A Lesson In Humility

A Lesson in Humility

September 28, 2008 Morning Service

Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK

Rick Boyne

Message Point: Humble yourself or God will do it for you.

Focus Passage: Luke 14:7-14

Supplemental Passage: He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8 NASB)

Introduction: "Humility is something we should constantly pray for, yet never thank God that we have."

Henry Augustus Rowland, professor of physics at Johns Hopkins University, was once called as an expert witness at a trial. During cross-examination a lawyer demanded, "What are your qualifications as an expert witness in this case?" The normally modest and retiring professor replied quietly, "I am the greatest living expert on the subject under discussion." Later a friend well acquainted with Rowland’s disposition expressed surprise at the professor’s uncharacteristic answer. Rowland answered, "Well, what did you expect me to do? I was under oath."

I. The Best Seat in the House is the Last Seat

a. "If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." (Mark 9:35 NASB)

II. The Best Seat in the House is the Least Desirable Seat

a. During the American Revolution, the story is told of a group of new recruits busy repairing a break in a rampart. The work was really too heavy for the size of group working on it. Their commander was shouting instructions, but was making no attempt to help them. An officer in civilian clothes rode past and he asked why the leader of the group wasn’t helping the others. He replied with great dignity, "Sir, I am a Corporal!" The stranger apologized, dismounted, and proceeded to help the exhausted soldiers himself. When the job was finished, he turned to the corporal and said "Mr. Corporal, next time you have a job like this, and not enough men to do it, go to your commander-in-chief, and I will come and help you again." The officer in plain clothes was General Washington.

III. The Best Seat in the House is the Learning Seat (Mop Bucket Attitude)

a. Help the single mom trying to raise a house full of kids

b. Go talk to the shut-in who is lonely.

IV. The Best Seat in the House is not the Lazy Seat

a. Paul said in Romans 12:3, "I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment…"

b. Let your works speak well of you, not your mouth.

c. Remember the parable of the talents? Remember the one talent man, who was afraid to take any risks and went out and buried his talents in the ground? ("Oh, if I invest it, something might happen and I would lose it”) Matthew 25:26-27 says, "You wicked, lazy slave…you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest." God wants us to get a return on what we’ve been given. This passage in Luke isn’t condoning laziness or lack on initiative. It’s speaking of our means of progress. If you want to go to the top, then head for the bottom!

V. The Best Seat in the House is the Lord’s Seat

a. Jesus led the way in humbling Himself

b. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8 NASB)

Invitation: