Sermon Tone Analysis

The last two weeks we’ve been looking at the word, LOVE in our Words to Live by Series.

Today we’re going to look briefly at the second word in the Words to Live by Series, the word Humility.

Introduction: Who I am

Grew up in a Christian home, elementary school, high school, college all at the same place.

From a very early age I believed that the magic prayer gave me a spot in heaven, but like the had been bewitched into thinking that after beginning in the Spirit that life as a Christian could only progress by the flesh.

Unfortunately, by the time I was in my first ministry assignment, I was burnt out, because I finally admitted that I could not do it.

God took that brokenness and showed me through the Scripture (Galatians) that “walking in the Spirit” was the answer to not fulfilling the lust of the flesh.

It wasn’t working harder, it was really dying to myself and resting in the finished work of Jesus.

That brings me to the last 8 years of seeking to live that out.

I will celebrate 13 years of marriage with my wife Mary in January.

We have four beautiful children (Micah, Ethan, Gianna, and Jaydon).

In October it will be 5 years since we planted the church we’re at.

We are currently serving the people of Blue Oaks Baptist Church in Roseville.

Introduction to material: So humility…

A few months ago when Pastor Andy asked me to speak on - “The Man of God and Humility” I was instantly like, “Wow, he must think I’m humble.”

How many of you would consider yourself a loving person?

Instantly my computer crashed and a thunder bolt rattled my house.

That may or may not be true.

At first I struggled with knowing how to present material on a topic that I feel so ill-equipped to teach on…

And then it hit me… This is not an opportunity (and teaching the Scripture never is) to talk about my track record and my successes, this is an opportunity to lift up the One who is perfectly humble.

So that’s what I want to do this morning.

Let’s learn and grow together.

How many of you would consider yourself a humble person?

How do I know if I’m humble?

Have you ever struggled with this?

Okay, I get that I’m supposed to be humble, but then you do I know if I’m humble?

Am I being humble enough?

But it’s a little different with the word Humility.

I imagine that when we hear the word Humility, we’re quick to assess ourselves and say, I am not a humble person.

Because just by nature of definition, saying you’re humble tends to indicate that you might be lacking in the humilities.

Whereas with love almost everyone can say, I’m a loving person.

I think the first place we need to start is “What is humility anyways?”

It’s really easy to get this wrong.

It’s not an exclusively Christian word.

Meaning that our society uses the word and has their own definition.

What is Humility?

Sometimes by humble a person means quiet or good mannered or someone who just doesn’t like to be put on stage.

Those things might be found in some humble people, but it’s certainly more than that.

In Scripture there are two ways that this word is used.

But before we do that, I want to preach the Gospel to you at the beginning because I don’t want to have to rush through it at the end do to our family meeting.

On the flip-side, a person can be quietly judgmental, good mannered and arrogant, doesn’t like to be put on stage because they don’t want to fail and then look stupid—which might be a very proud spirit.

In the book of Exodus you have the story of Egypts king, the Pharoah who had come to see himself as god and therefore used his power to humble the children of Israel.

He humbled them to the place of slavery and when they tried to rise up, he would add more work or less material to force them down; to humble.

What is Humility?

God allowed this for a season, but then he in His justice used His power to humble Egypt.

When we come to series like this one, the temptation is to find ourselves a bit discouraged because it seems like we’re really far away from TRUE LOVE and HUMILITY.

So let me say this, as with the introduction to our first sermon in the series, we all want to make a difference for God’s Kingdom, for God’s Glory.

But I want to try and speak to something I hear us say all the time, that I don’t think we even realize that can really mess with us.

The LORD humbled King Nebuchadnezzar if you recall for seven years because he would not humble himself before God.

So God brought him lower than human (his appearance changed, and his behavior changed).

And when he came to see what God had done:

When we consider where we’re at in our relationship with God, I get the feeling that we’re all a bit disappointed with where we’re at.

Here’s what I mean, when we talk about things we’d like to see changed in our lives we say things like, “This year, I want to get closer to God.” Ever said that?

Dan

The second way is in the positive:

Now, here is why we should stop saying that:

Daniel (who was the prophet during Nebuchadnezzar’s reign) humbled himself

When God saved you, he made you as close and as in the inner circle as you’ll ever be

There is no one that the Father favors more than the Son, and we are IN the SON

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus (in one of his rebukes against the Pharisees because they treated sinners with contempt) asked who was more righteous between the tax collector (an outward sinner) and the Pharisee (an inward sinner) and here is what Jesus said:

There are no second tier Christians

Luke 18:

The greatest demonstration of humility was Christ:

It causes us to focus on measurements rather than obedience

What is closer to God? Reading your Bible five days a week instead of once?

Reading six chapters instead of ten verses?

That measurement is based on ones own idea of closeness

It creates a sense of entitlement

If I start doing more things to get closer to God good things are going to happen

And it’s just not true

I am not saying we should not focus on our relationship with Jesus.

“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.”

(, ESV)

Intentionally letting go of rights or status - though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

Christ had every right to demand His status to be recognized.

Christ knew His equality within the Trinity—He was aware of how the Father and the Spirit saw Him, and that was enough for Jesus.

Accepting and owning the position where putting off those rights and that status places you - but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men

By putting off the rights and status of Creator, God, and King he accepted that that would mean He would be put at the bottom of society.

Who was he born of?

A poor woman who lived her entire life with the religious leadership believing that she was just a lady living in denial that she hadn’t had either an affair or that her fiancé had gotten her pregnant before marriage.

Consider, where was He raised?

A tiny, backwater town called Nazareth.

He grew up a poor boy that people thought was an illegitimate child.

By putting off the rights and status he deserved meant that he would be a servant.

He accepted that, he owned that.

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.””

(, ESV)

So, if we want to know “Am I being humble?”

We need to begin with the right definition of humility.

Once we understand how it is putting off or letting go of rights or status and putting on or accepting where that places us we can begin to answer if we’re humble or not.

Consider what your status is at home, in the workplace, in the church, at a restaurant, a sporting event, the coffee shop…

Then ask, what would it look like to intentionally let go of that status.

It’s crucial we don’t misinterpret the passage because Christ never stopped being God.

He put aside the rights He had as God.

You cannot stop being husband, dad, mom, boss, etc… however what is our response when someone infringes upon those rights or that status?

So what would it look like to accept and own setting aside those rights and that status?

Here was Paul’s approach towards the church of Thessalonica:

“For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness.

Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.