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Sunday School Lesson
When God created the human race, this highest creation was given the ability to think. This allowed humans to communicate with each other, and come to his or her own conclusions concerning personal actions to be taken. The enemy of God - Satan - used a serpent as the vehicle for bringing this race to a point of decisionmaking that would affect all individuals who would follow. The point of temptation was the questioning of the wisdom of the heavenly father - the creator of the universe - and causing the woman to conclude that this divine one was withholding something good - "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil," Genesis 3:5. Thus, the human race began to bow to the god of self-esteem, and self-assertion. This idolatry has become so ingrained in our nature that only a change from within can root out this attitude. This facet of human nature often shows itself in the form of pride or arrogancy. This kind of attitude was observed by Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Luke recorded a scene that has become a part of the gospel record, as a kind of negative example. He began his report, "And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath day, that they watched him." Luke 14:1. Their watching was done in order to trap the son of God in some kind of religious short-coming. The master healed the sick man who was present, and, then showed them the ridiculous nature of their interpretation of the law. Luke 14:2-6. The men who were present that day were quite familiar with the word picture that was painted by our lord. They had - no doubt - been part of the described scene. "And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms…" Luke 14:7. In that society - and many instances in our day - the placing at the table was of great importance. The guests of honor were seated near the host. The master continued painting the scene with a directive. "When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him; And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room." Luke 14:8, 9. Those present that day heard the principle re-stated that had been part of the scripture which each of these hearers had known from childhood. "But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee." Luke 14:10. Proverbs 25:6,7. Since the men who were present were quite proficient at self-exaltation, the master put forth a teaching that was not new to them, but of which they needed to be reminded. "For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke 14:11. These Pharisees were familiar with their national history. The story of their first king was part of the fabric that made up their lives. After the man, Saul, turned his heart away from the things of Jehovah, and began to pursue his own ideas, God sent the prophet, Samuel, to him. The message included a reminder, "When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?" 1 Samuel 15:17. This reminder was followed by a divine declaration. "…For thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel." 1 Samuel 15:26b. Solomon, the third king of Israel, recognized the need for personal humility. "Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honor is humility." Proverbs 18:12; 29:23. The Apostle Paul addressed this thought as he wrote his letter to the church at Rome. He warned, "For I say through the grace that is given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." Romans 12:3. He wrote to the Ephesian believers - and us - regarding our personal walk or the path of life that we tread. This walk must be "With all lowliness, and meekness, with longsuffering, forebearing one another in live." Ephesians 4:2. As the apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15) wrote to the church at Philippi, he addressed this topic, and used Jesus as his great example. He instructed these believers, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and made himself in the likeness of men: And being found in the fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of then cross." Philippians 2:4-8. The Apostle Peter reminded all readers that we have the ultimate example. He wrote of Jesus, and told of his "leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps." 1 Peter 2:21b. Since humility cuts across the grain of our human nature, each of us must, consciously, make the decision to show this quality. Peter, further, instructed, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." 1 Peter 5:6.
May we submit to the plan and purpose of God, so that the heavenly father will be glorified. Matthew 5:16.
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