Embracing Humility: Our Path to True Greatness

Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound concept of humility and its significance in our spiritual journey. Reflecting on personal experiences, I shared how society often values success, status, and self-confidence, which can lead us away from the humility that God desires for us. As I recounted my own journey from a young, ambitious athlete to a follower of Christ, I realized that true humility is not about diminishing oneself but about recognizing our dependence on God and His grace.

We delved into Philippians 3, where Paul emphasizes the importance of not placing confidence in the flesh. Paul, once a man of high status and accomplishments, learned that true value lies not in worldly achievements but in knowing Christ. This realization challenges us to shift our focus from earthly status and possessions to our eternal citizenship in heaven. Our identity should be rooted in Christ, not in the fleeting accolades of this world.

Humility, as Paul teaches, involves a conscious decision to not rely on our own strength or status. It means being willing to lose everything for the sake of the gospel, understanding that our true riches are in heaven. This perspective helps us to reframe our mindset from a materialistic view to one that is heavenly and humble.

Moreover, humility is not just about what we give up but also about what we gain. It brings joy, forgiveness, and the promise of eternal riches. It allows us to be exalted by God, who values a humble heart. As we pursue humility, we open ourselves to the greatness of God's power and the responsibility He entrusts to us.

In closing, I encouraged everyone to embrace a life of humility, walking in step with Jesus, and to find joy in the promises of God. By doing so, we align ourselves with the kingdom of heaven, where humility is a defining characteristic.

Key Takeaways:

1. Humility vs. Society's Values: Society often prioritizes success and self-confidence, but true humility involves recognizing our dependence on God. It’s about letting go of our own strength and status to embrace God’s grace and purpose in our lives. [14:53]

2. No Confidence in the Flesh: Paul teaches us not to place confidence in our flesh or worldly achievements. Our true identity and value come from knowing Christ and living for His glory, not from our accomplishments or status. [16:23]

3. Eternal Perspective: Our citizenship is in heaven, and we should live with an eternal perspective. This means valuing humility and understanding that our true riches and rewards are in the kingdom of heaven, not in earthly possessions. [25:43]

4. Joy in Humility: Humility brings joy and forgiveness. It allows us to experience God’s grace and prepares us for the eternal riches promised in heaven. A humble heart is open to God’s transformative power. [29:15]

5. Exalted by God: Those who humble themselves will be exalted by God. True greatness comes from serving others and living a life of humility, which aligns us with God’s kingdom and His eternal purposes. [34:30]

Youtube Chapters:

- [0:00] - Welcome
- [0:45] - Introduction to Humility
- [2:30] - Personal Journey and Reflections
- [5:15] - Society's Values vs. God's Values
- [8:00] - Paul's Teachings on Humility
- [10:45] - No Confidence in the Flesh
- [14:53] - Understanding the Flesh
- [16:23] - Philippians 3:1-4
- [18:48] - The Danger of Status
- [22:29] - Material Possessions and Humility
- [25:43] - Citizenship in Heaven
- [29:15] - Joy and Forgiveness in Humility
- [34:30] - Exalted by God
- [36:33] - The Power of Humility
- [41:02] - Closing Prayer and Encouragement

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Embracing Humility

Bible Reading:
- Philippians 3:1-4
- James 4:6
- Matthew 23:12

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Observation Questions:

1. In Philippians 3:1-4, what does Paul mean by "put no confidence in the flesh"? How does this relate to his own experiences and status? [16:23]

2. How does the sermon describe society's values in contrast to the values of the kingdom of heaven? [14:53]

3. What examples from the pastor's personal journey illustrate the struggle between societal success and spiritual humility? [18:48]

4. According to the sermon, what are the dangers of placing too much emphasis on status and material possessions? [22:29]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does Paul's transformation from a man of high status to a humble follower of Christ illustrate the concept of humility? [17:35]

2. What does it mean to have an "eternal perspective," and how does this perspective influence our understanding of humility? [25:43]

3. How does the sermon suggest that humility can lead to joy and forgiveness? What role does grace play in this process? [29:15]

4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that humility aligns us with God's kingdom and His eternal purposes? [34:30]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you prioritized societal success over spiritual humility. How did that impact your relationship with God? [14:53]

2. What practical steps can you take to shift your focus from earthly status to your eternal citizenship in heaven? [25:43]

3. How can you cultivate a humble heart that is open to God's transformative power in your daily life? [29:15]

4. Identify an area in your life where you are relying too much on your own strength or status. How can you begin to depend more on God's grace? [16:23]

5. Consider someone in your life who exemplifies humility. What specific qualities do they possess, and how can you emulate those qualities? [34:30]

6. How can you find joy in humility, even when it means giving up certain comforts or achievements? [29:15]

7. What is one specific way you can serve others this week to align yourself more closely with the values of God's kingdom? [34:30]

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Divine Dependence
Humility is not about self-deprecation but about recognizing our dependence on God. In a world that often prioritizes success and self-confidence, it can be challenging to let go of our own strength and status. However, true humility involves acknowledging that our abilities and achievements are gifts from God, and our purpose is to align with His will. By embracing humility, we open ourselves to God's grace and purpose in our lives, allowing Him to work through us in ways we could never achieve on our own. [14:53]

"For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.'" (Isaiah 57:15, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life are you relying on your own strength rather than God's? How can you begin to shift your focus to depend more on Him today?

