Pentecost 15: The Believer Hears Jesus’ Warnings: The First Will be Last…Humble Yourselves

Pride. It’s what led to Satan’s fall, and now it infects us all. Even on our best days, our pride steps in and directs us and drives us in all sorts of unhealthy and unholy directions.

This coming week in worship, Jesus tells a story about guests at a banquet that helps us see how silly our prideful tendencies really are. The other scripture lessons for Pentecost 15 help us focus on serving others rather than constantly seeking to serve self. Why do we look down on other people? Why do we play favorites? It the end it’s all about PRIDE.

In this week’s Worship Helps, along with artwork and video commentaries, C.S. Lewis and Dr. Seuss give us some thoughts on pride and favoritism.

The life of faith is one of true humility. But it is humility rendered by faith in the promise of God that those who exalt themselves on earth will be humiliated for eternity, but those who humble themselves now will be exalted.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

O Lord Jesus Christ, preserve the congregation of believers with your never-failing mercy. Help us avoid whatever is wicked and harmful, and guide us in the way that leads to our salvation; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!

or

O Lord of grace and mercy, teach us by your Holy Spirit to follow the example of your Son in true humility, that we may withstand the temptations of the devil and with pure hearts and minds avoid ungodly pride; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!

VERSE OF THE DAY

Alleluia. Your words became a joy to me, and the delight of my heart. Alleluia. (Jeremiah 15:16 cf. RSV)

THE GOSPEL: LUKE 14:1, 7-14 or 14:1-24

It is difficult, perhaps, for most of us to imagine ourselves in this specific situation. We are so far removed from royalty and subjects, masters and slaves. First, Jesus speaks to the immediate situation of the banquet he was attending and the actions he saw there. But then he also drives home his point on humility with a parable. As Jesus warns against sinful pride, he warns those who would promote themselves and seek places of honor in the presence of the Host of the Heavenly banquet. Only those who humbly wait on the King’s merciful acknowledgment will find eternal reward at his table. For now, the King calls on us to humbly serve those in need. This is not for personal gain. Rather, humble service to the citizens of his kingdom is a display of humble service to the King.

Prof. David Schmitt provides some practical applications

The question this text poses for us today is, “What does it mean to believe in the Resurrection?” Is the Resurrection only about the future? Or, could it be possible, the Resurrection opens our life to the present as a present from God?

As Jesus reveals, the Resurrection gives us courage to live each day in the radical liberality of God. Christ is not concerned here about social consequences. He loves justice. He does mercy. He walks humbly with God. Regardless of the consequences. Such living could get one killed… but God, his Father, raises the dead and, through him, establishes a kingdom where mercy reigns. Even now.

Imagine living in that kingdom now. Something as mundane as inviting people over for dinner can be touched by the reality of the Resurrection. No longer are you bound by social consequences. No need to preserve the status quo. How often have you wanted to say something, felt somebody should do something, or even wanted to be someone… but were afraid of the social consequences? Not anymore.

Rather than living in a world governed by social stratification – a world where there are those we invite into our homes and those we do not, people we need to impress to secure our future, and love we need to give or withhold depending upon who is watching – we live in God’s Kingdom governed by his gracious promise of resurrection. No need to secure our place, that is already taken care of by Christ. Instead, we are free to take care of others. Something as simple as whom we talk to or even how we talk to that person can become an occasion when we confess our belief in the Resurrection of the just.

How we treat other people matters – because we are living in eternity and our days are expressions, sometimes humble and other times courageous, of the certainty that God ultimately rules over all things with love.

David Schmitt for the Craft of Preaching, August 25, 2019

The Lumo Project shows portrays Jesus’ conversation very effectively.

cialis properien There are a number of positive aspects to the ED patients so helping them to acquire this medication just because of its prices. It improves functioning of excretory, circulatory, digestive levitra no prescription and respiratory systems. g. So, you can purchase the medicine for the enjoyment with your love partner with stamina and full satisfaction. lowest priced viagra is the oral medicines for erectile brokenness (or ineptitude as its some of the time called). All order viagra no prescription of this makes them wonder whether they will ever regain their penile strength back or not.

Too funny not to share.

Thanks to Pastor Jonathan Fisk for these great thoughts on the text.

The Solution to Pride According to Paul David Tripp

Pride dies in the shadow of the cross, unworthy, unable, unwilling; we all needed to be rescued from ourselves and delivered into the family of God, by the power, the righteousness and the grace of Another.

Paul David Tripp

FIRST LESSON: PROVERBS 25:6,7

Sinful pride can be one’s undoing. Better is humility in the presence of the king than humiliation in his court. These words of Solomon are nearly identical to the words of Jesus in the Gospel today. It would be easy to dismiss these words as simply dining etiquette for the royal court. But these words touch nearly every aspect of life for the believer. Humble service before the King of heaven and humble service in his kingdom mark those who will dine at the King’s table for eternity.

The Problem of Pride according to C.S. Lewis

In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote some profound things about the difference between pride and humility.

According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea bites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind…
… it is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Simon & Schuster Touchstone edition, 1996), 109, 111.

“[T]here is no fault which makes a man more unpopular and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it in ourselves, the more we dislike it in others.”

Lewis, Mere Christianity, 109.

“[I]f you want to find out how proud you are the easiest way is to ask your self, ‘How much do I dislike it when other people snub me, or refuse to take any notice of me, or shove their oar in, or patronize me, or show off?”

Lewis, Mere Christianity, 110.

Where do you find pride creeping into your life most often?

How has God’s Word addressed this pride and redirected you in your life of sanctification?

Please share in the comments below.

SECOND LESSON: HEBREWS 13:1-8

Sadly, humble service to those in need is not only rare in our society, it often results in surprise, even suspicion, at the unexpected kindness poured out by the heart of faith. For us who have known the mercy of the King, we cannot help but reflect humble service of the King’s Son in our daily lives. Yes, our kindness will often be ridiculed or even rejected. But we can boldly act in cheerful confidence knowing that the King acknowledges and aids us in our humble service.

SUPPLEMENTAL SECOND LESSON: JAMES 2:1-13

These words from James reiterate the lesson from Jesus in the closing verses of the Gospel. Self-exalting pride can also be found in the display of favoritism towards those who can elevate our societal position or somehow benefit us. James warns that those who show such favoritism are self-exalting lawbreakers headed for judgment. Rather, as humble servants who have known the mercy of the King, show mercy to all those in need. For it is by the King’s mercy that we will spend eternity beyond the reach of his exacting judgment.

The Foolishness of Favoritism According to Dr. Seuss

HYMN OF THE DAY

Christian Worship 524, O Fount of Good, for All Your Love

PSALM OF THE DAY

Psalm 112 or Psalm 119a

Questions to Consider

(Please share your answers/thoughts in the comments below)

1. What is God saying to me in these lessons?
2. For what do these lessons lead me to give thanks?
3. What sins do these lessons lead me to confess?
4. For what do these lessons lead me to pray?
5. What is the connecting thought that sticks out the most in these lessons? What major theme(s) connect(s) all the lessons?
6. Which piece of artwork did you find to be most beneficial? Why?