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[0:00] There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.

[0:19] ! There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their! There is a generation whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

[0:44] A generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. A generation pure in their own eyes. My subject is pride.

[0:56] Of course, there is none of that here tonight. Pride. Something we see in rebellious hearts. We see of a generation that curses their father, and does not bless their mother.

[1:09] Rebellious hearts. Fleshly pride. Pride. It's something we've all got to battle. I know for myself. I have to battle pride. I don't know about you. You're probably more saintly than me.

[1:20] But pride is something within. Deep within, isn't it? Within the self, the ego. Rebellion. Self. Pride. It's at the heart, isn't it?

[1:32] Of vanity. Of conceit. It's deep down within each of us. I will put it to you tonight. Ecclesiastes 1 verse 2, it says, Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher.

[1:43] Vanity of vanities. All is vanity. Vanity. Vanity. Pride. Something that God hates. People self-absorbed.

[1:54] With self-will. With their vain conceits. Not seeing their own faults. You know, I don't know about you, but the one that I see the most fault with is the one that looks at me in the mirror every morning.

[2:08] The self. Vanity. Pride. These people, they see no fault in their own eyes. But what about in God's eyes?

[2:19] It says of our Lord God that He's of purer eyes than to behold evil. And the question for all of us is to consider, how can I steer away from pride in my life?

[2:33] From pride. From arrogance. From that self. From that ego. Much harm can be and has been done to the cause of Christ through this thing called pride.

[2:44] It does damage in families. It does damage in churches. It does damage in society. This dread sin called pride. And I've seen some argue bitterly over various doctrine to the point of hatefulness.

[3:01] Hatefulness. That's not to say that doctrine isn't worth fighting for. It is. And we should contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints.

[3:13] But we're talking here about doctrine that is argued to the point of hatefulness. Of variance. Of strife. Of variance. Of strife. And it says of pride in Proverbs 13 verse 10.

[3:26] Only by pride cometh contention. But with the well advised is wisdom. Pride that leads to contention is not a godly thing.

[3:39] Spurgeon said. Be not proud. Of race. Face. Place. Or grace. There's nothing that we ought to be proud of.

[3:50] Pride can be seen in an attitude of holier than thou. Holier than thou. Holy than thou. We see that verse 12. It says there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes.

[4:03] And yet is not washed from their filthiness. It's sad to see when some would consider themselves more spiritual. Holier than thou.

[4:15] More spiritual than thou. And it's a danger. As much as we seek and yearn for spiritual life and holiness and godliness of living. Yet there's a danger when we might look at others and think of ourselves as above them.

[4:31] Or better than they. When that happens in reality it is the flesh. It is the flesh. It's actually the flesh. It's not Christ-likeness when we are such.

[4:43] Arguing over doctrinal trivia yet missing the key points. The fundamentals as the Pharisees did. Attacking and wounding people over matters of interpretation and emphasis.

[4:57] We've seen that of late in people that have gone now that are not with us. Who might have the doctrine down pat.

[5:08] But are missing the fundamentals of the love of God. Of that character of Christ. And friends it's a danger that we all face. We all can face such as that.

[5:21] Of being religious but not right with God. That's a great danger. We all need to guard ourselves of that. Of being indignant. Of being unseachable.

[5:32] And what matters most for us as the church of God. Is that we accept Christ as our Saviour. He must be our Saviour. The son that have come across my path of recent times.

[5:47] That they think that faith must be added to. That faith is not enough. That it must be faith plus good works.

[5:58] Friends that is a diabolical error. That is a demonic doctrine. That we should think that our faith has to be added to. With good works. That we need to somehow save ourselves.

[6:11] Or keep ourselves saved. By our own working. By our own doing. If that is such. Then Christ is not your Saviour. That is a diabolical doctrine. And we ought not to have that teaching.

[6:24] Friends it is vital. That Christ is our Saviour. That it is Christ who saves. That it is upon him and his merits. We cannot save ourselves.

[6:36] Nor keep ourselves saved. Such as that. Often they are holier than thou. It is as if they have got some air of spirituality. That they are above another.

[6:47] And really at the core of pride. Pride is unbelief. It is unbelief. It is a dissatisfaction with God. It is saying that I know more than God.

[6:58] Than his word. Than his will for me. And pride is ultimately self-righteousness. Friends it must be God that gets all of the credit.

[7:09] Don't you just love the story in Luke 18. Two men went to the temple to pray. Luke 18 from verse 9. The Lord Jesus recounts this parable.

