Voice of the Nazarene 8-23-26

From North Central Ohio, we share with you the Voice of the Mazouri, a week-by-week venture into the Word of God sponsored by the New Starrist Ohio Church of the Nazarene.

We join our pastor, Reverend Ray Listown and the Voice of the Nazarene.

A few months ago, I spoke about pride.

Probably the original sin.

And if God put angels out of heaven for sin, do you think he would let man into heaven who is sinning?

I want to go the opposite direction from pride and talk for a few minutes about humility.

The scripture says here in Proverbs 6:16, verse 18, Solomon's writing, pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 6:16

So humble yourselves, says Peter.

Under the mighty hand of God.

First descends the humbling hand of God.

Then the creature, it's his turn.

God's humbling hand, am I going to embrace it?

Am I going to humble myself?

So Colossians says to put on humility.

Sounds like a cloak, doesn't it?

And then 1 Peter says, clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another.

So my question is, do you have your clothes on?

When you were going through the wardrobe.

Now I used to just go to revivals and grab a couple things and head out the door, but being married.

I go through at least an hour or two of somebody trying on all different kinds of clothes and trying this to match it with that.

And does this look nice?

What are you gonna say?

Do you want to go to that revival or do you want to die?

Do you have your clothes on?

Be clothed with humility.

For God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.

Humility is a virtue that is often misunderstood, maybe undervalued.

In our society, I mean we live in a world celebrating self-promotion.

We think that success is measured by how much that we have accomplished, how much we have accumulated.

And then Jesus comes along and he's teaching a radical different approach.

He says the way up is down.

He says instead of exalting yourself, you need to humble yourself.

Instead of being served, you need to serve.

So where did this promoting ourselves begin?

Well, Isaiah, and I do not know where Isaiah picked this up.

But he writes something that is not anywhere else at all of divine writ.

He talks about Lucifer's mighty fall.

Listen, it's chapter 14.

How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn.

You've been cast down to the earth.

You were once laid low to the nations.

You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven.

I will raise my throne above the stars of God.

I will set in throne on the mount of Assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.

I will ascend above the tops of the cloud.

I will make myself like the Most High.

But he said, You're brought down.

Brought down.

Pride goeth before fall.

What did he fall?

You're brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.

And Satan makes five boasts, driven by I and what I want to do.

And God kicked him out of heaven.

And uh he's been going down ever since.

He'll one day be cast into the lake of fire.

What a downward journey.

Yet in the Garden of Eden, he slipped up on Eve and he said, You shall not surely die, the serpent said to the woman, for God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you'll be like God.

Be like God, knowing good and evil.

And it was a lie, but she swallowed it.

I heard about a frog.

I do not know this for a fact.

But I heard about a frog that he wanted to go south with the birds.

He didn't want to hibernate.

And so he's thinking it's too far to hop, and I don't know how to fly.

And he's trying to find a solution.

And he came up with this idea, had a couple bird friends, and he said to them, I've got a stick, and when you go south, if you put it in your beak on one end and the other on the other end, and let me clamp down in the middle, I want to go south with you.

And so they clamped down on their sides, and he clamped down in the middle, and they begin to fly, and he's flying south, and he's going over a farm, and two farmers saw this tremendous sight.

One farmer said to the other, Isn't that ingenious?

Somebody came up with a unique idea.

They must have been a genius, probably one of those birds.

It was more than the frog could handle.

He thought it's my idea.

And he said, It's.

And he took a nosedive.

The moral of the story is keep your mouth shut and quit trying to always get all of the credit.

We always want all of the credit.

And it'll destroy us.

Now, I want you to turn with me to 1 Samuel 15, verse 17.

1 Samuel 15:17

Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel?

And God anointed thee king over Israel.

Saul, when you were little, in your own sight, back when you were moldable and usable, and I could develop you into a great king, and I give you that anointing.

And uh may I say that humility is not something that God can do in you.

Humility is something that you have to, for the most part, do for yourselves.

So the Bible says, humble yourselves in the sight of God, and he shall lift thee up.

And he's saying that to every one of us to humble ourselves.

A quality that every successful, significant leader should have is the quality of humility.

Now let's go back to this guy.

There's a man in the Bible by the name of Saul who became a king.

And the Bible said that he was comely.

I've not had anybody say that about me, so I'm not worrying about it.

I didn't even look it up.

