“Then Jesus turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”
Luke 14:12-14 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.14.12-14.NLT
Truth is vitally important for eternal living in the eyes of Jesus. Hum! Maybe some things he teaches best not to think about. And, if you are like me think this might feel worst than a bee sting please don’t read the other parts of this chapter.
I can hear Julie Andrews singing from the movie, ”The Sound of Music,”
“When the dog bites, when the bee stings
When I’m feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don’t feel so bad.”
Yes, my favorite thing, ”the love of Jesus”. How many ways to try and find ways to tell of how deep, rich, full and without measure his love is for all. Jesus doesn’t want any of his children regardless of their lowely place in life to be left out of our best. WOW! its not about my china and steak dinner but about Hos love and His williness to reward us beyond our thinking for loving others on His behalf!
Isnt His love awesome?
thedailylily.com 
Sara said, “Truth is vitally important for eternal living in the eyes of Jesus. Hum! Maybe some things he teaches best not to think about. And, if you are like me think this might feel worst than a bee sting please don’t read the other parts of this chapter.”…….” 25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” I should have taken Sara’s advice and not read the other parts of this chapter.😳😱 🐝🐝💉💉💉 I may need a dose of Benadryl now?!?!
Tammy, not only did you read more you decided to go and tell! 🐝🐝🐝 Benadryl💉💉💉Yes!
I’ve been thinking a tiny amount about how unlimited God’s knowledge and wisdom is. When Luke, said to be a doctor, was writing this prescription for our good just how vast this chapter seemed to be. The way God was seeing things for the good of those that would become his faithful friend. He knew what was best for our relationships and wanted to help. As we can see Wisdom Words had already been spoken and recorded.
“Make no friends with those given to anger,
and do not associate with hotheads,
or you may learn their ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.” Proverbs 22:24-25 (NRSV)
It’s vitally important for the good of our health and happiness to strive to understand what the gospel is revealing to us. I understand the wisdom given by Jesus would not require us to remain in situations of danger or hurt that robs us our joy and peace. I see Dr Luke prescribing “wisdom” and giving us a Road map to protect ourselves from harm. It is our responsibly and duty to use tools available to us. Example. Did you lock the doors to your home last evening? Or, did you open wide and say anyone come and feast from my frig while we sleep?
Sara, I think you help us to see things from an eternal perspective and to realize that it’s not just about our bank account here on earth, but our ‘bank account’ in heaven and how our actions towards others are co connected to “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven”. You help show us the heart of Jesus and his heart for others with the scriptures you shared and your words, “ Jesus doesn’t want any of his children regardless of their lowely place in life to be left out of our best. WOW! its not about my china and steak dinner but about Hos love and His williness to reward us beyond our thinking for loving others on His behalf!”
Debi, our deeds/works as you know are so important in serving and loving others. We understand as children of God we will be able to meet Jesus @the Beama seat and have our works reviewed, judged and weighed for value. As you mentioned in your comment our ‘bank account in heaven’ will then be revealed to us. Then comes the spending I would imagine!
Seeing the title of this blog. I thought how can I teach that concept to children in my classes. I saw this blog and thought very interesting and I learned a lot which I need to put into practice also.
The is from excerpts from Parenting in Christ bible guide
. Through out this post I have chosen sentence which spoke to me as something I could use to teach children about humility
“To be biblically humble is to be so free of concern for your own ego that you unreservedly elevate those around you.
Saint Augustine said, ‘Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence in the soul in which this virtue does not exist. There can one any other virtue except in mere appearance.
1. Humility means being willing to learn.
2. To be humble is to be curious about others.
3. Humble people listen because they know they don’t know everything.
4. To be humble is to always remember that God is bigger, smarter, and more powerful.
5. Humility is believing what God says is more true than what you think.
6. To be humble is to trust that what God says about you is right..
Philippians 2:3
When your confidence is in Christ alone, you are free to focus on others, to treat them with elevated regard by honoring and serving them. You can consider others as more important than yourselves.
As a parent you can teach humility by example.
Quotes
The humility is not thinking less of yourself. It
Is thinking of yourself less.” Rick Warren
On the highest throne in the world, we still sit only on our own bottom. Michelle Montaigne
Every person that you meet knows something you learn from them.
H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
The author of this post used excerpts from Parenting in Christ Treasure for Parenting from Jesus.
I learned a lot that I can use in my Sunday school and also apply in my life. ThNj you!
Other resources suggested were:
Teach your kids Biblical Integrity
Your identity in Christ
My take away:
Humility = love served up with love for another
Hi Rena, reading your extremely complex, complicated, notes and outline for your children’s Sunday School class leaves me with the idea you have a big job set before you as you learn, live and teach.
