For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 14:11
We may not realize it, but being invited to any party or banquet is an honor. To be invited to celebrate along with someone is an honor that must be taken seriously. In Jesus’ day, even where you were seated at a banquet was significant. Jesus challenged this line of thinking when He came to earth. Instead of insisting on being in a seat of honor, Jesus called His disciples to choose humility. He also encouraged His listeners to offer the best seats to those least likely to be chosen, for that is the way in His kingdom.
While attending dinner at a religious leader's home in Luke 14, Jesus saw an opportunity to teach the attendees about the importance of humility. This passage of Scripture tells us that while at the dinner, "Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor at the head of the table" (verse 7). In Jesus' day, where you were seated at a dinner or a party mattered greatly to the attendees of said party. Everyone wanted to be given seats of honor. As Jesus observed all of these people trying to claim good seats at the dinner table, He taught, “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor” (verse 8). This instruction would have shocked listeners because it went completely against their line of thinking. Instead of vying for the best seat, Jesus told those at the dinner, “Take the lowest place at the foot of the table” (verse 10). Once again, this would have puzzled the listeners because no one in Jesus’ day would have sought out the lowest seat at a table. Why did Jesus teach listeners to live this way? He concluded His teaching about seeking out the lowest seat at the table by saying, “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (verse 11). God honors those who live humbly. After all, humility is the way of Christ.
Ironically, the only person at the dinner party who wasn’t seeking out the place of honor was the One who deserved it: Jesus. Although Jesus deserved the seat of honor, He did not demand it. Instead, He lived humbly, loving and serving others. What an example He modeled for us.
The question we must answer today is, are we seeking out the best seat at the table, or are we, in humility, seeking out the lowest place at the table? If we are still seeking out the best seat for ourselves, are we willing to let go and seek out the lowly place at the table? I urge you, friend, to choose humility, always putting others before yourself. Remember the promise of Jesus today: "Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
Memorize Luke 14:11 today. Meditate on this verse throughout your day. Let this teaching from Jesus motivate you toward humility today. Ask God to help you choose humility over pride today. As you go throughout your day, look for opportunities to live humbly, following in the example Jesus set while He lived on this earth.
Luke 14:7-14
7 When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: 8 “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? 9 The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!
10 “Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. 11 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
12 Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. 13 Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”
But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:15
We just celebrated Easter together, a day where we celebrate the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter is a time that we remember that God is in control and that even when sin and death appear to have won, God always has the final say. It is also a day we remember that as soon as sin came into the world, God set a plan in motion to rescue humanity.
We first learn about the effects of sin in the book of Genesis. God had created Adam and Eve, the very first people, and placed them in a luscious garden. He gave them one command: not to eat from the fruit of one specific tree in the garden, or they would die (verse 17). Satan came to them in the form of a serpent and tempted Eve to eat the fruit. Eve gave the fruit to Adam. Because of their actions, sin and death entered the world. It seemed that all hope had been lost. Even still, God had a plan. God said to the serpent, "I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel." Many Bible scholars believe that this passage is the first promise of a Savior in the Bible and that this passage alludes to Jesus, who would ultimately defeat Satan, sin, and death. Even when the situation seemed hopeless, God had a plan. Years and years later, God would send His Son, Jesus, to pay the price demanded for sin to rescue humanity. Paul said it this way in Romans 5, “For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ" (verse 15). While Adam brought sin into the world, Jesus came and brought life for all who trust in Him.
Praise God that we are not left on our own, facing a life of sin and death and an eternity apart from Him. When we were lost in sin, God sent a Savior to lay down His life to rescue us and defeat sin and death once and for all.
Is there any sin you need to confess to God today? Maybe you have failed to love someone in your circle well. Maybe you have given in to a temptation that you know is not pleasing to God. Take time to ask God to reveal any sin in your life. Then, confess that sin to God. Ask Him to help you live in a way that pleases Him. Oh, what a Savior we have!
Romans 5:12-21
12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. 13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. 14 Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. 15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. 16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. 21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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