January 13, 2017 Hey you are in my seat!!

Reading: Luke 13 and Job 15-16

Scripture: Luke 13:8-11, "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, 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. 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. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Observation: In western society we have lost or maybe never developed a true sense of honor, maybe that is why for most of my life this didn’t make sense to me. Moving up and down a table to show how important you are was just so foreign to me. As it has been explained to me in that culture the close to the host the more honor you had and more opportunity to network at these dinners. So people would get there and try to rank themselves but if your seat was needed you were cast to the bottom. James and John even asked Jesus “Who will be greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” They were looking to see who would have the seats of honor.

Application: I know that most everyone wants to be important and have honor among their friends colleagues and family. God called us to do what we do for him and to honor him, and to humble ourselves. The second half of the parable was showing one way. We are not to seek the highest seat. How I like to look at being humble and love, both are large topics in Jesus’ ministry. Being humble I believe is thinking if others more then yourself, and love is like it in love is placing others needs above your own. Love is not a feeling is a verb it’s something you do. 

Prayer: Father I love you and stand in awe of your power, grace and mercy. I thank you for loving me and sending your Son to pay the price for me. I ask you to help me to think of myself less and place the needs of those around me above my own and to bless them as you bless me. I thank you for the provisions you give us each day and the blessings you pour out on us.