“When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” Luke 14:13-14 ESV¹

Read Luke 14:12-24

My youngest daughter has always had the heart of a servant. Continually, she has looked for small ways to bless the people around her. When she was young, she was often troubled by the fact that her acts of kindness were not reciprocated; many times, she never even received a word of thanks for her benevolence. When she would bemoan others’ lack of gratitude, I would encourage her with: “There are points in Heaven for that.” Upon hearing these words, my daughter was reminded that God saw her intentions and her actions; even if those benefitting from her kindness didn’t appreciate it, He did.

No Good Deed Goes Unrewarded

But those words weren’t just said to momentarily make my daughter feel better. Based on the teachings of Jesus recorded in the Gospels, I believe God is excitedly watching for opportunities to distribute rewards for good behavior.

Jesus promised compensation for following Him faithfully.

“‘Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in Heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets’” (Luke 6:22-23)

“‘Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for My name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life’” (Luke 19:29).

But it is not just the big things done for Jesus that will get points added to a Believer’s account. Even the seemingly insignificant things done for the sake of Christ will earn rewards.

“‘Whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward’” (Matthew 10:42).

When everything is said and done,

“‘The Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay each person according to what he has done’” (Matthew 16:27).

Yes, Jesus wants to hand out points; the problem is most of us aren’t willing to wait for them. In our impatience and pride, we settle for the prizes the world has to offer. Every time we do that, we miss out on Heavenly rewards. Jesus made this truth clear when He instructed His disciples:

“‘Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in Heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, …  [let] your giving … be [done] in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you’” (Matthew 6:1-6).

The religious leaders who walked the Earth when Jesus did were notorious for seeking the temporal applause of humans. Most likely, the words of Jesus printed above were spoken with the scribes and Pharisees in mind.

Once, Jesus was invited to dine at the home of one of the rulers of the Pharisees. Because of the company he kept, Jesus’ host might have been one of those who were tempted to seek immediate rewards from the humans he was trying to impress. At that meal, Jesus probably sat among many who were used to getting earthly rewards for their religious behavior. These same people were undoubtedly expecting heavenly rewards as well. So, it may have been a little disconcerting when Jesus turned to His host with this request.

“He said … to the man who had invited Him, ‘When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, and you will be blessed because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just’” (Luke 14:12-14).

The ruler of the Pharisees, who had invited Jesus to a meal, was already practicing hospitality. When he invited his friends, relatives, co-workers, and those he was trying to impress, he was certainly getting accolades that stroked his pride while he was working to build networks that would ensure more praise came his way. But, from Heaven’s perspective, all his work was worthless.

Jesus pointed out a way that this man could continue to do what he was already doing but with a different focus. If this man were to turn his attention to the purposes of God instead of his own advancement, he would receive points in Heaven. We don’t know if this ruler of the Pharisees took Jesus’ advice. But if just started to have banquets for the underprivileged with the expectation of heavenly rewards, he would have not correctly understood Jesus’ instruction.

Not Everyone who Expects Rewards will Get Them

Earlier in Jesus’ ministry, He gave this admonition:

“‘Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in Heaven … Many will say to Me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?” And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

At this point, you may be asking yourself: “Why is it that some people can get heavenly rewards for handing out glasses of cold water in Jesus’ name and others who are doing far more impressive things, like prophesying, casting out demons, and doing mighty works, also in His name, are shunned, even punished, for their good deeds?” What Jesus said next at this particular gathering at the home of the ruler of the Pharisees points us to the answer to that question.

“When one of those who reclined at the table with [Jesus] heard these things, he said to Him, ‘Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the Kingdom of God’” (Luke 14:15)!

We can safely assume that the man making this comment was expecting to be one of the company that would be fellowshipping in the Kingdom of God. Perhaps he was even patting himself on the back figuratively because he recognized his participation in good deeds similar to the one in which Jesus suggested his host engage.

“But [Jesus] said to [to the man who made this comment], ‘A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet, he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, “Come, for everything is now ready.” But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, “I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.” And another said, “I have bought five yokes of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.” And another said, “I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.” So, the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, “Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.” And the servant said, “Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.” And the master said to the servant, “Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet’” (Luke 14:16-24).

Indeed, Jesus explained that God desires many to be part of the His Kingdom. Unfortunately, those invited first declined His invitation. They were busy and distracted by other things that kept them from even realizing the privilege they were forsaking. Therefore, “‘none of those men who were invited shall taste [God’s] banquet’” (Luke 14:24).

The Jews were the first people God invited into the His Kingdom. The Jews were God’s chosen people. He initiated a relationship with their patriarch, Abraham, and made a covenant with him promising to protect and bless his descendants. Through Moses, He delivered them from slavery and gave them His Law. He spoke to them through His prophets telling them exactly what to expect from the Messiah who would come from the Jews and free them from bondage and restore them to peace.

