LEARN HOW TO BE HUMBLE (Outline)
October 4, 2020 - Pentecost 18 - LUKE 14:1-11
INTRO.: Our Savior Jesus Christ teaches us how to be humble. Humility is not what the world teaches. There is an obvious difference between what the world thinks and how God thinks. These opposites are called paradoxes. At the end of today’s gospel Jesus said: “…the first will be last and the last will be first.” This is not worldly teaching but God’s teaching. A paradox. Humility. Even Jesus’ disciples struggled with their pride about who was the greatest of the disciples. “Jesus sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he will be the last of all and the servant of all’” (MARK 9:35). LEARN HOW TO BE HUMBLE. I. Use compassion. II. Be considerate.
I. USE COMPASSION TO BE HUMBLE
A. Verse 1. Jesus boldly faced those who disliked him. Ate at a Pharisee’s house. Closely watched.
1. Verse 2. A visibly sick man was sitting near the Savior. Time for a teaching moment.
2. Verse 3. “…lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” Pharisees had added to God’s laws.
3. Verse 4a. “But they were silent.” How sad. Would not / could not answer easy question.
B. Verse 4b. Jesus “took hold of the man, healed him, and let him go.” It was good to heal on Sabbath.
C. Verse 5. Jesus knew that those opposing him needed a clear example to understand compas-sion.
1. Your child or animal falls into a well on the Sabbath. Save them on the Sabbath or not?
2. Verse 6. “And they could not reply to these things.” Sad. Compassion completely absent.
3. The religious leaders loved their man-made laws more than the mercies of the Lord.
D. To know the Lord is to love the Lord. To love the Lord is to enjoy his love for us. And his love for the world. The Holy Spirit has worked faith in our hearts to appreciate the goodness of our God. We love the Lord God because he first loved us. We can only understand what love us be-cause the Lord showers compassion upon us. In the midst of the wickedness of this world we hold firmly to the mercies of our loving, heavenly Father. “By the mercies of the LORD we are not consumed, for his compassions do not fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness” (LAMENTATIONS 3:22, 23). Each morning the sun rises. The moon rises at night. God’s creation. We rise from our rest each day. We breathe. Live. Move. God’s mercy is new for us every day. Divine compassion.
E. We have learned the commandments of God. Believers use them as a guideline in our Christian lives. The Ten Commandments give us direction to what is good and right in God’s sight. Good and right in our lives. The Lord God of Armies gave the Ten Commandments out of love for his people. Out of love for the world. Jesus was asked: “What is the greatest commandment?” Jesus answered: “Love God” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” We might not always remember that love is the fulfillment of the Ten Commandments. "Love does no harm to a neighbor, so love is the fulfillment of the law" (ROMANS 13:10). Godly love for our neighbor is humble, Christian compassion.
F. As Christians we are the only ones in this wicked world who appreciate the goodness of our God. This is one of the blessings of faith. Knowing the Lord’s love for us is a blessing. God’s compassion is also a pleasure. God’s love is an opportunity that is a responsibility. Look at the world. It is selfish. Self-centered. Proud. Arrogant. Wicked. Of course, we see those same features in our own hearts. Our faith distinguishes between what is good and what is wrong. Our faith strengthens us to strive for what is good. "Therefore, as God’s elect, holy and loved, clothe your-selves with heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (COLOSSIANS 3:12). Our wicked world desperately needs to see these characteristics. Christian compassion comes with humility.
LEARN HOW TO BE HUMBLE. Christ-like compassion humbly moves us to love others.
II. BE CONSIDERATE TO BE HUMBLE
A. Jesus knew the Pharisees would not change their thinking quickly. Teaches more of humility.
1. Verse 7. Pharisees chose the places of honor. After all, they were the most important.
2. Jesus used a parable to help them understand humility. Earthly example – divine mean-ing.
B. Verse 8. When invited to a wedding do not take the place of honor. Reserved for important.
1. Someone more important might be invited. The obvious will happen.
2. Verse 9. Host will come and ask person to move to lower place. Humiliated. Shamed.
C. Verse 10. Be considerate when invited. Take a lower place. There are others more important.
1. Host may come, “Friend, move up to a higher place.” Rather than shame honor will come.
2. Verse 11. It is the Lord who humbles the self-exalted. Exalts the self-humbled.
D. None of us are exempt from the sin of pride. Pride really was the first sin. Satan appealed to the pride of Eve. “…you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (GENESIS 3:4). Eve listened. She ate the forbidden fruit. Adam followed suit. Pride was now planted in the hearts of humanity for all of the ages to come. We constantly need to battle against the sinful pride that is always lurking in the dark corners of our evil hearts. How do overcome pride? We listen to the teaching and look to the ex-ample of our Savior Jesus Christ. "…and whoever wants to be first among you will be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (MAT-THEW 20:27, 28). Christ served his creation. This is our humble Savior. Jesus’ example encourages us.
E. Our sinful nature is selfish and self-centered. We want to look out for number one – ourselves. Once again that is worldly thinking. Certainly not godly thinking. Sinful pride is not humility. Worldliness is not compatible with godliness. Look around at our society. What do you notice? Everyone does as he or she desires. During the period of Judges in the Old Testament “every man did whatever was right in his own eyes.” This sinful attitude is taking place in our country today. Individuals are doing what they think is right. This is pride. Selfishness. Uncaring. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility consider one another better than yourselves" (PHILIPPIANS 2:3). We are considerate concerning the welfare of our neighbor. To be considerate is to be humble.
F. Our loving, heavenly Father has given higher standards as Christians as compared to the world. The world does not care about things that do not affect them. Things they have no interest in. The wicked have no compassion for anyone but themselves. They are inconsiderate. At times we also fall into that same category. We look to Jesus. We learn compassion. We are reminded to be considerate. We live humbly because of the love of the Lord. The Lord encourages us to active lives of Christ-like living. The Lord reminds us and shows us how to live Christ-like lives. “Instead, be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has forgiven us" (EPHESIANS 4:32). Humble lives are kind, compassionate, and forgiving. We only know how to be for-giving because God has forgiven us through Christ. Christ lived. Died. Was buried. Rose again from the dead on the third. Sins are forgiven. Freely. Fully. We are able to be forgiving to others.
CONC.: Sinful thinking grabs for power. Honor. Glory. Godly thinking loves our neighbor. Compassion. Worldly thinking is prideful. Selfish. Godly thinking considers the benefit of others. We live in faith. Learn by faith how to be humble. “The Lord will rescue me from every evil work and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen" (2 TIMOTHY 4:8). All glory belongs to our loving, heavenly Father. He rescues us from pride. Compassion. He delivers us into his kingdom. Considerate. Dear loving Father in heaven give us divine strength to LEARN HOW TO BE HUMBLE. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
PENTECOST 18 rdgs: ISAIAH 55:6-9; PHILIPPIANS 1:18-27; MATTHEW 20:1-16; (PSALM 25)
SERVICES: 8:00am @ McCook (SUN) / 10:30am @ Redeemer (SUN) BIBLE STUDIES: 11:35am @ Redeemer
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