Luke 14

Thought on This Chapter

LK 14:12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.

LK 14:13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:

LK 14:14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

In the verses before these Jesus talks about seeking positions of honor with men. Then in these verses Jesus talks about rewards for service. Many people will serve others because of what they can get in return. They will minister to friends, family, and rich neighbors. In other words people who have a reason or the means to give recompense for your service.

Jesus tells them in verse 13 to serve the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind instead. For they cannot recompense you. Our service is not to be based on what the people we serve can give us.

Jesus says that there is a blessing involved in service without expecting recompense.

Then Jesus says, "for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." You will be recompensed for all you do for Christ. He is faithful and just. You will be rewarded. Just don't look for it from the people you serve. Do not let what you can get enter in who you serve. That is the point here. Your recompense will come in the life to come. It will be given at the resurrection of the just. This is a reference to the judgment seat of Christ. Recompense that is given there lasts for all eternity, whereas recompense here gets spent wares out, gets lost, rusts, and so on.

Labor with your eye set on eternity. Lay your treasures up in heaven. Serve where and to who ever that God would have you serve.

Thought On This Chapter

In verse 26 Jesus teaches that He is to come first. Our love for Him is to be so great that any other love would seem like hate in comparison.

Verse 27 we must bear our cross to be His disciple and follow Jesus.

Verse 28 thru30 we see that there is a cost involved in following Jesus. He uses the illustration of building a tower. The man who builds it is to first count the cost, and then he is to finish it. Laying the foundation is not enough. If he quits, then others will mock him. The point here is to understand there is a cost involved, know that, get busy and then you are to finish what you start. In verses 31 and 32 Jesus gives another illustration on the same topic.

Verse 33 Jesus says, "So likewise" So in the same manner as what is in the illustrations. It takes commitment, and sacrifice, and dedication to finish building a tower for example. And if you start it, then you should forsake other things if necessary to finish it. Likewise we are to forsake all to be Jesus' disciple. Being His disciple must come first and we are to finish the course and not quit no matter what it takes.

Still talking about the same subject Jesus then says:

LK 14:34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

LK 14:35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Salt has a purpose and it is good. But if it looses is savour, then it is worthless. The context here is talking about followers of Jesus. We have a purpose and we are not to quit. If we quit doing what we are sup post to do, then we are like salt that has lost its savour.

This is some pretty strong language from the Saviour. Basically we are to understand that there is a price to be paid for really following Jesus, and we are to kept at the task no matter what. When we stop then others will mock Christianity and the name of our Lord.

Don't quit following Jesus. Amen.

King James Bible Main Index:

Luke 14 [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24]

LK 14:1 And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.

LK 14:2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

LK 14:3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?

LK 14:4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;

LK 14:5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?

LK 14:6 And they could not answer him again to these things.

LK 14:7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them.

LK 14:8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;

LK 14:9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.

LK 14:10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.

LK 14:11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

LK 14:12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.

LK 14:13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:

LK 14:14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

LK 14:15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

LK 14:16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

LK 14:17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

LK 14:18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

LK 14:19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

LK 14:20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

LK 14:21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

LK 14:22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.

LK 14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

LK 14:24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

LK 14:25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,

LK 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

LK 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

LK 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

LK 14:29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

LK 14:30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

LK 14:31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

LK 14:32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

LK 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

LK 14:34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

LK 14:35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

LK 14:13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:

LK 14:14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

These verses teaches several very important principals.

First it teaches us that we are to have compassion and charity on the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind. We are to help them even though they cannot recompense us.

Second we will be blessed for it. But notice when we get recompensed for it. It is at the resurrection of the just (The judgment seat of Christ).

None of our good works that we do will be overlooked by God. He will reward us for it in Heaven. This is what the Bible is talking about when it tells us to lay up our treasures in Heaven.