Called to humble ourselves

Introduction

Good morning, everybody my name is Pablo Guerra, as many of you know I am doing my internship here at Redeemer Bible Church of the Valley. What a blessing to be here and share with you all God’s word. I remember that Pastor Chago came to me and asked me if I was available to preach in English. I said Si, yes I would love to do it but I knew this decision would mean to me a lot of time to prepare myself, because of translation, plus prayer, plus corrections. However, something that Chago didn’t mention to me was the topic I will be preaching today. And today’s topic is about humility, and I really feel that I am not the right person to preach about this, but God has taught me so many things during this last two weeks through the Study of the Scriptures and the illumination of the Holy Spirit. He has talked to me, and my prayer for today’s service is that the Holy Spirit helps us and to understand the text, expose our sinful pride, and show us more about Christ.

Transition

Let me tell you that while I was doing some research about this topic, I had to face many challenges and problems… let me formulate this with the following question:

Problem: What does humility mean in our culture?

What does humility means for our culture?

Lack of Self confidence

Low self image

Eliminate concept of humility

if we are honest with ourselves, we get to the conclusion that: Culture defines humility as a lack of self-confidence or low self-image. And we also need to accept that we have been influenced in some way by our culture and our sinful nature to think that showing humility towards others means showing ourselves as vulnerable.

We have more.... culture has a very interesting way to eliminate this concept of humility thought the proclamation of self-steem, self-promotion, self-congratulation, and self-admiration that instead of bringing out humility from us culture helps us to create pride to our lives.

We also have another problem

That probably is worse than the one I just mentioned.

We could be blind to our pride

This the nature of this specific sin, you could be the most prideful guy and you wouldn’t even notice it because you were born with a blindfold on your eyes that stops you to see pride as the way that God sees pride, and this is could be worse because pride can make you think that you are humble but you are not....

On the other hand, God has designed the gospel to produce faith that humbles, that humbles us to live godly lives that remember how small we are compared to the greatness of God. God has called us to practice humility in every singles aspect of our lives, with everybody no matter the context, culture, or challenge that we face, God wants humility in our lives, but why….why does God call his church to humility?

We will answer this question this morning based on (1 Peter 5:5-7)

Bosquejo: Why Does God call his church to humility?

It’s necessary in the local church (5:5a)

It’s necessary in our relationships with others (5:5b)

It’s necessary in our relationship with God (5:6-7)

Read 1 Peter 5:5-7

Praying time

1. It’s necessary necessary in the Local church

a. Context (5:1-4)

By this time I want you to remember two important things....

1)Last Sunday we saw the exhortation that Peter does to those who are called by God to be the shepherds of His Flock. We saw the responsibilities, their attitude toward God and his Church, and the reward they will obtain for their faithfulness to his calling, message, and messenger.

2) We also know that Peter’s audience were experiencing trials, persecution, and death because they were wrongly accused of some existing fires in the city.

It is very interesting the way the apostle Peter changes the direction of whom he is speaking, because in verse 5 instead of keep talking to the shepherd or pastor, now he will address his attention to those whom he calls “younger”, and it seems Paul its not referring this young people to a selected group of kids, youth, or young professional, but he refers to every single person who is part of the local church (That’s most of you and me). I want to tell you that the following verses will have a deep meaning and application to our lives.

b. Submission and humility

1 Peter 5:5–7 (ESV)

“Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders”

Peter is commanding every young person in the church to be subject to the elders. This verb has the meaning of

“Obedience”

“I submit”

Illustration: Soldier submission

I remember when I was young and I was enlisted in the ecuadorian army. Me as a soldier, since the first day of Bootcamp I put myself into subjection or I submit to the orders of the one who was in charge of me and was taking care of me. Thants how ranks in any military branch work.

How much more “the sense of submission” has to be in the Family of God?

This is not the first time Peter addresses something like this:

The church submits to the authority of the government (2:13-17)

The servant submits to his master (2:18-25)

Wives submit to their husband (3:1-7)

The church members submit to the elders (5:5)

“submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Eph 5:21)

With this background in mind, we can say that one person by himself decides to be subject to the elders. Peter is not saying that our submission is to an impersonal being or an irresponsible person, or a crazy ruler, what Peter is saying is that we, as church members, submit our lives to those whom God has called to be elders of His Church.

