Good morning.
As we begin, I want to pray.
I want to ask you to pray with me.
Amen.
Lord, we come before you this morning in desperate need of you to help us.
Because even as we have sung and prayed just now that you would speak to us,
Lord, we need your help because in our natural selves we do not want to hear from you.
We do not seek to hear from you.
Lord, how often we desire to go our own way and to think our own thoughts
rather than hear your word speak to us.
I pray this morning that your Holy Spirit would have mercy upon us.
Lord, that we would sit together under your word and that you would teach us.
Lord, I pray this morning.
Lord, who is worthy to preach of these things?
I pray, Lord, that you, Lord, would work through me this morning,
that my words would be fitting, useful in your hands for all of our good,
that we may know more of your greatness.
Lord, we pray these things in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Tim Keller, in his masterful short book,
The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness, writes this.
Up until the 20th century,
traditional cultures have always believed that too high a view of yourself
was the root cause of all evil in the world.
And he goes on to point out that exalted self-regard
has been typically seen as the root of most crime,
violence, abuse, cruelty, and just plain bad things.
He goes on to say,
Traditionally, the answer for why these things happened was hubris,
the Greek word meaning pride or too high a view of yourself.
Traditionally, that was the reason why people misbehave.
Tim Keller goes on in this little book,
let me recommend it to you,
The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness.
It's downstairs on the bookstall.
He goes on then to say,
In our modern Western culture,
we have shifted to a different way of thinking,
that it is not a too high view of ourselves,
but in fact, too low of a self-regard,
or as it's commonly stated,
a lack of self-esteem
that has caused people to misbehave.
So he goes on,
and here he says this,
For example,
the reason husbands beat their wives,
and the reason people are criminals,
is they have too low a view of themselves,
that we have too little self-esteem.
He goes on in the book to say
that there's actually been some research done,
because much of the restorative work
that's trying to be done in prisons and schools
and other places
is based on this view of self-esteem.
And in fact,
the scientific studies have shown
that these approaches have not been successful
in transforming people.
Keller concludes by saying,
Perhaps the modern Western culture
has more to learn
from the traditional understanding
of where the root
of the problems that we face
in our own lives and in our world come from.
What does the Bible say about this?
How do we understand pride and humility
from a biblical standpoint?
Particularly today,
as we continue in our series of Proverbs,
we're looking at the second big chunk of the book
from 10 to 31.
We're looking at topics.
We're looking at collections of Proverbs
that help us understand a little bit
about the way of wisdom.
And so,
I want to point out as we continue
that in your bulletin,
right after the order of service,
there's a sermon supplement
that has many
and maybe even a few extra Proverbs
regarding the topic of wisdom,
the topic of pride and humility.
And so,
I point you to that
rather than furtively
and furiously trying to flip around
in your Bible
from passage to passage.
If you look at that,
that will help you follow along
as we look this morning.
This morning,
we're simply going to explore
these two concepts in sequence,
pride and humility.
What does Proverbs say about it?
How do we understand it in our own lives?
And what do we do about it?
So,
let's look at these things in order.
First of all,
pride.
What is it?
If you look it up in a definition,
in a dictionary,
you might read something like this.
Pride is pleasure or satisfaction
in one's own accomplishments
or of those closely related to you.
So,
you might be proud of your family
or proud of your associations,
proud of your country.
It might also mean
an excessively high view
of oneself.
And this is true,
isn't it?
When we use the word pride
as we talk about,
there are times when pride
can be positive.
You can take pride
in an accomplishment
of a job well done.
You could take pride
that you have been recognized
for your hard work
and gotten a promotion.
It could also have
a proper sense
of human dignity
that an athlete,
having laid it all out
on the field,
though he may not have won,
he could carry his head
off the field with pride
because he has fought well
and played well to the end.
There's a sense of dignity
that can come from it.
And all of these things
are good things
because they recognize
that God-given goodness
and celebrate them.
But interestingly,
when you come to the Bible,
it doesn't use these words
in these ways.
It is pretty uniform
that the Bible uses pride
as a negative term.
Specifically,
that it talks about
how quickly and how often
we make ourselves
the center of our universe,
how quickly we arrogantly
exalt ourselves
above the people around us,
wanting desperately
for their praise
and affirmation,
and how we seek glory,
not because of God-given goodness,
but for ourselves,
that we might be seen
as glorious.
And so,
Proverbs says things
like this.
Proverbs 16, 5,
Everyone who is arrogant
in heart
is an abomination
to the Lord.
