Sermon: “You Are Invited”

Gospel Lesson: Luke 14:1, 7-14

Some of you may remember a journalist named Howard K Smith?

Smith was the co-anchor of the ABC evening news along with Barbara Walters. We all remember her!

In his post as the network news analyst Smith had the wonderful opportunity to interview many famous people as well as some Presidents. Yet having a job of such high status he complained that his children new considered him very “hip”. In fact they seemed completely underwhelmed by anything the old man did. No matter how many autographs he collected for them, no matter how many famous names he dropped, the kids still didn’t think he was anything special. But then came the Presidential conventions of 1964.

Smith was sent to San Francisco to cover those conventions for ABC. His family joined him later for a tour of California’s highlights, which included a visit to a new amusement park called Disneyland. The kids were most excited at the prospect of running into their idol. Mickey Mouse. The family spent the day riding the rides and sampling the various snacks. Then as they wandered through the park they happened upon their hero himself, Mickey. Suddenly, the life size rodent said in surprise and exclaimed in a squeaky voice, “It’s Howard K. Smith.

Smith reported that his young daughter suddenly looked at him with a new admiration and respect. Her dad had been recognized by Mickey Mouse, and this raised his stature considerably in her eyes. Smith glowed in the face of this new found status. But as he reflected on the incident, he realized that it was frivolous to base his standing on the words of a cartoon mouse. After that, status didn’t mean much to Howard K. Smith. Instead he focused on living an upright life and no longer caring what others thought of him.( 1)

We all like to be recognized don’t we? There is a need we have as humans to feel special, to be recognized for who we are, for what we accomplish in our work or our education. We want to be somebody.

I think Jesus understood this. He knew that we crave recognition, that we want to be seen as special. You have all heard the expression keeping up with the Joneses. If we are honest with ourselves we not only want to keep up with the Joneses we would like to be ahead of them in the game of life!

Harvard students were asked the question, if prices were the same, which option would you choose: Option A: you make $50,000 per year and everybody else makes $25,000 per year or Option B: You make $100,000 per year, but everybody else makes $200,000 per year.

Which option do you think most of the students chose?  Option A. (2)

That says something about human nature and Jesus knew that. In our Gospel reading for this morning Jesus teaches us some very important truths about ourselves and how we go about living in this world today.

Hear now the Word of God from Luke 14:1 ,7-14

“One Sabbath when He went to dine at the house of a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees, they were watching Him. Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he marked how they chose the places of honour saying to them, When you are invited by anyone to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honour lest a more eminent man than you be invited by him; and he who invited you both will come and say to you, Give place to this man, and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, Friend, go up higher; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

He said also to the man who had invited him, when you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends, or your brothers, or your kinsmen or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor the maimed, the lame, the blind and you will be blessed because they cannot repay you.”  (RSV)

Jesus is imparting to us an interesting bit of wisdom and etiquette. Sitting in the wrong place at the table can be humiliating if you have to move lower because someone more important has arrived.  British historian Thomas Carlyle once said, “Show me the man you honour and I will know what kind of man you are.”

In medieval times your status and standing was represented by where you sat in relation to the placement of the salt on the table. Salt was a valuable seasoning, it was placed in the middle of the table. If you sat “below the salt” you were of the lower class. The Lord and his family sat above the salt.

Baron Rothschild once answered the question about seating important guests. He answered, “Those that matter won’t mind where they sit and those who do mind, don’t matter” (3)

We all want to feel important; we all want to be somebody. In the second part of our Scripture lesson this morning Jesus is giving us a lesson about how to make our lives really count. We need to quit worrying about how big of a house we live in or the neighbourhood it is located in. We do not need to worry if the car we drive is the latest model or if we carry a Coach bag or wear a Brooks Brother suit.

C S Lewis once said, “Humility has been seen as not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”

This is the lesson Jesus is trying to teach us in the Scripture lessons. These things do not matter in the long run. Money, status, prestige are meaningless if we do not live to serve Christ and our fellow human beings.

This morning I would like to share a story with you. Many of you know I enjoy Children’s literature. The book I want to read to you is,” Adam Raccoon and the King’s Big Dinner” I feel this story illuminates for us Jesus’ message.

A big dinner was being prepared at King Aren’s house in Master’s Wood.

