Dumping Pride, Pursuing Humility, Finding Joy! Extended Notes

Here's the scoop on the weekend worship experience at a2 Church today.

First of all, here's the set list / worship order:

On Our Side by Chris Tomlin
The band kicked it with this song!

Rise And Sing by Steve Fee

We The Redeemed by Hillsong

Chris Mileski did our announcements. Unknown, he had prepared video footage from our oldest daughter's recent wedding... Let's just say, "Payback is coming, and it will be sweet."

Center by Charlie Hall
During the offering, we entered back into worship by singing "Center." I love this song. I love the lyrics. I want to live these words.

The message notes are included below. You can also download the mp3 on the a2 Church website or via iTunes.

We closed the worship experience with the following two songs, Holy Communion and a repeated benediction.

Closing Songs:
All I Want To Do by Ginny Owens

We Fall Down by Passion Band


Dumping Pride, Pursuing Humility, Finding Joy
Philippians: Finding Joy in a Broken World – Part 5
Philippians 2:1-11
October 3, 2010 • Chris Goins

THE BIG IDEA: Some of the buzzwords and catch phrases of 21st century culture are words like self-esteem, self-improvement, self-help, self-love, and self-actualization… The list goes on… What if it’s all nothing but self-delusion?

Jesus was without a doubt the most joyful person who ever walked the planet. Why? Maybe because he was the most SELF-LESS. He is the ultimate example of true, selfless humility.

Philippians 2:1-11 may contain the most important description of Jesus in the New Testament. It’s the centerpiece of Philippians. Everything in the book is either leading to it or flowing from it. It deals with the subject of pride and gives us an amazing example of humility.


OPENING INTRODUCTION: Both Matthew and Mark describe an incident that occurred towards the end of Jesus’ ministry… An ugly competitive sprit started to develop among this small group of guys…

Mark 9:33-35 (NIV), They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

These guys saw in Jesus the fulfillment of all their messianic hopes and expectations… They believed that the Messiah would be a political liberator, and at this point what they were concerned about was status.

“Okay, when Jesus cleans house and takes over... When it comes to the inner circle, who is in line for status, position, power, prominence and honor? Who is greatest?”

Mark 9:35 (NIV), Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”


SITUATION TWO: A few days later, James, his brother John, and their mom pulled Jesus over to the side and said, “We’ve got a favor to ask… When you sit on your glorious throne… Can we get a promotion… We want a place of honor…”

Mark’s gospel reads like this: "Could one of us sit on the right hand side of your throne and the other on the left hand side?” (See Mark 10:35-45; Cf. Matthew 20:20-28)

When the other ten disciples got wind of the request James and John had just made, they went ballistic! A fight almost broke out… So Jesus gathered the group again, and taught the same principle he had just taught them in the previous chapter…

Mark 10:42-45 (NIV), "You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else."

Verse 45 contains the mission statement of Jesus…

Mark 9:45 (NIV), "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many."


QUESTION: Do you think the disciples got it?

SITUATION THREE: Fast forward to the night before Jesus' execution… The disciples arrived in Jerusalem, ready to celebrate Passover… This was just hours before Jesus’ arrest and death…

Jesus was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, but the disciples go at it again… They were still arguing about status, titles, position, and power… “Who’s going to be greatest?”

As directed by Jesus, Peter and John had secured a room for the disciples to observe Passover in… Somehow they had neglected to hire a servant to take care of washing everyone’s feet as they arrived…

One by one, as the disciples arrived, they wondered, “Okay, who’s going to admit they’re at the bottom of the pecking order? Who’s going to admit that they’re not in line for a Vice-President, Board or Cabinet position when Jesus ultimately takes over? Who’s going to admit that they’re really not ‘Board Member’ material? They’re really more of a follower than a leader?” (See John 13:1-17)

They all ended up reclining at the table with their “shamefully dirty feet stretched out behind them…” (See commentary on Philippians by R. Kent Hughes.)

