S7E33 - Luke 14 - Humility Changes Everything

Pride rarely shows up announcing itself. It looks like “being right,” protecting our schedule, chasing the best seat, or keeping relationships transactional. As we continue our walk through the Gospel of Luke, chapter 14 brings all of that into the light and replaces it with something better: Christian humility that chooses compassion, releases the need for recognition, and serves without expecting payback. 

We start with Jesus healing on the Sabbath while the Pharisees watch for a technicality, and we ask the uncomfortable question Luke 14 forces on us: have our rules ever become an excuse to stop seeing people? From there, Jesus tells a wedding feast parable that flips status culture upside down, then pushes even further by redefining generosity and kingdom hospitality. We also talk honestly about modern scenarios like helping someone on the street and why discernment, relationship, and faithful avenues of support matter. 

Then the chapter turns sharply to the parable of the great banquet and the “good reasons” that keep people from responding to God’s invitation. Finally, Jesus addresses the crowds with the cost of discipleship: loving Him above every other loyalty, taking up the cross, and refusing a lukewarm faith that loses its saltiness. If you want practical application from Luke 14 that reaches your calendar, your money, your relationships, and your priorities, this conversation is for you. 

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Welcome Back And Luke Series

SPEAKER_02 0:12

What's up, Lifehouse family? Welcome back to the Life Talk Podcast. It's another Monday morning, and we are excited to be joined by you, our listeners, and continuing through the book of Luke on this series. And we're over halfway. It's into the month of August. At least the summer hasn't been too hot. You know, I think it's been tolerable, hasn't been too crazy, but school is going to be back in. Some people are back in. It just keeps getting earlier and earlier, but it's that time of year. But we are moving forward in the book of Luke. And I am joined by, well, it's only three amigos today. Rico decided he needed a short sabbatical for August on us, so we gave him a little bit of PTO. But I am joined by Jeremy Elrich, our QAQC guy. You know, it's we haven't gotten so good that we don't need the quality checks, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:03

I'm still here. Still checking. All right.

SPEAKER_02 1:06

You and the family doing well. How's the summer been?

SPEAKER_00 1:09

And back to school is always a fun time with you know, Kathy being a teacher and kids who just don't want to go back to school. So it's always a it's always a fun time.

SPEAKER_02 1:17

It's a big transition. Yep. So we're good to have you. And Jonathan Bush is with us today. What's going on, Jonathan? Good morning. How's things in the flying world? They're going well. They're going a lot. They're prepared.

SPEAKER_01 1:31

The laws of gravity and physics haven't changed or anything. Yeah, we're just getting ready for the fall semester. So looking at another full cohort of about a hundred some students and trying to get them just get everything prepared. Make sure we got the aircraft maintained and instructors and ready to go. So looking forward to that. But hey, Rico, you're missed. Shout out.

SPEAKER_02 1:52

You know, and uh hopefully, hopefully we can have him back here shortly. That's right. That's right. He is missed. Hopefully the listeners miss him too. So we have a good crew, but we want to keep going uh with everybody, give you some weekly content to just encourage your week to help you dig into God's word. And so today

Why Luke 14 Focuses On Humility

SPEAKER_02 2:10

we're continuing forward. Last week we were in Luke chapter 13. Jonathan took us through the the narrow door and really the key of the path that follows Christ. And today we're going to be in chapter 14. We're going to dig into the whole chapter, which has a really consistent theme of overall humility and what that looks like. And it starts the first half really looks at our humility towards others, the posture that we have in various situations that we'll walk through. And then there's a clear transition because Christ is talking to the Pharisees, but he moves away from them in the parable of the great banquet, and then he's talking to the crowds, and then also saying, hey, the cost of discipleship, the cost of following me requires a humility. It requires a posture of submission, obedience, as well as perseverance in our faith. And so that's going to be our walkthrough today. But if we start out, we look at the first 14 verses, we're going to see that our humility towards others really confronts worldly patterns of religion, recognition, and rewards.

