Embracing Humility: Overcoming Self-Righteousness in Faith

 

Summary

Living without self-righteousness is a profound invitation to embrace humility and recognize our shared human frailty. Self-righteousness, though it sounds similar to righteousness, is its antithesis. While righteousness involves genuine goodness and love, self-righteousness is a dangerous belief in one's moral superiority, leading to contempt and judgment of others. This attitude blinds us to our own lovelessness, which is contrary to God's ultimate will for us: to love Him and others. To be loveless is the ultimate flaw, and self-righteousness perpetuates this flaw by justifying our lack of love.

The path to overcoming self-righteousness begins with acknowledging our faults and weaknesses. Embracing humility allows us to be freed from the chains of self-righteousness. This is echoed in the wisdom of David Zoll's book, "Low Anthropology," and the teachings of Jesus. Humility is essential for successful relationships, as it fosters vulnerability and forgiveness. A ritual of humility, as described in a modern wedding ceremony, involves acknowledging our imperfections and committing to treat each other with kindness and imagination.

The story of Peter and John in the book of Acts illustrates the power of being with Jesus. Despite being unschooled and ordinary, their boldness and courage were evident because they had been with Jesus. This highlights the importance of being in the presence of Jesus, who was the most righteous yet the least self-righteous person. To be righteous is to be open and humble before God, allowing us to see the goodness in His creation and in others.

Christianity uniquely holds both a high and low view of human nature. We are made in the image of God, yet we are also broken and sinful. This duality calls us to a ritual of humility, recognizing our need for help and the grace offered by Jesus. Today, we are encouraged to live free of self-righteousness, to be aware of moments of contempt or judgment, and to remember our shared brokenness. In doing so, we open ourselves to God's forgiveness and grace, allowing us to love others and make a meaningful impact in the world.

Key Takeaways:

- Self-righteousness blinds us to our own lovelessness and justifies contempt for others. True righteousness involves genuine goodness and love, aligning with God's will for us to love Him and others. [01:43]

- Embracing humility and acknowledging our faults is the path to overcoming self-righteousness. This humility allows us to be freed from the chains of self-righteousness and fosters vulnerability and forgiveness in relationships. [03:47]

- The story of Peter and John in Acts demonstrates the power of being with Jesus. Despite being unschooled and ordinary, their boldness and courage were evident because they had been with Jesus, highlighting the importance of His presence. [07:22]

- Christianity holds both a high and low view of human nature, recognizing our divine image and our brokenness. This duality calls us to humility, acknowledging our need for help and the grace offered by Jesus. [09:11]

- Living free of self-righteousness involves being aware of moments of contempt or judgment and remembering our shared brokenness. In doing so, we open ourselves to God's forgiveness and grace, allowing us to love others and make a meaningful impact. [10:23]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:31] - Invitation to Live Without Self-Righteousness
- [00:45] - Understanding Righteousness vs. Self-Righteousness
- [01:13] - The Danger of Moral Superiority
- [01:29] - God's Will: To Love
- [01:55] - Deliverance from Self-Righteousness
- [02:11] - Embracing Humility
- [02:24] - Insights from David Zoll's "Low Anthropology"
- [03:23] - Ritual of Humility in Relationships
- [04:05] - The Enemy of Love
- [04:34] - The Power of Apology
- [05:23] - Acknowledging Our Shared Brokenness
- [06:03] - Making the Day Count for God
- [06:21] - The Story of Peter and John
- [07:22] - The Importance of Being with Jesus
- [08:09] - The Most Righteous Yet Least Self-Righteous
- [08:58] - Christianity's Dual View of Human Nature
- [09:35] - The Ritual of Humility and Personal Inadequacy
- [10:08] - Living Free of Self-Righteousness

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Acts 4:13 - "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."
2. Matthew 22:37-39 - "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
3. James 4:6 - "But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: 'God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.'"

