Embracing Humility: God's Invitation to All

The call today is to lift our hearts in praise to the Lord, the King of all creation, who reigns on high and invites us to his table. God’s promises are sure: he is our loving shepherd, our provider, our comforter, and the one who keeps us safe. We are reminded to approach him with humility, recognizing that all we have is a gift from his hand. The parables Jesus tells about feasts and banquets are not just about social etiquette, but about the very heart of God’s kingdom—a kingdom where the last are made first, the humble are exalted, and the least are welcomed to the place of honor.

Jesus challenges our pride and self-importance, exposing the ways we seek recognition and status, even in spiritual matters. True humility is not thinking less of ourselves, but thinking of ourselves less. It is coming before God as beggars, aware of our need for mercy, and ready to receive his grace. Pride divides and destroys, but humility opens us to the gifts of God and to fellowship with one another. In God’s kingdom, there are only two kinds of people: saints who know they are sinners, and sinners who think they are saints. Better to know our need and be surprised by grace than to presume and find ourselves left out.

The invitation to God’s feast is for all—the poor, the crippled, the outcast, those who cannot repay. This is the heart of the gospel: God invites us, not because of what we can offer, but because of his boundless love. The Lord’s Supper is a foretaste of the heavenly banquet, where Jesus himself serves us with the best he has—his own body and blood. We come with empty hands, and he fills us with his life. The call is to come in humility and faith, to be ready to be lifted up by the host with the most, and to rejoice in the place of honor he prepares for us.

As we gather, we confess our faith, offer our lives in service, and pray for the world, trusting that God hears and answers. We are sent out to welcome others, to serve with humility, and to live as those who have been honored by grace.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Humility is the Posture of the Kingdom Humility is not about self-deprecation or thinking less of oneself, but about shifting our focus away from ourselves and onto God and others. It is the recognition that all we have is a gift, and that we come before God as beggars in need of mercy. This posture opens us to receive grace and to be surprised by the honor God bestows on the humble. [29:32]
• 2. Pride is the Root of Division and Spiritual Blindness Pride leads us to compare, to compete, and to believe we are more deserving of God’s favor than others. It is the source of many sins—greed, envy, selfishness—and it poisons our relationships, especially within the church. Only by confronting our pride can we experience true fellowship and unity in Christ. [30:08]
• 3. God’s Invitation is for the Least and the Lost The kingdom of God is not a reward for the worthy, but a feast for those who know their need. Jesus invites the poor, the crippled, the outcast—those who cannot repay—to his table. This radical hospitality is a model for our own lives, calling us to welcome and serve those whom the world overlooks. [34:13]
• 4. The Lord’s Supper is a Foretaste of the Heavenly Banquet In the meal Jesus gives, we are reminded that we bring nothing but our need, and he gives us everything—his own body and blood, forgiveness, and life. The Lord’s Supper is not just a ritual, but a living sign of God’s grace, a place where the greatest and the least are equally honored and fed. [36:14]
• 5. Our Lives are to be Offered in Grateful Service Having received mercy, we are called to offer our lives—our time, talents, and resources—in service to God and others. True worship is not just what happens in church, but the daily offering of ourselves in love, generosity, and humility, trusting that God will use us for his purposes.
  
  ** [39:07]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [20:45] - Opening Praise and Worship
• [23:36] - Grace, Mercy, and Peace
• [24:16] - Jesus and the Party Parables
• [25:34] - The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
• [26:53] - Table Etiquette and Heart Attitude
• [28:07] - Humility vs. Pride
• [30:08] - The Dangers of Pride
• [32:12] - Grace for the Humble
• [33:32] - The Second Parable: Who’s Invited?
• [34:51] - God’s Expansive Invitation
• [35:29] - The Lord’s Supper: Feast of the Least
• [36:14] - The Heavenly Banquet
• [39:07] - Offering Our Lives in Service
• [40:39] - Prayers for the Church and World
• [43:52] - Closing Song and Benediction

Bible Reading

Luke 14:7-24 (ESV) — The Parable of the Wedding Feast and the Great Banquet
> 7 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8 “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, 9 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. 10 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. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
> 12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
> 15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”

Proverbs 25:6-7 (ESV) — > 6 Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
> or stand in the place of the great,
> 7 for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
> than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

Observation Questions

1. In the parable Jesus tells at the dinner party, what behavior does he notice among the guests, and what lesson does he draw from it? ([25:34])
2. According to the sermon, who does Jesus say should be invited to our feasts, and why? ([34:13])
3. What does Jesus say will happen to those who exalt themselves and those who humble themselves? ([28:07])
4. How does the sermon describe the Lord’s Supper as connected to these parables? ([36:14])

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon says, “There are really only two types of people in the world: saints who know they are sinners, and sinners who think they are saints.” What does this mean, and why is it important for understanding humility? ([28:49])
2. Why does Jesus challenge the idea of seeking places of honor or recognition, even in spiritual matters? ([27:30])
3. The sermon describes pride as the root of division and spiritual blindness. How does pride affect relationships within the church, according to the message? ([30:51])
4. What does it mean that the Lord’s Supper is “the feast of the least,” and how does this shape our understanding of God’s grace? ([36:14])

Application Questions

1. The sermon says true humility is “not thinking less of ourselves, but thinking of ourselves less.” In what situations this past week have you found yourself focused on your own needs or recognition? How could you shift your focus to God or others in those moments? ([29:32])
2. Can you think of a time when pride led to conflict or division in your life, your family, or your church? What could have been done differently to pursue humility and unity? ([30:51])
3. Jesus says to invite those who cannot repay us—the poor, the outcast, the overlooked. Who in your life or community fits this description, and what is one practical way you could extend hospitality or kindness to them this month? ([34:13])
4. The Lord’s Supper is described as a place where we come with empty hands and receive everything from Jesus. How does this image challenge the way you approach worship or your relationship with God? ([36:14])
5. The sermon calls us to offer our lives in grateful service, not just in church but every day. What is one area of your life—work, home, friendships—where you could intentionally serve others with humility this week? ([39:07])
6. The message warns against seeking recognition or status, even in spiritual things. Are there ways you seek approval or honor in your faith life? How can you practice “taking the lowest place” in your church or community? ([27:30])
7. The invitation to God’s feast is for all, especially those who feel unworthy or left out. Is there someone you know who might feel excluded from God’s love or the church? How could you be part of welcoming them in? ([34:51])