March 22, 2026 -Come to the Table
- brooks16055
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Psalms 81:9 NIV
[9] You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not worship any god other than me.
The Psalm repeats yesterday's reading and post.
Psalms 81:10 NIV
[10] I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
God fulfills His promise faithfully. He provided for them in all ways. Today Moses talks to the Israelites about them being about to go into the promised land. He reviews their history in the wilderness. Today's reading is full of food/dinning references.
Psalms 81:16 NIV
[16] But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
God does not just supply what is needed but He gives the best (finest of wheat) and things that would be impossible for us (honey from the rock). Everything we need.
Luke 14:1-2 NIV
[1] One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. [2] There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body.
Jesus goes to eat at the house of a Pharisee. The meal we likely outdoors in a courtyard where they could be seen. Jesus sees a man in need and provides for Him the healing that he needs.
Luke 14:7-8 NIV
[7] When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: [8] “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited.
The pride of the Pharisees the other guests becomes a teaching moment. Not just for the people of the time but for us. We are called to be humble not proud. To accept what God gives us and where He places us. Not trying to place ourselves in a position of prominence. It is better to dine with Jesus with the lowest in station than to dine with rulers.
Luke 14:12 NIV
[11] For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” [12] Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid.
Hospitality is an opportunity to serve others and care for others not a time to establish social standing. True hospitality expects nothing in return. Jesus tells them that you will be repaid for your kindness at the "resurrection of the righteous"
Luke 14:15 NIV
[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.”
This is a true statement but I wonder if it is a common statement. Like we say "Come Lord Jesus" or "God is good". I think the guest who made this statement was just responding to Jesus words with a statement like one of these. That is why he went into the next parable.
Luke 14:17
[17] At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
Do we really mean it? Do we wait with anticipation, prepared to go when the banquet is ready? Those invited make all kinds of excuses why they can't go at the time they are called. We need to be careful not be caught up in the things of this world so that when the Lord calls us we are ready to respond. I think we can apply this to more than just Jesus return. When we go through this life we need to be ready to respond when God calls us to respond to His invitation. We are feasting on the sweetness of His presence and joining Him where He is working when we do go when called. If we allow the business of the word and our own insecurities and fears to be excuses for not joining Him where He is working then we are making the same kind of excuses of those invited to the banquet are giving.
Luke 14:23-24 NIV
[23] “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. [24] I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ ”
The banquet is for all who respond. He is preparing the Jews to understand that even the gentiles will be invited and that they will receive the invitation even when many Jews will refuse it. We can rejoice as gentiles that we are invited but now we are in the position of the servant. We should be going out and inviting everyone we see to come to the table so that the Lord's house will be filled. And His house is a big big house so we have a lot of inviting to do. There is a place prepared for us all with lots and lots of food.
Luke 14:34-35 NIV
[34] “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? [35] It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
If you know me, you know that I salt everything I eat. I need to be more generous with the salt that I sprinkle in the world around me for Jesus than I am with the salt I eat. Salt makes our food more flavorful and savory. When we are in the world the things we say and do need to be sprinkles with the salt of the gospel. Salted properly it is pleasant to the taste. The gospel when received preserves our life for eternity as salt preserves food. It makes the things we must endure more palatable. It makes the things we enjoy more enjoyable. We are offered a feast of opportunities to sprinkle the world with the gospel but if our lives lose the message then our faith is useless.
Deuteronomy 8:3 NIV
[3] He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
God provides for us but even more important is for us to dine on the word of God. That is how we can keep our salt salty.
Deuteronomy 8:8-10 NIV
[8] a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; [9] a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. [10] When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
We have a promised land to look forward to as well. The place that our Father's house is that is filled will milk and honey from the rock.
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