Embracing Humility: The Journey of the New Covenant

Devotional

Day 1: Revelation as Divine Insight

Understanding God's truths goes beyond intellectual knowledge; it requires divine revelation. This revelation is a gift from God, granted to those who approach Him with the humility of a child. In the new covenant, revelation is emphasized over mere knowledge, highlighting the importance of a heart posture that is open and receptive to God's voice. Just as Peter recognized Jesus as the Son of God through revelation, believers today are called to seek this deeper understanding through a humble and dependent relationship with God. [02:37]

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being." (Ephesians 3:14-16, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you rely solely on your own understanding? How can you invite God to reveal His truths to you in those areas today?

Day 2: The Necessity of Humility

Humility is not just a virtue but a necessity for receiving revelation from God. It involves being unaffected by praise or criticism and recognizing our helplessness without God. This childlike humility opens the door to deeper spiritual insights and a closer relationship with God. By acknowledging our dependence on Him, we position ourselves to receive the divine insights that God desires to impart to us. [04:29]

"Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. 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: Consider a recent situation where you felt prideful or self-reliant. How can you practice humility in that area and invite God's grace into your life?

Day 3: Helpless Dependence on Christ

Our actions, no matter how impressive, are meaningless without Christ working through us. True eternal impact comes from a life lived in helpless dependence on Jesus, allowing Him to work through us. This dependence is not a sign of weakness but a recognition of our need for Christ's strength and guidance in every aspect of our lives. By surrendering our efforts to Him, we align ourselves with His eternal purposes and experience the fullness of His power in our lives. [09:04]

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me." (John 15:4, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one area of your life where you are striving in your own strength. How can you shift to a posture of dependence on Christ in that area today?

Day 4: Emulating Jesus' Example

The new covenant calls us to follow Jesus' example, doing and then teaching. Our lives should be a reflection of Christ's attitudes and values, setting a standard for others to follow. This involves not just speaking about Jesus but living in a way that demonstrates His love, humility, and grace. By emulating Jesus, we become living testimonies of His transformative power and invite others to experience the same. [15:15]

"Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a specific attitude or behavior of Jesus that you admire. How can you intentionally incorporate that into your daily life this week?

Day 5: The Journey of Righteousness

The journey of faith is about becoming more like Jesus each day. It is not about achieving perfection but about pressing on, growing in humility, and seeking to reflect Christ in our lives. This path is better than any miraculous act because it aligns us with the eternal purposes of God. As we walk this path, we become brighter, like the rising sun, reflecting more of Christ's light to the world. [20:40]

"But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day." (Proverbs 4:18, ESV)

Reflection: What is one step you can take today to grow in your journey of becoming more like Jesus? How can this step help you reflect His light to those around you?

Sermon Summary

In our journey of faith, understanding the difference between the new covenant and the old covenant is crucial. This understanding is not merely an intellectual exercise but a revelation from God. Just as Peter recognized Jesus as the Son of the living God through divine revelation, we too must seek this deeper understanding through humility. The new covenant is about revelation, a concept absent in the old covenant, which focused on knowledge and understanding. Revelation is given to those who approach God with the humility of a child, free from pride and self-reliance.

Humility is the key to receiving revelation. A child is humble, not because they choose to be, but because they are naturally dependent and unaffected by praise or criticism. Similarly, we must acknowledge our helplessness and dependence on God. Jesus exemplified this humility, living in complete dependence on the Father. He taught us that apart from Him, we can do nothing of eternal value. Our actions, no matter how impressive, are meaningless without Christ working through us.

The new covenant calls us to follow Jesus not just in word but in deed. Unlike the old covenant, which was about hearing and obeying commandments, the new covenant is about following the example of Jesus. He did and then taught, setting a standard for us to emulate. We are called to live lives that others can follow, demonstrating the same attitudes and values as Christ.

The path of righteousness is a journey of becoming more like Jesus each day. It is not about achieving perfection but about pressing on, growing in humility, and seeking to reflect Christ in our lives. This journey is better than any miraculous act because it aligns us with the eternal purposes of God. As we walk this path, we become brighter, like the rising sun, reflecting more of Christ's light to the world.

Key Takeaways

1. Revelation Over Knowledge: True understanding of God's truths comes through revelation, not mere intellectual knowledge. This revelation is granted to those who approach God with humility, like a child, acknowledging their dependence on Him. [02:37]
2. Humility as a Pathway: Humility is not just a virtue but a necessity for receiving revelation. It involves being unaffected by praise or criticism and recognizing our helplessness without God. This childlike humility opens the door to deeper spiritual insights. [04:29]
3. Dependence on Christ: Our actions, no matter how impressive, are meaningless without Christ working through us. True eternal impact comes from a life lived in helpless dependence on Jesus, allowing Him to work through us. [09:04]
4. Following Jesus' Example: The new covenant calls us to follow Jesus' example, doing and then teaching. Our lives should be a reflection of Christ's attitudes and values, setting a standard for others to follow. [15:15]
5. The Path of Righteousness: The journey of faith is about becoming more like Jesus each day. It is not about achieving perfection but about pressing on, growing in humility, and seeking to reflect Christ in our lives. This path is better than any miraculous act. [20:40]
** [20:40]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:11] - Revelation of the New Covenant
[01:03] - Understanding Through Revelation
[02:05] - Humility and Revelation
[03:35] - The Humility of a Child
[04:40] - Dependence and Humility
[06:40] - Knowledge vs. Revelation
[08:03] - Learning Humility from Jesus
[09:04] - Helpless Dependence on Christ
[11:15] - What Lasts for Eternity
[12:25] - The Lesson of the Branch
[13:12] - Jesus as Our Example
[15:15] - Doing and Teaching
[17:30] - Pressing On in Faith
[20:40] - The Path of Righteousness

