Even in Your Lowest Place, Give the Lord Your Highest Praise
A sermon on maintaining praise in life's challenges, drawing from the Parable of the Wedding Banquet and Jesus' teachings on humility.
Text: Luke 14:7-11; Matthew 22:1-14
Preacher: Minister Rogelio(Jun) Soposo
The Foundation: Understanding God’s Kingdom Invitation
Min. Jun began with Luke 14:7-11, where Jesus taught about taking the lowest seat at a wedding feast:
“For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” — Luke 14:11
He then connected this to the Parable of the Wedding Banquet in Matthew 22:1-14, explaining four key aspects of God’s invitation:
God’s Invitation and the Refusal
The king in the parable represents God preparing a grand wedding feast for His son, sending servants to invite guests who refuse to attend and even mistreat the messengers.
Modern Application:
- The invitation represents our calling to invite others to God’s kingdom
- We are the servants who sometimes fail in our service
- When we’re overwhelmed by problems, fear, and worry, how can we invite others with joy?
The Challenge: Even when we have problems and burdens, we must continue to invite others and share God’s goodness and mercy.
God’s Open Invitation
Min. Jun emphasized that God is undeterred and unstoppable in His invitation. The king extends the invitation to everyone, regardless of social class or background.
God’s Unstoppable Nature:
- God extends His love and favor to you
- God extends His invitation to everyone
- God’s open invitation reaches inside and outside the church
He connected this to the Prodigal Son story:
“We often hear the story of the Prodigal Son, but we don’t realize that you might be that son - and until now, God continues to extend His invitation for you to return to your first love.”
The Unexpected Guest
Despite the open invitation, one guest attended without proper wedding garments, symbolizing lack of preparation or false profession of faith.
Key Insights:
- People judge by outward appearance
- But when our hearts are aligned with God, the Lord will embrace us
- Soul winners must be wise:
- Be careful with invitations
- Be sensitive
- Ensure our relationship with the Lord is right
The Final Judgment
The king cast out the improperly dressed guest, emphasizing that “many are called, but few are chosen.”
Min. Jun declared: “In God’s kingdom, many are called but few are chosen - and you are one of the chosen ones.”
Why Do So Many People Refuse and Stop Going to Church?
The minister addressed a critical issue facing the modern church:
“Many people today are walking away from the church, not because they’ve stopped believing in God, but because they feel hurt, forgotten, or confused.”
The Reality:
- People leave not because they’ve stopped believing in God, but because they’ve lost trust in us
- We might be the reason someone doesn’t return to God’s invitation
- Our shortcomings drive people away
What the Church Should Be:
- A place of healing
- A place of love
- A place of truth
Leadership Problems in the Church
Using Jeremiah 23:1 as a foundation, Min. Jun addressed leadership failures:
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. — Jeremiah 23:1
Leadership Issues:
- When leaders fall into sin, act with pride, or abuse authority
- Instead of serving as shepherds, they sometimes control and manipulate
- This pushes believers away from the church
The Double Standard Problem:
- When someone close to us makes a mistake, we cover it up
- When others make mistakes, we quickly judge them
- We must not abuse the responsibility placed on our shoulders
Important Reminder: We have nothing to boast about before God, and pride is often why we fall into sin unnoticed.
The Restoration Promise
Min. Jun brought hope through Acts 15:16:
“After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up.” — Acts 15:16
God’s Promise:
- The tabernacle refers to the Kingdom of Kings
- We are kings with dominion (Genesis 1:26-28)
- We are temples of the Holy Ghost
- God will restore what is broken and set it up again
David’s Tabernacle: A Pattern of Worship
An ancient pattern of worship is re-emerging on earth. David’s tabernacle is being restored through:
- Worship that enthrones God upon the praises of His people
- Global day-and-night worship and prayer movements
- Historic harvest of souls entering God’s Kingdom
- Worship that creates encounter with the living God
The Impact: Worship brings heaven to earth, bringing wholeness and transformation to individuals, cities, and nations.
Strengthening Hearts Through Praise
Using Psalm 34:1 as the foundation:
“I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” — Psalm 34:1
Living in Praise Means:
- No matter what’s happening in our lives, we have countless reasons to thank God
- Praise isn’t just clapping and shouting - it’s doing what aligns with God’s will
- People who level up spiritually understand the connection between praise and strength
- The spirit of praise puts us in position and produces spiritual strength
The Daily Challenge of Life
Min. Jun acknowledged that life presents daily challenges, especially for believers:
- We get dirty daily through even small sins
- We face both good and bad problems
- But God can make us white as snow
Examples of Daily Struggles:
- Even good problems test our faith
- We need God’s cleansing power daily
The Heart of the Message: Unstoppable Praise
Throughout all circumstances, Min. Jun emphasized these key points:
- Even in your biggest problems, don’t forget to give Him the highest praise
- Highest praise in hardest times
- Even in our worst situations, give the highest praise
- Even in good and bad times, give the Lord the highest praise
- Even with your last breath, give the Lord the highest praise
“Even in your lowest place, give the Lord your highest praise.” — Minister Rogelio Soposo
The message was clear: No matter what challenges we face - whether personal struggles, church disappointments, or leadership failures - our response should always be unwavering praise to God. When we maintain this posture of worship, God promises to restore what is broken and use us to draw others back to Him.