And as we saw las week these pastors are accountable to God for the spiritual care of God’s church (1 Peter 5:1-5)

Those young people are subject to the elders

The elders are subject to Jesus, the one who himself has called the Chief Sheperd

The whole church is subjected to one another

The problem is that we as humans react to this word or the action of submission according to our personal experience and not with a biblical-centered perspective of being subject to someone in the right context.

Being subject of.. means inferiority.

Being subject of… means having less value.

Being subject of …means being in control by an overwhelming person who has power

On the other hand God says that submission, “being subject” means being under the authority of someone without losing any value (In this case the elders). I voluntarily submit to the one that God has called to shepherd his Flock. I let my pastor oversee my life and guide me through his decisions, care, and sometimes discipline for my life. According to the Bible, these presbyters were chosen by God, were gifted by God, they were acceptable to God according to his requirements manifested in the Scriptures, and they accepted the calling by God to shepherd the sheep.

Acts 20:28 (ESV)

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

I also need to mention that this needs to happen in the right context of love, respect, compassion and of course the important element of today’s teaching: Humility

Humility is so important in the process of submitting because without it we wont be able to accept correction, or exhortation from anyone in the church because we will have a hight opinion of ourselves and values.

On the other hand, when submission and humility go hand in hand, we will see healthy, mature, and strong churches that are working as a team submitted to God’s will.

Humility is needed for listening

Humility is needed for correction

Humility is needed for loving

Humility is needed for unity

Transition

I think this is why Peter links verses 1-4 to 5-7 with the topic of Humility.

Do you remember the main question: Why does God call his church to Humility?. Because it is a virtue necessary in the church context but also it’s a virtue necessary in our relationship with other.

2) It’s necessary in our relationships (5:5b)

1 Peter 5:5b(ESV)

“....Clothe yourselves, all of you with humility toward one another”

a. Clothing in humility as a daily action

Again, Peter is addressing or making this call to every single person who is a believer.

Peter uses an interesting verb, which is the main verb of this verse “Clothe yourselves”, and we have seen this concept in other parts of the Bible:

Put on the armor of light (Rom 13:12)

Put on the armor of God (Eph 6:11)

Put on the breastplate of righteousness (Eph 6:14)

Put on kindness, humility, meekness, and patience (Col 3:12)

Put on the breastplate of Faith and Love (1 Ts 5:8)

Illustration: Put on the apron, and show that is a personal action

Every time the author, inspired by the Holy Spirity, uses this concept it has the main goal to create a mental illustration in his audience of a pastor, slave, or artesian that used an apron to don’t get dirty while woking. People saw these people were the apron and they immediately knew that person had any of this jobs.

In the same way, Peter uses this concept to bring us a vivid illustration of an action that that has to be practiced daily (yesterday, today, future), but also the thing that I wearing on has to define me as a follower of Christ. It has to be an essential characteristic that describes my christian life.

Am I clothing myself of Humility or Arrogance, or pride??

What is humility

Farley, William P.: Gospel-Powered Humility

“Humility is the ability to see spiritual reality, to see things as they really are. It is the capacity to see myself in God’s light, in the context of his holiness and my sinfulness. In other words, it is the ability to see self, and this world, through God’s eyes”

I agree with this because having a biblical perspective of things has to humble yourself. When you compare your life with the greatness of God, with his holiness, his eternal everlasting love, with his faithfulness you are going to hit with a big wall and you will realize how wick, desperate, sick, corrupted and needed of God's grace .

When you have the right perspective of what God has done for your life thought the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit its a fact that you are going to

Love and serve God with a humble heart

Love and serve your neighbors with a humble heart

Forgive as you were forgiven

Loved as you were loved

You will hit the wall even harder when you notice that God himself is the perfect example of Humility

Illustration: Jesus as the perfect example of humility

Jesus, who is the second person of the Trinity, humble himself by becoming human and becoming obedient unto death- even “Death on the Cross”

Jesus, the King, was born in humble circumstances in a barn and grew up in humble circumstances in a desolated place as Nazaret

Jesus, the perfect lamb of God, had a perfect humble obedience to God the Father.

Jesus, the Messiah, had a humble ministry He was friend of sinner

Jesus, the inocent without sin, die on the cross (Humble death)

Wrong question: How humble I am?

The real question about humility is: How much do I know and love Chist?

b. Clothing in humility is a team daily action

1 Peter 5:5–7 (ESV)

“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another...”

toward one another. This means that this action of humbling is a reciprocal thing.