Day 2: True Identity in Christ
Paul's teachings remind us not to place confidence in our flesh or worldly achievements. Our true identity and value come from knowing Christ and living for His glory, not from our accomplishments or status. This perspective challenges us to evaluate where we find our worth and to root our identity in our relationship with Christ. By doing so, we can experience a deeper sense of purpose and fulfillment that transcends the temporary accolades of this world. [16:23]

"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ." (Philippians 3:7-8, ESV)

Reflection: What worldly achievements or statuses are you tempted to find your identity in? How can you begin to root your identity more deeply in Christ today?

Day 3: Living with an Eternal Perspective
Our citizenship is in heaven, and we are called to live with an eternal perspective. This means valuing humility and understanding that our true riches and rewards are in the kingdom of heaven, not in earthly possessions. By focusing on our eternal citizenship, we can reframe our priorities and live in a way that reflects the values of God's kingdom. This shift in perspective can bring peace and purpose as we navigate the challenges of this world. [25:43]

"For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come." (Hebrews 13:14, ESV)

Reflection: How can you begin to shift your focus from earthly possessions to your eternal citizenship in heaven? What practical steps can you take today to live with an eternal perspective?

Day 4: Joy and Forgiveness through Humility
Humility brings joy and forgiveness, allowing us to experience God's grace and prepare for the eternal riches promised in heaven. A humble heart is open to God's transformative power, enabling us to find joy in serving others and living according to His will. By embracing humility, we can experience a deeper sense of peace and fulfillment that comes from aligning our lives with God's purposes. [29:15]

"Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'" (1 Peter 5:5, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you practice humility in your relationships today? How might this lead to greater joy and forgiveness in your life?

Day 5: The Greatness of Serving Others
Those who humble themselves will be exalted by God. True greatness comes from serving others and living a life of humility, which aligns us with God's kingdom and His eternal purposes. By prioritizing service and humility, we can experience the joy and fulfillment that comes from living in accordance with God's will. This perspective challenges us to redefine greatness and success in terms of our relationship with God and our service to others. [34:30]

"But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all." (Mark 10:43-44, ESV)

Reflection: How can you serve others in your community today? What steps can you take to prioritize humility and service in your daily life?

Quotes

1) "Have you ever felt like you can't afford to be vulnerable or you can't afford to let your guard down because of the power of the mindset of whatever you're doing? I don't think that I was walking around like a huge jerk or anything like that but I distinctly remember that any thought that connected with something other than I can do this and I will win was starting to serve as a detrimental mindset detrimental to the confidence of what it takes to excel and perform at that level." [6:33] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2) "It's hard to be humble because society doesn't value humility. Society values success and status self-confidence pride society values image looks what we have and what we've done. You see nobody ever nobody ever comes up to you and says bro I just want to tell you how proud I am that you accomplished absolutely nothing this year awesome man way to go it doesn't happen like nobody's gonna pull up next to you when you're driving your ford pinto and roll down the window and say man that car is fire." [7:53] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3) "The world promotes setting yourself apart and standing out but coincidentally so does the kingdom of heaven but see the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of the world don't function the same way see god wants us to stand out and be set apart but in kind of a different way in more of a holy way so as life went on and I began walking more with Jesus things started to come a little bit clearer to me and if you actually listen to the lord eventually he's going to show you that life isn't about you it's about us." [8:53] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4) "Both science and experience in life reveal that if we think too highly or too lowly of ourselves we begin to be emotional and the problem about being emotional is is that the longer that we ruminate and dwell on the emotions of how good or bad we're doing the less it becomes about god's power and god's glory and the more it becomes about what we did or didn't do and see the challenge with that is is that it takes away from the power that god has to do great works in us." [13:33] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5) "Promotion for somebody in any part of life before our character is ready to receive that promotion is detrimental to the future of our walk with Christ. It's detrimental to our ability to understand what it takes to steward over such things. And so you might be thinking, okay, is there a call to action here, Brian? Well, I think there is. The call to action is when I begin to become too absorbed in my status or possessions or recognition or success, I probably need to take a step back and leverage a part of my high position, a part of what I do have, to figure out how I can lift other people up." [23:26] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6) "Finding joy in humility also means that we will inherit riches in heaven. Guys, look with me or just think with me about the Beatitudes for a minute, right? You remember in the book of Matthew chapter five, Jesus given his sermon on the mount. And here's a summary of the Beatitudes. The poor in spirit will inherit the kingdom of heaven. The meek will inherit the earth. The merciful will be shown mercy. The pure in heart will see God and the persecuted will become citizens of heaven." [30:06] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7) "Some of the fruits of humility, we're going to have to wait for. Okay, as we learned today, some of those fruits of humility are going to happen in eternity future. But some are for today. And I want to just spend a moment on this. In the parable of the talents, Jesus recites the master saying to the servant, you have been faithful with little, and now I will put you over much. Okay, so how does this tie to humility, Brian? It's a great question. And the thing is that having little doesn't really seem to get us too far in this life." [37:30] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8) "I just love that God uses the most unlikely people to do the most imaginable things. And so listen, if you think today that your pedigree, that your lack of training, or your abilities, or your circumstances should prevent you or preclude you from making an impact, let me tell you something. God has done a lot more with a lot less. With people unlikely who were humble, and were called according to his purpose." [39:41] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

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