Embracing Humility: Overcoming Pride in Our Lives
Summary
It is a joy to gather with you today and share in the journey of Lent, a time when we reflect on the shadow sides of ourselves, much like Jesus did during His 40 days in the wilderness. This season invites us to confront the seven deadly sins—sloth, gluttony, lust, pride, envy, greed, and wrath—not to burden us with guilt, but to foster self-awareness and draw us closer to Christ. Today, we delve into the sin of pride, a vice that often distances us from God, not because we love evil, but because we are tempted to make life about ourselves rather than others.
Pride, as Augustine defines, is imagining oneself as the source of life, placing oneself at the center of the universe. In our culture, this manifests as a relentless pursuit of attention and recognition. Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, warns against practicing righteousness for the sake of being seen by others. He challenges us to examine our intentions in acts of generosity, prayer, and fasting. Jesus calls us to give anonymously, pray privately, and fast secretly, emphasizing that the reward from God is far greater than human accolades.
The desire to be noticed is not inherently wrong; it is about whom we seek to be noticed by. Jesus invites us to seek the reward of being noticed by God, which is far more fulfilling than fleeting human praise. In our spiritual practices, the focus should be on knowing God better, not on gaining something from Him or others. This is the essence of living a life that pleases God—one that is quiet, humble, and centered on His presence.
Paul's exhortation to the Thessalonians to live quietly and mind their own affairs echoes Jesus' teachings. It challenges us to redefine success not by worldly standards but by God's standards. Jesus, who lived most of His life in anonymity, exemplifies this quiet life. He calls us to confess our sins and hide our righteous deeds, promising His presence as our reward. As we reflect on our ambitions, may we strive for a life that makes God proud, embracing the simplicity and humility that come with living for His glory.
Key Takeaways:
- Pride is not about thinking too much of oneself but thinking of oneself too much. In a culture obsessed with attention, we must guard against self-focused pride and seek to make God the center of our lives. [03:58]
- Jesus warns against theatrical righteousness, urging us to examine our intentions in spiritual practices. True righteousness is not about being seen by others but about being genuine before God. [10:35]
- The desire to be noticed is natural, but we must seek to be noticed by God rather than people. Our spiritual practices should focus on pleasing God, not gaining human approval. [13:15]
- Jesus teaches that spiritual disciplines like prayer and fasting should be done in secret, emphasizing that the reward from God is greater than any human praise. This calls us to a deeper, more authentic relationship with Him. [18:07]
- Living a quiet life, as Paul instructs, is about redefining success by God's standards. Jesus exemplified this through His life of humility and anonymity, challenging us to seek His presence above all else. [31:11]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [03:58] - Understanding Pride
- [06:35] - The Dangers of Self-Focused Pride
- [10:35] - Theatrical Righteousness
- [13:15] - Anonymous Generosity
- [18:07] - Private Prayer
- [21:38] - Prideful Prayer Critique
- [23:55] - Secret Fasting
- [27:17] - Communal Fasting
- [31:11] - Living a Quiet Life
- [35:09] - Embracing Simplicity and Humility
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Matthew 6:1-18
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Observation Questions:
1. In Matthew 6:1, Jesus warns against practicing righteousness before others. What does He say will happen if we do this, and how does this relate to the concept of "theatrical righteousness"? [10:35]
2. How does Jesus describe the correct way to give to the needy in Matthew 6:2-4, and what is the reward for doing so? [13:15]
3. According to Matthew 6:5-6, what is the difference between prideful prayer and the prayer that Jesus encourages? [18:07]
4. What instructions does Jesus give about fasting in Matthew 6:16-18, and what is the significance of doing it in secret? [23:55]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon define pride, and why is it considered a dangerous vice in the context of spiritual practices? [06:35]
2. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between pride and the desire for attention in today's culture? How does this compare to the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 6? [03:58]
3. How does the sermon interpret Jesus' teaching on anonymous generosity, and why is this important for combating self-focused pride? [13:15]
4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that living a quiet life, as instructed by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, can help us redefine success by God's standards? [31:11]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own spiritual practices. Are there areas where you might be seeking human approval rather than God's? How can you shift your focus to seek God's notice instead? [18:07]
2. The sermon discusses the dangers of self-focused pride. Can you identify a situation in your life where pride might be affecting your actions or decisions? How can you address this? [06:35]
3. Jesus calls us to give, pray, and fast in secret. What practical steps can you take this week to ensure your spiritual practices are done with the right intentions? [23:55]
4. Consider the idea of living a quiet life as described in the sermon. What changes might you need to make in your life to align more closely with this teaching? [31:11]
5. The sermon mentions the natural desire to be noticed. How can you cultivate a desire to be noticed by God rather than people in your daily life? [13:15]
6. Reflect on the concept of "theatrical righteousness." Are there areas in your life where you might be performing for others rather than genuinely seeking God? How can you change this? [10:35]
7. How can you incorporate the practice of secret fasting into your spiritual routine, and what might be the benefits of doing so? [23:55]
Devotional
Day 1: Pride's Distraction from Divine Focus
Pride is a subtle vice that shifts our focus from God to ourselves. It is not about thinking too much of oneself but rather thinking of oneself too much. In a culture that often glorifies self-promotion and attention-seeking, pride can easily become a barrier between us and God. This self-focused pride can lead us to place ourselves at the center of our universe, imagining that we are the source of our own lives. However, true fulfillment comes from making God the center of our lives and seeking His will above our own. [03:58]
"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:3-4, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways have you allowed pride to shift your focus from God to yourself? How can you intentionally make God the center of your life today?
