Page 20 - Florida Sentinel 3-1-19

Religious
Called To Served LUKE 14:7-14 (KJV)
This quarter will be a discussion on serving. For the true believer, one’s true calling has nothing to do with earning a living. Ca- reers are avocations, while our true vocation is follow- ing Jesus.
The Scriptures (Luke 14:7) And he
put forth a parable to those which were bid- den, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying
unto them,
8) When thou art
bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bid- den of him;
9) And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
10) But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest
room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
11) For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
12) Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.
13) But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
14) And thou shalt be
blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recom- pensed at the resurrec- tion of the just.
The Humble Guest Luke 14:7-11
This passage starts with Jesus teaching a parable. Parables are designed to provoke the listeners’ thought process and chal- lenge the listeners’ assump- tions.
This week’s test is di- vided into two parts: advice given to guests at the ban- quet and advice given to the host.
At this wedding feast, Jesus watched how the guest picked their places of honor at the table, thus sug- gesting that some people were considered more im- portant than others.
Jesus reminded the guests that it is the host who has the final say over who sits where. In the Upper Room at the Last Supper, He admonished his disci- ples for their argument about who is the greatest.
Jesus also reminded the guest that it is better to humble themselves and take the lowest place, rather than be shamed, and when the
host comes in he may ask them to move to a better place. Humility is better than humiliation.
Jesus was teaching that those who decline to honor themselves will instead be honored by the Master Himself, in front of every- one attending His banquet.
The Humble Host (vv. 12-14)
Jesus’ teaching on hu- mility is for all, host as well as guest. The story in this section focuses on the host, encouraging similar selfless lowliness in the service of others.
Rather than inviting those who would make the host look good or would re- turn the favor, but this would be an opportunity for the host to recognize and raise up those who would not be able to repay the favor – the poor, crippled, lame, blind. We are all week, poor and vulnerable in the eyes of God.
In Conclusion
Jesus did reassure His followers that they would be rewarded: God would repay them after God raised them from the dead. Believers who give can rest happy and satisfied that God notices and God does keep a record of the good things they do for others, but believers do not usually do good in order to receive heavenly rewards. Believers usually have higher objectives than self- ish personal gain when they do good things for others.
Serving with humility is the hallmark of Jesus’ disci- ples. Biblical humility is not just social reserve. It is fol- lowing a lowly Master who willingly surrendered His life for the weak and unde- serving.
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