Book: 7-14

Friend, Move Up to a Higher Place

By James Wiese on August 26, 2022

The Sermon for the 12th Sunday after Pentecost                                                                              August 28, 2022
Text: Luke 14:1,7-14                                             CW-21 Series C                                                  22:2340
Theme: Friend, Move to a Higher Place

Why is it that people want to be first – first in line at the store, first in line to get tickets, first in line at a big sales event, etc.? That driving desire to be first is already there when we are children.
I remember 4th grade. Hertha Sievert was my teacher, a fine, gentle Christian lady. But we students weren’t always so gentle. We would come from recess and race to the bubbler (drinking fountain), pushing and shoving to be first in line. I remember the day Miss Sievert caught me by my arm, set me in the corner, and gave me a brief lecture on being kind to others, letting them go before me.
Maybe as adults we don’t react that way as much anymore. Still, the Scriptures frequently admonish us to be humble, to put ourselves last, not first. All too often we can be “me-first” people.
At the end of last week’s lesson Jesus said, “Those who are last will be first, and the first will be last” (Lk.13:30). The O.T. Lesson today says, “Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence” (Pv.25:6). Self-exaltation never works. It will catch up to you in the end. King Solomon continued, “It is better to be told, ‘Come up here,’ than to be humiliated.” In the end claiming to be first before others will end in your disgrace, especially in eternity. How could anyone do that anyway in the presence of God? He is King over all.
Humility not self-pride is the Christian’s work. It was that way for Christ who gladly “humbled Himself, making Himself nothing, taking on the work of serving” so that we could be saved. And now, turning to us, the Scripture’s say, “Let your attitude be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Phlp.2:5f).
The Christian’s work is not self-exaltation; it’s not being #1. The Christian’s work is that of humility, imitating Christ through one’s faith in the Savior, putting oneself last. In the end such a person will thrill to hear the Savior say, “Friend, Move to a Higher Place.”

(I. Let go of pride – lifting yourself above others, seeking your own advantage.)
The gospel lesson began, “One Sabbath when Jesus went into the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat bread, they were watching Him closely.” Jesus was being scrutinized because His detractors wanted to catch Him doing or saying something wrong so they could
accuse Him as a fake. See, right there you have pride at work, the desire to put themselves first, to lift themselves above Jesus as better than He, seeking their own advantage by accusing Him of wrong.
Ironically, Jesus was watching them as they were watching Him. But He was watching them, not with the desire to put them down, like they wanted to do with Him. He was watching in order to help them by showing them the error of their prideful ways, and to point them to Himself as the Savior.
The story continues, “Jesus said: When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline in the place of honor, or perhaps someone more distinguished than you may have been invited. The one who invited both of you may come and tell you, ‘Give this man your place.’ Then you will begin, with shame, to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and recline in the lowest place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he will tell you, ‘Friend, move up to a higher place.’ Then you will have honor in the presence of all who are reclining at the table with you. Yes, everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Imagine yourself invited to a wedding. You look around for a good seat at the reception. At first you don’t see any. Then you notice that the table up front has seats available. So, you go and sit down there. Those seats are reserved for the wedding party! You wouldn’t think of taking those seats, would you? Someone who does that has a problem. Either he is grossly ignorant, or he disregards others, lacking humility, he seeks his own advantage.
Our fallen nature struggles with that, whether we are willing to admit it or not. It makes us want to be first; it makes us want to take the seats of honor and glory; it wants us to lift ourselves up and seek our own advantage. Who wants to put himself last?
Jesus did. He put Himself last, even though, as God, He is first. He put Himself last, to the point of sacrificing Himself for us on the cross so that He might take us into His Kingdom. He disadvantaged Himself as He sought our advantage in eternity. And He encourages, His redeemed people to carry that same attitude towards others – to seek other people’s advantage, rather than seeking just our own, to lift them up, rather than lifting up ourselves, to let go of pride. How?
Only think of Christ. He, the Son of God, did the opposite of proud, sinful people of all stations in life. Of all He was the highest, the noblest, yet “He, who was God, emptied Himself by taking the nature of a servant. And being found in fashion as a man (a human being), He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross” (Phlp.2:7f) that He might save and serve us.
As we deeply contemplate the unsearchable love of Him who died to forgive our sin, that gospel will motivate us to let go of pride, not lifting ourselves above others, not seeking our own advantage, but in humbling ourselves to take the “lower seat.” And marvel upon marvels, to the Christian’s surprise the Savior will turn and say, “Friend, Move to a Higher Place!” Such a servant’s attitude is honorable in His eyes.

