Luke 14:12-14
Previously we saw the intimacy of sharing a meal. Such sharing builds strength into our family units and cements friendships between families. If you feel you’ve few friends, then perhaps it is time to invite someone for a meal? We also learned that we must not let trivial things hold us back from serving the Lord in this way.
Luke 14:12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.
13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
Comments
Verse 12; Does not preclude intimate meals with those we love, as the general tone of scripture bids us share each other’s lives. The idea is that we need to show hospitality beyond those in our circle of family and friends.
Verse 13; Here is a clear duty in scripture to society’s less fortunate, the blind, the crippled, and the lame. Or what about the homeless and single parents?
Verse 12-14; The idea of repayments tells us to check our motives for hospitality from this viewpoint. There is the greatest safety in giving to those who cannot repay. Amen
Matthew 6:1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
Comments
Charity is best practiced in secret lest we fall into the subtle sin of hypocrisy, in other words when we show charity to be seen by other people.
Verse 1; There is no reward if you have wrong motives.
Verse 2; If you draw attention to yourself to get the honour of man you will lose God’s reward.
Verse 3; God requires your charity to be done in the strictest secrecy
Verse 4; What is secret to man, God sees and God rewards.
When only God knows your charitable deeds then your motives are safer.
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James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Looking after the widows and orphans and helping the helpless is a true measure of our heart for God.
The warning from Isaiah 10:1-2 makes it clear the God is closely watching that justice is done for the widow, the orphan, and the poor. Those who exploit the poor cannot run to God, they have nowhere to go on the day of their calamity.
Matthew 25:31-46; God identifies intimately with poor
James 2:14-17; Faith without works is dead
Galatians 2:10; Always remember the poor
If Jesus Christ totally identifies with the poor, then so must we.
Bless someone today who cannot repay you and keep it a secret between you and the Lord.
Amen
Prayer
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Comments