The Passover meal began… Conversation was strained… Pride and the need to vie for position had separated these close friends…

Then the unimaginable happened. All of a sudden Jesus got up from the Passover Meal… He took off his outer garment… He grabbed a towel… Wrapped it around his body… And the God who created the universe, poured water into a basin, got onto his hands and knees and slowly moved around the circle, washing each of the disciple’s outstretched feet, wiping them with his towel…

This was breathtaking… The Midrash taught that no Hebrew, not even a slave, could be commanded to wash feet… But Jesus did it in the most humbling way possible… God in the flesh, dressed like a servant and washed the feet of a group of prideful, arrogant men… (See commentary by R. Kent Hughes.)

Then Jesus looked at this group of guys and said these words…

John 13:13-15 (NLT), You call me `Teacher' and `Lord,' and you are right, because that's what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.


THOUGHT: Approximately two thousand years have passed since these events took place, yet we still struggle with the underlying issue that prompted each of these situations. We still struggle with PRIDE.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: A couple of years ago I listened to an mp3 by Mark Driscoll titled, “Joy in Humility” and in that message Driscoll did an excellent job describing the differences between humility and pride… I’ve borrowed several of Driscoll’s thoughts and added a few of my own…


Some Important Thoughts About Humility and Pride:

1. Pride is our greatest enemy. Humility is our greatest friend.

“At every stage of our Christian development and in every sphere of our Christian discipleship, pride is the greatest enemy and humility our greatest friend.” ~ John Stott

2. Pride is the mother of all sin (Augustine). Humility is the mother of all joy (C.J. Mahaney).

“Pride, then, is more than the first of the seven deadly sins; it is itself the essence of all sin…” ~ John Stott

3. Pride is a declaration of our independence. Humility is admission of our dependence on God.

“Pride, then, is more than the first of the seven deadly sins; it is itself the essence of all sin. For it is the stubborn refusal to let God be God, with the corresponding ambition to take his place. It is the attempt to dethrone God and enthrone ourselves.” ~ John Stott

“Humility is honesty, acknowledging the truth about ourselves, that as creatures we depend on our Creator's power and as sinners on our Savior's grace.” ~ John Stott

Humility is “honestly assessing ourselves in light of God’s holiness and our sinfulness.” ~ C.J. Mahaney

4. Ultimately, pride is demonic and satanic. On the other hand, humility is Christ-like and Spirit-enabled. (See Isaiah 14:13-14; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5)

Isaiah 14:13-14 (NIV), You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

Pride “…seems to be the most serious sin. From my study, I’m convinced there’s nothing God hates more than [pride]…” ~ C.J. Mahaney

5. Pride is all about me. Humility is about JESUS and it’s about other people.

6. Pride is about “my glory.” Humility is about the glory of Jesus Christ.

7. Pride leads to arrogance, cockiness, smugness and self-righeousness. Humility leads to a quite and deep sense of confidence.

8. Pride destroys leaders. Humility is an essential aspect of the leader’s character and something God honors.

9. Pride undermines unity and ultimately divides a church, marriage, family, business, you name it… Humility leads to harmony and fosters unity in a church, marriage, family, etc.

10.Pride is something we can achieve in this lifetime. Humility is something we must continually pursue and cultivate throughout this life, though we’ll never fully achieve it.

* * * * * *

Philippians 2:1-11 contains some important instruction on humility… In fact, some believe that these eleven verses form the centerpiece of the entire book… Everything in the book either leads up to this passage or flows out it…


Here’s the cultural backdrop for Philippians 2.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Special thanks to John Ortberg and his message "God's Greatest Decision" for insights into the social ladder and hierarchy of first century Rome. Much of the material below was borrowed from Ortberg's message.

EXTENDED NOTES AND BACKGROUND: Philippi was a strategic city in Roman history… Philippi was the city where a guy who would become known as Caesar Augustus defeated the armies of Cassius and Brutus, the two guys who assassinated Julius Caesar… He defeated them so soundly that Cassius and Brutus took their own lives after the battle, while Augustus went on to become the Emperor of Rome…

Some historians believe that the battle of Philippi was a dividing mark in the history of Rome, and that it was probably the tipping point or strategic inflection point when Rome began to transition from being a republic with certain ideas about democracy to being an empire where one man would rule with an iron fist…

The rise of Caesar Augustus after the battle of Philippi also marked the beginning of Emperor Worship in the Roman Empire… Emperor worship can trace its roots back to city of Philippi…

This is an inscription from 9 B.C. where the is writer is describing Caesar Augustus…

“Augustus…(is) a savior for us and those who come after us the birthday of the god Augustus was the beginning for the world of the glad tidings that have come to men through him.”

