Watching him carefully
One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully.
–Luke 14:1
Let us ponder on Jesus here receiving the invitation from the ruler of the Pharisees. By this time Pharisees had already formed an opinion about Jesus that He came to abolish many of the unwanted customs and traditions of the Jewish religion which were imposed on the people as burdens.
Jesus would have given a thought whether to accept this invitation or not. When I receive invitation from people to conduct trainings or to share messages with Churches or certain section of the people, I will choose and decide whether to accept it or not. Jesus could have declined this invitation because already he had bitter experiences with them. Whenever and wherever He went the Pharisees sent their representatives to find fault with Him.
And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him.
–Luke 6:7
As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.
-Luke 11:53-54
They even sent spies to put Jesus in danger.
So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.
–Luke 20:20
In such a situation Jesus is accepting this invitation. Here also they were watching him carefully. Jesus willfully and boldly sought and created situations to preach the truth .
Paul says
preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
–2Ti 4:2
Col_1:28-29; 1Th_2:11-12, 1Th_5:14, Tit_1:13, Tit_2:15; Heb_13:22; Rev_3:19
1.Jesus sought opportunities to rebuke, exhort, reprove with complete patience and teaching.
2.Even when He knew that He will be humiliated, found fault with, He accepted the invitation.
3.We should be ready to go to preach the gospel where it is not accepted.
4.Even to create situations and opportunities to preach gospel.
5.Even to the places where we know for sure, you will meet with opposition.
Prayer
Lord Heavenly Father, give us the courage and boldness to be like Jesus, not to take offense in anything, to face situations of opposition for the sake of gospel, even to preach gospel in the midst of enemies.Amen
–Sr. Angelica AOJ