[7:20] To them which trusted in themselves that they were righteous. And despised others. Two men went up into the temple to pray. The one a Pharisee. And the other a publican.

[7:32] The Pharisee stood and prayed. Thus with himself. With himself he prayed. God I thank thee. That I am not as other men are. Extortioners.

[7:43] Unjust. Adulterers. Or even as this. Publican. I fast. Twice in the week. I give tithes of all that I possess.

[7:55] And the publican standing afar off. Would not lift up so much. As his eyes unto heaven. But smote upon his breast.

[8:06] Abased. Saying God be merciful unto me a sinner. I tell you this man went down to his house justified. Rather than the other.

[8:19] For everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased. Or brought low. And he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Lifted up. Holier than thou.

[8:30] That's a danger isn't it? Let us not be making that mistake. As much as we love holiness. We strive for it. We yearn for it. We command it unto it.

[8:41] Yet we must not stand in such a light that we consider others as beneath us. Because we're all unworthy of his grace. Number one.

[8:52] Holier than thou. A generation that are pure in their own eyes. Number two. Smarter than thou. Verse 13. There is a generation. Oh how lofty are their eyes and their eyelids.

[9:06] Are lifted up. Pride takes an arrogant stand. We see that in the looks of the rock stars. On the magazines down in the supermarket.

[9:17] The looks in the faces of the rock stars. As it were. It's all too common. That look. They've got that look. That impudent look. That arrogant, self-seeking look.

[9:29] Filled and inflated with their own sense of self-importance. And they make their own way through life. With scarcely a thought for the eternal damnation that they are under the sentence of.

[9:42] Scarcely a thought of that day when they will answer unto God. What is it that makes a man unclean? It is pride. Pride certainly of one. And Mark 7.

[9:54] Our Lord says from verse 21. The concept is of partaking things. And our Lord says no. It's not so much what goes in. It's what goes out.

[10:05] Mark 7.21 For from within. Out of the heart of man. Out of the heart of man. Proceed evil thoughts. Adulteries. Fornications. Murders.

[10:16] Thefts. Covetousness. Wickedness. Deceit. Lasciviousness. In other words immorality. An evil eye. Blasphemy. Pride.

[10:27] Foolishness. Pride is there. Pride. It's alongside all of those other vile things. Pride is just as vile. As theft.

[10:38] As wickedness. As deceit. As blasphemy. All these evil things come from within and defile the man. Friends we need to take stock of pride in our lives.

[10:51] We need to take stock when we think I'm smarter than thou. Whether we've got some training or some elevation through whatever means. That we must always guard against that sense of pride.

[11:04] We can be proud about our culture. No matter where we come from. No matter what our country of origin. We can be proud of our racial background. We can be proud of our racial background. We can be proud of our academic learning.

[11:16] We can be proud of our status in life. We can get proud brother. We can get proud sister. And it's something to guard against. Pride defiles the man it says. It defiles the man.

[11:28] And some people unwisely consider themselves smarter than thou. Smarter than thou. Friends we're all just as inadequate.

[11:39] And we ought to become except you be converted and become as little children. Come to that place where you come to that place where we're all just ga ga goo goo.

[11:50] You know we're all just little children. We're all just inadequate and unworthy. We've got nothing to elevate ourselves above one another. There was a story of a car crash one day.

[12:04] There was a car crash, a wet road. A car hit a pole. And bystanders rushed there to the accident. And the first to reach the crash victim was a woman.

[12:15] Then a man raced in and pushed her out of the way and said, Out of the way lady. I've taken a course in first aid. And the woman watched for a little while then said, Excuse me, but when you get to the part about calling a doctor, I'm right here.

[12:32] She was the one who was most able to help that man. And yet was pushed out of the way by this arrogant man. Thinking that he had some great training as the first aid trained person.

[12:44] Pride. Pride can do damage. When pride cometh, then cometh shame. It says in Proverbs 11 verse 2, But with the lowly is wisdom.

[12:56] When pride cometh, then cometh shame. But with the lowly, then is wisdom. So true wisdom is really coming to that place of humility. Of bowing before the master.

[13:08] To truly be wise, we must let our egos be crucified. And not to let them inflate. To stop and listen and learn from others.

[13:19] To be gently reaching others and learning from others. Touching others. It's true wisdom. And that's how our Lord, our master did with men.