Be assured,
he will not go unpunished.
Or Proverbs 21, 24,
Scoffer is the name
of the arrogant,
haughty man
who acts
with arrogant pride.
Here we see
the way the Proverbs
refer and use
the word pride
in all negative connotations.
And interestingly,
if you shift over
to the New Testament,
though you will also see
pride well scattered
throughout the writings,
one of the other concepts,
categories for you
to look for
as you read particularly
the Pauline epistles
is the idea of boasting.
For Paul brings in
this idea of boasting
as a recognition of pride
and how easily
we in boastful spirits
exalt ourselves.
How do we understand then
if this is what pride is,
where does it come from?
Why do we do this?
Well,
it comes from
the very, very root.
It comes from
our relationship
to God
and to others
and self.
We've talked about this
as we've gone on
about wisdom.
What is the way
of wisdom
that Proverbs
is encouraging us to do?
It's living in light
of God's created order
and it's living
along the grain
of how God created us
and what He created us for.
And as we walk in wisdom,
we do those things.
And pride is in fact
the opposite of that.
Pride is cutting across
the grain
at every turn
of God's plan for us.
Because in relationship
to God,
we want to make God
smaller and ourselves
bigger.
We want God
to serve our needs
rather than
our serving
Him
in His glory.
We want,
in fact,
as James prayed earlier,
to usurp Him
and to take His place.
Is this not
the very story
of the Bible
that we read?
From the very beginning,
what happened
in the Garden of Eden
in chapter 3?
Adam and Eve
lived in a place
where they were
perfectly provided for
in every way.
And yet,
the tempter came
and said,
is it really good enough?
Do you think God
is really being
all good to you?
Maybe He's holding back.
Why did He say
don't eat that fruit?
You could be like God,
you know.
And they took the bait.
And they disobeyed.
But even more than that,
what they did
is they decentered God
from the universe
that they lived in.
And they put themselves
in their place.
They aspired
and grasped
to be like God
themselves.
And in doing so,
shattered the fabric
of the created order.
And friends,
this has been
the human heart
ever since.
From the very beginning,
we are like this.
If you've ever had
a one-year-old
and a two-year-old,
you know
that they come out
ready to be
the center of the universe.
And they are ready
to get you
wrapped around
their finger
so that you
will serve them.
And the challenge
of the terrible twos
is a wonderful
and glorious
and heartbreaking
and exhausting job
of trying to help them
see that that's not
actually a good thing
for them
to be in the center
of their world.
because if you've seen
people as they
make themselves
the center of the world,
as you see the
dynamics of your own heart
as you strive
to do this,
it doesn't just affect
our relationship
with God,
does it?
It reflects our relationship
with others.
If we're the center
of the world,
then others are
there to serve us,
to do whatever
we need
in order for us
to feel good,
to feel affirmed,
to be glorified,
to be recognized.
And so,
in our relationships,
we use other people.
Sometimes,
as we've talked about
earlier in this series,
we look down
on people
so that we might
exalt ourselves.
we even do it
with ourselves.
Our relationship
to ourself
is broken
as we try
to take on
this arrogant
perfectionism.
It drives us
to deny
that we have
any faults.
It causes us
to focus
only on our strengths
and in doing so,
make us
disconnected
with who we
really are.
this impulse
of pride
is so
central to us
that it is
impossible
for us
to imagine
ourselves
without at least
this temptation.
Let me just
ask a couple
of questions
for you
to think about.
Have you ever
lost
an argument
that you've
replayed
in your mind
with someone?
have you ever
walked into a room
and sized up
everyone in the room
where you stand
in the pecking order?
Who's better than you?
Who's worse than you?
Who am I going to
spend time with
for my good?
Have you ever
found yourself
defensive
when someone
questioned
your actions
or your motive?
How do you
respond
when you've
been passed
over
for recognition
or promotion
that you think
you've deserved?
So just some
questions
for you
to ask
maybe to help
you see
in yourself
the impulse
of pride.
So what does
it look like?
If that's the
source of it
what does it
look like?
Proverbs helps
us a little bit
more concretely
with this.
There are a number
of different things.
First of all
one of the things
that's most clear
in the Proverbs
is that pride
shows itself
in those
who are wise
in their own
eyes
and unwilling
to receive
correction
from others.
And so
Proverbs
26 12
says
do you see
a man
who is wise
in his own
eyes?
There is more
hope for a fool
than him.
