Grace at the Table
THE TABLE OF THE FOREMOST PROPHET (Luke)
Great Commission Church
Intro: Luke/Acts is a pair that must not be separated. Together they make up an historical document from the first century that makes a specific point about something in those times, even though we know the material is inspired Scripture. Historical writings in the first century aimed to show that a major change had occurred in the world. Tacitus wrote in his Annals to demonstrate that the republic of Rome was dead, even though the framework still remained. In the same way, Luke wrote to alert his readers that the age had changed. Up to that time, God had been dealing singularly with Israel. But now His ministry was expanding from “…Jerusalem to all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). To illustrate this point, open your Bible to Luke 1 (hold) and find Acts 28 (hold). Luke begins with a classic OT story with an angel in the temple announcing the birth of a prophet (John the Baptist). Then the book of Acts ends with Paul’s words to Jewish leaders in Rome:
Acts 28:28 “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!”
How can we account for the difference between Luke 1 (purely Jewish) and Acts 28 (clearly Gentile)?
A major shift in history had occurred. Luke wrote about it in Luke 22 – Acts 1. In those chapters, Jesus of Nazareth was arrested, abused, tried, condemned, crucified, buried, raised, observed, and taken back to heaven.
Not only does Luke point to a change in history, but he makes one other emphasis plain in His Gospel. He answers the question, “Who speaks for God?” “Among the many voices, whose is most important?”
Luke opens His Gospel with several entities speaking the Word of God.
GABRIEL
To Zacharias…
Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.”
To Mary…
Luke 1:30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”
ELIZABETH
Luke 1:42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”
MARY
Luke 1:46-47 And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.”
ANGELS
Luke 2:10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
Luke 2:11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
JOHN THE BAPTIST
Luke 3:7-8 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance…
Recap of what has been prophesied: two important sons will be born; Mary and her Son are especially blessed of God; Mary praises God and notes that she needs a Savior; a Savior has been born in Bethlehem; flee the coming wrath and repent!
But when chapter 4 comes, Jesus speaks – interpreting the prophecy of Isaiah in the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth and claiming that He was the fulfillment.
When those who heard him began to be disenchanted by His claim, He made a very famous statement…
Luke 4:24 Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.”
After Jesus speaks, no other prophet speaks the Word of God in the Gospel of Luke.
Even after He authorizes His disciples to speak on His behalf in Luke 9, we still do not hear them. We hear only the Prophet Jesus.
The era has changed.
Something different has come into the world. What does it mean? How should we understand Luke’s account of the Lord’s Supper considering a new prophet has arrived on the scene as the period has reset?
If Jesus is the foremost Prophet, what should go through our minds at the Table of the Lord?
Two passages in Luke inform our thinking, and both happen at meals around tables. One is Luke 7:36-50. Earlier in the same chapter, Jesus raised a widow’s son from the dead. How did the crowd respond to such a powerful miracle?
Luke 7:16 Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.”
In 7:36, Simon the Pharisee invited Jesus to dinner. Why invite this stranger? Why increase his popularity?
As Jesus entered the house, all the traditional courtesies of hospitality were omitted.
Custom required a kiss of greeting, water, and olive oil for washing hands/feet and refreshing the face/head. Only then could the traditional prayer of thanksgiving be offered. After the prayer, the meal could begin.
Babylonian Talmud – “Our rabbis taught: the absence of oil is a bar to the saying of grace…” and “Just as a dirty person is unfit for the Temple service, so dirty hands are unfit for saying grace.”
But what is happening in Simon’s house? Every culture has rituals for welcoming guests. We do them without thinking, yet they are very important. Bypassing them communicates many things.
illus: In modern nations, traditional courtesies for welcoming a guest go something like this – 1. Hello Larry, it’s nice to see you. 2. Wouldn’t you like to come in? 3. May I take your coat? 4. Please sit and rest here. 5. May I bring you something to drink? 6. The host then turns off the TV or closes the laptop or sets his phone to silent – a sure sign that the guest is welcome, and that the host has plenty of time to see him/her. The guest has the host’s undivided attention.
What if you omit the entire list of courtesies? It would be a clear, calculated, direct insult.
Simon withheld from Jesus all the party favors of ancient near eastern hospitality. Therefore, the passage suggests that he had invited Jesus to his home, not to honor Him but to test Him. Test: Was this man indeed a prophet of God?
Then a notoriously sinful woman crashed the party and began touching and caressing the feet of Jesus!
That is when Simon got the answer he was looking for:
Luke 7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”
But Jesus is not merely one prophet among many. He is not “a” prophet. Jesus is “The Prophet.”
And once again, Jesus furnishes something no mere human can.
Luke 7:48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Who in this story had greater honor: Simon the religious leader or the woman with the bad reputation?
In the first century culture Simon had far greater honor than the woman. But from Luke’s point of view the woman has far greater honor from Jesus.
Luke 7:47 “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
What does this idea have to do with the Lord’s Supper? Everything.
Those who are welcome and honored at the Supper in this turn of the times, at the Table of the foremost Prophet of God, are those whom He had declared forgiven. They are people who love Him greatly because they have learned that they owed Him considerably.
Application:
The other dinner passage…
Luke 15:1 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.
Luke 15:2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”
The Prophet does not welcome the obedient to His table. (He can’t find any). He receives sinners and eats with them.
At His table, by the New Covenant in His blood, He has redeemed those same sinners. He welcomes the forgiven.
It’s not the religious who are welcomed to His table – it is those who know how deeply undeserving they are.
It is those who know how exceedingly worthy and how highly exalted Jesus is.
It is those who know they don’t belong but are welcomed nevertheless by the Supreme Prophet of God!
