Virus: Hidden Infections of the Spiritual Life
Pride – Lk. 18:9-14
Review: We’re halfway in a series on the (7) deadly sins entitled Virus. The obvious question is why (7) and why deadly? The list was created by theologians in the Middle Ages. They studied the Bible for attitudes and character traits they deemed detrimental to a person’s relationship w/ God. They looked for sins that kill a person’s spiritual potential, cut off their ability to enter into the fullness of God’s blessings. These were the (7) that rose to the top.
Insert: But what is sin? Sin is an attitude and action contrary to God’s plan and purpose for our lives. Sin is missing the mark of God’s perfection.
Insert: Sin isn’t a consensus agreement about what is right and wrong. God hasn’t conducted a CNN poll or focus group to solicit our opinions on His nature and our depravity. He measures sin solely against His perfect/righteous character.
Verse: All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Rm. 3:10
Note: According to the Bible we sin in two basic ways:
1. Commission – Will-full activity against God’s directives.
2. Omission – Activity we could’ve, would’ve or should’ve done, but didn’t.
Quote: Sin has two causes; either from not seeing what we ought to do, or from not doing what we see needs to be done. Augustine
Trans: We’ve looked at the dispositions of laziness, lust, and anger – today is PRIDE.
Note: Pride is the worst and most prevalent of the (7) deadly sins b/c it is either the source or chief component in all of the others. Pride is the instigator of all sin.
Pride convinces LAZINESS that someone else should do it for me.
Pride convinces LUST that my pleasure comes before God’s priorities.
Pride convinces ANGER that if I don’t get my way someone will have to pay
Pride convinces GLUTTONY that I better get my fill.
Pride convinces GREED that the more I have the more I will be satisfied.
Pride convinces ENVY that I deserve better than you.
Define: The American Collegiate Dictionary defines pride as a "high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority." We use terms like egotistical, arrogant, selfish, vain, conceited, boastful, and big-headed.
Note: Pride is arrogant self-worship. It’s the sin of exalting oneself and placing one’s own interest above the interests of others. Pride craves admiration and adoration, and will not share the limelight. Pride deludes its victims into believing they have no peers and drives them to try to destroy anyone who takes recognition from them. The proud are in love w/ themselves and seek to call attention to their admirable qualities. Campolo
Note: Pride thinks it’s all about ME! Pride is the worship of me, myself, and I. (clip)
Trans: Pride is a beast. It goads us into trying to make a name for ourselves in the headlines of the world. Some of us are convinced pride is essential for us to accomplish our objectives, to get a slice of the pie of life, but in reality, pride casts us further into the spiritual desert of barrenness.
Quote: For pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense.” C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity
I The ROOT of Pride Lk. 18:9-14
A Self-RIGHTEOUS
Note: Look at the Pharisee’s attitude. He wasn’t as bad a sinner as these others. He was more spiritual b/c he was more pious and religious. Truth is he knew how to put on a better show. He thought he would show God why God needed and deserved him.
Note: Self-righteous people think their goodness can get them into heaven and meet w/ God’s approval. They see heaven as a place w/ a pecking order. But look at Eph. 2:8-9. It says, “Not of works so that no man can boast.” God is not impresses w/ self-righteous pride. We are forgiven only by God’s grace.
Note: Some people get so caught up in their own holiness that they look at the Trinity for a possible vacancy. John MacArthur
Note: We have a difficulty giving up the worship of self to honor God. We think we deserve praise. Until we understand we have no righteousness on our own and we’re just sinners saved by grace, we’ll continue this line of stinking thinking. You’re no better than I, nor I’m no better than you – we’re all sinners in need of a Savior.
Verse: There is none righteous, no not even one. No one seeks after God. Rm. 3:23
Funny: A CEO of F500 noticed his wife talking w/ the station attendant. Come to find out she dated him in school. As they got on there way the CEO says, “I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, I’m glad I married you instead of him or else I’d be the wife of a gas station attendant instead of the wife of a CEO of a F500 business.” W/out missing a beat, the wife says, no! I was thinking if I’d married him, he’d be the CEO of a F500 company and you’d be a gas station attendant.
B Self-SUFFICIENT
Note: The Pharisee said, “Look at me. I have no need for anyone else. I can do it my self. This view holds that Me, Myself, and I are the only ones I can count on.
Note: Pride keeps me from getting help from others. I’ve got marriage problems and I’m too embarrassed to get help – that’s pride. I’ve got money problems and I’m too self-sufficient to get help – that’s pride. When I’m not cutting it as a parent, boss, or employee, and I’m too ashamed for anyone to find out – pride.
Quote: I have found w/in myself all I need and all I shall ever need. I am a man of great faith, but my faith is in George Gordon Liddy. I have never failed me.
Trans: A self-sufficient spirit boasts in what it has accomplished and what it can do.
Funny: A man brought his boss home for dinner. The boss was brash and arrogant. The little boy in the family stared at the boss for most of the evening but didn’t say anything. The boss asked the boy, “Why do you keep looking at me like that, son?” The little boy answered, “My daddy says you’re a self-made man.” The boss beamed proudly and admitted that he was a self-made man. The boy said, “Well, if you’re a self-made man, why did you make yourself like that?”
