Humility and Dependence: The Key to True Fulfillment

Summary

In reflecting on the human condition, it becomes evident that the root of our troubles lies in our pride and self-conceit. This has been a persistent issue since the beginning of time, as illustrated by the story of Adam and Eve. Humanity's greatest error is the belief in its own sufficiency and the rejection of dependence on God. The Apostle Paul reminds us that God has chosen the weak and humble to confound the mighty, emphasizing that no flesh should glory in His presence. This is a call to humility, recognizing that our intellect and abilities are not the ultimate source of our worth or salvation.

The pursuit of knowledge, particularly the knowledge of good and evil, has been a double-edged sword for humanity. While it promises enlightenment and power, it often leads to disappointment and further trouble. Adam and Eve's desire for this knowledge resulted in their expulsion from paradise and the introduction of sin and death into the world. This narrative serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of seeking fulfillment and independence apart from God.

Despite the advancements in science and technology over the past century, humanity continues to grapple with the same fundamental issues. The belief that knowledge can render us independent of God has led to a departure from faith and a reliance on human intellect. However, this knowledge, much like the forbidden fruit, often becomes a source of our greatest problems. The splitting of the atom, for example, has brought about both incredible advancements and significant threats to our existence.

In our quest for autonomy, we often try to evade the consequences of our actions and seek blessings without acknowledging our need for God. This is a futile endeavor, as true life and fulfillment can only be found in Him. The history of civilization is a testament to humanity's ongoing struggle to live independently of God, yet the answer lies in returning to Him with humility and dependence.

Key Takeaways:

1. Pride and Self-Sufficiency: Humanity's greatest trouble is its pride and self-sufficiency, which leads to a rejection of God. True wisdom and salvation come from humility and recognizing our dependence on Him. [15:20]

2. The Double-Edged Sword of Knowledge: The pursuit of knowledge, particularly the knowledge of good and evil, often leads to disappointment and further trouble. It is a reminder that fulfillment cannot be found apart from God. [19:00]

3. The Consequences of Sin: Sin brings about immediate consequences, such as remorse, shame, and fear, ultimately leading to death. This serves as a reminder of the importance of obedience to God. [24:15]

4. The Illusion of Independence: Despite advancements in science and technology, humanity's belief in independence from God is misguided. True fulfillment and security can only be found in Him. [27:48]

5. The Futility of Evading Consequences: Humanity's attempts to evade the consequences of sin and seek blessings without God are futile. True life and fulfillment are found in returning to Him with humility. [31:09]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [15:20] - The Root of Human Trouble
- [16:44] - The Illusion of Human Greatness
- [17:21] - Turning Away from God
- [18:09] - The Disappointment of Sin
- [19:00] - The Pursuit of Knowledge
- [20:34] - The Sour Grapes of Knowledge
- [21:18] - The Knowledge of Evil
- [22:29] - The Struggle with Sin
- [23:31] - The Consequences of Evil
- [25:28] - The Specter of Death
- [26:47] - Faith in Knowledge Over God
- [28:17] - The Problem of Scientific Knowledge
- [30:14] - Evading Sin's Consequences
- [32:36] - Humanity's Quest for Eternal Life

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
2. Genesis 3:22-24
3. Romans 7:18-25

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Observation Questions:

1. According to 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, why does God choose the weak and humble over the mighty and noble? How does this relate to the sermon’s emphasis on humility? [15:38]

2. In Genesis 3:22-24, what was the immediate consequence of Adam and Eve's pursuit of knowledge? How does this illustrate the sermon’s point about the double-edged sword of knowledge? [18:46]

3. Romans 7:18-25 describes a struggle with sin. How does this passage reflect the sermon’s discussion on the consequences of sin and the knowledge of evil? [22:08]

4. What does the sermon suggest about humanity's belief in independence from God, and how is this reflected in the Bible passages? [27:48]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the sermon’s message about pride and self-sufficiency challenge the way individuals view their own abilities and achievements? [15:20]

2. In what ways does the pursuit of knowledge, as discussed in the sermon, lead to disappointment and trouble? How does this align with the biblical narrative of Adam and Eve? [19:00]

3. The sermon mentions the illusion of independence from God. How does this illusion manifest in modern society, and what are its potential dangers? [27:48]

4. How does the sermon’s discussion on the futility of evading consequences relate to the biblical concept of sin and redemption? [31:09]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when pride or self-sufficiency led you away from relying on God. How can you cultivate humility in your daily life to prevent this from happening again? [15:20]

