The Humble Will Be Exalted

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

The Humble Will Be Exalted

Date: Jul. 28, 2023

Passage

Luke 14:7-14 (ESV)

7 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in 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 table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 14:11

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Noticing people jostling for the best places at the table, Jesus told a parable of a wedding banquet. This made a clear point: actively humbling oneself instead of presuming will lead to being exalted, while asserting and pursuing honor for oneself will lead to humiliation. This universal wisdom (Pr 25:6-7) is based on God’s character (Pr 3:34) and work (1:52). How can we humble ourselves, in a world where everyone seeks their own gain? Only if we care more about the opinion of the host. It requires faith to trust the host to place us properly, rather than fight for our own place. God knows best; let’s humble ourselves before him and trust his placement. His recognition matters more than all the accolades of this world.

To the host he gave a different direction: invite those who cannot repay you. He says: “Invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.” We follow this advice only when we value the reward of our heavenly Father, which he promises to give at the resurrection of the righteous. If we are ministry-centered, we want to invest only in people who will build up our work. But when we know ourselves as the church, Jesus’ body on earth, who seek God’s reward, we can serve those who cannot serve us back.

Prayer: Prayer: Father, your mercy on me is so great. Help me seek your recognition and reward, serving the least of these and humbling myself into your hands.

One Word: One Word: God blesses the humble servant

Complacent or Victorious?

Revelation 3:1-13

Key Verse: 3:5

The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

Today's Question

How is Christ exalted?

See answer and references