And perhaps
one of the most
famous sections
in Proverbs
3 5
through 7
trust in the
Lord with all
your heart
and do not
lean on your
own understanding
in all your
ways
acknowledge him
and he will
make straight
your paths.
Be not wise
in your own
eyes.
Fear the
Lord and
turn away
from evil.
We talked
about this
back in
late June
when we
talked about
words of
correction.
You can go
back.
It's on the
website if you
want to hear
it.
But here we
see one of
the root
issues.
Pride is
one of the
things that
makes us
unable or
unwilling
to receive
correction.
And in
fact it's
one of the
great
symptoms
or signals
of how
great our
pride is.
We don't
want other
people to
tell us
what to
do.
We don't
want other
people to
tell us
when we're
wrong.
We don't
want other
people to
question us
or correct
us.
Proverbs
says this
runs from
this root
of pride
where we
are in
the center
of the
universe.
If we
recognize
that God
is the
creator
and we
are simply
a creation,
if we
recognized
our human
frailty
and weakness,
it wouldn't
be very
hard for
us to
say,
I don't
know
everything.
I'm
not right
all the
time.
Please
help me.
Please
help me
to know
how to
do
things
better.
But we
don't,
do we?
It's
so
difficult.
It
makes us
unable to
acknowledge
or honor
God,
and it
shuts us
off from
being able
to hear
from others.
Another
thing that
Proverbs
points out
that uses
the word,
one of the
expressions of
pride is
arrogance
or haughtiness,
thinking better
of ourselves
than others
and being
full of
ourselves.
So,
in Proverbs
16,
17,
or 16,
16,
there are
six things
that the
Lord hates
and seven
things,
seven that
are an
abomination
to Him.
And He
starts the
list with
this,
haughty
eyes,
a lying
tongue,
and hands
that shed
innocent
blood.
And He
goes on,
you can
read the
rest of
the verses,
but what I
wanted you
to see is
at the
very top
of His
list there,
what does
the Lord
detest?
A haughty
eyes.
When you
look at
that word,
what it
means is
to be
full of
self,
to be
inflated
of
self-worth,
how often
do we
dismiss
people
because
they
don't
meet
our
standards?
Maybe
they're not
as smart
as we
are.
Maybe
they're not
as clean
as we
are.
Maybe
they aren't
as cool
or as
hip
or as
with it
or whatever
the word
is nowadays.
Eli,
help me
here.
whatever
it is
in junior
high
and high
school
about
being
in
or
being
out.
It's
the same
impulse
that drives
us towards
tribalism.
Who are
my people
defined by
who are
not my
people?
Friends,
it's at the
root of our
racism.
When we
look at
other people
and we
judge them
because of
the color
of their
skin,
haughty
eyes
and a
pride to
exalt
ourselves
by putting
other people
down.
And it
is an
abomination
to the
Lord.
Proverbs
says,
not only
is it
an unwillingness
to receive
correction,
not only
is it
this
arrogant
haughtiness,
but it
is also
glory
seeking.
Pride
seeks
glory
for
oneself.
So
interestingly
in
Proverbs
25,
6,
and 7,
do not
put yourself
forward in
the king's
presence
or stand
in the
place of
the great.
For it
is better
to be
told,
come up
here,
than to
be put
lower
in the
presence
of a
noble.
See
what he's
saying?
When you
walk in,
don't
assume
in the
king's
courtyard
that
you're
going to
be
received
like a
high,
important
person.
Assume
that you
are actually
a lowly
person.
If you
assume that
you're a
high and
important
person and
you're not,
then you
will be
shamed when
he puts
you low.
The impulse
to want to
be seen as
a high,
important
person is
what I'm
calling glory
seeking because
the word
honor in
the Proverbs
is related
to the
concept of
glory.
And so
being
honored is
actually being
given glory.
And when
God does
it to us,
it is a
wonderful thing
and it is a
right thing.
And there
are times
when we
might rightly
give it to
one another.
I give
glory to
the elders
that I
serve with
because I'm
so thankful
for their
constant
patience and
their steadfast
love for
this congregation.
And I may
give them
glory,
but to
self-seek
it,
to put
yourself in
the position
to say,
this is what
I need,
this is what
I want,
you have to
give it to
me,
to pursue
it and to
manipulate and
to strive
for it.
Well,
Proverbs
18.12
says this,
before destruction
a man's heart
is haughty,
but humility
comes before
honor.
So we
see that
this pride
actually will
lead us
not to
high places
but to
destruction.
