Thoughts from Pastor Toney

Luke 14 7–11 records a parable Jesus shared about a wedding feast. He observes how people jockey and compete to get the places of honor, for they will be seen, noticed, and honored there. Then, unexpectedly, He says the opposite:

“When 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… 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. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 14:8, 10–11 KJV)

The Big Idea: Jesus is teaching us that the heart posture of the Kingdom of God is humility
Pretending to be humble to get promoted at work or at church later is not this. Humility is the natural outworking of the person who trusts God’s love and goodness for them and wants to put others first in all things.

The world around us teaches us the opposite. The systems of the world often elevate climbing and competing for the best. The one with the highest title, the fanciest office, or the most Instagram followers must be the best.
God’s Economy: Kingdom greatness is found by “laying down our crowns at the feet of Jesus.”

But in God’s Kingdom, the greatest are those who have exalted not themselves but lowered themselves in humble service to God and others.
Humility vs. Self-Promotion

We live in a culture that trains us to feel like we need to self-promote to be seen, to stand out, and to be successful. You hear this preached in the Church (loosely), at work, and even in some ministries.

Jesus is warning us that when we push and pull and self-promote for the seat of honor, we may be humbled and embarrassed instead of exalted. But when we choose humility, God Himself is the One who will lift us up in His time and in His way.

God Exalts the Humble
The principle is this: God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). When we empty ourselves and choose the “lowest seat,” we make room for God to fill us with His Spirit and to do the exalting.

Ask Yourself
Are we serving to be seen by others, or do we serve because we love God and are grateful?
Do we crave recognition and attention, or can we simply rest in God’s reasonable opinion of us?
Are we willing to take the lowest place and trust God’s timing to honor and lift us up?
Jesus, our Example
Jesus is the perfect example of this. We see in Philippians 2 7–9 that He humbled Himself and took on the form of a servant, becoming obedient all the way to death—even the death of the cross.
And so, because of His humility, God highly exalted Him.

At church: Choose to serve where no one else wants to. Count it a blessing. Find a place in ministry that most people would consider “behind the scenes.”
In your relationships: Be quick to yield, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Don’t have to have the last word or the best title.
In your heart: Surrender your pride and desire for recognition to God daily. Trust Him to honor you in His way and His time.

The “upper room” is not the way up in God’s Kingdom; rather, the way up is down. We lay down our crowns at the feet of Jesus, and He is the One who says, “Friend, go up higher.”

Day 1: The Gift of Grace Reading: Romans 5:12-21

Devotional: The pastor talked about how one man’s sin brought death to all of humanity. That convicted me because no matter how good I try to live, I am still a sinner. But God’s grace is so amazing! I need to meditate on that today. Where did I fall short yesterday? Where can I do better today? The good news is, Jesus paid the price for my sins. I just need to confess and turn away from those sins. Today, I need to make sure that I’m not trying to “earn” God’s love and grace. Salvation is Jesus plus nothing. I can live my life free to love and serve God, free to show others the grace God has shown me.

Day 2: Valuing Every Soul Reading: Luke 15:1-10

Devotional: The pastor talked about how Jesus’ payment on the cross was of equal value for every lost soul on the planet, saved and unsaved. God’s heart for every person is great. As I read this passage about the lost sheep and the lost coin, I need to meditate on this: Do I value every person like God does? Have I ever thought a person is not worth my time and effort to share the gospel? I can just ignore them. That’s not right. I need to ask God to give me his eyes to see the value of every person He created. Today, as I go about my day, I need to remember: EVERY PERSON MATTERS. I need to treat everyone as if they are a person Christ died for. Don’t let me miss any opportunities to let people know they matter to God.

Day 3: Living Out Your Faith Reading: James 2:14-26

Devotional: The sermon was on the fact that our good works don’t “pay the cost” for our salvation, but they are the expected result of our faith. The same theme is continued in James’ letter, in fact it makes it very clear that faith without works is dead. Today I need to be honest in my heart with God. Am I living out my faith? Is my faith showing any fruit of works? Is there something I am resisting to do that I should be doing? Maybe telling my testimony to someone. Maybe serving someone. We don’t do good works to “earn” our gift of salvation. We DO good works because of that gift. Today I need to ask God to help me do one tangible thing today as a result of my faith and gratitude for His gift to me.