Maybe you can practice here. What does this mean in simple language for daily living? “On the highest throne in the world, we still sit only on our own bottom.” Michelle Montaigne
Sara, I did use the outline of humility with my girls. I asked the question if they had ever had a hard time putting others first. All put up their hands I girl said, I had a hard time at my birthday party. I wanted to think about my new toys but thought wrong and focused on the ones who came.. On your question on only one bottom on the highest throne. One girl, Julie raised her hand and said “ only Jesus can sit on the throne and no one else. She preceded to say. You know like the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve wanted to be like God but there is only one God!!!!
A lot to learn from sixth graders.
Great to see children seeking! Thanks for sharing!
Following up on the words Jesus spoke to his host…our blog scripture…
“Then Jesus turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”
Luke 14:12-14 NLT
Conversation continues…
15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’
20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
22 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’
As I look into the streets of sorrow from my laptop window, a feeling, a tear, a chatter with a friend…all OK! The words that haunt my day as I sit and gaze upon the beauty of nature with empty rockers waiting at the table and contemplate the parable of Jesus’ powerful story telling I become greatly aware of Jesus’ words, “ , but there is still room.”
Jesus says, “there is still room at the TABLE”!
“Jesus says, “there is still room at the TABLE”!”
Seems from reading the scriptures you posted, Sara, that no one was overlooked or excluded. Those that supposedly qualified for an invite apparently had their priorities out of order, excluded themselves, and missed God’s best. It appears that there were limited numbers of “poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame”, but all must have been located and escorted or given rides to come and be a part of the banquet. And then He still went searching for anyone who did not fit either category. This surely shows what lengths Jesus will go to to say,
“there is still room at the TABLE”!
I too Sara have empty seats at my home for others to come. I also have chairs in my Sunday School class. Recently we have had three girls join our class. Two have parents bring them. One depens on parents of girls in my class. The last one appears every Sunday at one of the girls home to go.. She asked me to put her name on class roster as she said she plans on coming every Sunday. She is trying to get her brother to come. Every Sunday the Children’s Minister serves up Jesus and when they come to me they get extra helpings. Some come with no prior teachings on Jesus. One little girl cried because she said she didn’t know how to pray.
To me this is children who come to sit at the table which is all about Jesus. Food is a little bit of learning about Jesus each week they come.. Hopefully they will grasp they can always trust in Jesus and that’s He direct their steps and they will be able to tell others about Jesus. In study they will see Jesus gives them a manual to live their lives.
Jesus says
Matthew 19:14
New International Version
14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs(A) to such as these.”(B)
New International Version
14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs(A) to such as these.”(B)
Come children there is a seat for you! Jesus is waiting for you and other teachers and I are waiting for you!
Beautiful to hear how the children are coming to hear and experience the good news of Jesus Christ and his grace and love. Thank you Rena for setting the table with a spread for the children.
It is encouraging to hear of your precious Sunday school children having a desire to know Jesus. God, protect these little ones, from the enemy of their souls, and help them to continue to grow in the knowledge of You. Bless Rena and all those that pour countless hours of study, prayer, and actively teach these little ones, about Your love for them and the world. In Jesus name🙏
Rena, you wrote, “Every Sunday the Children’s Minister serves up Jesus and when they come to me they get extra helpings. Some come with no prior teachings on Jesus.”
This reminded me of Jesus’ compassion and generous care for those who had come to Him and had had nothing to eat in Matthew 15:32. He, too, didn’t want any to go “hungry” so He set a generous table for all who came.
And what a great invitation …”Come children there is a seat for you! Jesus is waiting for you and other teachers and I are waiting for you!”
Rena, it’s Sunday morning and the thought that the children will appear in your Sunday School class to hear about Jesus. The little one with tears because she didn’t know how to pray has been stamped in God’s 💓 . And, the other two that are hearing about Jesus. They are bells oh yes chimes in the church steeple.
Can anything in this earth get any better than the news of children desiring go know God.
Just this week I noticed a big house in the right location with the right 💲 sign was very alluring. I paused to take some virtual tours. Breathtaking beauty yes. Having been a realtor for years real estate interests me. And, beauty and success is good or can be good.
Then I noticed we got to get out to the beach or hike a mountain because empty house boring. Lot of dust😜 it’s all OK! I don’t like to vacuum either.
But, in our lesson here the parable seems to poke the evil that lurks deep within.
Debi’s comment…”Those that supposedly qualified for an invite apparently had their priorities out of order, excluded themselves, and missed God’s best. It appears that there were limited numbers of “poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame”, but all must have been located and escorted or given rides to come and be a part of the banquet. And then He still went searching for anyone who did not fit either category. This surely shows what lengths Jesus will go to to say,
“there is still room at the TABLE”!
Now promises of mansions, streets of gold and pearl gates plus leaves thoughts…???
Rena, I’ve said often when you or any of us stay in the place with the gifting God has given each of us we shine so bright that it could make the moon look dim. Those special children in your class learning how to pray sure can put a flame in hearts.
This chapter from Luke 14 seems to give a wisdom pattern. But, who uses patterns in today’s world? Why yes I know? Rena and the children filling her empty chairs to learn how to pray!