Pride and the Downfall of the Haughty Heart audio video notes. Jesus taught against pride by teaching radical humility. Pride brings disgrace. Humility brings wisdom. We don’t think about humility bringing wisdom. It is. A wise person is a person of humility. A fool is prideful.
PRIDE
By Pastor Delbert Young
Pride and the Downfall of the Haughty Heart
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Pride and the Secret of Humility audio video notes
Scriptures: Proverbs 16:18, Proverbs 11:2, 1 John 2:16, Mark 10:42-45, Matthew 5:43-45, Matthew 5:5, John 13:4-5, John 13:13-17
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We’re talking about “PRIDE.” We’re not talking about upright pride as being proud of the success of others. It’s the pride God hates. It’s a depraved pride capable of damaging, disgracing, and destroying our lives. Last time, we saw pride as a wrong, evil spirit.
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a HAUGHTY SPIRIT before a fall.
This haughty spirit, if in you, will disgrace you. When we are around arrogant, conceited, snooty, and vain people, we sense something repulsive. It’s the haughty spirit of pride. God hates it.
There is no spirit more opposed to the Spirit of God than the haughty spirit of pride. Pride is in direct opposition to the Spirit of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and Father God. It brings disgrace to our lives.
Proverbs 11:2 When PRIDE comes, then comes DISGRACE, but with HUMILITY comes WISDOM.
The opposite of pride is humility. Pride makes us dumb. Pride causes us to do dumb things, bringing disgrace. Also, pride convinces us of the opposite. Pride convinces us it brings greatness. No. It brings disgrace. Humility brings greatness through wisdom, but it’s a secret. Shhhh! Don’t tell anyone. “What do you mean, Delbert?”
Pride and the Secret of Humility
The world is all about pride and selfishness, so the world follows pride.
(KJV) 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the WORLD, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and THE PRIDE OF LIFE, is NOT OF THE FATHER, BUT IS OF THE WORLD.
The world thinks and lives one way. We are to think and live another. Making a decision to follow Jesus is a decision not to follow the world and pride to avoid disgrace. Have you ever become puffed up and went off on someone in pride, and then it backfired in your face? Maybe it cost you your job. Pride will cost you your job, or a broken nose, or a friendship, or money. Maybe you got the last dig in on the repairman, but then he charged you double. What would wisdom have been in your situation? There’s a wisdom in humility not found in anything else.
Judy and I were coming back from Atlanta. I had my cruise control set at ten miles over, but the sheriff who pulled me over said I was doing eleven over, according to his radar. What did I do? I bowed up and said, “No, I wasn’t! I know what speed I was going.” He said, “Sir, I was only going to give you a warning, but if you want to argue this in court, I’ll be more than happy to write you a citation.”
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” I’m certain each of us has a similar story. Young people and children, listen. If you want your parents to do something for you, don’t blow up in pride. There’s a secret wisdom in humility.
Pride and the Secret of Humility
Jesus taught against pride by teaching radical humility. He taught us and showed us how to handle pride and its destructive spirit and power. Following Jesus’ instructions will stop us from experiencing the disgrace of pride.
Mark 10:42-45 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles LORD IT OVER THEM, and their high officials exercise authority over them. NOT SO WITH YOU. INSTEAD, WHOEVER WANTS TO BECOME GREAT AMONG YOU MUST BE YOUR SERVANT, AND WHOEVER WANTS TO BE FIRST MUST BE SLAVE OF ALL. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
His teaching is totally radical. The world has its pecking order – rulers and high officials who “lord it over them.” The kingdom has it pecking order also but reverse. Jesus said, “Not so with you, instead…” The pecking order goal is not to be at the top. True Greatness is to be at the bottom. Jesus said let me tell you a secret the world doesn’t know. Radical humility is wisdom, and it will make you great. Radical humility will win friends and influence people. It’s who can serve the best. It’s who can become the greatest slave to serving. The winner, the one in the first place, is the best slave of all. It’s not the one who has the most people serving him. It’s the one who is a slave to all. To how many? All!
Pride causes us to look down in a condescending way upon people. Pride causes us to use people and lessen their value, potential, and their importance. Humility causes us to look up to people, but not so much as superiors. Humility causes us to see the importance, value, and potential of people. When we see a person’s value, we will help and serve them no matter if their clothes, possessions, abilities, family, education, success, etc., is not what we have.
Pride and the Secret of Humility
We’ll find a way to serve, help, and bring them in where pride would condescend upon them and shut them out. Jesus said true greatness is determined not by how we use people and expect them to serve us. True greatness is determined by how well we value the importance of people shown by helping and serving them. What have you done for anyone other than yourself and maybe your children? Anything? How many do you serve?
One of the wisest things we can do is find a way to serve people.
“Yes, but Delbert, they made me mad, and they were wrong.” I know, serve them. Find a way to serve them. “No, you don’t understand. They were wrong.” I understand. Serve them. Let’s put this into a practical perspective. You and your spouse experienced a bitter fuss fight. Both sides said mean things. Instead of lording his anger over her, the husband brings home a box of candy, flowers, and a sweet love card. What happens, and what happens to pride?
What if he came home to find his wife had prepared his favorite meal and a sweet handwritten note? Then what happens, and what happens to pride? What if they both did this at the same time? Now, what happens? Take that pride!
“That’s my spouse, Delbert. Of course, I should do this for my spouse, but this other person, well, they’re like my enemy.” Oh really! What did Jesus say to do for your enemies?
Matthew 5:43-45 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven…
Pride and the Secret of Humility
I’m telling us Jesus was radical about humility. It’s the same principle with your enemies or someone who’s angry with you as it is with your spouse. Years ago when I worked as a supervisor in a cotton mill, I had a machine technician who worked for me named Billy. We worked the graveyard shift (12 midnight till 8 a.m.). I came out one morning and was so focused on going home that I drove right past Billy without noticing his car had broken down, and he was attempting to stop me for assistance. It hurt Billy thinking I’d driven past him and not offered to help.
The next night, when I came to work, I saw his car on the side of the road where he’d left it. I asked him about it, and he told me what I’d done. I apologize, but it didn’t help. So I asked him why his car remained there. He said he had to walk home. He didn’t have time to fix it and didn’t have the parts. I told him I’d take him to get what he needed when we got off work. He said he didn’t have any money and would have to wait for payday. I told Billy I had money and we’d get his car running. With the offer, his attitude began to change toward me.
The next morning, I took Billy to his car.
He took off the broken starter. I took him to the parts store, paid for a rebuilt starter, took him back to his car, and waited for him to install the starter. He told me to go home. I told him I’d wait to make certain everything worked. After the car had cranked, he looked at me and said, “Thank you. I was so mad and hurt at you for not helping me. I want to apologize. Then I said, “No, Billy. I apologize. I would be angry with me, too.” I’d been inviting Billy to church. The next Sunday, Billy was there and gave his life to Jesus.
Pride and the Secret of Humility
I served Billy. It not only corrected a bad situation, it impacted him enough to come to Christ. I didn’t allow my pride to say, “Who does he think he is? He works for you. Where does he get off thinking I should have stopped for him?” How do you think God felt when I did what I did, and Billy did what he did? How do you think I felt when Billy came to the Lord? I felt great. Jesus said if you want to become great – feel great, do something great – serve and become a slave.
Jesus made a very radical statement concerning pride and humility.
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the MEEK, for they will inherit the earth.
Pride is a wrong spirit, causing us to be arrogant, haughty, and condescending. Humility causes us to be meek. Jesus said the meek have it going on. The meek know something the prideful and haughty haven’t figured out. It’s a secret. Don’t tell anyone. It’s a hidden wisdom. The word meek is praus {prah-ooce’} – mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit; Gentleness or meekness is the opposite of self-assertiveness and self-interest… The gentle person is not occupied with self at all. This is a work of the Holy Spirit, not of the human will.” Notice, it doesn’t mean weak.
It will be those who understand the wisdom and greatness of meekness and humility who will get everything. It won’t be the prideful and haughty who lord over and use others. The meek are the ones who will come out on top. It’s a secret. What do you want in life? Try being a person of meekness and humility.
Pride and the Secret of Humility
It was the night before his crucifixion. Jesus was in a room alone with his apostles, experiencing what we call “The Last Supper.” There were the twelve and Jesus. There wasn’t a servant to wash their feet, a common practice in their day. They reclined to eat with dirty feet, a bad experience in their culture.
John 13:4-5 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
The hands of Jesus washed feet! These same hands were the hands used to heal people from diseases. They’d open blind eyes. They delivered people from demons. These hands blessed children. Jesus took his hands and washed his feet. This was Jesus, not only the greatest among them, he is the son of God! “Take that pride! What do you think about that pride?”
After he had washed all their feet, including Judas Iscariot, Jesus said:
John 13:13-17 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I HAVE SET YOU AN EXAMPLE that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, YOU WILL BE BLESSED IF YOU DO THEM.
Do you want to be blessed? Learn the secret wisdom of humility. Jesus wasn’t telling them feet washing would become a church observance as it didn’t. Jesus meant we should serve and walk in meekness and humility. If we will, we will be blessed. Why? We will break pride in our lives! We will avoid pride’s disgrace, handle the haughty, wicked spirit of pride, handle pride’s destructive power, and inherit what God has for us. Jesus set a radical but liberating approach to handling pride in our lives. When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom (Pro 11:2). There is hidden wisdom in humility. Shhh! Don’t tell anyone. It’s a secret!
Pride and the Secret of Humility audio video notes
Pride and the Secret of Humility audio video notes
Other Related Sermons:
Pride Stops Us audio video notes
Pride sermon series audio video notes
Challenge to do Something Great
Love in the Kingdom – sermon video audio notes
When Filled With Pride Or Arrogant Heart
Also see:
Strong’s Concordance