WEBVTT 00:00:02.759 --> 00:00:06.099 Well, I had an experience yesterday that will 00:00:06.099 --> 00:00:11.519 long remain in my memory. I learned to speak 00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:16.980 three words of Norwegian. I attended a meeting 00:00:16.980 --> 00:00:21.320 of what is called the Norske Torske Kuben. Do 00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:24.539 you know what that is? Well, that's a group of 00:00:24.539 --> 00:00:27.239 people of Norwegian descent, primarily. There 00:00:27.239 --> 00:00:32.380 are some exceptions, obviously. who get together 00:00:32.380 --> 00:00:34.799 once a month, nine months out of the year, to 00:00:34.799 --> 00:00:39.179 eat Torsk. I was introduced at the meeting. I 00:00:39.179 --> 00:00:41.200 guess there must have been about 300 people there, 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:42.880 and there were four or five pastors who happened 00:00:42.880 --> 00:00:46.780 to be visiting yesterday. And we were all introduced 00:00:46.780 --> 00:00:52.659 together, and the emcee then said, Well, it's 00:00:52.659 --> 00:00:55.439 nice to see you pastors in person and not on 00:00:55.439 --> 00:01:00.960 television. That's kind of how I felt, too. I 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:03.960 wanted to laugh, and yet there was a certain 00:01:03.960 --> 00:01:07.560 cut to that comment because of the scandal within 00:01:07.560 --> 00:01:11.920 Christian broadcasting in the recent two weeks. 00:01:12.540 --> 00:01:16.359 It has produced calamity and confusion, embarrassment, 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:21.879 sorrow. Sad to say, the gospel of our Savior 00:01:21.879 --> 00:01:26.760 has been subjected to ridicule among the unregenerate. 00:01:27.370 --> 00:01:31.609 because of the actions and manners of certain 00:01:31.609 --> 00:01:38.810 Christian television stars. That was one example 00:01:38.810 --> 00:01:41.629 of several in recent days which showed to me 00:01:41.629 --> 00:01:45.349 how much the world has rather enjoyed seeing 00:01:45.349 --> 00:01:48.209 the dirty laundry hanging, flying in the wind. 00:01:50.670 --> 00:01:53.170 Our family, my wife and I and son, walked into 00:01:53.170 --> 00:01:55.670 a local restaurant a week and a half ago, just 00:01:55.670 --> 00:01:58.349 after the news first broke, and walked by a table 00:01:58.349 --> 00:02:01.890 of four men who were making a joke of what had 00:02:01.890 --> 00:02:05.530 happened to the bakers and some crude remarks 00:02:05.530 --> 00:02:09.610 about it. Undoubtedly, many of you, as I watched 00:02:09.610 --> 00:02:13.330 Nightline, as on two consecutive nights they 00:02:13.330 --> 00:02:15.150 interviewed some of those associated with these 00:02:15.150 --> 00:02:18.650 events, I tell you we're all the losers for it. 00:02:21.419 --> 00:02:25.319 What does the typical citizen of this world say 00:02:25.319 --> 00:02:30.699 when these kinds of things occur? I'll tell you 00:02:30.699 --> 00:02:35.939 what they say. They say, see, they're not really 00:02:35.939 --> 00:02:41.180 any different than any of us, except that they're 00:02:41.180 --> 00:02:49.259 hypocrites. And the sad thing is, And in some 00:02:49.259 --> 00:02:54.599 cases, they're absolutely correct. That surely 00:02:54.599 --> 00:02:58.460 is not the design of God, is it? I'd like you 00:02:58.460 --> 00:03:01.139 to turn in the Bible first this morning to 1 00:03:01.139 --> 00:03:06.680 Peter. And notice with me the consistent teaching 00:03:06.680 --> 00:03:11.099 of the Holy Spirit through Peter to us regarding 00:03:11.099 --> 00:03:17.300 our lifestyle. For example, in chapter 1, beginning 00:03:17.300 --> 00:03:22.520 in verse 14, it says, As obedient children, do 00:03:22.520 --> 00:03:26.919 not be conformed to the former lusts which were 00:03:26.919 --> 00:03:29.439 yours in your ignorance, that is, before you 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:33.479 knew Christ. But like the Holy One who called 00:03:33.479 --> 00:03:37.800 you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior. 00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:42.000 That's our lifestyle. Because it is written, 00:03:42.120 --> 00:03:46.659 You shall be holy, for I am holy. God isn't saying 00:03:46.659 --> 00:03:50.000 there that he expects us to be sinless in this 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:54.500 world. He has made provision for the sins that 00:03:54.500 --> 00:03:56.800 we do commit. He knows that we're not going to 00:03:56.800 --> 00:04:00.099 be sinless. But what he exhorts us to here is 00:04:00.099 --> 00:04:04.280 a different life, a life that is separated from 00:04:04.280 --> 00:04:09.500 the lifestyle of the unregenerate. And it's based 00:04:09.500 --> 00:04:11.979 upon his holiness. Look in chapter 2 and verse 00:04:11.979 --> 00:04:16.410 9. You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, 00:04:16.430 --> 00:04:20.009 a holy nation, a people for God's own possession 00:04:20.009 --> 00:04:22.430 that you may proclaim the excellencies of him 00:04:22.430 --> 00:04:25.610 who called you out of darkness into his marvelous 00:04:25.610 --> 00:04:29.829 light. For once you were not a people, but now 00:04:29.829 --> 00:04:33.470 you are the people of God. You had not received 00:04:33.470 --> 00:04:36.550 mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, 00:04:36.550 --> 00:04:40.870 I urge you, as aliens and strangers, to abstain 00:04:40.870 --> 00:04:44.740 from fleshly lusts. which wage war against the 00:04:44.740 --> 00:04:47.220 soul. Keep your behavior. There's your lifestyle. 00:04:48.360 --> 00:04:52.300 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles. 00:04:52.839 --> 00:04:56.259 That's the unconverted. So that in the thing 00:04:56.259 --> 00:04:59.540 in which they slander you as evildoers, they 00:04:59.540 --> 00:05:02.620 may on account of your good deeds, as they observe 00:05:02.620 --> 00:05:08.180 them, glorify God in the day of visitation. Turn 00:05:08.180 --> 00:05:10.620 over a page to chapter 3 and look at verse 13. 00:05:11.879 --> 00:05:14.639 And who is there to harm you if you prove zealous 00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:18.079 for what is good? But even if you should suffer 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:20.120 for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. 