God’s
Hospitality
Luke:
Aldersgate
I.
What keeps us
from receiving the gift of God’s hospitality?
a.
I received a phone call from Bishop Pete Weaver
i.
Way back in July
of last year
ii.
while I was at a
worship renewal event
iii.
now in our appointment
system, when the Bishop calls it’s a little un-nerving
iv.
but there was no
need to worry
1.
he was giving me the courtesy of calling to let me
know that he could not attend Pastors’ Assembly
2.
a continuing education event that I coordinated last
year
a.
scheduled to preach opening service
b.
and moderate a panel discussion of our presenters
v.
but it was his
reason for being excused that led me to share with you about this phone call
1.
like the third guest in today’s gospel reading, he
got married in early August
2.
Pastors’ Assembly, just before Labor Day, was one of
the few events he could free from his calendar
3.
I guess he did not think that this spiritual renewal
event for clergy had any resemblance to the great dinner mentioned in today’s
lesson from the Gospel of Luke
4.
and he was probably right
b.
But this experience and today’s lesson raise a
question: How do we know when we really do need to accept God’s
invitation?
i.
Jesus tells us a
parable about a man giving a great feast
1.
he had sent out those little pre-announcement cards
that are popular now with wedding planners
a.
save the date
b.
because the invitation will be coming
2.
now the time was right
and the guests were declining
a.
one inspecting newly purchased land
i.
are there any real estate agents present?
ii.
Sounds like a
good excuse to me
b.
another trying out newly purchased oxen
i.
today one might
be test driving a car
c.
third, had just gotten married
i.
that’s why I
thought of Bishop Weaver
ii.
similar parable
in Matthew’s gospel
1.
only it’s a wedding feast
2.
and we do not learn detail of excuses form expected
guests
iii.
but another
parable in gospel of Thomas shares more parallels with Luke
1.
gospel of Thomas is a fifth gospel
a.
circulated in the ancient world
b.
but not included in the canon
c.
one of reasons for canon
2.
in this non-canonical parable quests decline for
similar reasons, yet strangely familiar
a.
one receiving payment on loans
b.
another buying a house
c.
third arranging what we would call a bachelor party
today
3.
what activity keeps me/keeps you from accepting God’s
invitation?
c.
In Luke’s gospel, Jesus ends the parable with the
host inviting
i.
The poor, the
crippled, the lame, and the blind
ii.
Linking us right
back to introductory verses
iii.
Jesus suggests
to all those who would host
1.
that the tit for tat rules of polite entertaining do
not apply in kingdom entertaining
2.
rather kingdom entertaining is marked by inviting
those who cannot repay
3.
invitations are offered wo/
thought of reciprocity
iv.
be careful with
Jesus’ remark about being repaid at the resurrection of the righteous
1.
have you ever been the recipient of pity from do-gooders?
a.
Which would feel better?
i.
to be invited
because host thinks it will get them points with God
ii.
or to be invited
because host wants to spend time with you
b.
one’s motivation will determine quality of
hospitality offered
v.
reward of true
hospitality comes with pleasure of entertaining
vi.
God wants to be
your host for the pleasure of enjoying your company
II.
Hospitality is
what Lent is all about
a.
Last week, I greeted people at
i.
To straighten up
our lives, just like we’d fix yp spare bedroom for
over night guest
ii.
Lent is about
preparing to host God in our lives
iii.
We do not
want to fall into situation that one Lenten study suggests - God was Here
and I was Out to Lunch
b.
But today this passage from Luke suggests another
book not yet written, entitled
i.
God Invited
Me to Lunch and I Was Too Busy
ii.
Jesus makes it
clear that those who say no to God’s invitation will never taste this dinner?
1.
In the words of the profound philosopher, anonymous,
“You snooze, you loose.”
2.
Will those who declined the invitation ever be
invited again?
a.
Will they have a chance to taste another dinner?
b.
I have to believe that we will.
c.
God always offers a second chance
c.
But every time we’re too busy for God
i.
We miss out on
the excitement of accepting God’s hospitality?
ii.
we say we want
to follow God
1.
live according to God’s way
2.
but when a hard decision comes along
a.
interrupting our lives
b.
requiring a little discomfort
3.
are we willing to accept the invitation?
d.
Today God is like the little five year old girl
i.
who took the
newspaper from her father
ii.
put both her
little hands on the sides of her father’s face
iii.
and turned toward him as she said, “Daddy, when you
listen to me, listen to me with your eyes.”
e.
That’s what God is saying today on this second Sunday
of Lent, 2007
i.
Listen with your
whole being
ii.
God is inviting
you into a new way of being
iii.
God is speaking
your name:
1.
“Sarah, Bob, Susan, Joe,”
2.
God says “when you listen to me, listen with your
whole being.”
iv.
During Lent we
take the time to be focused on God with our whole being.
v.
We get ready to
accept God’s invitation to new life through Jesus Christ!
vi.
Amen. So may it be!