Sermon manuscript – 1 Peter 5:5-9 (July 2, 2017)
INTRODUCTION
“The thing about pride is that you cannot brag about it. ” Gen. Patton.
I will flash on screen logos or trademark of famous brand and in your mind describe the first idea that pops when you see it.
What about us? How do people see us? What is our trademark? What do people remember of us? How do we come across to them? Are we refreshing like coke? Are simple like apple. Or service par excellence like sia? Or kapamilya like abs or maybe even cheap like SM?
BODY
In our study of the WORD this morning, I want you to go to 1 peter chapter. I’m reading verses 5-7 using NIV translation. Peters says in verse 5.
In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. [7] Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
So if you’re taking notes the title of my message is humility: the trademark of a christ follower.
There are several truths we can learn from Peters encouraging letter but here is one message for us to take away ” When trials abound, bow down in humility so we will be lifted up by Christ in Victory
- I’m sure humility, as a virtue, to some of us, maybe most of (that includes me) struggle with on a day to day basis. Why?
- Especially in a highly competitive environment like singapore where there appears to be no place for number 2 or 3. Everybody wants to be first.
- Where in order to have a voice one has to be an accomplished or have the ‘CERT” to back it up. I even saw this sticker saying “Im humble, and proud of it’.
And so the question we need to grapple this morning is “how can we practice humility in an environment where me, myself and I are prevalent or the norm’.
Do you know there is syndrome describing the “me” mindset. It is called NARCISSIM. Listen how Wikipedia defines it : It is a pursuit of gratification from vanity or egotistic admiration of one’s own attributes”.
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- Wow, there are people who’s you vain they like to take photos of themselves and post all over…I’m sure I don’t need to explain what selfie is all about because we are all guilty of it.
The scary thing is that, these kinds of odd behaviors of people has been written to remind us thousands of years ago. If you have your bibles, scroll to 1 Timothy chapter 3. And in Pauls letter to Timothy, he said:
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power.
Have nothing to do with such people.
Walang preno si Paul.
- NO need to explain because all around us, you can observe these behaviors of people we linger around with.
- Is this a phenomenon that describes where we are today? Well I say THIS is what’s happening now.
There is even a book written to tackle this subject and it is called “NARCISSIM Epidemic’.
It is not only a behavioral disorder that it is even become epidemic, like a disease. The author describes several attributes of a Narcissist!
- First, they have trouble in their relationships Why? They focus more on themselves than in others.
- Second, they’re very materialistic. Buy buy if there is no sell sell.
- Third, they’re concerned about image. Velo dyan velo ditto. They think of themselves as tigers or lions trapped in a cat body.
- And heres the shocking part, they have the most friends on FB or crave to have the most followers on Twitter or IG. OMG! Ouch!
So, if this behavior is an epidemic, is there a way to cure or treat, and perhaps stop the spread?
Let’s go back to our text and hear what peters IMPERATIVES are. Imperative means a command. A must do.
- First imperative, to young people, submit to our elders and one another elders.
- Nothing fancy, straightforward but are we doing it?
- We were all young once. This is an area I struggle with esp when were young and in the context to your parents. Only when I heard about the scripture that I became aware of my behavior, not overnight, but slowly submitted to my parents wishes.
- Now in Peters time, the context of this imperative is to ensure the church as they call it at that time is orderly.
- In those days, the way the church is organized is on the basis of age, birth right and often your place in the society.
- And so it is vital that the young submit to the old. And of course even more important is to submit to one another.
- What do you think is the stumbling block to submission, your guess is as good as mine – its PRIDE And Arrogance.
- Second, model our lives imitating Christ humility.
- Peter is very clear and he even quoted a prior verse when he said, God opposes the proud and shows favor to the humble.
- The context here when he said Clothe yourself, the word used is like bind, to secure.
- How do you bind something? Should be tight not loose. Otherwise it will suit its purpose.