(II. Let go the desire to be repaid favor for favor – be generous and kind.)
To describe that attitude a bit more, Jesus continued with the advice, “When you make a dinner or a supper, do not invite your friends, or your brothers, or your relatives, or rich neighbors, so that perhaps they may also return the favor and pay you back. “But when you make a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind. You will be blessed, because they cannot repay you.”
First note Jesus’ intent in what He says. His point is not to make us feel guilty about whom we have and have not invited into our home. He is not forbidding you to ever invite your family and friends. How many times did He go to eat at the home of his friends Mary and Martha and Lazarus, to enjoy their company? His intent here is not to strike at the outward invitation. He is seeking to address the motivation of the heart – the heart of pride that seeks the same or greater favor for the favor that person has shown someone. In other words – repayment! Doing something so that you get something in return. “I’ll scratch your back, if you scratch mine.” Here is a lesson in generosity and unselfish kindness rather than in seeking one’s own advantage. Let go the desire to be repaid favor for favor.
How desperately our world today is in need of such a lesson on humility! How desperately it is needed! All too often people restrict kindness and generosity, and instead channel their lives in ways by which one will receive repayment – favor for favor.
Think of it. Where would we be if the Savior had dealt with us in such an unkind, selfish, pay-me-back attitude? If He had said, “I will go to the cross to forgive and save you only if you do this or do that first.” Where would we be? Could we pay Him sufficiently to cover our sin? Could we pay Him enough to escape death and hell? Doing it perfectly is the payment – holiness, which no one achieves on their own, except for Him, the Savior. But Christ in His unselfish, generous, kindness that did not seek His own advantage and the desire to be repaid favor for favor gives us forgiveness, salvation, and life – all by grace. And wonder upon wonders, through such faith in Him that walks in His ways, at the end He will say: Friend, Move to a Higher Place! Heaven! And it shall be, by faith, and the humility of faith alone in what the Savior has done for all.
God grant us such a life of humility and generous kindness as we find our contentment in Christ and His gracious invitation: “Friend, Move to a Higher Place for my name’s sake.” Amen.


Zion Lutheran Church of Springfield

(A member congregation of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod)

4717 S Farm Rd 135 (Golden Avenue)

Church phone: 417.887.0886                    Pastor’s cell phone: 417.693.3244

www.zionluthchurch.com                          email: revelehmann@gmail.com

You can also find us on Facwbook

The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost     August 28, 2022

Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:11

 F o r   O u r   V i s i t o r s

The family of Zion welcomes you as we worship the Lord today. We encourage children to worship with us. However, if you need to leave with your child, there is a nursery room to the right as you exit the sanctuary. The rest rooms are located in the hallway between the sanctuary and the fellowship hall. Visitors, please sign our guest book to the right, just outside the sanctuary. We’re glad that you are here and pray that through our worship the Lord grants you peace.

U p o n   E n t e r i n g    G o d’ s   H o u s e

Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. They seek Him with all their heart….I will praise You with an upright heart as I learn You righteous laws” (Psalm 119).

W h a t   T h i s   S u n d a y   i s   A b o u t

Godly Humility & Generosity. A Canticle that is sung frequently in the Church’s worship services is the song: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” A clean heart is one that is forgiven, washed clean in the blood of Christ.   What is a “right spirit?”

It entails many things. Many psalms address it. Our psalm today speaks of walking blamelessly according to the law of the LORD, keeping His statutes, learning His way of righteousness, following His decreases to the end. That takes a humble spirit which looks for God’s guidance rather than self-centered direction.

To that end we pray: O Lord Jesus Christ, preserve the congregation of believers with Your never-failing mercy. Help us avoid whatever is wicked and harmful and guide us in the way of humility that leads to our salvation through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

– T h e  W o r d   o f   G o d   f o r   T o d a y –

The Old Testament Lesson: Proverbs 25:6,7  

Jesus might well have been thinking of this verse when He spoke the Gospel Lesson today. Solomon warns that self-exaltation ends in humiliation and disaster. Humble yourselves before the King and let Him raise you up.

The Epistle Lesson: James 2:1-13    

Christians don’t show partiality towards some that is based on wealth or other factors. Like Christ they treat all people as God has graciously treated them, striving to keep the whole Law, motivated by Christ’s redeeming love and love for one’s neighbor.

