Humble and exalted in the Song of Hannah

Posted on October 12, 2022 by Rev. Paul Rydecki
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Sermon for Midweek of Trinity 17

1 Samuel 2:1-10  +  Jude 20-25  +  Mark 2:18-28

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. That’s the straightforward teaching of Jesus which you heard Him illustrate on Sunday in the Parable of the Wedding Guests and His advice to not sit down in the highest place or you will be moved down and shamed, but instead to sit down in the lowest place so that the host may raise you up. That’s a theme that keeps recurring in Scripture. God takes the humble things of this world and raises them up, while He takes the high and lofty things and casts them down. We see it in the patriarchs, especially in Jacob and again in his son Joseph. We see it in King Saul, and then in King David and his sons. We see it in Jesus Himself. We hear it loud and clear in the Song of Mary, the Magnificat. And we hear it just as clearly in the Song of Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel, which we’re going to just walk through this evening.

Remember how the events played out in Hannah’s life. Her husband had two wives, and, as always, that caused problems. His other wife had children; she was “exalted” in that way. Hannah had no children; she was lowly. The other wife also exalted herself, though, looking down on Hannah and ridiculing her and making her life miserable, while Hannah humbled herself before the Lord. She turned humbly to the Lord in prayer, seeking His help and mercy. The Lord granted her request. He exalted her. She gave birth to Samuel and then gave him to the Lord’s service, and then spoke the words before us:

And Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.

You would think Hannah would rejoice in her son who had finally been born to her. You would think her heart would rejoice in her new status as a mother, something she had longed for for years. But, no. Her heart rejoices in the Lord. He is the reason for her rejoicing. His goodness and kindness are the things that make her heart glad. We would all do well to rejoice in the Lord and not in the things of this world, even the good things that the Lord gives. As the Psalmist says, Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You. When you can speak those words in truth, then nothing can take your joy away from you.

Hannah says that her “horn is exalted in the LORD.” That image of a person’s horn is common in the Old Testament. Think of the powerful horns of a bull or of an oryx, the symbol of the animal’s strength. When the animal’s horn is exalted, his head is held up high in victory. When the animal’s horn is bowed low, it’s in shame and defeat. Well, Hannah recognizes her strength and her victory are not from herself or in herself, but in the LORD. She “smiles” at her enemies, although the Hebrew word really just means, “my mouth is wide open against my enemies,” which is probably better translated, “my mouth boasts against my enemies,” not in herself, but in the victory the Lord gave her as He exalted her, “because I rejoice in Your salvation.” She wasn’t boasting in how wonderful she was that she finally gave birth to a son, but in how the Lord had graciously saved her from her barrenness and from her distress.

“No one is holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.

Only the LORD is truly holy. Remember, “holy” means “set apart,” yes, set apart from sin and from imperfection, but also set apart from everyone else. In this case, set apart in goodness, in mercy, in deliverance. For there is none besides You, no one who is this loving, this merciful, this powerful. Nor is there any rock like our God. No one and nothing so strong, so dependable. When the world is crumbling around us, our God is the Rock on which we can stand, without any fear of crumbling.

“Talk no more so very proudly; We think first of Hannah’s “adversary,” her husband’s other wife who spoke proudly against Hannah. But her words apply to everyone.

Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed. Don’t speak highly of yourself in the presence of others, or act like you think you’re better than others or more important than others. God knows the truth, who you really are. He knows all the bad, and He knows that, if there is any good in you, it’s from Him. So the one who judges your actions should not be you. It should be the Lord. Just as the one who chooses your place for you at the wedding feast of God’s kingdom, shouldn’t be you. It should be the Host of the feast.

“The bows of the mighty men are broken. There were no men with bows and arrows after Hannah. She isn’t talking about herself anymore. This is what happens to the powerful of the world, to the wise, to the mighty who exalt themselves and oppose the Lord and His people. Sooner or later, God will break their bows and rescue His children.

And those who stumbled are girded with strength. Those who stumbled—that’s the Christians who live in humility, who don’t run the race of this world powerfully and victoriously, who don’t appear powerful and glorious, but who stumble along, running into this problem and that one and often not knowing what to do. But in the end, the Lord will gird His people with strength, so that we stand, not by our own strength, but by His.

Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread. Those who are full of themselves, who have everything and boast about having everything, end up with nothing. And the hungry have ceased to hunger. As Jesus also said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Even the barren woman has borne seven, And she who has many children has become feeble. God looked with mercy on humble Hannah in her barrenness and gave her children. Sometimes God doesn’t do that, even for humble Christian women. But Hannah is speaking figuratively. She didn’t bear seven children. But the Lord heard her prayer and delivered her in just the way He knew was best for her, and for His people Israel, and even for us. So it goes for the Church, too. God blesses and prospers His Church that appears barren and powerless and gives life and salvation and just the right amount of prosperity, while He brings down the Church that has “many children” but that refuses to tremble at His Word, to preserve the true teaching of the Gospel.