Healing On The Sabbath

SPEAKER_02 3:20

We've got to get at least a little bit of alliteration in here, right? So, but the first several verses, what's important to note here in verse one, it says, one Sabbath, when he Jesus went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. So I think this really establishes the first several verses, the stories, the teaching that Jesus is going to bring about here. He's talking to an audience of the Pharisees, those who are the religious, you know, ones. So those who really think of themselves probably pretty highly, you know. So why humility is going to factor in in terms of their worldly position and how they approach that. And the initial story here is there was a man who had dropsy, a disease, and Jesus, before healing, just looks at the lawyers and Pharisees and says, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? But they're not. And this is something we've consistently seen throughout the book of Luke. One theme that Luke is really bringing out is confronting this religious hypocrisy, this idea that just following all the rules, living out all the regulations is what's going to get you there. And so they remain silent. They didn't say anything. They've probably at this point kind of come to realize, you know, Jesus has has something bigger. They they don't want to look like idiots, but then Jesus takes the man and heals him and sends him away. And he he looks at them and really showing them can conviction here says, which of you would have a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, and you'll not immediately pull him out? And they could not reply to these things. That really he, you know, you would be hypocritical to say, I'm not going to help someone that's close to me just on the Sabbath, say, no, you got to stay there for the next day. So we really hear he's confronted this religion, confronting that rules or regulations should keep us from seeing people and having that posture of humility that other people are more important than these systems or or things that we set up for ourselves, which is really so emblematically represented by the Pharisees.

SPEAKER_00 5:31

Yeah, I mean, I think you hit on when you're at the at the end there, like something I was thinking about that, you know, uh we need to prioritize compassion over tradition, like man-made rules. Religion cannot replace a relationship. You know, and this other the other thing that was like jumping out to me as I was thinking, as you were talking through this, was this dropsy that this man had was it uh it was a visible condition. So I mean in order for Jesus to heal them, it was a visible, unmistakable healing, and then but they're still hard-hearted, still unbelieving, still lost in that in that in that stuck in that tradition, stuck in that in that in that religion.

SPEAKER_02 6:17

Like you said, use the word compassion, the lack of compassion when we get too hardened towards religion. Religion, I always we use the word when we need to, but I don't love the word because it can just re represent and call to mind too much of a rigid system that is just inflexible towards people and more about the rules, and that's what I think we see Christ constantly confronting here.

SPEAKER_01 6:42

Yeah, it's interesting just a little bit with the text of what we've covered up so far, or covered with back in uh chapter six, with the guy with the withered hand that was healed on the Sabbath, and then just a few weeks ago in chapter 13, beginning of that with the woman with the disabling spirit, and then you know, now with this condition of uh dropsy. And you know, remember Luke's he's a physician, and he's highlighting things that at you know, even even for us nowadays, some of this we we wouldn't be able to deal with. And yet it's stuff that you know, I'm sure as a physician, somewhat, you know, when you see that you're amazed, right? And and what can you do? But glorify God with with that, that's such an obvious miracle. And and so I think there is a contrast there with what God is doing to some level, like from a just an earthly perspective, that you are just like, how can you not see this? You know, when when you have people that are hurting that need it, and you know, and and even as a physician, I'm sure most good doctors, they you know, their their mission is to help people to keep you know to to make them so they aren't sick anymore. And so I'm sure his like from his perspective, he he he sees this and it just doesn't make sense to him, you know. And yet when you have a hard heart, um and I think nowadays it's something we see just around us is is one of the things that goes is the love for others. Right. Um you know, for whatever you make excuses, you say, well, it's just because in this case, it's on the Sabbath. We can't we can't do this on the Sabbath, that's not right. But you know, I think for us nowadays, you know, we we make excuses of why we can't help our neighbor.

SPEAKER_02 8:22

Right. 100%. And like you said, humility, good way to put it, and this will be the theme that comes out. It's not thinking less of yourself. Some people like, oh, being humble just means you don't think you're very good, or you just don't think you're very skilled or talented, and that's not it at all. It's thinking of yourself less, it's thinking about others more like you you say. So instead of being hung up on my rules and my religion, it's hey, how do I reach out to others? And that's where, you know, especially as Christians, man, you should be in church, you should be worshiping, but is there a situation where you would not help someone because I gotta go to church this morning? You know, like if your neighbor needs something and you could minister to them, prayerfully, that may be an opportunity. So there's always a lot of discernment. You know, you may need to show your neighbor, like, hey, I ain't helping you repair your whatever, just you know, we could do it on Saturday, but are you thinking in an other-ish mindset is pretty important.

