Sermon for Lord's Day June 05, 2022 "Healing, Humility and a whole host of excuses"

Thus far is the reading of God's Holy Word this morning. If you are taking notes and you want to put a title or a header on your notes, you are free to share mine. Healing, humility, and a whole host of other excuses is what we're going to see here in this text.

And remember in considering the context of where we are this morning, Christ here has just shown great compassion and concern and care for Jerusalem with His words, speaking concerning Jerusalem. And then the Gospel writer Luke in his narrative account gives us the event that takes place one Sabbath day in between the time that Christ has just said what He said previously in verse 35 to beginning His journey toward Jerusalem as we read in chapter 13 and verse 22.

Healing the Man with Dropsy

But one Sabbath He went to dine at the house of the ruler of the Pharisees. So there's three things that we're going to really examine and focus in on in the message today. Number one, we're going to look very briefly at Jesus healing the man with dropsy.

Jesus healing the man with dropsy.

Number two, we're going to examine Jesus' words concerning humility in the second portion concerning that parable of the wedding feast. And thirdly, we're going to look and consider what we hear of the great invitation to the banquet that is given to the multitudes who do nothing but make excuse after excuse.

And so in simple terms, they reject the invitation to the banquet. They are left standing on the outside looking in, which is not where we want to be. We do not want to be on the outside looking in. ...of Jesus Christ.

Christ has made it possible that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. And so let's begin here. This narrative concerning the man with dropsy.

So what we have here is Jesus healing the man.

And it very well should have sounded familiar to us as we read in Luke's gospel earlier and in the other synoptic gospel accounts of how Christ heals men and women in the presence of the Pharisees and what always happens.

The Pharisees get upset. They become indignant. They try to catch Christ in His words. But Christ always proves to them as well to us that He is wise, that we are foolish, that He is mighty and strong, and that we are weak and powerless.

So Christ heals the man with dropsy. Now, He was invited by a Pharisee. We do not have it given to us whether this was a well-intentioned invitation or an ill-intentioned invitation. But what we do have is that it was an invitation.

And what we do know, reading prior to this and throughout the remainder of the gospels, that the Pharisees and scribes were always trying to trip Christ up. They were always trying to get Christ to say something that was wrong or contrary to the Scriptures themselves.

And they failed, as they did, to realize that He is the Word. Christ Himself is the Word of God, the Word made flesh. And so in verse 2, Behold, there was a man before Him who had dropsy. Again, we can make assumptions.

Some folks assume that this man just came in. But it's not likely that a man with dropsy would just come in uninvited into a Pharisee's house not having already been invited there. There could have been a number of reasons why he was there.

He could very well have been a relative or a friend of this Pharisee. And they maybe just wanted to use him to see what Christ would do. But the Scripture says this. The Scripture says Jesus responded to the lawyers and the Pharisees by saying this.

Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not? So here we have the man with dropsy set before them. Christ's first words to the lawyers and to the Pharisees were concerning the law of God itself.

Calvin said this concerning this passage.

This narrative contains nothing more than a miracle which Christ performed. And he did it in order to correct the superstitious observance of the Sabbath. For he did not intend, as some imagine, absolutely to abolish the Sabbath, but only to point out that neither the works of God nor the duties of charity violate the holy rest which is enjoined by the law.

For the law of the Sabbath goes no further than that men shall rest from their own works. This is what the law states. And if we are at liberty, ultimately, if we are at liberty to relieve brood animals on the Sabbath, it would be unreasonable that we should not perform a similar office of service which is formed after the image of Almighty God.

So what is dropsy? What is this illness? Well, medically speaking, a swelling in your body as a result of fluid. But it can also occur in your hands, your face, or any other part of your body. Physical show of this illness, this dropsy as it is called.

There are many kinds of edemas. It's often a symptom of other conditions. Serious illnesses that can cause edema are heart failure, kidney disease, liver tissues like cirrhosis, thyroid disorders, blood clots, infections, so on and so forth.

What is important for us to understand here is that this is not just a headache that this man has. This man had a lifelessness in his body that only Christ himself can heal. The great healer. Christ is the great healer.

We quoted it in our communion psalm, right? He healeth you of all... But the blood of Christ has cleansed us from sin that we might, before God, stand justified and stand assured of whose we are in Christ Jesus.

But the scripture says this, when Christ asked them this question, they remained silent. Now, generally, when we ask a question, it's not for rhetorical purposes. You remember when you were a kid, and you got in trouble, and your parents would say, you want me to get the belt, you want me to get the switch, you want me to get the wood spoon, whatever the case may be.

It seemed like a silly question to us, right? I don't know why we ask those questions as parents, but Christ's question was well-intentioned, and he expected an answer. But they could not answer Christ.

The scripture says, then, when they remained silent, he took the man with dropsy, healed him, and he sent him away. That is all that we have in Luke's account here concerning this. And the scripture says, and he said to them.