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Matthew 11:25-29
John 15:5
Proverbs 4:18

---

Observation Questions:

In Matthew 11:25, Jesus mentions that God has hidden certain things from the wise and intelligent. What does this imply about the nature of revelation according to the sermon? [02:21]
How does the analogy of a child in Matthew 18:4 help us understand the concept of humility as discussed in the sermon? [03:35]
According to John 15:5, what is the significance of the branch's dependence on the vine, and how does this relate to our dependence on Christ? [08:38]
Proverbs 4:18 describes the path of the righteous. How does this imagery relate to the journey of becoming more like Jesus as mentioned in the sermon? [20:22]

---

Interpretation Questions:

What does it mean to approach God with the humility of a child, and how does this posture affect our ability to receive revelation? [04:29]
The sermon emphasizes the difference between knowledge and revelation. How can one discern if their understanding of God's truths is based on revelation rather than mere knowledge? [06:53]
In what ways does the new covenant call us to follow Jesus' example, and how does this differ from the old covenant's focus on commandments? [13:12]
How does the concept of "helpless dependence" on Christ challenge the way we typically approach our daily lives and spiritual practices? [09:04]

---

Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you relied on your own understanding rather than seeking revelation from God. How can you cultivate a more humble approach to learning from God? [02:37]
Consider an area in your life where you struggle with pride or self-reliance. What practical steps can you take to embrace childlike humility in that area? [04:29]
Identify a specific action or decision you are currently facing. How can you ensure that your approach is rooted in dependence on Christ rather than your own abilities? [09:04]
Think about someone in your life who looks up to you. How can you intentionally model the attitudes and values of Christ for them this week? [15:15]
The sermon suggests that the journey of faith is about becoming more like Jesus each day. What is one specific way you can reflect more of Christ's light in your interactions with others this week? [20:40]
How can you incorporate the practice of seeking God's revelation into your daily routine, and what changes might you expect to see as a result? [07:46]
Reflect on the idea that only what Christ does through us will last. How does this perspective influence your priorities and goals? [11:15]

Sermon Clips

The truths of God can only be understood by revelation, and there's only one type of person to whom God gives revelation. If you turn with me to Matthew chapter 11. Revelation, by the way, is a New Testament word. You don't find it in the Old Testament. The Old Testament, the word is knowledge, understanding. [00:16:40]

The main thing about a baby, you remember Jesus said that in Luke, Matthew 18, if you humble yourself as a baby, those who 18:4, whoever then humbles himself as a child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. So the main thing in a child is humility. [00:03:28]

The wise and intelligent people in the world are invariably proud. It's very rare to find an intelligent person who is genuinely humble. It has to be a wholehearted Christian, an intelligent person who's become a wholehearted Christian will be humble. All the others, every single person I've met in my life, is proud. [00:05:40]

Knowledge is something we can be proud of. Revelation you can never be proud of. It'll humble you. That's a big difference. Knowledge makes you proud. Revelation humbles you. And the other thing is, knowledge is something we can explain to others, and we love to explain it to others. [00:06:51]

Without me, you can do nothing. In John 15 verse 5. That means nothing of eternal value. John 15:5. Apart from me, there are a million things you can do because you're smart, you're clever, you're capable, you're qualified, you've got degrees and you've got all types of things. [00:08:26]

Only one life, it will soon be past. Only what Christ does through me will last. There are many people in the world doing many things for Christ. It won't last. What is done for Christ will last. No, the world is full of people, Babylonian Christians doing things for Christ. [00:11:19]

Jesus said follow me. He, it says, he first did and then taught Acts chapter 1 verse 1. I never forget, I remember when I saw this for the first time, Acts 1 verse 1. Luke wrote the book of Acts and he says to Theophilus, my first composition which is the gospel of Luke. [00:14:38]

In the old covenant, it was not like that. In the old covenant, Moses went up into the mountain and heard and came back and spoke whatever he heard. He didn't have to do it. Samuel, when he was a little boy, he'd say, speak Lord, your servant is listening. He would hear and go and tell people. [00:15:32]

The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, like the sunrise. It becomes brighter and brighter and brighter and brighter until the full day. We're supposed to become like the sun rising, more and more and more and more like Jesus every day, and those who live closest to us should be able to see that. [00:20:30]

Let us run the race, chapter 12 verse 1 and 2, looking unto Jesus. This is the better. This is better than splitting the Red Sea, to walk in Jesus' footsteps, denying ourselves every day, taking up the cross, dying to ourselves, and looking at Jesus' example and saying, Lord, I want to follow you. [00:19:09]

I see that like the branch in the tree. It's like the tree, you know, you use the example of the branch in the tree right there. If you abide in me, the branch, the best fruit apart from me, you can do nothing. That branch, even it's been in the tree for 50 years, the moment it's cut off, it's dead. [00:12:04]

And then I look at the life of Jesus. You know, we've always said that Jesus is our example. One of the great differences between old covenant and new covenant is this, that in the old covenant, they had exhortations, commandments, encouragements, but one thing they did not have was an example. [00:13:00]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?

Embracing Humility: The Journey of the New Covenant

Devotional

Day 1: Revelation as Divine Insight

Day 2: The Necessity of Humility

Day 3: Helpless Dependence on Christ

Day 4: Emulating Jesus' Example

Day 5: The Journey of Righteousness

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Embracing Humility: The Journey of the New Covenant

Share