Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional as we continue in our Luke, Exploring Who Jesus is series. Today, from Luke 14:7-11, we reflect on what humility is, its vital place in salvation and how we are to live in humility each day.
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‘When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honour at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honour, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honoured in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 14:7-11)
i. Do we pick the places of honour?
Howard Hughes, once one of the richest men in the world, pursued immense wealth and fame through aviation, filmmaking, and business ventures. However, his obsession with success, wealth, and control consumed him. As his fortune grew, Hughes became increasingly reclusive, paranoid, and obsessed with perfection. He isolated himself, lived in extreme fear of germs, and suffered from debilitating mental health issues. In the end, despite his vast fortune and fame, Hughes died lonely and frail, cut off from meaningful relationships. His life story serves as a cautionary tale of how the relentless pursuit of wealth and reputation can lead to personal ruin.
This is an extreme example, but most of us think that having more power, wealth and respect is the route to our success. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day had fallen into this trap and were more concerned with their social standing than they were with their standing with God. Jesus reveals their practice and attitude of pride. They are puffed up and want to be lifted up in the esteem of others. We are all prone to this and so must be vigilant.
ii. How do we pop the bubble of our pride?
Firstly, remain grateful of our undeserved salvation. Those who are proud and entitled have forgotten that they have been saved by God’s grace as Jesus’, the only perfect man and God, went to the cross for their sin.
Secondly, hear God’s affirmation and words of promotion each day. We deserved no place let alone the lowest place at God’s table. However, all of us, have been personally chosen and promoted to the place of a child of God. Pride is kept in check as we experience afresh God’s undeserved promotion each day.
Thirdly, to keep pride in check it’s good to actually take the lowest place. Seek the place of service. Give up the best seat, the stage, the first place in the queue for the food. My father in law used to let everyone get their food first before getting his own - a practice that I’m not yet happy to imitate! Doing practical acts of abasement remind us of the attitude we are to have and how far we are from it!
Let’s pray together
“Lord Jesus, I thank you that you took the lowest place and humbled and served me for my salvation. Help me to be like you and pursue service rather than selfish ambition. Today, show me how I can raise others up in loving service. Amen.”
Community Group Notes
1. Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
2. Icebreaker
How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, or maybe from our week of prayer, and how has this helped you?
3. Worship together
Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.
4. Study and pray together
Sunday’s message from our Luke series was about how: ‘Those who experience God’s promotion will offer God’s promotion.’
In our message on Sunday from Luke 14:1-24, we see how we are to have a massive impact on this fallen world. Christians and the church are to offer God’s ‘promotion’ - His healing and salvation to this fallen world, but we will only do this, and do this effectively, if we are amazed at how how God has ‘promoted us’ from the lowest place, to the top of the table as a member of His family in Christ.
Please read Luke 14:1-24 and discuss:
Did God speak to you about anything from Sunday’s message?
What does 14:1-11 teach us about the types of people who will and won’t respond to the gospel? And what is the 'promotion' that God speaks over all who humble themselves to receive the gospel? And How is a Christian is to behave?
What does 14:12-14 teach us about hospitality and how does God want us to become better at generous hospitality?
SIV - What does 14:15-23 teach about the various responses to the gospel, and whom we are to invite into the Kingdom?
SIV - Do we have any stories of how we have ‘Served, Invested, and inVited’ recently?
SIV - Spend some time together talking and praying about who and how you are seeking to bring your community to Jesus.
Let’s pray together: Pray for one another out of our study together and for anything else for which people would like prayer.
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