00:05:20.500 --> 00:05:23.360 And do not fear their intimidation and do not 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:26.240 be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:29.000 hearts, always being ready to make a defense 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:32.639 to everyone who asks you to give an account for 00:05:32.639 --> 00:05:35.279 the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:39.860 and reverence, and keep a good conscience. So 00:05:39.860 --> 00:05:41.839 that in the thing in which you are slandered, 00:05:41.980 --> 00:05:45.399 those who revile your good behavior, there's 00:05:45.399 --> 00:05:48.740 your lifestyle, your good behavior in Christ 00:05:48.740 --> 00:05:52.339 may be put to shame. How sad when that's reversed. 00:05:54.540 --> 00:05:57.240 And then chapter 4 and verse 3. For the time 00:05:57.240 --> 00:05:59.500 already passed is sufficient for you to have 00:05:59.500 --> 00:06:03.139 carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having 00:06:03.139 --> 00:06:07.879 pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, 00:06:07.939 --> 00:06:12.230 carousals, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 00:06:12.790 --> 00:06:16.829 And in all this they are surprised that you do 00:06:16.829 --> 00:06:21.170 not run with them into the same excess of dissipation, 00:06:21.189 --> 00:06:26.850 and they malign you. How sad when they malign 00:06:26.850 --> 00:06:31.389 because of some deed of darkness. My point is 00:06:31.389 --> 00:06:36.069 this, that God has called us with an unbelievably 00:06:36.069 --> 00:06:41.029 high calling. He has called us to be the royalty 00:06:41.029 --> 00:06:45.629 of his universe. And because of who we are in 00:06:45.629 --> 00:06:50.910 Jesus Christ, we cannot, we dare not, live a 00:06:50.910 --> 00:06:53.750 lifestyle that is in conformity with the world 00:06:53.750 --> 00:06:58.110 system around us. That is not the design or the 00:06:58.110 --> 00:07:02.930 plan of God. Our destiny is to share the glory 00:07:02.930 --> 00:07:06.689 of Jesus Christ and to inherit with him an eternal 00:07:06.689 --> 00:07:11.009 kingdom, beloved. Because that is our destiny. 00:07:11.029 --> 00:07:15.490 The design of our life now needs to be one that 00:07:15.490 --> 00:07:20.629 pleases God. My brother -in -law teaches in a 00:07:20.629 --> 00:07:24.529 public high school in the Cincinnati area. For 00:07:24.529 --> 00:07:27.170 a time he was a part of a faculty in an inner 00:07:27.170 --> 00:07:32.029 city school that was largely black. They invited 00:07:32.029 --> 00:07:38.980 to one of their sessions Jesse Jackson. That 00:07:38.980 --> 00:07:41.240 was when he was running for president the last 00:07:41.240 --> 00:07:45.519 time, I think. And as he came into the session 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:48.939 with the students, he had basically one message 00:07:48.939 --> 00:07:53.699 to communicate to them. Now, as typically inner 00:07:53.699 --> 00:07:56.339 -city students, they were not too respectful 00:07:56.339 --> 00:08:01.139 at first. They were talking and so on, but he 00:08:01.139 --> 00:08:03.019 quickly got their attention by getting them to 00:08:03.019 --> 00:08:07.509 repeat after him three simple words. His message 00:08:07.509 --> 00:08:10.750 to that student body that day was this, I am 00:08:10.750 --> 00:08:16.029 somebody. And of course he said it as only he 00:08:16.029 --> 00:08:19.850 could say it. He got them repeating that until 00:08:19.850 --> 00:08:23.250 the whole room was reverberating with the students 00:08:23.250 --> 00:08:32.330 shouting those three words, I am somebody. May 00:08:32.330 --> 00:08:35.240 I say to you today, They're based upon the word 00:08:35.240 --> 00:08:39.360 of the living God. If you have trusted the Lord 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:44.200 Jesus Christ as your Savior, not in some temporal, 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:48.919 earthly sense, but in an eternal and real sense, 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:58.940 you are somebody. You are a prince, a princess 00:08:58.940 --> 00:09:03.309 of God's eternal kingdom. And because of that 00:09:03.309 --> 00:09:07.289 high calling of God in Christ Jesus upon your 00:09:07.289 --> 00:09:11.850 life, he tells you to live a certain way. He 00:09:11.850 --> 00:09:15.409 appeals to us to live, as it says in Ephesians 00:09:15.409 --> 00:09:19.870 chapter 4, going to our text for today, he appeals 00:09:19.870 --> 00:09:26.769 to us to live, to walk in a manner worthy of 00:09:26.769 --> 00:09:30.669 the calling with which you have been called. 00:09:33.289 --> 00:09:35.509 In other words, he is saying that we should live 00:09:35.509 --> 00:09:39.730 a lifestyle that befits a person professing Jesus 00:09:39.730 --> 00:09:43.730 Christ as Lord. He is telling us here that there 00:09:43.730 --> 00:09:46.750 ought to be a certain equivalency between our 00:09:46.750 --> 00:09:49.789 position in Jesus Christ and our practice in 00:09:49.789 --> 00:09:53.409 our daily living. Now what does that kind of 00:09:53.409 --> 00:09:57.889 a lifestyle look like? When you boil those words 00:09:57.889 --> 00:10:03.190 down into the everyday practice of living, In 00:10:03.190 --> 00:10:06.509 the world where you and I live, what does a life 00:10:06.509 --> 00:10:09.450 like he's talking about here really look like? 00:10:11.129 --> 00:10:13.330 Well, he gives us the answer not only in our 00:10:13.330 --> 00:10:15.669 text today, but in these last three chapters 00:10:15.669 --> 00:10:20.070 of the book. He tells us, first of all, that 00:10:20.070 --> 00:10:23.289 a life that is worthy of the calling of Jesus 00:10:23.289 --> 00:10:28.330 Christ is a life that is noted for unity. That 00:10:28.330 --> 00:10:32.659 is oneness of heart. and action with other people 00:10:32.659 --> 00:10:36.720 in the body of Christ. He tells us in our text, 00:10:36.740 --> 00:10:38.639 which we have already read this morning in our 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:42.820 scripture, that this unity originates with the 00:10:42.820 --> 00:10:45.100 Holy Spirit. It is not something that you and 00:10:45.100 --> 00:10:49.539 I work up. This unity is said to be the unity 00:10:49.539 --> 00:10:54.600 of the Spirit, verse 3. It's the Holy Spirit 00:10:54.600 --> 00:10:58.440 who works this unity into us. And it's evidenced 00:10:58.440 --> 00:11:00.899 by what is said to be here the bond of peace. 00:11:02.539 --> 00:11:07.139 Peace. Christians ought to be known as peacemakers. 