Unnatural Attitudes of Humility (Worship Service Aug 7, 2022)
Thank you.
It's been awhile since I've been up here, thankful for Pastor Rich, taking the time to open God's word for us and explain the history. Where we got all the information in the Old Testament books. I appreciate having a couple of weeks off being able to just read and study and work on this. It seems like just a week or two ago that I was up here. Joking about it being May already. Now, it's August. 7th. Is that right? So another week or two and I'll be Thanksgiving, right?
What did I hear the days are long and the years are short.
Augustine. Has anybody heard that name before? Augustine was a theologian. He lived around the 4th Century ad after Christ. He's recognized as one of the great influences on the church and on the growth of the Christian faith. As it grew after the apostolic era. He's considered one of the church fathers. Someone recognized his great influence and asked him a question. They said, what do you believe are the three Central principles of the Christian Life? I have to stop there and say, doesn't that sound a lot like our current thinking, Even though this is from the 4th Century, people want you just to cut to the chase. Tell me what's really important. What are the most important things that I need to be working on, right? Let's just get to it, there's things in my life, there's details that I need to be paying attention to, but I do want to concentrate on some of the most important things. So it doesn't look like I'm totally Walking In The flesh right? Rest of my life, may not be all that it could be, but maybe if I hit the top three things got going to accept me, right?
Anyone else able to admit that sometimes they think that way. Life is busy. It's a mess but I'm just going to concentrate on some of the better things. I'm going to work hard on doing the right thing. The top three things, I'm going to get those good and then the rest of my life, you know, God's just going to forget about all that stuff.
It's a very natural tendency for us the flash overwhelms, our thoughts and our actions, but we don't want to completely walk in the flash. So we give a nod to some spiritual things. And if we list, what are the top, three spiritual things, and we work on those then. The rest of our fleshly walk, maybe will be ignored.
I believe, Augustine saw the thinking it was behind the question that was being asked, he answered in this way, you might want to write these down. Number one, Central principle of the Christian Life is humility.
The number two central principle of the Christian Life is humility.
The number three Central principle of the Christian life, according to Augustine in the 4th century. Is you guessed it? Humility. This incredibly distinct virtue has all but vanished around us and it must be demonstrated by us. In order to achieve the deepest desire of our savior and that is for us to be Unified.
The last time we were together in Philippians chapter 2, we saw that. The whole theme of the chapter is about humility. Paul has built these letter to these Believers in Philippi as a joyful Thanksgiving. It's for their encouragement, for their support of both him and his ministry and for their Outreach where they are. He recognizes their efforts in spreading the gospel and he also recognizes that there's a stress fracture. There's an issue within the congregation that threatens to break the whole thing apart. If it isn't dealt with and that's where Paul is going. As he directs this letter to the Philippian believers,
we saw that their attention has been to walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel.
He says, I see that you're eager to share this gospel message. He told them that in order for them to walk in a manner, worthy of the Gospel meant that they would stand firm together that they would drive together that they would share together and they would suffer together. Paul encouraged them with the knowledge that God's gracious gift to them. Was not only salvation but the privilege of suffering for his sake. Now, Paul has brought them to the point that they have recognized, the many blessings that they have because they belong to Jesus. And because they have the indwelling, Holy Spirit, they've experienced the encouragement of Christ, the consolation of Love, The Fellowship of the spirit and affection and compassion, and these things all prove to them that they are God's people and that they have the Holy Spirit living and active within them. Because of those many blessings and proves Paul tells them what they are to do next and that is be humble and unified. Jesus great. Desire for his church is Unity that leads the world to believe. Unity has the characteristics of loving intentionally, living in harmony longing. For cooperation toward one, purpose of sharing the gospel message. That's the Reader's Digest version of what we've covered over the last couple of weeks and the last few verses. Now Paul goes on to paint the picture or the Philippian Believers and for us of what humility looks like when it's alive. We know the characteristics of humility but how do we know that we're doing it? Right? What does humility look like when it's on display in our attitudes and our actions? The problem for us is that the attitudes of humility are completely unnatural. This is not the way that our flesh would have us live. Let's pray. And then we'll open Philippians chapter one again, chapter two again. Heavenly father again, we come before you and we say thank you for the way that you are living and active word is presented to us so that we can take it. We can apply it to our lives Lord and we can walk in a manner. That's worthy of the Gospel. We're thankful that we have this time. We just pray that your word is opened well by the Holy Spirit applied by the Holy Spirit to our lives. And then used by your spirit to make our lives worthy of this gospel. In Jesus name, we ask these things. Amen. Philippians chapter 2. We're going to read verses 1 through 4.
