Humility

Well, I tell you, if you want to follow along this morning, I want to encourage you to open up to, let's see, just in the Bible, open it up and we'll start reading.

1 Peter chapter 5.

1 Peter 5 · chapter mention

There's going to be a couple verses there.

Last week, if you were not here last week, let me start a little bit about where we left off.

And that was with reality TV.

My wife records a couple shows.

I'm not going to say which ones they are because there's some just junk out there, but she watches a couple.

And I think the reason a lot of people like reality TV, and the reason I like this one particular show, is I get to watch it.

And I get to go, I'm not that bad.

And I really believe there's something within us that likes to say that, you know what, there's somewhere where I'm not the worst one out there.

And with that, I want to categorize this morning, and I and I kind of shared this briefly last week, but basically, when when I get to share and teach, I usually, the bulk of the time, probably 80, 85% of the time, I will speak and teach on what I am learning.

This is what God's teaching me.

And although there's a measure of that today, that's not today.

Then there's this small, and it's the smallest category of all when I get to teach and speak, and that's the category of something I have learned, and I've uh I've literally experienced God teaching me to a level of where it's above average, and I speak out of knowledge or expertise, and that's the really small category.

But then there's this morning, the category where God has just laid on my heart.

Ken, I want to, I want to chisel away at your life.

And if you will lay it open, I will show you the area where you need the most work.

And I shared in a general sense last week just the idea of speaking out of failure.

And that's this morning.

I hope that it is one of those times, I genuinely do, you're gonna have one of two reactions.

Probably most of you at some point, probably in the middle, and I'll let you know when we get there, you'll have that feeling that I get when I'm watching my reality TV show.

You'll go, shh, at least I'm not that bad.

Okay, so that's the initial feeling.

But it to really grab the fullness of what I really sense God wants us to learn, not just me, but us to learn this morning, is as you feel that, if we will open ourselves and say, God, I'm gonna take the word this morning, I'm gonna give it to you in a minute, and say, God, is there any area of my life, or even more specific, what area of my life do I want to take this word?

Because I really do.

I want to experience your grace.

I want to experience your power, I want to experience your significance in and through my life.

And it's impossible without this one word.

It is the word that unlocks God in our lives.

And I'll go into great detail on that in a second.

But let me start by asking this.

How many of you get in your cars for a minute, mentally, in your cars?

How many of you this week cumulatively in one day spent at least an hour cumulatively, at least on one day in your car?

One hour at least, okay?

The rest of you ride bikes.

What is that?

Okay.

Um I'm driving around in my car, and I've Atlanta has what we call traffic.

And I'm listening to the radio while in traffic headed, and I heard on the radio this statistic, and I didn't hear the source of it, but I don't doubt it.

It said that Atlanta is in the top five of all cities in the United States for stress.

And they gave the three top causes.

They said they did a lot of surveys and asked it a million different ways, and then they said, What is the greatest source of stress in your life?

And I thought, well, it's in traffic, they're going to say traffic, but traffic wasn't one of them.

There were three main categories that people said this is where stress comes from.

And um, who wants to tell you somebody in the sexual just yell out something you think is one of the top three causes of stress?

Money.

I heard money on the front.

Somebody who's funny over here.

We'll go to that.

Money was one of the top three.

It was one of the top three.

Who yelled out the funny one over here?

Spouse.

The top form of stress.

Okay.

I hope your spouse is not with you.

That's all I'm saying.

Um, no, he's not.

Okay.

Which is okay.

We're being real.

Open, open up.

That's great.

Actually, you are completely correct.

Relationships was one of the top three causes.

Actually, it was number one out of all of them.

And the third one was work or job related.

Money, work, and the number one was relationships.

Number one cause of stress was relationships.

And as I heard that, I thought of my marriage, I thought of my kids, I thought of my family, I thought of my friends, and I thought, okay, God, if that's a stress, I believe what Steve said at the beginning.

We weren't created to be stressed out.

