The strongest people have humility

I am thinking a lot about humility this week as I prepare my sermon for Sunday.  Philippians 2:5-8... "You should have the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped..."  And it goes on to say how much Jesus humiliated Himself in coming down from heaven to earth. 

We don't like the word "humiliated."  It sounds like what happens when we make a mistake and look bad in the eyes of others.  But Jesus purposely humiliated Himself.  He was the Lord of heaven and yet He became a servant on earth.  He had all divine authority, and yet gave up the use of that divine authority whenever it would benefit Himself instead of others.

I am a prideful person.  So often I want others to think well of me and I want to be known as a person who gets things done.  Getting things done is not wrong, but to do so in order to get the praise is where I stumble.  Many people are the same.  I'm not alone.  But to serve others and do things for the benefit of others is Christlike.

There are many great examples in my life and at our church of people who have learned that humility is strength.  Saying your sorry is powerful.  Admitting your need for God is foundational.  As one of our Elders often says on Sunday mornings, "I'm just a sinner saved by grace."

The Bible is clear on this point.  Pride and arrogance are hurtful and weak.  Humility and repentance bring power and strength.  It's counter intuitive to our natural selves, but wise and insightful in our redeemed spirits. 

This is the core of our personal testimonies:  admitting our sin and our need for God.  What does it mean to share your faith?  It means to share that you have faith in God's forgiveness through Christ, and that you need His forgiveness because of the messes you've made in life.  The more open and humble I am about my past sins, the more glory God gets when I share how much He has forgiven me.

Lord, help me to be more humble today, like Jesus.

Day 4 of 21 leading up to Easter

The same power that God used to raise Christ from the dead is the power He uses in us to raise us to eternal life and give us daily power for living!  That's an incredible truth!  Thank you, God, for your power within me.  When I struggle with sin and temptation, I can know that I have God's power within me.  When I feel defeated and depressed, I can know that I have God's power within me.  When I think of myself as inadequate or puny, I can know that I have God's power within me.  Thank you, God, for your power within me!

Day 2 of 21 leading up to Easter

Day 2 of 21 leading up to Easter... Jesus promised eternal life to those who believe in Him when he said to Martha:  "I am the resurrection and the life.  The one who believes in me will live even though they die and whoever lives by believing in me will never die."  That's an AMAZING statement.  LIVING FOREVER.  Question:  When was the first time you truly understood that you would live forever because of your faith in God through Jesus Christ?

DAY 1 of 21 leading up to Easter

In 1978, at the age of 14, Jesus changed my life.  I went from being a selfish, disobedient kid to being a forgiven child of God.  Not everything changed right away - I was still selfish and sometimes disobedient, and even today I still fight selfishness and pride - but my heart changed.  Because of the power of God in my life, things began to be different.  That power is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.  We'll celebrate that power in 21 days... Resurrection Sunday, 2019.  HOW HAS GOD CHANGED YOUR LIFE BY HIS RESURRECTION POWER?  Please share a word of testimony in the comments section of this Facebook post.

Reason #21 why going to church this Sunday is the best plan: BECAUSE SOMEONE INVITED YOU… AND YOU WANT TO GO ANYWAY.  When I was 14 years old I got invited to church for the first time.  I was a bit unsure at first, but I was also curious.  When I went, I was mildly surprised to find a bunch of kids that were fun to be with and were genuinely nice.  I also quickly learned that they put a lot of thought into what they were thinking and doing.  They really loved God and were striving to work out their faith in a heartfelt way.  Looking back, I’m so glad that someone invited me to come!  Maybe someone has invited you to go to church recently and you’ve put it off.  You know, you should just go and discover.  In the Bible, the person who was famous for inviting someone was Andrew.  It says in John 1:40-42, “Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus.  The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.”  We get really busy in our American culture.  Sometimes we get so busy we don’t have time for God.  Now is a really good time to change that.  Stop saying YES to the busyness and NO to God.  Go with a friend to church… OR, if no one has invited you recently, go make a NEW friend this Sunday.

Reason #20 why going to church this Sunday is the best plan:  BECAUSE IT WILL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO PRAY FOR OTHERS AND BE PRAYED FOR YOURSELF.  The Bible says in James 5:16… “…pray for each other so that you may be healed.”  No man is an island – we all need the help of others.  And we especially need the spiritual support of people who care about us.  Church is the absolutely perfect place for that.  At our church people can ask for prayer through our “Welcome Card” process on Sunday mornings.  It’s easy.  You can share your name if you wish or stay anonymous.  Sometimes we have an “Open Altar” time of prayer where you can pray for others or ask God for His mighty inward strength.  Beyond that, we have dozens of small groups in our church where people pray for one another on a regular basis.  Praying for each other is so important!  The Bible says in Colossians 1:9… “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.”  At our church we also have a prayer team that meets mid-week to pray for the needs of the people in church.  We take it very seriously, asking God to bring His strength and comfort and help.  Jesus said that His house should always be “A HOUSE OF PRAYER.”  (Luke 19:46)

Reason #19 why going to church this Sunday is the best plan:  BECAUSE A GROUP OF DIVERSE PEOPLE PRAISING GOD IN UNITY SHOWS GOD’S POWER.  We live in turbulent times filled with division, accusations and hurtful rhetoric.  The news is so filled with protests, hate and arguing that it’s defeating just to turn on the TV or read online news articles.  People are looking for something different!  People are looking for unity and cooperation and a place of belonging.  The gathering of God’s people has always been just that.  We gather together around the most important purpose of all: WORSHIP.  We worship the one true, almighty God… TOGETHER.  Psalm 22:22 says, “I will tell of Your name to my brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.”  Psalm 35:18 says, “I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you.”  John Piper writes, “Therefore, when human beings with diverse ethnicities, backgrounds, tastes, expectations, desires, priorities, peeves, admirations, and needs join their hearts and minds and voices and actions in unified worship of the one true God through Jesus Christ, a reality has come into the world that is beautifully fitting – it befits the power and the worth of God, whose glory can win such humble, self-forgetting praises from a diverse people.”  “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)