But I think it means they really look good.

And it said he was also head and shoulders above all the other men of Israel.

He stood out.

Everybody noticed Saul.

And according to 1 Samuel 9, 21, when he started out, he was very humble.

When they sought for him, he hid himself among the stuff.

He wasn't trying to at that time to promote himself.

And he said, I'm a Benjaminite.

It's the smallest of all of the tribes.

And my family is the least of all of the families.

But he became ignorant or arrogant.

Victory after victory after victory as king.

And he became arrogant.

And he forgot God put him in that position.

That it was God that lifted him up.

That it was God who had gifted him.

And Saul did what many of us do.

He started thinking it was him.

He started thinking it was what he was able to do.

And God said to him through Samuel, Saul, you're no longer my man.

I've turned to another.

You're not going to remain as king.

I'm going to replace you with a humble heart.

A boy by the name of David will take your place.

And then he reminded him when you were little in your own eyes.

Little in your own eyes.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's so important to be small in our own eyes.

Always be too big to be little.

Be too little to be big.

Quit being belittling of others.

Be big.

Too big to be little.

And so it's important to see ourselves only as God sees us.

Until a man realizes he's nothing, God can do nothing with him.

And the quality of humility is I must decrease that he might increase.

So let me talk to you about some reasons that I threw down on a pad of paper in my office and just kind of glanced down through them in my thinking.

And I don't know what your thoughts are, but I believe there's some reasons for humility.

One, God is with you.

The Bible tells us that God dwells in two places.

According to Isaiah 57, verse 15, it says, For thus saith the high and the mighty one that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy.

Isaiah 57:15

Now listen, he said, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.

So God dwells in heaven, and God dwells in the humble.

The humble.

James said, but he giveth more grace.

Wherefore he said, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.

And do you understand that the Bible says that if we're proud, God opposes us.

I mean, did you ever think about it that God literally opposes those who are walking in pride?

God might even give you a push because the Bible says that a pride goeth before a fall.

It may be that God will give you a little shove.

So the reason for humility, God's with you, here's a second reason.

God giveth grace.

I used that little verse a while ago, be clothed with humility.

God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.

Grace.

Isn't it amazing how little grace that many people have towards others?

We almost look at others with a sense of arrogance.

I've been around for a long time.

You don't have to say amen to that.

Just sit there, don't spoil your record.

You got in the quiet way, I just remained that way.

But I've been around a little while.

And I'm amazed at how people with an arrogant attitude of legalism have so little grace for anybody else.

If you were to walk into their presence and you don't look like them, they just almost write you off.

And they draw a circle that leaves you out and just includes us four and no more.

I want to tell you something.

If you need anything, and if I need anything, I need grace toward others.

And the Bible says that this thing of humility, he giveth grace to the humble.

And then there's a third reason.

It's amazing to me that people with humility, people are drawn to them.

One of the greatest leaders of the Bible led the children of Israel out of Egypt.

His name was Moses.

Now, what was it that motivated millions to follow this man named Moses?

Well, the Bible gives a little secret.

Here in Numbers 12, 3 it says, Now the man Moses was very meek above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.

Now don't mistake meekness for weakness.

While he was the weakest man, the amazing thing was he had enough fortitude.

He walked in and faced the most powerful Pharaoh who had ever lived.

And he said, Let God's people go.

Time after time he walked in and faced him.

Let him go.

And here's what I want you to see.

Humility is like a magnet, it draws people.

People were drawn to Jesus, who was meek and lowly.

The only time he ever said anything about himself and described himself, he said, I am meek and lowly.

And here's a great leader like Moses, meek and millions followed him.

And I'm amazed that it's also like a magnet to the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is drawn to those who are of a contrite and a broken, humble spirit.

The Holy Spirit.

He uses the last, they shall be first.

He uses the least, he uses the littlest.

And people can see humility.

Now get this little thought down in your mind.

In A.D.

49, Paul authored the book of Galatians.

And this is what he said about himself.

Paul, then apostle.

You got that?

I'm not going to ask you again.

Five years later, he wrote 1 Corinthians, and this is how he addressed himself.

Paul, the least of the apostles.

You see, there ought to be a progression in our spiritual journey.

Instead of becoming prouder and thinking we're bigger and we're better, we ought to become more humble.

That's the progress that ought to be taking place.

He started by writing Paul an apostle.