You came to overcome that, so what do we need to do?

And there's this one word that is the key that unlocks the solution to stress.

And that word is humility.

Humility.

And that word is one where I said, okay, God, well, what do we need to learn about humility and humility in the area of work?

Well, how does that work?

How about money?

Where does that work in the thousands of verses?

And I begin to see that one of the foundational structural pillars of God's truth is humility.

Across the board.

If I want to be lose the stress financially, I have to humble myself and say, okay, God, what do you say about it?

I have to humble myself and maybe move from building a lifestyle to a life and let God change me.

And I remember that time of my life.

At work, I have to humble myself and say, God, what is your plan here?

Why am I struggling?

Why am I stressed?

Relationally speaking, we have to say, okay, God, what does that look like?

And that's going to be the main focus for illustration purposes this morning.

But I want to read a passage.

I want you to keep your finger in 1 Peter.

But in the margin next to 1 Peter chapter 5, verses 5 and 6, I want you to write Philippians chapter 2, 4 through 9.

1 Peter 5:5 Philippians 2 · chapter mention

Because this will be a cross-reference, and I want us to, I'm going to read it.

I just want you to listen to it out loud.

Each of you should look not only to your own interest, but also to the interest of others.

And here's a word I want us to underline.

Your attitude, underline that word attitude, when you go back there, just write attitude now, should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, and then follow his progression of humility.

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man.

He humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.

Follow this progression of humility.

Jesus was God in the flesh.

Although he was God, he humbled himself to become a man.

Not just a man, but a servant.

Not just a servant, but an obedient servant.

Not just obedient, but obedient to the point of death.

Not just obedient to the point of death, but the most gruesome death possible, death on a cross, the ultimate progression of humility.

And in that, God highly exalted him.

His purpose was to die on a cross, that God would exalt him.

You and I have a unique and individual purpose in life.

And if we wish to find what that purpose and discover the fullness of significance, we have to be committed to this attitude of humility, saying, God, show me where to humble myself, how to humble myself.

I've come up with a definition, and it's one that's come out of where I am and where I've faced the harshest reality of who I am not.

You can write it down, I'll give it to you afterwards you want, but I've discovered this.

Humility is the strength to admit my weaknesses and the willingness to do something about it.

That is humility.

It's a strength to admit my weaknesses and the willingness to do something about it.

If you're in 1 Peter, I want you to read these couple verses with me or follow along and I'll read it out loud.

In 1 Peter chapter 5, verses 5 and 6.

1 Peter 5:5

Young men in the same way be submissive to those who are older.

All of you, and here's where I want you to underline these next four words, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another.

Because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Underline these next two words.

Humble yourself.

Therefore, under God's mighty hand that he may lift you up in due time.

Well, how do I get this key called humility?

And how do I use it to unlock that door?

Well, first is those four words in the middle of chapter five.

Clothe yourselves with humility.

We have to choose to clothe ourselves with it.

I love the way he puts that and phrases it.

Clothe yourself.

There's not one person in here this morning who is naked.

Not one of you.

You all got up and you clothed yourselves.

And we are so proud of you, and we're thankful for that.

If you did not do that, we would have to deal with you, and that's okay.

But you clothed yourself.

Not only did you clothe yourself, you clothe yourselves for the situation you're in.

I love his hands because we clothe ourselves kind of like every day, maybe a notch above what we would wear in every day, but comfortable and real.

This is who we are.

We're comfortable.

If you were to clothe yourselves to go to work, you would dress probably a little bit differently.

If you were to clothe yourselves and we said, hey, afterwards we're gonna have a big work day, you would probably dress a little differently.

If we're gonna do yard work, we dress differently.

But it's an intentional clothing.

It's intentional for the situation.

And what he is saying here is that we have to intentionally clothe ourselves with humility.

Well, what does that look like?

And as I began to pray and I said, okay, God, show me what you mean by that.

There tends to be, and I'm gonna let me use a marriage example.

