Sermon on Proverbs 25:6-14 & Luke 14:7-14, for the 17th Sunday after Trinity (1 Yr lectionary), "Honor and dishonor"

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. The theme of honor and dishonor can be traced through all of our Bible readings today. Today let’s explore how God’s Word leads us to a life of honor, and away from dishonor.

We should start with a definition. Honor can mean different things to different people. You might be convinced that you are acting with honor, but that doesn’t always prove your actions are right. Honor, like other virtues, can be warped, intentionally or unintentionally. But a definition: the fourth commandment says: “Honor your father and mother.” This commandment gives the definition that to “honor” is to respect and obey. Honor also can refer to a high level of recognition for what someone has done, as when they are “honored” with a reward or medal. Our nation’s highest military award is the “Medal of Honor.” From the Army’s website, it explains the Medal of Honor this way:

This award goes to Soldiers who make honor a matter of daily living — Soldiers who develop the habit of being honorable, and solidify that habit with every value choice they make. Honor is a matter of carrying out, acting, and living the values of respect, duty, loyalty, selfless service, integrity and personal courage in everything you do.

I think that’s a pretty good definition of honor—living out all those values in what you say and do. Honor is used in a similar way in the Bible. Our Old Testament reading from Proverbs, for example, names some honorable and dishonorable actions.

In vs. 6-7 it’s dishonorable to promote yourself in front of your superiors. This seems to be behind Jesus’ parable, which we’ll get to shortly. It’s dishonorable to put yourself in front of everyone else, and risk the shame of being put lower—but it is honorable to wait for our superiors or someone else to call us to “come up here” or receive some honor. This isn’t talking about stepping up to a challenge, or showing courage or a willingness to volunteer. Those are positive things. But its saying we aren’t to try to claim for ourselves the position of prominence among our superiors—you have to earn it and be recognized for it.

In. vs. 8-10, it’s dishonorable to rush accuse your neighbor without full evidence, or to reveal someone’s secret, betraying a confidence. If we don’t have accurate facts or the full story, we might bring shame or dishonor on ourselves, and damage our own reputation, if the accusation proves false. This is the heart of the 8^th commandment, that tells us not to tell lies about our neighbor or bear false witness against them.

In vs. 11-12, it describes how beautiful and blessed it is when a person speaks wise or appropriate words. To have the right words for a situation is like beautiful gold or silver jewelry, or to give a wise correction to a person who is open to listening. These are honorable ways to use our tongues, our speech. We can be thankful when a person brings the right word of encouragement or inspiration or courage or healing or correction for the right moment.

Finally, Proverbs 25:13-14, gives two additional examples of honor and dishonor. Honor for the messenger of good news, who is faithful and trustworthy, and brings a good message. But dishonor for a person who brags about a gift they do not give. Words without actions, or clouds and wind without rain. That speaks to following through on your word. All this sets up a pattern of honorable and dishonorable actions. We see that we can carry out, act, and live these values in whatever we do, and that it will steer us towards either honor or dishonor.

This brings us to Jesus’ parable. He was invited to a banquet, and He noticed guests jockeying for position. Trying to get the best seats for themselves. Maybe Jesus was remembering this very proverb and was looking for listening ears to hear this advice: 8“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 9and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

How does this relate to honor and dishonor? Well, these people were seeking honor by putting themselves forward. Is that the way to get honor? Obviously Jesus answers NO. We don’t put ourselves in positions of honor. But if you notice in vs. 10, He describes the person who humbly waits to be honored (if that will happen or not), and the host of the banquet asks them to move up to a higher place. Then you will be honored, Jesus says. So it’s not that a person is never to be honored at all, but rather that if they are to be honored, that honor is given or bestowed by someone greater than them.

Let me take you briefly to Romans chapter 2. There in verse 6-8, God talks about rewarding and punishing two different groups of people. On the one hand, a reward for those who “by patience in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life” but on the other hand “for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.” This describes the two different types of people in the proverb and the parable. Honor and dishonor. It’s saying that we should seek honor, but by humbly and patiently doing good. This is honorable in God’s sight. But to be self-seeking and to do evil, this is dishonorable, and God responds with anger. I highlight that verse to make the point that it’s a good thing for us to seek honor, but not by self-promotion. It is a good thing to be patient and persistent in doing good—even and especially if there seems to be no reward in it for us. Doing it for a reward is self-seeking. But doing something because it is right—regardless of whether someone notices or not, or praises you or not—that’s the definition of honor and integrity.