[13:31] He wasn't smarter than thou. Thirdly, verse 14. Better than thou. We can be holier than thou. We can be smarter than thou. We can be better than thou.

[13:43] Just putting it in simple terms. Verse 14, it says, Pride can come out in what we say.

[14:01] It says of this generation, Pride can come out in what we say. And prideful ways, prideful words, are something we need to guard against.

[14:16] We know the word says of sowing discord. It's something God hates. And elsewhere it says God hates pride. It's one of the things He specifically hates.

[14:27] So, friends, we all need to be guarded. Are our teeth like swords? Watch your words before you speak them. And if they're unwise, don't speak them.

[14:38] If they're unthinking words, don't say them. For some, they've got venomous words, sharp words. We encountered that in some weeks ago. There were some situations between some clashing people.

[14:51] And hurtful words were said. Prideful words. It's something that causes great damage. How we need, friends, to be selfless men.

[15:04] Selfless men. I know I need to be more selfless. More selfless. More like Christ. Instead of reacting to respond.

[15:18] To love people as Christ loved us. And yet, it can be hard. Selfless men.

[15:29] Christ is looking for selfless men. Christ is looking for selfless men. If you've still got self, if you're willing to take up your cross.

[15:40] To deny yourself and take up your cross. There's an invitation from this one. The utterly selfless man. Who took upon him the form of a servant.

[15:51] Was made in the likeness of man. Looking for selfless men. Selfless men to join the cause. Men with a lowliness of mind. In Philippians 2.3 it says.

[16:04] But let nothing be done. Through strife or vain glory. But in lowliness of mind. Let each esteem other better than themselves. Rather than saying, I'm better than thou.

[16:15] We need to think of others are better than me. Esteem others better than themselves. We need people who will deny themselves. Not find themselves. People who will deny the flesh.

[16:27] Not pamper the flesh. People who will die daily. To prideful, selfish ways. And instead find ways to edify one another.

[16:38] How desperately we need that. In our day. When this generation as it were. You could see the generation of Proverbs 30. As being the present day generation.

[16:50] It's the me generation isn't it? I've heard it expressed that way. The me generation. Instead we ought to be. A people. A people.

[17:01] Selfless. Selfless. Selfless. Romans 12.3. Paul writes. He says. But I say then. Through the grace given unto me. To every man. Among you.

[17:12] Not to think of himself. More highly. Than he ought to think. But to think soberly. According as God hath dealt. To every man. The measure of faith.

[17:24] To think. Guard yourself. Against. Thinking of yourself. More highly. Than you ought to think. The word urges us such.

[17:35] In Romans 12 verse 16. It says. Being of the same mind. One towards another. Mind not. High things. But condescend. To men. Of low estate.

[17:46] Be not wise. In thine own conceits. Be not wise. In your own conceits. So. It says. Condescend. To men.

[17:57] Of low estate. In other words. Associate. With the lowly. What did our Lord do? He did just that. Didn't he? He associated. With the lowly. He was not.

[18:09] Minding. High things. He was not wise. In his own conceits. As people. And I. Speaking for myself. We can be inclined. To want to be considered better.

[18:22] Than other people. Than the next man. But really. That's the flesh. It's the flesh. To want to think of yourself. As better than the next man. And we see that. I heard it said. There was a salesman one day.

[18:34] He was very clever. And he closed hundreds of sales like this. He said. Let me show you something. I heard it said. There was a salesman one day. He was very clever. And he closed hundreds of sales like this. Let me show you something today.

[18:46] That several of your neighbors have said. You can't afford. And so it made that man say. I can afford it. And it appealed to his pride.

[18:57] And it made him buy. And the devil appeals to our pride. You know. It's where the trouble all started. Wasn't it? When the devil said. I will. I will.

[19:08] I will. Pride led to his downfall. And pride can lead to our own downfall. To our own downfall. In Proverbs 16 verse 18. It says. Pride goeth before destruction.

[19:19] And a haughty spirit. Before a fall. Better it is to be of a humble spirit. Than with the lowly. Than to divide the spoil.

[19:30] With the proud. A haughty spirit. Goeth before destruction. Pride. Why. As God's people. We meant to have.

[19:41] A humble spirit. It was said. Of Muhammad Ali. He was a very prideful. Proud man. No doubt. A man you would.

[19:53] Would be somewhat. Intimidated by. And Muhammad Ali. He had to brag. To psych out his opponents. And he was often boastful. One day.