C Self-CENTERED
Note: Pride prevents me from helping others. It thinks I’m too good to get my hands dirty.
Note: It’s all about me – PRIDE is the worship of me. Forget the sun, I am the center of the universe and everything orbits around me.
Note: The only reason the Pharisee stood up in the first place was to draw attention to himself. He was not about to allow anyone else to get the spotlight. Prideful people don’t like to share the limelight b/c it’s all about ME!
II The REALITY of Pride
Trans: The reality of pride is that it can be either positive or negative. Unfortunately, we’re more accustomed to negative or poison pride.
Verse: Each of you must examine your own actions. Then you can be proud of your own accomplishments w/out comparing yourself to others. Gal 6:4
Note: The difference b/w positive and negative pride is comparison. Positive pride is rooted in minding your own business w/out comparing yourself w/ others. It’s about how your effort compliments the mission. If you’ve done your best, then you ought to be proud of what you’ve done w/out it going to your head. Positive pride is about endeavoring to become who God created you to be by maximizing your potential.
Note: Poison pride is minding other people’s business for the point of comparison. It’s attempting to maximize yourself by comparing what you have w/ others.
Funny: Four catholic women are having lunch. One of the ladies begins to brag on her son. She said, “My son is a priest, and when he walks into a room, everyone calls him Father.” The 2nd said, “My son is a bishop, and when he walks into a room, everyone calls him ‘Your Grace’.” The 3rd lady said, “That’s nothing. My son is a cardinal, and when he walks into a room, everyone calls him ‘Your Imminence’.” The 4th lady didn’t say a word, but kept sipping her coffee, when the 1st lady said, “What about your son?” She said, “My son is 6’2”, ruggedly handsome, broad square shoulders, great manners, well dressed, tight muscular body; and when he walks into a room, all the woman say, ‘Oh my Lord.’”
Note: Poison pride always compares what I’ve got w/ what you’ve got, w/ my friends w/ your friends, w/ my privileges w/ you’re privileges. It’s a destructive cancer.
A DECEPTIVE and DECEITFUL
Verse: The wicked do not care about the Lord; in their pride they think that God doesn’t matter. Ps. 10:4
Verse: Arrogance and pride – distinguishing marks in the wicked – are sin. Pr. 21:4
Note: Pride lulls us into thinking that we are better than others by comparison. I am better than you b/c… And the Bible calls this sin. Why? B/c you are putting yourself in the role of God and b/c you are putting others beneath you.
B DEVILISH and DEMONIC (Ezk. 28:12-19)
Note: God was looking past the king of Tyre to the being motivating him – Satan.
Note: Pride came from Lucifer. He took pride in his perfection. He was the ultimate expression of divine beauty and the capstone of God’s creation. He was #2 in heaven and #1 among the angels. He was on the mtn of God and in the ultimate position of authority. He walked w/ the shekena glory among the fiery stones.
Note: We’re never more like Satan than when we’re prideful. Every major mistake man has ever made has been rooted in pride – Adam/Eve – ate b/c of pride – wanted to be like God. Babel – we can stay together and build something great in our image to show God how good we are – a tower that touches God – Pride.
C DESTRUCTIVE and DEVASTATING
Verse: Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Pr. 16:18 The (MSG) says, First pride, then the crash – the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.
Verse: Pride leads to destruction; humility leads to honor. Pr. 18:12
III The REMEDY of Pride
A Get OVER You
Note: Look at the tax collector. He had a proper perspective of his life and his sinfulness. He understood that he wasn’t self-righteous or self-sufficient, so he had no reason to be self-centered. He knew he needed help. He was broken.
Funny: A young lady went to her pastor and said, "Pastor, I have a besetting sin, and I need your help. I come to church on Sunday and can’t help thinking I’m the prettiest girl in the church. I know I shouldn’t think that, but I can’t help it. Can you help me?" The pastor replied, "Mary, don’t worry about it. In your case it’s not a sin, it’s just a horrible mistake of perception."
Quote: Be not proud of race, face, place, or grace. Spurgeon
B Get UNDER God
Note: A lion who wanted every animal in the jungle to know he was king so he went from animal to animal soliciting their respect. He went to a bear and roared, “Who is the king of the jungle? The bear said, “You are of course.” He went to the tiger and roared, “Who is the king of the jungle? The tiger said, “Everyone knows you’re king.” Then he ran into an elephant and roared, “Who is the king of the jungle? The elephant reached down and grabbed the lion w/ his trunk, whirling him around in the air, slamming him to the ground and into a few tree, and dunked him in the river before throwing him onto the shore. Dazed, bloodied & bruised, the lion got up and said, “Listen, if you don’t know the answer, you don’t have to get mean about it.”
Note: The key to pride is found in understanding who is really in charge. Our behavior and attitudes are altered when we know who is in control. Ultimately, we all need to realize that God is large and in charge and that we are His creation.
