Sermon – Humility: Up the Down Staircase
November 4th, 2007
HUMILITY – UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE
INTRO:
A. I am conflicted. Sometimes a preacher just can’t decide what he wants to preach. I’ve got two sermons I am thinking of preaching this morning.
The first sermon is a stupendous sermon on pride. In fact it is the best I’ve ever heard. I’ve heard other preachers try to preach on pride, but they just were not up to my standards. All of you should consider yourselves blessed this morning to be in my presence and hear this brilliant dissertation on pride. I just hope that you mental Neanderthals can comprehend and appreciate my depth both personally and intellectually.
The other sermon I have thought about preaching is on humility. And I am humble enough to realize how great a sermon it is too. I feel comfortable enough telling you how great my sermon on humility is because I understand all of you know how truly humble I am. I also know that afterwards you will want to overwhelm me with compliments and gratitude; so I wanted to applaud that personally awkward praise by letting you know that yes I realize how great my sermon on humility is; and that it is the best sermon on humility you or I have ever heard; and yes I know that I could only preach such an awe-inspiring, spiritually touching sermon on humility due to my own personal great humility.
Wait a second. I have to admit, I feel bad about bragging on myself – but I also do have to admit that it takes a humongous amount humility to admit I could be wrr, wrr, wrro…not be as right as I could have been. So let me try to thoroughly impress you again with my humility.
I am conflicted. Sometimes a preacher just can’t decide what he wants to preach. I’ve got two sermons I am thinking of preaching this morning.
The first sermon is a barely adequate sermon on pride. Admittedly it is so bad because I just can’t comprehend pride due to my own humility. In fact, I am so embarrassed and because I am so humble, I can admit that it might be the worse sermon I have ever heard on pride. I feel sorry for you that you will have to endure my meandering, disconnected, ill-begotten thoughts on pride. And yes I know, I shouldn’t even try to preach on pride because someone else could do a much better job.
The second sermon is on humility. Not surprisingly and much to my own personal dismay, it is even worse than the sermon pride. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t even be up here. I am humiliated because I know that I will fail so stupendously in preaching on humility. But at least I am not so prideful to admit my own total failure in preaching on humility. In fact, I am proud of myself for admitting my total inadequacies.
Hmmm, that didn’t seem right either. Pride and humility – two often, and too often, misunderstood concepts.
My sermon is actually on humility, and yet I find it impossible to understand humility without also discussing pride. Humility is truly a great paradox.
B. We are going to learn that in order to go up, you must go down, hence the title, UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE. Humility is truly the dyslexic among all the virtues. In order to go upwards, we have to go downwards. In fact, we have to descend downwards but not with the thought of trying to ascend upwards. Humility is a great paradox; and we will speak often of paradoxes in this lesson.
1. Jms.4:10 – humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”
· Our responsibility is to humble ourselves.
· It is God’s prerogative to exalt us.
BODY:
I. HUMILITY – A PERVERSE VIRTUE
A. Imagine the vilest, most debased attribute you can. To the heathen world, that was humility. Christianity is based upon the vilest, most debased attribute known to man; and yet paradoxically Christianity shows man how wrong-headed and how perverse he is by doing the unthinkable – raising this vile attribute to be the foundational virtue of Christianity (Phil.2). Imagine, a whole religion, a whole way of life, based upon an attribute the world despises.
· Philippians 2:3-11 – Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; (4) do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. (5) Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, (6) who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, (7) but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. (8) Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (9) For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, (10) so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (11) and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
· “Unique to Biblical faith, humility is a virtue to which other religions accord no honor and even fail to recognize.”[1]
· “Humility of all virtues is uniquely Christian.”[2]
B. Even today humility is often debased:
· “Humility is the most overrated of human emotions.” (Harvey Mackay, Swim with the Sharks)
1. This was said to encourage self-confidence which shows that while Mr. Mackay is a great business man, he does not understand biblical humility.
· I obviously do not have the time or inclination to read every book written on humility, but I would venture to guess that not a single book, or at least not very many, have been written that did not begin with a Christian world view. That is how “perverse” or abnormal humility is to the non-Christian mindset.
C. Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) was no friend of Christianity ethics. He said humility is a lie, part and partial of a perverted morality.
1. A lie either to yourself when others compliment you and you are ignorant of your abilities, therefore denying them.
2. Or a lie to others when they compliment you and you lie and say you’re really not that good when in fact you are. And you know it.