Day 4: Overcoming Habitual Sin Reading: Romans 6:1-14

Devotional: The pastor talked about the danger of living in habitual sin. The problem is, old habits are hard to break. We’re all in a fight with sin, but Paul gives us hope in Romans 6. The verses to meditate on today are: 6:11 “Consider yourself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus!” and 6:14 “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” (ESV) As I read these passages I need to be honest. Are there areas in my life where I live in habitual sin? Probably. I am no longer a slave to sin. I am alive to God IN CHRIST JESUS. I am a new creation. So how do I “consider myself dead to sin but alive to God”? I need to come up with some practical applications today to help me break those sin habits. Maybe an accountability partner? Replacing the sin habit with a good habit? I don’t know. But I need to remember that Christ’s resurrection has the power to break me free from the bondage of sin.

Day 5: Restoration and New Beginnings Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Devotional: The sermon was about God’s heart for restoration all the way back in the Garden of Eden. The passage for today also talks about restoration, new creation and new beginnings. The old has gone, the new has come! The old me is gone, the new me in Christ lives now. I need to meditate on that today. How has God restored me? Am I living like I’m restored? Am I living like a new creation? God didn’t just reconcile us to himself in Christ. He’s given us the ministry of reconciliation. God is in the business of reconciliation and He wants to use us to share His good news of reconciliation with the world. He’s given us the ministry of reconciliation. Are we doing it? God, help me be an ambassador for you today. Let me use this day to share with others the great message of reconciliation.

Why do we spend so much time earning love, acceptance, and salvation? The crazy thing is that as soon as we understand that God’s gift is better than our performance, we will spend less time trying to earn something that is freely given.

The two gifts, trespass (sin) came into the world through Adam, and grace came into the world through Jesus Christ are not the same. It’s a gift you have to choose to receive, but the good news is it changes everything!

Sinlessness

Adam chose himself over God. He took what was not his to take. He deliberately sinned. One sin condemned the world, and it all happened because he thought he could choose himself over God.

Gracelessness

Jesus did not do it for himself. The act that brought grace to the world was the very opposite of Adam’s act. Jesus died for us, knowing full well many would turn away from him.

Deathless

Jesus paid the price for every sin – past, present, and future – not only for those who would receive Him, but for every man and woman who ever lived or who will live, and will ever live.

Grace for all

God so loved the world, He gave.

The gift is not performance-based

We can’t earn it, we don’t deserve it and yet it is freely given to all who believe. That is justification – being right with God not because of our own righteousness but because of Christ’s righteousness imputed to us.

Add-on foolishness

Our foolishness is to try and add on to this amazing, completely finished work on the cross. We think somehow we can enhance God’s love for us with our good deeds, our church attendance, our tithe. And it does not work. In fact, anything we do to earn God’s approval, takes away from the gift.

Good works are good works

The tricky bit is works are good, they are essential. What we do with them is the issue. We do good not to earn God’s grace, we do good because we have already received it. We don’t love others because they love us; we love others because God first loved us.

Jesus gave you a perfect diamond

Would you go and glue sequins on it? No. You don’t need to do that. You just need to open your mouth and show it off. That is how we should receive the gift of righteousness we have been given through Christ.

Gracious people see people differently

No one is too far gone, no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. The price has been paid for every man, woman and child whether they are from Kenya or South Africa, Iran or Iraq, rich or poor, whatever their background, their circumstance, their past or present sins.

The future drug addict, the woman who will become an abuser, the child who will turn into a thief, are all as valuable as the most stalwart believer. The good news is when they get to that place and no-one will get through life without these problems, they are still as valuable in God’s eyes as a “perfect Christian” .

Your task is to tell people the good news

The gift is available to all but how will they know if no-one tells them? We can’t expect people to work it out for themselves or osmosis their way into some sort of spiritual understanding. We need to speak. We need to open our mouths.

It is not to smash people over the head with the Bible, it is not to beat them with their sins. It is to love them. To love them as they are just as Christ loves us in our sin.

