Sermon Follow-Up for Sunday 2/16/20
THE POWER OF HUMILITY!
Many people associate humility with weakness. “How can one be humble,” they ask, “without letting themselves be walked all over by others who take advantage of them?” But this is a gross misunderstanding of true humility. In reality, humility is one of the most EMPOWERING attributes of following Jesus! In fact, this is one of the biggest reasons God wants you to master the art of humility: so that you can regain power over your own joy, peace, and sense of security!
Read JOHN 18:1-14
Notice how aspects of humility we have previously discussed are apparent in Jesus in this passage. Jesus is humble before God! He is surrendered to God, trusting his goodness, his sovereignty, and his plan! He is willing to “drink the cup” God has for him. What cup does God want you to drink in your life right now? In what area might you need to humbly surrender?
He is also humble before men! Although the Son of God, Jesus is willing to allow himself to be arrested and mistreated. Why? Because humbling himself before men is necessary to accomplish the purpose for which God has sent him. We, too, must be willing to humble ourselves before men when it is necessary to imitate Christ and be available to God so that he might achieve his purpose through us. What kind of purposes? Reaching the lost, encouraging or helping a brother or sister, impacting others, serving someone in need, setting an example of repentance, righteousness, etc…
Jesus’ also exhibits great confidence in humility! He is totally aware of who he is in God’s eyes. He is also aware of why he is humbling himself and that, no matter how others treat or view him, he is still the Son of God and Lord. How secure are you when life is difficult? Do you trust that you are still special in God’s eyes? Are you secure enough to humble yourself before others, feeling confident that God is using you and secure in who you are, rather than questioning your worth or lamenting the fact that others are not treating you “as you deserve”?
3 WAYS HUMILITY EMPOWERS!
Read JOHN 18:28-19:16
Humility Gives us Power over Peace
Jesus remains at peace because he has humbly surrendered to God. Pilate, on the other hand, has no such faith in God. He becomes unsettled and anxious; he is concerned with how people respond and the effect on his position. Humility allows Jesus to remain at peace, even when on trial for his life. Pilate, however, is the one who becomes unnerved. Humility gives you power to maintain peace no matter what!
YOU MUST BE SURRENDERED in your daily life NOW, before the “big challenges” come, if you hope to be at peace when you “stand before Pilate.” Read James 4:8-10 > don’t be “double minded” but surrender and humble yourselves.
Humility Gives us Power over People
Jesus is unmoved or manipulated by people. He is steady! resolute! He is facing a tough situation, but he is totally in control because his humility has guarded his conviction. Contrast Pilate. He is totally a slave to what the crowd (and Rome) might think. Humility before God keeps Jesus focused on God’s will, not what people think of him. When you are unconcerned with people’s opinions of you, you are able to stay the course without being a slave to what people might say or do. Imagine how much more free and happy you would be if you felt zero pressure to please or uphold an image for people, but rather only concerned yourself with pleasing God, who you know already loves and values you!
Humility Gives you Power over Perception
Read MARK 15:37-39. The Roman soldier was impacted and proclaimed faith in Christ once he saw how Jesus died! When you humble yourself before God and men, and you do so with a sense of security and confidence, understanding why and for who you are humbling yourself, you impact people’s perception of God, Jesus, the Bible, etc. Humility persuades people far more than doctrinal debates and religious activity. Want to help someone see the real Jesus? Model his love and humility!
Think about people you would like to reach for Jesus. In what ways might you humble yourself before God and men to model Christ for them and, perhaps, impact their lives?
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