This is from the Legacy Standard Bible translation. So it might be a little different reading but not that much from what you have flipping 2:1. Therefore, there is any encouragement in Christ if there is any consolation of love. If there is any Fellowship of the spirit, if any affection and compassion, fulfill my joy that you think the same way by maintaining the same love being united in spirit thinking on one purpose, doing nothing from selfish ambition or vain Glory. But with the humility of Mind, regarding one another as more important than yourselves, not merely looking out for your own personal interest but also for the interests of others, We see in these versus Paul presenting three- and two positive aspects that point us to what humility looks like when it's walking and active and talking in the church. The first two aspects of humility have to do with our motivations. The first one is to reject selfishness.
We know that selfishness is the root of every other sin and problem in life in the church, and in the pursuit of unity. Self-centeredness is the sin of pride. Placing ourselves above, others is selfishness and it's born of pride. The problem we face is that selfishness is completely natural. It's the way that our flesh would have us respond. The inclination of our flesh is to seek what we desire above every other person and quite often above God. Turn with me to Isaiah chapter 14. Example is giving here of placing a wheel above. God's will Isaiah chapter. 14 verses 12 and 15. 12 through 15.
Isaiah 14, starting at verse 12, it says how you have fallen from Heaven o star of the morning. Son of the Dawn. You have been cut down to the Earth, you who have weakened the nation's, but you said, in your heart, I will Ascend to Heaven. I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the Mount of the assembly. In the recesses of the north, I will Ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will make myself like the most high. Nevertheless, you will be brought down to shul to the recesses of the pit. Satan placed his will above God's will when he fell. Adam and Eve placed there will above God's will when they fell in the garden and brought sin to the whole Earth. Selfishness has been at the heart of every other Sin from that time forward. Paul was telling the Philippian Believers that this natural tendency to seek our own will to seek our own way, has to be completely excluded from our hearts.
This is a negative command and actually has no verb in the original Greek literally reads. Nothing selfish. That leaves it pretty open for us to understand, doesn't it? It's a Prohibition. It goes far, beyond our actions. We get caught up sometimes doing what's right. And avoiding what's wrong. But here Paul is saying, this is about your attitude, it's the attitude of your heart, the motivation for your actions that needs to be addressed. What's interesting about the Greek word Arrow, Thea is it? It's grown from its original meaning originally it was referred to a day laborer. But in the context of writing, it grew into one who seeks personal wealth and advantage. The word came to mean, a person who sought their own personal gain regardless of the effects on other people. The Philippians would have understood that is selfish person. Meant unhindered selfish ambition in any and every endeavor. I'll use this word in 1:17 when he was referring to those, who were preaching against them for their own gain. Not for the purpose of furthering, the gospel Don't make the mistake of thinking that just because someone is speaking God's word that they're doing so selflessly. Aristea is associated with personal rivalry, with party rivalry with quarreling, and fighting amongst members and is often translated strike because of the effects that this natural self-seeking ambition, has on relationships. The person seeking their own way, will use flattery, deception accusations, and any other tactic that gives them an advantage. When Paul won the Galatians about the works of The Flash versus The Works of the spirit Heelys, Terabithia, as a work of the flesh. The problem with this self-centered sin is that it can consume the person that's experiencing it before their outward, manifestations.
Selfishness is born of a sinful heart which we all possess. So it isn't always visible to those on the outside. Who would come alongside and help a brother who's experiencing sin? That's more obvious. The seed of selfishness grows into the fruit of anger and resentment and jealousy, bitterness takes root in the heart. As these sins grow into full seed bearing weeds, No church is immune from the threat of selfish ambition, and it can even appear and biblically sound and spiritually, mature churches, where it will be closed and Pious rhetoric by those, who are convinced that their abilities in proclaiming the cause of Christ, and the will of God are far superior to you laid people.