“The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up. Again, He humbles the proud, even to the point of death. He does that physically, but also spiritually as He crushes the haughty, secure sinner with the Law. But He exalts the lowly, even to the point of raising the dead to life. He has done that physically, in a few cases, and He will do it extensively at the last Day. But even now, in spiritual way, He raises up those who have been crushed with the accusations of the Law. He preaches His Gospel, His good news, to them and gives them eternal life.

The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory. That’s the ultimate rags to riches story, isn’t it? When God takes fishermen and tax collectors and makes them apostles, when He takes a murderous Jewish Pharisee and turns him into the apostle to the Gentiles, when He takes poor, miserable sinners and turns us into children of God and into a kingdom of priests who will sit one day with Christ on His glorious throne.

“For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, And He has set the world upon them. In other words, what God establishes, no one can move. And no one can establish himself without the Lord’s blessing. He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. “For by strength no man shall prevail.”

The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken in pieces; From heaven He will thunder against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. “He will give strength to His king, And exalt the horn of His anointed.” This is how the story will end: in glory for the saints of God, in destruction and misery for His enemies. There’s no doubt about it. The only thing we don’t know is God’s timing for it. But if we trust Him to save us, then we also have to trust Him to know when and how to do it. After all, He’s proven His perfect planning and perfect timing by giving strength to His king—to Jesus, after He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—and by exalting the horn of His anointed, by raising up the Christ from the dead and by placing all things under His feet and appointing Him to be head over everything for the Church.

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. It’s the way it has always been with God. Always take the warning to heart! But when you do, then also rejoice with Hannah, with Mary, and with Jesus Himself, and know that the Lord will not break His promise to lift up the humble in due time. Amen.

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Each Day in the Word, Wednesday, October 12th

Posted on October 12, 2022 by Tom and Karen Klumb

Hebrews 13:1–25 (NKJV)

1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. 3 Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also. 4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. 5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” 7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. 14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. 15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. 18 Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. 19 But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. 20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. 22 And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words. 23 Know that our brother Timothy has been set free, with whom I shall see you if he comes shortly. 24 Greet all those who rule over you, and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you. 25 Grace be with you all. Amen.

In this final chapter of the letter to the Hebrews, the writer gives many instructions to Christians: do good, remember those imprisoned for the Gospel, honor Godly marriage, be content with what you have, remember, respect, and obey those whose vocation it is to preach Christ crucified to you because “they watch out for your souls” (v. 17).

But these words are much more than instructions to do good and be on your best behavior.  They don’t so much as tell us what to do as they describe what Christians have been made into and how they have been gifted with God’s free grace in Christ for good works. These words are not a “have to” but a “get to;” they describe the very fruits of God-given faith.

Of special note are the words in vv. 8-9: that Christ is unchangeable, (“immutable”), and that the Christian can rely absolutely on Him who is no respecter of persons and who treats all people the same according to His Word and promises. There is great comfort knowing that our good and gracious God will never act contrary to His Word; He will never change course or veer from His Word; there will be no surprises.  He is constant, consistent, just, fair, loving, and faithful.

Unbelievers everywhere serve gods that they must placate, for they serve and worship themselves. They worship a god who changes according to personal and emotional whims. There is no comfort or certainty in an unfaithful god.

As we live out our various vocations, we are bolstered by Christ’s gifts delivered to us in the Divine Service—Baptism, Absolution, Gospel, and Supper.  These gifts always strengthen our faith and demonstrate God’s kindness and love to us.

Receive His blessing: “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

 

 

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Each Day in the Word, Tuesday, October 11th

Posted on October 11, 2022 by Tom and Karen Klumb

Hebrews 12:1–17 (NKJV)

1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. 14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

The opening words of Hebrews 12 are very comforting; they remind us as Christians that we are never alone. We are surrounded (Greek: “encircled, enclosed”) by saints among us in God’s Church.  We draw strength from other like-minded Christians whose testimony to God’s faithfulness in their lives strengthens our own.

Hebrews 12 teaches us by the Holy Spirit to be thankful that we have not yet given our own blood in our spiritual trials, and to understand that any hardship that comes our way is either given or allowed by God for our good.  We are to see life’s chastenings as signs of God’s love and care for us, the same way human parents discipline and chasten their children in order to mold them into Godly people and productive citizens. The Christian life is a “race” (v. 1) that we “run with endurance” by the power of the Holy Spirit.  God works in us through the Gospel and Christ’s sacraments which deliver forgiveness, strength, and peace in ways the world cannot give.