It's only
in humility
that we
will actually
be able to
receive from
God and
from others
glory that
might be
rightfully
ours.
Think about
when,
again,
if you have
a young
one or
three-year-old,
Daddy,
look at
me.
Daddy,
look at
me.
Maybe
I've had
my daughter
grab my
face.
Daddy,
look at
me.
Sorry,
that didn't
work well
with the
microphone.
You know
what I'm
saying.
He takes
her face
and makes
Daddy,
look at
me.
And it
may be
innocent,
an innocent
cry for
an expression
of love
and attention
in a
three-year-old,
but how
terrible it
is when
it becomes
hardened
and codified
in our
life.
Look at
me.
See how
great I
am.
Let
me
exalt
myself.
Is
this not
what drives
the pettiness
of high
school
clicks?
Is
this not
what drives
the cutthroat
competitiveness
of the
workplace?
Or
the
Pinterest
posting
of a
perfect
life?
Are
not all
these
seeking
glory
for
ourselves?
Friends,
it even
can be
at work
here in
our
church.
We can
use
spiritual
things
to seek
glory.
Look
what a
great
servant
I
am.
Look
at how
faithful
I
am.
Look
at how
prominent
I
am.
Look
at all
the
skills
that
I
have.
And
the
hard
thing
is
that
all
of
those
things
may
be
true.
And
in
the
life
of a
humble
person,
they
are a
blessing.
to
our
congregation.
When
you
have
gifts
and
service
and
dedication
and
devotion
and
time
and
all
of
those
things.
But
you
see
how
quickly
they
get
twisted
and
none
of
them
become
true
blessings
for
the
church
when
the
heart
of
it
is
glory
seeking.
When
it's
all
about
me.
Look
at
me.
What
a
great
servant
I
am.
What
a
great
Christian
I
am.
Interesting
how
Jesus
pointed
this
out.
He
called
it
the
men
who
serve
who
do
things
to be
seen
by
other
men.
Think
about
the
parable
of the
Pharisee
and the
tax
collector
who
prayed
I
thank
you
God
that
I'm
not
like
other
men.
In
his
righteousness
his
self
righteous
service
he
exalted
himself.
So
Proverbs
points to
these
things.
Friends
I just
want to
tell you
that
Proverbs
could go
on for
a thousand
chapters
about
how
pride
produces
sin
and
ugliness
in our
lives.
Think about
let me just
run through
quickly.
Our
envy is
driven
by pride
because
I deserve
what they
have.
Self
pity
is driven
by pride
because
I deserve
better than
this.
Anger
is driven
by pride
because
my will
is thwarted
and I
am not
being
rightfully
acknowledged.
A
critical
spirit
is driven
by pride
when we
look at
others
and say
you're
not good
enough
for me.
You're
not
meeting
my
standards.
Defensiveness
is driven
by pride
when you
say I
couldn't
have done
something
wrong.
Arrogance
is driven
by pride
when you
look at
another
person
and say
you are
beneath
me
and
unworthy
of my
time
and
attention.
Competition
drives
us at
times to
some of
the most
unspeakable
evils.
I
will
go and
take
from
you
what
you
have
not
because
I
want
it
but
simply
so
that
I
can
prove
that
I
can
take
it
from
you.
Self-centeredness
is driven
by pride.
Isn't it
all about
me?
Self-reliance
is driven
by pride.
I can
do it
myself.
I don't
need
you.
Self-abasement
is driven
by pride.
When I
think I'm
terrible
and lowly
and worse
than anything
it is because
I believe
that I
ought to
be something
good that
I'm not
and I
can't be
there and
so I
judge myself
in such
a way
that crushes
me.
That's not
humility.
We'll get
there in a
minute.
That's
actually
pride
in a
converse
form.
Friends,
pride is
a universal
problem.
Let me
just speak
to two
forms in
our
particular
context
here.
Many
of you,
at least
some of
you,
are related
to that
big
university
over there
with a
worldwide
name,
right?
Yale.
You're
connected
to Yale
and it's
a big
deal
in the
world.
And it
is so
easy
to be
related to
Yale in
a way
that feeds
your pride.
If you're
an undergrad
here,
I don't
think the
undergrads
are here
yet,
not quite,
but,
you know,
they tell
them,
you're the
best and
the brightest.
You're
going to
go change
the world.
It's
this
indoctrination
when they
come in.
How are
you going
to be
good stewards
of your
experience
at Yale
because
you are
the best
and the
brightest?
And they're
fed this
over and
over again.
