Dear Christian friends:

You can learn much about people by observing them at a banquet. My uncle, who was a farmer, often talked about his father, who owned a large ranch here in Southern California many years ago before it was developed. My uncle's father hired many men to work on the ranch. My uncle said that his father never hired any man until he first invited that man to eat with the other workers in the mess hall. Why? He wanted to watch how that man ate. If he ate quickly, he got the job, but if he ate slowly, he did not get the job. My uncle's rule was this: "A fast eater is a fast worker."

You can learn other things about people by watching them sit a table, eating with others. Our text tells us what Jesus noticed one day when He was invited to a large dinner at a Pharisee's home. Jesus noticed that all the guests tried to sit at the head table. Jesus also noticed that only the rich and well dressed were invited to the dinner. By this Jesus could see that the host and the guests were proud, boasters. So Jesus gave them a sermon about pride and boasting.

If Jesus watched us eating today at a large dinner, what would He see in you and me? Jesus would see whom we try to sit with and He would see whom we invite to come to our dinners. I am afraid and I suspect that Jesus would also see our pride and boasting. Here in our text Jesus admonishes us:


Why do you want to boast? You and I have reasons to boast.

You have a talent that is better than someone else's. No one else can do what you can do. Each one of us has a certain, special talent which God has given to us. This special talent can make us feel proud and big headed.

God expects you to use your special talent and to develop it more and more. God expects you to use your special talent to serve others, and by serving others, serve Him! If you do not discover and use your special talent, you will lose it.

You should not hide your talent or be ashamed to use it, but remember who gave it to you and remember why He gave it to you - not to boast, but to use it for His praise and glory.

We want people to notice our skills and good work. That is normal and natural. When others praise us that encourages us and makes us feel good and useful. But getting praise from others should not be our goal or motive for serving. We should ask ourselves: "Am I working for getting praise or am I working for Jesus?" We really should be working and serving to give glory and praise to God. And remember, the Lord promises that He will not forget any good work you do in His name, for His sake. Even a small work, such as giving someone a drink of water in His name, He will remember. Others may not see your good work or appreciate it, but God will see it, and one day He will honor you before everyone in heaven.

We can learn from the Holy Spirit how to serve. Who is the forgotten person in the Trinity? The Father? The Son, Jesus? The Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is the Person of the Trinity that everyone forgets. Why? He never shows Himself! His work is to show the Father and the Son and to give glory to those two. The Holy Spirit does not boast or seek His own glory, yet His work is great! Learn from the Holy Spirit how to serve the Lord! Serve for the Glory of the Father and the Son, not for your own glory.

Don't boast! If you boast, you are telling God how thankful He should be for your small, so-so good works: perhaps your faithful church attendance, or your giving money to the church or to charity. Paul warns us about such boasting. He writes, "Do nothing from selfishness or pride, but. in humility count others better than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3)

Jesus says that there is only one way we can go home from church with our sins forgiven and that is if we pray in church the same as the tax collector. The tax collector prayed: "God, be merciful to me a sinner." (Luke 18: 13) If we pray as the Pharisee prayed, we will not receive forgiveness. The Pharisee was proud and boastful in his prayer. He thanked God that he was better than others. He gave God a long list of his good deeds. God was not impressed. Neither is God impressed when we boast.

Don't boast! Only the humble are great! Jesus says in our text, "Whoever is proud will receive shame; and whoever is humble will receive honor." (verse 11) Don't misunderstand this verse! Some people are boasting about how humble they are. Anyone who boasts about his humility is really not humble. A truly humble person is not aware of his humility. Also a truly humble person does not use his humility as a reason to demand honor before God or the people. A truly humble person is not offended if others fail to thank him or honor him for his service. Remember, God promises to honor you at the right time, when you can accept the honor without boasting.

Also, remember that humbleness is not a feeling, but a life-long activity. Jesus says, “He who is greatest among you shall be your servant. (Matthew 23:11) The truly humble person doesn't feel humble; he shows it by his continual service to others. This humble service is shown in the Epistle lesson for today. (Hebrews 13:1-8) Also in our text Jesus shows how a truly humble person acts. He shows his humility by inviting the poor and the handicapped to his dinners. (verses 12-14)

Don't boast! Only the humble receive grace. Jesus says that if we hope to enter His kingdom, we must become the same as children. Children are not ashamed to beg their parents and others. So we must beg from God, trusting only His grace and mercy for salvation. If we try to argue or offer our own good works such as our tithing or perfect church attendance, he slams the door and we are left outside. We have only one plea: His grace, His blood shed for us.

Don't boast! You can stop boasting if you let Jesus‘ thinking become your thinking. Paul writes, "You should think the same as Jesus Christ. Although He was God, Jesus did not demand and cling to His rights as God, but He laid aside His power and glory, taking the disguise of a servant and became man. And He humbled Himself further. He accepted a law breaker's death on a cross." (Philippians 2:5-8) Jesus shows us true humility. And He did it for us! Jesus accepted the lowest seat, the seat on the Cross, that you can have the seat of honor at the banquet in heaven.

Amen.