3. Obviously, Nietzsche did not understand humility. Do we? I fear that sometimes the way we practice humility – or try to practice humility – we actually prove Nietzsche correct. Mind you, he is not correct according to the Biblical practice of humility, just our inadequate imitation of it.
II. HUMILITY – A PERPLEXING VIRTUE
A. We shouldn’t be surprised that the world does not understand humility:
1. Because the world does not understand most of Christianity because its essence is contrary to human rationale and desires.
2. Because many Christians ourselves might not understand humility. To illustrate, I one time heard a Christian doubt anyone could be qualified for the eldership because recognizing and admitting they are qualified would be prove they are not humble. Oh, how we sometimes misunderstand!
B. Do we understand humility? I think it is possible that most Christians can theoretically define it, but I also think we might have a difficult time enacting it and making it a practical grace/gift of God.
C. Question – “Are you humble?”
1. If I were to ask you if you were humble, how would you respond?
a. “No;” while thinking “If I said I was humble I would be denying it by being proud of my humility.”
b. “Yes, I am humble;” which if not carefully guarded, could lead to pride (1 Cor.10:12).
· 1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.
c. “I do not know;” then how can you know if you have obeyed 1 Pet.5:5? (Gal.3:27).
· 1 Peter 5:5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.
2. I once asked a group of 50 Christians if they were humble, only two said yes. The major response I received was confusion. They thought if they admitted their humility that meant they would be proud of it. They did not know what to do.
a. It reminds me of a congregation who thought their preacher was extremely humble, so they gave him a badge declaring his humility. When he decided to wear it, they took it away because he was proud of him humility.
b. While I understand none of us are humble all the time, surely we can admit, if we only understand biblically, that we are humble.
3. Have you ever noticed that the way many people practice their humility is by denying their humility? Does it make sense that in order to be humble we have to deny we are humble? And if we deny we are humble, in order to practice our humility, are we lying? Is lying a sign of humility? Or are we self?deluded? And if we continue to deny we are humble, then how do we know we are humble? Are you confused? Don’t be surprised because humility is truly a great paradox.
D. Because so many are so confused by humility, they have what I call “false humility.”
1. James Hastings ? “There is not true humility in pretending to be worse than we are, in underrating the gifts God has given us, in declining to take the part for which we are fitted.”
2. Dee Bowman – “False modesty is not humility. I fear the man who continually tells you how wretched, poor, and untalented he is.”
3. Charles Swindoll – “No matter how diligently we labor to appear genuinely humble, it amounts to nothing more than trying to look good another way.”
4. False humility is either at best a confused sincerity, at worse a lie, or dangerously a very self-deceiving pride.
E. Humility is not a lack of confidence. It is being filled with confidence from God and not ourselves.
III. HUMILITY – A PARADOXICAL VIRTUE
A. Paradoxes and Christianity:
1. The essence and foundation of Christianity is embracing the paradoxical through thinking, believing (i.e., accepting) and living paradoxically.
2. Christians do not grow spiritually because they do not fully explore the paradoxical essence of Christianity found in thinking, believing (i.e., accepting), and living paradoxically.
3. Therefore we need to learn how to think, believe and live the Christian paradoxical life.
B. Personally I believe that humility is a paradoxical attribute which is why it is misunderstood by Christians and misjudged by the world.
· Matthew 20:16 – “So the last shall be first, and the first last.”
· Matthew 23:12 – “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
· Matthew 23:11 – “But the greatest among you shall be your servant.
C. “The Paradox of Humility – In an age of narcissism and entitlement, humility may be the antidote we need. Now if we can just identify what it is.” (The Society of Mutual Autopsy)
“Wade Rowatt and his fellow researchers at Baylor University took a different approach in their study of humility. The researchers compared people’s perceptions of themselves with their perceptions of others, assuming most people would show a self-serving bias. Rowatt’s study participants, students at Baylor (a Baptist university), estimated the degree to which they, and others, followed the Ten Commandments. Most students believed they followed the commandments better than did other Baylor students. But the less they saw themselves as better than others, the higher their humility rating on Rowatt’s scale.”
“But were they necessarily more humble? Maybe some people actually did follow the commandments better than others, seeming to indicate low humility when they were really just accurately reporting their behavior. Again, we see how hard it is to identify humility.” (ibid.)