00:11:08.460 --> 00:11:11.519 I commend those who have sought as best as they 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:14.820 could to try to make peace in the last two weeks 00:11:14.820 --> 00:11:21.120 in the evangelical television world. The bond 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:23.960 of peace is evidence that the Holy Spirit is 00:11:23.960 --> 00:11:27.289 working in unity. But he tells us here that the 00:11:27.289 --> 00:11:33.690 bond of peace, the unity of the Spirit, is preserved 00:11:33.690 --> 00:11:39.429 by the personal and individual character of the 00:11:39.429 --> 00:11:43.970 believer. I want you to notice that. He tells 00:11:43.970 --> 00:11:47.110 us that we are to preserve what the Holy Spirit 00:11:47.110 --> 00:11:52.330 produces. And you and I individually preserve 00:11:52.330 --> 00:11:57.620 that by our integrity. by the character that 00:11:57.620 --> 00:12:02.320 we are, by the spiritual and godly qualities 00:12:02.320 --> 00:12:08.720 that mark us as people. It is that integrity, 00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:13.980 it is those qualities which produce unity, or 00:12:13.980 --> 00:12:16.480 rather preserve unity, which the Holy Spirit 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:21.200 produces. When a person is marked by these qualities, 00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:23.519 that's the kind of character that you'll never 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:27.629 forget. When you run across a person who's marked 00:12:27.629 --> 00:12:31.190 with the words of verses 1 through 3, that's 00:12:31.190 --> 00:12:33.669 a person that you'll never be able to erase from 00:12:33.669 --> 00:12:36.070 your mind because the mark of that life will 00:12:36.070 --> 00:12:42.870 be indelibly imprinted upon you. I want you to 00:12:42.870 --> 00:12:46.549 notice these qualities. And the first one that 00:12:46.549 --> 00:12:48.590 we're going to look at is found in verse 2 where 00:12:48.590 --> 00:12:52.049 he tells us that we are to walk, that is to live 00:12:52.049 --> 00:12:57.769 with all humility. The first quality that marks 00:12:57.769 --> 00:13:02.330 the life of God's child and which preserves unity 00:13:02.330 --> 00:13:09.250 among God's people is humility. What is humility? 00:13:09.710 --> 00:13:13.129 Well, literally the word means lowly thinking. 00:13:15.269 --> 00:13:20.269 It is esteeming oneself as small. That's the 00:13:20.269 --> 00:13:24.730 idea. Frankly, the Greeks and Romans of the New 00:13:24.730 --> 00:13:29.649 Testament day had no such word because they despised 00:13:29.649 --> 00:13:33.870 this concept. This word was created by the Holy 00:13:33.870 --> 00:13:39.389 Spirit in the New Testament. It does not exist 00:13:39.389 --> 00:13:44.590 in classical Greek because those people hated 00:13:44.590 --> 00:13:49.250 this kind of a concept. To them, the concept 00:13:49.250 --> 00:13:54.360 of humility was cowardly. and weak. In their 00:13:54.360 --> 00:13:56.720 writings in the first and second century they 00:13:56.720 --> 00:14:02.720 mocked this concept. To the pagans of that day, 00:14:02.899 --> 00:14:08.000 the key to being a real person was self -assertion. 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:15.120 That's right. It was self -assertion, not humility. 00:14:16.899 --> 00:14:19.220 And I think you see that in the pagan society 00:14:19.220 --> 00:14:21.659 in which we live today. In fact, there are seminars 00:14:21.659 --> 00:14:24.039 that people take in order to learn to be self 00:14:24.039 --> 00:14:30.799 -assertive. In Philippians chapter 2, I'd like 00:14:30.799 --> 00:14:33.879 you to turn there. In Philippians chapter 2, 00:14:33.940 --> 00:14:36.139 we have an important statement on this matter 00:14:36.139 --> 00:14:42.789 of humility. He uses the very same word where 00:14:42.789 --> 00:14:46.789 it is translated here, humility of mind, in verse 00:14:46.789 --> 00:14:51.929 3. Here's what he says. If therefore there is 00:14:51.929 --> 00:14:54.970 any encouragement in Christ, and the way he writes 00:14:54.970 --> 00:14:57.929 this, he's saying, since therefore there is encouragement 00:14:57.929 --> 00:15:02.009 in Christ, since there is consolation of love, 00:15:02.110 --> 00:15:04.809 since there is fellowship of the Spirit, since 00:15:04.809 --> 00:15:08.570 there is affection and compassion, Make my joy 00:15:08.570 --> 00:15:12.289 complete, says Paul, by being of the same mind, 00:15:12.470 --> 00:15:15.909 maintaining the same love, united in spirit, 00:15:17.190 --> 00:15:20.830 intent on one purpose. He is writing to a church 00:15:20.830 --> 00:15:25.509 that was not united. Now what all of the problem 00:15:25.509 --> 00:15:27.990 was, we might not know, but there were two individuals 00:15:27.990 --> 00:15:30.529 in the church who were feuding, and it seems 00:15:30.529 --> 00:15:33.769 as though the people had sort of become parties 00:15:33.769 --> 00:15:37.710 to the feud. The church was divided into teams, 00:15:37.789 --> 00:15:41.470 opposed to each other. And so Paul says, look, 00:15:41.549 --> 00:15:43.970 there's all of these benefits in Christ. Now 00:15:43.970 --> 00:15:47.009 he says, I want you to be of the same mind, the 00:15:47.009 --> 00:15:50.470 same love, be united in spirit, intent on one 00:15:50.470 --> 00:15:54.129 purpose. Do you see what he's after here? And 00:15:54.129 --> 00:15:56.289 then he tells them in verse 3, do nothing from 00:15:56.289 --> 00:15:59.710 selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility 00:15:59.710 --> 00:16:02.330 of mind. Now there's the very same term as back 00:16:02.330 --> 00:16:06.570 in Ephesians. humility of mind that each of you 00:16:06.570 --> 00:16:09.830 regard one another as more important than himself. 00:16:09.990 --> 00:16:12.470 Do not merely look out for your own personal 00:16:12.470 --> 00:16:15.610 interests, but also for the interests of others. 00:16:16.870 --> 00:16:19.610 He elaborates upon the idea of humility here, 00:16:19.649 --> 00:16:21.370 and I think it's important so that we can understand 00:16:21.370 --> 00:16:26.090 what real humility is. Humility is not cowardice. 00:16:27.250 --> 00:16:32.070 Humility is not weakness. But humility is esteeming 00:16:32.070 --> 00:16:36.639 oneself as small. Here's how he puts it positively 00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:40.620 in Philippians. He says, first of all, that humility 00:16:40.620 --> 00:16:46.480 means regarding others as having it over oneself 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:49.559 in priority. That is, as being more important. 