See how that works.
Is very evident in the church in Corinth turn with me to 1st Corinthians. Chapter 1.
1st Corinthians chapter 1 verses 10 through 12.
Paul says, now I exhort you Brothers by the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ that you all agree, that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment for. I've been, informed concerning you, my brother's bike always people that there are quarrels among you now. I mean this to each one is saying I, I am of Paul, and I of Apollo's, and I of cephus, and I of Christ. You see the most Pious of those claiming to follow certain leaders were claiming that they were following Christ, they must be the most religious in that group.
The problem is that they're still involved in divisions because they were seeking to elevate themselves at the expense of others. They weren't seeking to honor these men who are well, worthy of honor, they were seeking to create exclusive clubs or clicks for their own personal benefits. each one of these groups was self-serving and promoting themselves, rather than promoting the cause of Christ or spreading the gospel message, Paul's warning against Discord and division are for every Church to he'd because it can happen in any church where people become focused on their agenda to the exclusion of others. We need to be aware of this. We need to keep this narrow Focus, even when it's on a seemingly important Ministry from becoming, the only Passion of the church. That's why Paul started the whole conversation about walking in a manner worthy of the Gospel. When that is our passion, when that is our Focus, then we will applaud and we will assist in every other Ministry that furthers that purpose. That will include cleaning the church, that will include weeding the flower bed. That's going to include washing dishes and driving the van and standing at the Founders Day weekend in greeting people. Every other thing that people tend to Discount when they compared it to the big ministries of the church, Whatever God is calling you to do, to further the gospel message, you obey, that calling, whatever that is, don't think that you were less than or more than any other person doing ministry as part of God's calling on their lives.
Disregard of a fellow Believers, no matter how unintentional is a mark of Lovelace sinful. Indifference that produces jealousy, contention strife and the other enemies of spiritual Unity, according to John MacArthur.
Paul says, selfishness must be excluded from our hearts completely Along with that, he offers another negative way to promote spiritual unity in that way. Is to forsake conceit. The King James and the Legacy Bibles, translate the Greek word as vainglory. Others translated as vanity or empty. Conceit trying to wrap that idea into what's being said Where selfishness seeks personal accomplishments to build up self at the expense of others conceit. Seeks personal glory and praise.
Empty conceit is an over-inflated self image. conceit considers itself to be the only right opinion and expects others to agree becoming offended when anyone disagree,
the only Unity that can seat values is centered on itself. We will get along just fine as long as you always agree with me because I'm right, anyway,
Conceit is More Than Pride. It's arrogant Pride. Romans 11:25 calls this being wise in your own estimation. Paul head to address this to the Philippian Believers because of the influence that Greece had on the thinking of the region. You see the Greeks did not value humility at all. They saw humility is a mark of weakness. Even the Greeks realized that a person could have too high of you of themselves. The over-inflated self-image was both presumptuous and contemptuous and was called hubris. Remember that word we discussed hubris previously. That it sent over. Exalted pride and it's considered the source of evil in the world by all of the ancient cultures. Even though they thought humility was weak. They didn't want you to be overly proud of yourself. Well they value did not value. Humility. They hated hubris does not sound like our world today. We can't figure out what's right? Or what's wrong. But don't you tell us that one is and isn't
the word that Paul uses for conceit is really only used here in his letter to the Philippians. However, he addressed his Hubris in his letter to the Romans where he discusses the sins that characterize the rebellious, unbelieving lifestyle of mankind. Romans 1:30, he labels it as insolent behavior. In case you've wondered what that word is all about. Paul addresses Hubris in his letter to the Galatians, chapter 6, verse 3. He says for if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing he deceives himself.
That's the biggest problem with conceit. It is by nature self-deception. Not only is it natural for us to walk in conceit, but we don't realize we're living in conceit, unless we're standing firm together with fellow Believers sharing and striving together with fellow Believers. You see? Now, why those things are so important and why Paul has begun building the letter in the manner that he did. When we view ourselves as separate from other believers better than them more spiritual than them, we don't need them.