D. Part of the paradox of humility is that pure biblical humility requires honesty, sometimes brutal, sometimes enlightening, and honesty might reveal that one actually is:
· Talented, or not;
· Accomplishing something worthwhile, or not;
· More moral than others, or not;
· Stronger spiritually than others, or not;
· Humble, or not. Isn’t that paradoxical? The only way to know you are humble is to be humble
IV. HUMILITY – A PERCEPTIBLE VIRTUE
A. It Is Perceptible Because It Is Commanded
· (Ephesians 4:2) with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,
· (Philippians 2:3) Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
· (Colossians 3:12) So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
· (James 1:21) Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
· (James 4:6) But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”
· (James 4:10) Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
· (1 Peter 3:8) To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit;
· (1 Peter 5:5) You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.
· (1 Peter 5:6) Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,
B. It is Perceptible Because It is Observable.
1. Can you be humble/meek and know it? Yes.
2. Moses – Num.12:3 ? “Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.”
a. Some say a gloss added by Ezra or some other scribe.
b. Some say proof against Mosaical authorship.
c. Who wrote Numbers? Moses. “As he praises himself here without pride, so he will blame himself elsewhere with humility.“
a. This goes back one of the paradoxes of humility – pure honesty.
3. Jesus (Mt.11:29) ? “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.”
4. Paul – Acts 20:19 – Paul said he served the Lord “with all humility.”
V. HUMILITY – A PRACTICAL VIRTUE
A. Humility is not just theoretical or theological. It is practical. We cannot perform certain functions for the body unless we are humble enough to serve. Plus part of the paradox of humility is that it increases your desire and ability to work and serve, instead of excusing you because you do not deem yourself worthy or as qualified as someone else.
B. Humility Enables Us to Serve
1. A Paradox of humility – it increases ability to serve.
2. Rom.12:16 ? Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty (snobbish, high?minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourself to [people, things] and give yourself to humble tasks. Never overestimate yourself or be wise in your own conceits.” (AMPLIFIED BIBLE.)
3. Rom.12:3 ? For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn every one among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought ? not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance; but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him. (AMPLIFIED BIBLE)
a. Notice vv.4?8, they are an account of abilities. Being humble is not a denial of abilities, but a denial of self in exercising those abilities. It is recognizing that our gifts are “according to the grace given to us” (v.6).
b. Romans 12:4-8 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, (5) so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. (6) Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; (7) if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; (8) or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
C. Humility Compels Us to Serve
1. A Paradox of humility – it increases desire instead of excusing ourselves
2. Acts 20:18-21 And when they had come to him, he said to them, “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, (19) serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; (20) how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, (21) solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
D. Humility Positions Us to Serve
1. A Paradox of Humility – it allows us to serve in whatever capacity, even one greater or lesser than others.
2. Matthew 11:11 – “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
3. John 3:27-30 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. (28) “You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ (29) “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. (30) “He must increase, but I must decrease.
VI. HUMILITY – THE PRIMARY VIRTUE
A. When asked what were the three most important Christian virtues, Augustine replied, “Humility, humility, and humility.”
B. 1 Peter 5:5 – You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.
a. Clothe/gird/bind ? only used in N.T. here. It’s root means to knot, like a girdle. Therefore, tie humility around you. It is related to a word which means a slave’s apron. “Hence the figure carries an exhortation to put on humility as a working virtue employed in ministry. Bengel paraphrases, `Put on and wrap yourselves about with humility, so that the covering of humility cannot possibly be stripped from you.’ (Vincent’s) It is possible that Peter is remembering Jesus girding himself with a towel and washing the apostle’s feet, to which Jesus ended with the command to be humble.
C. “The Basic Attitude in Soul Winning”
“Humility of all virtues is uniquely Christian. It is the opposite of pride and cuts the `I’ right out of it. Humility is difficult to define, hard to grasp, easily seen, eternally remembered and instantaneous in power. It never `runs out of gas.’ It is hard to find, more difficult to acquire and almost impossible to maintain. When someone jumps up and bellows, `I’ve got it’ – he just lost it! The wise man said, `Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling’ (Prov.16:18). True humility is universally admired, yet the spirit of the world crushes it, kicks it, and shuns it. While privately praising it, the world’s platform labels humility as impotency and weakness. It is misapplied, misdefined, misunderstood, and by the most of us – just missed. Our Lord continues to ask the question, `How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me?’ (Ex.10:3). True humility is a basic virtue, the raw material and the root of all righteousness….