As we live out our various vocations suffering rejection, chastisement, and persecution for standing in the one true faith in Christ, we remember that God Himself chastened his own Son. Christ, the perfectly innocent only-begotten Son of God was mocked, ridiculed, scourged, hung on a cross, and killed in our place.  His substitutionary death for all sins of all people of all time bought forgiveness of sins for all who believe in Him by God-given faith. And Christ’s resurrection from the grave on the Third Day gives us the sure and certain hope of our own resurrection, so that we have everything to look forward to when our Lord calls us Home to be with Him in heaven.  There we will be free from all the ravages and effects of sin forever and have eternal fellowship with all the saints and witnesses who have gone before us.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, thank You for enduring the wrath that my sins deserved and for giving me Your forgiveness, life, and salvation. Strengthen me in the true faith unto the end. Amen.

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Each Day in the Word, Monday, October 10th

Posted on October 10, 2022 by Tom and Karen Klumb

Hebrews 11:17–40 (NKJV)

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. 24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. 31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. 32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

The words “by faith” appear in this reading 11 times, and “through faith” once.  Faith is vitally important. It is only by God-given faith that anyone listed in this reading was able to withstand a test, believe in a promise from God, overcome impossible odds, endure torture, be kept safe from hungry lions, remain strong even when weak, march through enemy territory, withstand temptation, defeat attackers who outnumbered them greatly, avoid certain death, offer up one’s own son, and not deny God’s promises even while being killed. To be sure, only faith in God’s promises can do these utterly miraculous things, for ultimately it is God Himself doing it.

Each week we recite these words in the Divine Liturgy: “I, a poor, miserable sinner…”  It is good that we do, for not only is the statement true, but to recite and believe these words about ourselves places us in the right position before God—the position of understanding that we are, in and of ourselves, hopeless, hapless, and helpless either to save ourselves or have anything at all to do with our salvation, forgiveness, or deliverance from any kind of evil or hardship.  All those in today’s reading understood this, and the only thing they had to survive spiritually was God-given faith in His promises of deliverance; that was all they needed.

We do well to remember that even the faith we have is God’s gift to us; Eph 2:8-9, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it (faith) is a gift of God, not by works lest any man should boast.”  We boast in God’s work for us in and through Christ.

By faith in Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection for you, you also will be able to withstand everything the devil, the world, and your sinful flesh throw at you.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, thank You for paying for my sins and giving me Your promises that You never break. Strengthen me in the one true faith so that I may live, die, and rise again in You. Amen.

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Humble and meek like Jesus

Posted on October 9, 2022 by Rev. Paul Rydecki
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Sermon for Trinity 17

Ephesians 4:1-6  +  Luke 14:1-11

In today’s Epistle, St. Paul urged the Ephesians—and all Christians—to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you were called. What is that “calling with which you were called?” It’s the calling of the Holy Spirit through the Gospel to become a Christian, to follow Christ. When Christ Himself called people to Himself, what did He say? Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me. For I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. To follow Christ is, first, to come to Him in faith for that rest He promises, for the free forgiveness of sins and peace with God through Him. And then, to follow Christ is to take His yoke upon you and to learn from Him. What are we to learn? That He is meek and lowly, that is, humble in heart. And that’s just how Paul explained it to the Ephesians: with all humility and meekness, with patience, bearing with one another in love. Even though Christ is greater than any creature in the universe, even though all men are sinners, He doesn’t look down on people as being unworthy of His care. He didn’t come into the world to be served by men, but to serve, to consider the needs of us sinful human beings before His own needs. His humility accomplished our salvation!

What a contrast with the attitude He finds among men—even the most religious of men, sometimes! We see in today’s Gospel the opposite of humility among the Pharisees and the guests at the Sabbath meal Jesus attended. And you’ll find that, even among those who claim to follow Christ, there is often a real hesitation to follow Him down to the meekness and humility that characterizes Him and is supposed to characterize all who follow Him. Listen to Jesus’ teaching today. Learn what true humility looks like. And humble yourselves before the Holy Spirit as He would mold you into the meek and humble image of Christ.

Our Gospel takes place toward the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, on His way to Jerusalem for the last time to humble Himself and become obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. It was the Sabbath day, and Jesus had been invited to a Pharisee’s house for a meal. There was a man there who suffered from dropsy, the painful swelling of the legs or arms. A perfect opportunity for Jesus to serve, to heal that suffering man.