Because of their association with Abraham and their flawless keeping of the commandments, most of the religious Jews assumed they were shoo-ins for the Kingdom. Yet, they did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Though He fulfilled all of the messianic prophesies, Jesus didn’t behave like they expected so they vehemently opposed Him. In Jesus’ parable, the religious Jews who rejected the Messiah sent from God were represented by those who declined the offer to attend the banquet with their flimsy excuses.

But not all of the Jews denied Jesus and not all of them relied on their association with Abraham to get them into the Kingdom. Some repented of their sins and chose to prove their faith by changes in their behavior.

“[When John the Baptist appeared on the scene] proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, … He said, … ‘Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham … Every tree, therefore, that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’ The crowds [of average people responded and] asked him, ‘What then shall we do?’ And he answered them, ‘Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.’ Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, ‘Teacher, what shall we do?’ And he said to them, ‘Collect no more than you are authorized to do.’ Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what shall we do?’ And he said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation and be content with your wages’” (Luke 3:3b, 8, 9b-14).

These Jewish people, who turned from their sins and redirected their lives to match God’s intentions were represented by the poor, crippled, blind, and lame in Jesus’ parable. This group was made up of mostly those upon which the ultra-religious Jews looked down, yet these “declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him” (Luke 7:29b-30).

If we refer back to the request Jesus made of His host, we will see that the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind were the exact groups of people to whom Jesus was encouraging the ruler of the Pharisees to be hospitable (see Luke 14:13). Even with all of the hostility, the religious leaders had for Jesus, even with their prideful misinterpretation of the Law, even when at that very meal they had tried trap Him and judge Him (see Luke 14:1-6), Jesus still sought to reach their hearts. If His host was able to understand that to which Jesus was pointing when He made His petition and if this man were able to realize what the underprivileged had that he did not, perhaps the meal this important, religious man spent with Jesus was the catalyst for his repentance and belief in Jesus. We can only hope.

As to the others in Jesus’ parable, represented by those who were hanging out on the highways and in the hedges, they are the Gentiles who, because of the Jewish rejection of Christ, were able to subsequently participate in the bounty available to God’s people.

“Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly [to the Jews], saying, ‘It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles’” (Acts 13:46).

“Paul was occupied with the Word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles … Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.’” (Acts 18:5b-6 & Acts 28:28)

Since those who were first invited into the Kingdom of God largely rejected the invitation, the invitation was opened up to those who originally would have been unable to enter. Of the Gentiles who turned to Jesus Christ, the Apostle Peter wrote:

“So, the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, … they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:7a, 8b-10).

So, what reward did the so-called second-class Jews and the seemingly deplorable Gentiles receive that the religious Jews missed when they rejected Jesus? What prize did the less fortunate grab hold of that those in the favored position stumbled over? What is it that they accessed by their belief that transferred them “out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9b) and from being nobodies to being “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession” (1 Peter 2:9a)?

Getting the Highest Prize

If you have been joining me in this series for any length of time, when you read the phrase, “‘Kingdom of God’” (Luke 14:15), you should have been alerted. We have been learning that the Kingdom of God (aka the Kingdom of Heaven) is more than a pleasant futuristic place or realm. We have been discovering that the Kingdom of God is about a relationship with a Person—an intimate love relationship that can be accessed now and carries on forever. So, you may have already asked yourself, “What is Jesus teaching me through this parable about a relationship with Him?”

Instead of humbly seeking what the LORD was attempting to teach them, the religious leaders resisted Jesus and pridefully stood in their self-righteousness. To their surprise, there was something other than ethnicity and Law-keeping for which God was looking. God has regard only for Christ-righteousness, not self-righteousness. And the righteousness of Christ that can only be accessed by submitting one’s life to the leadership of Christ and entering into a relationship with Him through association with His sacrifice.

“For our sake, He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Before we assume we are in right standing with God because we at one time decided to trust Jesus for our eternal salvation and leave this passage without another glance, let us remember that this parable is recorded in Scripture for us to discover what God wants us to know about a relationship with Him.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

In Jesus’ parable, those who had first been invited to the banquet rejected the invitation. This infers that they each had some kind of relationship with the man hosting the dinner. But that relationship was not a priority to them. They were consumed by their own pursuits, possessions, occupations, and relationships (see Luke 14:18-20). Each one declined with a feeble excuse. In all reality, what would have kept the man who had purchased the land from checking out it after dinner? Why was it so impossible for the man with the five yokes of oxen to wait until after the meal to try out them? And why on Earth couldn’t the newly married man bring his wife with him to the banquet?

We must ask ourselves: Is my relationship with God a priority? Am I allowing my pursuits, my belongings, my job, and my loved ones to interfere with the sweet and satisfying fellowship God has prepared for me? What is keeping me from allowing all that God has given me to serve in the purposes that He has for me?

