Kid's Ministry Coffee Break | A Few Minutes of Spiritual Refreshment for Children & Youth Ministers.
Religion & Spirituality:Christianity
"LUKE 14:1, 7-14 REFLECTION - Un-repaid" Kids Ministry Coffee Break 64: Jesus invites us to give up the games we play which is centered on honoring ourselves and, instead, to honor others for God.
"LUKE 14:1, 7-14 REFLECTION - Un-repaid" Kids Ministry Coffee Break 64: Jesus invites us to give up the games we play which is centered on honoring ourselves and, instead, to honor others for God.Alright, so I made this word up.
At the end of this passage Jesus talks to the religious leaders at this dinner and tells them to invite those who cannot repay them to dinner.
He began with explaining the negative consequences of playing the game of taking seats of honor.
In an honor/shame culture like 1st century Israel, the message is clear. We lose the message in our culture because we don’t function by honor/shame.
We hold SOME value in what others think about us, but we put more stock into what we think about ourselves or, in the case of the church, our understanding of what God thinks about us.
In Jesus’ day, what the community thinks about you is key.
If you are thought highly of, your family name is given great honor through you. Hence, there is a great emphasis on being a part of the family of God in the Kingdom for the purpose of bringing God honor.
Jesus is watching the chair game unfold amid the bigger dinner game.
People invite each other over for dinner to basically pass honor back and forth within the closed circle.
Rev. Pat invites Rev. Chris and Rev. Alex over to honor them with a seat at the table while they honor Rev. Pat by their presence. Then Rev. Chris hosts the next dinner for the same game followed by Rev. Alex. The cycle continues.
Then…at each dinner, these guests vie to take the seats of honor by the host to be more highly regarded by those at the table.
So this wonderful occasion for fellowship and connection becomes, instead, a game to bolster one’s own status.
What a waste!
Jesus watches the whole thing and then exposes the silliness of the game by flipping it on its head. “Why not take the lowest seat so that then you are invited up to a better seat in front of everyone?” If everyone started fighting over the lowest seat…how funny would that be?
And…what if they aren’t invited up to a higher seat. Then they just look silly.
Jesus then invites them to abandon the entire game.
Invite those without any honor. You will host the dinner and offer your honor to them…but your honor will go un-repaid. They cannot honor you back.
But you will be repaid by the just in the resurrection.
_____________________-
We get invited into similar games in the church.
We want people to come and be a part of our activities who look like us, dress like us, drive cars that look like ours.
We want the right kind of people to come through our doors.
We want MORE people to come because it will make our ministries look more valid.
We will appear to be better leaders if we grow the right kind of attendance.
Jesus invites us to stop all of those games.
Instead, invite those who will leave you un-repaid.
What might the people we are reluctant to invite and minister to actually have to teach us in the humility which comes with ceasing to play the game?
May we seek no repayment of esteem and status on earth and, instead, trust that God will see the genuineness of a ministry which is perfectly comfortable being un-repaid.
As you consider what this means for you in your context, may you find freedom from the games we are all encouraged and inclined to play.
—and may this Kingdom freedom fill you with life and joy.
Message brought to you by Rev. Joseph Sanford of Sanford Curriculum (Student ministry resources available on The Sunday School Store written by he and Lauren Sanford).
Music by The Muse Maker
https://sundayschool.store/collections/single-lesson-plans
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