Hi, friends. I'm Annie F. Downs. Let's read the Gospels. The Gospels are the first four books of the New Testament and the Bible, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

These are the stories of Jesus Christ's life on earth, the friendships, the parables, the sacrifices, the meals, and the miracles.

We read all four books every month in 30 days. So that means we've only got three days left. Well, 27, 28, 29, 34 days left counting today.

Go ahead and make sure you're subscribed. Finish up June with us and jump into July with us. And if you haven't grabbed the guidebook, you can do that at Annie F. Downs.com slash Gospels.

Okay, here's how this works. I'm going to read three chapters to you today. You can listen or read along in your own Bible. And then I'll pray. And that's it.

So today is June 27th, day 27, and I'll be reading Luke chapters 14 through 16. And this month, I'm reading in the NRSV.

Luke 14. On one occasion, when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the Sabbath, they were watching him closely.

Just then in front of him, there was a man who had dropsy. And Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, is it lawful to cure people on the Sabbath or not? But they were silent. So Jesus took him and healed him and sent him away.

Then he said to them, if one of you has a child or an ox that has fallen into a well, will you not immediately pull it out on a Sabbath day? And they could not reply to this.

When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable.

When you're invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host.

And the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, give this person your place and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place.

But when you're invited, go and sit down at the lowest place so that when your host comes, he may say to you, friend, move up higher, then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you.

For all who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

He said also to the one who had invited him, when you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors in case they may invite you in return and you would be repaid.

But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind, and you will be blessed because they cannot repay you for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.

One of the dinner guests on hearing this said to him, blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God.

Then Jesus said to him, someone gave a great dinner and invited many.

At the time of the dinner, he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited come for everything is ready now.

But they all alike began to make excuses.

The first said to him, I have bought a piece of land and I must go out and see it.

Please accept my regrets.

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