In the Bible Study entitled, Experiencing God², Henry Blackaby wrote:

“I have known some people who wouldn’t interrupt a fishing trip or a football game for anything in the world. In their minds, they say they want to serve God, but they eliminate from their lives anything that interferes with their plans. They are so self-centered they do not recognize the times when God comes to them with a divine invitation. On the other hand, if you are God-centered, you will immediately adjust your life to what God wants to do. God has the right to interrupt your life anytime He wants to! He is Lord. When you accepted Him as Lord, you gave Him the right to help Himself to your life … You may wish you could experience God working through you the way He works through other people. But every time God goes to them, they adjust their lives to God and obey.”

The measure of how God-centered a person is will be directly proportionate to how quickly he/she sets aside personal agendas in favor of God’s plans. In Jesus’ parable, those who were less privileged were also less hindered from attending the banquet. Don’t let all the blessings God is given you keep you from Him and His intended rewards for you.

Racking Up Points Without Realizing It

In attempting to refocus His host from earthly accolades to heavenly rewards, Jesus gave the man a specific example of how to gain points in Heaven—inviting the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind to his home for meals. Yet, Jesus was not stressing a particular action but was pointing to what was behind such actions.

If your intention in doing good deeds is to get points in Heaven, you too will miss what Jesus was stressing in this parable and you too are going to be sadly disappointed. But if you can grasp that to which Jesus was pointing in His admonition to minister to the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, you are going to be gaining rewards without even being aware that it is happening.

“‘When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats … Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.” Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? And when did we see You a stranger and welcome You, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see You sick or in prison and visit you?” And the King will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me”’” (Matthew 25:31-32, 34-40).

This scenario will take place in the same judgment I referenced earlier about which Jesus declared:

“‘Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in Heaven … Many will say to Me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?” And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

What makes such a drastic difference in eternal outcomes? The answer to this question is not so much in what has been accomplished but in why it was done. It is not important how much effort was put into to a particular task but through whose Power it was completed. Nothing done in one’s own power and for one’s own glory will count for anything in God’s Kingdom. If you want your good deeds to gain points in Heaven, they must be done in Christ. Only then will you be doing the works of the Father.

This is what Jesus taught when inquiring people asked how they could accomplish the will of the Father:

“They said to Him, ‘What must we do, to be doing the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent … Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal’” (John 6:28-29 & 27).

The will of the Father is that humans believe in His Son, Jesus, as Lord and Savior. Faith in the saving power of Jesus’ sacrifice opens the door for Believers to intimately know Almighty God.

“‘This is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent’” (John 17:3).

When one is in a relationship with God, he/she is given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit can humans be and do as God requires.

“His Divine Power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3).

It is only when one believes in Jesus as Lord and Savior and does works through the Holy Spirit’s power that he/she isn’t working for rewards that perish. It is when one is working in Christ that the rewards that endure to eternal life will be given to him/her. God works through Believers to do what pleases Him.

“For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

“He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

Jesus “‘came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many’” (Matthew 20:28). Through His sacrifice, He welcomed the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind into His Kingdom.  When Jesus told His host to minister to the underprivileged around him, Jesus was asking him to allow God to work through him to do the things God would do.

When the LORD says to us:

“[I have] told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

“‘I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings’” (Hosea 6:6).

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27).

He is telling us to be just, kind, loving, humble, merciful, pure, and helpful to the less fortunate in His power. If we could please God and do these things satisfactorily in our own power, Jesus would not have had to come.

For All Good Things, There Must Be a Reward

When one is truly in a relationship with Jesus, he/she will not be doing what is good to check off boxes or accumulate points. He/she will be consumed with Christ. It is in an intimate relationship with Jesus that a person begins to look and act like Him. No longer are God’s commands burdensome; they are a joy and the natural outgrowth of loving Him and allowing Him to do His will through that one.

“‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets’” (Matthew 22:37-40).

The works that gain rewards in Heaven are those that emulate Christ because they are done through the Power of His Spirit.

Rewards for these works will be liberally dished out in Heaven. Those who receive these points will likely be surprised at all they have accumulated because they long ago quit trying to earn them. Their focus was on Christ. He was enough of a prize for them. They may even believe they don’t deserve any awards because it was Christ who did the good deeds through them. Yet, because God is so pleased that they accomplished that which He desired in His power, He will pass out rewards anyway.

“‘“Well done, good and faithful servant[s]. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your Master”’” (Matthew 25:21 & 23).

Don’t settle for temporal, self-centered, earthly accolades. Become God-centered and keep your relationship with Christ the priority of your life. If your ambition is getting to know God, becoming more like Him, joining Him in His agenda, and allowing Him to work through you, you are going to be gaining heavenly rewards. And don’t get discouraged if no one on Earth seems to see or appreciate the good that you do. God is watching; He is keeping track. When you get to Heaven, you will hear, “There are points in Heaven for that.”

 

¹ Scripture quotations marked with ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All Scriptures are taken from the ESV unless otherwise noted. To aid in understanding, I have capitalized references to God.

² Henry, Richard, and Mike Blackaby, and Claude V. King, Experiencing God, Knowing and Doing the Will of God (Nashville, Tennessee: Lifeway Press, 2022), 47.