Hospital for sinners, not a country club for saints

This means the Church should be a hospital for sinners not a country club for saints. It is to create a space where people can come and belong before they believe. It is to reach out to a world that is broken and hurting and say to them, “welcome, you are home”.

Church for kids

Children in church, not in Sunday school watching their parents but worshipping with their parents. Children who see by example what it is to follow Jesus. It is to create a space in the church where kids belong and are safe and loved.

Grace isn’t about rules and regulations. Grace isn’t about how many or which programs or how we look. Grace is about the power of God to change us from the inside out and the impact that has on our lives and the world around us.

We are not called to charge hell with a sword. We are not even called to charge the gates of hell with a AK-47. We are called to charge the gates of hell with a water pistol because God can do anything with a water pistol in the hands of those who love him with all their hearts, with all their minds, with all their souls, and with all their strength.

Go in peace

As we go about our daily lives may we remember the great price that was paid on our behalf. Let the gift change how we see ourselves, let the gift change how we see others, and let the gift set us free to be crazy enough to share the good news, not with condemnation and judgment but with love and acceptance.

I cannot expect people to live a different way if I am not willing to live a different way. Let my life give testimony to the power of grace to transform. Let people look at me and say, “there’s something different about them, they’re not like other people.”

We live in a dark and sometimes a very hopeless world, but we have the ability to be the bearers of light and hope. Not because we are better than anyone else, not because we have it all together, but because we have received a gift that is better than all our works put together. We have received a gift that has the power to change everything.

The Gift is Given

The gift has been given. The price has been paid. Now it’s up to us to receive it, live in it, and share it with the world. Are you ready?

In a world that often feels chaotic and uncertain, it’s easy to lose sight of our true purpose and identity. But there’s a profound truth that can transform our perspective: we are deeply loved by God, even when we feel unlovable.

Imagine this: while we were still helpless, ungodly, and even enemies of God, Christ died for us. This act of sacrificial love is beyond comprehension. It’s like a soldier jumping on a grenade to save those who had been torturing him for months. That’s the kind of love God has for us – a love that defies human logic and surpasses our understanding.

But here’s where it gets even more incredible. Not only did God love us when we were at our worst, but He also adopted us as His children. We’ve gone from being enemies to being called sons and daughters of the living God. This isn’t just a nice sentiment; it’s a radical change in our identity and status.

Think about it: if you were a prince or princess, and your father was a king, you would be treated differently wherever you went. You would carry yourself with a certain dignity and authority. As children of God, we have an even higher status, yet too often we walk around defeated, acting like we’re still slaves to our old nature.

This transformation from enemy to child of God should revolutionize how we live. We’re no longer helpless or condemned. We’ve been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, and now we have a new purpose: to help reconcile others to Him.

Our ministry, our calling, is one of restoration. We can’t save anyone ourselves – that’s God’s job. But we can introduce people to the One who can save them. We can be the ones who help others take one step closer to Jesus than they were before.

This calling plays out in everyday moments. When we’re at a restaurant, we can pray for our server and leave a generous tip, not to show off, but to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way. We can look for opportunities in our daily interactions to plant seeds of faith, to put a “little stone in someone’s shoe” that might prompt them to think about God.

However, we need to be careful not to fall into the trap of hypocrisy. It’s not about being perfect or putting on a religious show. In fact, we’re cautioned against judging those who don’t know Christ. Remember, before we knew Jesus, we were living exactly as we were supposed to – separated from God. It’s not our job to condemn, but to love and point others to Christ.

This doesn’t mean we ignore sin or pretend it doesn’t matter. But our approach should be one of humility and grace, recognizing that we too were once lost. We don’t serve or share the gospel to make ourselves feel good or to earn brownie points with God. We serve because Jesus died for us and left us here with a purpose.

Now, here’s a challenging thought: are we living up to this calling? Are we faithful with what God has already given us? Sometimes we pray for more – more money, a better job, more influence – but we’re not stewarding well what we already have. God wants to bless us and use us more, but He’s looking for faithfulness in the small things first.

