Embracing Humility: Finding Freedom in Brokenness

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we explore the profound lessons from a novel about a Russian count who loses his status and wealth during the Bolshevik Revolution, finding himself under house arrest in a Moscow hotel. This story serves as a metaphor for the spiritual journey many of us face when we encounter significant setbacks in life. The count, along with a woman named Anna, who also experiences a fall from grace, exemplifies the choices we have when life as we know it is stripped away.

When faced with such setbacks, we can choose to hide in shame, much like Adam and Eve did in Genesis, or retreat in self-pity, as Elijah did when he fled from Jezebel. However, there is a third, more liberating option: joining the "Confederacy of the Humbled." This is a community of those who have experienced a fall from grace but have found a deeper sense of freedom and grace in their humility. They understand that beauty, fame, and privilege are temporary and borrowed, not owned.

This perspective aligns with the teachings of the Apostle Paul, who reminds us that trying to justify ourselves through our achievements or status is a path to falling from grace. Instead, true freedom comes from recognizing that our worth is not tied to worldly success but to our relationship with God. This humility allows us to live without the burden of maintaining an inflated ego, freeing us to serve God and others genuinely.

The church, as Paul describes, is the original Confederacy of the Humbled, where entry is not based on wealth or reputation but on humility and grace. This community is open to all, regardless of past mistakes, as exemplified by Peter, who, despite denying Jesus, found redemption and acceptance. Today, we are invited to let go of our ego, embrace humility, and join this community, finding freedom in our brokenness and inadequacy.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Choice of Humility: When life strips away our status and achievements, we face a choice: hide in shame, retreat in self-pity, or embrace humility. The latter offers a path to true freedom, as it allows us to let go of the burdens of ego and self-justification. [02:10]

2. The Confederacy of the Humbled: This community is composed of those who have experienced a fall from grace but have found a deeper sense of freedom and grace in their humility. They understand that worldly success is temporary and borrowed, not owned. [05:22]

3. Freedom from Ego: Letting go of our inflated egos, much like releasing a balloon, frees us to focus on God and others. This humility allows us to live without the burden of maintaining an image, enabling us to serve genuinely. [10:36]

4. Redemption and Acceptance: The church is a community where past mistakes do not define us. Like Peter, who found redemption despite his denial of Jesus, we are invited to embrace our brokenness and find acceptance in humility. [08:09]

5. Living in Grace: True freedom comes from recognizing that our worth is not tied to worldly success but to our relationship with God. This perspective allows us to live without the burden of self-justification, embracing grace and humility. [09:26]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:20] - The Count's Story
- [02:10] - Choices in Setbacks
- [02:57] - Hiding in Shame
- [03:13] - Retreating in Self-Pity
- [03:57] - Confederacy of the Humbled
- [04:34] - Falling from Grace
- [05:22] - Perspective of the Humbled
- [06:35] - Caution in Success
- [07:23] - The Church's Role
- [08:09] - Peter's Redemption
- [09:26] - Living in Grace
- [10:36] - Freedom from Ego
- [11:04] - Invitation to Humility
- [11:23] - Closing Remarks

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 3:7-10 - Adam and Eve hiding in shame.
2. 1 Kings 19:3-4 - Elijah retreating in self-pity.
3. Galatians 5:4 - Falling from grace by trying to justify oneself.

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Observation Questions:
1. In Genesis 3:7-10, what actions did Adam and Eve take after realizing their nakedness, and how does this relate to the theme of hiding in shame? [02:39]
2. How does Elijah's reaction in 1 Kings 19:3-4 illustrate the concept of retreating in self-pity? [03:13]
3. According to Galatians 5:4, what does Paul say about those who try to justify themselves by their works, and how does this relate to the idea of falling from grace? [04:34]
4. What are the characteristics of the "Confederacy of the Humbled" as described in the sermon, and how do they differ from those who seek worldly success? [05:22]

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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 reflect the human tendency to hide in shame when faced with failure or sin? [02:39]
2. In what ways does Elijah's experience in 1 Kings 19 demonstrate the dangers of self-pity, and how might this apply to modern-day challenges? [03:13]
3. What does it mean to "fall from grace" according to Galatians 5:4, and how can this concept be applied to our understanding of humility and grace? [04:34]
4. How does the sermon suggest that joining the "Confederacy of the Humbled" can lead to a deeper sense of freedom and grace? [05:22]

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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced a significant setback. Did you respond by hiding in shame, retreating in self-pity, or embracing humility? How might you choose differently in the future? [02:10]
2. Consider the concept of the "Confederacy of the Humbled." How can you cultivate a mindset that values humility over worldly success in your daily life? [03:57]
3. What are some practical steps you can take to let go of your ego and focus more on serving God and others genuinely? [10:36]
4. How can the story of Peter's redemption inspire you to embrace your own brokenness and seek acceptance within your faith community? [08:09]
5. Identify an area in your life where you are trying to justify yourself through achievements or status. How can you shift your focus to finding worth in your relationship with God instead? [09:26]
6. Think of a situation where you might be tempted to hide in shame or retreat in self-pity. What would it look like to choose humility and join the "Confederacy of the Humbled" instead? [03:57]
7. How can you actively participate in creating a church community that welcomes and supports those who have experienced a fall from grace? [07:23]

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Humility in Life's Setbacks
When life strips away our status and achievements, we face a choice: hide in shame, retreat in self-pity, or embrace humility. The latter offers a path to true freedom, as it allows us to let go of the burdens of ego and self-justification. In the story of the Russian count, we see a metaphor for the spiritual journey many of us face when encountering significant setbacks. The count, along with Anna, exemplifies the choices we have when life as we know it is stripped away. Choosing humility over shame or self-pity leads to a deeper sense of freedom and grace. [02:10]

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 14:11, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent setback in your life. How can you choose humility in this situation, and what steps can you take today to embrace this path?


