LESSON: MICAH 6:6-8

A man’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor. Proverbs 29:23

It is very necessary that this Gospel (Matthew 20:1-16) should be preached to those in our time who know that Gospel, like me and others like me, who are teachers of the whole world and become its masters. We are very prone to develop the idea that we are closer to God than others, and that we have devoured God’s Spirit with feathers and legs.

How does it come to pass that so many sects have arisen, the one undertaking this, the other that, in connection with the Gospel? Without a doubt, the reason is that more of these really think that the statement applies to them, “The first will be last,” or, if it does apply to them, they are secure and without fear and regard themselves as “the first.”

Their experience will have to tally with this statement; they must become “the last.” They simply go ahead and set up much disgraceful doctrine and blasphemy against God and the Word.

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AE 76,318-19

PRAYER: Open our eyes, O God, that we always recognize that we are paupers in your sight, absolutely dependent on your grace for all that we need as your children, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

LESSON: PSALM 138:1-6

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5

The Gospel (Matthew 20:1-16) does not simply speak of those who are “first” and “last” in an ordinary sense as, for example, the mighty ones of this world, who are heathen and know nothing of God, are nothing in God’s sight. It speaks of those who have persuaded themselves that they are the “first” or “last” before God.

There it aims very high and hits some very important people; indeed, it is most disturbing for the greatest of the saints.

This is why Jesus told this parable to His apostles. For it can happen that one who is quite poverty-stricken in the eyes of the world, weak and despised, who has even suffered something for God’s sake and gives no appearance at all of amounting to anything, still nurtures secret ideas of self-satisfaction and begins to think that he is the “first” before God when he is actually the “last.”

On the other hand, even if anyone is so despondent and weak that he regards himself as the “last” before God, despite the fact that in the world he enjoys money, honor, and good things, he is the “first.”

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AE 76,318

PRAYER: Empty us, O Lord, of all false pride and self-righteousness that, firmly trusting in your grace and mercy, we may always rank as those who are “first” in your sight, in and through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

LESSON: ROMANS 11:33-36

The last will be first, and the first last. Matthew 20:16

We must understand the two words “last” and “first” in two respects: in respect to God and in respect to men.

“The first” before men and those who consider and conduct themselves as those who are closest to God, as “the first” before God, quite paradoxically are regarded as “the last” before God and the farthest removed from Him.

On the other hand, those who are “the last” in the eyes of men, who regard and conduct themselves as those farthest removed from God and “the last” before Him, are paradoxically the closest to God and “the first” before Him.

He who wants to be secure should closely follow the saying, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled” (Matthew 23:12). For here in this Gospel, we are clearly reminded that “the first” before men is “the last” before God, and “the last” before me is “the first” before God. Similarly, “the first” before God is “the last” before men, and “the last” before God is “the first” before men.

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AE 76, 317-18

PRAYER: You have shown us, heavenly Father, that our salvation in Christ is beyond all human understanding and confronts man with much that seems absurd to human reason. Humble us by your grace, that we never presume to judge you and your ways with us by our own weak reasons and understanding. May we always remain firmly established in your Word of truth, for Christ’s sake. Amen.