The Pious Language Of Unbelief And The Sinner Beneath The Mask
Text: Luke 14:15-24 In the name of Jesus. Amen. When you hear Jesus’ parable from Luke 14, it almost sounds like all those people who were invited to the great banquet had gotten together beforehand and rehearsed their excuses. Sure, their excuses were different: one had bought a new piece of property, another had purchased some oxen, and another had just gotten married. Sure, they had different excuses, but if you listen carefully, the excuses sound the same. It sure sounded like they did not want to come to the banquet. And so, this begs the question: why not just say it plainly? Why not just tell the master, “We do not want to come.” Why play these games? Why not simply say the quiet part out loud: “The banquet is an inconvenience.” Dear friends, one of the great difficulties in American spirituality is that we do not like plain and honest talk about what we do and why we do it. Here in the Midwest, we are especially skilled at avoiding direct speech. We smile, nod...