The Gospel Lesson: Luke 14:1, 7-14      

While a guest at dinner, as the Pharisees were closely watching Him to catch Him in a “mistake,” Jesus was observing them. He taught them about the pitfalls of self-exaltation and desire for repayment, while instructing them on the blessings of Christ-like humility and generosity as fruits of faith.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Organist: Jane Rips is visiting her mother in IA this weekend

The Preacher: Pastor Edwin Lehmann

Points to Ponder: “A man cannot be thoroughly humbled until he gets to know that his salvation lies utterly beyond his own powers, counsels, efforts, will, and works and depends absolutely on the pleasure, counsel, will and work of Another, namely, God alone. For if man, convinced that he is able to do the least thing toward his own salvation, retains confidence in himself and does not utterly despair of himself, he is not humble before God.”

— Martin Luther on The Inability to Save Ourselves Keeps Us Humble

“There is no difference between rich and poor in Christ. Pay no attention to the outward appearance but look for the inner faith instead.”                       — The early Church Father, Chrysostom, on James 2:3-4

Outline of  Our Worship

Lord, Hear Us

Opening Thoughts on the Service

Opening Hymn: #614

The Order of Service     Morning Prayer: Hymnal pg.207

Lord, Feed Us

Psalm of the Day: #119

Proverb s 25:6-7

James 2:1-13

Hymn Response: #697

Luke 14:1,7-14

Sermon Hymn: #767

Sermon Text: Luke 14:1,7-14     Friend, Move Up to a Higher Place

Lord, Accept  Our Response

Hymn #953     (In place of the Te Deum Laudamus)

The Offering

Hymnal pg.213-214

“Lord, Have Mercy”

Prayers, Lord’s Prayer

Lord, Bless Us

The Benediction     Hymnal pg.214

Closing Hymn: #644

Silent Prayer


The Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost – Series C

Old Testament Lesson: Proverbs 25:6,7 – Wise Sayings of Solomon

6Do not honor yourself in a king’s presence.

Do not stand in a place reserved for great people,

7because it is better to be told, “Come up here,”

than for you to be humiliated before a ruler.

Epistle Lesson: James 2:1-13 – Show No Favoritism, but Mercy

1My brothers, have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ without showing favoritism. 2For example, suppose a man enters your worship assembly wearing gold rings and fine clothing, and a poor man also enters wearing filthy clothing. 3If you look with favor on the man wearing fine clothing and say, “Sit here in this good place,” but you tell the poor man, “Stand over there” or “Sit down here at my feet,” 4have you not made a distinction among yourselves and become judges with evil opinions? 5Listen, my dear brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom, which he promised to those who love him? 6But you dishonored the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you, and don’t they drag you into court? 7Aren’t they the ones who blaspheme the noble name that was pronounced over you? 8However, if you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9But if you show favoritism, you are committing a sin, since you are convicted by this law as transgressors.

10In fact, whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles in one point has become guilty of breaking all of it. 11For the one who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12So speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law of freedom. 13For there will be judgment without mercy on the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Gospel Lesson: Luke 14:1,7-14 – Take the Lowly Place

1One Sabbath day, when Jesus went into the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat bread, they were watching him closely.

7When he noticed how they were selecting the places of honor, he told the invited guests a parable. 8“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline in the place of honor, or perhaps someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him. 9The one who invited both of you may come and tell you, ‘Give this man your place.’ Then you will begin, with shame, to take the lowest place. 10“But when you are invited, go and recline in the lowest place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he will tell you, ‘Friend, move up to a higher place.’ Then you will have honor in the presence of all who are reclining at the table with you.

11“Yes, everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

12He also said to the one who had invited him, “When you make a dinner or a supper, do not invite your friends, or your brothers, or your relatives, or rich neighbors, so that perhaps they may also return the favor and pay you back. 13“But when you make a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. Certainly, you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous.”                        The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version® (EHV®) copyright © 2019 The Wartburg Project.


C a l e n d a r     &     A n n o u n c e m e n t s     f o r     Z i o n     L u t h e r a n     C h u r c h

Today

Aug.28

Monday

Aug.29

Tuesday

Aug.30

Wednesday

Aug.31

Thursday

Sept.1

Friday

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Sept.4

9:00 am

Divine Worship Service

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10:15 am

Fellowship & Bible Study

 

Pentecost 12

  11 am

Bible Class

 

  9:00 am

Divine Worship Service

with Holy Communion

online – Facebook

10:15 am

Fellowship & Bible Study

Pentecost 13

 

 A Brief Bible Study on God’s Word for Today

“Hey, that’s my seat!” School children get in fights day after day, arguing over their special place. Adults look and laugh, and yet we do the same in life when we take pains to assure that we get what’s coming to us—at work, at home, among friends and family—and that everybody sees and knows how important we are. But in these lessons, we are reminded that our King is coming, the Almighty Ruler of the universe, Jesus Christ, next to whom, because of sin, we are nothing and deserve the lowest place. But, because of His love for us, Jesus invites us to the place of honor.