And those
of you who
are here
studying and
PhDs and
graduate school
and even
working at
it,
you have
incredible
giftings and
incredible
opportunities and
incredible
resources.
And you
should not be
ashamed of
any of those
things.
But your
danger is,
are you
allowing it
to build
your pride?
Are you
allowing it
to shape
your relationships
with other
people?
Are you
allowing it
to shape
your values
where you
end up
seeking glory
for yourself,
being
resistant to
correction,
and being
haughty,
looking down
on others?
Paul in
1 Corinthians
4-7
says this,
what do you
have that
you did
not receive?
And if you
received it,
why do you
boast as if
you did not
receive it?
pride?
The other
contextual
expression of
pride is that
we're in New
England.
And I know
some of you
are transplants
and you've
come here
from other
places that
may not
struggle with
this in the
same way,
but there
is a unique
kind of New
England
self-sufficiency.
I can do
it myself.
I don't need
others in my
business.
I don't
need community.
I am a
self-sufficient
man.
And you
need to
stay away.
Don't butt
in.
I don't
need your
ore in
my water.
Thank you
very much.
And again,
there's a
good thing
here.
There's a
resilience and
a strength
and a
perseverance.
People who've
endured long
winters in
farming and
rocky soil for
decades and
generations,
it's not a
bad,
there is good
to it.
But you see
the danger.
The danger is
that you think
that you actually
can do it
yourself and
that you don't
need other
people.
In doing so,
you have
displaced God
in your life
and said,
I don't need
God because I
can do it on
my own.
And you've
displaced the
role that God
wants other
people to play
in your life,
particularly in
the church.
Where you need
people to come
into your life
to love you,
to bear your
burdens,
to speak truth
and love to
you,
to have mercy
and show
kindness,
to encourage
you daily,
and all the
other things
that the
community of
God's people
are called
to do
together.
And even
outside the
walls of this
church,
to bless our
world and our
community with
these things.
And we cut
ourselves off
from those
things and we
exalt ourselves
to the position
that John
Dunn referred to
when he said,
no man is an
island,
no man stands
alone.
But we so much
want to be,
don't we,
here in New
England?
Some of you are
like that.
And you barely
made it here this
morning because you're
not sure why.
pride.
Well,
friends,
we must be
careful of
this.
We must be
aware.
These are some
of the particular
societal and
cultural expressions
of pride that
we live around.
Friends,
we've already
read it,
but let me
remind you
again that
Proverbs gives
this warning,
a warning in
26,
2,
that there is
no hope for
one who is
wise in his
own eyes.
or the
famous words
that you've
heard before,
Proverbs 16,
18,
and 19,
pride goes
before destruction
and a haughty
spirit before
a fall.
It is better
to be of a
lowly spirit
with the poor
than divide
the spoil
with the
proud.
Do you see
what the
Proverbs are
saying there?
What we want
so much in our
pride is to be
lifted up and
exalted and to
be in this
place of
prominence.
And it is
the very
essence of
foolishness and
proverbial foolishness
because it does
not lead to
success in that
endeavor, but it
leads to
destruction.
It is better
to be poor
and humble
because even
the spoil that
we have with
the proud in
the end will
be taken
away.
We see this
throughout
scripture, we
see this over
and over and
over again.
The pride
leads to
destruction and
a fall.
But thankfully,
the way of
wisdom which
exposes this
pride as
foolishness says
there is another
way.
There is a way
of humility
for us to
walk in,
a way that
brings us
out of this
pattern of
running against
God's grain and
running along
with the grain
of God's
created order
and purposes
for us.
So let's now
look at humility
for a few
minutes.
What is
humility?
Well, again,
a definition.
A modest or
low view of
one's importance.
Interestingly,
it's ambiguous.
Is humility a
bad thing or
is it a realistic
thing?
Is it a good
thing?
Well, depending
on how we use
it, it could be
both.
Sometimes in
common use, we
use humility and
we think it's a
terrible thing.
Sometimes we
use it in light
of sort of
humiliation as
something that is
destructive to
someone's dignity
and self-worth.
Biblically,
humility is
always a good
thing.
It is a
rightly modest
view of
oneself.
And again,
where do we
see this?
At its core,
consider back
at the Garden
of Eden
before sin
entered the
world.
What did
Adam and
Eve do?
They received
from God
everything that
they needed.
God provided
for them and
they put
themselves in
a dependent
and receiving
place, which
would be
vulnerable except
that providing
the provider
was perfect and
all-powerful and
never failing.
