Pride

Introduction

Introduction in the series - 7 Deadly sins

the seven deadly sins are; pride, envy, gluttony, lust, sloth, greed and wrath

these were identified in the late fourth century as the cardinal sins, or mortal sins

during the time of the reformers they were kept and called the seven deadly sins, not because they are the sins that will kill you or your soul

all sin leads to death, Paul did not write that the wages of certain sins is death, but sin, all sin

all sin separates us from God

so why these seven

it is believed that all of sin can be traced back to these seven

I do this because of my pride or envy or lust

the goal of the series is that we would recognize these things in our lives and repent, leading us to a closer relationship with the Lord

as John Owen said, “Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you.”

the goal is not to point this sin out in our lives and condemn

but to change our site line, so not show us how greedy we are, but how to trust in the Lord, value things that do not fade

Today - Pride

It has been said that all sin can be traced back to pride

Adam and Eve wanted to be like God

Satan recognized his beauty and thought he was equal to God

pride puts us at war with God

1 Peter 5:5–7 (CSB)

5 In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

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

7 casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.

PRAY

Define pride

Tim Keller reworded C.S. Lewis quote on humility

Lewis- Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less

pride is not being “proud” of your kids, your accomplishments

pride is making sure everyone knows about it

pride is also sitting in pity, because as you have not told people about your wonderful accomplishments they still have not given you the credit you deserve

Pride is all about you

you are elevated above all things, including God

that is why it is such a dangerous thing, it elevates you

even when we are intentionally putting ourselves down

so that people will feel sorry for us,

so that people will tell us we are wrong, that we are much better than we think

pride take every situation and makes it about you

We are put on this earth to glorify God (Eph 2:10), pride take the focus off of God and places it on ourselves.

Humble Like Him

WWJD - I am not the biggest fan of the saying

it is easy to turn it into a works based thing

if I in every situation would just simply do what Jesus would do, then I am a good Christian

and pride enters in

remember Eph 2 says we are saved by grace, not of works so that no man may boast

BUT… we are to learn from the way that Jesus lived and follow his lead

1 Peter 5:5 (CSB)

5b All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

We are to clothe ourselves in humility

like a servant standing ready to serve

a time when servants would stand in long white aprons ready to serve at the masters call

banquets, servers standing on the sides of the room ready for the guests to need something

Not just humble before God, but all people

how can we say that we are humble people when we are only humble in one relationship

looking at Jesus

he was humble enough to dine with the tax collectors and sinners

he was humble enough to allow the children to come to him

he was humble enough to wash the disciples feet

Humble like Christ not just with who, as if there is a list of people, but how

Philippians 2:5–8 (CSB)

5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,

6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited.

7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man,

8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.

did not exploit who he was

he is God, he was on the throne and came to this world

he waited

I’m sure he waited

his whole ministry was one of waiting… how many times do we read that it, “was not his time”

his whole life was one of waiting, from the moment he was born through his childhood, teen years, his twenties, waiting for the time that his ministry would begin, that he would fulfill the law and die for his people

never once in his waiting, did he exploit who he was so that he could do what he wanted

emptied himself

instead of exploiting the situation, he empties himself

by serving the very people that he created

his service was not to a being that was equal with him, but that did not enter the equation for him

humility demonstrated in obedience

he did not have a limit to his humility, even unto death

We have said before that we should be the most humble people of all

knowing that we have an eternal salvation because of the work of Christ, that it was not something we earned

but not simply because of what he as done, as if we are repaying

but because of who he is

Humble Because of Him

1 Peter 5:5–6 (CSB)

5 In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

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

I cannot think of a scarier thing than being at war with the creator of the world

RESIST = hostile toward

two different definitions for hostile

unfriendly, antagonistic

belonging to military enemy

this defines this word better

HUMBLE YOURSELVES

I believe that we will humble ourselves or we will be humbled

every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord

like we said before, if we simply say like Jesus, then we make rules, a law unto itself and work hard to follow

this never works, and itself drives us back to pride

To humble ourselves we must have a bigger view of God

I do not mean that we need to think of God more, although that will help as well

but understand the enormity of God

not just actual size, but also knowledge and power

God created all things by simply speaking them into existence

I cannot say anything and make anything happen without another being making a decision to do it

but you see the power is ultimately up to them, I cannot make them

God knows all things

he knows every thought in my head at all times, there is nothing that escapes him

he knows every motive, every desire

he knows things about me that I still don’t know because I do not know myself as well as God knows me