SPEAKER_00 9:19

Yeah, and they God designed the Sabbath as a day of rest because he knows that we need rest, right? But they had taken it to another level, adding all of these things on. And so I'm really reminded of when Jesus tells them you know, the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. And so our ability to show compassion shouldn't be overridden by you know by our own understanding of rules and regulations.

SPEAKER_02 9:50

In a lot of sense, showing compassion shouldn't be work. I think that's what he's showing us here. Some people are like, the Pharisees are gone to this. Well, I can't do any work. Well, helping other people shouldn't be work, it should be a joy to serve. And if you see others as more important, then it's still the Sabbath. I'm helping other people. That's part of resting and not having to be focused on all of the works. So some pretty important points here, confronting religion in a how we're humble about that. And then verse 7

Choosing The Lowest Seat

SPEAKER_02 10:20

moves forward to a parable that Jesus tells about a wedding feast. And first of all, he challenges the the idea about recognition. You know, so when you're invited in verse eight to to a wedding, don't sit in the place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited, and he who invites you will come and say, Hey, give up your place to this person, and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, friend, move up higher. Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. So Jesus really flipping, you know, the script here of how we seek recognition. And it should not be seeking it for ourselves or in our own strength, but when we are humble, when we are faithful, we allow God to bring those things our way. So being humble is seeing others again in this theme as more important, and then through humility, if recognition comes your way, you glorify God and you're thankful for it. But if not, that's okay too, because you see others as more important. So I kind of thought about like, if you ever fly much, I know Jonathan's in the pilot seat all the time, but you know, you fly on commercial and there's first class seats and there's coach seats. And you know, I had a time for a while where I had some airline status and you're always hoping you get upgraded, like I want to get upgraded to first class. But it's like, hey, if you think I deserve first class, you know, and that's the seat you get on in the plane, like, hey, uh, we got a super platinum guy, you got to move to the back. Like, that would be pretty embarrassing. So you wait, uh, hey, coach is fine, and if I get upgraded, cool. But if not, that's okay too.

SPEAKER_00 12:09

So yeah, I mean, yeah, I think you just stole one of the things I was gonna say earlier. So like about the humility is not about thinking of less of yourself, but it's about thinking of yourself less. Like when I was studying through this passage, I was thinking of that line and how anytime in my life that I've tried to like push ahead, like I've I've found you know, that like that I got humbled of like but when I let when when I stand still and and walk through doors that God opens, then He gets the glory and things happen the way that they should, right? So letting God promote you and don't promote yourself is the kind of the theme there. And I've had plenty of times where I've like you bullheadedly walked into tried to force the door open on my own, but tough life lessons to learn. But when we let God promote us, when we're not trying to seek that self-promotion, it's it's way better. And of course, by the time you get like you're like you have to you need to guard against false humility too. I don't want to be humble. I don't know, I don't want to say, well, I'm just being humble.

SPEAKER_02 13:22

But the humble brag, right?