I treat others with humility, and I receive humility from other, because we have Christ and the gospel as the main thing that joins us and when this happens: We get unity in our relationships

This Christian humbleness is found in the heart of Christianity and necessary for the unity of the church and the service among others.

Phrase quote:

Because Christ Jesus came to the world clothed in humility, he will always be found among those who are clothed with humility. He will be found among the humble people.

A. W. Tozer

c. Clothing in humility is based in God’s character

1 Peter 5:5–7 (ESV)

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

God ὑπερηφάνοις (Opposses and resists) the pride (ὑπερηφάνοις).

Who are the pride? Those who are arrogant and selfish.

Peter is quoting the Old Testament to remind his audience about God’s response to pridefulness?

“Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor” (Proverbs 3:34)

“They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths, they speak arrogantly” (Psalms 17:10).

These proud believes they don’t need forgiveness or grace for their lives. They rest in their moral or auto justification. They rest on their deeds, in how good they are, they don’t listen and their lives are based in themselves

This is a hard truth to understand “God opposes the pride”… Who in this planet would be okay to have the almighty and all powerful God against you? That’s hard, but the answer is those who are the pride.

Pride is the opposite. It is spiritual blindness. It is a delusional, inflated view of self. It is unreality on steroids.

Pride is what the cultural system wants you to promote

Pride is what Satan had when he opposed to his Creator because he wanted to be like him

Pride is what Adam and Eve felt when they were tempted to be “like God”

And the most scary thing is: Pride is the thing to which we are most blind is our lives.

Illustration: Pharisees Example…

The Pharisees were Jesus’ enemies. They resisted him at every turn. Why? They were proud, and their pride put a huge wall for their salvation. They refused to believe in Jesus They refused to humble themselves. thats the reason why Jesus said to them,

“When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners” (Mark 2:17)

The Pharisees were the neediest people in Israel. They were sinners under the wrath of God, they know about the final judgment, yet they refused to humble themselves and believe. Why? They were resting of their goodness. They thought they could merit God’s favor, their arrogance was greater than their neediness

So pride refuses to let God be God and takes God's place in their lives.. pride gives you the idea of being self-sufficient, self-sovereign, self-omnipotent, self-infinite and self-wise It exalts you instead of exalting God, because a Proud heart will refuse to trust in God, and this is why God opposes those who are pride.

I know that many times you and I, we act very similar in our lives as pharisees forgetting and putting my self above others and many times. This is why we have to remind ourselves that we are saved by grace alone thought faith alone in Jesus alone. That he is SUFFICIENT, THAT IS SOVEREIGN, THAT HE IS OMNIPOTENT, THAT HE IS INFINITIVE, THAT HE IS WISE. I am not, I am weack, I am no body..

The good news is that God gives graces to the humble

“but gives grace to the humble.”

God the Father gives free grace (Something we haven’t earned or deserved). He has an unlimited tank of grace, he is giving that grace every single day, moment, and hour, and he is ready to give grace to the humble, to those who are poor in spirit an aware of his Savior.

This is very interesting because Peter, the one who is described in the Gospel for his anger, intensity, and of course pride, is saying that God gives grace. I see this as a personal testimony of God’s grace in his life.

I believe in order to Peter say this things he first had to confronted his sinful life compare to Christ...

Luke 5:8 (ESV)

But when Simon Peter saw it (Jesus), he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord”,

Application:

Gospel was designed to change our lives from being prideful man to humble men.

There is hope in Jesus Christ, he can set you free of this terrible sin

God is willing me to give me his grace, but in order to received this that I don’t deserve I need to understand who I really am.

Gospel gives you faith that humbles

Transition

We have seen that God has called us to live humble lives in the church context, and our relationships. Now, the following truth will show us that humility is a virtue necessary in our relationship with God for our growth

3) It’s necessary in our relationship with God (5:6-7)

a. Humility with a God-centered perspective

1 Peter 5:6 (ESV)

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you”

Again, God is commanding us to humble ourselves… God requires us in the power of the Holy Spirit to humble ourselves

How? I believe that truth humily only comes from those whose heart has been changed by the power of the gospel, those who are in Christ. I also think if your heart has never been transformed by God the Holy Spirit, you will only practice a moral or even fake humily

So do I humble myself?

