“Now Jesus began telling a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been selecting the places of honor at the table…” (Luke 14:7 Amplified Bible)
How special did you feel when you were seated at the head table at a conference, a wedding, or some special gathering where you or a close friend was honored? You felt pretty special, didn’t you? You saw it as a place of privilege and pride of a good sort penetrated your being. Frankly, for some If you were not seated at the special table, you just felt just as good as if you had a seat reserved near the head table. Yes, being truthful, some of us were just glad to be in the room, even if it was at the back of the venue!
When David brough Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan from Lo-debar to Jerusalem to eat regularly at the king’s table, I’m sure he had to feel a sense of appreciation and joy to be seated at the table, just as he was as one of the king’s sons. On the other end of the appreciation continuum, in another Biblical account, we see Judas seated at the table with the other disciples; one of which Jesus said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me – one who is eating with me.” Judas definitely did not appreciate the blessing of being at the table or being shown love by the Master, in spite of the King Jesus knowing what Judas would do, as it was written of him. He would face woe and it would have been good, in Jesus’ words, for that man, Judas, if he had not been born.”
In yet another Biblical account, a couple of Jesus’ disciples revealed their opinion about being seated at the table. Do you remember James and John, the sons of Zebedee saying to Jesus, “Grant that we may sit in Your glory, one on your right and one on Your left.” A part of Jesus’ response included these words: “But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those who for whom it has been prepared.” Knowing that they were interested in honor and power, Jesus went on to say to them, “Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be a slave of all.”
As preachers we were told not to take a seat in the pulpit, a figurative table where the word of God is to be served from, until we are asked to do so. And we were trained not to just come to the pulpit until invited. This training had a Biblical basis too. Remember Jesus’ words in a parable, “When you are invited to someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both shall come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,‘ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the place. But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher;’ then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you.”
Here is the one I really like and look forward to, so I’m telling you, I will just be glad to be at the table. But I am going to live like I want to be asked to move up higher. Here it is: “Blessed is everyone who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.” How do you feel about being seated at the table? Are you living by giving honor and glory to the Lord so that you might be honored more? Something to ponder on, don’t you agree? Have a great Friday! Oh, for some evangelism motivation, be sure to read the closing verse! Be blessed!
“But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.” (Like 14:13 NASB)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King