[20:04] Muhammad Ali. Boarded a plane. And the flight attendant. Asked him to. Put his seatbelt on. Muhammad Ali said. Superman. Don't need. No seatbelts.

[20:15] She smiled at him. And said. Don't need. No plane. Either. He was just a man. And he had to do. What everybody else did.

[20:26] We have forgotten. The gracious hand. Which preserved us. In peace. And multiplied. And enriched. And strengthened us. And we have vainly imagined.

[20:37] In the deceitfulness. Of our hearts. That all these blessings. Were produced by some. Superior wisdom. And virtue. Of our own. Intoxicated. With unbroken success.

[20:49] We have become. Too self sufficient. To feel the need. Of redeeming. And preserving. Grace. Too proud. To pray. To the God. That made us.

[21:00] And on this occasion. He proclaimed. A day. Of national. Humiliation. A day. Of national. Humiliation. And fasting. And prayer. In 1863.

[21:12] Wouldn't that be good. If. If. Prime Minister Gillard. Would do such. A day. A day. Of humiliation. And of fasting. And of prayer. Something.

[21:23] We. We probably. Could do it. Isn't it? 1 Peter 5. It says. Ye. Submit yourselves. Unto the elder. Yea. All of you.

[21:34] Be subject. One. To another. Be clothed. With. Humility. For God. Resisteth. The proud. And giveth. Grace.

[21:45] The humble. For under. The mighty. Hand. Of God. That he may. Exalt you. In. Due time. Casting. All your care.

[21:56] Upon him. For he. Careth. For you. Moody said. Be humble. Or. You'll stumble. Pride. Goes. Before.

[22:07] Haughty spirit. Before. Destruction. Be clothed. With. Humility. Be clothed. With. Humility. Humble. Yourselves.

[22:18] Under. The mighty. Hand. Of God. Consider. How. Mighty. Is. His hand. It says. Of.

[22:29] Our God. That. He measures. The universe. The. Billions. Of. Many. Brighter. And. Larger.

[22:40] Than. Our. Son. He measures. Them. In. The. The. The. Of. Hand.

[22:51] Isaiah. 40. Verse. 12. Humble. Yourselves. Under. The. Mighty. Hand. Of.

[23:02] His. Hand. He. Gives. Grace. To. The. Humble. Friends. I. Urge.

[23:13] In. Closing. Recognize. Pride. For. What. It. Instead. Be. A. Disciple.

[23:24] Of. The. Unashamed. The. Fellowship. Of. The. Unashamed. Passage. A. Familiars.

[23:35] Um. Not sure. The. Of. A. Quote. It's a. Familiars. In. There.

[23:46] Was. A. Young. Man. From. Rwanda. To. Either. Renounce. Christ. Or.

[23:57] Certain. Death. And. The. Before. Had. Written. The. Following. Commitment. Which.

[24:08] Was. In. His. Room. May. Have. He. He. He. He. He.

[24:19] He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He.

[24:30] He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He.

[24:41] He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He.

[24:52] He. He. He. He. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear.

[25:05] I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up for the cause of Christ.

[25:15] I must go till he comes, give till I drop, print till everyone knows, work till he stops me, and when he comes for his own, he will have no trouble recognising me, because my banner will have been clear.

[25:34] A disciple, a selfless one, a selfless one, he says take up your cross daily, he says die to yourself, die daily.

[25:46] Crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts. Search out pride in your life, whether it be a sense of holier than thou, of smarter than thou, of better than thou.

[26:05] Friends, we're all unworthy of his majestic grace. We're all unworthy of his saving power, and yet he comes to such as we. And he says, come unto me, come unto me.

[26:18] Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we praise you for our fellowshipping here tonight. We pray, Lord, that you would grant each one to know that tender mercy of salvation, that each one might come in repentance and faith.

[26:35] We pray, if there be any here yet to trust you, that it might even be now, is the day, today, that they might trust you.

[26:46] Stop trusting themselves and their own works and trust you and your finished work. That is the only work that can save us.

[26:56] Lord, we thank you for that mercy of Calvary tonight. We pray, Lord, help us to recognise the flesh when it rears its ugly head, that you might crucify the old man, the flesh that is within at times.

[27:11] Help us, Lord, to recognise it and repent of it. Guide us, Holy Spirit, that we might be sensitively led by you in ways of holiness and truth, in love, in peace, in one accord.

[27:26]  In Jesus' name, Amen.