 The Gospel Lesson: Luke 14:1.7-14 (answers are found on the back side)

  1. Why did Jesus tell the guests at this Pharisee’s house the parable of the wedding feast?
  2. Why does Jesus tell the host to invite “the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind” to a dinner?

Those We Remember In Our Prayers: Greg Miller; Lou Schulz; William & Laurie Moon; Pauline Jaeger; Kirsten Jaster (Laurie Moon’s sister); Greg Pierson (the Long’s son-in-law); Libya, Jodi Milam’s granddaughter, diagnosed with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis; Elizabeth Lisenby; Barbara Long; Lois Wiese; all students who have recently or will in the near future return to school.

Did You Know that Judas (Hebrew: Judah) was one of the most popular names in Biblical times? The name means: “Praise the LORD.” Do you know anyone with that name today? What happened? Who wrote the book of Jude and what is it about when he tells us of a fight over Moses’ dead body? Join us in Bible Study today after worship to find out.

Meditations next series of daily devotions for the fall season begins today. There are plenty of copies for family and friends in the narthex.

The Week in Review

Last Sunday Worship: 39; Communed: 33; Bible Class: 18; Midweek Bible Class: 5; Offering: $1,841.

Next Sunday’s Lessons:               

Pentecost 13: Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Philemon 1,7-21; Luke 14:25-35 (CW-21, Series C)

Answers to Today’s Gospel Lesson Brief Study:

  1. To remind them of the need for humility. Those who think they have earned a high seat at the wedding feast of the Lamb in heaven by their own good deeds will be disappointed when they are turned away. It is those who humbly stand at the lowest seats saying, “I only belong here because of what Jesus Christ did for me,” who will be elevated to the places of honor.
  2. The Pharisee looks only to his own public image, “Who can I impress with my guest list? Who can help me out in life?” If you invite only the rich and the wealthy, what good does that do? You perhaps earn favors in this life. You pad your own sinful pride. But if from faith you understand that it is the poor and needy that need your help and comfort, even though they cannot help you in this life, you will reap a hundredfold reward in heaven.

 This week I am praying for……    

“Friend, Move Up to a Higher Place”

By James Wiese on October 6, 2019

Sermon for the 15th Sunday after Pentecost                                                                      September 22, 2019
Text: Luke 14:1,7-14                                 ILCW Series C                                                19:2151
Theme: “Friend, Move Up to a Higher Place”

The boy was scared. He had thrust his hand into his mother’s expensive vase, but couldn’t pull it out again. His mother pulled and pulled, but she couldn’t get it out either. She called the neighbor over to help. Both kept trying to extricate his little hand from the narrow vase, but to no avail. Finally someone asked the little boy if he had opened his fist within the vase, narrowing the size of his hand so that it could be withdrawn more easily. “Oh, no!” the tearful boy cried. “Then I’d lose my marble!”
Sometimes we can be just as foolish, refusing to let go of the “marbles” in our lives – pride, self-interests, the love of money and material things, bad associations, etc. There can be a multitude of different worldly things of which we are afraid to let go but need to let go if we are to “walk in the light of the Lord as He is in the light” (1Jn.1:7). All such things stand between us and fellowship with God. The tragic reality is that we in sin do not want to let go of the “marbles” in our lives. But in so doing, we jeopardize our souls.
“Get rid of every burden and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and let us run with patient endurance the race that is laid out for us. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus” (Hb.12:1-2). Let go and get rid of the marble in your life.