Observation Questions:
1. What does the story of Peter and John in Acts 4:13 reveal about the impact of being with Jesus? How did their ordinary status contrast with their boldness? [07:22]
2. How does the sermon describe the difference between righteousness and self-righteousness? What are the consequences of self-righteousness according to the sermon? [00:45]
3. In the sermon, what role does humility play in overcoming self-righteousness and fostering successful relationships? [03:47]
4. How does the sermon illustrate the dual view of human nature in Christianity, and what does this duality call us to recognize? [09:11]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How might the presence of Jesus in one's life lead to boldness and courage, as seen in the story of Peter and John? What does this suggest about the importance of spiritual presence in overcoming personal inadequacies? [07:22]
2. Why is self-righteousness considered the "great enemy of love" in the sermon, and how does it blind individuals to their own lovelessness? [04:05]
3. How does the concept of a "ritual of humility" in relationships, as described in the sermon, align with the teachings of Jesus on love and humility? [03:23]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the balance between recognizing our divine image and acknowledging our brokenness? How does this balance influence our need for grace and humility? [09:11]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you felt morally superior to someone else. How did this affect your ability to love them? What steps can you take to approach similar situations with humility in the future? [01:55]
2. Identify a relationship in your life where self-righteousness might be hindering genuine connection. What practical steps can you take to foster humility and vulnerability in that relationship? [03:47]
3. Consider the role of humility in your daily interactions. How can you incorporate a "ritual of humility" in your personal or professional relationships this week? [03:23]
4. Think about a time when you felt ordinary or inadequate. How can the story of Peter and John inspire you to embrace your ordinariness and seek the presence of Jesus for strength and courage? [07:22]
5. Are there moments in your life where you struggle with contempt or judgment towards others? How can you remind yourself of your shared brokenness and need for grace in those moments? [10:23]
6. How can you actively seek to live a day free of self-righteousness, as encouraged in the sermon? What specific actions or prayers can help you stay mindful of this goal? [08:42]
7. Choose one aspect of your life where you feel the need for God's grace and forgiveness. How can acknowledging this need help you grow in humility and love for others? [09:54]

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing the Danger of Self-Righteousness
Self-righteousness is a subtle yet dangerous mindset that blinds individuals to their own lack of love and justifies contempt for others. It masquerades as righteousness but is, in fact, its opposite. True righteousness is characterized by genuine goodness and love, aligning with God's will for us to love Him and others. When we fall into the trap of self-righteousness, we become blind to our own flaws and fail to see the lovelessness in our actions. This attitude not only harms our relationships with others but also distances us from God's purpose for our lives. By recognizing the danger of self-righteousness, we can begin to align ourselves with true righteousness, which is rooted in love and humility. [01:43]

"Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones." (Proverbs 3:7-8, ESV)

Reflection: Can you identify a recent situation where you felt morally superior to someone else? How can you approach this person with love and humility instead?


Day 2: Embracing Humility to Overcome Self-Righteousness
The path to overcoming self-righteousness begins with embracing humility and acknowledging our faults. Humility is not about self-deprecation but about recognizing our shared human frailty and the need for grace. By admitting our weaknesses, we free ourselves from the chains of self-righteousness and open the door to vulnerability and forgiveness in our relationships. This humility is essential for building strong, loving connections with others and aligns us with the teachings of Jesus, who exemplified humility in His life and ministry. As we embrace humility, we allow ourselves to be transformed by God's love and grace, leading to deeper, more meaningful relationships. [03:47]

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you." (James 4:10, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a relationship where pride has created distance. How can you take a step towards humility and reconciliation today?


Day 3: The Transformative Power of Being with Jesus
The story of Peter and John in the book of Acts illustrates the transformative power of being with Jesus. Despite being unschooled and ordinary, their boldness and courage were evident because they had been in His presence. This highlights the importance of spending time with Jesus, who was the most righteous yet the least self-righteous person. By being with Jesus, we are empowered to live out true righteousness, characterized by love, humility, and openness to God's will. As we cultivate a relationship with Jesus, we are transformed into His likeness, enabling us to see the goodness in His creation and in others. [07:22]

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13, ESV)

Reflection: How can you intentionally spend time in Jesus' presence this week to cultivate boldness and humility in your life?


Day 4: Embracing Our Dual Nature with Humility
Christianity uniquely holds both a high and low view of human nature. We are made in the image of God, yet we are also broken and sinful. This duality calls us to a ritual of humility, recognizing our need for help and the grace offered by Jesus. By acknowledging our divine image and our brokenness, we open ourselves to God's forgiveness and grace, allowing us to love others and make a meaningful impact in the world. Embracing this dual nature with humility enables us to live authentically, relying on God's strength and grace to guide us in our journey of faith. [09:11]

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:23-24, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle to accept your brokenness? How can acknowledging this help you rely more on God's grace?


Day 5: Living Free of Self-Righteousness
Living free of self-righteousness involves being aware of moments of contempt or judgment and remembering our shared brokenness. By doing so, we open ourselves to God's forgiveness and grace, allowing us to love others and make a meaningful impact. This freedom from self-righteousness is not a one-time event but a daily practice of humility and love. As we become more aware of our tendencies towards judgment, we can choose to respond with compassion and understanding, reflecting God's love to those around us. In this way, we become agents of change, bringing hope and healing to a broken world. [10:23]

"Bear with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgive each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." (Colossians 3:13, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a moment today where you felt judgmental or contemptuous. How can you choose to respond with love and grace instead?

