THE BEST PLACES

HUMILITY AND HONOR

Read Luke 14:1–24

      So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, Luke 14:7 NKJV

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      Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, where He was being carefully watched. They were hoping to find something against him, but what they didn't realize was that Jesus was watching them. What He saw was how the guests picked the places of honor at the table. (14:7 NIV)
      In His quiet and straightforward way, Jesus said, "When you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests." (14:10) One of those at the table said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." 

      Jesus went on to tell a story about all those who would make excuses not to come to that feast. The host in the story said, “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.” "'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes… that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’'"    (14:21b–24 NIV)

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      Lord, thank You for inviting us to the feast You have prepared for us. Help us to give the invitation to everyone we know, regardless of their excuses. Perhaps some will believe and come.

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      For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."   Luke 14:11 NKJV

THE LORD'S PRAYER

JESUS TEACHES HOW TO PRAY

Read Luke 11:1–13; John 14:13–14

     "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."   Luke 11:9 NKJV

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      Most of us are familiar with the "Lord's Prayer" in this passage. This is a model prayer for us to follow and Jesus goes on to teach more about how to pray. Following His example, we should pray to the Father in His name for our daily needs, for forgiveness, for protection from temptation and deliverance from the evil one.
      Jesus also said that we should ask with persistence, because, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Luke 11:13 NKJV) If we have the guidance of the Holy Spirit we can continue to ask without doubting God's ability to answer according to His perfect will for us.

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      Lord, I cannot help but notice in this passage that asking for our daily needs results in the priceless gift of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul said, “He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.” (Romans 8:27 NIV) So I need not worry about asking for the wrong thing. If the Holy Spirit is praying for me, the result will be according to God's perfect plan. Thank You, Jesus!

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     …We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.   Romans 8:26 NIV

SONS OF THUNDER

GREATNESS IS SERVING

Read Matthew 20:20–28

     She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right hand and the other on the left, in your kingdom."  Matthew 20:21 NKJV

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    This was spoken by the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, an ambitious mother if there ever was one! An insight to her two sons is found in Mark 3:17:

     When Jesus appointed the twelve apostles, He called James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James…Boanerges, that is, "Sons of Thunder. Truly, they were leadership material and would be among the apostles who were the foundation of the Church, but Jesus had a more important lesson for them to learn: "…Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave–just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:26-28)

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     Lord, help us to teach our children the principles of servanthood, even as we train them to be their best and excel. Help us to put the spirit of competition in perspective and balance with love and kindness and serving others.

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     "… just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."    Matthew 20:28