Them are the Pharisees, the Pharisee that invited him. Them are the Pharisee's guests who were at the table with them, the lawyers, the scribes, so on and so forth. And he said to them, which of you, having the ESV, translates even as a son, having a son, an ass or an ox that has fallen into a well, immediately pull him out.

He went right to them. What's so important about this is this. That they wanted to make individuals. Pictures were all taken. Ain't that one of the worst parts of going to the wedding? Waiting an hour and a half for the wedding party to get their pictures made.

You can't eat until then. Assumed a place of honor. Years old, and made him king instead of his father, Amaziah. He built Eloth and restored it to Judah. After the king slept with his fathers, Uzziah was 16 years old when he began to reign.

And he reigned.

His mother's name was Jekaliah of Jerusalem.

What was right in the eyes of the Lord.

Himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah. Who instructed him in the fear of God. God made him prosper. He fought against the Philistines. And he broke through the wall of Gad. The wall of Jadna.

And the wall of Ashton.

He built cities in the territory of Ashton. And elsewhere among the Philistines. God helped him against the Philistines. And against the Arabians who lived in Gerbal. And against the Munas. The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah.

And his fame spread even to the border of Egypt. For he became very strong. Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem. At the corner gate. And at the valley gate.

And at the angle.

And he fortified them. And he built towers in the wilderness. And he cut out many cisterns. For he had large herds. Both in the Shephalah and in the plain. And he had farmers and bindressers in the hills.

And in the fertile lands. For he loved the soil.

Moreover.

Or on top of all this. Uzziah had an army of soldiers. To the numbers in the muster made by Jaya the secretary. And Masai the officer. Under the direction of Hananiah. One of the king's commanders. The whole number of the heads of father's houses.

Of mighty men of valor. Was 2 ,600. Under their command. Was an army of 307 ,500. Who could make war with mighty power. To help the king against his enemy. And Uzziah prepared for all the army. Shields.

Spears. Helmets.

Coats of mail. Bows and stones for slinging.

In Jerusalem.

He made machines.

Invented by skillful men. To be on the towers.

And on the corners.

To shoot arrows.

And great stones. And his fame spread far. For he was marvelously helped. Till he was strong.

But.

When he was strong.

The scripture says. He grew proud.

We are taught in the New Testament. Take heed when you stand.

Lest you fall.

The scriptures teach us.

In the New Testament.

If you which are spiritual. See a brother which is overtaken in a sin. Go to such a one. In the spirit of meekness. But consider yourself. Lest you also be tempted. But here again. Uzziah when he was strong. He grew proud.

To his destruction. The scripture says.

For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God. And he entered the temple of the Lord. To burn incense. On the altar of incense. But Azariah the priest. Went in after him. With 80 priests of the Lord.

Who were men of valor.

We typically I think. Previously in years past. When we read about priests. We think of these little fellas. Like myself. Who maybe didn't have a lot of power. Or didn't have a lot of authority. But the Levitical priesthood.

Were men of valor. They were men who were strong. They were men who were trained in even war. To fight and to battle. And so Azariah follows Uzziah into the temple. With 80 priests of the Lord. And they withstood King Uzziah.

And they said to him. It is not for you Uzziah. To burn incense to the Lord. But for the priests.

The sons of Aaron.

Who were consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary. For you have done wrong. And it will bring you no honor.

From the Lord God.

Big statement there. Then Uzziah was angry. Now he had a censure in his hand. To burn incense. And when he became angry with the priests. Leprosy broke out on his forehead. In the presence of the priests.

In the house of the Lord. By the altar of incense. And Azariah the chief priest. And all the priests looked at him. And behold. He was leprous in his forehead. And they rushed him out quickly. And he himself hurried to go out.

Because the Lord had struck him. And King Uzziah was a leper. To the day of his death. And being a leper. He lived in a separate house. For he was excluded from the house of the Lord. And Jotham his son.

Was over the king's household. Governing the people of the land. Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah. From first to last. Isaiah the prophet. The son of Amos wrote. And Uzziah slept with his fathers. And they buried him with his fathers.

In the burial field. That belonged to the kings. For they said. He is a leper. And Jotham his son. Reigned in his stead. In his place. There are none of us.

Above the sin of pride.

We must always.

Keep a check.

On ourselves. Now there are extremes. On either side of the ditch here. We must stay in the middle of the road.

We must.

Humility is not. Just walking around with your head hung low. Quoting Job.

I'm a worm.

Not a man. Certainly isn't saying. Look at me. Look at me. Humility is recognizing. Who we are. We are creatures. Made in the image.

Of almighty God.

We are created.

Beings.

God.

We must always. Keep the priority. Correct.

God.

God.

And man. And so. As we move.

To the latter.

Parable here.

The parable.

Of the great banquet. So we. We look.

At the.

Healing of the man.

With dropsy.

We look. At the scene.

Of pride. And now.

We're going to.

Very briefly.

Examine.

This great invitation.

That is given.

As Christ.

Gives us.

This parable.

To many. Who meet. The invitation. With a host.

Of excuses. And everything. Everything.

That we have read.

Everything.