2. The sermon warns about the pursuit of knowledge without God. Are there areas in your life where you seek fulfillment apart from God? How can you redirect your focus back to Him? [19:00]

3. Consider the consequences of sin mentioned in the sermon. How do you typically respond to the immediate consequences of your actions, and how can you seek God’s guidance in those moments? [24:15]

4. The sermon discusses the illusion of independence. In what ways do you rely on your own understanding rather than seeking God’s wisdom? How can you change this approach? [27:48]

5. Think about the ways you might be trying to evade the consequences of your actions. How can you confront these issues with honesty and seek God’s help in overcoming them? [31:09]

6. The sermon highlights the importance of returning to God with humility. What steps can you take this week to deepen your dependence on God in a specific area of your life? [31:09]

7. How can you use the knowledge and skills you have in a way that honors God and acknowledges your dependence on Him, rather than seeking personal glory? [15:20]

Devotional

Day 1: The Peril of Pride and Self-Sufficiency
Humanity's greatest challenge is its pride and self-sufficiency, which leads to a rejection of God. This pride blinds us to our need for divine guidance and grace. The story of Adam and Eve serves as a timeless reminder of the dangers of believing in our own sufficiency. They sought independence from God, leading to their downfall and the introduction of sin into the world. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that God chooses the weak and humble to confound the mighty, urging us to recognize that our intellect and abilities are not the ultimate source of our worth or salvation. Embracing humility and dependence on God is the path to true wisdom and salvation. [15:20]

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (ESV): "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find yourself relying on your own strength rather than seeking God's guidance and help? How can you begin to shift your focus towards dependence on Him today?

Day 2: The Double-Edged Sword of Knowledge
The pursuit of knowledge, especially the knowledge of good and evil, often leads to disappointment and further trouble. While knowledge promises enlightenment and power, it can also become a source of our greatest problems. Adam and Eve's desire for this knowledge resulted in their expulsion from paradise. This narrative serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of seeking fulfillment and independence apart from God. Despite advancements in science and technology, humanity continues to grapple with the same fundamental issues, as knowledge without God often leads to a departure from faith. [19:00]

Ecclesiastes 1:18 (ESV): "For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow."

Reflection: Consider a time when your pursuit of knowledge or understanding led to unexpected challenges or disappointments. How might you approach the pursuit of knowledge differently, with a heart aligned towards God?

Day 3: The Consequences of Sin
Sin brings about immediate consequences, such as remorse, shame, and fear, ultimately leading to death. This serves as a reminder of the importance of obedience to God. The story of Adam and Eve illustrates how sin disrupts our relationship with God and introduces chaos into our lives. The consequences of sin are not just personal but have a ripple effect on the world around us. Recognizing the gravity of sin and its impact can lead us to a deeper understanding of the need for repentance and a return to God's ways. [24:15]

James 1:14-15 (ESV): "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent decision or action that led to feelings of remorse or shame. What steps can you take to seek God's forgiveness and realign your actions with His will?

Day 4: The Illusion of Independence
Despite advancements in science and technology, humanity's belief in independence from God is misguided. True fulfillment and security can only be found in Him. The splitting of the atom, for example, has brought about both incredible advancements and significant threats to our existence. This illustrates how human achievements, when pursued apart from God, can lead to unintended consequences. The history of civilization is a testament to humanity's ongoing struggle to live independently of God, yet the answer lies in returning to Him with humility and dependence. [27:48]

Jeremiah 17:5-6 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.'"

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you have been striving for independence from God. What practical steps can you take to invite Him into that area and rely on His guidance?

Day 5: The Futility of Evading Consequences
Humanity's attempts to evade the consequences of sin and seek blessings without God are futile. True life and fulfillment are found in returning to Him with humility. The history of civilization shows a pattern of trying to escape the repercussions of our actions while ignoring the need for divine intervention. This is a futile endeavor, as true blessings and fulfillment can only be found in a relationship with God. Embracing humility and acknowledging our need for Him is the path to true life. [31:09]

Isaiah 30:15 (ESV): "For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.' But you were unwilling."

Reflection: Think about a situation where you have tried to avoid the consequences of your actions. How can you approach this situation differently by seeking God's guidance and accepting His grace?

