I apologize for those who were anticipating a post last week. I was away and was unable to post anything, but while I was away I chewed on a concept. I know it may seem seasonal that I talk to you about thanksgiving or being thankful, but I stumbled on a truth that I simply must share with you.
I was sitting in my house thinking of all the passages that had to do with being thankful, and God called to my mind a passage of scripture, and (not saying this out of pride) I’m willing to bet not one preacher in the whole of the United States used this text when it comes to being thankful. The parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:9-14) was where God took me.
What is Grace? The seminary answer would be “undeserved favor with God.” I want you to notice how each man in this text approached the Grace (undeserved favor with God).
Luke 18:11-12 “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.”
Let me ask you something, and this is the question I have been gnawing on: Would you thank someone for something that you deserved? Of course not!! You deserved it. You take pride in the fact that you deserve it. The only person you have to thank is yourself.
Here is a man who approached the undeserved favor of God as though he deserved it. So was he truly thankful? No, he felt that he deserved it. It was like he was sending in a resume of why God should consider him eligible for His Grace. I think many “Christians” approach God in this manner. They think that God should give them His favor because they deserve it. This is the result of pride. What does pride do? It takes God off His throne and places you there, and instead of you bowing before the throne of God saying HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, you are in essence saying, “God you are to bow to me.” Gee that reminds me of someone. Wasn’t that what Satan was saying when he was tempting Jesus (Matthew 4:9)? By the way this would be the definition of Humanism (which I will cover in a later blog). It becomes the antonym of grace, which is arrogance.
Now let’s look at the publican.
Luke 18:13 “Ane the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”
This is where true thanksgiving comes in. The publican realized that he didn’t deserve the mercy of God. So how did he approach? He approached broken; He approached contrite; He approached humbled. Pride doesn’t bring thankfulness. It brings arrogance. It is only with a spirit of humility does true thanksgiving comes forth. The publican approached, knowing that he wasn’t worthy of grace, but because he approached knowing he was unworthy, which makes him eligible for grace. Why? Luke 18:14 “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased: and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
I know Thanksgiving is over, but that doesn’t mean you stop giving thanks. I want to challenge you to sit down and realize how unworthy you are for all that God has given you, and from that spirit of brokenness, give God thanks for all that He has given you.
God bless you, and I’ll talk to you all again (God willing) next week, so until then keep your nose clean and don’t blow it.
May the Lamb Receive the Reward of His Suffering,
Heath Loftis
I was sitting in my house thinking of all the passages that had to do with being thankful, and God called to my mind a passage of scripture, and (not saying this out of pride) I’m willing to bet not one preacher in the whole of the United States used this text when it comes to being thankful. The parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:9-14) was where God took me.
What is Grace? The seminary answer would be “undeserved favor with God.” I want you to notice how each man in this text approached the Grace (undeserved favor with God).
Luke 18:11-12 “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.”
Let me ask you something, and this is the question I have been gnawing on: Would you thank someone for something that you deserved? Of course not!! You deserved it. You take pride in the fact that you deserve it. The only person you have to thank is yourself.
Here is a man who approached the undeserved favor of God as though he deserved it. So was he truly thankful? No, he felt that he deserved it. It was like he was sending in a resume of why God should consider him eligible for His Grace. I think many “Christians” approach God in this manner. They think that God should give them His favor because they deserve it. This is the result of pride. What does pride do? It takes God off His throne and places you there, and instead of you bowing before the throne of God saying HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, you are in essence saying, “God you are to bow to me.” Gee that reminds me of someone. Wasn’t that what Satan was saying when he was tempting Jesus (Matthew 4:9)? By the way this would be the definition of Humanism (which I will cover in a later blog). It becomes the antonym of grace, which is arrogance.
Now let’s look at the publican.
Luke 18:13 “Ane the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”
This is where true thanksgiving comes in. The publican realized that he didn’t deserve the mercy of God. So how did he approach? He approached broken; He approached contrite; He approached humbled. Pride doesn’t bring thankfulness. It brings arrogance. It is only with a spirit of humility does true thanksgiving comes forth. The publican approached, knowing that he wasn’t worthy of grace, but because he approached knowing he was unworthy, which makes him eligible for grace. Why? Luke 18:14 “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased: and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
I know Thanksgiving is over, but that doesn’t mean you stop giving thanks. I want to challenge you to sit down and realize how unworthy you are for all that God has given you, and from that spirit of brokenness, give God thanks for all that He has given you.
God bless you, and I’ll talk to you all again (God willing) next week, so until then keep your nose clean and don’t blow it.
May the Lamb Receive the Reward of His Suffering,
Heath Loftis
Labels: gratitude, humility and pride
1 Comments:
Great insight, bro. Every virtue is rooted in humility and every vice is rooted in pride.
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