Now he's writing Paul the least of the apostles.

Five years later he wrote the book of Ephesians, and he addressed himself Paul, the least of the saints.

Years later he wrote 1 Timothy, and he addressed himself Paul, the chief of sinners.

He just kept humbling.

And you know, the longer you're around, the more you understand you don't know as much as you think you do.

So let me tell you the reason for humility.

First of all, God is with you.

Secondly, your people are drawn to you, and then it gives grace.

And then I want you to notice another reason for humility.

God gives you wisdom.

When you study the fruit of the Spirit, wisdom is not in the list.

But Proverbs 11, 2 says, pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

There's a guy in the Bible by the name of Jehosaphat.

And in 2 Chronicles chapter 20, verse 12, and I've read this man's story many, many times, and I'm just paraphrasing.

2 Chronicles 20:12

Everything he said is coming against us.

I don't know what to do.

Have you ever been there?

That describe you?

It describes me about once today or more.

But I like what he said next.

Our eyes are upon thee.

And when he kept his eyes on God, God showed him what to do.

Now I want you to understand when we humble ourselves, God gives us wisdom.

And the next thing, to humble yourself, it allows you to learn.

Martin Lloyd Jones said, the worst thing that can happen to a man is to succeed before he's ready.

The Bible says in 1 Timothy 3, 6, not a novice that's being lifted up with pride, he falls into the condemnation of the devil.

So don't be a know-it-all, be a learner, learn it all.

Do you know it's what you learn after you think you know it all that really counts?

Humility allows you to learn.

Here's the sixth thing humility will do.

God will exalt you.

Matthew 23, 12, and whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased.

And he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

If you'll humble yourself, you'll be amazed.

God will open for you doors that no man can close.

If you humble yourself.

You know, if we humble ourselves, God can take a shepherd boy and make him to be a king.

If you humble yourself, God can take a Joseph who's in a pit and put him in a palace.

If you'll humble yourself, God can take a little Jewish girl by the name of Esther and make her a queen.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you'll humble yourself, God will exalt you every time.

You say, Pastor, all that sounds wonderful, but how do I uh I need some handles.

I need some know-how.

And incidentally, some of you are saying right now, I really don't need this message.

Well, it's a good indicator that you do.

Well, Pastor, I'm humble.

It's an indicator that you're not.

This is for every one of us.

I just thought about Moses here again.

We're talking about the meekest man.

He may have had some reasons to be, I don't know.

But he wrote the Ten Commandments down and delivered them to the people, and one of them was, Thou shalt not kill.

Somebody probably walked up later and said, But you killed an Egyptian and you hid his body.

What would Moses say?

He'd probably say, Well, I'm just the mailman.

This is what God wants to deliver, and I'm delivering the mail.

And you know what?

None of us are perfect, but we're looking at one who is perfect, and that's Jesus.

That's Jesus, the meek and the lowly one.

So help us to humble ourselves, okay?

One, admit your faults and any needs.

Do you know James 5:16 says, confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, then what you may be healed.

James 5:16

You want healing, you want to be well spiritually in every way?

Confess your faults.

Maybe we need to put down the stones.

Did you know that God didn't die and leave any of us in charge?

We judge somebody for 30 years over something that only took 30 minutes out of their life.

It's time we get a little bit of grace.

And there's only one thing that's going to bring the grace and the wisdom into our circles, and that's when all of us begin to humble ourselves.

Now, I'm not talking about somebody else's fault.

I'm talking about confess your faults.

It's not my brother nor my sister, but it's me, O Lord.

Standing in the need of prayer.

So a wonderful way to start out is just to say, I'm sorry.

The most mature person in any relationship is the first to say, I'm sorry, I was wrong.

Not the one that pouts and lets it happen for days.

Now that's worth the price of admission.

Maybe you haven't put in your admission yet, okay?

But they realize that what is important is what is right, not who is right.

And the person that always has to be right is probably dealing with a pride issue.

Here's a second thing that'll help you.

Second handle, deflect praise.

Don't live for the applause.

The people who are clapping for you today will be stabbing you tomorrow.

One preacher had preached, and somebody told him after his sermon, that was good.

Oh, he said it was all God.

No, he said it wasn't that good.

I liked it anyway.

Listen, what you don't turn to praise to God will turn into pride to you.

So deflect the praise.

