Every time a missionary came to our church when I was a young person, that was where God was calling me. We had many missionaries come to our church at that time which created a lot of confusion for me.
I wanted to serve God but I did not have any confidence as to where God wanted me to serve. I really did not know who I was.
A college professor was fond of saying, “If you can do anything else but ministry, do it.”
Jerry Jenkins says, “Nobody should write unless they can’t not write.”
A. W. Tozer, in his preface to The Divine Conquest said this: “The only book that should ever be written is one that flows up from the heart, forced out by the inward pressure. When such a work has gestated within a man it is almost certain that it will be written. The man who is thus charged with a message will not be turned back by any blasé considerations. His book will be to him not only imperative, it will be inevitable.”
The essence of ministry is an inner compulsion driving us in a certain area. The one thing that keeps us from our ministry is a spirit of arrogance. Let me explain my meaning.
Every parable reveals to us life qualities associated with kingdom living. This parable introduces the subject of arrogance versus humility.
The thing I want to impress is that arrogance comes naturally but humility comes only by discipline.
Arrogance is confidence in self and what we can do for God.
Humility is confidence in God and what He has called us to do.
The key to this parable is seen in verse 11.
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
This is based upon several passages in the Old Testament. Let me just give you two primary passages.
Proverbs 25:7 “For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.”
Matthew 23:12 “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”
If we exalt ourselves, we hinder God’s work and His ability of using us for His work and glory.
What is lacking today among many Christians is a profound sense of spiritual etiquette. We take too many clues from the world and drag it into the service of God.
There are two forms of worship.
(1) Cain worship. Man giving his best to God. Arrogance.
(2) Abel worship. Man obeying God. Humility.
We know the God rejected Cain’s worship and accepted Abel’s worship. The reason he accepted Abel’s worship was because it was based upon obedience; obeying what God said.
Let’s look at two aspects that Jesus gives us in this parable.
I. Arrogance (8-9)
[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.
This is the curse of ambition: exalting self.
The basis of arrogance is fear. By that, I mean we always believe that there will be somebody who is…
• Bigger than we are.
• Smarter than we are.
• Richer than we are.
• Younger than we are.
• Better looking than we are.
No matter who you are or what you are, you can always find somebody who is better than you are in just about every regard. This brings to us a sense of insecurity. We are afraid somebody will find out how bad or weak we really are.
This is really the root of a bully. They are insecure and are trying to put up a false front, hoping other people will think they are bigger and better than they really are.
A bully is really a coward and when someone stands up against him, he always cowardice in defeat.
Arrogance is the great blight of ministry today.
Question… Why are you doing what you are doing now? The answer to this question, if it is honestly answered, will tell a lot about who you are.
Really, it’s not all about you.
II. Humility (10)
[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.
Humility is not something that comes naturally but something we need to work at with all diligence.
There is a false humility, which is simply arrogance in disguise. We want everybody to notice how humble we are which is a form of pride.
When somebody compliments us on something we do we often say, “It wasn’t anything.”
What we are really after is for somebody to persist in saying how great it was or how great we were. We never tire of hearing people compliment us although we want people to think we do not want to hear it.
Humility is a great asset in the work of the Lord.
Humility is based upon a right relationship and alignment with Jesus Christ. It is knowing and understanding who we really are in Jesus Christ.
This only comes after we spend a significant amount of time on our knees before an open Bible. Only God can reveal to us who we are in Jesus Christ.
We cannot rely upon what others tell us. We must search the Scriptures and discover through the ministry of the Holy Spirit who we are in Jesus Christ.
I believe this is the first step towards truly being used of God. God cannot use someone who does not know who he is.
Once I know and understand who I am in Christ, I then come to a very significant aspect of my Christian life. That is, a proper appreciation of my spiritual gifts.
Unless I know how God has blessed me, I will not be able to use that blessing for His honor and glory. The blessings of God are not for personal consumption but rather the basis of a spiritual ministry.
Too many people are trying to do things for God that He has never equipped them to do. Just like me when I was a younger person, I wanted to go everywhere to serve the Lord. When you want to go everywhere, you end up going nowhere.
As I understand who I am in Christ, I begin to appreciate the spiritual blessings and gifts He has endowed me with. Out of that appreciation will come ministry that will be owned and blessed by God himself.
Then it brings me to a place of proper appreciating other believers. I think this is very crucial. There are too many solo Christians and God never intended us to be solo.
Among the Mennonites, you will find a deep appreciation of music and singing. There is no better congregational singing than when Mennonites begin to sing.
However, you will never find in a Mennonite gathering a solo. They believe that ministry is a partnership and that music is a ministry venue.
As I appreciate what God has done and given to me, I begin to appreciate other believers that God has given other gifts and blessings and when I come together with these other believers, there is a sense of harmony that glorifies God.
Ministry can never be a compilation of individual performances. Performance always draws the attention to the performer. God does not sanction performance in His ministry.
Understanding my standing with God in Christ begins to reveal to me the dimensions of my salvation. What I have been saved from is not so much important as to what I have been saved to. Often the emphasis is on what we have been saved from. Thank God for what he has saved us from, but that’s only one dimension of my salvation.
My Christian life focuses on what he has saved me to.
Out of the dimensions of my salvation will flow the dynamics of my service and ministry for Christ. My ministry will be based upon an inward compulsion that drives me forward in service.
Question… Am I where I am today because of my initiative or because of God’s leading?
This is a very important question.
The more I get to understand the blessings and spiritual gifts that God has bestowed upon me the more I find a connection with other believers. My ministry cannot function without the cooperative ministry of other believers. The reverse is true as well. Other believers cannot truly exercise their gifts apart from cooperation with me.
A thought I like to pose to myself is simply, if I am where I planned to be I am probably not where God wants me.
Where I am today should be a result of daily obedience to God and His Word.
What Scripture authenticates what I am doing today?
Am I arrogantly plotting my own life and ministry?
Or, have I humbly submitted myself to God’s Word in daily obedience
