#94 Luke 14:7-14 Cast All Your Anxiety

On October 23, 2022 by Amy Burgin

Joy:
Episode #94 Luke 14:7-12

Welcome

Amy:
Welcome to The Christgazing Podcast. We are so glad you could make it. I’m Amy Burgin.

Joy:
I’m Joy Burgin.

Amy:
Christgazing, kind of like stargazing, is the act of looking steadily and intently at Jesus. This podcast makes room for just that. Amid a world of many words, we slow down here and make space for the God-breathed Words, the best words, the ones that rightly comfort, correct, and lead us. This is the kind of podcast I am in dire need of. Each week Joy reads a portion of scripture several times and creates stillness after each reading so we might also be still and know God more.

We are in a series that takes us through the book of Luke, focusing on the red-lettered words of Jesus.

Pour Out Your Heart to God

Amy:
Before Joy reads today, take time to share your heart with God. We do this each week; we pour out our heart to God, so that He might fill us up with exactly what we need. So bring your nightmares, your daydreams, your grief, joy, anger, excitement, exhaustion, and thanksgiving to God in this next minute.

[Pause and pour out your heart to God]

What Does This Passage Say About God?

Joy:
I’m going to read today’s text two times. As I read, consider the question, what does this tell us about God?

Luke 14:7-14 When Jesus noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Again?

Luke 14:7-14 When Jesus noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Take a minute to be still and know what this says about God.

[Pause and know]

What Does This Passage Say About People?

Joy:
As I reread the passage, consider a different question. What does this tell us about people?

Take the next few moments to answer the question, what does this passage tell you about people?

[Pause and know]

Lord, What Would You Have Me Know Or Do Today?

Joy:
As I read for the last time, ask God, “Lord, what would you have me know or do today in response to this passage?

Take the next minute to ask God, “Lord, what would you have me know or do today in response to this passage?”

[Pause and listen]

Blessing

Joy:
Christgazer, the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. And may you turn your face toward Jesus today and know him more.

One Response

Amy:
Today’s passage primarily seems to be about humility.

I watched actor Jonathan Roumie, who plays the character of Jesus in The Chosen Series, share his testimony in a youtube video this weekend. He gave this beautiful quote from St. Vincent De Paul, “The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For, as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to defend himself from it.”

Humility. I ask God for it. A verse comes to mind, 1 Peter 5:5-11 All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Life has been pressing in hard this week, keeping my mind awake at night. One way I cast my anxiety on Jesus is to imagine dragging every anxious thought to him. I demand every anxious thought state its case to Jesus, the Jesus described by John in Revelation 1:14-18. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

This is the word of the Lord.

Closing

Amy:
You can find a link to Jonathan Roumie’s testimony in the transcript of this episode at amyburgin.com. Joy and I will be back again next week to go Christgazing together. Until then, don’t forget, when you put your trust in Christ, you are one in whom he dwells and delights, a dearly loved child of God. You are royalty in his strong and unshakeable kingdom. Though trouble abounds, Christ prevails, and so do you.