I don't know, I think a lot of you are married, not everybody, but let me use in a marriage example.

There becomes a subconscious assumption in the area of relationships that causes a lot of frustration.

The subconscious submission that kind of goes like this we've been married blank years.

You should just know how I feel, what I like, and what I mean.

And although it's not stated, it is in there rattling around.

And this subconscious absumption can be ongoing.

It's an ongoing just a frustration of what we've gone through a whole day, maybe eight, ten hours at work, and we come home and we're frustrated, and we say, you know, how was your day?

It was okay.

It was, you know, it was a little this.

And then we're frustrated because our spouse does not fully comprehend how we feel or why.

And the truth is, why should they?

They weren't with us the whole day.

They didn't experience all that.

If I can put it another way, I travel a lot.

Um, I was at the airport this past week, and I'll never forget this.

When we're going through security, this one TSA agent in specific, most of them are great folks, but this one guy, he's standing up there, he goes, ladies and gentlemen, take your shoes off, put your belts and your shoes, and put them in the bin.

And he just says, and he's saying it like 20 times.

And I'm waiting there, he's like, take your shoes and your belts off, put them in the bands.

And you know, I fly every week.

I know this, I know the routine.

But 80% of the public flies once or twice a year at the most, and they change the regulations all the time.

And so we're going through, and he's like, put your shoes and your belts, and then anything mentallic in there and empty your pockets, and he does this, he's just saying it over and over.

And then the alarm goes off.

This guy goes ballistic.

And he said, How many times do I have to say this?

And I'm sitting there and I'm thinking, dude, they didn't hear you.

You've been saying it all day long, but they didn't hear you.

They weren't here when you said it a thousand times.

They got here in the three-minute window that you didn't say it.

But now you're frustrated because you think I've said it a million times.

And that is the subconscious assumption that you know what?

Let's give the benefit of the doubt.

Maybe I failed to say this, maybe I didn't do this, and maybe I need to wait.

And this perspective, we have to say, you know what?

Maybe they don't know the fullness of my feelings.

I have to humble, clothe myself with humility.

Clothe myself with humility, and so you know what?

Maybe they don't get it.

Maybe it's not going, maybe it's just unclear.

Maybe it's a change.

If you were to ask my mom, and I'll never forget this.

My mom had us over for dinner, made hamburgers.

My kids love hamburgers, I love hamburgers.

And I and I asked, I said, hey, she goes, putting it all out.

She goes, hey, uh, what do you like on your hamburger?

And I said, Do we got any tomatoes?

And she said, Why?

And I said, Well, I kind of like tomato on my hamburger.

And no joke, she goes, When did this start?

And I said, What do you mean?

She goes, You don't like tomatoes.

And I said, Yeah, I kind of do.

And she goes, since when?

She goes, You you hate tomatoes.

I said, Yeah, when I was nine.

But I like them now.

And it just takes that mental mindset of saying, you know what, I this assumption that what I think and what my experience is is the full and complete details of everything else out there.

What I have to do is humble myself and realize, you know what?

I don't know everything.

And not only do I not know everything, I don't understand everything.

And not only do I not understand everything, but I want to lead, I want to clothe myself kind of like an emotional, what do they call them, jumpsuit or what are those coveralls?

Just put that on in every situation, specifically relationally, to go, okay, you know what?

My wife, this beautiful, wonderful woman, maybe I don't understand everything she's been through today because I haven't been with her all day.

I need to clothe myself with humility.

Well, I can tell she's frustrated, but let me clothe myself with humility.

Let me not assume that I know why.

Let me not assume that I should know why, and just be.

This clothing, I want to give a very vivid, and I struggled with whether or not to share this, but it's just so vivid.

This understanding of clothing ourselves with humility.

It's critical.

Because if we don't, there will be this gnawing, if we don't put on humility, there will be this gnawing sense of pride that I do know everything.

I should, and everybody else should know that I know it, and this should be easy, but don't miss this part of verse 5.

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

I want grace.

