Theme: Humility brings exaltation
Text: Pr. 25:6-7; Heb. 13:1-8; Lk. 14:7-14
Introduction:
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance”. (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4) There is also a time for retirement and there is a time to say thank you. This morning is a time to be thankful for the abundant blessings of the Lord. I see these blessings in each one of you. I see them in your smiles and in the answers to your prayers. I see them in your love, concern and care. I also see these blessings in the way you opened your homes to us and accepted us as members of your families. Thank you all for being such a blessing and making us feel at home among you. The Lord richly bless you and meet all your needs.
Our theme for today’s service is humility brings exaltation
It is a humbling experience to preach on humility as you cannot do so without first examining your own life. The focus of true humility is always God and a truly humble person is someone who has been emptied of self and pride and is filled with Christ. Humility is all about doing what God wants and not what you want. If God wants you to wash dirty feet then go ahead and do so even when you are the leader. The apostle Paul understood this and did what God called him to do. He grew in humility till he could confidently say “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me”. (Gal. 2:20) In examining my own life I can only say I am still growing in humility and still hopeful. “Not that I have already obtained or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. (Phil. 3:12) The best thing that can ever happen to us is to be freed from pride and arrogance and filled with Christ. God expects every believer to glorify Him by living a life of humility, a life that He controls and directs to accomplish His Word. A life without God is filled with pride and selfishness, opposes God and contradicts His Word. It was pride that led Satan to oppose God and declare “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High”. (Isaiah 14:14)
Step One: Humility believes God
a) We are sinners
“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble”. (James 54:6) It takes the grace of God for us to believe and trust Him. It is the grace of God that left fallen man with the ability to hear His call. A person who hears and responds to the call of God receives a revelation of His glory and majesty and this is a most humbling experience. Many people believe a person must humble himself to come to God. The truth, however, is that a person must come to God to be humbled. In the presence of God’s glory and majesty you cannot help but see your true self. It takes a humble person to believe that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. (Rom 3:23) And it takes a humble person to admit his need for a Saviour. A proud person will have difficulty believing he is a sinner and needs a Saviour.
b) We are saved by grace
It takes a humble person to believe that “we are saved by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God”. (Eph. 2:8) Only a humble person will believe that he is not capable of doing anything to deserve God’s forgiveness.
c) We are justified
It also takes a humble person to believe that we are justified, just-as-if- we –had never sinned because of the sacrifice of Christ and not because of anything we have done. It takes a humble person to believe the Word of God that “As by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous”. (Rom. 5:19)
Illustration:
A humble person has his focus on God and believes what He says. It takes a humble person to believe and accept that Christ took our place on the cross and paid the full penalty for sin on our behalf. It takes a humble person to believe that only Christ was qualified to bear the full judgement of God on sin for the forgiveness of sinners. And it takes a humble person to believe that when Christ cried out “It is finished” He had absorbed and exhausted all the judgement of God on sin and there was no longer any need for a sacrifice. It also takes a humble person to believe that there is nothing more that can be done to add to what Christ had done.
Application:
Let us value Christ’s sacrifice and glorify Him by doing what God wants us to do and not what we want to do.
Step Two: Humility glorifies God
a) A humble person relies on God
A life of humility glorifies God. A humble person relies on God and will not do anything contrary to His will. A person who sees no need for God relies on himself and thus allows pride to rule over him. A proud person believes he knows more than God and can change or rewrite the word of God. They do this to their own destruction for “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death”. (Pro. 14:12; 16:25)
b) Humility values the presence of God
A humble person values the presence of God. There are many people today who know a great deal about God but do not know Him or value His presence. They know about Him but have no relationship with Him.
c) Humility learns from God
A humble person who values the presence of God is prepared to learn from Him and follow His example. God “leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way” (Psalm 25:9) so that they “no longer conform to the pattern of this world, but are transformed by the renewing of their mind to test and approve God’s good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).
