students of jesus

Today's guest post comes from my new cyber-friend, Travis Kolder. He's a follower of Jesus, a husband and father to a growing tribe of Kolders, an organic church planter, and a writer.  Travis currently serves with an "amazingly gifted" group of believers who are corporately known as the Cedar Rapids House Church Network. You should check out his blog, Pursuing Glory, or catch his tweets.

I have this theory that different types of Christians like different sets of parables. Truly evangelical believers love the parables of Matthew 13.  End time-focused believers love the parables of Matthew 24 and 25. The list can go on. I suppose you should expect this because each segment of Christians you meet are called by God to manifest a different aspect of Christ.

I have this other theory that a parable in Luke 14 is one of the forgotten parables of Jesus.

It’s sad to me though, because this parable gives one of the most practical instructions on how to manage yourself with humility in a gathering you’ve been invited to.  (I think it’s important to note that I believe Jesus would teach something very different if He were teaching you how to host a gathering.  Don’t apply Jesus’ lesson on being a guest to the idea of leading or hosting.)  Over and over I see believers not put this wisdom into practice.

Below you’ll find the parable in it’s entirety.  It’s better if you read it and apply it to your own life.  But this time, read the parable as if Jesus meant you to apply this idea in any event you’ve been invited into.  How would it change how you act?

And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them,

When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him,

and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place.

But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you.

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Now that you’ve read the parable, where does it apply to your life?  Are there other places (i.e. like when you’re hosting or leading) where this wisdom won’t work?

Bill Johnson of Bethel Church in Redding, California suggests that like, children, we are invited into the joy of discovery:

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables:

   “Though seeing, they do not see; 
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

   “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 
For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, 
and they have closed their eyes. 
Otherwise they might see with their eyes, 
hear with their ears, 
understand with their hearts 
and turn, and I would heal them."

But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. (Matthew 13: 10-17)

Today's guest post comes from Dusty Snyder, a deep thinker with the heart of a poet. Dusty and his wife, Emily live and work on the campuses of two small liberal arts colleges.

Beheath his calm and reserved exterior you discover and engaging and lively intellect, playful and welcoming. You can follow him on Twitter, or travel to Central Kentucky and follow him for real.

Once there were two suitors. The first saw the woman he desired and purposed in his heart to win her affections, and he began to scheme. He knew one way he could be seen as a worthy suitor by the woman was if he rescued her from danger. So he set himself to observing the woman day and night, always from a distance, watching and waiting for his chance to swoop in and save the day. His efforts at chivalry quickly turned to frustration, because she was never in danger, so he came up with a new plan. Rather than waiting for danger to come to the woman he desired, he schemed to bring danger to her and then he would have his chance to save her.

So one night while she was safe asleep at home with her parents, the suitor came and lit fire to her house. Quickly the flames rose to consume the walls and the family was roused from their slumber. The suitor, seeing his opportunity rushed into the home ready to save his future bride. Successful in his attempt to save the desire of his heart and bring her safely outside, his plans quickly took a turn for the worse as the walls of her family home came crashing down with the rest of her family still trapped inside.

Now, the other suitor's story follows a much different path. When he discovers the woman he desires, he sets in his heart to win her affections with nobility and honor. While she was still far from him, he loved her in his heart and only had kind thoughts for her. He sought her affections with clear intentions and got to know her--and she also knew him. His love for her had no walls; he only desired the best for her, even to the point of being willing to lay down his life for her. His love won her over and she gave him her heart.

The other day I was having coffee with Dallas WIllard -- no, wait -- that wasn't me, it was someone else. But I certainly wish it was me.

Dr. Willard is a gift to the church. For decades his work has centered on the deep joy of becoming an apprentice to the Master of Life, Jesus. Today's parable-post is drawn from his excellent article, "How to Become a Disciple," which originally appeared in The Christian Century, but was adapted from his book, The Divine Conspiracy, Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God:

Jesus gave us two parables to illustrate the condition of soul that leads to becoming a disciple. Actually it turns out to be a condition that we all very well understand from our own experiences. The parables also illustrate what he meant by saying that the "scribe" of the kingdom teaches from the ordinary things of life "things both old and new."

First, he said, "The kingdom of the heavens is like where something of extreme value is concealed in a field. Someone discovers it, and quickly covers it up again. Overflowing with joyous excitement he pulls together everything he has, sells it all and buys the field" (Matt. 13:44).

Second, he said, "What the kingdom of the heavens is like is illustrated by a businessman who is on the lookout for beautiful pearls. He finds an incredible value in one pearl. So he sells everything else he owns and buys it" (13:45-46).

These little stories perfectly express the condition of soul in one who chooses life in the kingdom with Jesus. The sense of the goodness to be achieved by that choice, of the opportunity that may be missed, the love for the value discovered, the excitement and joy over it all, is exactly the same as it was for those who were drawn to Jesus in those long-ago days when he first walked among us. It is also the condition of soul from which discipleship can be effectively chosen today.

Only with such images before us can we correctly assess the famous "cost of discipleship" of which so much is made. Do you think the businessman who found the pearl was sweating over its cost? An obviously ridiculous question! What about the one who found the treasure in the field -- perhaps crude oil or gold? No. Of course not. The only thing these people were sweating about was whether they would "get the deal." Now that is the soul of the disciple.

No one goes sadly, reluctantly into discipleship with Jesus. As he said, "No one who looks back after putting his hand to the plough is suited to the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). No one goes in bemoaning the cost. They understand the opportunity. And one of the things that has most obstructed the path of discipleship in our Christian culture today is this idea that it will be a terribly difficult thing that will certainly ruin your life.

This article appeared in The Christian Century, April 22-29, 1998, pp. 430-439. Copyright by The Christian Century Foundation, used by permission.

Can you imagine explaining the universe by telling a story? For example, someone asks a scientist, "What is gravity, and why is it important" And she answers by saying, "There once was a man who owned a vineyard . . ."

Here's a ten-minute video that provides an overview of how and why Jesus taught using parables--and not just parables: parables of the Kingdom of God.