HUMILITY: A pastor was asked to speak for a certain charitable organization. After the meeting the program chairperson handed the pastor a check. “Oh, I couldn’t take this,” the pastor said with some embarrassment. “I appreciate the honor of being asked to speak. You have better use for this money. You apply it to one of those uses.” The program chaiperson asked, “Well, do you mind if we put it in our Special Fund?” The pastor replied, “Of course not. What is the special fund for?” The chairman answers, “It’s so we can get a better speaker next year.”
I. Introduction
a. Sing the song: “Oh Lord, It’s Hard to be Humble”
b. Muhammad Ali was in his prime, and as he was about to take off on an airplane fight, the flight attendant reminded him to fasten his seat belt. He came back brashly, “Superman don’t need no seat belt!” The flight attendant quickly came back, “Superman don’t need no plane, either!” Ali fastened his seat belt.
c. Pride—deadly to the soul, when inflated, there is only one thing that can happen, it can get deflated.
d. Jesus’ disciples were feeling pretty big of themselves
i. Jesus set them straight
ii. Satan—Chief of all angels, fell to pride and cast out of heaven
iii. William Barclay: “It will always remain true that a person’s greatest glory is not what he or she has done, but what God has done for him or her.”
iv. Fulfill God’s will with humbleness in the presence of God’s gifts
II. SCORRE
a. The gift of the CALL
i. Lots of work, lots of love to be shared, but few workers
ii. An honor to be called by God to such noble work
iii. Called out of love to share love.
iv. Youth Advisor: “Coke” was his name, and humility was his game! The most humble man I have ever met. When everyone else was taking a break on a mission trip, he was the one out there continuing to work until the work was done. He did all this without a complaint, without a negative word, and with trying to guilt us into getting back to work.
b. The gift of PURPOSE
i. “Peace to this house”
ii. “the kingdom has come near your”
iii. “Go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
iv. The purpose: To spread the knowledge of God’s love and provide as many opportunities for people to be touched and changed by it.
c. The gift of PRAYER
i. The tools and support to complete the task
ii. Lord’s prayer
1. Our Father who art in heaven, holy be your name
2. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
3. Give us this day our daily bread
4. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors
5. And lead us not into temptation
6. But deliver us from evil
7. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.
iii. Direct connection with God, opportunity to offer praise, needs, sorrow, joy, and to listen for God’s guidance, knowing we cannot do this all on our own…it offers us a reminder of Satan’s failure and our task: God’s work with humility
III. Conclusion
a. We have been given the call to fulfill God’s will (the gift of being chosen)
b. We have been given purpose in our tasks (for the furtherment of God’s glory)
c. We have been given prayer, a source of power, strength, and support in times of joy and sorrow, pride and humility.
d. In all of these things, we have been freely given God’s love and grace, a gift which cannot be repaid and cannot be earned.
e. Know the gifts which God has given you, these being three (purpose, prayer, and love) from a list of thousands, and go, do the work of God in your life, whatever God is calling you to do, always remaining humble in the presence of such extravagence.