Lesson to Learn
“Humility is the highest, hardest and longest lesson to be learned in the school of saints. It is imperative, for without it, man stumbles at first and falls at last. It is not optional gear that can be purchased at some way-station on the road. It is necessary to begin. God has never saved a proud man. The master teacher begins the greatest sermon ever preached with these simple words, `Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ (Matt.5:3). So here is the genesis of conversion, and the place where every sinner starts. Pride is the lock, sin is the cell, and humility is the key….
Bowed and Bent
“James put it in a more direct way by saying, `Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.’ He was speaking of a bowed heart, and a bended knee (Jms.4:10). Have you ever seen a farmer examine a handful of soil? He rubs it ever so gently between his fingers, as a woman would a new fur coat. He is the master of the soil, and from it he expects to reap a wonderful harvest. Humility is the broken soil of a soul in the Master’s hand. Man has one task to accomplish, and has been at it a long time, and still have a long way to go. It is a matter of getting down on his knees before God. Basically, this is what God asks of every man. Can a proud man pray or sing, or observe the Lord’s Supper or do anything that God really wants done? The Psalmist says, `The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise’ (Ps.51:17). Humility brings men to a point of law in order to teach him the grace of God. In answer to the question, `Do you want justice’ – humility cries, `No sir, I want mercy.’
The story is told of a proud man who went through the rituals of conversion, after being badgered for 27 years. When the charade was completed, he looked at the people while still standing in the baptistery and shouted, `Well, I hope you are satisfied!’ There is no way to link conversion, pride, and God together. A sober attitude toward God is absolutely essential to humility.
Surrender and Submit
Simon Peter wrote, “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you at the proper.” (1 Peter 5:5-6). Humility dictates a basic equality, for each one is to be subject to every other one. Grandfather is subjected to the smallest child, and the smallest child is to be subject to the grandfather. The church is to submit to the elders, yet the elders are responsible to each member. The rich are subject to the poor, while the poor are to honor the rich. The member well taught in the Word is to be subject to the unlearned, while the “babe” in turn, is subject to the mature Christian. All of this is brought about by issuing the wonderful robe of humility to each person. This garment unifies and makes us conscious of the position and condition of the other person. It keeps the heart warm and the cup running over. This is the way God’s children are to live together. In fact, this is the only way they can live together. The world cannot understand humility, and that is why the world must go to God to get it.
In Mark chapter 9, Jesus said to his disciples, “What were you discussing on the way? (Mark 9:33). They said in effect, “Nothing Lord – really it was nothing.” Mark reveals what these “Fifth Amendment” fellows did not dare say, that, “by the way, they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.” Two millenniums later we are still spinning our wheels, pulling strings, and debating the same question…. We continue to turn some of our fine lectureships into “religious-political primaries” to see who among our number should inherit the pulpits of the larger congregations. Mothers of James and John continue to seek the “high seats in the Kingdom” for their boys. The real problem of Pride. It is still with us.
Childish or Childlike?
When the question of greatness arose, Jesus called a little child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them and said, “And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, `Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt.18:2-4) Nothing must have hurt the Lord more than this kind of dispute among his followers. Conversion and service, yes, even greatness depended on a virtue that obviously was miserably lacking in the hearts of his disciples. In spite of the repeated lessons He had taught, the daily life He had lived, the example He had left, His disciples were arguing at the starting gate who would be first. These were the disciples to whom He would intrust the Word. These were the men upon whom He would depend.
Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end (John 13:1). Thus in the very shadow of the cross, Jesus comes front and center to deliver the death blow of pride in the heart of His disciples. Christ’s instruction had been followed and the Passover feast was ready. Even the “Lamb” that was to be slain on the cross had committed himself to it. One thing was overlooked in the preparation. It was customary that some household servant come and kneel before each guest, sponge the dust from his feet with water and dry them with a towel. Who would be one to serve the others? “Not me,” murmured one. Why should I serve everyone else,” said another. So the Lord, “rose from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself about. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” (John 13:4-5). Puffed up with pride, glaring at each other while still dreaming of greatness, the disciples were again caught speechless at the movement of the Lord. Here is the Son of God, the Lord of Glory, Immanuel, and the Prince of Peace, bowing before each disciple, even Judas, washing their feet.