“Adam!” King Aren called “I’m coming!” Adam Raccoon answered and ran up the hill from the fishing pond. “Here Adam. I want you to hand out these dinner invitations to everyone you meet”

“No problem!”  Adam replied and he took off in a flash.

As he walked through Master’s Wood, Adam looked for someone to invite.

Cough, Cough…”Who’s that?” Adam wondered. Poking his head under the log, Adam saw an old turtle walking by.  Cough, Cough..Adam imagined the old turtle at dinner…Cough, Cough… “Well, maybe I’ll invite him later” thought Adam and he continued on his way.

SLURP SLURP “What’s that noise?” Adam wondered. He followed the sound…..SLURP..SLURP and found a big bear drinking lemonade. “HE looks pretty important” Adam said to himself. “King Aren would want me to invite him” “Excuse me sir. Would you like to come to King Aren’s dinner tonight?”

“Maybe next time. I’m too busy today” the bear said and he rolled over to take a nap. SNORE…” Doesn’t look too busy to me, “Adam mumbled and continued on his way. Adam held on tight to the invitations as he hopped across a stream .TWEEP, TWEEP, TWEEP… Stopping in a grove of tall trees he listened. “What’s that?” TWEEP, TWEEP TWEEP. High above a family of baby birds tweeted loudly. Adam imagined sitting next to them at dinner. TWEEP TWEEP TWEEP. “I’m sure King Aren would say they’re too young “Adam thought and tiptoed away.

“Wow!” Adam exclaimed as he came around the corner. “Excuse me Mr. Peacock. Will you come to King Aren’s dinner?” Adam asked as the peacock admired his own reflection. “Unless I’m the guest of honour I’m not interested,” the peacock replied and he strutted away.

Adam was beginning to worry. “I hope whoever I see next can come to the dinner.” Just then a familiar scent drifted past his nose,”Uh oh! I know who that is!” Adam quickly scooted up a tree before Cindy Skunk could see him. He imagined how it would be if she came to the dinner. So Adam let her pass by. “Maybe next time” he thought. Sliding down the tree Adam heard a voice. “Hey down there!” “I hear you’ve got some invitations for dinner, and I’m hungry!” the mountain goat said. “Well let me give you one!” Adam said as the goat hopped down.

“I’ll take the whole bunch!” he replied and with one big bite he started to eat the invitations….MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH. “Oh No” cried Adam. “Stop! What about the dinner tonight?” “No thanks, I’m not hungry anymore,” answered the goat. “But what am I going to tell King Aren?” As Adam approached King Aren’s house he smelled the wonderful aroma from the kitchen. King Aren and Adam sat down at the table and waited for the guests to arrive. “What’s taking everyone so long?” King Aren asked.

“Well…er…ah…”Adam said nervously. “Nobody’s coming!” Adam cried. “Everybody I asked had an excuse and couldn’t come.” “But what about the old turtle or Cindy Skunk and that family of baby birds? Did you invite them?” King Aren asked.

“Well no…I ..didn’t.” “GO Adam! Bring them all to my dinner!”

Climbing the highest tree Adam shouted, “Attention! Young and old, weak and strong, you are all invited to King Aren’s dinner tonight!”

Soon Adam returned driving a wagon filled with happy guests. “I’m glad you could come,” Adam said as he helped each one down off the wagon.

“Welcome to my dinner! You are all special in my kingdom,” King Aren said.

And Adam didn’t notice the tweeting and coughing or even mind Cindy Skunk’s ail under this nose. (4)

Our Lord Jesus Christ calls each of us to the banquet table where we are offered the sacred bread and cup. No matter whom we are old turtle, tweeting birds, or Cindy Skunk. We are welcome. No matter where we are on life’s journey we are invited to this feast for each of us are special in his sight. We are God’s children! No one will be turned away.

The table is set my friends for all of us. Come for all is ready.

Amen

Footnotes

1.”Front Lines” by Howard K Smith, Modern Maturity, May/June 1997, pp.18,20

2. John Ortberg, http:mppc.org/sites/default/files/transripts/061203 jortberg.pdf
3. www.vaticannews.va Sunday reflection-vaticannews7
4. Glen Keane, Adam Raccoon The Kings Big Dinner (Irvine, California: Green Egg Media Inc. 2016)