And so, in
their humility,
they said, yes, I
will put myself in
that place of
vulnerability and
know that I need
to receive.
It also meant that
they submitted to
His commands.
He said, don't eat
of the tree.
And for a while,
they didn't.
And that seemed
right and good.
It also seemed they
acknowledged and
enjoyed God's
presence.
He would come and
walk with them in
the cool of the
day.
And this was a
good and beautiful
thing and they
trusted in God's
goodness.
To have humility
allows us to
relate to God
properly as His
creation,
receiving from
Him as His
creator and
living under
His sovereign
good rule in
our lives.
And wonderfully,
it actually then
also allows us to
relate to others
better as well.
We look at the
people around us
and we are no
longer in competition
for glory with
them.
And that allows us
to receive them,
to look at them
and celebrate them
for the unique
gift that they
are to this
world, to the
unique way that
God has made
each one of us
and allows us to
explore and
celebrate differences
as a good
thing.
It means we
don't have to
live with
comparison anymore.
Am I better
than them or
not?
It simply means
we can look at
them and enjoy
them for who
they are.
We don't have
to have a
pecking order.
Where do we
fit?
We can just
treat one
another.
Again,
humility then
brings great
blessing when
we live in
it.
What does it
look like?
How do we
actually live
out a life
of humility?
Proverbs 3,
5 through 7,
we've read it
once but I
want to read
it again and
spend a few
minutes looking
at it.
Trust in the
Lord with all
your heart.
Do not lean on
your own
understanding.
In all your
ways acknowledge
Him and He
will make
straight your
paths.
Be not wise
in your own
eyes.
Fear the
Lord and
turn away
from evil.
people.
What are
a couple of
the key
aspects of
the way of
humility that
are exposed
here?
The first
one is a
wholehearted
trust.
No matter
what I have
experienced,
I will trust
that God
is good
and God
is sovereign.
Friends,
sometimes we
have to wrestle
with that,
but part of
humility
ultimately says
you are the
potter and I
am the clay.
and I
don't have a
right to say
why have you
made me thus?
Why have you
shaped my life
in this way
or that way?
Humility allows
us to see God
and say God
I trust you
even when I
don't understand
and even when
this is hard
I trust you.
It also
shows,
another key
aspect is that
it shows a
self-doubt
about one's
understanding
and knowledge.
Right?
Do not lean
on your own
understanding
it says.
I need God's
help because
I might be
wrong.
I don't see
myself as
wise but
as one
who needs
wisdom
from God.
I therefore
have to live
not with
an unbreakable
self-confidence
but with
a healthy
self-doubt
about my
own ideas.
It makes me
willing to
accept input
and correction
from others
as we've
talked about.
Humility
also
recognizes
that
again
from
Proverbs
3
in all
your ways
acknowledge
him.
Humility
flows
and is
expressed
in this
fundamental
I am a
created being
and God
is my
creator.
He has
shaped me.
He has
given me
purposes
for my
life.
And it
means that
in acknowledging
him part
of the idea
here is
also that
we will
seek
not our
glory
but his
glory.
God,
what is
your best
in this
situation?
God,
how is it
that you
want to
show yourself?
God,
how can
I reflect
your character
and the
dynamics
of your
kingdom?
How do
I forgive?
How do
I love
what is
good and
hate
what is
evil?
How do
I live
sacrificially
for the
sake of
others?
how do
I do
good when
it's
recognized
and when
it's
not?
All of
these things
flow from
seeking to
live a
life for
God's
glory.
To
acknowledge
him is
to say
my life
is not
my own.
It is
God's
and I
am not
an owner
but a
steward
of it.
proverbs
also
shows
us
that
there
is
in
this
a
glory
for
us
as we
seek
God's
glory
there
will
be
a
glory
for
us
that
will
be
just
wonderful.
Proverbs
29
23
Isn't
this
interesting?
What the
proverbs
here is
saying is
that when
we seek
our own
glory we
end up
at the
bottom.
But when
we have
lowliness
of spirit
when we
recognize
our
creatureliness
in
humility
we will
obtain
and again
I want
to come
back to
this idea
of
receiving
it's
receiving
from
God
a
kind
of
glory
that
is
beautiful.