Day 2: Genuine Righteousness Over Theatrical Displays
Jesus warns against practicing righteousness for the sake of being seen by others. He challenges us to examine our intentions in acts of generosity, prayer, and fasting. True righteousness is not about being seen by others but about being genuine before God. The desire to be noticed is natural, but it is crucial to seek the reward of being noticed by God rather than people. Our spiritual practices should focus on pleasing God, not gaining human approval. [10:35]
"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward." (Matthew 6:5, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on your spiritual practices. Are there areas where you are more concerned with how others perceive you than with being genuine before God?
Day 3: Seeking God's Approval Above All
The desire to be noticed is not inherently wrong; it is about whom we seek to be noticed by. Jesus invites us to seek the reward of being noticed by God, which is far more fulfilling than fleeting human praise. In our spiritual practices, the focus should be on knowing God better, not on gaining something from Him or others. This is the essence of living a life that pleases God—one that is quiet, humble, and centered on His presence. [13:15]
"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10, ESV)
Reflection: Consider a recent decision or action. Was your primary motivation to please God or to gain approval from others? How can you shift your focus to seek God's approval in future decisions?
Day 4: The Power of Secret Spiritual Disciplines
Jesus teaches that spiritual disciplines like prayer and fasting should be done in secret, emphasizing that the reward from God is greater than any human praise. This calls us to a deeper, more authentic relationship with Him. By practicing these disciplines in secret, we cultivate a heart that seeks to please God rather than impress others. This approach fosters a genuine connection with God, allowing us to experience His presence and guidance in our lives. [18:07]
"But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:3-4, ESV)
Reflection: What is one spiritual discipline you can practice in secret this week? How might this deepen your relationship with God?
Day 5: Redefining Success by God's Standards
Living a quiet life, as Paul instructs, is about redefining success by God's standards. Jesus exemplified this through His life of humility and anonymity, challenging us to seek His presence above all else. In a world that often equates success with visibility and recognition, we are called to embrace simplicity and humility. By doing so, we align our lives with God's values and experience the true reward of His presence and approval. [31:11]
"But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you." (1 Thessalonians 4:10b-11, ESV)
Reflection: How do you currently define success in your life? What changes can you make to align your definition of success with God's standards?
Quotes
"I wonder if many of us are far from God, not because of our love for evil, but because God's kingdom is about other people and not about oneself. How many of us, when we really get down to it, would rather reign than serve? I think this gets at the heart of what the ancients called self-focused pride." [00:03:42] (32 seconds)
"As the old saying goes, pride is not thinking too much of myself. Pride is thinking of myself far too much. And this principle may be even more familiar now than it was to the ancients. For we are an attention-seeking culture. Influencers, pop stars, celebrities, fame, the goal of life seems to be amassing attention, gaining followers, and becoming a household name." [00:04:24] (37 seconds)
"Martin Luther puts it this way, Righteousness is more dangerous than our sin, for righteousness can serve the most self-centered of all human desires, self-glorification. When I examine or consider the state of American Christianity, I cannot help but wonder how much of our dysfunction is driven by self-righteousness. Pride dressed up in religious clothes." [00:07:10] (31 seconds)
"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Scholar Dale Bruner suggests that a very literal translation of this first part of the verse would be, watch out that you do not do your righteousness in front of other people in order to theater them." [00:09:40] (28 seconds)
"Jesus specifically here is referring to theatrical righteousness or theatrical spiritual disciplines, the Jesus stuff done dramatically with the purpose of being noticed. Another word for this might be virtue signaling, or maybe even spiritually showing off. He says it's no good to do the Jesus stuff if you are not doing it for the right reasons." [00:10:21] (30 seconds)
"Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving may be in secret and your father who sees in secret will reward you." [00:12:21] (29 seconds)
"Although some suggest that shofar-like trumpets may have been played when giving was given in the synagogue, many scholars think that Jesus is simply just using hyperbole here. In essence, he is saying don't give to those who need it in the church or on the streets in an ostentatious way, in a way that desires praise or notice from other people." [00:13:02] (26 seconds)
"Continuing on in verse 5, Jesus shifts from the example of giving and he addresses prideful prayer saying, and when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward." [00:17:17] (22 seconds)
"In fact, we see several examples throughout the Bible of Jesus celebrating and participating in public acts. We see Jesus commend the woman for giving all she had in the synagogue. We see Jesus stand up in his hometown synagogue and recite the scroll of Isaiah. In just a few verses, he instructs and prays the Lord's prayer aloud." [00:18:14] (24 seconds)
"Picking back up in verse 16, Jesus shifts from prayer, and then he works to address prideful fasting, saying this, and when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward, but when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face that your fasting may not be seen by others, but your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." [00:23:55] (39 seconds)
"Make it your ambition to live a quiet life, for it may be the only way of defeating the ugly monster of pride, the desire to be seen and recognized by others to be known, the force that seems to lurk behind every good deed we do. Can God's presence, his glory, be enough for you for the rest of your life and the rest of mine." [00:34:40] (40 seconds)
"See, culture says hide your sins and proclaim your righteous deeds, but Jesus says confess your sins and hide your righteous deeds, and in return, I will reward you with my presence. For those of us who cannot think of one good deed, success, or spiritual act that we have not talked about, we need to stop, to pause, and to evaluate who are we living for, who are we bringing glory to." [00:36:45] (44 seconds)
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