Later Jesus asked the question – “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master; neither is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” (John 13:12-17).
Hypocritical Humility
To begin with, humility is not what you think it is. We often treat the effect as if it were the cause. Service is but the effect and may come from a heart filled with humility or one filled with humiliation. Motive makes the martyr, not the fire. Humility makes the example, not the service. Humility does not depreciate self. To increase or lessen the price, does not change the actual worth of a commodity; “I’m nothing;” “Don’t bother about me;” “I really don’t count;” or “I’m used to being abused anyway.” This is the vocabulary of a humanistic perverted modern sick society who claims humility, but do not know the meaning of the word. In answer to the question, “Doctor, do I have an inferiority complex?” The doctor replied, “No, you are just inferior!” True humility has no relationship to self-pity. It is outgoing and strong, not small and unimportant. It is the opposite of a fatalistic “sheep for the slaughter” idea and actually gives to fallen man his first glimpse of his own worth and importance.
Believer’s Boldness
Humility is boldness. It speaks from “a pure conscience” that gives sincerity to its deeds. It alone is able to “purge temples” (Matt.21:12) and recognize hypocrites, fools and Pharisees (Mat.23). When I say boldness, I refer to that which is spiritual. “Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13) Verse 29 says, “they prayed for boldness/confidence,” and verse 31 related how they “spoke with boldness.” Little wonder that verse 33 also says, “And great grace was upon them all.”
Can you envision humility leading – undertaking a great enterprise – being enthusiastic, determined and dynamic? Humility will “speak up or shut up,” not according to some pre-determined signal or plan, but according to the need of the moment. We have misunderstood this marvelous virtue so long, that we often install those incapable of following Christ, much less of leading men, in place of authority. It is all based on the premise, “I know he is not a leader, but he is such a humble man.” Humility is leadership! Bold and aggressive action by men who have so forgotten themselves, that they always stand ready to act in the welfare of others.
Pliable Pupil
Humility is teachable. Next time you are around the children’s room, pick up their clay or “Play Dough.” Move it in your hand and see how it responds to the warm vacillating action of the fingers. Squeeze it tight and lift from the hand the very imprint of each finger. Then look it right in the eye and say, “This is what God really wants me to be.” Humility is personified in the clay that is movable, pliable, changeable, moldable – yes, above all these, “teachable.” “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which he suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,” (Heb.5:8-9). Even a son must learn, for it is in changing that one “becomes” what God would have him be. Humility makes one a learner all of his life. A wise man will make a mistake. A fool will make the same mistake twice. A humble man will learn by the mistakes of others.
Humility is not taught in a book (unless it is the Bible – PDH), it is learned in life. It is not thinking too highly of oneself, or too lowly or oneself – Humility is not thinking of oneself. It is self-forgetfulness, self-abandonment. See how this was true of Christ. “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil.2:5-8). No wonder these words are prefaced with the charge, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself” (Phil.2:3).
1. There once was a quite man, who in the middle of a sermon, uncharacteristically shouted, “say it again, preacher.” He forgot himself, because he was involved.
2. I once watched a movie, Coma, where I shouted in the middle of the movie theater, “cut the tube!” I forgot where I was, because I was involved.
Humility is not something that can be directly pursued. It is righteousness, but not self-righteousness. It is confidence, but not self-confidence. It is sufficient, but not self-sufficiency. It is learned in the practice of other virtues. Be kind and compassionate and humility will knock at your door. Be grateful and unassuming and humility will walk in your shadow. Be loving and merciful and humility will walk in your shadow. Be loving and merciful and humility will live within.”
VII. HUMILITY – A PARABOLICAL VIRTUE
A. Sometimes, oftentimes, the best way to understand a concept is through illustration or example, whether bad or good.
B. Matthew 23:1-12 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, (2) saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; (3) therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. (4) “They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. (5) “But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. (6) “They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, (7) and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men. (8) “But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. (9) “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. (10) “Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. (11) “But the greatest among you shall be your servant. (12) “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
C. Luke 14:7-11 And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, (8) “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, (9) and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. (10) “But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. (11) “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
D. Luke 18:9-14 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: (10) “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. (11) “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. (12) ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ (13) “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ (14) “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
E. Matthew 20:1-16 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. (2) “When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. (3) “And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; (4) and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went. (5) “Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing. (6) “And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he *said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ (7) “They *said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He *said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ (8) “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard *said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’ (9) “When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius. (10) “When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. (11) “When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, (12) saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’ (13) “But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? (14) ‘Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. (15) ‘Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’ (16) “So the last shall be first, and the first last.”
