The Quest for Today's Church, Part 6

Let's pray together. Father, we thank you, Lord, for today. We thank you, Lord, for the words of the song we just sang concerning how we leave all things to follow thee. And our prayer, Lord, is that every one of us would understand the implications of that for our lives. That truly you are dear to us. You are everything. And that, Lord, our lives would be lived in the light of your beauty and glory. Today, instruct us in the way that we should go. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. We are looking at the quest for today's church.

We are in principle number six. The previous five are in your notes, in your bulletin. But today we want to look at principle number six in the quest for the church.

It's very important for us to understand this because it's truly, deeply convicting. And that is, there needs to be a humility. A humility that preserves our partnership. A humility that preserves our partnership. We are all partnered together in the body. We all partner together with Christ. And what preserves that partnership is the humility that each and every one of us lives every single day. Now, I know that when you talk about humility, most people just tune out. They don't understand humility.

In a world filled with self-exaltation, self-fulfillment, and you're asked to live a life of self-denial and self-abasement, that just goes against everything that society teaches. And yet that's been the call. Christ said in Luke chapter 9 verse number 23, if any man come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. The message of the gospel is all about self-denial. And that's why it's so hard for people to repent from their sins. Because we live a life of self-fulfillment.

We live a life that centers around my selfish ambitions. And Christ says, I want you to turn away from all that, deny yourself, and follow me.

He says, I want you to live a life of self-denial, self-abasement, and I want you to live a life of self-suicide. That's the life you want you to live. That's why Paul said, I am crucified with Christ. I have died to self. And yet, even though that happens at salvation, pride always raises its ugly head in our lives. And we need to live lives that truly scream humility. You can probably get a lot of different definitions of the word humility. I love what Andrew Murray said about humility. He was a writer.

He was a teacher. He was a pastor. He was a South African pastor. And listen to what he says about humility. It is so convicting. He says this, Humility is perfect quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble. It is never to be fretted, or vexed, or irritated, or sore, or disappointed. Humility is to affect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in the Lord where I can go in and shut the door and kneel to my father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness when all around and above is trouble.

That's how he describes humility. Think about that. How many of us are vexed? How many of us are disappointed? How many of us fret from day to day? But you see the reason that happens is because down deep inside, there is that pride that says, I deserve more than this. I deserve to be treated better than this. And whenever you have that attitude, that is the attitude of Satan. That is the attitude of pride that says, I deserve better. Who said? Who told you that? And don't think that you're alone in this.

Every one of us in the room face this. That's why Peter said in 1st Peter chapter 5, verse number 5, he says, you younger men likewise be subject to your elders, and all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another. Wow, what a statement. Clothe yourself with humility. The word clothe means to tie in a knot. What is Peter thinking of? He's he's thinking of John chapter 13 when Christ would take a slave's apron, tie it in a knot, and humble himself and begin to wash his disciples feet.

And Peter was an arrogant man. Peter was a prideful man. Peter was the one that said, though all men deny you, I will not. He was the one who who called Christ aside and said, Christ, you don't understand your mission in life. You're talking about your death. You're the Messiah. And Christ had to say to him, get thee behind me, Satan, for you don't have in mind the things of God. Peter, you only have in mind the things of man. But Peter was an arrogant man. But he would say in 1st Peter chapter 5, all of you clothe yourself in humility toward one another.

And he says, for God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. Do you ever think that maybe you don't have the grace in time of need because of your arrogance? God opposes the proud. He goes on to say, therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you at the proper time. I was reading this this past week, and I was reminded of the words of Christ in Luke chapter 9. So if you have your Bible, turn back to Luke chapter 9 with me for a moment. Because Peter, like the other 11, truly were filled with self.

You would think that the disciples of all people would learn the lesson of humility quickly. Because they were with the one, the Christ, who is meek and lowly in heart. That's his character. That's his nature. That's who he is. And you would think that they would pick up on that right away. But they really never did until after, after his ascension. They had a hard time swallowing their pride. They had a hard time living a life of humility. And in Luke's gospel, you have to get the context because in chapter 9, verse number 23, he talks about, if any man come out to me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.

He talks about the gospel presentation. In that same chapter, there's that, there's that Mount of Transfiguration experience where Peter, James, and John go on top of Mount Hermon and they see the Lord Christ transfigured before their eyes and Peter wanted to build three tabernacles there. And they were just astonished as to, as to what they, they saw and what they heard when the Lord said, this is my beloved son, listen to him. And while they were up in the mountain, the, the other, the other nine were down below and they were trying to cast a demon out of a, of a young man and couldn't do it.