- Peter is even very specific on this behavioral imperative such that he commands wives to submit to their husbands, and husbands to love their wives.
- In fact if you examine chapter 5 verse 1, Peters imperative is directed to leaders because he is saying you, you leaders, DON’T LORD it over your flock.
- But instead be shepherds, lead them by your good example. Model good behavior.
- Third, know and revere God out of humility, that he may lift us up in due time.
- This is the tricky part. Why? Because sometimes we abuse our relationship with God.
- We God for granted.
- We may even have the attitude that since buddy buddy naman kami ni Lord,anything that I Could Think of that’s good for me, all I do is to pray about it!
- He is still our God, our Lord, who we need to revere, we need to respect. If we are humble, we know where should we position ourselves.
Ravi Zacharias: well known apologist even asserted.
IF one is humble, God will find a way to use you.
If one is proud, God will find a way to break you.
- Fourth imperative, throw all your insecurities to GOD! The word throw used here is similar to casting garbage into a garbage truck!
- Can I tell you something, PROUD AND ARROGANT PEOPLE ARE INSECURE.
- If a person is insecure about his work, he or she will find a way to boast of his accomplishments so he/she could be noticed
- If a person is insecure about his relationship, he or she will find a way to shout to the whole world how wonderful it is, although deep inside, cracks are already beginning to show. And it is only a matter of time for the cracks to grow and cause serious havoc on their relationship.
- If a person is insecure about his place in society, he will find a way to ‘KEEP up with JONES”.
- Why do we feel anxious is the direct result of insecurity.
- Why are we insecure anyway? Is is because we don’t know what the future holds.
- Is it because we have failed God over and over again and there is no hope we can ever turn our wicked ways.
- Or maybe we are too proud to admit we have wronged him.
- Or maybe too discouraged that we know we fail God, were too proud to come and kneel in front of his thrown and ask for forgiveness.
- A Modern Poem, penned by an ordinary school teacher caught my attention as I prepare for todays message.
- Can I tell you something, PROUD AND ARROGANT PEOPLE ARE INSECURE.
- He came to my desk with a quivering lip, the lesson was done.
“Have you a new sheet for me, dear teacher? I’ve spoiled this one.”
I took his sheet, all soiled and blotted, and gave him a new one all unspotted.
And into his tired heart I cried, “Do better now, my child.”
- I went came to the throne with a trembling heart; the day was done.
“Have you a new day for me, dear Master? I’ve spoiled this one.”
He took my day, all soiled and blotted and gave me a new one all unspotted.
And into my tired heart he cried, “Do better now, my child.”
- Finally the last imperative by Peter, know where we stand in God!
- Many sermons have been written about how the enemy operates. And it is effective! And so Peter is serving us a warning here.
- In some verses, we see him as a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
- In Peters example, he is a roaring lion, watching and waiting patiently for someone to devour.
- How did Peter know about this? I believe he himself is a victim of the enemies scheming ways.
- Remember the time when Jesus rebuked Peter when he said to his face, GET BEHID Me satan! Check Matthew 16:23
CONCLUSION
I like what CS Lewis sums humility when he said: Humility is not thinking less of Ourselves but it is thinking of Ourselves less.
If we put into a microscope Jesus life and you can see the humility in everything that he does. It is HIS TRADEMARK!
Even up to the point where in death, he has the power to command angels and annihilate all of people who want him dead. He didn’t retaliate.
He did not only remain humble and full of humility even being humiliated in front of the very same people whom he is saving!!!!!!
Like Jesus, he humbled himself, coming down from heaven to become like us. Willing to be persecuted to fulfill his mission on earth. Treated wrongly by people, young and old. So that in the end, he was lifted up by the father. He should be our model. He should be our example.
Young and old, he alone should be the life pattern we ought to emulate.
When trials are plenty and they will be PLENTY, Bow down because we know our Christ will be there in the end bringing us GLORY.
AMEN!
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