Sermons
Thinking Of Yourself Less
Series: The Way Of SalvationTHINKING OF YOURSELF LESS
Sermon By Terry Siverd
Cortland Church of Christ / October 27, 2019
We are not Christians just because we have been baptized.
Baptism is the portal by which we initially come into Christ, and it is vitally important,
but it is not the end of our journey of faith, but rather just the beginning.
Those who are newly baptized are “baby” Christians.
A phrase used by the apostle Paul encapsulates the ongoing goal for all of us: to press on to maturity (Heb.6:1).
It is ongoing because we will spend our entire Christian life in pursuit of the mind of Christ (1Cor.2:16).
This determined quest to have the mind and heart of Jesus is a lifelong endeavor.
Our spiritual development demands “a long obedience in the same direction”.
It is an undertaking that requires continual shaping and honing.
As I noted last week and in today's FamilyMatters essay, God uses various means to shape us:
parents & grandparents; family & friends; teachers and preachers; and successes and failures.
But chief among all of God's shaping tools is His Word.
The Bible, the sacred words of Scripture, offers us a compass to guide us in this growth process.
God's word works in a variety of ways: it instructs … it encourages … it exhorts … it admonishes …
it warns … it rebukes … it indicts and convicts - - all with the aim of presenting us mature in Christ Jesus.
In Gal.5:19-23, Paul helps provide a litmus test (a growth chart) by which we can examine our progress.
Now the DEEDS OF THE FLESH are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery,
enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness,
carousing and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that
those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness (and) self-control; against such things there is no law.
Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
The Christian virtue that I want us to dwell on this morning is HUMILITY.
Paul's list of the fruit of the Spirit does not mention this virtue outright, but it is strongly implied.
It is virtually impossible to have either self-control or faithfulness without being humble.
Another text from Paul, that we looked at in a previous lesson, underscores the importance of humility.
Col.2:12-15 - - As those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart
of compassion, kindness, HUMILITY, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another and
forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you,
so also should you. And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
As we collected today's offering we sang together, “Humble Yourself.”
That's a mighty fine song to focus upon when we're contemplating presenting an offering to God.
HUMILITY is an essential Christian virtue.
Nothing is more contradictory than the oxymoron, “arrogant Christian”.
Yet sadly, this is the view that many unbelievers have towards the church: they're a bunch of “holier-than-thous”.
Now we can argue the point, reasoning that such a caricature of all Christians is unfair.
And we would be right is making that observation. Are some Christians arrogant? Yes, they are!
But to say that all are is painting with too broad a brush. Not all Christians are arrogant!!
Nevertheless, we have an obligation to hear and weigh this kind of criticism.
And this hearing will require of us that we have a considerable degree of HUMILITY.
Why are some so quick to castigate us Christians for being arrogant?
Is it possible that somewhere along the way we have given them ammunition to make such a charge?
Micah 6:8 states: (God) has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord required
of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and TO WALK HUMBLY with you God.
These words spoken by the Old Testament prophet Micah, are reinforced by the teachings of Jesus.
Mt.18:4 states, whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Mt.23:12 echoes the same: whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
Luke's gospel (Lk.18:9-14) places these strong words of exhortation within the context of a parable spoken by Jesus.
Perhaps here in this pictogram we catch a glimpse of the basis for such charges of arrogance.
(Jesus) told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous,
and viewed others with contempt. Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee,
and the other a tax-gatherer. The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself,
'God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers,
or even like this tax-gatherer. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.'
But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift his eyes
to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner.'
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone
who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.
It's good to know that the apostles firmly grasped this important truth.
James the brother of the Lord, who after Jesus' resurrection came to believe (Jn.7:5) and became an apostle.
The writing of James (Js.4:6 & 10) James thunders forth with these words of Jesus:
God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble...
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
Peter was an apostle and an elder in the church. In 1Pet.5:1ff, he writes to encourage
his fellow elders or church shepherds to to exercise oversight with humility:
not lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock (vs.3).
Peter adds (vss.5b-6): clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is
opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore,
under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.
This willingness to humble oneself is one of the most endearing qualities we find in Jesus.
Phlip.2:8 states, HE humbled Himself.
Isn't this both amazing and mind-blowing?
Jesus was God in the flesh, but HE humbled Himself.
I want to close this morning's sermon with a couple of quotes.
Zac Pooner has written, “Humility of heart is the first step to salvation.”
He's right. If we don't have humility our hearts won't even be open and receptive
to the call of Scripture to hear, believe, repent, confess and be baptized.
Long before Zac Pooner came on the scene, the Christian theologian Augustine of Hippo (354-430AD) wrote:
“If you want to build a tall house of virtues, you must first lay deep foundations of humility.”
John Newton, who penned the words to that cherished hymn, Amazing Grace, has written:
“I am persuaded that love and humility are the greatest attainments in the
school of Christ and the brightest evidences that He indeed is our Master.”
For those who think you've got this one covered (this humility attribute), William Law, gives us a heads-up:
“You can have no greater sign of confirmed pride than when you think you are humble enough.”
Once more, and this one provides a bit of a postscript.
C. S. Lewis helps to open our eyes to the real meaning of humility with his words:
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.”
Humility does not direct us to live a life of self-deprecation (belittling and beating up ourselves)
God has chosen us to be His children. We are a sanctified bunch.
We are called by God to be the glorious church of our Lord and Savior.
We have a high calling that includes the noblest assignment known to mankind.
We are God's BELOVED, each and every one of us.
Humility is not self-abasement, it is simply recognizing that we are not God.
We are not the center of the universe.
And neither has God foreordained us to be a collection of know-it-alls.
Humility is not thinking less of who we are, it is simply thinking of ourselves less.
It may seem too simple and perhaps event a bit trite,
but the acronym J.O.Y., communicates this point fairly well:
Jesus first, Others second, self last.
Perhaps the surest way for us to pursue true humility is to dwell on ourselves less.