00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:55.279 It means looking at the other person and settling 00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:58.240 in advance this important basic fact regarding 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:00.980 your relationship. That other person is more 00:17:00.980 --> 00:17:04.579 important than I am. That's what humility does. 00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:09.140 To regard means to thoughtfully consider the 00:17:09.140 --> 00:17:12.220 situation and come to that conclusion, inevitably. 00:17:15.059 --> 00:17:18.480 In Romans 12 .3, he tells us that proper self 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:20.920 -esteem is not erased in this. He puts it this 00:17:20.920 --> 00:17:25.859 way. He says, for us not to think more highly 00:17:25.859 --> 00:17:30.160 of ourselves than we ought to think. Now, folks, 00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:32.720 there's an important principle there. that I 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:36.960 think some people have skewed out of size in 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:40.359 our day. But nonetheless, it's an important principle, 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:42.519 and that is that we are to have a certain sense 00:17:42.519 --> 00:17:47.920 of self -esteem. We are to be satisfied with 00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:50.480 ourselves and to love ourselves in this sense 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:52.619 that we're satisfied with who we are in Jesus 00:17:52.619 --> 00:18:00.799 Christ. Humility is not thinking myself worthless. 00:18:01.480 --> 00:18:06.160 Would you please note that? Humility sees myself 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:09.660 as unworthy, but that's different than worthless. 00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:16.019 I am worth so much to God that he sent his only 00:18:16.019 --> 00:18:18.519 begotten Son into the world to die for my sins. 00:18:18.619 --> 00:18:23.500 So are you. We are not worthless. We are unworthy 00:18:23.500 --> 00:18:28.519 of God's blessing. We are to have a certain sense 00:18:28.519 --> 00:18:32.380 of self -esteem. That is not erased by humility. 00:18:33.819 --> 00:18:36.240 But the point is that we are to regard others 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:40.400 as more important than ourselves. He says it 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:44.640 also this way in Philippians, that we're to look 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:47.900 out for the interest of others. But notice, we're 00:18:47.900 --> 00:18:50.319 to do that as well as look out for the interest 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:57.599 of ourselves. That's there too. We have interests 00:18:57.599 --> 00:19:01.130 we have to look after. That's part of responsibility 00:19:01.130 --> 00:19:05.869 in life. We are to be a faithful people to those 00:19:05.869 --> 00:19:12.150 interests that have to do with our lives. But 00:19:12.150 --> 00:19:15.329 we are also to take time to look after the interests 00:19:15.329 --> 00:19:18.269 of other people. We are not to be totally self 00:19:18.269 --> 00:19:23.190 -absorbed and self -centered. We are to look 00:19:23.190 --> 00:19:26.630 out for the interests of others. And Jesus Christ 00:19:26.630 --> 00:19:29.759 is said to be the example. He says in verse 5, 00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:32.759 had this attitude in you, which was also in Christ 00:19:32.759 --> 00:19:36.019 Jesus. In other words, what he's talking about 00:19:36.019 --> 00:19:38.500 here is the very attitude that Jesus Christ possessed. 00:19:39.640 --> 00:19:42.700 He is the great example. He says it this way 00:19:42.700 --> 00:19:45.700 in Romans 15, 1 and 2. He tells us, don't just 00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:49.339 live to please yourselves. But he says, let each 00:19:49.339 --> 00:19:52.759 of us please his neighbor for his good to his 00:19:52.759 --> 00:19:57.180 edification, just like Christ did. That's what 00:19:57.180 --> 00:20:02.180 he says. We are to live to look after our own 00:20:02.180 --> 00:20:04.119 interests, but we're not to stop there. We're 00:20:04.119 --> 00:20:06.220 not to draw the border and say, that's as far 00:20:06.220 --> 00:20:10.460 as I go. As we look after our own concerns, we 00:20:10.460 --> 00:20:16.059 are to be concerned about others as well. Now 00:20:16.059 --> 00:20:18.819 negatively, he says a couple of things about 00:20:18.819 --> 00:20:22.740 humility. He says it means doing nothing out 00:20:22.740 --> 00:20:27.200 of selfishness, what we just said. Nothing out 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:31.910 of selfish ambition. or self -seeking to exalt 00:20:31.910 --> 00:20:36.410 ourselves before others or above others. Never 00:20:36.410 --> 00:20:38.549 let that be your motive, he says. That's not 00:20:38.549 --> 00:20:42.170 humility. And he warns us as well against empty 00:20:42.170 --> 00:20:46.549 conceit. Don't do anything through empty conceit. 00:20:46.549 --> 00:20:52.150 That is hollow boasting. Have you ever met a 00:20:52.150 --> 00:20:59.039 grade -A braggart in your life? Some of the most 00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:02.400 disgusting people I've ever met are people like 00:21:02.400 --> 00:21:07.460 that. Would you agree with that? All they can 00:21:07.460 --> 00:21:12.059 do is talk about themselves. They boast of their 00:21:12.059 --> 00:21:15.680 abilities, boast of their achievements. Everything 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:18.779 is focused on themselves, and it's all hollow. 00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:25.559 He says, look, don't be that way. That produces 00:21:25.559 --> 00:21:29.009 disunity in the church. in the fellowship of 00:21:29.009 --> 00:21:32.430 God's people. Selfish ambition only divides. 00:21:33.710 --> 00:21:36.930 He says, rather, be characterized by humility 00:21:36.930 --> 00:21:42.289 of mind. Let's think this morning not only about 00:21:42.289 --> 00:21:44.750 an explanation of humility, but the enemy of 00:21:44.750 --> 00:21:48.710 humility. We've already talked about it, really. 