Study Leader: Gregory Rajala

Some Questions  When did Jesus’ ministry officially get underway? Jn 2:11 “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”  When Did The Old Testament End And The New Testament Begin? Lk 16:16 “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.” Lk 4:18-21 “The Spirt of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news…Today this scripture is fulfilled…”

God’s Agenda Vs. Our Agenda  Exposing Where The Heart Is V.4 “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” V.5 “If your son or your ox falls into a well on the Sabbath…” Mt 12:12 “Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Lk 13: Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.” 15 The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”

Some Observations  Jn 11: Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”  Lk 16:13-15 “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” 14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.

Jesus’ Advice  Let God Do The Exalting V. 10,11 Do not sit down in the best place…sit down in the lowest place. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. V. 13,14 When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed…you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous V. 15 Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God! (Where did this guy get this idea from?) Is 25:6-8 And in this mountain The LORD of hosts will make for all people A feast of choice pieces…He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken.

The Great Banquet  Invited Versus The Compelled V. 16 A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guest. ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. V.21 “Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly…bring in the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.’ V. 23 Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in (conpelle intrare)’…not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.  Who are the invited guests that made excuses?  Who are the “disabled” and “compelled” ones? Mt 11:4,5 4 Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Jn 6:44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day

Weeding Out The Crowd  The Cost Of Being A Disciple V. 25 “…does not hate…yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple.”  Coming Up Short V. 29 Building the tower’s foundation but not finishing it Gen 11:4 “…let us build ourselves…a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves…” V. 31 Going to war against a more powerful king Lk 12:5 …Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!  Terms of peace V.32 “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” Ro 12:1 “…in view of God’s mercy, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.”

He Who Has Ears To Hear…  V.34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  V.35 It is fit neither for the soil nor the manure pile; it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” It is thrown out? Where?  Question: Where can you throw salt if not the soil or manure pile, what’s left?  Question: What are we supposed to hear?  Is 11:9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.  Loosing your saltiness? Take time to know Him better.