Biblical Expressions 2

Introduction

Pride day/month

Began as a Liberation day march in early 1970’s

-it was a civil rights march - those in the LGBTQ+ were jailed, mental institutions and shunned.

-Which I think Christ would want us to be concerned about anyone being mistreated no matter who they are or what they believe

So part of the intention was to be proud of their accomplishments in gaining right treatment of LGBTQ+ people

But their is a side to pride, probably the main side, that God says a lot about

Proverbs 21:4 ESV

Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin.

Proverbs 16:18 ESV

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

This pride is: putting ourselves in God’s place

putting ourselves above others

It is a conceited and puffed up heart that seeks it’s own glory and way rather than God’s

And this is everywhere...

I. God will Judge the Proud

Proverbs 15:25 ESV

The Lord tears down the house of the proud but maintains the widow’s boundaries.

Proverbs 16:5 ESV

Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.

We see this type of pride in our culture today

It is those who see no need for and no belief in God

Decades of this unbelief has led us to a deeply ungodly time

Romans 1:32 ESV

Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

We now worship the god of “I”

This pride God will judge

So how should we respond?

Look with me at Psalm 10

While God may seem far away, his “judgements are on high...”

There has been a tendency for us to respond in fear and it has birthed anger and a grasp for control

Though understandable, these are not the things we are called to live out

Rather let’s learn to trust God with the now and the end

If God can humble the Kings of Babylon in Daniel 4-5, he can do the same today

II. This is the Natural Inclination of our Hearts

Romans 1 and 2 tell us that the denial of God and exaltation of ourselves is natural to our fallen hearts as human beings

So we should not be surprised by what we see today

In fact:

Romans 1 - outright sinful

Romans 2 - Self-righteous and religious

That’s why Jesus tells this story in Luke 18:9-14

Let’s Not Be or Become Prideful

We cannot and should not see ourselves as superior

It is only because of God through Christ that we have and can continue to be set free from our pride

We are called to humility

Philippians 2:1–18 ESV

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

50 fruits of pride

III. There is Only One We Should Boast of

I believe we need to begin to change our mind and see this current cultural moment as an opportunity

Our society no longer is hiding under a forced morality but are rather displaying the truth of broken hearts and world

We need to realize or remember that the church has always flourished in times of cultural irrelevance or enmity

So...

What if we began to live like Jesus is the greatest - without grumbling and complaining as Paul says in Philippians but rather rejoicing

What if we just started talking about the greatness of Christ to ourselves and to others instead of against the sins of our culture?

“There’s a difference between not affirming sexual ethics and not relating to persons…God does not condone sin, he relates with sinners.” Sam Wan - The Gospel Coalition

Later on he says, “Christ’s condescension in incarnation is humble engagement, not condemning from a distance.”

What if we tell our children about how great Jesus is and sought him with all our hearts, not just telling them what’s wrong and why?

Because in Jesus we find life, not in sex, relationships, gender, jobs, money, not in our self.

Let’s Boast of Christ and His Work

This takes boldness - we need to pray

Prayer as communion with God, not just communication with God

Conclusion