Quotes

"this that man 's greatest trouble is still his great conceit of himself the Apostle Paul puts that in his way in language such as this that God he says has made a way of Salvation in which this pride of men and especially his pride of intellect should be humbled and abased ye see your calling Brethren he says to the Corinthians how that not many wise men after the flesh not many Mighty not many noble are called but God ha chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty and base things of the world and things that are not to bring to not things that are why that no flesh should glory in his presence" [00:15:27]

"you and I my dear friends have The Misfortune in a sense of living at a time when we are reaping what's been going on for about a 100 years there's been a great turning away from God during the last 100 years and it's all been due to the fact that men rarely began to believe that he didn't need God why didn't he need God well because he was so wonderful himself because there was nothing he couldn't do he could make a paradise a perfect work a perfect world so you see this ancient fantasy persists man will forget that he's come from the ground from the dust and he hates the the idea but you see he finds himself constantly growling in the dust and licking it God keeps on reminding men that he's come from it so every time man exalts himself he's Sten down and there he is licking the dust again" [00:16:44]

"one that all that men obtains in this Folly and sin of his apart from God always disappoints him and always leads to further trouble now this again is another very important principle here it is as the scripture puts it and the Lord God said behold the men is become as one of us to know good and evil and now lest he put forth his hand and take of the tree of life and eat and live forever therefore the Lord God drove him out of the garden but you notice the first statement man as the result of his action in eating of that tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil did obtain a knowledge of Good and Evil that was the thing he wanted he thought that as long as he'd have that and everything would be right and all his problems would be solved as it were and life would be absolutely perfect" [00:18:09]

"so when the devil came and said you eat of that and it'll Enlighten you and you'll be as gods and you'll know everything you'll have a knowledge of evil as well as good that's the thing I want says men I want this knowledge of evil as well as good do you see before that man was ignorant of evil he was living in Paradise he was in perfect correspondence with God he never knew anything but blessing he didn't have to work to get his food he lived in communion with God he always enjoyed peace and happiness and joy the life of men until this point was one of unmixed and un Al at joy and Bliss and he knew nothing but that but you see he wanted to have this knowledge of evil as well as good he thought this would enlarge his Ambit enlarge his scope so he does what God has told him not to do at the suggestion of the devil and as the result he obtains the knowledge of evil as well as good he's got it but L for men the moment as he wears it where he puts the grapes into his mouth they become sour" [00:19:00]

