RSVP.
Ive been thinking about what Jesus said about banquets. he told a story once of a man who threw a banquet and invited all the upper tier of society to attend it, but unfortunately when the time for the party came around none of the high society folk showed up. so the host went out into the street and handed out invitations to the poor and the low socialites of the community. it seems that Jesus is trying to say something about upheaval of social norms that the gospel and the kingdom of God perpetuates. as well, in Luke Jesus is teaching about the immanent coming of the kingdom. he brings up the story of Noah and the flood. Jesus says that on the day of the coming kingdom a man will be standing on his housetop and he will have to decided whether or not he will go back down into his house to collect his goods. When the flood comes its the rich man who will more than likely go back into his and try to preserve as much of his stuff as possible, while the poor will be the ones who are saved.
It seems that these two stories are intricately connected. I have often heard it taught that the kingdom of God is like a banquet, so this is not a new idea to most. Jesus brings good news that flips the firmly entrenched social structures as we know them. now i dont think he is implying that he prefers the poor over the rich, but i do believe he is saying that those who find their worth and identity in the things they own will have a harder time entering the Kingdom. It is not merely the financially poor that Jesus says will find the Kingdom of God as a sanctuary, but those who realize that they are already bankrupt and are prepared to lose everything.
On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back.