He said, Christ comes down with his men and the father comes to Christ and Christ cast out the demon. And the Bible says in Luke 9, verse number 43, and they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

The greatness of God. That's just a powerful statement. They were all amazed at the Christ. You see, to look at Christ when he was in his incarnation, you, you, you would not be amazed at his appearance.

But, but you would be amazed at everything he said and everything he did. Because in Matthew chapter 7, when he was done with the Sermon on the Mount, they were absolutely amazed and astonished because never a man spoke like this man. And then when people saw the miracles that he did, they were amazed at, at the miracles of the man. But to look at Jesus would not cause you to wonder in amazement, but to see and hear what he did and said, yeah, it would.

And they were all amazed. And so it says in verse 43, but, but while everyone was marveling at all that he was doing, he says to his disciples these words, let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. He prophesies his death. Amidst the accolades of greatness, amidst the praise and adulation of his miracles, he wants his men to gain perspective. He wants his men to understand what's going to happen. And so he draws him aside and tells them once again, the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.

Mark's account, Matthew's account, give us a little bit more details as to the words he says at this time. And then it says in verse 45, but they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this statement. They did not comprehend the fact that this great Messiah, which everybody acclaimed, would suffer and die. The Bible does tell us that there were certain things concealed from them. That's the pity of Christ on his men, because if he revealed everything to them, they would probably leave the ministry on this day, and there was more work to accomplish, more things they needed to know and understand before the end of his life on earth.

And so he concealed some things from them, because it would be too difficult for them to digest, too difficult for them to get a handle on. But notice the text also says that they were afraid to ask him anything else about this.

And the question comes, why won't they ask him? Why wouldn't you say, well, wait a minute, wait a minute. Explain to us the Son of Man being delivered into the hands of Gentiles. Explain to us the mocking. Explain to us the spitting. Explain to us these things. Why wouldn't they be curious? Why wouldn't they go over and say, you know what, Lord, we need to have some answers here. What are you talking about? The reason they don't ask the question is because they don't want to know the answer. They don't want to know what that means for them.

And that's why the very next discussion is so important. It tells you why they are afraid to ask him, because the Bible says this in verse number 46, an argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest.

Really? He talks about, if any man come after me, then deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. He presents the gospel. If you want to keep your life, you're going to lose it, so you got to lose it in order to keep it. And yet there arose this discussion, the Bible tells us in Mark's gospel, that they're in Capernaum, they're in a house, and there's an argument that arises as to who is the greatest among them. And you would think that these men, of all men, would understand the humility of the Christ.

But you see, they were into self-promotion. They were truly into themselves. They're just like you and me. For them, the ministry was all about them. For them, the kingdom was all about them, for they would say at the Ascension in Acts chapter 1, Is it now that you're going to restore the kingdom to Israel? Because if it is, we're ruling and reigning with you, and that's what we want to do. So that was always on their minds. What was on their minds was what's in this for me? And you would think that if anybody would not have that, it would be these guys.

But pride is is ingrained in our nature. Ego, selfish ambition, the pride of life is everywhere. And so it says, an argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. You would think that these men, who were Jewish men, raised in the synagogue, having heard the teaching of Jesus, would be men of the book. They would know the Bible. They would know the Old Testament. They would know verses like Proverbs 21, verse number 4, a proud heart is sin. Proverbs 16, 5, everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord.

Proverbs 8, 13, the fear of the Lord is to hate evil. It's to hate pride and arrogance. You would think these men would know that. You would think that they would understand what James quoted from the book of Proverbs, that God resists the proud. You would think they would know Isaiah 23, verse number 9, God brings the proud into contempt. Psalm 31, 23, the proud will be judged. Exodus after 18, verse number 11, the proud will be subdued. Psalm 18, 27, the proud will be brought low. Daniel 4, 37, the proud will be abased.

And Malachi 4, verse number 1, the proud will be punished. You'd think they'd remember those verses. You think they would remember Micah 6, verse number 8, when the Lord God said, what does the Lord require of thee that you simply do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. That's what the Lord requires of you. You would think they would at least know that, or they would know Psalm 138, verse number 6, though the Lord be high yet hath he respect unto the lowly, the humble, the brokenhearted.