In the mind of this Roman author, the “gospel” or “good news” was the news that Caesar reigns… Caesar rules…

In fact, they had an expression in those days… The expression was "Kyrios Kaiser." “Kyrios” is the word for “Lord.” So, the expression means: "Lord Caesar" or "Caesar is Lord."

The city of Philippi was the birthplace for Emperor Worship in Rome… It was the first place Augustus became known as "Kyrios Kaiser" or “Lord Caesar.”

As you can guess, Augustus was big on titles… He was into status, success, power, prestige, being first, best, and most prominent… And the people in Rome followed suit… They become preoccupied and obsessed with the pursuit of status, recognition, prominence and power… They even developed a very defined social hierarchy, and everybody in Rome knew where they were on the social ladder…


The Social Ladder in Rome:
Senate (Senatorial Class)
Equestrians / Knights
Decurans
Citizens
Freedmen
Slaves

NOTE: Society in that culture was arranged vertically… Life was about the pursuit of status, position, prominence and power… There entire culture bought into this... In fact, one author described it like this:

"Rome was the most status-conscious society in the ancient Mediterranean world, and no city is more obsessed with status than Philippi." ~ Quoted by John Ortberg

NOTE: If you attended a feast or a meal, people in that culture were seated in order of rank or status… The highest person on the ladder would be seated on the right… The next highest would be seated on the left… All the way down…

THOUGHT: Now, you can understand the request of James, John and their mother…

NOTE: Seating at public events, even like coming to church, was not based on how much money you spent for a ticket and whether or not you got there early enough to get the best seat… In that era, seating at public events was arranged according to status and class… And if you were in one of the lower categories and tried to sit in one of the upper class areas, it was actually against the law… In Rome, you sat in your section…

Everything in their culture was about reinforcing these labels and classes… Even your clothes…


With that in mind, think about ACTS 16… Paul traveled to Philippi… He began to preach the gospel, “Jesus is Lord!” Those were dangerous words, because if Jesus is Lord, who ISN’T Lord? Caesar ISN’T LORD…

Paul and Silas were arrested and thrown into jail.

Acts 16:20-23 (NIV), They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison…

Ultimately, Paul and Silas were miraculously delivered by God… The jailer and his family were born again… Then, the Roman jailer got word from the higher ups that he was to release Paul and Silas… But Paul said, “Not so fast…”

Acts 16:37 (NIV), But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”

OBVIOUS QUESTION: Why did Paul wait to acknowledge his citizenship? Why did Paul wait until after he had been beaten, humiliated, locked up, placed in stocks and nearly killed to indicate that he was a Roman citizen? Why didn’t Paul use his status to keep from going to jail and to spare him from a lot of pain?

IMPORTANT: Because he knows… He knows that the church he’s a part of building will be made up of people who can’t claim status or privilege to escape from pain… He knows that the church will be made up of people from every aspect of the social ladder, including and especially the lower rungs of the ladder…

Paul knew that while he could have used his status as a citizen to avoid suffering, pain, hardship, and to make his life easier; many of the people in the church in Philippi wouldn't have that option. They would have to suffer for Jesus.

QUESTION: How could he let them know they were loved and treasured? How could he show these guys what humble love looks like?

Paul did something nobody else would have done. Paul humbled himself. He willing forfeited the rights of citizenship and chose to experience suffering and humiliation as a slave for the sake of people he loved.

But this wasn’t original with Paul… He was only imitating His Lord…


The Greatest Example of Humility in History

Philippians 2:5-11 (NLT), You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.

(TNIV) says, Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage…

Philippians 2:7-8 (NLT), Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.

Philippians 2:9-11 (NLT), Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.


In Philippians 2:1-11, Paul challenging the church in Philippi, and he is challenging you and me, “Now, you be like him… Give up the pursuit of status, power, prominence, and position… Don’t be selfish… Be humble… Have the same attitude as Jesus Christ…”

Philippians 2:1-5 (NLT), Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
 3 Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

QUESTION: How would your marriage, family, business, friendship or relationships change if you had "the same attitude Jesus had"?


NEXT SUNDAY: Philippians 2:12-30.