Living with Humility: A Call to Service and Generosity

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing a "You-First" Attitude

In our journey of discipleship, we are called to embrace a "you-first" attitude, prioritizing the needs of others above our own. This humility is not only essential in our personal lives but also as a nation, as we strive to serve others and embody the teachings of Jesus. Through prayer and scripture, we can draw closer to Jesus, learning from His example of selflessness and service. This call to humility challenges us to examine our actions and attitudes, ensuring they align with the principles of love and service. [37:19]

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life can you prioritize today by putting their needs before your own, and how can you practically do this?

Day 2: National Humility and Dependence on God

Inspired by Abraham Lincoln's call for national prayer and humility, we are reminded of the importance of acknowledging our dependence on God. As a nation, we must repent of our pride and self-sufficiency, seeking God's guidance and forgiveness. This historical perspective challenges us to consider what it would look like for America to approach God with a humble spirit today. By recognizing our need for divine guidance, we can foster a spirit of humility and repentance that permeates our national consciousness. [40:42]

"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area where you see pride or self-sufficiency in our nation, and how can you pray for humility and dependence on God in that area today?

Day 3: Generosity and Justice in Action

Jesus' teachings in Luke 14 challenge us to be generous and just, both individually and as a nation. We are called to care for the downtrodden and oppressed, and to be generous in our aid to other nations, aligning our policies with the principles of justice and kindness. This call to action invites us to examine our personal and national priorities, ensuring they reflect the love and compassion of Jesus. By extending generosity and justice, we can embody the teachings of Christ in tangible ways. [48:52]

"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?" (Isaiah 58:6, ESV)

Reflection: How can you personally contribute to justice and generosity in your community, and what specific action can you take this week to support the oppressed?

Day 4: Passionate About the Right Things

Jesus' response to the religious leaders' indignation in Luke 13 highlights the importance of being passionate about the right things. We are called to be indignant about human suffering and to prioritize the welfare of others over rigid adherence to rules. This righteous indignation challenges us to examine our own passions and priorities, ensuring they align with the heart of Jesus. By focusing on the welfare of others, we can embody the compassion and love that Jesus demonstrated. [01:12:44]

"Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him." (Proverbs 14:31, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of human suffering that stirs your heart, and how can you channel your passion into action to alleviate that suffering?

Day 5: Valuing Every Human Life

As followers of Jesus, we must be united in valuing every human life as a child of God. This non-negotiable principle calls us to make sacrifices for the sake of those in need and to advocate for policies that reflect the love and compassion of Jesus. By recognizing the inherent value of every person, we can foster a culture of love and respect that honors the image of God in each individual. This commitment to valuing life challenges us to examine our actions and attitudes, ensuring they reflect the heart of Jesus. [01:16:29]

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life do you struggle to see as a child of God, and how can you ask God to help you see their inherent value and worth today?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we reflected on the profound privilege the disciples had in walking with Jesus and how, through prayer and scripture, we too can experience a similar closeness. Imagining a conversation with Jesus, I pondered what He might say to me and to our nation, America. The essence of His message would likely be a call to humility, service, and generosity, urging us to live with a "you-first" attitude rather than a "me-first" one. This aligns with our church's 2028 vision, inspired by Micah 6:8, which calls us to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.

We explored the idea that Jesus' teachings are not just for individuals but also for communities and nations. Reflecting on Abraham Lincoln's 1863 proclamation, we considered the importance of national humility and repentance. Lincoln recognized the need for America to acknowledge its dependence on God and to seek His guidance and forgiveness. This historical perspective challenges us to consider what it would look like for America to approach God with a humble spirit today.

Through the lens of Luke 13 and 14, we examined Jesus' teachings on humility and generosity. Jesus' parable about choosing the lowest seat at a feast serves as a reminder to prioritize others over ourselves. This principle extends to our national policies, urging us to care for the downtrodden and oppressed, and to be generous in our aid to other nations. The current reduction in foreign aid and preferential treatment in immigration policies were highlighted as areas where we can better align with Jesus' teachings.

We also discussed the importance of righteous indignation, as demonstrated by Jesus when He healed a woman on the Sabbath. His anger was directed at the lack of compassion shown by the religious leaders, reminding us to be passionate about the right things—namely, the welfare of others. As we strive to embody Jesus' teachings, we are called to value every human life and to make sacrifices for the sake of those in need.

In closing, we prayed for personal and national repentance, seeking God's mercy and guidance. We were reminded of the open invitation to the Lord's table, symbolizing the grace and forgiveness available to all who follow Jesus. As we go forth, may we be inspired to live out these teachings in our daily lives and as a nation.