00:21:49.509 --> 00:21:55.269 It's pride. Pride is the absolute antithesis 00:21:55.269 --> 00:22:00.539 of humility. The first expression of pride in 00:22:00.539 --> 00:22:04.440 recorded history is not in a human being. Did 00:22:04.440 --> 00:22:08.660 you know that? Go back with me to Isaiah chapter 00:22:08.660 --> 00:22:19.960 14, and you find out who it is. Now what is said 00:22:19.960 --> 00:22:22.500 here is being said to the leader of Babylon, 00:22:22.599 --> 00:22:25.740 but the words have to go beyond. The king of 00:22:25.740 --> 00:22:28.279 Babylon. This cannot refer to a mere human being. 00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:32.500 The statement is too broad in its scope for that. 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:40.140 Look in verse 12 of Isaiah 14. How have you fallen 00:22:40.140 --> 00:22:44.019 from heaven, O star of the morning, sun of the 00:22:44.019 --> 00:22:47.779 dawn? You have been cut down to the earth. You 00:22:47.779 --> 00:22:51.180 have weakened the nations. But you said in your 00:22:51.180 --> 00:22:55.000 heart. I will ascend to heaven. I will raise 00:22:55.000 --> 00:22:58.680 my throne above the stars of God. I will sit 00:22:58.680 --> 00:23:01.019 on the mount of the assembly in the recesses 00:23:01.019 --> 00:23:03.720 of the north. I will ascend above the heights 00:23:03.720 --> 00:23:06.500 of the clouds. I will make myself like the Most 00:23:06.500 --> 00:23:10.880 High. Nevertheless, says God, you will be thrust 00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:13.960 down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit. Who 00:23:13.960 --> 00:23:17.779 is this? Well, it is Satan. That's who it is. 00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:23.150 It's Lucifer. This is something that occurred 00:23:23.150 --> 00:23:26.569 before, as much as we know, before the creation 00:23:26.569 --> 00:23:34.930 of mankind. Satan conceived pride in his heart, 00:23:35.029 --> 00:23:41.650 expressed here in five strong, I will. And for 00:23:41.650 --> 00:23:43.710 that pride, he was thrown down to the earth. 00:23:45.930 --> 00:23:50.450 And then that pride was passed on through sin. 00:23:51.079 --> 00:23:57.660 to human beings. I will. That was the origin 00:23:57.660 --> 00:24:02.059 of pride, and pride is now the natural mentality 00:24:02.059 --> 00:24:07.380 of those who are in Satan's world. That is, the 00:24:07.380 --> 00:24:09.920 order of humanity that he has organized against 00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:17.400 God, the world system which controls the population 00:24:17.400 --> 00:24:23.269 of the world. The world system, which determines 00:24:23.269 --> 00:24:27.470 the styles and the attitudes and the wars and 00:24:27.470 --> 00:24:32.829 peace, the world system, which I repeat is headed 00:24:32.829 --> 00:24:39.029 by Satan, advances this mentality of pride. Pride 00:24:39.029 --> 00:24:43.069 in ourselves, in our achievements, our abilities. 00:24:43.920 --> 00:24:47.740 So the human beings are noted today by saying, 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:52.160 I will do this, I will do that. I'll see an example 00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:56.319 of that in a moment. Because it is the mentality 00:24:56.319 --> 00:24:59.200 of the unregenerate, it is therefore grotesquely 00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:04.119 out of place in the child of God. The Corinthian 00:25:04.119 --> 00:25:07.980 church was one that was characterized by pride. 00:25:08.059 --> 00:25:09.880 Just go back in the New Testament with me quickly 00:25:09.880 --> 00:25:13.119 and look at the Corinthian church. Here we have 00:25:13.119 --> 00:25:17.279 a church that had spiritual gifts. It had a lot 00:25:17.279 --> 00:25:20.700 of advantages, but it's a church that was carnal, 00:25:20.740 --> 00:25:24.079 and that carnality was evidenced in their pride. 00:25:24.380 --> 00:25:27.700 Look in chapter 3 of 1 Corinthians, verse 18. 00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:32.140 He says, Let no man deceive himself if any man 00:25:32.140 --> 00:25:34.500 among you thinks that he's wise in this age. 00:25:35.630 --> 00:25:37.910 Let him become foolish that he may become wise. 00:25:38.049 --> 00:25:40.130 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with 00:25:40.130 --> 00:25:42.529 God. It is written he is the one who catches 00:25:42.529 --> 00:25:45.869 the wise in their craftiness. And again, the 00:25:45.869 --> 00:25:47.970 Lord knows the reasoning of the wise that they 00:25:47.970 --> 00:25:54.130 are useless. So then, let no one boast in men. 00:25:55.470 --> 00:25:57.670 What is Paul saying? Well, he's kind of concluding 00:25:57.670 --> 00:26:02.490 an argument he began back in chapter 1. He warns 00:26:02.490 --> 00:26:04.569 them that they have divided themselves up over 00:26:04.569 --> 00:26:09.089 their spiritual leaders. Here you've got the 00:26:09.089 --> 00:26:13.049 camp of one television evangelist, and here you've 00:26:13.049 --> 00:26:15.230 got the camp of another television evangelist, 00:26:15.230 --> 00:26:16.930 and here you've got the camp of yet another one, 00:26:17.029 --> 00:26:20.130 except they weren't on television in those days. 00:26:22.910 --> 00:26:25.549 And the leaders' names were Peter and Apollos, 00:26:25.549 --> 00:26:29.220 Paul. Then there were the very super spiritual 00:26:29.220 --> 00:26:32.579 ones who said, we just follow Jesus. And Paul 00:26:32.579 --> 00:26:34.299 doesn't commend them because their attitude was 00:26:34.299 --> 00:26:37.680 wrong. What's the problem? The same as we see 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:40.880 in our evangelical world today. They were boasting 00:26:40.880 --> 00:26:47.839 in men, pride. They boasted in their heroes. 