Whosoever Exalts Himself?
A Sermon on Luke 14:7-14
Originally preached June 28, 1964
Scripture
7¶ And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, 8When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than …
Sermon Description
The kingdom of God is not like the kingdoms of this world. This great truth is at the heart of Jesus Christ’s ministry. This is why He speaks the seemingly contradictory truth that those who exalt themselves will be brought low, but those that humble themselves will be exalted in the last day. In this sermon on Luke 14:7–14 titled “Whosoever Exalteth Himself?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones tells us that people, in their sinful pride, naturally seek their own exaltation. They love themselves and deny that they are in need of a Savior. Without God, people are wholly ignorant of their state as a sinner in need of God’s grace. This sinful pride is one of the greatest obstacles to ever being saved because they see no need for any to help; in fact, that person does not see themselves as a sinner at all. But the gospel is the message that all are a sinners and that God alone can save. Only God can show people who they are and of the salvation that is needed. The gospel tells that no one should seek self-exaltation, but instead seek the exaltation of God and by doing this, they will find true peace in Jesus Christ.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon addresses why people reject Christ and his gospel.
- People reject Christ because they fail to understand the truth about themselves. They overestimate themselves and their abilities.
- People base their beliefs on their own opinions and ideas rather than on authority or facts. They have an unwarranted assurance in their own positions.
- People's beliefs are insecure and subject to change, even though they do not realize it. Sudden destruction can come upon them.
- People are ignorant of themselves. They do not recognize their own sin, helplessness, and selfishness.
- People are ignorant of God. They do not recognize that the world belongs to God, not themselves. God is the judge and has the power to enforce his judgments.
- God's standards of judgment are not the same as human standards. What humans esteem highly is abomination to God.
- God's judgment will lead to shame and destruction for those who reject him. There is no appeal or resistance.
- People are ignorant of what God really wants - humility, not pride. He wants people to recognize their need for him.
- God blesses those who humble themselves, who recognize they cannot save themselves. He blesses those who do good without seeking reward or recognition from others.
- God blesses those who look to the resurrection of the just, not worldly rewards. They live for the eternal, not the temporal.
- People must face themselves honestly in light of God's word and recognize their sin. They must plead for God's mercy and take the place of the publican who cried "God, be merciful to me, a sinner."
- God provides salvation through faith in Christ, who died to forgive sins, make people good, and prepare them for heaven.
Sermon Q&A
What Does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About Why People Reject Christ?
Why do people reject Jesus Christ despite His greatness and goodness?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, this rejection stems from a fundamental problem within human nature. He points out that despite Christ's incomparable teaching, miraculous works, and compassionate ministry, people still rejected Him during His earthly ministry. Lloyd-Jones explains, "Our Lord constantly met opposition. People were always arguing with him, trying to catch him and to trip him in his talk and in his teaching. His very miracles antagonized them." This same rejection continues today, with only a small percentage of people embracing Christianity, which Lloyd-Jones sees as the same pattern continuing in modern times.
What does the parable of the banquet seats reveal about human nature?
In Luke 14:7-14, Jesus uses the parable of people choosing the best seats at a banquet to illustrate humanity's core problem. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this parable reveals how "man bases his position entirely on his own opinions and his own ideas without having any authority whatsoever behind it." Just as the guests assumed they deserved the best seats without any real authority, people today reject Christ based merely on their own opinions, not on any substantial understanding of God's truth. Lloyd-Jones adds that this reveals humanity's "extraordinary complacency" and failure to recognize "the awful insecurity of this position."
How does pride contribute to people's rejection of the gospel?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies pride as the fundamental reason people reject Christ, saying, "According to the teaching of this book, the Bible, man's ultimate trouble is his pride." He traces this back to the original sin where pride led Adam and Eve to disobey God. This manifests in modern humans being proud of their knowledge, achievements, and self-perceived goodness. Lloyd-Jones explains, "Modern men puts himself up on the top gallery... He's men who know. He's an intellect, he's a brain, he's a reader. He knows. That's why he isn't religious." This pride leads people to believe they don't need God's help or salvation.
Why do people resist the biblical doctrine of sin?
People resist the biblical teaching about sin because it contradicts their high opinion of themselves. Dr. Lloyd-Jones quotes a contemporary preacher who rejected the hymn lyric "vile and full of sin I am" as nonsensical. Lloyd-Jones explains, "They hate the biblical teaching of sin. They say that men should not be put down into the lowest place. Man is such a fine fellow, he's such a good creature, he should be seated at the highest place." This rejection of the reality of sin prevents people from seeing their need for salvation and leads them to reject Christ's sacrificial death as unnecessary and even insulting.
What is the solution to this pride problem according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
The solution is genuine humility before God. Lloyd-Jones explains that Jesus teaches, "Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." This isn't false modesty but an honest recognition of our true condition before God. Lloyd-Jones illustrates this with Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and the publican (tax collector), where the humble tax collector who acknowledged his sinfulness was justified rather than the self-righteous Pharisee. Lloyd-Jones concludes, "The only men who's blessed is the men who realizes his need... You read the lives of the best men that the world has ever seen. They are always the men who have condemned themselves."
Other Sermons
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.