F. A Modern-Day Parable: A Deacon and A Homosexual
He was dressed in a three-piece suit and a coordinating tie with a gold tie tack in the shape of a cross. He stood smiling at the front door of the church building greeting people as they arrived. He was a respected member of the community and a deacon in the church. Most church members looked up to him as an example of what all good Christians ought to be.
On this particular Sunday, it was his responsibility to offer the prayer… for the communion service. He, unlike many others, took this responsibility seriously. He had spent much time during the week thinking about how the bread and the (fruit of the vine) were physical reminders of the body and blood of Jesus Christ. He focused on how Jesus had freely given his life so that our sins could be forgiven, allowing us to approach a Holy God. At one point during the week, he even went as far as writing out his prayer, word for word, because he wanted it to be perfect. However, as he thought about it, he decided that reading the prayer would be too formal and stiff, so he memorized it. When the service was about to begin, the deacon made his way to the front of the auditorium, to the deacons’ bench just below the massive cross that decorated the stage.
Alex came dressed in a flannel shirt and a pair of old, faded blue jeans with holes in the knees and in the seat. He arrived ten minutes late so that he could slip in relatively unnoticed. He came in the back door and eased his way into the auditorium. He quietly made his way to a near-empty section where he could have a pew of his own because he knew he had no right to be in such a holy place. Alex was a homosexual, and he was dying of AIDS.
When he sat down, he pulled a songbook out of the pew and buried his face in a frail attempt to hide. When he looked up, however, he saw the deacon seated on the front pew in his three-piece suit enthusiastically praising God in song. As Alex studied the deacon, he recognized him. No, they hadn’t actually met, but they had come face to face just two weeks earlier. Two Saturdays ago, the deacon had stood on one side of Main Street holding a protest sign and shouting scriptural condemnations at the marchers in a gay rights parade. Alex was one of the marchers. In a moment of mutual anger, Alex and the deacon had squared off in a heated exchange of emotional words and threats. Today, Alex squirmed in his pew and looked for a graceful way out of this man’s church. However, at the precise moment, two other visitors arrived and sat on the end of the pew, blocking his only discrete exit. He had no choice but to sit and hope that the deacon wouldn’t see or recognize him.
When it was time to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, the deacon solemnly approached the pulpit to pray. Before he prayed, however, he addressed the congregation with a reminder of the incredible sacrifice Jesus had made so that sinners “like us” could be forgiven. Just as he finished his reminder, he saw Alex – and he remembered him. His mind raced. His blood pressure soared. His face grew flush. He wondered, “Is he here to make a scene? Is he here by himself, or are there others scattered among the congregation?” His heart burned with indignation. He had heard that a radical gay rights group had actually interrupted church services in New York. He thought, “How dare they come to my church? How dare they plan a protest during our worship? Who do they think they are?”
Then, in the midst of his rage, he remembered that he was supposed to pray. Regaining his composure, he bowed his head and began repeating the words of his memorized prayer, “Dear Heavenly Father, hallowed be thy name,” but then he stumbled. He was so shook up that he couldn’t remember the rest of his prayer. He intended to thank God for sending Jesus. He intended to ask God to draw our minds and our hearts back to Golgotha, to the night when Jesus was betrayed, to the night when Jesus was beaten, whipped, and nailed to the cross. Instead, all he could think of was the face of the young man who had stood toe to toe with him two weeks earlier.
So he continued his prayer, “God, I thank you that you gave me parents who taught me the difference between right and wrong. I thank you that from my youth I have studied your Word. I thank you that because I have known your Word that I didn’t stumble like others. I thank you I am not a thief or a liar or a sexual pervert. I thank you that I have learned not to forsake the assembly and that I come to worship you three times a week. I thank you that I have learned to faithfully give 10 percent of everything I earn. I even give 10 perfect of my tax return. But most of all dear God, I thank you that I am not like the homosexual who has dared to enter this holy place today!” Then, realizing how unrelated his prayer was to the breaking of the bread, he concluded by hurrying through an often-repeated phrase, “Let us take this bread in a manner pleasing to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Fortunately, Alex didn’t hear the deacon’s prayer. He only heard his comments before the prayer. He heard the message of the gospel that Jesus died so that sinners “like us” could be forgiven. It was a message he had heard and accepted as an adolescent but had rejected a few years later. So while the deacon stood stumbling over his prayer to the congregation, Alex fell on his knees and sobbed his own prayer, “Oh, God, please have mercy on me, a sinner who desperately needs to be forgiven.”
