep and for their food. There are people today that have opened their home to the homeless and less fortunate. Others contribute to food banks, shelters, clothing centers, money to help pay rent and bills. When someone asks us for help, we are asked to help him or her, not judge them. We all have to make decisions; sometimes we make wrong decisions and that can put us in a bad place. If we make a wrong decision, then we are forced to rely on others to help us to straighten things out. If you are in a position that you can help those in need, you should do so in the name of Jesus.

In helping others you become a living Bible; you are sharing the love of Jesus. The following is and example of being "The Living Bible:"

His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans, and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college.

He is brilliant, kind of profound and very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college.

Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. They want to develop a ministry for the students but are not sure how to go about it.

One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat.

The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now, people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.

Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet.

By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick.

About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill.

Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and wears a three-piece suit. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified and very courtly, he walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going to do.

How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor?

It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy.

The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The minister can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do.

And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill and worships with him so he won't be alone.

Everyone chokes up with emotion.

When the minister gains control, he says,

"What I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget."

"Be careful how you live. Be careful what you speak. Do not judge others. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read!"

There is a woman in our congregation who is in need of help. Due to extenuating circumstances she is homeless, needs a job, needs to replace a tire on her van, and had to give up her two cats to the humane society. If there is any way you can reach out and help her, please let me know.

Jesus has taught us many lessons. How will you reflect these lessons to others? Will you rush to the head of the table or will you quietly stay at the foot of the table? Will you reach out and help those who are in need, or stay back and try not to be noticed? I pray that we are learning our place from the Master Himself.

Amen.

©Jann Martin 2007