It
is
if
you
if
you're
interested
in the
eclipse
tomorrow
you can
think
about
this
it
is
like
the
moon
having
light
because
it
reflects
the
sun's
light
the
glory
of
the
moon
is
not
self
generated
but
it
is
given
the
light
is
given
to
the
moon
and
as
it
reflects
it
there
is
glory
in
it
friends
this
is
the
kind
of
glory
that
we
were
created
for
pride
wants
to
displace
the
sun
and
put
us
in
the
middle
of
the
solar
system
and
have
everything
orbit
around
us
but
humility
says
no
I'm
not
that's
not
my
place
I'm
just
a
moon
but
I
have
the
glory
of
reflecting
what
God
who
God
is
and
what
he
has
done
I
have
the
opportunity
to have
this
honor
this
glory
that
he
will
give
me
friends
in today's
society
when we
live in a
world where
people are so
much seeking
to get
ahead
and defend
their own
how much
we need
this
humility
how much
we need
humility
to bring
peace
to our
communities
that are
wracked
with
conflict
and
strife
and
friends
this
humility
allows
us
to be
gentle
and
patient
and
kind
and
merciful
and
meek
and
ultimately
one of
the most
wonderful
things
is that
humility
frees
us
to
love
because
remember
when we
talked
about
pride
and how
pride
causes
us
to
use
people
for
our
own
glory
because
we're
the
center
of it
well
when
we're
not
in
that
center
place
anymore
it
actually
enables
us
to
love
others
we
love
them
because
we
see
God's
created
purposes
in
them
and
because
we
have
in
displacing
ourselves
from
the
center
have
put
ourselves
in
a
place
where
we
receive
God's
love
and
then
we're
able
to
share
that
with
others
when
you
meet
someone
who
is
truly
humble
it
is
a
beautiful
thing
C.S.
Lewis
has
a
great
quote
worth
reading
says
do
not
imagine
that
if
you
meet
a
really
humble
man
that
he
will
be
what
most
people
call
humble
nowadays
he
will
not
be
some
sort
of
greasy
smarmy
person
who's
always
telling
you
that
of
course
he
is
nobody
probably
all you
will
think
about
him
is
that
he
seemed
a
cheerful
intelligent
chap
who
took
a
real
interest
in
what
you
said
to
him
if
you
do
dislike
him
it
will
be
because
you
feel
a
little
envious
of
anyone
who
seems
to
enjoy
life
so
easily
he
will
not
be
thinking
about
humility
he
will
not
be
thinking
about
himself
at
all
friends
this
is
at
the
very
core
of
it
pride
is
when
we
think
about
ourselves
all
the
time
humility
frees
us
from
that
and
allows
us
to
entrust
ourselves
to
God
and
his
care
know
that
he
will
care
for
us
and
in
doing
so
we
are
free
from
that
to
think
about
others
and
to
think
about
God
and
it
gives
us
great
freedom
in
this
world
and
so
Proverbs
22
4
says
the
reward
for
humility
and
fear
of
the
Lord
is
riches
and
honor
and
life
a
humble
life
is
lived
along
the
grain
of
God's
created
purposes
and
it
will
provide
goodness
you
will
find
good
things
there
it
is
not
a
promise
of
prosperity
it
is
a
promise
of
a
good
life
before
God
so
what
do
we
do
how
do
we
pursue
humility
well
of course
this
is the
problem
isn't
it
as
soon
as
you
begin
to
pursue
humility
and
have
a
little
grain
of
success
what
happens
you
get
proud
about
it
you
think
hey
I'm
getting
really
humble
and
then
you've
shot
yourself
in the
foot
you've
got to
go back
to start
and do
it over
again
right
no
we're so
complicated
aren't we
to pursue
humility
is not
about
trying harder
to become
more humble
instead
it's
to
turn
our
gaze
somewhere
else
it's
to
stop
thinking
about
ourselves
and
to
stop
looking
at
ourselves
and
to
stop
trying
to
protect
ourselves
and
it
is
to
fix
our
eyes
on
God
because
when
God
is
in
the
right
place
in
our
vision
in
the
center
of
it
when
we
are
fixing
our
eyes
on
him
we
fade
into
the
background
friends
this
is
a part
of the
passage
that we
read
earlier
from
Philippians
2
Paul
exhorts
the
Philippians
right before
what
Tosin
read
to be
completely
humble
and to
put the
interests
of others
in front
of their
own
to have
the mind
of Christ
because
this is
the God
that we
serve
we
serve
a great
God
who is
the creator
of all
things
and who
deserves
all of
our
worship
but more
than that
who
also
has
shown
us
the way
of
humility
in the
person
of
Jesus
left
heaven
and all
the
prerogatives
of
Godhead
to become
a human
being
he humbled
himself
for those
who don't
humble
themselves
he took
on
human
flesh
think