When the communion tray came to him, he at first resisted and whispered, “No, I’m not worthy,” but the other visitor who had also come in late passed the tray and whispered quietly, “It is that very act of confessing your unworthiness that makes you worthy.” So Alex, hesitantly, broke off part of the communion bread and with a shaking hand placed it in his mouth. He closed his eyes and began to pray again. “God, I cannot believe that you would allow me to share in the body of your Son. I cannot believe that after everything I’ve done, you would still love me and allow me in your presence.”
As Alex continued to pray and to wrestle with his unwillingness to allow God to forgive him, another man offered a prayer for the cup. He said, “Father, please help us experience the reality of cleansing. Help us, as we drink this fruit of the vine, to experience the reality of the blood of your Son entering our lives and washing away all our sins. Help us experience the true meaning of communion.”
By the time the tray came to Alex, his beard was soaked with tears. The visitor next to him smiled faintly and gave Alex a look of encouragement as he handed him the tray. Alex took a cup of (the fruit of the vine) and held it to his lips. Reluctantly, he tipped it back and allowed the (the fruit of the vine) to flow into his mouth. He had never tasted anything so sweet. With the (the fruit of the vine) still in his mouth, he could taste God’s love. He could feel the warmth of God’s presence, and as he swallowed, he sensed God’s forgiveness rushing through his body and through his soul.
That Sunday morning two men came to a [worship service] to pray – a deacon and a homosexual. One left a new person. He returned to the faith of his youth and found the forgiveness he thought he had lost forever. The other left unchanged. He was still self-righteous, arrogant, and untouched by the finger of God.” (Darrell Brazell, Image, Sept/Oct, 1996 (adapted)
1. This parable does not exonerate the homosexual of the sinfulness of his actions. Homosexuality is a sin – and so is self-righteousness. The homosexual who does not repent will go to hell – and so will the self-righteous. And the two will suffer together forever.
2. Have you ever worshipped with a homosexual? In another congregation, I have worshipped with a homosexual who had repented. And I have worshipped with a homosexual who had not repented…in this congregation – a visitor who came twice. The first time I had my suspicions. The second time I knew. If he ever repents, he will be as forgiven as I am for my own self-righteousness.
VIII. HUMILITY – HOW DO I PRACTICE THIS VIRTUE?
A. Whenever I board an airplane, I follow my little ritual. First I find my seat and buckle my seatbelt – then I start praying. Never in all my air travel has the pilot asked me if I understood how this multi?ton piece of metal was going to lift-up off the ground – and then stay up. If he asked me I would have to admit my negligible knowledge of wing shape, and my greater ignorance and ask if I can go back to my praying. In order for me to fly I do not need to understand how it works. Some things have always baffled me and I have struggled to understand them: how an airplane can fly, how a fax machine works, electricity and true humility. Prov.30:18,19 lists 4 things that are not understood. I could personally add, how God can create out of nothing; and what does it mean to be humble? Maybe all of you have had an easy time understanding this great concept, but to me, it is difficult; especially in application.
1. I do not need to understand how an airplane works (etc.) in order for me to benefit, but I do need to understand humility if I am to clothe myself with it (1 Pet.5:5).
B. Next we are going to examine several different texts and ask the question and analyze the question from that text only. Hopefully that will give us a deeper understanding.
C. How Do I Become and Practice Humility? (Romans 12)
· Humility Takes Dying – Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
· Humility Takes A Changed Mindset – Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
· Humility Takes Honesty – Romans 12:3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
· Humility Takes Acceptance – Romans 12:4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,
· Humility Takes Compliance – Romans 12:5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
· Humility Takes Using Gifts – Romans 12:6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly…
D. How Do I Become and Practice Humility? (1 Corinthians 15)
· 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 – For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (10) But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
· Humble Statements?
o For I am the least of the apostles
o I am not fit to be called an apostle
o By the grace of God I am what I am.
o God’s grace toward me did not prove vain.
o I labored even more than all of the apostles.
o Yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
· Realize that my sinfulness disqualifies from serving – For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
· React to God’s grace by serving – But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them.