Day 2: Joining the Confederacy of the Humbled
The Confederacy of the Humbled is a community of those who have experienced a fall from grace but have found a deeper sense of freedom and grace in their humility. They understand that worldly success is temporary and borrowed, not owned. This perspective aligns with the teachings of the Apostle Paul, who reminds us that trying to justify ourselves through our achievements or status is a path to falling from grace. Instead, true freedom comes from recognizing that our worth is not tied to worldly success but to our relationship with God. [05:22]

"But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'" (James 4:6, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a time when you felt humbled. How did this experience change your perspective on success and grace? How can you apply this understanding to your life today?


Day 3: Freedom from the Burden of Ego
Letting go of our inflated egos, much like releasing a balloon, frees us to focus on God and others. This humility allows us to live without the burden of maintaining an image, enabling us to serve genuinely. The story of the count and Anna illustrates the liberation that comes from releasing the need to justify oneself through achievements or status. By embracing humility, we can live a life focused on serving God and others, free from the constraints of ego. [10:36]

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one area in your life where ego holds you back. What practical steps can you take today to release this burden and focus on serving others?


Day 4: Redemption and Acceptance in Community
The church is a community where past mistakes do not define us. Like Peter, who found redemption despite his denial of Jesus, we are invited to embrace our brokenness and find acceptance in humility. This community, described by Paul as the original Confederacy of the Humbled, is open to all, regardless of past mistakes. By letting go of our ego and embracing humility, we find freedom in our brokenness and inadequacy. [08:09]

"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted." (Galatians 6:1, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a past mistake that you feel defines you. How can you seek redemption and acceptance within your community today?


Day 5: Living in Grace and True Freedom
True freedom comes from recognizing that our worth is not tied to worldly success but to our relationship with God. This perspective allows us to live without the burden of self-justification, embracing grace and humility. The story of the count and Anna serves as a reminder that beauty, fame, and privilege are temporary and borrowed. By focusing on our relationship with God, we can live a life of grace, free from the constraints of worldly success. [09:26]

"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." (Galatians 5:13, ESV)

Reflection: How can you shift your focus from worldly success to your relationship with God today? What changes can you make in your daily life to embrace this freedom?

Quotes


When one experiences a profound setback in the course of an enviable life you had things that other people would look at and think oh that must be a good life that must be the stuff that you wanted and that is taken from you one has a variety of options spurred by shame one may attempt to hide all evidence of the change in one's circumstances. [00:02:04]

In a state of self-pity one may Retreat from the world in which one has been blessed to live biblically I would think of Elijah in First Kings 19 where he was doing these extraordinary things and then Jezebel gets mad at him and he finds out that she's coming after him and so he runs away Retreats hides up on the mountain and says to God take my life. [00:03:00]

Like the Freemasons the Confederacy of the humbled is a close-knit Brotherhood whose members travel with no outward markings but who know each other at a glance and they do for having fallen suddenly From Grace comment here um you may know that phrase fallen from Grace is actually from the Bible when Paul writes it's the Galatians in the 5th chapter. [00:03:49]

Paul says to people who are trying to justify themselves you have fallen from Grace and so in a strange way if all of a sudden reality opens up and that life that you thought you really wanted is no longer available to you you may find that while it looks like you have fallen from Grace you've actually fallen into Grace. [00:04:34]

For having suddenly fallen from Grace those in the Confederacy of the humbled share a certain perspective knowing Beauty influence Fame and privilege to be borrowed rather than bestowed they are not easily impressed oh that's great freedom I don't own any of this I'm Steward of it for a little while um charm is deceptive beauty is fleeting. [00:05:19]

The strange truth is that when you join the Confederacy of the humbled when the way that you want it to look in front of other people is no longer an image that you can prop up anymore there's a kind of strange Freedom that can come with it and it is this way all of which leads to what the Apostle Paul says. [00:06:52]

The church was the original Confederacy of the humbled and the only way you could get into it is like a camel going through the eye of a needle and and money won't get in in fact in a lot of ways it makes it kind of hard to get in and and self-righteousness and reputation won't sometimes it makes it kind of hard. [00:07:16]

Peter who makes so many many many mistakes including at the climax of Jesus's story Peter denies him three times and then the rooster crows and Peter joins the Confederates the humbled there's an old tradition I think William Barkley writes about this that ever afterwards when Peter would speak someplace if somebody wanted to humiliate him they would crow like a rooster. [00:07:46]

He does not hide in shame he does not retreat in self-pity the verdict was in see Jesus took him back Paul put it like this when he's writing to the Church of Corinth I care very little if I'm judged by you or by any human Court not I don't care at all there there's some little bit of emotion around that but it's not much. [00:08:24]

Humility is kind of when you just let go of that balloon called me which is puffed up that's a word the Paul uses In this passage and a number of other ones where you inflate something with air to try to make it look bigger than it actually is and and it can be punctured in a second and our little egos are that way. [00:10:17]

To be delivered from that which sounds so awful but then I'll look so small yeah but then there's Freedom it's kind of a painful thing to walk around being puffed up so today just let go of that balloon called ego just let me float way up there be interested in God be interested in the world be interested Ed in the people around you. [00:10:36]

Ask what can I do to bring value to life in this moment and please and honor and serve God today the invitation is join the Confederacy of the humbled. [00:11:01]

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Transcript
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