For most of my Christian life I “grew up” in a church tradition which didn’t use the term “membership” or the phrase “becoming a member of the church.” I think that in principle we had a “membership process”, but instead we spoke of being “received into full fellowship.” Just as in my current church family where people request to become members, so in my “previous life” believers who attended “the assembly” for a while would often, at some point, ask to be “received into fellowship” . . . a formal recognition of their desire to align themselves with that particular body of believers, placing themselves under the authority of that local leadership. And in that process, at some point, there would be a discussion of the “privileges and responsibilities” of being “received”.

And it’s that term, “privileges and responsibilities” that comes to mind as I read in Luke 14 this morning. I’m thinking that most of us gravitate pretty easily to “privileges”, but talk of “responsibility” . . . uh, that might cause a bit of hesitation. What am I getting into? What’s it gonna cost? Will it be hard?

Jesus spoke a parable of a certain man who gave a great supper and invited many to it (Luke 14:16-24). And at first, this man couldn’t fill the seats. Those who had been invited started to RSVP with “their regrets” . . . “I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused” . . . “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused” . . . “I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.” But the master was determined to hold the feast and fill the place and so he sends out his servant into the streets and lanes of the city to invite “the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind” to come and enjoy the goodness that others were too busy to avail themselves of. Talk about privilege!

These are the sorts of people who didn’t get invited anywhere by anyone . . . much less invited by a wealthy,powerful man, to be a guest at a great supper. The point of the story is pretty clear. I am that people . . . not deserving of a seat at the kingdom’s table . . . no means within myself to purchase a ticket or merit an invite . . . but solely, by the grace of God, and through the payment made on Calvary for my sin, I have been invited to sup at the King’s table . . . just as I am . . . without one plea . . . but that Thy blood, was shed for me . . . oh yeah!!!! . . . I come! What a privilege! Amen?

But, you know, Jesus didn’t stop the teaching there. It says that a “great multitude went with Him” upon hearing this teaching . . . getting that the Pharisees were the “worthy guests” who were too busy and that they were “the street people” being invited to a great feast. And so they followed . . . and so Jesus kept teaching, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple . . . For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it . . . . . . So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:25-33) Enter responsibility.

The seat is free . . . but I need to be prepared for it to cost me everything. The way into the holy of holies has been open to me that I might enjoy intimate communion with Holy, Holy, Holy God . . . but that way involves the path of a servant, constrained by the love of Christ to live for Christ. With the privilege comes a responsibility . . . not a burden, mind you . . . not a load beyond bearing . . . but a calling . . . enabled by a gifting . . . to be exercised for His purposes and for His pleasure.

Sometimes I think it’s good to be reminded that along with the privilege comes the responsibility. The privilege of being a child of God, the responsibility of bearing the “family name” in a manner worthy of the calling . . . the privilege of being indwelt with the Holy Spirit, the responsibility to let Him lead and use the gifting He’s given me . . . the privilege of being invited by the King . . . the responsibility of following as His subject . . the privilege delivered through His grace . . . the responsibility discharged by His grace . . . and for His glory . . . amen.