· Recognize God is the source of my blessing – yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
o Christian businessman who was visiting a church and was asked to give his testimony. He said, “I have a fine family, a large house, a successful business, and a good reputation. I have plenty of money so I can support some Christian ministries very generously. Many organizations want me on their board of directors. I have good health and almost unlimited opportunities. What more could I ask from God?” As he paused for effect, a voice shouted from the back of the auditorium, “How about asking Him for a good dose of humility?” [now replace all the “I” with “God.”]
E. How Do I Become and Practice Humility? – Jms.4:6?10 (none can be left out)
· Humility ? v.6
· Submission ? v.7
· Drawing near ? v.8
· Cleansing our hands ? v.8
· Purifying our heart ? v.8
· Mourning ? v.9
IX. HUMILITY – DEFINING THE ATTRIBUTE
A. I still haven’t defined humility – usually we define words at the beginning, but considering that we are going up the down staircase, I thought it appropriate to end at the beginning – a somewhat paradoxical thought.
B. Humble – “1. having or showing a consciousness of one’s defects or shortcomings; not proud; not self?assertive; modest.” (WEBSTER’S, p.683.)
1. And yet Jesus was humble! Did He have defects?
2. I think this again shows how confusing understanding humility can be.
C. It is interesting, at least to me, that the words humble and humiliation have the same etymology in the Latin (`humilis‘, low, small, slight, akin to `humus‘, soil, earth.) Hence, a “down to earth” man is a humble man. It is hard to be proud after you have been humiliated. Every one take just a few moments and try and remember your worst humiliation…. And yet humility is not sitting around and feeling self-pity.
D. Tapeinos ? primarily signifies low?lying. It is always used in a good sense in the N.T. (VINE’S, p.578.)
1. It has been said that the pearly gate to heaven is only 3 feet high. You have to be on bended knee to get through.
2. William Temple once said, “Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means freedom from thinking about yourself at all.”
E. Defining true humility: recognizing you are nothing without Christ, but something with Christ; recognizing your abilities are worthless without Christ, but worthy with Christ; recognizing that true humility does not deny your abilities, but denies yourself the glory.
CONCLUSION:
A. QUESTION: Are you humble? If not, or if you do not know, then ponder these scriptures:
1. Mt.5:3 ? “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
2. Mt.18:4 ? “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
3. Phil.2:3?11 ? Either be humbled now or later.
B. Jms.4:10 – humble (i.e. make yourself low) yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt (i.e. make you high) you.” (AMPLIFIED BIBLE)
Oh Lord It`s Hard To Be Humble
Oh Lord it’s hard to be humble
when you’re perfect in every way.
I can’t wait to look in the mirror
cause I get better looking each day.
To know me is to love me
I must be a hell of a man.
Oh Lord it’s hard to be humble
but I’m doing the best that I can.
I used to have a girlfriend
but she just couldn’t compete
with all of these love starved women
who keep clamoring at my feet.
Well I prob’ly could find me another
but I guess they’re all in awe of me.
Who cares, I never get lonesome
cause I treasure my own company.
Oh Lord it’s hard to be humble
when you’re perfect in every way,
I can’t wait to look in the mirror
cause I get better looking each day
To know me is to love me
I must be a hell of a man.
Oh Lord it’s hard to be humble
but I’m doing the best that I can.
I guess you could say I’m a loner,
a cowboy outlaw tough and proud.
I could have lots of friends if I want to
but then I wouldn’t stand out from the crowd.
Some folks say that I’m egotistical.
Hell, I don’t even know what that means.
I guess it has something to do with the way that I
fill out my skin tight blue jeans.
Oh Lord it’s hard to be humble
when you’re perfect in every way,
I can’t wait to look in the mirror
cause I get better looking each day
To know me is to love me
I must be a hell of a man.
Oh Lord it’s hard to be humble
but I’m doing the best that I can.
We’re doing the best that we can
[1]Zondervon Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, v.3.
Calmut, via Keil?Delitzsch, Vol.1 (originally
vol.3), p.78.
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