Luke Chapter 14

It is hard to imagine that there could be those who rejected Jesus when they saw the miracles that He performed. But many did reject Him and were seeking to take His life because He didn’t follow protocol. It’s so ironic because they sought death for Him and He came to give them new life, but they missed it. All the religious leaders could think about was how He was ruining their reputation as a religious body of leaders who carefully followed every law. He disrupted their order and their traditions.

Let's Reflect

1. By this time the Pharisees and lawyers are watching Jesus’ every move to catch Him doing something they could prosecute Him for. What did they watch Jesus do on this particular day? Why did it bother them?

2. While the Pharisees were intent on keeping an eye on what Jesus did, they didn’t realize that He was watching them too. He was not only watching them, but He knew their thoughts. He used these opportunities as teaching moments. He had watched how as they all sat down for dinner at the Pharisee’s house, that they tried to take the place of honor at the dinner table. What did Jesus teach them to do?

3. Then Jesus told a parable about humility and what it means to love your neighbor. Who did Jesus tell them are the type of people they should invite to a dinner?

4. One of the men at the table made a blank statement, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” While the statement is true and is talked about a lot in the Old Testament, this man was just making a blank statement of invitation to the kingdom. This is very similar to what people do today. Without thinking about the cost, they just assume that when they die, they will go to heaven. The cost is, first of all - the sacrificial death of Jesus and secondly, we must be ready for His return. How did Jesus explain to the listeners that not all people will be eating bread in the kingdom of God? In the parable the “master” who is inviting guests, represents whom?

5. Crowds followed Jesus wherever He went and heard Him speak multiple times. Now He wanted to teach them about discipleship and what it means to be a true follower of Jesus. He was thinking ahead to a time when He would not walk the earth with these people, and they would have to make a decision about being a Jesus follower when it might not be so easy. He wanted them to think about what fact? See verse 28

6. Jesus wants us to make the commitment to follow Him. And if we make that commitment, we also need to be willing to be effective for Him as His witnesses. What mineral did Jesus say we must be like, a mineral that has a very distinct purpose and is very different from all other minerals?