Illustration:
Humility should be clearly visible in the lives of believers. Unfortunately what the world often sees is pride. It is pride that prevents us from saying sorry when we know we are wrong. It is pride that prevents us from asking for directions when we know we are lost. It is pride that makes us believe that success depends on us and not on God. It is pride that makes us believe we deserve the best places and should be served. Humility on the other hand is concerned about serving and pleasing God. In Jesus’ parable about humility He describes the attitude of a proud person invited to a dinner who believed he deserved the best seat because of his high status in society. This parable teaches us how we should view greatness. In the view of the Pharisees greatness was equated with status, wealth and authority. This view is still prevalent in the world today and has led to the acceptance of many sinful practices as a means to achieve greatness. This is the reason why bribery and corruption, cheating, immorality, and the misuse of power have become a way of life for many people. In Christ’s view greatness is determined by one’s humility and service. According to D. L. Moody “The measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many men he serves.”
Application:
The proud are more concerned about their privileges and rewards than about their duties and responsibilities to God. They are more concerned about pleasing themselves and impressing fellow human beings rather than serving and pleasing God?
Step Three: Humility brings exaltation
a) Exalted to enjoy their rights as citizens of heaven
Humility brings exaltation. It is surprising that many believers begin their Christian lives by trusting God only to continue by depending on themselves. Dependence on self prevents them from enjoying the provisions of their Christian faith. Every believer becomes a citizen of heaven and is entitled to all the rights of a citizen. They have the right to health and protection from their enemies. A humble Christian life will give us access to these rights when it serves God’s purpose. When God exalts the humble they gain full access to these rights to glorify Him.
b) Exalted to live as members of God’s family
Believers, as God’s beloved children, become members of God’s family and partakers of God’s provisions for the home. The believer experiences love, joy, and peace in the home as long as he continues to rely on and trust God. God’s exaltation of the humble provides the perfect home where He is glorified.
c) Exalted to access the inheritance with Christ
As a believer you are a joint heir with Christ to all the provisions of the New Testament. A humble person is given access to this inheritance to enable him do God’s will God’s way. It takes God’s exaltation to give you full access to your inheritance. This inheritance is more than enough to meet all your needs.
Illustration:
Humility always comes before exaltation. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, humbled Himself before His exaltation. We proclaim this truth of His humiliation and exaltation at every service in the Presbyterian Church in the words of the Apostle’s creed. We declare His humiliation when we declare that He “Was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried?” And we declare His exaltation when we declare that “On the third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty”.
Application:
The exaltation that God promises the humble is to exalt them to become like Christ. We are exalted to fulfil God’s promise that declares “as He is so also are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17b)
Conclusion:
God has a divine plan for each person’s life and it begins and ends with humility. It is humility that allows us to acknowledge that God has a claim on our life as our Creator. It is humility that says, “I am a sinner, and I need a Saviour”. It is humility that enables us understand the truths of the Kingdom. It is humility that enables us to be exalted to be like Christ. No one, on the other hand, who is proud, will ever gain anything from God as pride says, “I can do it better than God”.
Personal Response:
The cross of Christ is where humility and exaltation come together. In His humiliation, we find our exaltation. Our shame is replaced by His glory. Let us remain humble and obedient for God to exalt us to the praise and glory of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Let me finally end this sermon with a poem titled
The desire to achieve greatness
Deep within is a place in each one of us,
There lies the desire to achieve greatness?
It lies dormant waiting to be awakened,
So that it’s long sleep can be brought to an end.
Once awake it strives to achieve its goal,
Often taking the path of the world.
Only a few take the path ordained by God,
And follow the way the Master trod.
For many the way does not matter,
For it is quickly forgotten.
Remembered only are the wealth and the power,
The fame, the bright lights and the luxury.
The paths of the world lead to no lasting gain,
Instead they lead to misery and pain.
Unlike the path of service that leads to lasting blessings,
For obedience unlocks the door to God’s promises.
It is serving those no one cares about,
Those who find themselves down and out.
It is removing the filth piled on by the world,
So that we can rejoice in what we have been told.
That we can come into His presence any time,
And enjoy our fellowship with Him.
With such communion all doubts in life,
Will vanish for He will give us His very life.
A life based on God’s Word, prayer and service,
A life that has been cleansed and without vice,
A life full of humility and meekness,
Of love, compassion, and patience.
A life that trusts and has a listening ear,
That draws the needy from far and near.
A life that touches the untouchable,
And meets every need when able.
A life that is prepared to sacrifice,
Everything even one’s very life.
For all we do will be unto His glorious name,
The name that is above every name.
(Written by William Baeta)
This poem was first recited at the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Dzorwulu on the 28th of August 2016.