Quit absorbing it, quit soaking it up.

And here's the third thing ask more questions and listen more.

What's that saying?

It's saying that when we ask questions of someone, we're admitting we don't know it all.

And it's saying, I value your input.

I like what Ralph Waldo Emerson said.

He said, Every man is my superior in some way.

And I look back on my own life when I thought I had all the answers and realized I didn't even know the questions.

Here's the fourth thing: serve others.

1 Corinthians 9, 19, for though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all that I may might gain the more.

Serve others.

Now, do you know the longest sermon in the Bible?

You remember the longest sermon?

It's Matthew chapter 5, chapter 6, chapter 7.

Matthew 5 · chapter mention

You get off pretty easy around this place.

It's called the Sermon on the Mount.

And you know who delivered the longest sermon?

It was Jesus.

Do you know the second longest sermon in the Bible?

It's Acts chapter 7.

Acts 7 · chapter mention

And it was preached by a man by the name of Stephen.

Do you know what he did in chapter 6?

He served tables.

And if serving is beneath you, then leading is above you.

Serve others.

Serve others.

If you want to humble yourself.

And I'd like to add another that came to my mind.

Kneel before God.

Psalm, the writer, said, Oh, come, let us worship and bow down.

Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

You know it's good to get down on our knees sometimes.

Humble ourselves.

I've been, I was an evangelist 23 years.

I've had pastors show me around.

They showed me plaques on the wall with their credentials and showed me where they served in their area of expertise.

They showed me their buildings.

They showed me their people.

I have never yet had one show me and point out there's the place where I pray.

My secret place.

Do you have a secret place?

Or you say, Pastor, that's my secret.

Okay.

But if you want humility in your life, you need to kneel before God.

Here's another express thankfulness to God.

The psalmist said, Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever.

Unexpressed gratitude is in gratitude.

Seventy-three times the Bible says that we're to be thank.

Say thanks.

Today I will breathe 23,000 times.

And most of the time I never thank God for my breath.

My heart will beat nearly a hundred thousand times every day, and yours too.

And we never even get around to saying thank you, God, for the hundred thousand beats that allowed me to live today.

We lost Scott Harris by death.

And I I said to um Wes when he came to my office to bring me some batteries for my microphone.

Questioned him about it.

And I said, Boy, we don't know.

He said we need to be thankful that we were able to get up this morning.

Better start saying thank you.

I wonder what it would be like if we just did this whole thank you thing in reverse.

Reverse thank yous.

Is that okay?

I'm thankful I'm not homeless that I have a home.

I'm thankful I'm not hungry because I have food.

I'm thankful I don't have to walk because I've got a vehicle.

I'm thankful that I don't have a bad church.

I pastor, one of the best churches in the world is people like you.

I'm thankful that I have friends.

I look around and I'm surrounded by friends.

74% of the people that leave their place of employment is because of a lack of appreciation.

They said, we're never told that we're appreciated.

And after years, they walk off, forget retirement, everything.

They just walk out.

Three out of four because they're not appreciated.

Only 12% leave because of money.

Do you realize that we're pushing for this everybody bring one and we're calling it Friendship Sunday?

Is it the 27th?

Well, if you don't know, and I don't know, we're all in trouble.

And if you don't have enough cards, pick up some cards back on the Welcome Center.

I'm hoping all of you will bring from 10 to 20 friends, people that you have in mind that you wanted to share your church with, but they will come on Friendship Sunday because they respect you for caring.

Enough to share influence and an invite.

Now I want to close with this thought, maybe.

When a preacher says he's going to close, don't mean anything.

You can't even find entrance into the kingdom without humility.

Isn't that frightening?

Fact of the matter, let me share it.

It's Matthew 18, 3, and said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself or herself, as this little child, the same, is great as the kingdom of heaven.

And we're saying that all these little kids ought to become like us adults.

Maybe some of us adults need to become as a child.

The way to become a Christian is to humble ourselves.

We acknowledge that we cannot save ourselves.

Try as you would.

We're acknowledging that Christ died on a cross for our sins.

And we have to confess our sins unto him, and he's faithful and just to forgive us and promise to cleanse us from all sin.

Thanks for being a part of the Voice of the Nazarene.

Visit us every Sunday at 9 a.m.

with BNT's pastor Ray Lestalle.

For more information regarding BNST, visit EustyrusNazarine.org.