I spent numerous hours pouring myself out over this reading from Luke entitled, “The Parable of the Wedding Banquet.” All of the commentaries I read talked about the social norms of the seat of honor and the hierarchy of the seating assignments given at a traditional Jewish wedding feast. Then they talked about being humble in life and out of your humbleness you will receive your reward in heaven. Well that all seemed like contextual and historical criticism and a lot of works righteousness to me. I could not stop thinking that there was more going on here than historical Jewish edict and a lesson of false humility put forth for the sake of a reward thus earning a prized place in heaven.
I believe that the idea of earning a place in heaven has been referred to as ladder theology. In ladder theology you spend your life climbing up the ladder of good works to God. How did that work for the folks who tried to build the Tower of Babel? Oh yeah! God came down and squashed their best efforts like it was an ant hill on a sidewalk.
Now don’t just take my word for it, you can strive to earn you righteousness by climbing that ladder. Just know that we do not climb up to God rather Jesus comes down to us. And if you try to climb up to Him you will be knocked on your keester by Jesus in His decent to give to you what you do not have the power, the ability, nor the skill to obtain; eternal righteousness, it is a free gift! It is not earned.
Well call me captain oblivious, but this parable is about a wedding banquet and our Hebrews reading for today encourages us to hold marriage in honor and not to defile the marriage bed. Oh! MARRIAGE! This parable is about MARRIAGE. DUH!
I have said it before that Christ is to the Church as a man is to his wife. It is not a mistake that in the Bible Jesus is referred to as the Bridegroom and the Church is called the bride of Christ. So the lesson of humility in today’s parable, “But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Is not how you earn a better place at the table of the Lord in Heaven (although that might be true) it is telling us to be humble and seek the lowest position in our marriages so that our marriages may be exalted. Imagine if both spouses sought nothing else but to love and serve their beloveds. What would that look like?
However this is not the reality of Christian marriage in our world today. One in two Christian marriages, in our country, end in divorce; that’s 50%! Our society is one of self seeking, self serving, and indulgence of the sinful nature.
It’s not fair, I give them everything and I get nothing! It’s not fair I never get ME time! It’s not fair I deserve to have fun with my friends! That is a load of festering boils, oozing puss all over a pile of fresh hog crap! It is a lie out of the pit of Hell and a cry of the sinful nature to be gluttonous. Where in the marriage vows does it say that we are entitled to ME time? Where does it say that we are entitled to party with our friends? Those are self indulgent lies coming from the mouth of the great deceiver.
When we are joined in the union of marriage to our spouse our lives cease to be our own and they become one with the other. Married people have no business at a party or in a bar without their spouse. You are just asking for T-R-O-U-B-L-E! If you feel that the spark is gone in your marriage, or that things have become mundane, then get into prayer and the Word of God! Turn to your Savior to give you the strength to carry on in the vows that YOU took before Almighty God and your family and friends!
Adultery: is not just always a physical act. Adultery is any time one spouse gives to a member of the opposite sex what belongs to their souse. For instance if you are a woman and you turn to another man for comfort, support, or encouragement (other than your minister of course) no matter how innocent, then you are committing adultery. If you are a man and you turn to a woman other than your spouse in a lustful way to fulfill your ego, no matter how innocent, its adultery. I didn’t make these rules up people they are right here in the Word of God!
I am angry this morning folks. I have too much time talking with men whose wives have abandoned any hope of staying marriage. I have spent too much time watching as the sacred office of marriage is attacked and destroyed by satan and the sinful flesh. I can’t help you in your marriage when I want to save it far more than either of you
Thank God that there are couples in our congregation who are sold out to their spouses. I am begging you who know that you are still in love with your spouse to make yourselves available to those in this congregation who are fighting to keep their love alive.
When you honor your spouse in this way you are honoring Christ for the office of marriage is a peek into the intense intimacy that is to come with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the next life. If we do not fight RIGHT NOW for the sanctity and honor of the office of marriage then our faith in Christ will be close behind. Abandon the sacred office of marriage for the indulgence of the self and your love of the Savior will diminish as well.
God hates divorce! The Bible says so over and over and over. Do you think that it’s because it breaks His law? Well that is part of it but hate in Hebrew is stronger than just dislike. It is despised it puts a stench in the nostrils of God that is comparable to a pile of boils oozing pussing, well you get the idea. When we divorce the image of the relationship of the Savior to His Church is defiled, defamed, and degraded. This is why God hates divorce.
But keep in mind God hates divorce not divorced people. Divorce is sin divorced people are God’s beloved creation swirling is a pool of pain, agony, and personal distress. In the midst of our pain, yes even in the midst of divorce our Savior seeks us. But I beg you those whose marriages are in trouble. Talk about it with another couple; a couple who perhaps has been where you are. If you do not talk about it or seek to hide or deny it you are fueling the lie and giving your marriage over to satan.
So toady I stand before you my beloved congregation who has called, supported, and provide for Zanny and I and all of our needs. Join me this week in deep and heartfelt prayer for the office of marriage in our world, our country, our state, and yes even our congregation. Prayer and the Word of God heals, I am more than convinced.
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