00:26:48.940 --> 00:26:50.980 And look at what he says in verse 6 in chapter 00:26:50.980 --> 00:26:54.500 4. He says, These things, brethren, I have figuratively 00:26:54.500 --> 00:26:56.839 applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, 00:26:56.839 --> 00:26:59.740 that in us you might learn not to exceed what 00:26:59.740 --> 00:27:02.519 is written, in order that no one of you might 00:27:02.519 --> 00:27:05.200 become arrogant in behalf of one against the 00:27:05.200 --> 00:27:09.400 other. You see how the pride in the church was 00:27:09.400 --> 00:27:13.319 evidencing itself? They were following their 00:27:13.319 --> 00:27:20.009 heroes. And that was pride. They were boasting 00:27:20.009 --> 00:27:22.390 of these superstars of that day, just like people 00:27:22.390 --> 00:27:25.970 boast of the superstars today. My friend, there 00:27:25.970 --> 00:27:31.049 are no superstars. There's only one, the morning 00:27:31.049 --> 00:27:33.549 star, Jesus Christ, that we ought to be boasting 00:27:33.549 --> 00:27:41.529 in. Turn over to chapter 5. He says, it is actually 00:27:41.529 --> 00:27:44.170 reported that there is immorality among you. 00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:48.220 An immorality of such a kind as does not exist 00:27:48.220 --> 00:27:51.180 even among the Gentiles, that is the unsaved 00:27:51.180 --> 00:27:54.500 pagans around them, that someone has his father's 00:27:54.500 --> 00:27:59.119 wife. So here is a man who professes to be a 00:27:59.119 --> 00:28:02.240 Christian who is living with his stepmother as 00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:06.559 his wife. Paul says even the pagans don't do 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:10.779 stuff like that. And he says, you have become 00:28:10.779 --> 00:28:14.869 arrogant. and have not mourned instead in order 00:28:14.869 --> 00:28:16.990 that the one who has done this deed might be 00:28:16.990 --> 00:28:19.990 removed from your midst. Here he accuses them 00:28:19.990 --> 00:28:27.250 of being proud of their broad -mindedness. Let 00:28:27.250 --> 00:28:31.349 me tell you, there is a kind of broad -mindedness 00:28:31.349 --> 00:28:34.990 that God condemns. And you see an example of 00:28:34.990 --> 00:28:38.289 it right here. We are not to be broad -minded 00:28:38.289 --> 00:28:41.390 about sin. We are to detest it, to hate it, and 00:28:41.390 --> 00:28:45.809 to judge it. And he says that these people in 00:28:45.809 --> 00:28:48.750 Corinth were so boastful of their broad -mindedness 00:28:48.750 --> 00:28:51.109 that they refused even to judge sin in the church. 00:28:53.730 --> 00:28:56.049 They bragged about the fact that their fellowship 00:28:56.049 --> 00:28:58.789 was so broad -minded that they would even have 00:28:58.789 --> 00:29:03.490 people like this living a sinful lifestyle flagrantly, 00:29:03.589 --> 00:29:09.750 publicly, disgracing Jesus Christ. He says that's 00:29:09.750 --> 00:29:13.970 an evidence of your sinful pride. We won't take 00:29:13.970 --> 00:29:16.990 time to look at it, but over in chapter 12, he 00:29:16.990 --> 00:29:20.150 suggests that they boasted of the carnal abuse 00:29:20.150 --> 00:29:22.549 of their spiritual gifts. Even the very things 00:29:22.549 --> 00:29:24.869 that God had given them to use to exercise for 00:29:24.869 --> 00:29:27.650 the glory of his name, they abused and they were 00:29:27.650 --> 00:29:31.190 boastful about that. Some bragged because they 00:29:31.190 --> 00:29:33.450 were an eye in the body and some bragged because 00:29:33.450 --> 00:29:35.029 they were another part of the body. And Paul 00:29:35.029 --> 00:29:38.190 says to them, look, quit doing that. You all 00:29:38.190 --> 00:29:41.569 need each other. And then he puts the capstone 00:29:41.569 --> 00:29:44.869 on his whole argument in chapter 13 when he says, 00:29:44.930 --> 00:29:51.210 Love does not brag and is not arrogant. Pride 00:29:51.210 --> 00:29:53.750 is grotesque when it's among the people of God. 00:29:55.910 --> 00:29:59.730 Pride can be based on a number of matters. Pride 00:29:59.730 --> 00:30:02.849 can be based on God -given abilities, as we see 00:30:02.849 --> 00:30:05.359 here among the Corinthians. Let's slip back to 00:30:05.359 --> 00:30:07.539 chapter 4 for a moment and look at verse 7 again. 00:30:09.160 --> 00:30:13.400 He says, Who regards you as superior? And what 00:30:13.400 --> 00:30:20.160 do you have that you did not receive? But if 00:30:20.160 --> 00:30:22.359 you did receive it, then why do you boast as 00:30:22.359 --> 00:30:24.000 if you had not received it? You know what he's 00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:27.279 saying here? These people were bragging about 00:30:27.279 --> 00:30:31.700 their spiritual abilities. And Paul is saying 00:30:31.700 --> 00:30:33.819 to them, look, why are you bragging about it? 00:30:34.089 --> 00:30:36.349 You're just the recipient of a gift from God. 00:30:38.089 --> 00:30:40.789 Do you think that that originated with you? That 00:30:40.789 --> 00:30:45.869 it's inherently yours? He's arguing against their 00:30:45.869 --> 00:30:50.069 pride. We can be boastful of spiritual abilities. 00:30:51.410 --> 00:30:53.829 To one, God gives the gift of teaching. That 00:30:53.829 --> 00:30:58.390 can go to a person's head. To another, God gives 00:30:58.390 --> 00:31:00.690 the gift of helps. And because of that kind of 00:31:00.690 --> 00:31:03.200 ministry that's helping others, He gets a lot 00:31:03.200 --> 00:31:05.819 of pats on the back, a lot of words of appreciation 00:31:05.819 --> 00:31:10.140 that can go to a person's head. We can become 00:31:10.140 --> 00:31:14.920 proud of our God -given abilities, even our natural 00:31:14.920 --> 00:31:17.119 abilities that God gives us, such as our intellect, 00:31:17.380 --> 00:31:28.180 athletic ability, musical ability we have. You 00:31:28.180 --> 00:31:30.740 see, humility keeps me focusing on the Savior. 00:31:31.660 --> 00:31:34.079 and then using whatever he's given me for his 00:31:34.079 --> 00:31:37.359 glory. I don't focus on the gifts and allow myself 00:31:37.359 --> 00:31:41.220 to become proud of them. I brag about my Savior. 00:31:41.319 --> 00:31:45.339 I'm boastful of him and his cross. And as I'm 00:31:45.339 --> 00:31:47.859 focused on him, I simply use the gifts, whatever 00:31:47.859 --> 00:31:54.440 they are that he's given me, for his glory. Pride 00:31:54.440 --> 00:31:56.680 can be based also on our wealth and possessions. 00:31:58.430 --> 00:32:00.309 I wish we had time to read it. We don't. But 00:32:00.309 --> 00:32:02.970 in Luke chapter 12, verses 15 to 21, there's 00:32:02.970 --> 00:32:05.549 a man Jesus talks about who is a real successful 00:32:05.549 --> 00:32:09.430 farmer. When he filled up his barn, he said, 00:32:09.450 --> 00:32:11.109 what am I going to do now? He says, I know what 00:32:11.109 --> 00:32:12.890 I'm going to do. I'm going to tear down these 00:32:12.890 --> 00:32:14.609 barns. I'm going to build bigger barns, and I'm 00:32:14.609 --> 00:32:16.650 going to do this, and I'm going to do that. And 00:32:16.650 --> 00:32:22.150 finally God came to him and said, you fool. Tonight 00:32:22.150 --> 00:32:27.130 your soul is required of you. An example of a 00:32:27.130 --> 00:32:29.430 person who became proud of wealth and possessions. 