Humility – 7

Humility – 7

Subject – Humility and Holiness

By Rick Welborne

Isaiah 65:1-5 (NLT2)
¹  The LORD says, “I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help. I was ready to be found, but no one was looking for me. I said, ‘Here I am, here I am!’ to a nation that did not call on my name.
⁵  Yet they say to each other, ‘Don’t come too close or you will defile me! I am holier than you!’ These people are a stench in my nostrils, an acrid smell that never goes away. 

--We don’t hear about this like we used to, but there is a movement in the church is called the holiness movement. There are churches who proudly emphasis that they are holiness.

Andrew Murray – The great test of whether the holiness we profess to seek or to attain is truth and life will be whether it is manifest in the increasing humility it produces. In the individual, humility is the one thing needed to allow God’s holiness to dwell in and shine through him or her. In Jesus—the Holy One of God, Who makes us holy—divine humility was the secret of His life, His death, and His exaltation. 

--The one infallible test of our holiness will be our humility before God and others. Humility is the bloom (what people say and smell) and the beauty of holiness. 

--The main way you can tell if holiness is counterfeit is the lack humility. All of us have to be on our guard that as we seek after holiness, we do not allow pride to slip in. Proud of being holy.

--Ladies, your dress can be down to the floor, your hair can be so long you have to put it in a beehive bun to keep it from touching the ground, and you can go without makeup. Paint the barn.

--Men, you can always wear long sleeves all the way to your hands and you can make sure you don’t have facial hair but if you don’t have humility (if you are proud) it accomplishes nothing. 

--We had a couple who came from a church near us. They told us how they had an outreach to the bus kids parents who were coming. The church police stood outside the door.

--Any of the parents who came with tattoos, men with earrings, ladies with dresses not past their knees, a cap, or any other rule made by them were turned away by the Pharisees. So sad.

1. Two Men Go to Pray.

Luke 18:10-13 (NKJV) ¹⁰ "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
¹¹  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
¹²  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'
¹³  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'

--We mentioned these two last sermon. They both go to pray, one a Pharisee and one a tax collector. The Pharisee (because of his title and position) had access wherever he wanted to go.

--Pride can lift its head even in the temple of God and can make its worship a scene of self-exaltation. Everyone look how holy and wonderful I am. Not like this guy, the tax collector. 

--When I was the youth pastor here, a man stood and prayed to himself. Eloquent, loud, powerful, and with convicting influence. Hard to swallow for sure.

--The pastor told me he was going ask him to let his name run for the Board of Deacons. He was politicking. 

--I tried to discourage the pastor. He asked me, “Did you here that prayer?” Yes, that is why I am saying don’t let him run. He will try to hurt us and the church. He was voted in.

--Within a year, this man brought before the board and the pastors pages and pages of accusations against us. The Pharisee in him came out quick. 

--In this story we see Jesus tells us that the tax collector left their justified.

Luke 18:14 (NLT2) ¹⁴ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

--Can I give us a caution? The tax collector (the sinner) and the Pharisee (the one who displays his holiness) need to both be on their guard. Why?

--I believe we have both of these men inside of us. And when we come to church hopefully to pray and seek God, these two come along.

--The tax collector doesn’t have to worry so much about the Pharisee but maybe he should worry about the Pharisee inside of him. Look how I humble myself before God.

--In this story we know this man was sincere but many times we can be guilty of displaying our humility before others. I was such a sinner but look at me know, crying to God.

--The Pharisee needs to be careful he doesn’t become like Satan and the angels coming before God.

Job 1:6 (NLT2) ⁶ One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the LORD, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. 

--You see, you can be in God’s House, in God’s presence and be lifted up in pride and arrogance. Satan and Pharisees love accusing others. Can’t see their own pride.

Quote – Sadly, pride is the first thing we see in others and the last thing we see in ourselves. 

2. False Humility and Pride.

Luke 18:11 (NIV) ¹¹ The Pharisee stood up and prayed about (to) himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector.

--Sometimes our lack of humility and pride can be revealed by our prayers. Our spoken attitudes.

Murray – Yes, even when the language of penitence and trust in God’s mercy alone is heard, the Pharisee may take up the note of praise and in thanking God be congratulating himself. Pride can clothe itself in the garments of praise or of penitence.   

--Maybe we would never say “I am not like other men.” Because those words would be rejected or condemned, but their spirit may too often be in our feelings and attitude toward others.

--If you struggle to believe if that is true, just listen to how we talk about our brothers and sisters to others. Notice how little of the humility and meekness of Jesus is seen.

--You can see it in the church or any work of the Lord in how the saints are so touchy and impatient, self-defensive and self-assertive, sharp judgment and unkind words. Others better? Nope!

--When we have to have the best seat, access to the mic, be on the platform, recognized for all the wonderful things we are doing, and when “Me” has to be acknowledged. Exalting others?

--Notice the difference of walking thru a time of humility and brokenness, and being clothed with humility.

--There is a big difference of those who truly have a humble spirit and who are constantly counting himself to be the servant of others, and having the same attitude Jesus had.

--We see in our text the parody of holiness. Jesus is the Holy One and He is the humble one. The holiest will always be the humblest. We are holy based on how much of God we have in us.

--Humility is nothing but the disappearance of self and knowing that God is all in all. If you feel you have attained to some level of holiness, it should be evidenced by your humility.

--How you treat the people in the church and how you treat people in the world will reveal if you have the attitude of the Pharisee, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men.”

3. Less Than the Least.

Ephesians 3:7-8 (NIV)                                                                                                                                             ⁷  I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power.
⁸  Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

1 Tim. 1:15-17 (NLT2) ¹⁵ “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.
¹⁶  But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.
¹⁷  All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.

--Please notice the contrast…less than the least. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all and 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men.

--The one who realizes he is the least and the worst realizes the reason for God’s mercy on him was to give other people hope. All honor and glory to God forever and ever!

--The Pharisee, even in his prayer, reminds God what a great bargain He is getting by having him. Paul and the tax collector show their humility while the Pharisee displays His pride and arrogance.

--Never for a moment could Paul forget that is was a wretched sinner that God had taken up in His arms and crowned him with His love. Maybe we should remember what Christ has done for us.

--Paul cries out in Romans 7…Who shall deliver me from this body of death, this pride, this arrogance, from myself? Thanks be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

--Our calling is to bask in God’s holy, redeeming love, endeavoring to always put on the compassion of Christ (Humility), to being filled with Holy Spirit…how can we not be humble?

Psalm 145:1-5 (NLT2)
¹ I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever.
²  I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever.
³  Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.
⁴  Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power.
⁵  I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles. 

--Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up!