Pride on It’s Head

Renounce Other God’s

Sermon for Sunday October 28, 2007

1. Good Morning. Let’s pray. O Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to You O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

2. Opening Comments: Last Sunday Our Lord was clearly encouraging us to greater persistence in our Christian lives. Effort really matters. We read bout the persistent widow who threatened to blacken the eye of the corrupt judge if he didn’t give her justice. Jacob wrestled with the angel to get God’s blessing and St. Paul encouraged his protégé Timothy to be ready to preach when it’s easy and when it’s hard. And so we were encouraged to extend greater effort in our lives of faith – to reach for God’s dream for us. You may remember I concluded with this quote from C.S. Lewis in his book, “Weight of Glory:”

“. . . Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased!”

So last Sunday God encouraged us to increase our spiritual ambition – to want to be all that God has dreamed us to be – defined by His dream for us and not ours for ourselves.

Well this morning I believe that we should focus our attention almost entirely on the Gospel lesson which focuses on the posture of the praying Christian. We must be persistent and dream God’s dreams for us but to this we must assume the correct posture before God and His creation – the posture of humility.

So we’re going to look a little bit closer at the cardinal virtue of humility.

Let me ask y’all two framing questions – these are questions that sort of frame our reflections from now on.

The questions are: “Do I really understand what it means to be a humble Christian? And the second question is this: “Do I really want to become a humble Christian?”

You see at the end of this sermon – to quote a famous Christian whose name escapes me now “At the end of this sermon many of us will go home and have Sunday lunch and slowly forget what God exhorted us to do.” And by the way – that’s true about me all too often!

Our Lord wants us to not only feel good about the fact that we love Him but He wants us to become more and more like Him, so that we can live out our lives here on earth in utter freedom drawing others around us into His Kingdom because of our sublime witness.

The fundamental Christian virtue of humility is so attractive and it will, by the grace of God, draw many around us into His Kingdom!

This virtue is very much about who we at TCC are all about – you ask “Why so?” Ha! Well the most ancient icon that seeks to “picture” the Trinity is of three angels (Show icon). Tell story of icon – and explain that it depicts the three Persons of the trinity and the key virtue being revealed here is that of hospitality and at the very basis of this virtue of that of humility. Come into the home of a humble man and you immediately relax but come into the home of a prideful person and you find yourself on guard constantly. Humility breeds restfulness!

Go to the Abbey of the Genesee – you can breathe the “humility” in all over the place.

If we at TCC highly value the cardinal virtue of humility in this community we will grow in the sister virtue of hospitality.

Let’s begin our reflections on this sublime virtue by looking very briefly at a saint whose humility is legendary. St. Francis of Assisi:

The author of that golden book The Imitation of Christ, Thomas a Kempis, describes St. Francis in a word when he calls him "humble." "For how much so ever each one is in Thine eyes, O Lord, so much is he and no more, saith the humble St. Francis." (Imitation of Christ, Book III, Chap. 50) In fact, it was the supreme wish of his heart to carry himself always with humility, as the least and last among men. Therefore, from the very beginning of his conversion, he ardently desired to be looked down upon and to be despised by all. Later on, although he became the Founder, the writer of their Rule, and the Father of the Friars Minor, he insisted that one of his followers should become the superior and master on whom even he was to depend. At the earliest possible moment, steeling himself against the prayers and wishes of his disciples, he desired to give up the supreme government of his Order "in order to practice the virtue of holy humility" and to remain "with her till death, living more humbly than any other friar." (Thomas of Celano, Legenda, Chap. II, No. 143)

Now before we go any further you and I need to understand just how much we operate out of the vices of pride and disdain!

Let me put that another way – we need to get in touch with how much the cancer of pride has metastasized in our own spiritual bodies. We need to, in a sense, examine ourselves and allow God to reveal just how much this terrible spiritual vice has become a part of who we are and how we function daily.

Now this is not a fun exercise and that’s probably why I don’t do it myself very often although I have the questionable advantage of having to live my life in a glasshouse – fairly visible to all and therefore the easy target of every the critic.

When was the last time you found yourself criticizing someone either directly or indirectly? Now that criticism may have contained some legitimate truths but the real question is this: Was the criticism driven by a spirit of anger or wounded pride or some other emotion that would not be described as gracious or generous or loving?

I must confess that I can think of probably a half a dozen instances when I was very much less than gracious in the last week and it’s as I remember these instances that God brings deep conviction to me and the pleading prayer for “amendment of life” – O Lord, forgive me and change me! Give me a humble and contrite heart.

Psa. 51:10

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

You see I was trained to disdain anyone who acted with less than perfect intentions. The trouble with this training is that this disdain had to ultimately turn on me and so self-disdain and self-hatred invaded my being. Not a very kind bedfellow! The terribly demanding child of pride - “scrupulousity” - became my constant companion!

Now back to you. Allow yourself to remember snippets of conversations you had with others or with yourself in which sarcasm and disdain we clearly evident.

Remember a thought you had perhaps this morning or one you might be having right now about me – ha! A thought that is not driven by love or grace or care but rather one driven by peevishness or frustration or – I don’t now what. . .

Now you and I can easily justify these thoughts – these conversations – these comments! No worries. We’re probably very correct in our assessment but the problem is that with the same measure we judge others so too we find ourselves being judged – by ourselves and unfortunately be God.

Remember

Matt. 7:1

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Matt. 7:3

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Jeremy Taylor in “Holy Living” put it this way: “For the humble man will not judge his brother for the mote in his eye, being more troubled at the beam in his own eye; and is patient and glad to be reproved, because himself hath cast the first stone at himself, and therefore wonders not that others are of his minde.”

Have you and I got in touch with this terrible tendency in us? I’ve become overwhelmed with my sinfulness in this area so this medicine of Humility that our Lord is offering us this morning is timely at least for me!

So please lean in and join with me in examining this virtue of all virtues as it were - and then please pray that God will give us a deep desire to grow in this virtue.

3. Focusing in. OK, let’s begin by really focusing on in the Gospel shall we. Let me read it again and this time listen very carefully for the nuances that you may have missed the first time. Here we go:

Luke 18:9

He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: 10 “Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. 11 The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: ‘Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. 12 I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.’

Luke 18:13

“Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, ‘God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.’”

Luke 18:14

Jesus commented, “This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face, but if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”

So the context for this parable is Jesus speaking to some spiritual snobs who were looking down their noses at the plebeians – the common folk - around them.

We might assume that Jesus is just “ticked off” at these pompous people but that’s a mistake for we are ascribing to Him what would more probably be ascribed to us and our reactions to such people.

No we must assume that He is what He says He is – God incarnate – God in flesh on earth – and if that’s a safe assumption then we must also assume that His actions are always and ever redemptive – transformative. In other words, Jesus is seeking to help these people to grow in humility for what they were exhibiting clearly was the quintessential opposite of this virtue. They were clearly operating out of self-righteous pride.

Jesus was offering these people the spiritual medicine that would make them to quote Peterson “right with God.”

Jesus was giving these people a picture of what God loved and it was the picture, of all persons, a “tax collector” – one of the most despised people of the community. Don’t you find it fascinating that Jesus would choose such a person to personify the virtue of humility?

Try to image that scene. You can close your eyes if you wish but try to envision that scene and as we do let’s let some clarifying questions rise to the surface.

The people around Jesus were just that – members of a crowd. They were fairly obviously manifesting disdain for those whom they felt were below them so Jesus told them a parable designed to free them from this bondage of their disdaining behavior.

Please listen in to the prayers of the two main characters again:

Luke 18:11 The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: ‘Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. 12 I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.’

Luke 18:13

“Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, ‘God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.’”

Now to whom is the Pharisee praying? Who is listening in? Clearly the Pharisee is but who else? Let’s assume that the Pharisee is believing that he is praying to someone. Who is that someone? Yes, God Almighty is obviously listening in but He is thinking sad thoughts for the Pharisee and seeking to apply the medicine of humility. But I want to make another point. I think the Pharisee is praying to his god – a god of his own creation. A god of disdain and one who values right behavior done in a spirit of disdain and of self-righteousness!

This is the god the Pharisee worships! This is a cruel God – a false god who will eventually turn on him and judge him. Beware of the god’s you worship – for any other god than the real god will judge you and me and all of those around us . . . . mercilessly!

One of my Pastoral Care Text books made the fascinating observation that pastors should try to identify the gods that some of his congregation worship – the god’s, that is, other than the real and only good God!

Is there a competition then of the gods? Yes, of course there is! That’s what spiritual warfare is all about isn’t it? Demons want you to worship them! But God is coming to us this morning and seeking to apply the heavenly salve of humility.

OK – let’s turn briefly to the prayer of the humble tax man:

Luke 18:13

“Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, ‘God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.’”

O Lord, I love this man! And so too does God! Look at him – slumped in the shadows – hiding from the glare – the disdain - of his despisers. Look at him – his face crushed into his hand seeking to hide even further from the disdainful glares of his haters – come in his utter despair to the one in whom he seeks to find forgiveness and consolation.

He, of all people, has found the One –the very One - who will not judge him in his humility! Come to God aware and deeply sorry for your sins and your will find His loving mercy and forgiveness.

Matt. 11:28

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Listen to how Peterson paraphrases these verses in “The Message:”

Matt. 11:28

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. 29 Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.

This is who you and I worship! He doesn’t disdain us! He loves us and call us to the freedom of humility for our own sakes and for the sakes of those around us.

Humility! And listen to Jesus’ concluding comment:

Luke 18:14

This is translated in the NIV this way:

Luke 18:14

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Ah! “For everyone who exalts himself or herself will be humbled and he or she who humbles himself or herself will be exalted.”

Now, I think, it prudent to assume that this is a rule of life. In other words, we can assume that if we exalt ourselves God will sooner or later humble us and if we humble ourselves God Himself will exalt us!

How then do you and I humble ourselves? How do we do that?

How do we weave the spiritual virtue of humility into the very fabric of our beings so that more and more and more and more we are operating out of a spirit of humility and less and less out of a spirit of pride and disdain and judgementalism?

This really is the fundamental question for us now isn’t it?

Charles Spurgeon once wrote:

“The higher a man is in grace, the lower he will be in his own estimation. Not because he is comparing himself with people, but because he is comparing himself with the Lord God.”

How to become humble – that’s the question and how to do it quickly and easily please? Ha!

The fact is that the weight of heaven pushes all of creation to the posture of humble worship!

Let go of yourself and look for God and you can’t help but assume the posture of humble worship.

No! It’s not about how to become humble but rather it’s about how to become free from pride for it’s pride that tries to block the inevitable movement of the universe to worship its Creator.

Let me suggest a strategy that has and is increasingly being helpful to me.

First remember how you looked, felt and responded to the world around you when you operated out of a spirit of humility.

Can you remember a time when this was true of you? Perhaps it was the time immediately after you had been humbled – perhaps even humiliated – and you gone to God and received not only His forgiveness but His loving embrace. Can you remember any time in your life when you walked for a time in real peace and real humility?

Now if you’re struggling with this – try to envision the tax collector. Look at him broken and begging for God’s mercy: ‘God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.’”

Try to see him getting up from his knees and experiencing God’s forgiveness and embrace and then leaving with a lightness in his tread.

Look at his face – joy, peace, restedness, trusting, Hmmmmmm . . .

Second we must remember how we feel and respond to the world when we’re operating out of self-righteous anger and disdain.

Can you remember a time when this was true of you? Perhaps it was a time when someone in this sanctuary did or said something that infuriated or hurt or frustrated you. Can you remember how you felt – what you thought and what perhaps you did as you operated out of this feeling?

Now I want to note once again that you or I may be correct in our assessment of the person or situation to which we’re responding with self-righteous anger but the focus here is upon what spirit is driving us – one of self-righteous anger.

You and I can be correct in our judgment of someone’s behavior but if we can’t find love and grace and operate out of these virtues then let’s wait until we can.

Oh I wish I could take this advice more often!

Andrew Murray said, "The humble man feels no jealousy or envy. He can praise God when others are preferred and blessed before him. He can bear to hear others praised while he is forgotten because ... he has received the spirit of Jesus, who pleased not Himself, and who sought not His own honor. Therefore, in putting on the Lord Jesus Christ he has put on the heart of compassion, kindness, meekness, longsuffering, and humility."

Look Jesus wouldn’t call us to adopt a spirit of humility if we couldn’t do it! He doesn’t tease us like that. The fact is that you and I can grow in humility – the question is do we really want to?

How much do you and I want to grow in the cardinal virtue of humility?

If you do then show God – not me – or those around us – don’t do the Pharisee – adopt the spirit of the humble tax collector.

Come and join me as I kneel and ask God to shower us this His spirit of humility – please join me, if you can, in the posture of humble petition.

I want to conclude with what I think might be the final confession of the Tax Collector – it might go like this –

“O Lord, I have relied on everything else but you. Everything else has been the source of my security – my money, my power, my authority over others but all of these apparent sources of power have turned to dust in my mouth! You and You only are the real source of power and authority! O Lord, forgive me – be merciful with me a terrible sinner. Amen.”

And God’s response to him and to you is this, “You are forgiven now stand up and let me hold you. You are no longer a slave to those sins but you are a friend of mine – from now until forever. Amen!

Let’s pray . . .