"and that's the whole story of mankind you know the grapes becoming sour the knowledge which he thought was going to make everything perfect turning against you now I want to show you that how it happened immediately men sinned and fell you see men looked at all these things theoretically and his position was this now I've got such a great capacity there is nothing really that is beyond me I'm capable of taking it all in and holding it all and I can enjoy it all so he went in for the knowledge of evil yes but you see when he got it this is what he discovered that the knowledge of evil that he obtained was not the knowledge of evil that God has God has a knowledge of Good and Evil God looks upon both good and evil from the outside and objectively God looks down upon them butas for poor men his knowledge is not an objective one he obtained a knowledge of evil objective knowledge and what was the knowledge well it was this it was the knowledge of the fact that the moment he had that prohibited fruit he became the slave of evil he was under the power of Evil under the Dominion of sin Satan and of sin he's got a knowledge of evil ah yes we've all got it but what is this knowledge well here it is says the Apostle Paul in the seventh chapter of the epistle to the Romans to do is present with me but how to perform I know not the evil that I would not that I do and the good that I would I do not I find a law in my members dragging me down Waring against the law of my mind my knowledge of evil that's it and you've got it haven't you man wanted the knowledge of evil well he's got it and this is it that within us there is a kind of Inferno you're conscious are you not every one of us is conscious of it of some terrible power operating inside us you may wake up in the morning and before you've had time truly to wake up and to think actively and positively an evil thought comes to you that's your part of your knowledge of evil you may walk down the streets as innocent as a child as it were and suddenly you find that there's Evil Within You knowledge of evil responding to something man did obtain the knowledge of Good and Evil but that's the knowledge he got that isn't God's knowledge God sees it and hates it and is above it and is going to destroy it man has come to know it as an incubus that is upon him as something that grips him not only without but within we've got an appalling knowledge of evil every one of us it's inside us man in seeking it has found it but it wasn't what he anticipated it wasn't what he'd expected and of course another part of his knowledge of evil is this that he's not only come to know it as a great and a malign influence and Power in his life he has obtained a knowledge of it in its evil consequences and what are these over and above the ones I've mentioned well here it is here's the first punishment thrown out of the garden shivering in the cold in the great wide world without any protection having to slay and work and labor that's the consequence he's knowing that he'd never known that before the consequences of evil you cannot sin without receiving a certain amount of punishment immediately remorse feeling you've been a fool wondering what it was that made you do it again though you were so miserable the last time you did it what is it you say and you kick yourself and scarify yourself remorse shame and then accompanying this misery depression fear of the future wondering what's happening what can you do and all that follows all that and then looming at the back of it all and perhaps most terrifying of all the certain knowledge that It All Leads onto death man you see was placed on probation by God and if he had only obeyed God and continued to obey him he would never have died death would never have come in if men had only obeyed God God would have allowed him to eat of the tree of life and men would have attained immortality as a reward for his probation but he took the law into his own hands and therefore the curse comes upon him the day thou eatest thereof Thou shalt die and the Spectre of death appeared before him he's thrown out and there he's facing it it stands away back on the horizon death but it comes nearer and nearer to him and we are all aware of it now that you see is life as the result of the fall of men and as the result of sin that is how it happened at the beginning and that is how it is still happening we are all born with this knowledge of sin and of evil but you see in our own way and in our own day and generation we are doing exactly the thing that Adam did the trouble with men has always been that he has put his faith in knowledge in the place of his faith in God that's what Adam did wasn't it he said if only I get this knowledge I don't need God therefore I can afford to disobey God given this knowledge I'm absolutely complete I need nothing further so he trusted and put all his faith in knowledge I would remind you again that during the last 100 years there has been this great departure from God you know we have very great exceptions in this country by being in this place place of worship tonight the vast majority of people in Great Britain are not in a place of worship tonight they're not listening to sermons about God why not well I'll tell you man you see decided I say about 100 years ago that knowledge would render men independent of God and especially of course scientific knowledge with our latest discoveries and inventions men argued we Shan need at all we'll even be able to create heat and we'll be able to produce artificial rain to fructify our our crops God won't be necessary people in the past because of their ignorance pray to God for blessings of the Harvest and so on we are independent we've discovered so much learning knowledge scientific knowledge especially and we put our faith in science and what is our position at this hour well isn't it again just a repetition of what what happened at the beginning the grapes have become very sour again the knowledge which we thought was going to solve all our problems is actually this evening our greatest problem of all science yes marvelous we said if we've only got this then we'll need nothing else with science and knowledge and acts of parliament we really will be able to go on God well of course he may have been needed we don't and science we've gone in for it and we've got the knowledge and we've split the atom and that's our problem the atom which we've split the knowledge we've obtained it is the very knowledge in which we pin our faith that constitutes our greater Pro greatest problem as it became the greatest problem for poor Adam and Eve as they were thrusted out of the garden of eeden oh they must have felt good to God that we'd remained in ignorance why did we ever ask for this knowledge of evil oh that we'd gone on as we were but it's too late they're out but man is so slow to learn that lesson and to ask that question do you still feel my friend that with all your modern knowledge and learning that you have no need of God well that's the sort of thing that puts men out of paradise and into the howling Barren Wilderness but that brings me to my next principle which is this one that men still in spite of all this is foolish enough to try to evade the consequences of his own sin and action and to try to clutch at certain blessings which he desires here it is put in this form God said behold the man is become as one of us you see there the doctrine of the Trinity don't you God isn't talking to angels nor to men God the father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are having a conversation amongst themselves behold the man is become as one of us to know good and evil and now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live forever because of that possibility God decided to thrust him out and to drive him out of the garden in other words God knew that men in sin would act in this way and in this manner that though he thus in his folly had fallen and brought Calamity upon himself by his Disobedience he would now just as he was stretch out his hand and clutch at that tree of life so that still he could go on living though he was fallen and sinful and having the knowledge of evil he could still go on and defy God so God sends him out now it is at that point I see most clearly of all the parallel between men at the beginning the moment he fell and men as he is at this present moment indeed I would venture to assert this that that one statement is the whole explanation of what we call the history of Civilization now read your history books don't take it from me don't only read your Bible read your secular history books and not only read about Kings and marriages and births and Wars War s and deaths read about the history of thought read about men planning their Utopias go back and read Greek philosophy read your mythology and all the rest of it what's it all mean it's this men Thrust out is always trying to get back he knows that there in that Garden there's a tree of life and he wants it he still won't admit his wrong he won't admit his sin he won't admit his dependence upon one God he wants to go on in spite of God he wants to live an independent life that will be an eternal life still leaving God out of consideration and he's doing it and has been doing it throughout the" [00:24:15]

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Transcript

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