You would think they would know Psalm 10, verse number 17, Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble. Proverbs 15, 33, before honor is humility. Isaiah 66, verse number 2, to this man will I look to him who's broken, and of a contrite heart, and who trembles at my word. You would think they would know those verses being raised in the Jewish synagogue, being taught by the Lord. You would think they would know those verses. But you would also think that we would know those verses. You would also think that we would know what the Bible says concerning humility.

You would think that we would know verses like Romans chapter 12, verse number 3, which says, For through the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think. You'd think we would know those verses. Or that we would know verses like Philippians chapter 2. Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind, regard one another as more important than yourselves. Do not merely look out for your own personal interest, but also for the interest of others. Having the attitude that was in Christ Jesus. You would think that we would know those verses, right? And so therefore, humility would reign supreme in our lives and not arrogance and pride and envy and jealousy. But it does. Just like it did for the twelve. That's why Paul says over in 2 Corinthians chapter 12, because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of satan to torment me, to keep me from exalting myself.

Paul says twice. Twice. I was given a thorn in the flesh. I was given by the messenger of satan a thorn in my flesh, and we don't know what that is. We should not even speculate as to what that is. But Paul says I received it so that I would not exalt myself. Paul knew how easy it was to exalt himself. After all, he had received their heavenly visions and the revelations of Christ. So easy for him to think more highly of himself than others. But God gave him a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of satan to remind him not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think.

And so these men, these twelve, after hearing what Christ said about his suffering and dying, having heard him preach concerning denying yourself, taking up your cross, and following me, they still had this argument that would arise among them. And it wasn't the first time it happened.

It had already happened before. And it's not the last time it's going to happen, because it's going to happen on the eve of the crucifixion. So this was a part of their life. This is who they were. They were arrogant, self-centered, filled with their own glory. And it would raise its ugly head at different times in their lives, just like it does for you and me. Arrogance and pride raises its ugly head. And the partnership that we have in the church is not preserved. It's destroyed. Because of our arrogance and our pride.

So the Bible says that an argument arose among them as to which of them would be the greatest. But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking, in their heart, took a child and stood him by his side. And he said to them, whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great. John answered. He said, Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him, because he does not follow along with us.

But Jesus said to him, do not hinder him, for he who is not against you is for you. In this little scenario, in this little journey, the last episode in the Galilee, as they embark on Jerusalem, as they begin that descent to the cross, or should I say the ascent to the cross, this scenario takes place. And for us to understand how humility preserves our partnership, we must know how pride is such an intricate part of our lives. And this story tells us. And so I want to explain that to you this morning, as we understand what God has for us to learn.

The first thing you need to know is that pride destroys unity. It destroys unity. Just one thing you need to understand, Christ prayed that we all would be one, and that we are baptized by one spirit into the body of Christ. We are one. We are united. We are partnered together. We don't have to pray for unity, because we're already one. We just have to make sure we don't destroy the oneness that Christ prayed for in John chapter 17. That's why in Ephesians 4, it says that we are to endeavor to keep the unity, the spirit, and the bond of peace.

We are to work hard at keeping the unity of the spirit. We are to work hard at being unified, at keeping the unity that Christ prayed for, that Christ died for. And what destroys that is pride. Pride destroys that. It destroys that unity. That's why it says, an argument arose among them. Now, remember, these are the ones who are going to carry the gospel. These are going to be the first century preachers.

These guys are going to be involved in the birth and the growth of the church. These are the first preachers.

They need to be one. They need to support one another. They need to be unified as a group of individuals coming together as one under Christ. And Jesus, having just spoken about his own personal suffering, having spoken about denying yourself, these men became judgmental. They became divisive. They became argumentative. An argument arose among them as to who would be the greatest. Pride destroys that unity. Remember over in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, Paul would write these words, I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.

Paul says, I wanted to speak to you as mature believers. I mean, after all, you're a part of the church. And after all, you've been a part of the faith for a while. I wanted to speak to you as grown men, but I couldn't. I had to speak to you as infants. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now, you're not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly? And are you not walking like mere men?

For one says, I'm of Paul. And the other says, I'm of Apollos. Are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted Apollos' water, but God is causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything but God who causes the growth. He says to those in Corinth, I wish that you were grown up. I wish you were mature, but you're so fleshly. You want to operate in the realm of carnality.

