Humility

well the word humility is not just a familiar word it's a familiar concept

i think it's a concept that most christians would say was really important

but after that it gets a bit more difficult so the question then becomes what does it actually

look like

a person might say you see the stars in the background behind me there a person might

say looking up at the night sky wow i feel so humbled

or they might greet visitors at um to their home by saying welcome to my humble abode

or they might tug with someone having to eat humble pie

or someone needing a good dose of humility

or it might be a different guy as it comes to you as it might be a really gentle quiet

self-effacing person just sitting alongside you and saying well actually

yeah i i consider myself to be a really humble person

what do we make of those sort of statements

is humility a personality trait trait for instance is it something you're born with

or is humility something that that we can cultivate or something that we must cultivate

because it doesn't come naturally to us

a comedian once said that he was so humble and proud of the fact

is humility a virtue to be proud of

doesn't the person who's who needs to say they're humble

actually think they're pretty awesome

it's not easy to get a handle on this concept of humility

and i think part of our confusion is because our culture has a love-hate relationship

with humility

on the one hand the primary driver of our society is self-promotion

that's self-fulfillment

and this inevitably pushes people into being competitive and consumerist

gives you a mindset of those two things

because what what it means is that others around you are potentially a threat to your sense of self

therefore you're competitive

or others around you provide the resources that you need to utilize and exploit

so that you can feel well about yourself

a consumerist

in job interviews

nowadays we don't just tell them we have the skills

we actually have to convince the person interviewing us that we're actually better than everybody else

and that we we should have that job by rights

a terrible environment to apply for a job these days i think

so that's on one hand but on the other hand

our culture really punishes people who are deemed to be too self-promoting

too self-assured

we call that the toll-pobey syndrome

because it loves to dish out

a big dose of humility

to people who've stepped out of their place

we like to

put them back

in their proper place

why do we do that?

well I think it's so that we can all be comfortable

so here's the confusion

on the one hand we have to be self-promoting

but at the same time we have to show the right amount of humility

now what that does I think

is reduce humility as we understand it in our culture

to a process called virtue signaling

virtue signaling

that is

we ascribe to ourselves a virtue

which becomes a signal to others around us

that I am both a good person

and acting within the acceptable parameters

of culture and society

what that does then

is allow us to pursue aggressively

my own interests

as long as

that's the self-promoting side

I can pursue as aggressively as I want

my own interests

providing

I

virtue signal

that I have awareness

of the need to be humble

that I can convince people

I am actually humble

and that I'm actually working

when the bounds of what society says

is tolerable self-promotion

it's a weird sort of thing

but I think that's how it works

at a nuanced level

now

I think I'm already on a hiding to nothing with this

Uriah Heep

has anybody ever heard of Uriah Heep?