SPEAKER_01 13:24

Yeah, like so. Yeah. I mean for us, I think just in culture, it's it's not like we a lot of times it's not humility is seen like as weakness, or it's seen sometimes as something kind of like that's not desirable because you know, you're the you're making it happen. It's you. It's it's you know, whether you got a big time job and lots of responsibility and things like that, it's like and and that's just to some level I would say the human nature of of the sin that's in us. And so, you know, in in chapter 13 here, when you you know you look going through the narrow gate and and looking at God's kingdom that's coming, part of what God's doing here is is showing like that's not how my kingdom's gonna be, you know, this is this is in contrast to what the world is offering. This is in in contrast, and like Mitch would say, you know, the the first sin and all sin is is tied to pride. Well, what's what's the antidote to that? It's humility, it's being humble, it's putting yourself in the right place. And and I think it's part of the the our sanctification process as we go day by day. What God shows us, and I know what he shows me a lot of times is it's not that like sometimes I think because yeah, you think, oh, if I just no asceticism, if I just you know remove all these things and somehow just keep it Christ-centered, then I'll I'll I'll make it. But I I think a lot of times it's just the what we have day to day as you know, when you wake up and you read the word and you're spending time in prayer, is with that relationship, God just reminds you of okay, this is this is your task, and it may be a pretty cool task. It may have a lot of responsibility, it may be something that brings him glory, but at the same time to keep you having a heavenly perspective so that you don't, you know, you get that big ego or habit where the pride starts tripping you up. And and I think it starts with the thoughts, it starts with keeping the thoughts pure with and realizing like in this case, like when you go into like a like just say, you know, I go into work working with students and you know with class and things like that. My mindset is how can I what do you have for me today to to serve my students? Like, what is it that's coming as opposed to man, I can't believe I got I got so and so, man, they're struggling, and I'm gonna have to spend some extra time with them, or what you know, you know what I mean? Like it's just having that right heart posture, being prepared for the opportunities that are gonna be there.

SPEAKER_02 15:58

Yeah, and I think you're bringing up a good point. We can examine and test by what kind of things would offend you, you know, or where would you feel, you know, either whether it's anger, frustration, like if you don't get the credit. Like some people are all about titles, like if you don't call me doctor or something, or you don't call me mr. Whatever, or you don't acknowledge my position, you know, those are the things where we can kind of see that pride, like you said, that self-centeredness is what we all, that's where sin, the nature that we're born into, is that self-focus and humility is turning that around, which comes through Christ. And we'll kind of see that as we work through the the passage of where that really comes from. But I think what you're pointing out, how we can examine, you know, do you want that front row seat or are you okay with sitting in the back? Or, you know, I even think, you know, you go to a big lunch and it's like, uh, is everybody gonna get food? Am I nope, I gotta be at the front of the line because I gotta get mine, you know. So there's just so many scenarios where we can test and see where our heart is at in terms of what worries us, you know, what do we maybe get anxious about, and it can take different forms, but the pride, like you say, is counter to humility. So pretty important stuff. And then Jesus even takes it

Generosity Without Payback

SPEAKER_02 17:15

a little bit further in verse 12. He also then says, There's a man who had invited him to this dinner, and he says, When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or brothers or your relatives or neighbors, Jesus is telling this guy, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just. And so this is really that rewards mentality. Again, kind of like thinking, not only do I just want titles, but why am I doing the things I do? Is it so I can earn some status or put people kind of in my debt? You know, I always kind of think I was in the consulting business for a while. We would go to conferences, and hey, we gotta take this guy to dinner because he's the one who could influence whether we get contracts or you know, tasks and things like that. So we were selective about who we were trying to spend time with because, hey, we we gotta spend time with the power players because we want them to do something in return for us. And that's really the mentality. I work to, you know, usually you want to try to just have relationships with people for relationships with people and not having expectations. But when you're doing these things, you're a respecter of persons, then that shows like you're seeking earthly reward rather than truly trying to reach out to like the guy with dropsy on the Sabbath. Like, are those the people you're seeing and and trying to pour out and be generous to?

SPEAKER_00 18:48

So I mean, what one of the things I'd to add on to what you're saying the host is inviting people who could repay him, right? Because it becomes a form of social currency when we're like, oh, well, I'm gonna invite you and you invite and you invite me. Or a mutual admiration society, and when we only invite our friends to things. But like what Jesus is saying is that kingdom hospitality is isn't a calculated currency system, it's it's grace-driven who and showing love to those who who can't repay you.

