1. The Lowest Place
Luke 14:7-11

2. Luke 14:7-11
7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 "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. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But 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. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

3. Introduction
Today we will try to understand better why God despises Pride so much and therefore teaches us to live humble lives –
Pride
Humiliation of Pride
The Benefit of Humility
The Eternal Consequence of Humility

4. A Demonstration of Pride
When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honour at the table, (NIV)
7 When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honour near the head of the table (NLT)
In those times, the places of honour indicated your importance and social status
Jesus was seeing pride in action –
Some believed they were more important than others
Some wanted others to think they were more important

5. Characteristics of Pride
Pride has a different meaning depending on how it is used.
People usually use the word “proud” to express admiration and fondness
The characteristics of pride are -
Pride is a high or excessive opinion of one's self
The motive and ultimate purpose of pride is self glorification
Pride is essentially competitive. It is the comparison that makes us proud: the pleasure of being above the rest
“Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. We say that people are proud of being rich, or clever, or good-looking, but they are not. They are proud of being richer, or cleverer, or better-looking than others.” (C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity )

6. Manifestations of Pride
Pride can be seen everywhere –
Physical Attractiveness
Possessions/home
Athletic/musical ability
Debut/wedding
Job
Family
Faith

7. The Pride Test
1. Do you long for a lot of attention? By being dramatic? By being needy, desperate? By being pushy, demanding? By getting all the attention? 2. Do you become jealous or critical of people who succeed? I could do better than them feeling? 3. Do you always have to win? 4. Do you have a pattern of lying? 5. Do you have a hard time acknowledging that you were wrong? Do you blame shift? Shift the argument? Defend yourself? 6. Do you have a lot of conflicts with other people? 7. If there is a queue do you cut in line? 8. Do you get upset when people do not honour your achievements? 9. Do you tend more toward an attitude of entitlement or thankfulness? 10. Do you honestly feel you are basically a good person and superior to others?

8. Luke 14:7-11
7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 "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. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But 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. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

9. Attitude Actions Pride Humility “I’m more important”
“Other’s are more important”
Seat of Honour
Lowest Place
Dramatic, needy, desperate, pushy, demanding
More concerned with others
Quick to criticise
Supportive, encouraging, helpful
Too competitive
Don’t mind losing
Lying, fabricating stories
Open about weaknesses
Argumentative, too defensive, blame shifter
Does not mind being wrong
Boastful
Modest
Keen to take privileges
Not keen to take privileges
Only important service
Service
Attitude
Actions

10. 1. The Humiliation of Pride
“Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place” (NIV)
“Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table” (NLT)
When Pride is exposed it’s embarrassing and distasteful
Pride is easily noticeable
Pride is especially humiliating when you consider its consequences
Pride leads to division (stops people saying sorry, admitting their wrong, gossiping)
Pride causes suffering (stops people asking for help, fuels the promiscuous, makes us do crazy things)
Pride is worth so little, yet we pay for it with division and suffering.

11. 2. The Benefit of Humility
'Friend, move up to a better place.'
God favors the humble
Isaiah 66:2 - These are the ones I look on with favour those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.
Psalm 25: 9 - He leads the humble in what is right, and the humble He teaches His way.
James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5 both quote “God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble.
Proverbs 16:5 – The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this; they will not go unpunished

12. 2. The Benefit of Humility
'Friend, move up to a better place.'
Jesus befriends the humble
John 15:12-14 “My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command”
Jesus loved us with complete humility –
Philippians 2:6-8 “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his advantage; rather he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross.”

13. 3. The Eternal Consequence of Humility
“Those who humble themselves will be exalted, those that exalt themselves will be humbled”
Those that live a humble life will be exalted to greatness in the Kingdom of God
Mark 10:42-44 “Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all”
If we live as servants during our short time here on Earth, we will be exalted to greatness for the rest of eternity. And being a servant is not even that bad.

14. Summary
Pride wants to be superior, wants others to think I am superior, and takes pleasure in being superior
Pride is embarrassing and humiliating. Pride is not worth the division and suffering that it causes
Humility brings God’s favour and friendship
Those that live a humble life will be exalted to greatness in the Kingdom of God

15. Take the Lowest Place
“At every stage of our Christian development and in every sphere of our Christian discipleship, pride is our greatest enemy and humility our greatest friend”
(John Stott, Pride Humility and God)
Which will you choose for your life: pride or humility?
In what ways can you be more humble?