at least three people

right okay

you don't count because you didn't hear about him

until the beginning of this week

so a character

a horrible character

a David Copperfield

actually truth be known

I hadn't heard of him until this week

Alison researched him for me

so Uriah Heep

a horrible character

in David Copperfield

he's a good example

of virtue signaling

he knew

that he had to stay

within his station in life

and so he was very keen

to let everybody know

that he was an humble person

but behind the scenes

he was known as a schemer

he worked to hurt

and destroy people

to exploit them

and there we have the problem

a view of humility

which we've easily come to accept

and value

in our society

it's alright to pursue your own interests

be aggressive as you like

on that

self-promote

providing

you manage to maintain

the balance

of a virtue signal

that says

well actually

I want you to know

I'm actually a humble person

now I think that confusion

has bled into the church

it's a big issue

for church families

like ours

on the one hand

the Bible has repeated references

to God's love

for humility

and hatred

of pride

and arrogance

but again

come back to the question

what is it

to be a humble Christian

how would we see humility

in our church family

and do we value humility

as the Bible

defines it to us

we see the answer

to the question

in how Jesus

models humility

and I'm saying

in brackets there

that because

when we look at this

model of Jesus

we're always going to find

that model

hard to accept

and hard to value

because it exposes

our self-interest

our self-centeredness

if you look at verse 5

I'm going to take this phrase

through

the whole of the sermon

this morning

verse 5

in chapter 2

one that Dave looked at

last week

have this mind

among yourselves

which is yours

and the Greek there

is which is already yours

in Christ Jesus

so if we want to see

the model of humility

what we're actually saying

is not just a theory

so it's not a definition

of humility

it's a model

of the mind

of Jesus

it's a worked example

of the overflow

of Christ's heart

it's attitude

attitude and perspective

David took us through

this in detail

last week

I'm just going to try

and summarize

so attitude and perspective

Jesus is really

and truly God

and he alone

has the right

to be proud

he alone

has the right

to be protective

of his heavenly status

his power

his prestige

his influence

his reputation

his sovereignty

and he has the perfect

right to command

service

from every creature

in this world

but Jesus

didn't see those

as a platform

for self-display

nor a launching pad

for self-advancement

rather

Jesus took all of that

and put it in the context

of an opportunity

for self-denial

an opportunity

to pour himself out

in service

of others

and so instead

of grasping

we see in the mind

of Christ

we see the mind

of Christ

in decisive commitment

on the part of Jesus

to living out

obedience

for the glory

of his father

and that's verses

7 through to 11

essentially

and it goes like this

summary like this

in obedience

to his father's

purpose and salvation

and verse 11

ultimately

to bring glory

to the father

and

at huge

personal cost

Jesus

made a conscious

decision

his conscious

decision

was

to relinquish

his right

of absolute

sovereignty

to become

a low

status

human being

no power

no position

no reputation

no sovereignty

and he

followed that

commitment

all the way

through

to death

on the cross

as a criminal

cursed

and forsaken

a conscious

decision

to live

obedience

for the glory

of his father

and we're

told then

in those

same verses

that the

father was

delighted

in response

to Jesus

action

but we need

to note

here

he wasn't

just

delighted

in the

death

of Christ

to achieve

salvation

I think

that he was

delighted

in the

whole

mind

of Christ

that is

the father

was delighted

in the

sort of

person

that Jesus

showed

himself

to be

the way

he looked

at things

in this

world

the values

he cherished

as he made

that decision

to go to

his death

the principles

he observed

in achieving

salvation

for his

sinful

undeserving

people

and the

delight of

the father

then

immediately

exalts

Jesus

returning

him to

that

which he

has always

been

even in

death

Lord of

the universe

my friends

Christ was

exalted

because he

demonstrated

a proper

sense of

self

living

obediently

under

God's

purpose

wanting

only the

father's

approval

and being

totally

committed

to serving

his sinful

undeserving

people in

their need

and ultimately

saying no

to self

interest

that's what

delighted the

father

about Jesus

so where's

that leave

is

well my

friends

humility

is not a

passive

personality

trait

not as the

bible models

it to us

here in

Jesus

humility

is not a

passive

personality

trait so that

one person

has it and

another person

doesn't

nor is

humility

just a

collection

of personal

characteristics

or attributes

such as being

self-effacing

or generous

or thoughtful

or gentle

most likely

those characteristics

will be evident

in someone

who's seeking

to leave out

the mind

of Christ

but that

of itself

isn't the

heart of

the mind

of Christ

humility

at its

heart

is a

heart

attitude

a heart

attitude

overflowing

practically

in purposeful

commitment

to the

pathway

of obedience

regardless

of personal

cost

ultimately

for the sake

of bringing

honour

to the

Lord

and doing

what is

best

for sinful

and deserving

people

that we

live amongst

that's a

big step

away

from the

way humility

is thought

of and

practised

in our

society

so how

do we

move towards

living

humility

or how

do we

move towards

developing

the mind

of Christ

in every

circumstance

well I

just want

to give

three minor

points in

here

first is

we've got

to understand

the power

of humility

even

Uriah

Heap

recognised

that he

had a

little bit

of power