I don't want God's opposition.

And if I want to experience his power, I gotta stop and go, okay, God, humility in this situation, let me put this on.

Let me give you a vivid example of this.

From a physical sense to an emotional clothing.

Two years ago, I got a gift at Christmas that changed my life.

When I was growing up, I used to hate to get clothes for Christmas.

Hated it.

Worst of the clothing gifts as a child, socks and underwear.

You open it up, seriously?

Where's the toys?

Now I love it.

I love it.

It's the only time a year I get new underwear, and I and I love it.

But here's the kicker.

Two years ago, my wife splurged.

Splurged.

I normally get like the eight-pack that cost five dollars, and that's what I get.

Specific kind, I won't go into details.

But this particular two years ago, she blew the bank.

She spent like$13 on one pair of underwear.

And I opened it up, I'm like, this is cool.

This is really awesome.

The only problem was the next day I wore them and I went, oh my goodness.

I didn't know underwear could feel like this.

I didn't, I didn't know the band would not.

I thought it was just meant to dig into your side.

I thought all underwear caused chafing.

This is amazing.

This is fantastic.

It it's just feels, this is how crazy.

I got a great buddy of mine I share an office with at lunch.

I'm like, have you ever had this kind of underwear?

And he's looking at me weird.

I'm like, this is unbelievable.

How did I not know about this?

Here's how here's how ignorant I am.

I literally, at the end of the day, when I can't wait until Father's Day or my birthday to get more of these.

It was that amazing.

And then God just kind of thumped me.

He's like, moron, just go get a couple pairs.

They're not that much.

And now I love these.

I I thought, this is comfort.

I didn't know that it could be like this, or I would have done this years ago.

That is the exact, exact same difference from a soul standpoint if we do not clothe ourselves with humility.

We are walking around thinking this is the norm.

There should be this tension and this stress.

It should be a digging, there should be this uh-ness between us and it shouldn't.

God says, clothe yourselves with humility.

I've got something incredible, but you have to choose to put it on.

You have to choose to clothe yourself with this humility.

And if you do, you will experience my grace, and you'll experience me lifting you up.

But you have to put it on.

You have to choose to put it on.

He goes on to say in the very first part of chapter six, or verse six, chapter five, humble yourselves.

We have to choose to do it ourselves.

And here's the part here's the part I told you about at the beginning of at least I'm not that bad.

I want to give you a very real-life scenario that frustrates me to know that I had waited this long to realize I needed to choose humility.

My wife, beautiful, brilliant.

And I just assumed for years there's this conflict, couples fight and colors frustrate.

I just I threw it in that category.

This is just the way it is.

And then God began to s to begin to work on my heart and say, hey, there's something more.

You, you don't have to worry about what she thinks, feels, does, or says.

You work on your heart.

There's a phrase my wife used.

I don't think you realize how you come across.

I cannot tell you the number of times I've heard that.

We will have a discussion that turns into frustration, which turns into blondness.

And she would use that phrase, I know what you said, but I don't think you realize how you come across.

To which I would evaluate myself.

Genuinely evaluate myself.

I would say, well, and I would validate that she understood.

Do you know what I mean, though?

Do you know what I mean?

What I'm trying to say, do you know what I mean?

And I would validate that she knew what I mean, that it was clear.

I would check my intentions.

My intentions are right.

I want what's best, so my intentions are right.

I would evaluate my motives and I would go, you know what, my motives are pure here.

I just want what's best for us, so my I'd go through the categories.

You know what I mean?

It's clear, my intentions are right, my motives are pure.

Thus, it must be your problem.

I did not say it, but that is exactly what I put off.

And women are incredibly intuitive because as I would go through that, what I was doing was, I don't think you realize how you come across.

I was coming across as I'm good.

It's your problem.

And there's this incredible tension of rights versus relationship, and I began to just realize, God, that's me.

And I'm evaluating it this way, but then there's Verse 6, humble yourself under God's mighty hand.