SPEAKER_01 19:23

Yeah, and in this case it says he said to the man who had invited him. So I wonder somewhat, you know, what was his heart? You know, was he kind of like Why did you invite me today? Checking him because who else was there? Well, the Pharisees and other well-to-do. So what did it look like? Was the first the list of you know, your brother, fart friends, neighbors, rich neighbors, etc. Was that kind of when he looked around and realized that's who's there? And uh, you know, to some level he's taught with his disciples there, he's he's you know, reminding them, well, it there's a lot more than just the well-to-do. There's a lot of need out there. And so, you know, when when you look around, are you the people that you're that are involved in your life, does it include people that need help? You know, people that are would otherwise be maybe marginalized if you you know, to some extent. Right.

SPEAKER_02 20:15

That doesn't mean we don't want to say it's bad to have friends, family, you know, we have those relationships and we do those things, but are you intentional about putting out effort and not just when it might happen to be that I can do things for others who can't repay me, who are in need, having the you know, of course, Jonathan and I do in financial peace, you know, are you generous to use what God has given you to people who can't pay you back? You know, so it's pretty critical.

SPEAKER_01 20:43

You know, uh just throw this out there, see what you guys think. But do you guys like what is your take when you got the panhandler by the light? And he's you know, it's like out of work, need something, God bless. You know, and and it's like I don't know. I I think what I struggle sometimes with is the the trust of are they really someone that needs it versus someone that is taking advantage of our generosity. Anyway, just just something one of those things that I I face with almost on a daily basis, because usually when I come off highway one right there, there's someone else standing there, and I don't know, it's hard because it's like I think sometimes I'll you know provide something, but yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:30

I agree. I think there's a lot of discernment that kind of goes into that because unfortunately used a good word trust. Like we don't know if that person actually is in need or if they're just you know being a taker, and the Bible says, you know, those who could work and don't work, you know, there's a lot of admonishment for the lazy, but we are to try to help those in needs. And that's where I think getting to know people, you know, so a lot of in that situation might give them food or something rather than money. So we're trying to help provide for. your needs but not enable you to not do what you could to you know live out what you had.

SPEAKER_01 22:07

Yeah that relationship kind of is where what's helped me to some level so I don't just give five bucks or whatever because you know my concern would be that they're gonna take that and possibly use it for drugs or not not for what they say they're gonna use it for actually have a s I do have a story on that where actually a gentleman that I did help that evening after I had given him something found out that he had basically OD'd on on drugs. And you know it kind of impacted me because I always thought well what percentage like was I enabling that to some level but with what you're saying is is getting to know people it becomes obvious to some level if you spend a little bit of time it's not going to be just while I'm sitting at a stoplight that I can necessarily make that discernment. Maybe God comes down and says hey Jonathan you need to give this guy five bucks or give him a sound give him the sound you got but I haven't had that happen yet.

SPEAKER_02 23:04

So well and even beyond that I would say an also important part just in general relationships a lot of times people need that relationship spending time with people seeing people that God is placing in your circle that you can impact not just through a handout but who can I give time give relationship which also allows you to share your faith and and I would even say building what you said like in our society what I would say to people a lot of times you can give to organizations that help the homeless or do things in a faithful way that are going to have the time to provide in a more faithful way whether it's shelters food whatever the case may be rather than just handing out so we could do a whole episode on that and it is an important issue though so I think you bring out something really good there.

SPEAKER_01 23:50

Yeah and then just always remember you know we are a well-to-do country but at the same time you know even in our church there's a lot of need so just be on the lookout for that 100% always be ready to help the neighbor.

SPEAKER_02 24:03

Yep Sunday everybody can look their best but there's a lot of need and like say even just visiting people in the hospital or widows or you know maybe have a family with foster care that you can help and orphans there's so many things like you say that other than just sometimes just giving money is actually the lazy way, you know, instead of actually making a sacrifice because you like you said we are an abundant country so five bucks may not be a lot you know in the case whereas spending an hour of your time is a much greater sacrifice that you can make for others good

