GET TOGETHER- LET GOD DO THE PROMOTING
Lu 14:7 -11¶ So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; “and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.
“But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Our culture often puts a big emphasis on promoting ourselves. We see athletes often do this when they make a big play. At other times, we see people running for office having to sell themselves to the voters. Businesses must promote their products. So not all of those things are wrong. But as Kingdom people serving in the Kingdom Jesus has a valuable lesson for us in how we can advance in our walk with Him and we can be used to advance His Kingdom upon the earth.
This past week as a Pastor I took great joy in seeing one of God’s servants advance in a good way. This person serves the Lord in our congregation in several ways. Her name is Cheryl Ortiz. She prints our bulletins, runs the sound booth and serves in several other ways.
The Lord put it on her heart for us to have an evangelism training day. She organized all of the lessons. She taught the classes and prepared the food that we ate. As her Pastor that day I saw her grow as a Christian. As she taught the class she shared how at one time in her life she was terrified to get up in front of her class in Middle School and High School. She would often throw up and not do well on the assignment because of this fear. She got set free of that fear this past Saturday. I believe in the future the Lord will use her to teach other occasions.
I thought about what a good example this was of what Jesus was talking about. She took the lower seat. God gave her an opportunity to move forward this past Saturday and to me it was a good example that if someone humbles themselves they will be exalted. By the way the training session was awesome and the Lord used that time to give us a heart for souls and to also draw us closer to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ!
Yesterday as I was talking to her about how God used her and about leadership she shared with me how that Jesus was a servant leader. He never stopped serving while He was on the earth. He gave us the perfect example. The Bible tells us how he humbled Himself. Php 2:5-7 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
You might say I thought Jesus said that He no longer called us servants, but now He calls us friends. That is true and what a blessing it is to serve a Friend who loves closer than a brother, to serve a Friend who would die for die hard sinners like I was and like you were at one time, or may still be. That is the uniqueness about having a relationship with the King of Kings! What a blessing to serve a Friend who heals, sets captives free, and is coming back again to get us one day. Humble yourself take the lower seat and serve the Lord with gladness and watch what God does in your life.
Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus we thank You that when we take the lower seat that we are not forgotten about. We thank you that we can be at the wedding feast because of your sacrificial death on the cross. Help us to take the lower seat and to serve you knowing that one day we will hear your voice saying , “Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
In Jesus Name
Amen
Blessings to all of you!
Your Friend/Kinfolk
Preston
GET TOGETHER- LET GOD DO THE PROMOTING