Quotes

"Self-righteousness is a fascinating Dynamic and um brutally destructive in our lives. It's amazing how the two words righteousness and then self-righteousness sounds so close together but they're complete opposites. To be righteous is to be a genuinely good person from the inside the kind of thoughts and desires and choices and perceptions that come to you to be self-righteous is to have the attitude or the belief that I am morally Superior and it's both an incorrect belief but it's dangerous because then it justifies my holding other people in contempt or judging them not loving them." [00:38:04]

"And because the ultimate will of God for human beings our ultimate destiny were made to count we're made to have an impact in our world to be significant in the ultimate expression of that is to love to love God and to love other people so to be Loveless is the ultimate flaws the ultimate fault is the ultimate problem and self-righteousness enables our lovelessness but blinds us to it simultaneously because it makes us think that we're entitled to actually not love other people because we're morally Superior to them so today none of that." [01:01:28]

"Now how do we get delivered from that well that's where the Bible has a lot to say about coming to grips with my faults and flaws we'll talk about the celebration the personal inadequacy when I live in humility and awareness of my own faults and flaws and weaknesses then it becomes possible to be freed from this problem of self-righteousness and it's a great relief." [01:18:50]

"Unromantic is this first step sounds it flows from the conviction that humility is the most important emotion for the success of a relationship, this is just true it's in Scripture it flows from Jesus and his cruciform cross-shaped life but it's just true as the voiceover tells us self-righteousness is after all the great enemy of love in other words if you're focused on your own rightness the other person in the relationship will inevitably appear wrong you will wonder why they cannot change to be more like you." [03:47:27]

"Today as you seek to live a day without self-righteousness look for opportunities to sincerely say to somebody I'm sorry I was wrong and it's not impossible to be loved when you'll never let your guard down true intimacy requires vulnerability and forgiveness so why not make That explicit on the big day after the reading the couple looks each other in the eye and recites in unison neither of us is fully sane or healthy we are committed to treating each other as broken people with enormous kindness and Imagination when we can manage it." [04:29:58]

"There's a wonderful verse in the fourth chapter of the book of Acts Peter and John in the name of Jesus have brought healing to a man and they're religious leaders in their self-righteousness in their judgmental certainty about their correctness and their desire to remain in power try to stop Peter and John and Peter and John they actually Peter actually says I'm not able to not talk about this man not able to not speak and teach in the name of Jesus." [06:14:22]

"And uh the text says when the religious leaders see their boldness their courage and reflect on the fact that Peter and John are unschooled ordinary men unschooled agramatai like Grammar School no particular education not the smartest guys in the room and then ordinary idiotase and we get our word idiot from that we're all idiots but then it says they took note that these men had been with Jesus." [06:45:06]

"It is being with Jesus that makes the difference because there has never been a less self-righteous person in the history of the race the history of humanity than the most righteous one the only fully righteous person who ever lived to be righteous is to be the opposite of self-righteous it is to be open Humble before God so that he can help me see the Wonder and goodness in all of his creation which is often hid and dimmed because of what's in our hearts and to be able to see that in other people to be curious and wonder about them so today live a day free of self-righteousness." [08:06:59]

"JK Chesterton said what's amazing about Christianity is that there are some philosophies or Traditions that have a real high view of human nature very optimistic very idealistic and then others that have a real low view can be quite cynical he said Christianity has at once an incredibly High View God you've made us just a little lower than the Angels we're made in the image of God and an incredibly low view simultaneously all we like sheep have gone astray we've turned everyone to his own way what is more wicked and deceitful than the human heart." [08:55:40]

"And yet God doesn't work to redeem it and so I recognize in the ritual of humanity humidity and the ritual of humility and the celebration of personal inadequacy I need help there is nothing inside me that entitles or warns me to be puffed up and yet and yet and yet my friend Jesus is with me and he offers me forgiveness and Grace and the start of a new day and the chance to work for him and love other people." [09:26:40]

"So today be on that look at if there's moments when there's a bit of contempt or a bit of judgmentalism or superiority to somebody that you go to school with or somebody that you work with or those people who are wrong about religion are wrong about politics or wrong about just ask God to Snuff it out bring that confession back to mine God help me to remember how much I need you help me to remember that we are all broken children." [10:02:04]

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Transcript
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