Humility (From the Ashes Part 2)

Prayer

Lord, I have no idea how this is going to turn out but I trust You and I put it into Your very capable hands. Guide me and use me to declare Your precious truths. I love You with all my heart!!

Introduction

We live in a world today that capitalizes on winning.

We want to be number 1, number 2 is only the first loser

The life of a Christian is foreign to the world system

Story of George Washington…

Once upon a time a rider came across a few soldiers who were trying to move a heavy log of wood without success. The corporal was standing by just watching as the men struggled.The rider couldn’t believe it. He finally asked the corporal why he wasn’t helping.

The corporal replied: “I am the corporal. I give orders.” The rider said nothing in response. Instead, he dismounted his horse. He went up and stood by the soldiers and as they tried to lift the wood he helped them. With his help, the task was finally able to be carried out.

Who was this kind rider?

The rider was George Washington, the Commander-in-chief.

This story is a great example of humility by someone that I think most of us would hold in high regard. Its no wonder he was our first president. But this story also exposes the pride of the young corporal. Most of us would like to think of ourselves to be much like President George Washington in this story, but whether we would like to admit it or not, we are too often more like the proud corporal.

I think: We really want to be humble; We really want to think of others; We really want to help people

Now we see this great example of humility from George Washington and I can think of many great examples, but like we talked about last week on dealing with TEMPTATION, I cannot think of a better example than that of the Lord, Jesus.

Philippians 2:1–11 “Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Background

Although Paul was writing from prison, joy is a dominant theme in this letter. The secret of this joy is grounded in his relationship with Christ. People today desperately want to be happy but are tossed and turned by daily successes, failures, and inconveniences. Christians are to be joyful in every circumstance, even when things are going badly, even when we feel like complaining, even when no one else is joyful. Christ still reigns, and we still know him, so we can rejoice at all times. (Chronological Life Application Study Bible)

Philippi was a cosmopolitan city. The composition of the church reflected great diversity, with people from a variety of backgrounds and walks of life. Acts 16 gives us some indication of this: The church included Lydia, a Jewish convert from Asia and a wealthy businesswoman (Acts 16:14); the slave girl (Acts 16:16-17), probably a native Greek; and the jailer serving this colony of the empire, probably a Roman (Acts 16:25-36). With so many different backgrounds among the members, unity must have been difficult to maintain. Although there is no evidence of division in the church, its unity had to be safegaurded (Philippians 3:2, 4:2). Paul encourages us to guard against any selfishness, prejudice, or jealousy tht might lead to dissension. Showing genuine interest in others is a positive step forward in maintaining unity among believers. (Chronological Life Application Study Bible)

There was a need for unity. There was some sort of disagreement between two women, Eudoia and Syntyche (Phil. 4:2)

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? YES, Resounding YES!!!!

Paul is saying, “Since there is so much encouragement in Christ, since His love has such a tremendous persuasiveness, since the Holy Spirit brings us all together in such a wonderful fellowship, and since there is so much tender affection and mercy in Christianity, we should be able to get along in happy harmony with one another. (Believers Bible Commentary)

Unity of purpose, affection, accord, sympathy

They can give Paul joy by: being like minded, having the same love, and being of one-accord and of one mind.

Not think and act alike

Uniformity vs. Unity :

The Tony Evans Study Bible Chapter 2

It has to do with harmony and unity in the body of Christ.

Like minded — having the mind of Christ

Same love — showing the love to others that Christ gave to us

One Accord — work together in harmony toward a common goal

Paul encourages believers to be like Christ

Our attitude should be the same as his

We should imitate him

Jesus was God

Jesus gave up his divine privileges (emptied himself) (Kenosis)

He was never not God, he could never not be God, He was also divine and will always be, but He chose not to use His divinity so He could experience what every man has

The Tony Evans Study Bible Chapter 2

What does it mean that Jesus emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant (2:7)?

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 31: Galatians / Ephesians / Philippians / Colossians / Philemon The Mind of Christ in Us

Carl Jung told of a man who asked a rabbi, “How come in the olden days God would show Himself to people, but today nobody ever sees God?” The rabbi said, “Because nowadays nobody can bow low enough.”

Matthew 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Fire Bible Chapter 2

(1) To be humble means to be conscious of our weaknesses and inadequacies and quick to give credit to God and others for what we accomplish (

Fire Bible Chapter 2

(2) We must be humble because, apart from Christ, we are sinful (i.e., opposed to and separated from God, spiritually dead,

Humility makes you disappear. That’s why we avoid it. (A Praying Life, by Paul E. Miller)

Incarnation

by Pastor Chuck Swindoll

Romans 5:8

EVERY YEAR, as Christmas draws nearer, I remember a story Paul Harvey told on one of his radio broadcasts. It's a tale that never grows old.One raw winter night the man heard an irregular thumping sound against the kitchen storm door. He went to a window and watched as tiny, shivering sparrows, attracted to the evident warmth inside, beat in vain against the glass.Touched, the farmer bundled up and trudged through fresh snow to open the barn door for the struggling birds. He turned on the lights, tossed some hay in a corner, and sprinkled a trail of saltine crackers to direct them to the barn. But the sparrows, which had scattered in all directions when he emerged from the house, still hid in the darkness, afraid of him.He tried various tactics: circling behind the birds to drive them toward the barn, tossing crumbs in the air toward them, retreating to his house to see if they would flutter into the barn on their own. Nothing worked. He, a huge, alien creature, had terrified them; the birds could not understand that he actually desired to help.He withdrew to his house and watched the doomed sparrows through a window. As he stared, a thought hit him like lightning from a clear blue sky: if only I could become a bird—one of them—just for a moment. Then I wouldn't frighten them so. I could show them the way to warmth and safety. At the same moment, another thought dawned on him. He had grasped the whole principle of the incarnation.A man becoming a bird is nothing compared to God becoming a man.God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ROMANS 5:8 The idea of a sovereign Being as big as the universe He created, confining Himself to a human body was—and is—too much for some to believe. Christmas comes each year to draw people in from the cold. Like frightened sparrows, so many live their lives on the barren branches of heartbreak, disappointment, and loneliness.That's why Jesus came.