Feb. 26, 2023
Do you wish you were more humble? Not something most of us are concerned about. You don’t want to be too humble, that would mean you are weak! Or it could mean that your self-esteem is too low. Or you’re not confident enough. But what humility really is, is having the self-esteem to look at other people around you, care about their needs and want the best for them, as well as yourself. Humility actually makes life better. We’ll find out why being humble is so great!
We’re starting a message series for six Sundays of Lent on gospel of Luke. Luke tells the story of Jesus. Jesus loved humble people. He was drawn to them.
Gospel means Good News! There are four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John: four accounts of Jesus life death and resurrection. Why four? The four different gospel writers each wrote an account with a different purpose and theme. Mark is the first gospel written. It is action oriented: this is what Jesus did, and where he went. It is short and sweet. Matthew is very Jewish, and he wants you to know that Jesus is the Messiah, the chosen one of God. The church is the new Israel, and we followers of Jesus need to be more righteous than the Jewish law demands. John is more poetic, “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God..” John tells you why he wrote his gospel in John 20:31, that you may believe in Jesus and have life in his name. Luke says he wanted to write an orderly account. His gospel places special emphasis that God’s salvation has come to the lowly: sinners, and outsiders, like the Gentiles. Luke is a Gentile, a non-Jew. His gospel shows that God especially loves outsiders, outcasts, and outlaws.
So, we are travelling through the gospel of Luke this Lent. Today we start with a poem/song Mary said after she learned she would have a baby: Jesus. You could say it is the theme song of the gospel of Luke! Mary’s song is only found in Luke’s gospel. She tells you what is so great about our God.
We don’t have the music to her song, but we have the words. Pay attention to how God acts toward lowly, humble people:
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. Luke 1:46-48
Mary is a teenager. She worships and praises God, because she sees that He respects her and has given her an important role, the mother of Jesus. God RESPECTS humble servants.
Verse 52 says He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble. God lifts up the humble or lowly. First, we heard God RESPECTS the humble. He also LIFTS UP the lowly. Verse 53 says, He has filled the hungry with good things. Ok, God FEEDS the lowly.
But has sent the rich away empty. Verse 54 say He has helped his servant Israel. God HELPS the lowly. remembering to be mercifulto Abraham and his descendants forever,just as he promised our ancestors.” God REMEMBERS the lowly.
God is busy! He respects, lifts up, feeds, helps and remembers the lowly. God gives extra attention to the people that need attention and are lowly. This isn’t just Mary’s song. God respecting, lifting up, feeding, helping and remembering is what the gospels are all about.
In chapter 5 Jesus RESPECTS the faith of four men who have a friend who is paralyzed. They couldn’t get their paralyzed friend to Jesus, so they cut a hole in a roof to let him down to where Jesus was. Jesus is impressed and heals their friend. He respects their faith.
In chapter 5 Jesus LIFTS UP tax collectors and sinners, by going to a dinner party with them and eating with them.
In chapter 9 Jesus FEEDS a hungry crowd of 5000.
Many times, in Luke Jesus HELPS people possessed by demons and heals many people who are sick.
In chapter 1 God REMEMBERS Elizabeth and Zechariah, how faithful they have been to God over many years. They never had the child they wanted, but when they are 75 or 80, God gives them a baby, John the Baptist! It was good news to them. Maybe at 75 that would not be good news that you’re having a baby! But to them it was good news!
This is all good news! Now what if you are a person that is doing ok: you’re not sick or disabled, you’re not Mary, a pregnant teenager whose fiancé wants to call off the engagement. You’re not hungry. You’re not a slave, and your country isn’t occupied by a foreign power. What if you don’t need help now? This is still good news. Because sometime you will feel lowly. You will feel that nobody understands. And you’ll cry out to God, and he will be there. You will come to him in prayer, and he will respect you, lift you up, feed you, and help you. He will remember you.
There are some people Jesus does not give much attention to, like the religious leaders who just wanted to argue with and condemn him. Jesus did not respect them.
But there are some people, who don’t seem lowly, that Jesus helped, like the centurion. He was a military officer. He is high up in society. He sent some Jewish elders to ask Jesus to heal his servant, who he valued highly. But the centurion sent word to Jesus, “Don’t trouble yourself to come. I am not worthy of you. But if you just say the word, my servant will be healed.” Jesus praised his faith and healed the servant. The centurion was an upper-class person, but he had a lowly attitude. God gives extra attention to the people that need attention and are lowly!
Jesus was humble. He shows what humility is not. It is not being a pushover and letting people walk all over you. Jesus stood up for himself against hypocritical religious leaders. He had good self-esteem. He was strong, but humble.
Jesus said in Luke 14:11 All those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Jesus wants us to be humble and lowly. Plus, humble people are more likable, they are more able to learn from their mistakes, they appreciate other people more, and they are happier! So how can a person be more humble?
One thing you can do is give others compliments on their achievement and accomplishments. We all love a compliment! And when we compliment others, we are practicing being humble. We recognize that the people around us are wonderful and capable.
So, let’s practice that! Tell somebody near you: You are wonderful and capable! (You did a great job of being humble!)
In Luke chapter 1, Mary thanks God, for respecting, lifting up, feeding, helping and remembering the lowly. Jesus calls us to be humble as well. In our world, humility is not highly prized. But being humble and lowly has many benefits, happiness, good relationships, and you can make a positive difference in the world. Most of all, when you are humble, God looks favorably on you, and will lift you up! Amen.
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