October 26, 2026

Scriptures: Luke 14–15 |

Jesus is invited to dinner at the home of a prominent Pharisee, but He quickly exposes the way people are competing for places of honor. He tells them to choose humility and to invite people who cannot repay them…then He tells a story about a great banquet where the original guests make excuses, so the invitation goes out to the poor, disabled, blind, and overlooked. Grace shows up in an invitation we could never earn and could never repay!

But Jesus is also clear that accepting His invitation means more than simply adding Him to an already crowded life. He tells the crowds to count the cost of following Him. Jesus must come before every other loyalty, possession, and priority. Grace is free, but discipleship is costly. The One who gives us everything also asks for everything.

Luke 15 then shows us why Jesus considers people worth pursuing. A shepherd searches for one lost sheep, a woman searches carefully for one lost coin, and a father watches for a lost son…running to embrace him when he returns. In every story, what was lost causes great pain, and restoration ends in celebration. Heaven is not reluctant when sinners come home…Heaven rejoices!

The older brother in the story of the prodigal reminds us that it is possible to stay near the Father's house while becoming distant from the Father's heart. He obeys but resents the grace shown to his brother. Jesus leaves us asking whether we merely enjoy receiving grace or whether we are becoming people who celebrate when that same grace reaches someone else.

Challenge Questions:

What relationship, possession, ambition, or priority competes most strongly with Jesus for first place in your life?

Is there someone receiving grace whom you find difficult to celebrate, and what might that reveal about your understanding of the Father's heart?