Puffy heads go poof!
Thesis: When pride takes over in a persons head their head puffs up and eventually their head goes poof!
Texts:
Proverbs 8:13 "To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech."
Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction a haughty spirit before a fall."
Isaiah 2:11,12 "The eyes of the arrogant man will be brought low; the Lord alone
will be exalted in that day. The Lord almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled).
Daniel 4:37 "Now I Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble."
Introduction:
Our 4 introductory verses speak about a sin called PRIDE. Pride is a major sin it tops the list of the seven deadly sins spoken of in Proverbs 6:16-19:
There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
Illustration: Pumping up balloon - watch what happens when pride is In control of ones life
Kapteyn helps us see what happens with pride along with some of my observations:
Pride is what hurts us in our relationships - in church, in families, (at work, at school), with friends. Pride makes us stubborn - I’m right, she’s wrong - (I know all more about this than they do-they need to listen to me!). Pride stops us from forgiving "I was right she needs to apologize to me not visa versa! Pride makes us put up false fronts "I’m not letting anyone else know my sins and weaknesses" ("I don’t have any problems only those kind of people do! My life is perfect! I don’t make mistakes! ) It creates walls of pretension. Pride makes us think we are better or know more than the other. We become proud of what we do, read (or achieve).
I am so smart! Nobody could do my job! Look at their picture and mine -no comparison!
I have education therefore, I am smarter than you! You cannot speak into my life you don’t have a
BS degree. I have more money than most others! I can preach better than he can! I can teach better than he can! I do not need leadership classes "I’m a self made leader!" Look at my success!
It makes me work for salvation rather than to receive it freely. It removes grace from God from us, as far as we see it, (We earned our salvation - just look at my works!), and makes us less gracious toward others. We become more judgmental. Pride makes us put others down. We look
down on another because he is black or oriental. (Educated or not educated, wealthy or not wealthy, dresses in a suit or not a suit, of a certain denomination or not part of a denomination).
Pride- how is it affecting you? Are you afraid to serve because you may fail? Afraid to share your faith because of what others will think? Afraid to pray out loud because of how you might sound? (Afraid to step out in your spiritual gift because of what others may think?) Afraid to reach out to someone because they might reject you? Afraid to be vulnerable because you might get hurt? Afraid to sing because you might make a mistake? Afraid to?????
If you answered yes to any one of these then you have a problem with pride --- Pride is the sin of placing more importance on self than you do on God or others!!
T.S.- Pride as you have seen is at the root of a lot of sins. Lets discover a scenario where pride affected others.
I. Pride was there at the root when Satan was cast from Heaven.
A. Ezekiel 28:1-19
1. King of Tyre is represents Lucifer’s fall from heaven and what led to him being cast out of heaven.
a. He had been a model of perfection -created by God
. b. He had full wisdom in God.
c. He had perfect beauty in the presence of God.
d. He was anointed and ordained of God.
e. He was blameless until wickedness set in (Pride!)
See Isaiah for the description of his wickedness
* Isaiah 14:12-15
How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.
*** Bottom line PRIDE
* A proud man has no God - Benjamin Whichcote
f. Pride led to sin which then led to violence (16,17)
g. The result of Satan’s pride led him to be driven from heaven.
h. The result is he is looked at not with admiration but with disgrace - no grace, no hope, no future.
* Pride leads to no grace, no hope, no future!
* The pride of dying rich raises the loudest laugh in hell - John Foster
T.S. - In exploring where this sin originated no wonder we can say it’s at the root of most other sins. Pride drives us into more and more sin! Where as God’s attribute of humility leads to love, joy, peace and righteousness. One is self-centered the other is other centered.
II. Pride is the opposite of humility.
A. Pride is Satan’s plan to take over the universe and God’s plan to run the universe is humility.
1. Romans 12:3-5
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
2. Spurgeon makes this statement about pride: "... pride is a breach of consecration. as soon as I begin to get proud of what I do, or what I am, what am I proud of what I do, or what I am, what am I proud of? Why there is that pride, the act of taking away from God, His glory... Mark this Christian, God will never give thee strength to glorify thyself..."(247).
B. Christ the greatest leader of all demonstrated this Servant Leader quality.
1. Remember Luke 22: 24-30; and John 13: 1-17.
a. In verse 12 of John, Jesus after washing His disciples’ feet, asks them the question: "Do you understand what I have done for you?"
b. In verse 15, He tells them I have demonstrated how I want you guys to lead my church!
c. Also, remember Phil 2:8, "He humbled Himself."
d. Hybels states, "Jesus’ perspective was shaped by a deep sense of humility. It was a humility where none was called for; Jesus, as God, clearly deserved His titles, position, and praise. But as we have seen, Jesus "did not consider equality with God something to be grasped." He wanted instead, to relate with man on an equal level. Where religious leaders of His day relished the separation between themselves and "the common people", Jesus sought to break down the barriers, even those imposed by His divine rights. Humility was at the core of His philosophy. More times than not, He used His power for the powerless, showed love to the loveless, and served those who could not possibly return the favor. With characteristic consistency, He repeatedly rejected a Pecking Order based on conditional response." (121)
1.) See Matt. 23
C. Let’s not allow ourselves to buy into the world’s motto, "Be Proud". But do what is pleasing to God.
* When I was preparing this message this week I typed in Pride to do a search and more than ½ of all the sources where on Gay Pride! Something to think about?
1. I Peter 3: 3,4
3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
2. Galatians 5: 19-25
19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
3. We need to practice humility as prescribed by Christ in Matt. 5:11.
a.) To the world, this statement by Christ is a contradiction. They view humility, meekness, gentleness, etc., as "Blessed are the weak for they shall become door mats!", not to inherit the earth. They honestly believe that a leader is one who dominates, controls, manipulates, etc., another person by power not humility and meekness.
b.) The beatitudes in my view, describe a servant leader who is humble.
c.) Note: Matt. 23: 11-12
11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
4. Read article by Nikaido on Humility
D. Application: Servant leaders are those who repeatedly cry, "No Pride" every day. They are leaders who practice humility. They are ones who seize every opportunity to tear down pride in the church so that it will not destroy it. It’s a leader who uses servant characteristics to lead not worldly business practices.
1. They don’t make excuses - Making excuses is the rationalization which allows sin to take root in our lives.
2. The Top Ten Poor Excuses by Nikaido -- close with to move toward communion.
3. Lets not make excuses for sin lets repent and move into communion with pure hearts and embrace the cross of humility.