The guests whose actions Jesus criticized were probably blind to what they were doing. They craved the attention or advantage. Aren’t we also blind to the ways we do the same today? Do we ever seek honor or promote ourselves, rather than patiently awaiting it, if it is decided that honor is due to us? Do we complain and push ourselves forward, when we think we’re not being honored as we should? One modern day example that springs to my mind is the pursuit of fame. Fame is definitely not equal to, or the same as honor—we could call it a cheap imitation. But we still hunger for our 15 minutes of fame today. Some celebrities and public figures bask continually in the limelight. Ordinary people who are not celebs try to create the next viral video or comment or picture on social media, that will get millions of hits on the internet. It’s craving for some attention, some praise, or affection.

But how many celebrities have literally destroyed their own lives because of the emptiness or the unwelcome pressure of fame? If you pay attention, many will admit that fame leaves them empty, or their actions will betray it. If our pursuit was to live honorably, and humbly do good, without seeking attention, then honor might be the reward. But honor cannot be demanded, or seized for ourselves, without turning it into dishonor.

In life, in school, in work or our community, we may all measure differently on the scale of honor. Often many honorable deeds go unnoticed or unrecognized. Sometimes honorable deeds are misunderstood and even attacked, and we suffer dishonor for doing good. Sometimes the people who are honored in life have dishonorable deeds that are unknown. None of us are all seeing, none of us know every person’s heart. But God is all seeing, and knows every heart; and by His measure, we’ve all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Medal of Honor or any other earthly acclamation, doesn’t make us right by God. All humans must approach God on the same humble level of admitting our sins and failings and dishonor before God.

But who was the most honorable guest at the feast that day? Who was more distinguished then all the guests, though they didn’t recognize it? Who possessed the greatest wisdom about the ways of honor and dishonor? It was Jesus, God’s Son. He was there to teach them. Look at His life, with regards to honor. He suffered great dishonor, even for doing good. He was faulted for doing good on the Sabbath day, healing a man, because the religious leaders thought that violated their worship laws. He suffered dishonor by those who did not recognize Him as the Son of God, and chose to spit on Him, strike Him, and mock Him at His trial and death. He did not promote Himself. He was not self-seeking, but only spoke the Truth.

Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, but those who humble themselves will be exalted. Jesus humbled Himself to the lowest place, became as a common criminal, though He was innocent, and suffered death on the cross. He endured the worst dishonor, while living out the greatest selfless service and integrity possible. And He survived all the dishonor, because He rose from the dead. God vindicated Jesus’ honor, declared Him worthy of all glory, honor, praise and thanksgiving, when God raised Jesus from the dead. He now sits at the highest place, at God’s right hand. God lifted Him up and honors Him in the presence of all.

Since Jesus has risen to the greatest place of honor—what of us? His selfless service washed away all our sins, our dishonor and shame at the cross. And if we humble ourselves before Him, He will lift us up, or exalt us. That God would invite us to His banquet, to His heavenly feast, and say “Friend, move up higher” is an honor that comes completely by His grace. Not that we deserved it, but it comes from the free generosity of the Greatest One, who honors the humble and lowly, those who patiently do good, and seek after Him. Our lives find honor when they are embraced and wrapped up in Jesus’ life of honor, lived for us. Walking in His way, we learn the humble way to live and do good for one another. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Sermon Talking Points

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1. Read Proverbs 25:6-14 and Luke 14:7-11 and pay special attention to what actions in both are considered honorable and dishonorable? What is the earthly advantage of living honorably?
2. Why does promoting your own honor, as in Luke 14:7-11, not work? Cf. Hebrews 5:4. What is key to not being dishonored? Luke 14:11. If honor is to be given and received, how should that happen?
3. Read Romans 2:6-8. Does this speak positively or negatively about a person who seeks honor by doing good? For those who are punished, instead of rewarded, in v. 8, what is it they were seeking and doing?
4. What is the difference between seeking fame and seeking honor? What are some ways that people try to seek their own honor or fame today? What would be modern day equivalents of the self-promotion that Jesus witnessed at the banqueting table? How can we redirect ourselves toward a proper honor-seeking?
5. Read Romans 2:23. What dishonors God? Read Proverbs 25:6-14. What actions or behaviors bring dishonor on ourselves?
6. How did Jesus receive all honor and glory? Luke 14:11; Mark 10:45. How does He direct His disciples to find greatness (and honor)? Mark 10:42-44.
7. How did Jesus go through great dishonor (shame) to achieve all glory, praise and honor? Hebrews 12:2; John 13:31-32; 17:1. When Jesus bestows honor on those who humbly seek glory, honor, and eternal life, does this come as what we earned, or as His gracious gift? Rom. 3:23-24.