Then we have fallen prey already to selfishness and conceit and we've become the enemies of spiritual Unity.
Stephen Davey Compares conceit to a balloon, the bigger, the balloon stretches on the outside. The more empty, it is on the inside. Conceit and balloons are really just full of hot air. if you want an empty life, then live for yourself, if you want a life that's full of Life than empty yourself of self and be filled with the supernatural presence and power of the Holy Spirit. That's the only way that we can overcome these very natural tendencies to be selfish and conceited. Now Paul lays out a positive attitude that leads to spiritual Unity, it says be humble in mind. Not only is humility of mind the exact opposite of selfish ambition and empty conceit or vainglory. It's the remedy for those things. Humility is the cure for Pride just as Pride as the basis of all of our sins and problems. Humility of the mind is the basis of unity and the foundation of all of the other Beatitudes that Jesus addresses in his Sermon on the Mount.
Humility means the same thing as lowly or poor in spirit from his sermon that Jesus. Focused on Matthew chapter 5. The Greek word lowly is always used as a put-down when it's used outside of scripture. It's considered bass common unfit and having no value when you see the word humility in any literature outside of scripture. Isn't it amazing? How much Satan has attacked that word. It must give you some idea of its importance and value.
In God's word. However, it's always presented in a positive light. Probably because it's the opposite of Pride which is the natural inclination of our fallen nature. It is that which separates us from God. Our pride separates that relationship. When we choose Pride like Satan, did we attempt to make ourselves into God's? We Elevate our ideas, our opinions, and our will above God's will. All through scripture humility is presented as a virtue over against those who have self exalting pride. Solomon described humility in Proverbs 11:2. It says when pride comes then comes dishonor but with the humble is wisdom. Moses is described as being very humble, more than any other man. David says, in Psalm, 37:11 The Humble will inherit the land. That's repeated by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5:5. He says the meek will inherit the earth. Jesus, describes himself as gentle and humble in heart.
Paul describes his behavior when he's talking to the Elders of Ephesus. He says that he is serving the Lord with all humility.
Perhaps the greatest call to humility is in Peter's first letter. Three times in just two verses. He calls for this unnatural response in the church's interactions with each other. When you understand how prideful Peter was, before Jesus changed his heart, you can see how passionate he is about humility. Turn with me to 1st Peter chapter 5.
1st Peter chapter 5, verses 5 and 6.
He says, all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one. Another for God, is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourself, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you at the proper time? See we humble ourselves and then God chooses when and where that he will exalt us. Rather than trying to seek after our own empty. Conceit for selfish reasons. We turn it all over to God. We've already seen that humility isn't thinking lowly of oneself. It isn't thinking of oneself at all. All goes beyond that Intel's. The Believers regard, one another as more important than themselves. This is much more than an opinion. It's a decision. The word regard means that they have thought about and come to a conclusion based on the truth.
Regarding one another as more important. Is an act of the will it goes beyond our natural, thinking to decide others are more important than us. The Greek word that's used for more important is often used to indicate superiority. A superior force is superior person. One that we subordinate to The kind of thinking that Paul is directing us to is beyond our natural abilities. It's far beyond our natural inclinations. It's only by the power of the holy spirit that we can love others, the way God loves them and then place them above ourselves in our thinking.
The next aspect of humility that builds spiritual Unity is also presented as a negative. Don't look out for yourself.
Call just presented a very unnatural view of Life. Lifting others up and saying you are more important than me.
Now he says, I'm going to explain that idea, and I'm going to go a little bit deeper. We've made a decision by the power of the Holy Spirit to place others higher than ourselves in our thoughts. Now, we adjust our viewpoints We adjust our vision to match our thought process. The Greek word scope is used here for look out for It means to make this your aim in life.
We use this Greek word in our words, telescope and microscope. What's natural for us, is to take our telescope and to look long-range at our goals, our Ambitions, how we going to accomplish? What we want with our lives. Our time, our money, our energy, You see the focus is still on ourselves. Looking out for our own interests is completely natural.
