By Frank Pollard
Bad Times At the Party
Luke 14:1, 15-24
At first reading this parable appears to be a simple
scene. Our Lord is sitting with others at a banquet, telling
a story. Just a gathering of people, important people to be
sure, being taught by the master teacher. A somewhat casual
discussion over dinner.
Not so! This is not a festive occasion.
Background Music
It would help to understand the situation if we could
hear some background music. Music is a big part of getting
the story across in movies. For instance, a man is walking
down a street. He is about to have a collision with a
beautiful lady at the corner of a building. She will be
knocked from her feet by the impact. Everything she is
carrying, which is considerable, will be spread across the
sidewalk. As the two of them are picking up the articles,
their eyes meet and they fall in love.
In another movie, a man is walking down a street and a
sinister figure comes from the darkness of an alley and stabs
him.
In each case we are set up for the action by the back-
ground music. As the first man walks down the street the
music is saying he is going to run into this lady but she
will not be hurt and they will fall in love. In the second
scene, the man walks down the street while the music tells us
something bad is about to happenl
Students of the Bible learn to listen to the background
music. They learn to feel the mood and the tension in a
scriptural episode. The Word commands "be diligent to
present yourselves approved to God as a workman who does not
need to be ashamed handling accurately the Word of Truth"
(II Timothy 2:15). Part of what that means is to read the
Bible prayerfully, carefully and thoroughly. Move into the
text and stay until you are at home with it. Then you feel
the mood. You hear the background music.
Not a Gala Affair
When you hear the music behind this banquet scene, you
hear sinister, angry and confrontative notes.
Checking Him Out
Luke 1 ...
Bad Times At the Party
Luke 14:1, 15-24
At first reading this parable appears to be a simple
scene. Our Lord is sitting with others at a banquet, telling
a story. Just a gathering of people, important people to be
sure, being taught by the master teacher. A somewhat casual
discussion over dinner.
Not so! This is not a festive occasion.
Background Music
It would help to understand the situation if we could
hear some background music. Music is a big part of getting
the story across in movies. For instance, a man is walking
down a street. He is about to have a collision with a
beautiful lady at the corner of a building. She will be
knocked from her feet by the impact. Everything she is
carrying, which is considerable, will be spread across the
sidewalk. As the two of them are picking up the articles,
their eyes meet and they fall in love.
In another movie, a man is walking down a street and a
sinister figure comes from the darkness of an alley and stabs
him.
In each case we are set up for the action by the back-
ground music. As the first man walks down the street the
music is saying he is going to run into this lady but she
will not be hurt and they will fall in love. In the second
scene, the man walks down the street while the music tells us
something bad is about to happenl
Students of the Bible learn to listen to the background
music. They learn to feel the mood and the tension in a
scriptural episode. The Word commands "be diligent to
present yourselves approved to God as a workman who does not
need to be ashamed handling accurately the Word of Truth"
(II Timothy 2:15). Part of what that means is to read the
Bible prayerfully, carefully and thoroughly. Move into the
text and stay until you are at home with it. Then you feel
the mood. You hear the background music.
Not a Gala Affair
When you hear the music behind this banquet scene, you
hear sinister, angry and confrontative notes.
Checking Him Out
Luke 1 ...
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