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THE GREATNESS OF HUMILITY

December 15, 2002

GOD IS AGAINST THE PROUD

Jeremiah 50:31

Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.

GOD DWELLS WITH THE HUMBLE

Isaiah 57:15

For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

HUMILITY DEFINED

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary:

Humility is the freedom from pride and arrogance.
A modest estimate of one's own worth.
A deep sense of one's own unworthiness in the sight of God… and submission to the divine will.

Other Definitions of Humility:

In the Greek NT word for “humble” is tapeinoo– it means: “to reduce or decrease one-self,” “to make low,” “to make one-self small,” “to lower one-self” or “to demote one-self.”
Humility is the opposite of pride, which always seeks to elevate one-self whereas humility seeks to decrease one-self.
Humility means to go so low that no one recognizes you.
It means to accept our human limitations and to acknowledge our dependence on our Creator as well as on one another.
Humility is expressed in the action of bowing down or a stepping downward instead of rising up.
Theologian Donald Grey Barnhouse says this about humility:

"If you exalt man in any way, God is thereby debased. But if you exalt God as He should be exalted, man thereby takes his true position of utter nothingness, and only then can he find his real exaltation, for it will come to him through the grace of God in Christ. Man can thus reach the heights by taking the proper place of depth."

Thomas A. Kempis writes: "Do not think that you have made progress unless you esteem yourself inferior to all. For it does not hurt to set yourself lower than all men, but it hurts exceedingly if you set yourself before even one man."
Humility is not to think to highly of one-self or not to think to lowly of one-self but not to think of one-self at all.

WE HUMBLE OURSELVES

Matthew 23:12

Jesus said, “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”

UNDER THE MIGHTY HAND OF GOD

1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

LEARN HUMILITY FROM JESUS CHRIST

Matthew 11:29

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly [humble] in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

JESUS HUMBLED HIMSELF THROUGH OBEDIENCE

Philippians 2:5-10

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God [the Father] also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

FROM RICHES TO RAGS

2 Corinthians 8:9

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

JESUS HUMBLED HIMSELF THROUGH SERVING

Luke 22:27

For who is greater, the one who is seated at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is seated at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

PAUL’S MINDSET OF HUMILITY

Acts 20:19

Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:

NO SELF-ESTEEM ALLOWED

Philippians 2:3-4

Let nothing be done through strife [self-centered ambition] or vainglory [high thoughts of one-self]; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

DIE TO SELF-ESTEEM

John 12:24-26

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life [soul] shall lose it; and he that hateth his life [soul] in this world [age] shall keep it unto life ~~eternal~~ [Gk. aionios – “in the age to come”] 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

HATE YOUR OWNSELF

Luke 14:26

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

BE CLOTHED WITH HUMILITY BY SUBMISSION

1 Peter 5:5

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

HUMILITY IS A CHOICE

Colossians 3:12

Put on [aor.mid.imper.] therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

WE HUMBLE OURSELVES BY THE FEAR OF GOD’S WORD

Isaiah 66:1-2

Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor [humble] and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

WE HUMBLE OURSELVES BY REPENTENCE

2 Kings 23:24-25

24 Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. 25 And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, [repentence] and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.

2 Chronicles 34:27

Because thine [Josiah’s] heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me [outward sign of inward repentence]; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.

WE HUMBLE OURSELVES BY FASTING

Psalm 35:13

But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

WE HUMBLE OURSELVES BY PRAYER

2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

WE ARE NOW IN THE DAY OF HUMILITY

Deuteronomy 8:2

And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

WALK IN ALL LOWLINESS

Ephesians 4:1

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 With all lowliness [humility] and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

GOD REQUIRES US TO WALK HUMBLE

Micah 6:8

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

GOD GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE

James 4:6

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

THE HUMBLE ARE JUSTIFIED

Luke 18:13-14

13 And the publican[went up to the temple], standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other [the proud Pharisee]: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted [in coming millennial kingdom age].

THE PROUD SHALL FALL

Proverbs 16:18

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

THE FALL IS INTO CONDEMNATION

1 Timothy 3:6

Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

TO FALL IS A FEARFUL THING

Hebrews 10:30-31

30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

TO FALL IS TO NOT ENTER THE KINGDOM

2 Peter 1:10-11

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election [to the kingdom] sure [certain]: for if ye do these things [adding to your faith,v.5], ye shall never fall:[short of entrance into the kingdom]

11 For so[if you don’t fall] an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the ~~everlasting~~ age lasting kingdom [the millennium age, Rev.20:6] of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

HUMILITY DIVERTS GOD’S WRATH

2 Chronicles 32:26

Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

HUMILITY REAPS GOOD THINGS TO COME

Proverbs 22:4

By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

THE HUMBLE SHALL BE REWARDED

Psalm 37:11

But the humble will inherit the land, And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.(nasb)

THE INHERTANCE IS A REWARD

Colossians 3:23-24

23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men [a mark of humility]; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

THE INHERITANCE IS THE KINGDOM

Matthew 25:34

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

THE LORD SHALL EXALT THE HUMBLE

James 4:10

Humble yourselves [now in this age] in the sight of the Lord, and he shall [exalt you] lift you up [in the next age].

HUMILITY FIRST THEN HONOR

Proverbs 15:33

The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.

DECENDING INTO GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM

Matthew 18:4

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of