The Great Banquet And Our Excuses

SPEAKER_02 24:35

when you have a humble humble posture. But moving ahead to verse 14 we see a big transition that starts to take place in this chapter. Jesus has been addressing the Pharisees and pointing out their lack of humility when it comes to religion and recognition and the rewards that that they're really seeking. And so now he's transitioning from talking to the Pharisees and he's going to tell a parable that's going to move him towards talking about the crowds. So we're gonna have this movement from the audience Pharisees to the crowd as well as it's going to move from the humility specifically to others in terms of people and the humble attitude we need to have towards Christ as our Savior and Christ as our Lord and following him. So kind of the the object of humility and the audience is going to change a little bit here because he's going to tell a parable in response to one of the Pharisees who says Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God and and Jesus doesn't really say yes no or or acknowledge that directly but he proceeds to tell a story of a man a master of the house who gave a great banquet and invited many but those who he invited made all kinds of excuses excuses of business you know I got to go field I bought you know I got all these things or I just got married so got to go take care of this new wife that I have all kinds of excuses and so the master gets understandably frustrated and so he says to his servant to go out into the streets and invite the other people and I think what's interesting even inviting he keeps keeps inviting and there's still room so that the house would be filled so he wants to see the whole house filled and he says in verse 24 for none of those who were invited shall taste of my banquet and so we know this is a real confrontation to the Pharisees the the Jews who thought just because I'm a Jew I deserve to get into heaven and so this is where he's flipping that humility and flipping the audience as he's going to transition through the rest of the chapter and really look like hey you guys are making all kinds of excuses to not follow me to not accept the invitation that God is laying right out in front of you. And so again that's that humility of how we get into the the banquet and and have that posture so some important items there.

SPEAKER_01 27:28

That comes off the top of my head would be just you know sometimes with the kids it's like oh man like I just want to finish this episode of whatever you know or or finish doing this and then realize it's like nope this is my stewardship for my family and I need to you know be faithful in that and and not be so tied to my time that I can't you know allow it to you know g address whatever needs addressing at that point.

SPEAKER_00 27:55

I mean the to your point yes the the ex these were kind of absurd excuses right like I bought land without going to see it but so now I need to go look at it. You know I'm testing my oxen at night like kind of kind of counterintuitive you know but these and these are like being made to avoid the call of God to avoid the the real the parable is like showing that these excuses are made and to avoid God's call. But God is going to fill his house like you like you said, Nate like and you know human refusal can't thwart that divine sovereignty. I mean even if we do have things that come up in our lives I think I've said this before on previous episodes good things can become bad things when they keep us from the best thing. And so you know people can miss the kingdom not because they're being persecuted or because they have this they but because they're distracted by something that might be a good thing, you know, or not necessarily a bad thing, but it's just keeping us from the best thing.

SPEAKER_02 29:01

100% and so I think that's again where we're seeing this shift in both the audience as well as not just humility in terms of how we're postured towards others but the master of the house here you know are you humble in accepting the invitation or are you putting other things that are about you your business your relationships and Jesus will even further confront some of these things in the rest of the passage but what is your priority in terms of your focus? Is that your focus on the master the house the your Lord and Savior or is it those

Counting The Cost Of Discipleship

SPEAKER_02 29:35

other distractions like you say? And so once he moves past this into verse 25 now we get into seeing that humility before Christ because he's now addressing the crowds you know we're not addressing the Pharisees now all these people who are following Jesus and why are they following him? Is it just to again be associated with him he's a you know great teacher you know whatever the case may be but he addresses them and he says if you're going to come to me and not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life he cannot be my disciple for whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. And then he goes on to give some illustrations of counting the cost either starting a building and not finishing it or a king who would go to war but can't win it. And it's important we I think this came up a couple episodes ago where we kind of talked about in chapter nine Jesus had addressed you know kind of the division that will come from following him and so a lot of people are like well is Jesus telling me to hate you know my family or anything it's like well in this case if we really study some of the commentators and the language here the hate is just the a relative term in this case you still love your family but compared to how much you love Christ it looks like hate in comparison. You know so Christ is so far and away the priority in your life and following him being his disciple that it can look that way. Even though because you love him you will love your family and you will love them better by being a follower of Christ but that's where your priorities now to line up and that's where bearing your cross and this will be the dedication of my life. You know that's the if you think you're just going to follow Jesus for a year or two kind of in that religious and then maybe he'll bless me but I'll walk away as soon as things are hard or or whatnot means you haven't truly understood the gospel and the sacrifice of Christ. So I think that's an important thing. Some illustrations I kind of thought of you know biblically we know all the way back in Genesis Lot's wife leaving Sodom and Gomorrah you know God is literally rescuing them from destruction yet she looks back over her shoulder you know like looking back at the pleasures of the the city and the things she feels like she would miss still loving and prioritizing those things more and one of my favorite movies it's called the Shawshank Redemption it's a little bit getting a little older now but good movie. It's a tough movie because it's about prison life and unfortunately you see some people who are supposed to be religious figures in the warden who are who are the worst people in the movie but one thing that's in that movie is a guy who gets released from prison but he'd been in so long and he just can't handle the freedom. And so he commits a he wants to commit crimes to go back but you know he just can't handle that different kind of life from being in prison and that that's what can happen if we don't understand truly the gospel and how it changes our life and and want to go back rather than follow after Christ. And that's that humility of Christ as our savior and and looking to him for the meaning and direction and purpose in our life.