what is

the power

of humility

well the

power of

humility

is being

who you

are

in Christ

again

verses 1

to 5

that verse

5 where I

started

and that's

a summary

of verses

1 to 5

have this

mind

among you

which is

already

yours

in Christ

my friends

we need to

hear this

next statement

if we

are Christians

if you

this morning

are a

Christian

if you

are already

in Christ

you are

already

connected

practically

and really

and completely

into the

mind of

Christ

you already

enjoy the

practical

outworking

of the

mind of

Christ

as his

spirit

verse 2

renovates you

from the

inside out

that is

the spirit

job

to develop

in you

the mind

of Christ

in verse

earlier

verse 11

I think it

was in

chapter 1

it's

described as

the fruit

of

righteousness

here's the

point here

if we want

to know

the power

of humility

it's

engaging

with what

we already

are

we do

not have

to create

humility

our

challenge

as

Christians

is to

express

the mind

of Christ

that we

already

have

by virtue

of being

in Christ

and as

Paul's big

themes come

out in his

letter

we express

the mind

of Christ

in joy

together

in unity

in partnership

in the

gospel

so all

these things

joy

partnership

in the

gospel

and unity

are

underpinned

by the

mind of

Christ

or humility

Christ's

humility

actually

results

in God's

people

being united

with him

and with

one another

in new

salvation

community

if you look

at the end

of verse

10 and

11

Christ's

humility

is the

thing that

achieves

God's

purpose

and salvation

and God's

purpose

and salvation

is the

reunification

of his

alienated

people

with himself

in a new

salvation

community

humility

produces

the unity

results

in the

unity

inseparable

connection

of course

we want

to talk

about

unity

on a

basis

altogether

different

often

time

sorry

it's

satisfied

merely

to virtue

signal

humility

while

keeping

your

distance

from

Christ

personally

and

keeping

a

guarded

commitment

to

obedience

so my

final

sentence

takes you

to the

chilling

reality

of verse

21

if you

got your

bible

open

look at

it now

there's a

chilling

reality

in this

verse

and I

want to

suggest

to you

this

morning

that

every

one

of us

finds

ourselves

in this

verse

let me

read it

to you

they all

seek their

own

interests

wow

what a

statement

that is

the idea

of humility

seeing the

mind of

Christ

in action

is obviously

a rare

thing

for Paul

they all

seek their

own interests

not those

of Jesus

Christ

so here's

the question

I say

we're all

in that

verse

the only

question is

which clause

of that

verse

there's two

clauses

which clause

best describes

you

humility

frequently

used

word

but Paul

says here

it's a very

rare commodity

indeed in

the church

which clause

describes

you

let me

pray

Lord I

pray again

as I've

prayed so

often

after opening

your word

that

we stand

exposed

before it

your word

is that

living

two-edged

sword that

divides

deep

into our

hearts

and exposes

that which

is truly

there

Lord

so Lord

help us

to contemplate

that verse

21 and all

it's chilling

reality

that in

the church

community

such as ours

that word

humility

can be used

so frequently

and yet

if what Paul

says is true

there

it's actually

something that

approximates

or some

caricature

of humility

but true

humility

is a rare

commodity

help us

then Lord

to find

ourselves

as those

who are

truly

interested

in the

welfare

and

advancing

the honour

of Christ

Amen

Thanks David

Just a brief

summary then

Jesus is our

example of

humility

in life

and he's

our experience

of humility

in his death

and resurrection

on the

true joy

true unity

true partnership

in this

church family

or

would he

call you

out as a

grumbling

complaining

dissatisfied

person

a

Uriah

heap

type

character

driven

by self

interest

satisfied

merely to

signal

sorry

satisfied

merely to

virtue

signal

humility

while

keeping

your

distance

from

Christ

personally

and

keeping

a guarded

commitment

to

obedience

so my

final

sentence

takes you

to the

chilling

reality

of verse

21

if you've

got your

bible

open

look at

it now

there's a

chilling

reality

in this

verse

and I want

to suggest

to you

this morning

that every

one of

us

finds

ourselves

in this

verse

let me

read it

to you

they all

seek their

own

interests

wow

what a

statement

that is

the idea

of humility

seeing the

mind of

Christ

in action

is obviously

a rare

thing for

Paul

they all

seek their

own interests

not those

of Jesus

Christ

so here's

the question

I say

we're all

in that

verse

the only

question is

which clause

of that

verse

there's two

clauses

which clause

best describes

you

humility

frequently

used

word

but Paul

says here

it's a very

rare commodity

indeed

in the

church

which clause

describes

you

let me

pray

Lord I

pray again

as I've

prayed so

often

after opening

your word

that we

stand exposed

before it

your word

is that

living

two-edged

sword

that divides

deep

into our

hearts

and exposes

that which

is truly

there

so Lord

help us

to contemplate

that verse

21 and all

this chilling

reality

that in

the church

community

such as ours

that word

humility

can be used

so frequently

and yet

if what

Paul says

is true

there

it's

actually

something

that approximates

or some

caricature

of humility

but true

humility

is a rare

commodity

help us

then Lord

to find

ourselves

as those

who are

truly

interested

in the

welfare

and advancing

the honour

of Christ

Amen

Thanks David

Just a brief

summary then

Jesus is our

example of

humility

in life

and he's our

experience of

humility

in his death

and resurrection

true joy

true unity

true partnership

in this church

family

or

would he

call you

out as a

grumbling

complaining

dissatisfied

person

a Uriah

Heap