We also use our microscope, we dialed at into view, all the details of our lives. Our relationships, our needs our problems in our issue. We focus our attention on these things and we end up pouring our energy and our money and our time and our prayers into them. R microscope. Often causes us to worry about the details of our life. Again, completely natural for us to think and feel and focus our attention. This way, Paul wants us to change, not only the willful thought process in our minds, but the focus of our life away from us. Dennis Johnson says in his commentary on Philippians. Paul's Direction, Makes Us ask the question. What why do I do? What I am doing in the church in the home or at my workplace? Why do I do what I'm doing? Am I driven by self-centered motives even when I'm supposedly helping others. A myself serving even while serving, others, wanting and hoping to be noticed.
So that I received appreciation and recognition that, I think I deserve. What is that selfishness and empty conceit? Whether express it outwardly or not? Do I nurse resentment? When my hard work is ignored or my ideas are not followed.
In short, whose interests. Am I really pursuing?
Am I pursuing what's natural and applauded by the world? Which is self-interest self-promotion, self-love and self-fulfillment.
Or am I pursuing? What's Supernatural and only available through the power of the Holy Spirit which is self less nests and humility. Christ direction to his followers, Matthew 6:33. Seek first, his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
How do we make that our Focus? God's kingdom first?
The last aspect that we want to look at, is the positive side of that last principle. Don't look out for yourselves but look out for others interests.
When we are focused on the kingdom of God and on his righteousness, we know that God is going to take care of the things that we normally and naturally would be focused on. Instead of focusing on those things, we focus now on the interests of others.
It's a relationship based principle.
It's all about living in spiritual. Unity are focused has to come off ourselves off from our own interests. And then Paul says, here's where you direct that Focus. Now, that you're done with the personal telescope and personal microscope. Paul says, look here. This is where I want you to look at others interests. We look at other people and their interests, their needs their goals, their desires, and that's done in Supernatural, way by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our view is off from our distractions. It's off from our personal agendas that we so easily, and naturally direct our attention to. Now, the holy spirit is free to direct our view and we see the interests of others. We see their real needs reveal to us. again, it's a super natural ability, but only when we take off our self blinded Ness,
Paul mentions here, looking to the interest of others but he doesn't mention a specific interest. When we allow the holy spirit to guide our thoughts and to focus our attention, the interests of others are going to be revealed to us by him.
Sometimes I feel like we underplay the work of the Holy Spirit. We're worried about those churches that call themselves charismatic or Pentecostal. Right. We don't want the Holy Spirit to get out of control so we're not going to talk about him at all.
Folks, we want the Holy Spirit to get out of control. We want him to take full control of our minds and our lives and directed us as only he can. That's the only way that we are going to overcome our very natural inclinations to be focused on ourselves.
We ask the holy spirit to guide our thoughts and to focus our attention. Then the interests of the other people are revealed like a curtain being drawn back. We see into the deep needs of other people's lives, that only the Holy Spirit can reveal to us. It's such an important part of our Unity. But it requires effort, there's work to be done in order to kill that self-centered motive. In order to change our focus and our attention from ourselves to the needs of others. When we do this still, when we actually live and act in humility Christ is glorified Not just in our lives, but here in this church will have an influence on our community. We're going to serve others, right? Where they need to be served and we are going to share the gospel because they're true need for a relationship with God will be revealed to us. will know exactly how to meet that need it's difficult. It will require work on our part daily to sacrifice our own interests and Ambitions and goals. It's completely unnatural. The natural man tells me focus on myself think about your problems, focus on the solutions. Look long range at your goals and ambition.
The unnatural ways to say, God show me by the power of the Holy Spirit, how I can help others. And I'm going to trust you to take care of the things. Matthew 6:33 promises. It's completely unnatural, but it's the only way to live that has any Worth or value.
It is living in a manner that's worthy of the Gospel so that the world will believe the message.
Thank you, Father, for this time that we have to open your word. To see how you would have us live. So that the world will believe the gospel message that we so desire to share. Help us daily. Now Lord to take our eyes off from ourselves and by the power of the Holy Spirit to focus on other people, To put others first. So that the gospel is shared in a powerful way, and we'll see the transition in this lives around us. But thankful again for your word and this time together, we asked for your glory and all these things.