October 27

Luke 14-15 (biblegateway.com)

The Call to Humility and the Joy of the Father

In Luke 14–15, Jesus continues His journey toward Jerusalem, using parables and personal encounters to teach the heart of true discipleship and the nature of God’s mercy. At a meal in the home of a Pharisee, He confronts the pride and self-promotion of the guests, teaching that those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Through the Parable of the Great Banquet, He warns that many who are invited to God’s kingdom reject His call, while the poor, the crippled, and the outcast are welcomed in. The message is unmistakable: salvation is offered to all, but it must be received in humility and faith.

Jesus then explains the cost of following Him. Discipleship is not casual; it demands total devotion. He calls His followers to count the cost, to deny themselves, and to carry their cross. The chapter closes with a sobering reminder that salt, once it loses its flavor, is useless; therefore, disciples must remain faithful and distinct in a world that resists God’s truth.

In Luke 15, Jesus responds to criticism from the Pharisees and scribes who are offended that He welcomes sinners. He answers with three beloved parables: the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son. Each reveals God’s relentless love for the lost and His joy in their repentance. The shepherd rejoices over one sheep found, the woman celebrates one recovered coin, and the father runs to embrace his returning son.

Luke 14 — Humility, Compassion, and the Cost of Discipleship

Luke 14 continues Jesus’ journey toward Jerusalem and His confrontation with the self-righteous attitudes of the Pharisees. In chapter 13, Jesus lamented over Israel’s hardness of heart; here He exposes that hardness in action and calls His followers to humility, compassion, and wholehearted commitment.

On one Sabbath, Jesus was invited to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, and those present were watching Him closely (v. 1). A man suffering from dropsy, a painful swelling likely caused by fluid retention, stood before Him. Knowing the hearts of His observers, Jesus asked, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” (v. 3). When they remained silent, He healed the man and sent him away (v. 4). He then reminded them that even they would rescue a son or an ox that fell into a pit on the Sabbath (v. 5).

His reasoning revealed their inconsistency: they would show mercy to animals or family members but condemned compassion toward human suffering. This miracle not only demonstrated Christ’s power but also illustrated the spirit of true obedience, with love fulfilling the law rather than rigid legalism.

As He observed the guests choosing places of honor at the table, Jesus told a parable that turned social custom upside down (v. 7–11). He advised that when invited to a wedding feast, one should not seek the highest seat, lest a more honored guest arrive and shame follow. Instead, a humble seat should be taken so the host may say, “Friend, move up higher.” This teaching pointed beyond etiquette to a spiritual principle: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (v. 11). God’s kingdom values humility over status.

Turning to the host, Jesus challenged him not to invite only friends, relatives, or wealthy neighbors who could return the favor, but to invite the poor, crippled, lame, and blind (v. 12–13). Such generosity mirrors God’s grace, which gives freely without expecting repayment. “You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just,” Jesus promised (v. 14). His words again overturned social norms and revealed the heart of true righteousness, which are acts motivated by love, not self-interest.

When one of the guests, perhaps uneasy, remarked, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” (v. 15), Jesus responded with the Parable of the Great Banquet (v. 16–24). A man prepared a great feast and invited many guests, but when the time came, those invited made excuses. One had bought a field, another five yoke of oxen, and another had just married (v. 18–20). Each excuse represented divided priorities, with possessions, work, and relationships taking precedence over God’s call.

The master grew angry and sent his servant to invite the poor and outcast from the streets, then even those beyond the city (v. 21–23). The invitation extended to all who would come, yet the refusal of the first guests meant exclusion from the feast. This parable reflects Israel’s rejection of Christ and the opening of salvation to the Gentiles. Still, it also serves as a personal warning: God’s invitation demands response, and those who delay or make excuses risk missing His kingdom.

