Reading: Luke 14-16, Psalm 119:1-32

Well, here is a a bunch of well known stories. Parables and parables and parables. When I was growing up, I heard these stories many times, but pretty well always in isolation. Here we get to read them in a series, and I think they all gain a new layer of meaning when we look at the overarching theme that Luke is tracing.

For pretty much all of Jesus’ teaching ministry, we have seen him make a distinction between those who accepted the message of John and those who did not. Those who did come to Jesus repentant, and they are both forgiven their sons and healed of their deformities and diseases. Those who do not accept the message of John come with an attitude of superiority and judgment. They receive nothing but woes. I don’t believe Jesus ever strays from this theme.

Here we begin with a deformed man being brought to Jesus as a test. Those who believe themselves to be righteous are watching to see if Jesus will heal him. Stop for minute and think about that. These guys know Jesus can heal this man, but they are more interested in proving a point than healing him. Jesus of course heals him, while blasting the Pharisees and teachers for their hipocrisy. Then he launches into a long series of parables and teaching on taking the lower place. We get instructions to avoid the seat of honor unless invited to it. To invite to your homes those who have none and cannot return the invitation. To respond to the invitations of the King promptly, or face the reality that he will invite others in your place. These are stories of exclusion, of authority, and of surrendering your own sense of honor in order to build someone else up. It is the prototype of servant leadership, but it goes of step further. Jesus is inviting his listeners to leave their lives of self assurance and depend on God- to lead servant lives, not just to be servant leaders.

Jesus follows up his own hard parables with an even harder teaching: this will end in death. Following Jesus is carrying a cross. It is costly. Despite modern concepts of conversion, the new Kingdom life Jesus offers is not a matter of saying “sure” and you’re in. The new life comes when the old one is dead. Something must die in those who would live the life Jesus is proclaiming. And the first thing that must die is the belief that we are all okay.

We get stories of lost things. A lost sheep. A lost coin. Lost sons. Again, Jesus delivers hard teaching then immediately displays compassion, this time through the stories of loss and rejoicing of those who are lost and then found. I think Jesus wants his listeners to understand that while following him is hard and involves death and loss, it also involves a God who seeks relentlessly for those who have stayed. A God who watches, waits, and accepts back with joy those who have insulted, snubbed, and abandoned him, when they return with repentance.

Finally, Jesus addresses the feeling of loss that those Pharisees and teachers must have been feeling. The parable of the dishonest manager is one of the oddest stories in the New Testament. Given where it falls in the story, I think this is meant to direct the actions of the Pharisees. They are the dishonest manager who squandered his master’s resources. When called to account, Jesus suggests they show radical mercy to those indebted to the master- those sinners and tax collectors they are so upset about. Reduce their debts, that they might be nice to him when they enter the kingdom ahead of him. The story is an offer is repentance to those to whom much had been given.

Of course, there is an alternative outcome. One exemplified in the next parable, that of the rich man and Lazarus. Again, the one to whom much has been given appears, but this time he is not interested in cancelling anyone’s debts. In fact, he revels in his wealth. Then he and the poor Lazarus die. And the rich man continues to expect Lazarus to serve him. Death has not changed the rich man at all. He cares nothing for the poor man- though he does care for his own brothers. But Jesus will have none of that. He says that knowledge is not the problem. If those who have been given the law and prophets will not behave righteously, they will not change just because someone rises from the dead. To those who have receive much, much is required.