Am I willing to humble myself?

Look out for the others' interest, not just mine.

And I begin to realize Jesus lived this.

This humility that unlocks that key.

Jesus' very life spoke of his love, his intentions, his motives.

But even after he rose from the dead, these guys still did not get it.

Those who were around him, and yet he never stopped working and humbling himself to communicate that love and that power and that grace.

He never stopped.

And we, if we want to experience his fullness and the power and the purpose, and the significance and the meaning of life, we have to take this key called humility.

And we have to position ourselves with God.

And he lived this out.

If you need a Jesus example, you can flip to Matthew.

I'll give you the two verses.

You can look at them later.

His disciples are around.

And I just I laugh at it because I think, God, I would have been one of them.

Because he's standing there and they're like, Jesus, um, who uh can we ask you a question?

Oh, yeah, you can ask me a question.

Who's gonna be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

Who's gonna be the greatest?

It is not written in Scripture.

I will not speak for Jesus, but if I were him, I know the thought would have gone through my mind.

Seriously?

Morons, do you?

I mean, have you not seen everything that I've done?

And you're asking me, who's the greatest?

There's a clue.

Catch it! I mean, seriously, just watch.

But he didn't.

He simply calls over.

In Matthew chapter 18, he calls over a child.

Matthew 18 · chapter mention

And he holds the child by him and he says, Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

When you submit yourself to coming by my side, coming next and just being with me, going, that's who's the greatest.

He says in another part of that same book, unless you come like a child, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

If you're here this morning and you've never fully just given your life to Christ, you think, well, I don't know how that works.

Is there a list of rules, or how does that work?

It's coming as a child and going, God, be my daddy.

Forgive me.

I need, I, your forgiveness is my only hope.

Help.

That heart is it.

As we come to God that way, here's my encouragement to us this morning.

If this hits your heart the way it's just hit me between the eyes, realize God's promises through this in verse 6 of 1 Peter 5.

Humble yourself under God's mighty hand that he may lift you up in due time.

It's his job.

Jesus says, Come by me, just like he said to that child, come over here.

You want to be the greatest?

This is it.

He says in Matthew chapter 11, take my yoke.

Matthew 11 · chapter mention

Yoke was that big piece of wood and an oxen, and he goes, I'm right here, take my yoke.

And look what he promises to you and I.

Not just give us the list of do's and don'ts.

He says, For I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest.

In my relationships, the thing I want most, that quality I want most, is peace and rest.

Take that area of frustration.

Maybe it is vocation or work, maybe it's financial, maybe it's relational, whatever the stress is.

And Jesus is saying, humble yourself, come to me, take my yoke, for I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest.

I need that rest.

And I can tell you, as I let God chip away at my life, I expected to find frustration and brokenness and ickiness and fear.

And what I find is grace and rest.

Every step I take, it's like I'm filled new and I'm healed more.

And it's the opposite of what I expected.

I want to close in a word of prayer.

And I want us to just get honest with ourselves this morning.

Pray with me.

Lord, thank you.

I pray that you would just move the enemy from this place completely.

That your spirit would fall on every one of our hearts.

And we would see with clarity right now, whatever area of life is frustrating us greatest is the area where we need to take that key called humility and just right now before you go, God, I come as a child.

Please forgive me.

Be my daddy.

God, I'm willing to humble myself and say, God, show me that next level where from pride I have justified my position and I freely give it up.

I'll do whatever you say, do.

I'll say whatever you want me to say.

I'll go wherever you want me to go.

Because I know it is going to be met with your grace and rest.

And I need rest.

God, today, move in our hearts.

And even as we go, Lord, I pray we would not miss this.

Bring this word to our hearts and minds all this week.

Bring your truth that we have to choose to clothe ourselves.

We have to humble ourselves, but in that is where you meet us with grace and power and rest.

And it really is only through your Holy Spirit that we rest in this moment.

And that power that raised Christ from the dead, that lives within us, that we rejoice.

Amen.