As Jesus traveled on, large crowds followed Him. Turning to them, He spoke plainly about the cost of discipleship (v. 25–27). Whoever would come after Him must love Him more than father, mother, spouse, children, and even life itself. “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” This language does not endorse cruelty toward family but establishes ultimate allegiance to Christ. Discipleship is not casual affiliation; it is a deliberate, lifelong surrender.

Jesus illustrated this with two brief parables. A builder, before constructing a tower, must count the cost to see if he has enough to finish it; otherwise, he risks ridicule for beginning and not completing (v. 28–30). Likewise, a king considering war must evaluate whether his smaller army can face a stronger one or seek peace (v. 31–32). Both images portray deliberate commitment. Jesus concluded, “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be My disciple” (v. 33). True faith involves surrendering all competing loyalties, including possessions, ambitions, and even comfort, for the sake of obedience.

He closed with a comparison: “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?” (v. 34–35). In ancient times, salt that became contaminated with impurities was useless. Likewise, disciples who lose spiritual vitality and cease to live distinctly for Christ become ineffective in His service. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” Jesus warned, urging careful reflection on these truths.

Luke 14 thus presents three major lessons: humility in attitude, compassion in action, and total commitment in discipleship. Jesus exposes the emptiness of religion that seeks honor or convenience while calling His followers to costly faith marked by love and obedience.

The theological truth is that grace both invites and transforms. God’s kingdom is not entered through privilege or formality but through repentance and surrender. The application for believers today is to live humbly, serve generously, and follow Christ without reserve. The challenge is to count the cost honestly, and to prefer obedience to comfort, and eternity to temporary gain, trusting that those who humble themselves before God will, in due time, be exalted by Him.

Luke 15 — The Joy of the Lost Found

At the close of chapter 14, Jesus had spoken about the cost of discipleship, calling His followers to humility, surrender, and wholehearted devotion. That teaching confronted the pride and self-reliance of the religious leaders. In contrast, chapter 15 reveals the tender mercy of God’s heart toward those whom society considered worthless. While the Pharisees emphasized outward purity, Jesus demonstrated that true righteousness is found in repentance and restoration. These parables continue His mission focus, showing that the kingdom of God rejoices not in the preservation of privilege but in the redemption of the lost.

As Jesus continued to teach, tax collectors and sinners gathered eagerly to hear Him (v. 1). These people were despised by most Jews, the tax collectors for collaborating with Rome and the “sinners” for their openly immoral or non-religious lifestyles, yet they were drawn to the hope He offered. The Pharisees and scribes, however, murmured in disapproval, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them” (v. 2). In their minds, such fellowship defiled one’s reputation, but to Jesus, it fulfilled His mission.

To correct their narrow view of God’s mercy, He told three parables that together reveal the rejoicing heart of heaven when one sinner repents. He began with the story of a shepherd who owned one hundred sheep and lost one of them (v. 3–4). Rather than accepting the loss, the shepherd left the ninety-nine in the open country and went in search of the one that was missing. The effort was deliberate and personal. When he found the sheep, he placed it on his shoulders with joy and brought it home, calling friends and neighbors to celebrate the recovery (v. 5–6).

Jesus explained that there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who see no need to repent (v. 7). The image of the shepherd recalls God’s care for His people in passages such as Psalm 23 and Ezekiel 34, reminding hearers that divine love is not passive. God seeks out the lost, and His joy is complete when they freely turn to Him. The parable illustrates both divine initiative and human response; grace reaches out, but repentance opens the door to restoration.

To deepen the lesson, Jesus spoke of a woman who lost one of her ten silver coins (v. 8). In that culture, such coins often represented a bride’s dowry or family treasure, making the loss deeply personal. She lit a lamp, swept the floor, and searched carefully until she found it. When she did, she invited her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her, saying, “I have found the coin that I had lost.” Jesus concluded that in the same way, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents (v. 9–10).

This second parable shifts the focus from the shepherd’s search in the open field to the woman’s diligent search within her home. Both scenes reveal God’s deep concern for every individual soul and His relentless desire for restoration. The woman’s persistence also illustrates the believer’s calling to join in God’s redemptive work with care and perseverance, shining His light into dark places until the lost are found.