I. Let go of pride (the lifting of yourself above others)
One of the marbles that the Pharisees refused to let go was pride, the exalting of themselves above others. In our text they were pushing and shoving to get the higher seats of honor at the table. Their love of self was so great that there was little room for God and others in their lives, unless it got them something in return. So Jesus told them a parable: “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline in the place of honor, or perhaps someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him. The one who invited both of you may come and tell you, ‘Give this man your place.’ Then you will begin, with shame, to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and recline in the lowest place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he will tell you, ‘Friend, move up to a higher place.’ Then you will have honor in the presence of all who are reclining at the table with you.”
At first hearing, doesn’t it seem like Jesus is contradicting Himself? First, He chastises people for seeking the best places for themselves, but then He seems to encourage it. First, He told them not to sit in the seats of honor, and then He tells them how to obtain the seats of honor. Is that double-talk? How do we reconcile this?
The answer lies in this, in the word “select.” The people were selecting for themselves the places of honor. They in self-pride lifted themselves above others.
Now, that does not mean that it is wrong in life to hold a position above others, nor that we should not desire to go the farthest we can in life. No, there must be those who sit in higher places as well as those who are willing to sit in lower places. We cannot all be presidents or governors or heads of the company or teachers or preachers or even men, women, or children. Rather, God has designed life in this world with many stations and He defines the roles played. He has made distinctions, and each one has enough to do in his own station with the gifts and abilities God has given.
What is important is that you rightly understand your station and that which Jesus means by these words. Realize that you have no right or call to exalt yourself above others.
If you are of a higher rank or in some way above others, this is something given to you by God, not in order that you might put on airs and ride roughshod over someone else. On the contrary, Jesus commands you to be humble and serve your neighbor with this gift from Him “knowing that He who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and He is no respecter of persons” (Ep.6:9). There is no favoritism with Him based on station in life, for in Christ all, whether high or low, are one.
On the other hand, it will not do in God’s eyes for a worker to walk up to his boss and say, “I am just as noble and good as you are in God’s sight. Therefore, I won’t be subject to you. I won’t do as you tell me.”
Sadly, it seems all too common in our day that even the lower stations want to out-swagger the upper stations; the servant wants to be lord over the master, the athlete over the owner, the worker over the boss, the wife over the husband, the children over the parents, and so on. On the contrary God says, “Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church….Husbands, love your wives, in the same way as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her…Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right….Slaves, obey your human masters with respect and reverence, and with a sincere heart, just as you obey Christ….Serve with eagerness, as for the Lord….And masters, do the same” (Ep.5:22ff).
None of us, whether high or low, may in self-pride lift ourselves above others for God has created all stations in life. Before Him none is lowest, except those who are proud, arrogant, and choose to exalt themselves. So, let go the marble of pride, for each of us in our sinful nature have it.
Only think of Christ. He, the Son of God, did the opposite of proud, sinful people of all stations in life. Of all He was the highest, the noblest, yet “He emptied Himself by taking the nature of a servant…He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross” (Phlp.2:7f) that He might save and serve us.
As you contemplate the unsearchable love of Him who died to forgive your sin and the “marble” of human pride that is within us all, that gospel will motivate you to be humble and serve one another, not lifting yourself above them but in taking the “lower seat.” And marvel upon marvels the Savior will turn to say, “Friend, Move Up to a Higher Place!” Such an attitude is honorable in His eyes.

II. Let go the desire to be repaid favor for favor (be generous/kind).
In our text He added, “When you make a dinner or a supper, do not invite your friends, or your brothers, or your relatives, or rich neighbors, so that perhaps they may also return the favor and pay you back. “But when you make a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind. You will be blessed, because they cannot repay you.”
Jesus is not forever forbidding you to ever invite your family and friends. He is not striking at the outward invitation. He is addressing the motivation of the heart – the kind that seeks the same or greater favor for the favor you have shown. In other words – repayment! “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine.” Here is a lesson in generosity, unselfish kindness. Let go the desire to be repaid!
How desperately the world today needs such a lesson. How desperately each of us needs it for all too often we are in danger of restricting our kindness and generosity and channeling it in ways by which we will receive repayment – favor for favor.
Think of it, where would you be if the Savior had dealt with you in such an unkind, selfish, pay-me-back attitude? If He had said, “I will forgive and save you only if you do this or do that first,” where would you be? Could we pay Him sufficiently to cover our sin? Could we pay Him enough to escape death and hell? Perfection is the payment – holiness, which no one achieves on their own, except He, the Savior. But He in His unselfish, generous, kindness gives us forgiveness, salvation, and life – all by grace. And wonder upon wonders, in such faith in Him, at the end He will say: Friend, Move Up to a Higher Place! Heaven! And it shall be, through faith, and faith alone in what the Savior has done for all.
God grant us such a life of humility and generous kindness as we find our full contentment in Christ and His gracious invitation: “Friend, Move Up to a Higher Place”; for Jesus’ sake. Amen.