LUK E 14   v 7-14

Jesus was at  the house of a member of the Jewish Council. When he noticed that all who came to dinner were trying to sit near the head of the table, he gave them advice. If you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t always head for the best seat. For if someone  more respected than you shows up, the host shall bring  someone and will ask you to get up, and say let this man sits here instead, and you will be embarrassed and you will have to find a better place and take whatever is left at the foot of the table.

Do this instead, start at the foot, and when the host sees you he will say, friend I have a better place than this, and you will feel honored in front of all the guests. For whoever tries to honor himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be honored

In this passage, humility is stated to be a valuable gift.  This is a lesson which our Lord takes in two ways.  Firstly, he advises those invited to a wedding, to sit in the lowest seat.  Secondly, He backs this up with advice, by telling a principle which he offers and uses, to ‘whosoever exalted himself shall be abased, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.

Humility is a highly valued grace. We all know how our sinfulness and weakness, and rely on Jesus to be at the beginning of saving faith,  It is a grace which has always been a distinguishable characteristic of our nature.  The great Saints of every age, Abraham, Moses, Job. Daniel. David and Paul were very humble men. Above all, it is a grace which every Christian should reach.  All have not money to give away; all do not have the time or opportunity for working directly. for Christ.

All did not have the gifts of speech or knowledge in order too good in the world. But all converted, labor to know the doctrine they profess by humility..  All should be humble.

The key for humility is knowledge,  The number who know their own hearts, who know God and His  majesty and holiness. Who know Christ and the price at which he was redeemed, will never be a proud man/woman.  Themselves, like Jacob.

Who said, I am vile, or Paul who said he was the greatest sinner.  In lowliness of mind, they will esteem everyone to better than oneself.   These verses speak of caring of the poor, the maimed and the lame.      We have to take limitation.  We can show hospitality to our families, and friends.

Jesus did not mean to encourage excess to the poor, that would conflict with other Scriptures. Indeed, care is needed when deciding what action to take. There are fraudulent claims made when it is known people may be generous, and some will plead a need when it clearly is not. 

Whilst Jesus would not have us neglecting the poor  or not helping those in distress, neither would Christians fail to give help when truly needed.

Lastly, we learn the importance of looking forward in a striking manner when Jesus speaks on resurrection.  There is a resurrection after the first death. which should not be forgotten; just living in the flesh is not all.  The visible world around is not the only world.  All is not over when the last breath is drawn; and men/women go to the  grave.  The trumpet will sound, and the dead shall be raised to improbable.   Those who have confessed Jesus as Savior, and  accept He was raised from death, will be resurrected for heaven and those who have forsaken Christ and His Church will beL resurrected for damnation,  This is a foundational truth of Christian .religion.

Let us live like men and women who believe n the resurrection, and a life foe the life to come ad have a desire to be ready for the new world.  We shall feel there remains something better for us beyond the grave. So living we shall calmly take all we have to bear in this world, the trials ,disappointments,  ingratitude’s, We shall be rectified one day when the Judge of the earth will do good. Having faith in Christ and believing in Him, we have nothing to fear,  Our sins will not appear against us, the demands of God’s law will be satisfied, We shall stand firm on the great day and no one shall lay anything against us.  Like the Apostle Paul we may rejoice.

 

Praise God for His Holy Gospel and may He ever be Glorified