That we are reading.

Christ.

Is directing.

At these men.

Who should.

Have recognized him.

For who.

He is.

The Christ.

The son.

Of the living.

God.

The Messiah.

The one.

That the Jews.

Had been looking.

For.

And waiting.

For. For. So.

Very.

Long.

The Great Banquet and the Excuses of the Invited

The scripture says.

He said.

Also.

To the man. Who had invited him. So Christ.

Turns his gaze.

Turns his eyes. To this Pharisee. At the head of the table.

And he says.

Sir.

When you give a dinner.

Or a banquet.

Do not invite your friends. Do not invite your brothers.

Or your relatives. Or your rich neighbors.

Lest they also invite you in return. And you be repaid. But when you invite. Or when you give a feast. Invite the poor.

Invite the crippled.

The lame. The blind.

And you will be blessed.

For because.

They cannot repay you. For you will be repaid. At the resurrection of the just.

Now.

Human nature. Teaches us something concerning this. That it is. Human nature. To always want.

To get ahead.

It is human nature. To always want.

To be better.

We ought always. To strive. To better ourselves. To increase our knowledge.

Of the Lord.

To increase our relationships.

Husbands with wives. Wives with husbands.

Parents with children. Families amidst their families. Friends with friends. But what we are talking about here. And what we see here. Is that Christ is reminding. And challenging this Pharisee.

Remember.

You should not strive.

To just reach out to those.

Who can always. Reach back to you.

But you should reach out.

To those who are unable. In and of themselves. To reach back. So that you might demonstrate. And show the love of God.

For that.

Is part of what God had given them. Concerning the Sabbath. To be a day of rest.

From our works.

That we might love the Lord our God.

With all our hearts.

With all our souls.

With all our minds.

And with all of our strength, J .C. Rouse said concerning this passage, Our Lord takes this opportunity to remind him and those eating at the table, through the parable of the great banquet, that people may have the kingdom of God offered to them, but if they intentionally neglect the offer, that they will be lost forever.

What the Pharisees failed to see because of the blindness and hardness of their very hearts, that they soon would be sitting outside hooking in. They thought this is what Christ said, the gospel contains everything.

In order to be empty, we're helpless and we're ready to perish. The forgiveness of all sin and peace with God, justification of the person, justification of the person and sanctification of the heart, grace by the way and glory in the end are the gracious provision, which God has prepared for the needs of souls.

There is nothing that sin laden hearts can desire or that weary consciences require, which is not spread before us in abundance in Christ. Jesus Christ the substance, let me be plain here, as a hearer, not being called to a buffet where you pick what you want and you leave the rest, but you're being called today to a meal.

To a meal that has been prepared from before the foundation of the world. The table has been made ready, the dishes have been set out, the food, which is by the way Christ himself is placed before you.

Come and dine.

Receive what is set before you today with gratitude and with joy, for Christ has died for you. He was buried and he is risen from the grave and today he is alive forevermore. Now it was then scandalous when Christ said it and it will be scandalous as I repeat it to you today.

But nevertheless, it is the only way of salvation. And how fitting that providentially we fall upon this text on the very day in which we observe, celebrate communion. Savior who gave his life upon the cross, broken for sinners, so that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

In John chapter 6 and verse 25, when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, Rabbi, when did you come here? The context here is after Christ has fed the multitude, right? With five loaves and two fields.

And Jesus answered and he said, Truly, truly I say to you, you are seeking me not because you saw signs, but because you ate your field of the loaves. And Jesus says, do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eat, which the Son of Man will give to you.

For on him God the Father has said. Then they said to him, what must we do to do the works of God? And Jesus answered them, this is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent. So they said to him, then what sign do you do that we may see and believe you?

Fathers, amen. Jesus said to them, truly, truly I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and he gives life to the world.

They said to him, sir, give us this bread always. Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet you do not believe.

But all that the Father gives me, Christ said, will come to me and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.

And then on down a little further in verse 51 of John 6, Jesus said again, I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give, they disputed among themselves, saying, how can this man give us his flesh to eat?

So Jesus said to them, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life today. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in him.

As the living Father has sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not like the bread, but forever.

The substance of the baby. Imagine that it is our favorite food, our favorite drink. Not be saved, with Christ's statement. And one by one, his disciples began to turn away. And Christ looks to his twelve.

He looks to his twelve.

He asks them this question.

Will you also go away? To which the response, Lord, this is what they were invited to. I say this judgment is surely coming. Coming to you and coming to me. You be in that number, standing outside while looking.

And by your God, don't see the picture of those who were lost in sin. Standing outside while looking. The great healer, the blessed humility of our Savior. For as the Apostle Paul told the church at Philippi, we affirm those same words to you today as Christian men and women.

That we are to consider the humility that Jesus demonstrated. Concerning our love and our affection for one another. For Paul told the church at Philippi, let this mind be in you. Which was also in Christ.

And lastly, Lord, this great invitation. One should be with careful thought and consideration. To your own souls.

It is to Christ which we pray.