Just as the shepherd rejoiced over the lost sheep and the woman over the recovered coin, Jesus continued with a third parable to reveal the Father’s heart even more fully. In the story of the lost son, the focus moves from diligent searching to the patient, compassionate waiting of a loving father who longs for the sinner’s return.

The final parable, the most personal and profound, describes a father and his two sons (v. 11–12). The younger son demanded his share of the inheritance, an act that dishonored his father and signaled rebellion. Yet the father divided his property, granting both sons the freedom to choose. The younger son gathered his belongings and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his inheritance in reckless living (v. 13). When a severe famine arose, he found himself destitute, feeding pigs for survival, a humiliating position for a Jew (v. 14–15). In hunger and shame, he longed to eat the pods given to the animals, but no one gave him anything (v. 16). Sin had promised freedom but delivered slavery and emptiness.

In that moment of desperation, “he came to himself” (v. 17). He remembered his father’s house, where even the hired servants had bread enough to spare. Realizing his unworthiness, he resolved to return, saying, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants” (v. 18–19). This turning point captures the essence of repentance, including recognition of sin, humility of heart, and a conscious decision to return.

As he journeyed home, the father saw him from a distance, was moved with compassion, and ran to meet him (v. 20). In ancient custom, a dignified man would not run in public, yet his love for his son overrode dignity. The father embraced and kissed his son before any confession was made. When the son began to speak his prepared words of repentance, the father interrupted with commands of restoration. Bring the best robe, a ring, and sandals, signs of full acceptance and renewed sonship (v. 21–22). He ordered a feast, saying, “For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” (v. 23–24). The household joined in joyful celebration, for reconciliation had taken place.

But the story continued with the elder brother, who had been in the field. Hearing music and dancing, he inquired what had happened and grew angry when told that his brother had returned (v. 25–28). Refusing to join the celebration, he revealed a spirit of resentment and pride. The father went out and pleaded with him, showing the same patient love he had shown the prodigal. The older son complained that he had served faithfully yet never received such honor, while his brother, who wasted everything, was being celebrated (v. 29–30).

The father’s gentle reply affirmed both his love and justice: “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate, for your brother was dead and is alive; he was lost and is found” (v. 31–32). The parable ends without stating whether the older son entered, leaving the Pharisees and all who heard to confront their own hearts.

This chapter reveals the gospel in its purest form: God’s initiative to seek the lost and His joy in their repentance. The shepherd’s search, the woman’s diligence, and the father’s compassion each reflect different facets of the same divine mercy. The lost sheep shows the value of every individual, the lost coin underscores the thoroughness of God’s pursuit, and the lost son displays the depth of His forgiving love.

Yet in each story, restoration depends upon the lost being found and responding to that grace. This balance of divine seeking and human response aligns perfectly with Scripture’s teaching: God desires all to be saved (2 Peter 3:9), but repentance must be freely chosen. Grace does not override the will; it awakens it.

The older brother’s refusal warns believers against self-righteousness and hardness of heart. True disciples rejoice when others find mercy, remembering that they too were once lost. The call of Luke 15 is not only to recognize God’s grace but to reflect it, and to join in heaven’s joy, welcome the repentant, and share the Father’s compassion with a world still wandering far from home. Where repentance meets mercy, restoration begins, and heaven itself rejoices.

Conclusion

Luke 14–15 beautifully unite two central truths of the Christian life: the call to humble discipleship and the joy of divine mercy. Jesus reminds His followers that to enter the kingdom, one must forsake pride, possessions, and self-will, and that the Father’s heart rejoices whenever even one sinner repents. These chapters challenge believers to examine both attitudes: are we living humbly, ready to follow Christ at any cost? And do we share the Father’s joy when the lost are found? For every believer, this passage is both a call and a comfort. Christ invites us to come low in humility, rise in grace, and celebrate the unending mercy of God that welcomes us home.