He knows how everything was put together and holds together

he knows the stars by name, man is still finding them after thousands of years

All of this reminds me of Job

Job was a righteous man the bible says

Satan came after him, took everything he had

family, livestock everything

attacked him physically

even friends and wife were against him

as he is going through this, you see pride and self righteousness begin to come out of him

after 38 chapters of this… God finally answers Job

Job 38:1–6 (CSB)

1 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind. He said:

2 Who is this who obscures my counsel with ignorant words?

3 Get ready to answer me like a man; when I question you, you will inform me.

I mentioned this to Jimmy, he said this is scary when you Dad talks to you like this

I am asking the questions you will answer me!

imagine the creator of the world saying this to you!

what comes next is two chapters of questions that no person could answer with anything other than sounding like a young teenager getting grilled by a parent that has caught them doing what they should not be doing

sheepishly saying, “I don’t know.”

4 Where were you when I established the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.

5 Who fixed its dimensions? Certainly you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?

6 What supports its foundations? Or who laid its cornerstone

Job responds after a couple of chapters of questioning,

maybe not with the full throated, “Woe is me!” that you might expect

in chapter 40 Job basically says, “I talked about things I did not know, and I will shut up now.”

Job 42:1–6 (CSB)

1 Then Job replied to the Lord:

2 I know that you can do anything and no plan of yours can be thwarted.

3 You asked, “Who is this who conceals my counsel with ignorance?” Surely I spoke about things I did not understand, things too wondrous for me to know.

4 You said, “Listen now, and I will speak. When I question you, you will inform me.”

5 I had heard reports about you, but now my eyes have seen you.

It is not until we see God for he is that we gain the true attitude of humility

humility with God is not simply acknowledging that he is bigger, stronger, perfect, holy

there is repentance for the pride that we have trying to ever exalt ourselves above him

6 Therefore, I reject my words and am sorry for them; I am dust and ashes.

We fear him who is far greater than we can fathom

We fear him in a way that draws us under his mighty right hand

Peter tells us that those who humble themselves under his mighty hand, he will exalt them

as one hand is coming against the proud, those that that he “resists” and humbles them

the other hand is exalting those that have humbled themselves to him

Humble Because of You

I struggled saying this point

I constantly have proclaimed, and believe, it is not about you

that is true, it is about him, his glory, all things should be to glorify God

it is why you were created

this is what is best for you

do you see the irony in this

where the prideful, who exalt themselves are humbled

the humble, who submit themselves are exalted

1 Peter 5:6–7 (CSB)

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

7 casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.

Exalted at the proper time

lifted up at the opportune time

this does not mean that you will be exalted when you want, how you want, or in the way you want

I know that he prepares a table for me before my enemies

I know that I will be resurrected with Christ in the last days

it is at the time that we will fully understand the grace that we have received

we have not fully seen or understood the holiness of God, or the magnitude of God

because right now, we see dimly as Paul says to the Corinthians

because no man may see God in all his glory and live

but in that day, when we are resurrected with him, lifted up, we will see him in all his glory

every crown that Peter talks about that we receive, will be thrown down at his feet

We receive grace

those who humble themselves receive grace

the only difference between those who do and do not receive grace

those who humble themselves, submit themselves to the Lord

both deserve wrath

this seems unjust, but we know our Lord is just

in his justice, he poured out the wrath that we are owed onto Jesus in the cross

so your debt has not been simply overlooked, it has been paid

we receive grace, righteousness of God

vs 7 is not just a afterthought, instead, who would not cast their cares to a God like that

We can cast our cares on him,

because he cares for us

this is not like limbo

God just wants to see how low you can go

we simply submit and he takes care of us

takes care of your needs

lifts you up at the proper time

Exalting Jesus in Proverbs Laziness (Proverbs 24:30–34)

Reflect and Discuss

1. Why do we see baptism as a spiritual concern but work ethic and provision as a secular one?

2. The ground curse of Genesis 3 means that work and provision are now difficult. How do some respond to this difficulty?

3. What is your typical picture of laziness?

4. What are some ways that we are lazy other than what we typically think of?

5. How can someone practically avoid diversions in their workday?

6. Why do we often procrastinate with deadlines? How can we fight against that?

7. Why do you think Paul says a failure to provide for your house is a possible sign of unbelief?

8. What are some things that Jesus worked to finish?

9. How does the end of the age cause your work right now to have great meaning?

10. What are some seemingly menial tasks around the house or in your church that you can engage in to train for eternity?