But should He? It’s the Sabbath day, after all. The Jews weren’t supposed to do any work. Just recently, just a few verses before our text, Jesus had had a similar encounter on a Sabbath day, not in a home, but at a synagogue! There He healed a woman who had been afflicted by a demon for almost 20 years. But the ruler of the synagogue actually scolded the woman who was healed for daring to be healed on the Sabbath—a backhanded way of scolding Jesus for doing the healing. But Jesus’ reply shamed that ruler and gained the approval of the multitude: Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath? So now, before healing the man with dropsy, Jesus gives the Pharisees and experts of the Law an opportunity to explain why He should or shouldn’t do it. But they’re too cowardly to even answer. So Jesus heals the man, sends Him away, and then puts the very reasonable question to them, “Which of you, if your ox or donkey fell into a pit, would not immediately pull it out on the Sabbath day?” But they couldn’t answer.

Why? The Sabbath Law didn’t actually prevent anyone in Israel from helping their neighbor on the Sabbath Day. And all of them knew it was perfectly good and right for them to help their own animals on the Sabbath Day. Why couldn’t they admit that Jesus was right to heal?

Because of their pride. Pride in how they had always interpreted the Law. Pride in their imagined superiority over their fellow Israelites for how well they kept the Sabbath Law. Pride that didn’t want Jesus to be right, because that would mean they were wrong. That pride obscured their understanding of the Scriptures. It made them irrational. It made them into merciless cowards who were more interested in holding onto their faulty interpretation of the Law and their own superior status than they were in seeing a fellow Israelite rescued from his pain.

In contrast, there was Jesus, the very God who had given Israel the command to do no work on the Sabbath, showing them that God didn’t establish the Sabbath day so that they could serve Him, but so that He could serve them with His Word, and so that they could serve one another with their works, without having to worry about working at their day jobs.

But the pride Jesus observed in those religious leaders He also observed among the other guests. He watched as each of them made a mad dash to take the place of highest honor at the table, maybe the place closest to the host, each one interested only in himself, each one thinking he deserved the host’s approval more than anyone else.

So Jesus tells a parable about a different kind of meal, about a wedding banquet, about the kingdom of God. And He helps His hearers to see how foolish it is to get wrapped up in yourself and to go seeking the place of honor for yourself. Because, sorry to break it to you, it isn’t your opinion of you that matters, or the other guests’ opinion of you. It’s the host’s opinion of you that matters. And the best way to gain the host’s favor is not by insulting him, is not by assuming he must think highly of you, but by lowering yourself, humbling yourself, taking the lowest place, allowing the host to deal with you according to his kindness, not according to what you think you deserve from him. If you take the highest place for yourself, you can bet that the host will come and take you down a few notches, so that you end up being shamed by him and shamed in the eyes of everyone else. But if you start out in the lowest place, if you think of yourself last and are content with the lowest place, then the host will surely raise you up. Because you didn’t insult him. You cast yourself before his mercy. You submitted to his judgment, trusting that it would be right. And so what, if your fellow guests look at you in scorn and contempt for a while as you sit there in the lowest place? When the host raises you up, you’ll be honored in their sight, too.

It’s very reasonable, isn’t it? The problem is, people aren’t thinking about the Host’s opinion, that is, God’s opinion. Or if they do think about it, they assume they know what He thinks instead of letting Him tell them what He thinks of them. It’s not safe to assume you know what God is thinking. It’s insulting to Him. He has told us all what He thinks of us. There is no one righteous, no, not one. They have all turned aside. They have together become corrupt. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. So it’s really very reasonable for anyone and everyone to take the last place in God’s kingdom. To humble himself or herself before God.

But then we have to listen to what else He says. He says that He sent His Son, Christ Jesus, into the world to save sinners, who, being in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped. But He emptied Himself, taking upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in the form of a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. And why did He humble Himself? For us. Just as Christ is really the Good Samaritan of that parable, so He’s also the one at the wedding feast who came and humbled Himself in the kingdom of God and was then raised up to the highest place by His Father, so that sinners who humble themselves in repentance might be raised up along with Him and share in His glory. The Host of that heavenly banquet has already told us whom He honors and of whom He approves: To this man I will look, even to him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My word. Whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

But you can’t stop with humbling yourself before God in repentance. To follow Christ is also to make it your daily purpose to imitate Christ, and as we’ve seen, one of His chief characteristics is humility and meekness. He cared about needs of others. You, care about the needs of others. He didn’t think of Himself. You, don’t think of yourself. As Paul writes to the Philippians, Let nothing be done out of strife or conceit, but in humility let each esteem the other better than himself. Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Let this mind be in you all, which was also in Christ Jesus.

That’s what it means to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you were called. To humble yourself before God, and to trust that for the sake of Christ alone He will lift you up, and then to keep that same attitude of lowliness and humility toward your neighbor, not because he or she is “better than you,” but because your only focus is following Christ, imitating Christ, being like Christ, with all humility and meekness, with patience, bearing with one another in love. Amen.

 

 

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