August 31, 2025 Sermon Notes

Your Seat Is Already Reserved (Luke 14:1, 7–14)

In this passage, Jesus was invited to a dinner party where people were jockeying for the most important seats. They wanted the “place of honor,” a spot to look special. Jesus saw this and shared a lesson: Don’t take the best seat for yourself. If someone more important shows up, you’ll be asked to move, and it's humiliating. On the surface, this sounds like simple social etiquette. But Jesus is digging deeper. He’s not writing a self-help guide on how to win friends; He’s exposing our restless, exhausting need to prove ourselves. The Pharisees constantly strove for honor and recognition. They were religious and busy, but had no peace. Their lives were defined by a relentless competition for approval. We often do the same thing. We believe the lie that our value comes from what we do—our titles, our achievements, our reputation. We run on a treadmill, trying to earn love and favor from God and others, but we never get anywhere. We keep striving for a seat that’s already been reserved for us. God’s love is not based on performance. It’s based on who we are in Christ. Just as a parent loves their child because they are theirs, God loves you because you are His. You don't have to earn His love; you already have it. When you truly grasp this grace, your soul finds rest. You stop working for God's smile and start working from it. This truth frees us. When our value is secure in God's love, we don't need to chase relationships that benefit us. Instead, we can love people who can't repay us—the poor and forgotten. This week, try one "unrepayable act of love." That's where real joy is found.

So, stop striving for honor and fighting for recognition. Your seat is already reserved, not because of what you've done, but because of what Jesus has done for you. Rest in His grace, live in His love, and share that love with others.