Just A Reminder Pt. 2
Notes
Transcript
Mothers day and graduation - what to preach?
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Humility - Layman’s Bible Dictionary “The opposite of arrogance and pride; an attitude which grows out of the recognition that all we are and everything we own are gifts from God.”
Reasons to be humble
1. Wisdom
1. Wisdom
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
It is difficult to teach an arrogant person
Humility allows a person to be receptive to new ideas
2. Exaltation
2. Exaltation
10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
3. Jesus was
3. Jesus was
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Day-to-day
Allowing someone else’s position to be greater than your position
John Maxwell “Sometimes God will put a less gifted leader over a more gifted leader to test the humility of the rising leader. You have to decide if it’s time to leave or time to humble yourself.” – Home Run
More than an occupation – everywhere
Paul reminds us:
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Humility is the essence of Submission!
Submitting to Jesus may seem easy – He is supreme
Submitting to others is more challenging!
It is easier to submit to those who we think are more qualified than us!
What about those less qualified?
Those we don’t like?
Arch Nemesis – Greatest Enemy
What if that person walked through the doors of this church? How are you going to treat them?
Let’s look at how Jesus responded to the one who would betray Him...
1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;
4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Jesus washed Judas’ feet!
If Jesus can wash the feet of the man who would betray Him, how much more can we submit?
Jesus gives us more instruction in
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
So, we are to be completely humble...
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Gentleness
Humility allows us to be gentle!
When we regard others higher than ourselves, we are gentle people!
And, we have the help of the Holy Spirit!
Fruit of the Spirit – love, joy peace patience kindness goodness, faithfulness gentleness
Enabled to do because of the Spirit
Mighty Ducks – soft hands – embracing others
receiving them without taking offence!
To choose to be unoffended...
When people come at me in a harsh manner, I can respond is love, compassion, empathy....
We are called to be a humble poeple..
We are called to be a gentle people..
And....
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Patience
Fruit of the Spirit
How often are we slow to extend grace to others, even through Christ is quick to extend grace to us?
If we are quick to submit, maybe we would be slow to respond – this is patience!
29 Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.
Patience is important because it gives people a chance!
The question of evil: if God is all powerful and loving, why does He continue to allow evil to exist?
I’m not going to fully answer this question in this short time this morning… but here are a couple of things to note?
1. Why does evil exist? It’s because we choose it!
Either you are for God or against Him...
You either do what is right in His eyes or you don’t..
We want to choose what is write and wrong…this is self-righteousness....
I don’t have to be right based on God’s standard, just more right than the next time...
So, we think God should destroy all of the murders, but what about those who lie?
Or steal?
Or, don’t honor their father or mother?
What about those who look at people with lust?
The problem with God destroying all of evil, is He has to start with me!
2. He is a patient God....
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.
God will destroy evil, but He is patient…wanting all to come to repentance...
So, if the Lord is patient with us…and He is perfect and loving, how much more should we be patient with others?
We expect God to be patient and gracious with us, but we want to drop the hammer on those who do us wrong!
We should be humble, gentle, patient...
And finally....
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Matthew Henry Commentary - “for one another in love means bearing their infirmities out of a principle of love, and so as not to cease to love them on the account of these.”
We bear with the infirmities of other…out of love!
We see beauty among the thorns!
So, Who is hard to love?
What is it about others that irritates you the most?
How do you love them regardless?
We understand that God loves us even with our issues...
How willing are we to bear with each other – even those we can’t stand?
So, this morning, let us remember to be humble, gentle, patient, and bearing with one another is love!
I want to end with...
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
We are called to be different!
To be transformed by renewing our mind..
This morning, in the study we read this thought in regards to how the world thinks, verses how we should think...
We aren’t surprised when bad things happen, we should be surprised when good things happen...
“Yes, the world is broken. But don’t be offended by it. Instead, thank God that He’s intervened in it, and He’s going to restore it to everything it was meant to be. His kingdom is breaking through, bit by bit. Recognize it, and wonder at it.
War is not exceptional; peace is. Worry is not exceptional; trust is. Decay is not exceptional; restoration is. Anger is not exceptional; gratitude is. Selfishness is not exceptional; sacrifice is. Defensiveness is not exceptional; love is.” - Brant Hansen
We are to be different. When the world is arrogant and proud, we are humble...
when the world is rough, judgmental, and calloused, we are gentle...
When the world is rushed and quick to condemn, we are patient...
And when the world gives up on people, we bear with them in love...
If you haven’t understood how much God loves you until now, or have been running from Him thinking it’s too late to come to Him...
Now is the time!