A Place at the Table: Kingdom Values (Lent)
Are you tired of standing on the outside? In this fourth installment of our Lenten series, "A Place at the Table," Pastor Ken dives into Luke 14:1-8 to uncover the "Kingdom Values" that Jesus modeled during a Sabbath meal at a pharisee's home. From healing on the Sabbath to the parable of the Great Banquet, Jesus turns the world's social hierarchies upside down.
In this sermon, we explore three core values of God's Kingdom: (1) People before rules and how compassion always outweighs legalism; (2) Others before self and the beauty of choosing the lowest place and practicing true humility; and (3) First things first and how to recognize and avoid the "good excuses" that keep us from God's invitation.
Join us as we learn what it means to pull up a chair for others and live out the invitation that God has extended to everyone. No one has to stay on the outside — the King is calling you to the table.
Sermon Reflections:
- Have you ever felt left out or unnoticed in a social setting? How does knowing that God always "pulls up another chair" for you change your perspective on your own worth?
- Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, choosing the person over the rule. Are there "religious rules" or personal habits you hold onto that might be preventing you from showing mercy to someone in need?
- In a culture that encourages us to "get noticed" and "climb higher," what is one practical way you can "take the lowest place" and lift someone else up this week?
- Pastor Ken shared stories of leaders (like the CEO and the event planner) who prioritized others. When have you seen someone in a position of power choose humility, and how did it impact those around them?
- The invited guests in Jesus' parable had "legitimate" excuses — work, possessions, and family. What "good things" in your life are currently distracting you from the "best thing" — spending time at God’s table?
- At the end of the sermon, we are challenged to notice those on the margins. Who is one person in your workplace, neighborhood, or school who seems "left out," and how can you invite them in?