Nov 4, 2024
(Phil.2:5-11; Ps.22:26-32; Lk.14:15-24)
“The lowly shall eat their fill.”
Yes, “happy is he who eats bread in the kingdom of God.” Indeed, he shall have his fill. But who shall partake of such grace? Who shall come to the feast when the Master calls?
Brothers and sisters, our “attitude must be as Christ’s: though He was in the form of God, He did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at.” Rather, He made Himself lowly, as we are lowly. And now He is exalted; now He prepares the banquet of salvation for all lowly souls.
Who are the lowly souls? The lowly souls are they who bow down before the Lord. “At Jesus’ name every knee must bend in the heavens, on the earth, and under the earth.” If one does not bend the knee before our Savior, he is not humble, he is not lowly – rather, he stands in his vain pride.
And these proud souls shall not come to the table in the kingdom. If when He calls they turn away unto their own affairs, spurning the only appointment which carries importance, they lose their place in the Banquet Hall. And listen to the command of the “master of the house” to his servant: “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.” The Jews having rejected the invitation which was most especially theirs, we the outcast Gentiles now hear the call of the apostles of the Lord, a call that goes out to the ends of the world. All the poor souls are now invited.
Brothers and sisters, “all the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; all the families of nations shall bow down before Him. For dominion is the Lord’s, and He rules the nations. To Him alone shall bow down all who sleep in the earth,” all in the heavens, and all on earth. None shall be deprived of hearing the call to the feast the Son prepares; all shall stand before Him and have opportunity to bend the knee, to realize our lowliness before Him whom every tongue does praise. So “let the coming generation be told of the Lord that they might proclaim to a people yet to be born the justice He has shown,” that all forever might bow their hearts before His majesty and proclaim: “JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!” In such humble praise they shall eat their fill of the blessings of the kingdom.
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O LORD, let us honor your Son
who has given His life for the salvation of all,
that we might enter your kingdom
and eat the Bread He sets before us.
YHWH, let us bow down before your only Son and give Him due honor and praise, for He alone is Lord; He alone among us is worthy of our worship, for He alone is your Son. Let us humble ourselves as He has done and so find ourselves in your kingdom with Him.
O LORD, if only we could eat bread at your table, if only it were the desire of our heart to enter your presence and rejoice in your glory. It is your desire to share with us all your gifts and graces, to feed us with your finest fare. But how can we celebrate in your House if our hearts are turned to earthly matters, if our thoughts are vain and our souls proud?
Your Son has humbled Himself to come among us and call us to you, LORD. He has set aside His place at your side that He might become as a slave in our midst, that He might lead us to your side. Let us not reject His holy sacrifice but proclaim it with our lives as we eat bread at your table this day.