about
the
indignity
of
the
God
who
created
the
world
taking
on
the
fallen
human
flesh
the
limitations
of
sleepiness
and
hungriness
and
fatigue
he
submitted
to the
humiliation
of the
incarnation
he
he bore
the
indignation
the
indignity
that is
of servitude
he became
a servant
upon this
earth
and
ultimately
he went
to the
cross
and he
bore
the sin
of humanity
on his
shoulders
dying
a death
that was
disgraceful
in the
eyes
of all
humans
this is
humility
counting
not
himself
as most
important
but
to complete
the will
of the
father
and for
the sake
of us
so that
we
might
know
his
love
and be
saved
from
our
sin
he
did
this
for
us
he
went
and died
on that
cross
in the
greatest
act
of
humility
ever
who
would
have
thought
that the
creator
would die
for his
creation
to redeem
it
and to
rescue
it
from
their
own
foolish
pride
and yet
this is
what he
did
so that
we
might
be
exalted
in
salvation
and in
a
relationship
with
him
Jesus
not only
was
humiliated
and in
humility
went to
death
but then
God
raised him
from the
dead
and God
raised him
up
to a place
with a
name above
every name
so that
at the
name of
Jesus
every knee
should bow
and every
tongue
could confess
that Jesus
Christ is
Lord
and this
is the
restoration
of all
things
that we
see
promised
in the
gospel
that one
day
pride
will be
gone
we will
see
Jesus
as he
is
and we
will
bow
down
and worship
him
and friends
we have
the call
to do
that now
to worship
him now
to receive
what he
has done
for us
now
to recognize
that the
gospel
call
for us
is
there is
no room
for pride
because we
are all
sinners
before God
and we
have no
hope
apart from
a savior
like this
but friends
as we
are joined
with him
in faith
and as we
humbly
receive what
we cannot
do for
ourselves
our salvation
we are also
joined with
him
and know
that there is
a glory
to be
given to
us
because of
Jesus
at the
end
that is
far beyond
what we
can even
imagine
and what
a good
thing
that is
and friends
this is what
leads us
to the table
now
as we turn
now to
the Lord's
Supper
as we come
to this
table
we recognize
that this is
what we are
doing
when we
celebrate
this meal
as we
come
here
to celebrate
by drinking
a cup
of juice
and by
eating
a piece
of cracker
what we are
doing is
recognizing
Jesus goodness
to us
and his
humility
for us
and this
call
to this
table
is a
call
to repentance
because
to come
to this
table
and to
receive
these
things
is to
acknowledge
that we
are sinners
and that
we need
this
and so
we need
to repent
of our
pride
and I
want us
to spend
some time
as we are
doing this
to reflect
on that
ask the
Lord
it is a
scary
prayer
but ask
him
Lord
where am
I
proud
in my
life
show me
my
pride
but as
you come
to this
also
recognize
and receive
this as a
gift of
grace
to remind
you
of his
great love
for you
and that
the humility
that you
can have
because of
the humble
savior
who died
for you
and that's
what we
celebrate
as we
do this
let me
invite
those
who are
going to
serve
to come
up
and join
me
and as
we're
as they're
coming up
let me
just
what we'll
do
is we'll
pass out
the crackers
and then
we'll
hold on
to them
and we'll
eat them
together
we'll
pass out
the cup
and we'll
hold on
to it
and we'll
drink
it
together
let me
just say
this as
well
if you
are here
this morning
and you
have placed
your faith
in Jesus
Christ
if you
have said
yes
I know
that I'm
a sinner
and I
know
that I
need
a savior
if you
are a
Christian
then come
and partake
and be a
part of
this
if you
have not
made that
decision
if you
are a
visitor
if church
has been
more cultural
for you
or if you're
exploring
Christianity
then we
would say
don't take
this today
don't eat
and drink
today
because
by doing
so
that's an
expression
of faith
and instead
we would
have you
meditate
on what
this means
so
so as
we go
let me
also just
extend
an invitation
if there's
anyone
downstairs
who needs
to come
up to
join us
for this
celebration
I want to
extend that
invitation
now
the apostle
Paul
recounts
in
first
Corinthians
says
for I
receive
from the
Lord
what I
also
deliver
to
you
that
the
Lord
Jesus
on
the
night
when
he
was
betrayed
took
bread
and
when
he
given
thanks
he
broke
it
and
said
this
is
my
body
which
is
for
you
do
this
in
remembrance
of
me