00:32:30.690 --> 00:32:33.250 I want to tell you that's a tendency that Christians 00:32:33.250 --> 00:32:36.890 face just like the unregenerate do. Begin to 00:32:36.890 --> 00:32:41.150 parade and display our economic gains, whether 00:32:41.150 --> 00:32:44.849 it be through our cars, our homes, jewelry we 00:32:44.849 --> 00:32:48.170 wear, our clothes. Now there's nothing wrong 00:32:48.170 --> 00:32:50.829 with those things inherently. Of course not. 00:32:51.849 --> 00:32:56.299 But when those objects become... the point of 00:32:56.299 --> 00:33:01.180 our pride, then it's sin. It's sin. The object 00:33:01.180 --> 00:33:03.099 doesn't become sin, but our attitude about it 00:33:03.099 --> 00:33:07.119 becomes sin. We have to watch our hearts about 00:33:07.119 --> 00:33:10.299 these things. We run the danger in this day of 00:33:10.299 --> 00:33:15.160 thinking that we're somehow self -made. And once 00:33:15.160 --> 00:33:17.119 we arrive at that conclusion, then we begin to 00:33:17.119 --> 00:33:20.180 waste what God has given us rather than investing 00:33:20.180 --> 00:33:24.069 that wealth in God's work. We absorb it for ourselves. 00:33:25.029 --> 00:33:30.630 And we save it up for our children. And in some 00:33:30.630 --> 00:33:33.869 cases, how sad it is that godly people have built 00:33:33.869 --> 00:33:35.769 up wealth in their lives and left it to their 00:33:35.769 --> 00:33:38.930 kids who've wasted it. Sometimes leaving it to 00:33:38.930 --> 00:33:42.049 ungodly kids who have no appreciation for their 00:33:42.049 --> 00:33:44.150 parents' value. I think parents make a mistake 00:33:44.150 --> 00:33:48.150 in doing that. What should I do with my wealth? 00:33:48.829 --> 00:33:51.970 What Jesus tells us to do, is to have enough 00:33:51.970 --> 00:33:54.730 to take care of us, to be wise in preparation 00:33:54.730 --> 00:33:58.029 for our older age, but to be investing it all 00:33:58.029 --> 00:34:00.809 of our life long in the work of God. Because 00:34:00.809 --> 00:34:03.630 in that way, you see, we're sending our treasures 00:34:03.630 --> 00:34:07.569 on ahead. We're investing in eternity, and we're 00:34:07.569 --> 00:34:14.510 wise. Humility keeps things in perspective, so 00:34:14.510 --> 00:34:17.590 that I lightly grasp the things of life, and 00:34:17.590 --> 00:34:21.039 I freely give. and I wisely invest them for eternity. 00:34:23.340 --> 00:34:26.119 Then pride can be based upon personal position. 00:34:26.860 --> 00:34:29.679 It may be a social position, or it may be the 00:34:29.679 --> 00:34:32.760 prestige of an office. It may be one's race. 00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:37.139 But when this kind of pride enters the life, 00:34:37.199 --> 00:34:41.579 there's a tendency to become snobbish, to despise 00:34:41.579 --> 00:34:45.550 those that we consider to be beneath us. and 00:34:45.550 --> 00:34:48.269 to only socialize with those who are our equals. 00:34:51.130 --> 00:34:53.190 There's the danger that we will then expect to 00:34:53.190 --> 00:34:55.489 be treated in a certain way because, well, after 00:34:55.489 --> 00:35:01.630 all, who we are. And all of that is nauseating 00:35:01.630 --> 00:35:06.590 to God. Over in the book of James, in the second 00:35:06.590 --> 00:35:09.250 chapter, he warns against this kind of thinking. 00:35:10.889 --> 00:35:13.849 He says, my brethren, do not hold your faith 00:35:13.849 --> 00:35:17.949 in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude 00:35:17.949 --> 00:35:21.909 of personal favoritism, that is, with discrimination. 00:35:23.650 --> 00:35:26.170 If a man comes into your assembly with a gold 00:35:26.170 --> 00:35:29.289 ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also 00:35:29.289 --> 00:35:31.570 comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you 00:35:31.570 --> 00:35:34.510 pay special attention to the one who's wearing 00:35:34.510 --> 00:35:36.809 the fine clothes and say, you sit here in a good 00:35:36.809 --> 00:35:39.710 place. And you say to the poor man, you stand 00:35:39.710 --> 00:35:42.730 over there, sit down at the footstool. Have you 00:35:42.730 --> 00:35:45.110 not made distinctions among yourselves and become 00:35:45.110 --> 00:35:51.050 judges with evil motives? He goes on in the following 00:35:51.050 --> 00:35:54.349 verses then to condemn that kind of activity. 00:35:57.670 --> 00:36:00.809 Luke chapter 14, Jesus says, rather than having 00:36:00.809 --> 00:36:03.010 an attitude of pride about your position, take 00:36:03.010 --> 00:36:07.530 the low spot. Very practical advice that Jesus 00:36:07.530 --> 00:36:10.929 gave. You ever notice that? They were arguing 00:36:10.929 --> 00:36:12.650 about who should sit at the head of the table, 00:36:12.710 --> 00:36:14.389 and Jesus says, look, when you come to a feast, 00:36:14.489 --> 00:36:15.769 don't go to the head of the table. Go down to 00:36:15.769 --> 00:36:19.190 the foot of the table. And then you won't be 00:36:19.190 --> 00:36:21.250 embarrassed if your host says, scoot down a little 00:36:21.250 --> 00:36:24.570 bit and let this fellow sit there. Very practical 00:36:24.570 --> 00:36:31.610 advice. Don't seek the spot of fame, the spot 00:36:31.610 --> 00:36:36.260 of notoriety. But he says, take the low spot. 00:36:36.519 --> 00:36:41.559 What is Jesus saying? Be humble. Be humble. It 00:36:41.559 --> 00:36:43.980 may be that the host will say, hey, come up here 00:36:43.980 --> 00:36:48.079 and sit here. And then you've been honored. But 00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:51.480 be humble in your attitude. Pride can be based 00:36:51.480 --> 00:36:55.820 upon physical appearance. Oh, this is big these 00:36:55.820 --> 00:36:59.139 days. If you want to find the crowded place. 