Sermon 31st August 2025 – 12th Sunday after Pentecost
Text:
Luke 16:19-31 – humble hospitality
Imagine
walking into a banquet. The room is buzzing, the table is set, and you spot the
best seat in the house.
Do
you rush to claim it—or wait to be invited? Jesus tells a parable about a
wedding feast and teaches a lesson about the nature of our hearts and the
nature of God’s Kingdom. Jesus is at a meal at the house of a prominent
Pharisee, where Jesus uses the opportunity to teach valuable lessons about
social status, humility, and the nature of God’s kingdom.
He
observes the guests scrambling for seats and notices how the guests choose the
places of honour at the table. He sees their behavior as an indication of their
hearts—hearts that seek prominence and recognition rather than true fellowship
and humility.
This
desire for self importance can be alluring. It tempts us to seek our worth by what people
think of us. But what does Jesus teach
here? Jesus isn’t just talking about dinner parties. He’s revealing the heart of God—a God who
invites us, though we have nothing to offer in return. When we place ourselves
in the highest seat, we risk being humiliated if we’re moved down.
The
truth is that a heart filled with pride is in danger of distancing itself from
God. In contrast, Jesus suggests taking the lowest seat and, in doing so,
allowing the host to elevate us. This
reflects God’s heart towards humility. James
4:10 reminds us, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you
up." As we consider our lives, are
there areas where pride sneaks in? Do we
seek the spotlight instead of serving behind the scenes? It’s an easy attitude
to creep in and can also lead us to hoping people fail in order to make us feel
better about ourselves.
Jesus
says that all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble
themselves will be exalted." This is a timeless principle in the kingdom
of God that has been repeated many times. James and John certainly felt that
rebuke when they asked for one of them to sit at Jesus left and one at his
right when he came in glory. Humility opens the door to God’s blessings. It
allows us to see others as God sees them, without a sense of superiority. Remember, the sin of pride was the sin of
Satan as Isaiah 14 tells us: How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son
of the dawn! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will
raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of
assembly, on the utmost heights I will
ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” But
you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.
Remember
how God’s love was shown to us – that while we were yet sinners Christ gave his
life for us. Christ humbled himself and came to serve, not to be served and God
gave him the name that is above all names. As we serve rather than seek to be
served, we align ourselves with the heart of Christ. Consider how Jesus
exemplified this; He, the King of kings, washed the feet of His disciples; he
forgave the unforgiveable; he touched the untouchables; he ate with sinners.
Our
calling is to follow His example. How do
we serve the ‘least of these’ in our communities? When we turn our focus from ourselves to
others, we participate in the very mission of Christ. In the closing verses,
Jesus shifts the focus from the behavior at the table to the heart behind our
giving and inviting. He challenges his host to invite the poor, the crippled,
the lame, and the blind—those who cannot repay him. When we extend our table,
our love, and our resources to those forgotten and neglected by society, we
reflect the nature of Christ.
God’s
grace is not about doing things to see what we get out of it. We are reminded
that genuine generosity bears no expectation of return. In doing so, Jesus
promises that our reward will come at the resurrection of the righteous. This
eternal gift reminds us that our actions are not for earthly recognition but in
thankfulness to God for all that he has done for us. So as we reflect on this
teaching from our Lord, may we examine our hearts today. Are we living in
humility, ready to elevate others and serve generously?
In
embracing humility, we discover the true essence of the Christian life—a life
rooted in love, service, and self-giving. Jesus invites us to bring nothing and
feast at His table, and we are called to extend that invitation to all,
regardless of their status or ability to repay us. And so it invites us to ask, who is missing
from our tables—our churches, our homes, our hearts? And let us remember what the writer to the
Hebrews says about showing humble hospitality: Let mutual love continue. Do not
neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have
entertained angels without knowing it.
It’s
not about entertaining friends because it’s our turn to be hosts: It’s about
embracing the stranger, the outsider, the one who cannot repay.
Jesus
himself said, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35). To welcome the stranger is to welcome Christ. It
challenges us to see every person we encounter as someone who might be divinely
appointed; sent by God; Someone who could change our lives or the lives of
others in unimaginable ways. This was how Jesus modelled his ministry—inviting
sinners to dine with Him, welcoming children when others pushed them away,
letting a woman of ill-repute touch him – washing his feet with her tears and
drying them with her hair. His life was a testament that everyone is worthy of
love and kindness. When we extend
hospitality, we reflect Christ’s love to the world. God may be at work in ways
we cannot see. Each encounter we have
can be an opportunity for a divine encounter. Each stranger has a story; each person carries
with them the image of God. What if, by
showing kindness to someone, we are participating in something far greater than
ourselves that we cannot even imagine?
Consider
Abraham, who welcomed three mysterious visitors into his home (Genesis 18). He
did not realize he was entertaining angels until they revealed their divine
mission. His hospitality led to the fulfillment of God’s promise. So often, our
acts of kindness can become the means through which God’s grace is unveiled in
unexpected ways and places
The
divine doesn’t always come with trumpets and glory. Sometimes, it comes in the
form of a refugee, a neighbor in need, a child with questions. Hospitality
opens the door not just to people, but to possibility—to grace, to
transformation, to encounter.
In
a world of locked doors and guarded hearts, the church is called to be a place
of welcome. Not because it’s easy, but
because it’s holy – where the sacred often hides in the ordinary. Just as God’s
holiness hides in water – in bread and wine.
Let
us strive to live out the values of God’s kingdom as we humbly serve and love
one another. Let us live as people who welcome—not just with our homes, but
with our hearts. And in doing so, we might just entertain angels. And even if
we don’t, we will reflect the heart of the One who welcomes us all.
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