Red Letters: The Parable of Pride

Chetkeila @ L56

• Luke 14:7-14 NLT
  When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: "When you are invited to a wedding feast, don't sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited?  The host will come and say, 'Give this person your seat.' Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table! "Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, 'Friend, we have a better place for you!' Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests.  For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." Then he turned to his host. "When you put on a luncheon or a banquet," he said, "don't invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward.  Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.  Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you."

1. Pride brings humiliation.
   A. You shouldn't think more highly of yourself than you should.
   B. An when you walk in pride, you are telling God that you can do things on your own.
2. You will be humbled.
   A. Humility is about putting others in a higher place than you.
   B. Luke 9:24 NLT...If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
   C. Philippians 2:3-4 NLT...Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
3. Heart change
4. God is our Lighthouses
• Dead ahead, through the pitch-black night, the captain sees a light on a collision course with his ship. He sends a signal: "Change your course ten degrees east.""Change yours ten degrees west," comes the reply.The captain responds, "I'm a United States Navy captain! Change your course, sir!""I'm a seaman second class," the next message reads. "Change your course, sir."The captain is furious. "I'm a battleship! I'm not changing course!""I'm a lighthouse. Your call."