Stay Humble

Intro: In the game of limbo, you have to stay low in order to succeed and if you are not low enough then you get out.

Our text today talks about the consequences of not being humble.

God humbles the proud and lifts up the lowly.

Being proud of our accomplishments is not a bad thing. God has given all of us unique and awesome abilities.

Arts

Sports

Academics

We should all be proud of the ways God uses each of us.

However, we should not let that pride take root. We should not let that take glory away from God, who gave us our gifts, talents etc..

God always desires a humble heart, in everything we do.

Ezekiel 28:11–15 CSB

11 The word of the Lord came to me: 12 “Son of man, lament for the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord God says: You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every kind of precious stone covered you: carnelian, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and emerald. Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold; they were prepared on the day you were created. 14 You were an anointed guardian cherub, for I had appointed you. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones. 15 From the day you were created you were blameless in your ways until wickedness was found in you.

Can’t hide our true intentions from God.

History/Backstory:

Tyre is a city in the ancient world that was very powerful and they were taking advantage of the fall of Jerusalem. Israel allied with them and Egypt for sometime and by doing so Israel had adopted many of their idols.

God was making it clear that He would use Babylon to bring them down. Even though they prospered for sometime, God would not let it go any longer.

Just like the king of Tyre, we can only hide for so long. Maybe we try to hide our personal ambitions, mask our pridefulness with false humility, but sooner or later, our true colors will be shown by God.

His desire for us is to stay close and enjoy his blessing and goodness.

But in reality we are all prone to sin and we can all take what God gave us and use them for our self ambitions.

The proud will be humbled.

Ezekiel 28:16–19 CSB

16 Through the abundance of your trade, you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I expelled you in disgrace from the mountain of God, and banished you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. 17 Your heart became proud because of your beauty; For the sake of your splendor you corrupted your wisdom. So I threw you down to the ground; I made you a spectacle before kings. 18 You profaned your sanctuaries by the magnitude of your iniquities in your dishonest trade. So I made fire come from within you, and it consumed you. I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of everyone watching you. 19 All those who know you among the peoples are appalled at you. You have become an object of horror and will never exist again.’ ”

Despite the favor and prosperity the king had, God was about to bring judgement to him. The king started to look at himself as more of a god than a king. He wanted more power, more money, and more trade.

God was very specific on what was going to happen to the king and Tyre- they would be cast out. The king had put his trust in his own power and wealth, than God.

That is why wealth and power is so dangerous to have because it can lead to being prideful. When we have more it becomes easier and easier to rely on ourselves.

God is our source of security.

Ezekiel 28:25–26 CSB

25 “ ‘This is what the Lord God says: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples where they are scattered, I will demonstrate my holiness through them in the sight of the nations, and they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 They will live there securely, build houses, and plant vineyards. They will live securely when I execute judgments against all their neighbors who treat them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.’ ”

God still gives hope to His people, that He will restore them and live securely in their own land that He gave them.

As believers we have no greater security than our relationship with Jesus. While the world puts there trust in their finances, jobs, or families and relationships, the gospel tells us to be anchored in Christ alone.

Hebrews 13:8 ESV

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Christ never changes unlike our circumstances

Romans 8:38–39 ESV

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus will never leave us and nothing that happens to us, He won’t go anywhere.