type character

driven by

self interest

satisfied

merely to

signal

sorry

it's

satisfied

merely to

virtue

signal

humility

while

keeping

your

distance

from

Christ

personally

and

keeping

a

guarded

commitment

to

obedience

so my

final

sentence

takes you

to the

chilling

reality

of verse

21

if you

got your

Bible

open

look at

it

now

there's

a

chilling

reality

in this

verse

and I

want to

suggest

to you

this

morning

that

every

one

of

us

finds

ourselves

in this

verse

let me

read it

to you

they all

seek their

own

interests

wow

what a

statement

that is

the idea

of humility

seeing the

mind of

Christ

in action

is obviously

a rare

thing

for Paul

they all

seek their

own interests

not those

of Jesus

Christ

so here's

the question

I say

we're all

in that

verse

the only

question is

which

clause

of that

verse

there's two

clauses

which clause

best

describes

you

humility

frequently

frequently

used

word

but Paul

says here

it's a very

rare commodity

indeed in the

church

which clause

describes

you

let me

pray

Lord I

pray again

as I've

prayed so

often

after opening

your word

that

we stand

exposed

before it

your word

is that

living

two-edged

sword that

divides

deep

into our

hearts

and exposes

that which

is truly

there

so Lord

help us

to contemplate

that verse

21 and all

it's chilling

reality

that in

the church

community

such as ours

that word

humility

can be used

so frequently

and yet

if what Paul

says is true

there

it's actually

something

that approximates

or some

caricature

of humility

but true

humility

is a rare

commodity

help us

then Lord

to find

ourselves

as those

who are

truly

interested

in the

welfare

and

advancing

the

honour

of

Christ

Amen

Thanks David

Just a brief

summary then

Jesus is

our

example

of humility

in life

and he's

our experience

of humility

in his

death and

resurrection

on the

true joy

true unity

true partnership

in this

church family

or

would he

call you

out as a

grumbling

complaining

dissatisfied

person

a Uriah

Heap

type character

driven by

self-interest

satisfied

merely to

virtue

signal

humility

while

keeping

your

distance

from

Christ

personally

and

keeping

a

guarded

commitment

to

obedience

God

so my

final

sentence

takes you

to the

chilling

reality

of verse

21

so if you

got your

Bible

open

look at it

now

there's a

chilling

reality

in this

verse

and I want to

suggest to you

this morning

that every

one of us

finds

ourselves

in this

verse

let me read

it to you

they all

seek their

own

interests

wow

what a

statement

that is

the idea

of humility

seeing the

mind of

Christ

in action

is obviously

a rare

thing for

Paul

they all

seek their

own

interests

not those

of Jesus

Christ

so here's

the

question

I say

we're all

in that

verse

the only

question is

which

clause

of that

verse

there's

two

clauses

which

clause

best

describes

you

humility

frequently

used

word

but Paul

says here

it's a

very rare

commodity

indeed

in the

church

which

clause

describes

you

let me

pray

Lord I

pray again

as I've

prayed so

often

after opening

your word

that

we stand

exposed

before it

your word

is that

living

two-edged

sword

that divides

deep

into our

hearts

and exposes

that which

is truly

there

so Lord

help us

to contemplate

that verse

21

in all

this

chilling

reality

that in

the church

community

such as

ours

that word

humility

can be

used

so

frequently

and yet

if what

Paul says

is true

there

it's

actually

something

that approximates

or some

caricature

of humility

but

true humility

is a rare

commodity

help us

then Lord

to find

ourselves

as those

who are

truly

interested

in the

welfare

and

advancing

the honour

of Christ

Amen

thanks David

just a brief

summary

then

Jesus

is our

example

of humility

in life

and he's

our experience

of humility

in his

death

and resurrection

on the

true joy

true unity

true partnership

in this

church family

or

would he

call you

out as a

grumbling

complaining

dissatisfied

person

a Uriah

Heap

type character

driven by

self-interest

satisfied

merely to

signal

sorry

satisfied

merely to

virtue

signal

humility

while

keeping

your distance

from Christ

personally

and keeping

a guarded

commitment

to

obedience

so my

final

sentence

takes you

to the

chilling

reality

of verse

21

if you've

got your

bible

open

look at

it

now

there's

a chilling

reality

in this

verse

and I

want to

suggest

to you

this

morning

that

every

one

of us

finds

ourselves

in this

verse

let me

read it

to you

they all

seek their

own

interests

wow

what a

statement

that is

the idea

of humility

seeing the

mind of

Christ

in action

is obviously

a rare

thing

for

Paul

they all

seek their

own

interests

not those

of Jesus

Christ

so here's

the

question

I say

we're all

in that

verse

the only

question is

which clause

of that

verse

there's two

clauses

which clause

best

describes

you

humility

frequently

used

word

but Paul

says here

it's a very

rare commodity

indeed in

the church

which clause

describes

you

let me

pray

Lord I

pray again

as I've

prayed so

often

after opening

your word

that we

stand exposed

before it

your word

is that

living

two-edged

sword that

divides deep

into our

hearts and

exposes

that which

is truly

there

so Lord

help us

to contemplate

that verse

21 and

all

it's

chilling

reality

that in

the church

community

such as

ours

that word

humility

can be

used

so

frequently

and yet

if what

Paul says

is true

there

it's

actually

something

that approximates

or some

caricature of

humility

humility

but

true humility

is a rare

commodity

help us

then Lord

to find

ourselves

as those

who are

truly

interested

in the

welfare

and

advancing

the honour

of Christ

Amen

do

do

do

do