00:37:00.319 --> 00:37:02.699 In Roseville you go to one of these sports clubs 00:37:02.699 --> 00:37:06.659 around here later in the afternoon I'm not condemning 00:37:06.659 --> 00:37:08.639 them. They have a spot, but I'll tell you what 00:37:08.639 --> 00:37:12.780 People are very concerned in our day about their 00:37:12.780 --> 00:37:17.579 physical bodies and They go to lengths to show 00:37:17.579 --> 00:37:26.960 them off They wear clothing that or sometimes 00:37:26.960 --> 00:37:30.489 they don't wear clothing That is intended to 00:37:30.489 --> 00:37:34.530 attract sensually the opposite sex. Sometimes 00:37:34.530 --> 00:37:37.550 jewelry is worn for the same reason. Have you 00:37:37.550 --> 00:37:39.690 ever looked at your wardrobe and said to yourself, 00:37:39.829 --> 00:37:47.969 now why do I wear those clothes? Is Jesus Christ 00:37:47.969 --> 00:37:53.710 honored when I dress this way? When I adorn myself 00:37:53.710 --> 00:37:59.800 in this particular fashion? That's an important 00:37:59.800 --> 00:38:04.980 question. We can become so proud of our physical 00:38:04.980 --> 00:38:13.059 appearance that it becomes sickening. Now, we 00:38:13.059 --> 00:38:16.260 ought not to be sloppy. I'm not saying that Christians 00:38:16.260 --> 00:38:19.659 ought to wear only ugly clothes, dress in black 00:38:19.659 --> 00:38:24.099 all the time, and never wear makeup, never wear 00:38:24.099 --> 00:38:26.619 jewelry. I don't think men ought to wear makeup. 00:38:30.730 --> 00:38:33.190 No, the principle of Scripture is that we are 00:38:33.190 --> 00:38:36.809 to dress ourselves, to adorn ourselves modestly. 00:38:37.610 --> 00:38:42.429 Modestly. Now Satan is another example in this 00:38:42.429 --> 00:38:46.010 whole area. Because it tells us in Ezekiel chapter 00:38:46.010 --> 00:38:49.130 28, beginning in verse 11, that Satan became 00:38:49.130 --> 00:38:53.110 proud of his appearance. He was apparently the 00:38:53.110 --> 00:38:55.829 most beautiful, the most glorious of all of God's 00:38:55.829 --> 00:38:59.820 created angels. before the very throne of God, 00:38:59.960 --> 00:39:04.840 and somehow his appearance caused Satan to become 00:39:04.840 --> 00:39:06.739 proud and feel that he could become his God. 00:39:09.599 --> 00:39:13.119 My point is just this, simply. Do not become 00:39:13.119 --> 00:39:15.099 proud of your physical appearance, and if you 00:39:15.099 --> 00:39:18.280 are, repent of it. Because your physical appearance, 00:39:18.420 --> 00:39:26.880 whatever it is, is God's design. And then we 00:39:26.880 --> 00:39:28.960 can become proud, and this is perhaps the most 00:39:28.960 --> 00:39:31.380 deceitful and dangerous of all, we can become 00:39:31.380 --> 00:39:33.840 proud of our spiritual and religious experience. 00:39:37.099 --> 00:39:39.719 And we begin to judge others because they're 00:39:39.719 --> 00:39:46.780 not as committed as I am. We begin to judge because 00:39:46.780 --> 00:39:49.860 they haven't had the experiences that I've had. 00:39:53.329 --> 00:39:55.530 Perhaps of all the kinds of pride, this is the 00:39:55.530 --> 00:40:00.469 most nauseating to God. It's the kind that Jesus 00:40:00.469 --> 00:40:03.510 condemned so roundly in Matthew chapter 23 when 00:40:03.510 --> 00:40:08.409 he absolutely lacerated the Pharisees because 00:40:08.409 --> 00:40:11.530 of attitudes like that. They were filled with 00:40:11.530 --> 00:40:17.190 abominable hypocrisy. I don't know where pride 00:40:17.190 --> 00:40:20.710 may be in our lives today. It may be that God 00:40:20.710 --> 00:40:23.829 has dealt with all of us. And that we're truly 00:40:23.829 --> 00:40:27.849 walking in humility. But wherever the finger 00:40:27.849 --> 00:40:30.070 of God may have fallen upon us this morning, 00:40:30.190 --> 00:40:33.530 that's where we need to do some repenting and 00:40:33.530 --> 00:40:38.230 do it fast. Because there are few sins that are 00:40:38.230 --> 00:40:42.309 so destructive as pride, that so take us down 00:40:42.309 --> 00:40:45.409 the tube spiritually and in every other way as 00:40:45.409 --> 00:40:50.690 pride. The mark of lifestyle that witnesses to 00:40:50.690 --> 00:40:57.039 one being a child of God. is humility. Spurgeon 00:40:57.039 --> 00:40:59.539 said, God will deny no blessing to a thoroughly 00:40:59.539 --> 00:41:04.559 humbled spirit. You want God's blessing? Then 00:41:04.559 --> 00:41:09.019 walk in humility. John MacArthur tells the story 00:41:09.019 --> 00:41:15.079 of some Moravian missionaries to West India who 00:41:15.079 --> 00:41:23.409 desired to reach the slaves. But that population 00:41:23.409 --> 00:41:26.369 of slaves was so separated from the ruling classes 00:41:26.369 --> 00:41:31.289 that no one could reach them. And so these two 00:41:31.289 --> 00:41:34.710 missionaries decided that in order to reach the 00:41:34.710 --> 00:41:37.130 slaves for whom they were burdened and to whom 00:41:37.130 --> 00:41:39.869 God had called them, they themselves would become 00:41:39.869 --> 00:41:43.989 slaves. And that's what they did. They entered 00:41:43.989 --> 00:41:46.869 that society of slaves. They worked side by side 00:41:46.869 --> 00:41:51.900 with them until God closed the gap. between the 00:41:51.900 --> 00:41:54.440 hearts of the slaves and those missionaries. 00:41:55.440 --> 00:41:57.940 And the result was that the slaves eventually 00:41:57.940 --> 00:42:00.019 listened to their message and their hearts were 00:42:00.019 --> 00:42:03.400 touched. And they came to Christ because they 00:42:03.400 --> 00:42:05.639 saw missionaries who had humbled themselves to 00:42:05.639 --> 00:42:11.179 their condition. Walk in humility. That's what 00:42:11.179 --> 00:42:13.239 Jesus did, my friend, when he emptied himself, 00:42:13.519 --> 00:42:16.860 as it says in Philippians 2, and came into this 00:42:16.860 --> 00:42:20.940 world for you and me. And so because he has come 00:42:20.940 --> 00:42:23.599 for us and lifted us to the heights of heaven 00:42:23.599 --> 00:42:28.420 in our calling, let's also walk in humility like 00:42:28.420 --> 00:42:38.820 he did. Let's bow together. I can't know your 00:42:38.820 --> 00:42:41.000 heart, but you know God knows your heart as well 00:42:41.000 --> 00:42:44.739 as he knows mine. What is the point today that 00:42:44.739 --> 00:42:50.900 he's talking to you about? Will you allow the 00:42:50.900 --> 00:42:54.820 Holy Spirit of this moment to deal with you, 00:42:54.860 --> 00:43:00.880 to speak to you, humble yourself? O Spirit of 00:43:00.880 --> 00:43:06.780 God, lover of our souls, one who desires to sanctify 00:43:06.780 --> 00:43:11.179 us, to make us like our Savior, we pray that 00:43:11.179 --> 00:43:15.880 you will humble us. And enable us to follow the 00:43:15.880 --> 00:43:18.260 instructions of your word that says to us, humble 00:43:18.260 --> 00:43:20.599 yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand 00:43:20.599 --> 00:43:25.139 of God. Speak to us, I pray, in this moment. 00:43:28.079 --> 00:43:30.619 In Jesus' name, amen.