Key Takeaways

1. Discipleship and Humility: We are invited to sit at the feet of Jesus through prayer and scripture, learning to live with a "you-first" attitude. This humility is essential in our personal lives and as a nation, as we seek to serve others and prioritize their needs over our own. [37:19]
2. National Humility and Repentance: Inspired by Abraham Lincoln's call for national prayer and humility, we are reminded of the importance of acknowledging our dependence on God. As a nation, we must repent of our pride and self-sufficiency, seeking God's guidance and forgiveness. [40:42]
3. Generosity and Justice: Jesus' teachings in Luke 14 challenge us to be generous and just, both individually and as a nation. We are called to care for the downtrodden and oppressed, and to be generous in our aid to other nations, aligning our policies with the principles of justice and kindness. [48:52]
4. Righteous Indignation: Jesus' response to the religious leaders' indignation in Luke 13 highlights the importance of being passionate about the right things. We are called to be indignant about human suffering and to prioritize the welfare of others over rigid adherence to rules. [72:44]
5. Value of Every Human Life: As followers of Jesus, we must be united in valuing every human life as a child of God. This non-negotiable principle calls us to make sacrifices for the sake of those in need and to advocate for policies that reflect the love and compassion of Jesus. [01:16:29]
** [76:29]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - Celebrating Healing and Presence
[02:00] - Discipleship and the Gospel of Luke
[05:00] - Imagining a Conversation with Jesus
[10:00] - The 2028 Vision and Micah 6:8
[15:00] - National Humility and Abraham Lincoln
[20:00] - America's Call to Repentance
[25:00] - Jesus' Teachings on Humility
[30:00] - Generosity and Foreign Aid
[35:00] - Immigration and Preferential Treatment
[40:00] - Righteous Indignation and Compassion
[45:00] - The Value of Every Human Life
[50:00] - Prayer for Personal and National Repentance
[55:00] - Invitation to the Lord's Table
[60:00] - Closing Benediction and Invitations

Sermon Clips

"The disciples in the story that we're reading, what an amazing opportunity that they had to live with, to walk with, to sit at the feet of Jesus for three years, asking every dumb question that comes to their minds, getting to see miracles firsthand and have teaching and just learn and grow under the feet of Jesus. How amazing. Now, we live in a different time, a different place. And so discipleship looks differently for us, but we actually are offered that same opportunity to sit at the feet of Jesus and to learn as we pray and as we read the Gospels and we study them together." [00:35:14] (46 seconds)

"Don't live your life with a me -first attitude. Humble yourself and serve other people like I did. I washed my disciples' feet. Matt, I want you to wash other people's feet. Care for the downtrodden and oppressed. Give generously of your time and money and sweat to help other people. Live with a you -first attitude instead of me -first. Doesn't that sound like Jesus?" [00:37:26] (24 seconds)

"Whereas it is the duty of nations, as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, and yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures, proven by all history, that those nations are blessed, whose God is the Lord. Lord, we see this emphasis of, like, people and nations coming before God who governs all." [00:40:42] (32 seconds)

"When Jesus noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable. When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor. For a person more distinguished than you may have been invited, and if so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, give this person your seat. And then humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you're invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, friend, move to a better place. And then you will be honored in the presence of all other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." [00:46:21] (45 seconds)

"Invite the poor, crippled, lame, and blind. Invite people who cannot repay you or enrich you. Invite the persecuted asylum seekers fleeing for their lives. Invite the impoverished seeking a better life. Do that, and I will bless you. One of my favorite things I've seen in all my life was when I saw the Statue of Liberty and I read the poem on the base. And that poem had said for all these years as it faces those immigrants who are coming across the Atlantic." [00:58:31] (37 seconds)

"As I look at American public life, that poem seems to me like the most Christian thing America has ever said to the world. You don't care about those people? Give them to me. Incidentally, it's the same. Same thing that Mother Teresa has said about unwanted children. You don't want them? Give them to me. That's a moment where our nation sounded a bit like Jesus." [00:59:22] (28 seconds)

"Refugees are people who are specifically fleeing for their lives. It's one particular kind of immigration. Someone's trying to kill them, and they are trying to avoid being killed, and they're like asking, hey, would you protect me? Okay. And America has not always lived up to the words of the Statue of Liberty in regard to refugees. In 1939, thousands of Jewish people fleeing Nazi Germany were turned away. There was this one particular boat called the SS St. Louis in which 900 Jewish people escaped." [01:02:51] (35 seconds)

"Jesus was a refugee at one point in time. Refugees are people who are specifically fleeing for their lives. It's one particular kind of immigration. Someone's trying to kill them, and they are trying to avoid being killed, and they're like asking, hey, would you protect me? Okay. And America has not always lived up to the words of the Statue of Liberty in regard to refugees." [01:02:36] (24 seconds)

"Jesus is indignant. The Pharisees' indignation. What are you doing? Why are you not helping this lady? But undergirding this is a fundamental concern that Jesus has for the woman's welfare. Okay? The Pharisees weren't that concerned. And you see this, particularly just a couple of quick verses in Mark. You see Jesus indignant when people are stopping other people from being helped." [01:15:32] (22 seconds)

"There's another time where there's a leper who is struggling. And Jesus sees him and he's indignant in Mark 1 at the condition. He's indignant that this man is suffering. So Jesus is much more disturbed by human suffering. And at lack of concern about it. So the Pharisees, it's not that Jesus is saying never be angry, never be indignant. But he's like, you're indignant at the wrong things. Be indignant by the right things." [01:16:29] (30 seconds)

"But there's something that Christians cannot disagree about and still be representing Jesus. We cannot disagree about the value of every human life. The value of every person as a child of God. We must be in absolute unity about that. Because that was non -negotiable for Jesus. He cared and he noticed and he advocated for them." [01:17:42] (24 seconds)

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