SPEAKER_00 32:41

So I mean that word hate like can be really confusing. So I'd like so starting off with that you know it's a like you said it's a comparative not a literal animosity towards towards others but prefer preferring like preferring Christ above everything else right and then the idea of discipleship something that when I was studying through discipleship requires one of the commentators I studied discipleship requires giving up anything that stands between you and Christ. And it's like Jesus is exposing in these examples some level of like superficial accounting for the actual cost of what of what it means to follow. So I mean it's just a real example of what is true discipleship. What how do we how do we follow Christ like you said with humility like because he of what he's done for us you know we take up our cross and follow him and that's you know X dying to our self-will every day becoming humble.

SPEAKER_01 33:48

Yeah just that response of when you hear it hate your mom or hate your dad or like there is there I think most people if you say if they heard you say that without context would be like whoa wait a minute what are you what are you talking about? You know you're supposed to love your parents are you not you know honor them et cetera it's one of the Ten Commandments yeah if you if you look at like Matthew 1037 as uh another example there of uh of that the Semitic expression that's being used and it's there it says that and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And so it's it's that idea. But I think just the whole the initial reaction we have to when we hear that gets to the point it's that you know okay well I do love that but am I is it that my love is is misplaced you know my my focus is totally on my kids and you know it's to the detriment of my relationship with God. It's just it's out of

Staying Salty And Final Challenge

SPEAKER_01 34:45

that's out of whack. Right.

SPEAKER_02 34:46

And so it kind of finishes in this chapter you know wrapping up verse 33 so therefore any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple and then he gives the salt without its saltiness because salt is good but if it's lost its taste how shall that be restored and it's not of any use for the soil or the manure pile it is thrown away. So I think this again if you some people have again counting the cost like fear of missing out on things or again but I think that's what Jesus is really doing is waking us up to not being a lukewarm Christian and again does it mean you gotta take your name off the deed of your house and and uh car and just you know get but it means I'm not entitled to those things we we completely change our perspective of there is nothing I think like you were kind of alluding to Jerusalem nothing that's going to come between me and my savior nothing that's going to break my faith or I would compromise it in my walk. Yep absolutely so a good lesson on humility Jesus really challenges us to rethink some things like why are we seeking rewards or just trying to follow a religion? What kind of recognition are we looking for? And then also are we really examining our lives what are we what is coming between us and him so not just our attitude towards earthly things and others but do we have the right attitude and posture towards him and again Christ is not asking us to do anything that he did not do for us. You know he completely gave up all he humbled himself to take on flesh you know the Son of God in his glory humbled himself came to earth became a slave a servant to all died a humiliating that term humble that runs through the gospel death on the cross so that we could have eternal life so if we're going to truly live like our Savior and honor him that's what comes with it. So well Lifehouse family thanks for joining us hopefully you'll think about humility this week maybe examine situations that poke the pride and take those to the Lord pray through them and thanks for joining us and we'll look forward to seeing you next time podcast if this episode encouraged you please be sure to like comment subscribe and leave a review so others can find this content as well and we'll look forward to seeing you next Monday for another great episode