Proclamation:
“When
someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, 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.’… 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.’ … For all those who exalt themselves will be
humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 14:7-11 (NIV)
Explanation:
These
are the words of Jesus, The Christ, as recorded by Luke, the physician, under
the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.
Here again Jesus was invited to dinner at the home of a prominent
Pharisee and Luke records the parables which He told them after He again healed
a man on the Sabbath. (Luke 14:1-5)
Jesus told them the parable of the impolite guest, (Luke 14:7-11) the
parable of the great supper, (Luke 14:12-24) the parable about building a great
tower, (Luke 14:25-30) the parable of the king going to war, (Luke 14:31-33)
and the parable about salt that loses its flavor. (Luke 14:34-35)
Application:
When
you are invited out to dinner at an affair without assigned seating, do not sit
in the best seat, the seat of honor, or at the head table. That seat may reserved for someone else deemed
by the host to be more important than you.
It is better to sit at a lower table and be invited up to the head
table, than to sit at the head table and be asked to give up your seat and move
to a lower table. It is not good for us to
think too highly of ourselves. (Romans 12:3)
He who thinks too highly of himself will be humbled, and he who humbles
himself will be lifted up. (Luke 14:11)
Too much pride brings embarrassment and dishonor, while true modesty
will be rewarded.
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