If we said that humility is the virtue that comes from a biblical perspective of knowing God and my self, therefore we have to practice the means that God has provided to us for our spiritual grow knowing that every spiritual discipline has the goal of making us more like Christ and grow in our relationship with Him

Scripture studying: When we read our Bible God shows to us His greatness and exposes how little we are. God humbles us through the reading of his word

John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth”

Prayer: Prayer by itself is an act of humble and dependence on God. Prayer is the expression of neediness and submission to God’s Will.

Philippians 4:6 “ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God”.

Service: We can say service it’s the act of putting others more significant than ourselves, or put the needs of others before ourselves.

Matthew 20:26–28 (ESV)

It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

When we seek God, thought this resources in the power of Holy Spirit. He will bring humility and Joy, the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and our lives will be changed and people will see humility in us.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you”

Reminder: This Christian population was experiencing persecution, they were suffering by the hands of the Roman Empire..

The phrase, “the mighty hand of God” is used repeatedly in the Exodus story to refer to God’s power of taking out Israel from the Egyptian bondage (De. 4:34; 5:15), but it also means the power He uses to accomplish His sovereign will.

Peter turns from humility toward one another to humility toward God. However, the humility toward God according to this verse is accepting Gods will whatever trial comes in our way.

We want to be in control of the things, and we want to be more in control when things are not as we want to be (finances, sickness, family, academic life) and we try to take God’s place (pride), but when we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God we let God be God, and we decide to believe and rest in his sovereign will.

What things come to your mind when things are not the way you want? Pride or Humility? I will let you choose

so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

Therefore, this acceptance under the mighty hand of God will allow God to “exalt you at the proper time.”

Peter wanted his readers, who were withering under intense persecution, to be humbled by the knowledge that God was in total control, refining them under His mighty hand (see 1 Peter 5:6 above).

To humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God means to trust in the Lord’s power, recognizing that our strength comes from Him and not ourselves (Psalm 121:2; 2 Corinthians 12:9). It involves accepting His sovereign dealings in our lives, submitting to our elders, and acting humbly toward our brothers and sister in the body of Christ.

Present time in our lives: The Bible is full of this concept. Exaltation comes after humiliation. God wants us to humble ourselves in order to depend more on him so in this way God is exalted in our lives!

future time for our lives: The second coming of Christ where he will exalt his church, will judge those who persecuted the church, and also will receive the inheritance.

b. Humility with a trusting heart

1 Peter 5:7b (ESV)

“ Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you”

We know that the main point of this verb is “Humble yourself” but we also find another connection with the following verb in verse, the author is saying that while you humble yourself to God you also “Cast your anxieties on him, because he cares for us.”

This has to be one of the most encouraging verses in the New Testament… the original audience should be shocked when they listened to these words, and it might seem impossible to humble myself but at the same time casting all your anxieties while they were persecuted. How much more this has to impact our lives, we don’t experience persecution but we share the same reality that God want’s us to cast on him every problem that we face

Guys God is concern about our lives, about me, he wants to take care of me, and he will ever do.

A person is set free of anxieties when he unloads his anxieties to God…

Psalm 55:22 ESV

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

4) Final thoughts

We see humility or humbleness with a God-centered perspective

God has called his church, every single person united in Christ based on a relationship through faith, to humble itself, because humility is a necessary virtue in the Christian life (in our church, relationships, God). Although culture tries to show humility as a negative aspect, we see that humility according to God is a positive thing that requires dependency in the Holy Spirit and action from ourselves.

Humility is a daily practice to grow in Christlikeness

Without Humility in our lives we will lack joy, peace, self-control, but with it, our lives will grow in Christlikeness, the fruit of the Holy Spirit will be evident in our lives, and we will have a more intimate relationship with God because we will see our neediness for Christ.

The Gospel produces faith that humbles us

God has designed the Gospel to produce faith that humbles us, brings us face-to-face with the Holy God, confronts our sinful nature, and shows us the richness of the gospel. Humility starts with your sinful nature, knowing that you we improve with human effort, that you can't even try it having the best performance without any result… the good new is despite of the presence of Sin in our life, God has loved us and wants us to repent of our sinful and prideful, die ourselves, and cry out for his grace

God calls to humble ourselves because he wants us to delight more in him

God calls to humble ourselves because He wants us to delight an experience more in Him. As it is written: “God Gives grace to the humble”, that “he will exalt us” , he will care for us”.