Daily Readings - Sat Oct 29 2022

¹⁸What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.¹⁹For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,²⁰According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.²¹For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.²²But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.²³For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:²⁴Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.²⁵And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;²⁶That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

Luke

Chapter 14

¹And 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.⁷And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,⁸When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;⁹And 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.¹⁰But 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.¹¹For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two powerful lessons on humility and trust in God's plan. The first reading from Philippians finds Paul in prison, yet he rejoices because the Gospel is being proclaimed. Torn between longing to be with Christ and his commitment to the Philippians, Paul exemplifies humility and trust in God's will. His circumstances do not diminish his faith; instead, they strengthen it, showing us that true strength lies in surrendering to God's plan. The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus teaching a parable at a Pharisee's house, emphasizing the virtue of humility. Jesus warns against seeking high status, instead advising to take the lowest place. This lesson extends beyond social etiquette, urging us to embrace humility in all aspects of life. Just as Paul trusted God despite his imprisonment, we too are called to trust in God's providence, even when our circumstances seem challenging. These readings remind us that humility and trust are essential in our walk with God. In our daily lives, we can apply this by staying humble in our achievements and trusting God's plan, especially during difficult times. The moral lesson is clear: true greatness comes from serving others and trusting in God. Let us strive to live with humility and faith, knowing that our trust in God will guide us through all situations.