Living Waters Christian Fellowship - Lake Nacimiento - California

12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.

 13 “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.
 14 “And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
 15  Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”


Introduction  It seems people back then used social interactions to advance themselves in life.  Eyeing the best seats at the banquets, inviting special people with the idea of being invited back.


Jesus said they needed to change their focus, off of themselves and onto people who needed ministry, people with imperfections.


And that their reward would not be feathering their own nest in this life, but in the world to come.


Compare and contrast - rich neighbors inviting you back in this life vs being repaid by God Himself in the Kingdom of Heaven


1. People give dinners, suppers and feasts  v12


12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.


a. Social interaction


b. Recreation


c. Making merry (22x), gladness (48x) and feasting


d. Reciprocation


e. Social climbing


2. We usually want to hang out with certain kinds of people  v12


12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.


a. People we are comfortable with, whom we know, who are like us


b. People whose presence benefits us in some way


c. People who can repay us


3. Jesus would like us to include different kinds of people in our invitations  v13-14


 13 “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.
 14 “And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”


a. People we may not be as comfortable with, whom we may not know, who are different from us


b. People who are less than perfect


c. People with needs and flaws whose presence may be more of a drain on us


d. People who cannot repay us


4. Why would Jesus want us to include these people?


a. Evangelism?  


b. Mutual blessing?


c. To demonstrate the love and respect found in the Kingdom of God?


d. To set a better societal precedent?


5. Benefits of generous outreach  v14-15


 14 “And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
 15  Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”


a. Blessed means happy


b. Blessed more than being comfortable, receiving benefit, being repaid


c. Blessed at the resurrection of the just  Matt 25


 31  “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
 32 “All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
 33 “And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
 34 “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
 35 ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
 36 ‘I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
 38 ‘When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
 39 ‘Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
 40 “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’


d. Blessed in the Kingdom of God  v15




 15  Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”


What is the Kingdom of God?  Giving a dinner, not just for your friends, but to minister to others, even those who need to take more than they are able to give.


The Marriage Supper of the Lamb - Rev 19


 5  Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!”
 6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
 7 “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
 9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”


Conclusion  


12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.
 13 “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.
 14 “And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
 15  Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”