This ties into the concept of living “from victory to victory.” As believers, we’re not fighting for victory – Jesus has already won it for us. We’re fighting from a position of victory. The devil is a defeated foe, and while we can’t overcome him in our own strength, we can rebuke him in the name of Jesus.

So why do so many Christians live defeated lives? Often, it’s because we believe the lies of the enemy instead of standing firm in our identity in Christ. We need to remind ourselves daily of who we are in Jesus and the authority we have through Him.

To live out this calling effectively, we need to be people of prayer. Prayer is not just about asking God for things; it’s about aligning our hearts with His, seeking His will, and interceding for others. It’s through prayer that we gain the strength and wisdom to be effective ambassadors for Christ.

As we go about our days, let’s remember that our primary ministry is one of restoration. Every person we meet is an opportunity to demonstrate God’s love and help them take one step closer to Him. Whether it’s through a kind word, a generous act, or simply treating others with respect and dignity, we can be vessels of God’s reconciling love.

Let’s not forget where we came from and the incredible love that rescued us. And let’s not keep that love to ourselves. We have been reconciled to God – now it’s our turn to be agents of reconciliation in a world desperately in need of hope.

In the end, it’s not about how religious we appear or how many good deeds we do. It’s about living in the reality of God’s love for us and allowing that love to overflow to others. We are loved beyond measure, adopted into God’s family, and empowered to make a difference. Let’s live like we believe it.

Last night we had the privilege to go to the county fair and share Jesus.  It was like shooting fish in a barrel.  I don’t mean that badly so don’t get upset.  We had some interesting conversations with many people.  There is one conversation I want to share about though.  This young lady came up and I heard her say she was Jewish.  That caused me to stop what I was doing and just say that is ok our Savior is Jewish.  Then we took off on a conversation.  She kept saying things that didn’t make sense.  Then she would tell me that I am that kind of Jew that people don’t like.  I really couldn’t figure out what she meant by that statement.  It seemed like she just wanted to argue about something.  When the road she was headed down didn’t work she would try another one.  Finally out of gas and disgusted with me she said good bye and left us.  That made me really think about some things.  How many other people are out there that may have some facts but really just want to twist them so they can argue.  You see we don’t have to argue.  Just make sure that you are prepared to give an answer when needed. During our conversation I just allowed the Lord to have control and respond accordingly.  Proverbs tells us not to answer a fool according to their folly.  There is a way to respond and a way not to respond allow Jesus to direct your answer.

Excuses Excuse. We all have them don’t we? May be your excuse for not gathering with people to worship is that someone was mean to you. Maybe you don’t like the music. Maybe you don’t like the preacher. Maybe you don’t like the fact that they have chairs and not pews or pews and not chairs. The list could go on and on. I could list hundreds of reasons I don’t want to go places. God began a work on me a long time ago to show me that my way is not His way. That just because I don’t like things doesn’t mean that I get to be disobedient. Let me put it this way. When I was younger and just a teenage boy, my parents set a curfew. Remember what that was. Now I didn’t like the fact that my sister who was the same age as me could stay out an hour longer than I could. So I decided that I would just stay out like she did. Well there we consequences to that decision. You guessed it. I got punished. You see God has instructed us to gather with His family in corporate worship. When we chose not to, don’t expect your father in Heaven to act like everything is Okie dokie. God will take you behind the woodshed and tear up your spiritual backside. So remember that next time you think about an excuse to give about being disobedient.

In today’s society it is so easy to get off track. To run of the road so to speak. After all with cell phones everyone is either watching their phones or watching out for the other person on their phone. Don’t let an accident happen off the side of the road. It seems like everyone who has nothing to do with the accident has to slow down or stop so they can figure out what is happening. It seems like just about anything could cause us to run off the road or get off the path we are on. Our walk with Jesus is a lot like that. You see Jesus said to follow me and when we take our eyes off of Him and begin to watch the ditches or other distractions we lose sight of him. The devil will use any and everything to distract us or even make us crash. You see the more that we can be slowed down or even taken off course the more the devil wins. We are talking about Remembering God is on your side. Depression or lack of self worth will cause us to wreck in our lives. God will be the one there to encourage you even when no one else says a word. Just keep your eyes on the road and out of the ditches.