pride or humility?

SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 27
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, take up a lament concerning Tyre. Say to Tyre, situated at the gateway to the sea, merchant of peoples on many coasts, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “‘You say, Tyre, “I am perfect in beauty.” [Ezekiel 27:1-3]
Tyre (and its neighbour Sidon) on the coast of the Mediterranean was where the Phoenicians ran a thriving commerce by sea and by land with the neighbouring nations.
Their ships ruled the sea at the time.
But their pride became their downfall; their arrogance led to excesses and abuses.
They walked all over people, especially the poor, the weak, the helpless.
Over time, the Jews used Tyre to symbolize the height of vanity, arrogance and pride.

Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. [Matthew 11:20-22]
In light of this, imagine the shock of Jesus’ audience when He says they are worse than Tyre and Sidon.
Even Tyre and Sidon would have repented if they had seen what these people saw in Jesus’ miracles.
Jesus alludes to these warnings of judgement against Tyre made by Ezekiel in His warning to the citizens of Chorazin and Bethsaida – their regret at having rejected Jesus will be more serious than what befell Tyre and Sidon.

What this means is that our response to Jesus is the most important decision we will make; and so much depends on what we do with Jesus.
The message of Jesus is clear – though the message of the church has not always been clear; any sensible and simple reading of Jesus’ message will be clear enough.
One day, when Jesus returns, those who refused or rejected Jesus’ message and mission will realize their mistake.
It comes down to pride – Jesus demands repentance and humility and self-denial and self-sacrifice, and that is a price proud people do not want to pay.
Full of ourselves, our success, our pride, our self-confidence, we see Jesus’ message as on of weakness.

Now is the time to be honest, now is the time to be humble.
Now is the time to repent in dust and ashes, and seek God for mercy and help.
One day it will be too late…

PRAYER:
Lord, You do not want anyone to perish. But neither can You allow proud, self-absorbed and self-confident people to succeed. Help me to see that repentance is not the way to death, but a way through death to life!