Because there's so much strife among you. There's so much envy among you. Because if one says, you know what? I'm with Paul. And he's a huge writer and a great preacher. I'm with Apollos. He was a man mighty in the scripture, siding up with different individuals as if that makes you any better than somebody else. And there's strife and there's jealousy in the church. And you're acting like babes. You're not acting like real, true men who are spiritually grown. And so their unity was being destroyed because pride destroys unity.

But note this, pride always declares superiority. Pride always declares superiority. Listen to what it says. An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. Now you can imagine how the argument is ensued. You can imagine how it all begins. They don't want to ask Jesus about the suffering, the death thing, the crucifixion thing. They don't want to talk about it. That's all negative, see? They don't want to talk about the realism in life. They want to talk about the perception in life.

Who is the greatest? And one of the apostles might say, well, you know, I've healed three blind men this week. How many have you healed? Well, I didn't heal any, but I was able to cause four men to walk again. Another might say, well, you know, I understand that, but disease was prominent where I was and the spirit of God came upon me. Those who were diseased, there were 10 people who were diseased and all of them were healed. That makes me greater than both of you put together because four and three is seven and I healed 10.

And Peter, James, and John would be listening to all this and they'd say, fellas, may we remind you that we and not you were on the Mount of Transfiguration when the glory of the Lord was revealed to us and you weren't there. You were down below trying to cast a demon out of a young boy and you couldn't do that. And so don't you think that we who heard the voice of the Lord, this is my beloved son, listen to him. We who were up there with Moses and Elijah, don't you think we have it a little bit better than you guys do?

Don't you think that we have a little bit more or a little bit more in the know than you are? That we are kind of in the inner circle with Jesus and although you're a part of the 12, you're kind of on the outskirts of Jesus. But we're in the in-group with Jesus. So if anybody can talk about greatness, it's us three right here. And Peter would say, well, you know, I am the leader of the 12 so that would make me probably the greatest of all of you because without me, where would you guys be? You can imagine how the conversation would begin and how it would grow.

The Bible says an argument arose among them. It wasn't like there was a discussion among them. There wasn't a debate among them. There wasn't an evaluation among them. There was an argument. There was a heated argument among the men as to who was the greatest because humility was not a part of their everyday mantra. Greatness was. Just like it is in your life and mine. We all wanna be great. We all wanna be better than we really are. We want people to see us as great. And pride always declares superiority.

I have a master's. You just have a college degree. Then the doctor comes along and says, well, I have a doctorate. You just have a master's. And then someone else comes along and says, I have two doctorates. Well, la-dee-da. And then someone said, well, yeah, my job pays me six figures. Yours does not. See, we had this air of superiority. And pride wants it to be known that I have one up on you. I have something better than you do. I am really greater than you because of what I have and what you don't have.

And these were the followers of Jesus. These were his disciples. These are the ones he ministered to every day for three years. You would think that they would have a better grasp of humility than they did, but they don't. They don't. My church is bigger than your church. My Sunday school class has 50 in it. Yours has five in it. People must want to hear me more than they want to hear you. And we might not say that out loud, but we think it inside. And we wonder why God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

And so pride not just only destroys unity, but it does declare superiority. Thirdly, pride always demonstrates depravity.

Notice what Jesus says. An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest, but Jesus, this is so, this is so like Jesus. But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, now remember, Jesus did not hear the discussion. They would not dare discuss it in his presence. They had to make sure he was outside their presence. But you see, you forget that when Jesus is around, he always knows. And Jesus is always around. He's never not around. So Jesus always knows he's omniscient.

He's God. And so, but Jesus knowing what they were thinking in their heart, singular, not in their hearts, plural, but in their hearts singular, because it was all one heart. 12 men, one heart. 12 men, all with different hearts, but all one because they were united in their arrogance. They were united in their pride. That's why pride demonstrates depravity. Because in the heart comes forth everything. For what's in the heart, the mouth speaks what's in the heart, right? And so he lumps them all together because within the heart of the 12 is the same selfish ambition.

They want to be great. And the way I can be great is to one-up you on miracles, one-up you on messages, one-up you on hospital visitation, one-up you on this or one-up you on that. And Christ comes back and says, wait a minute, wait a minute, because he knows what they're thinking. He knows what they're saying. He knows everything. And pride is that which demonstrates man's depravity. The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. So what does Jesus do? Well, you got to read Matthew 18, Mark 9 to get the whole picture, but he takes a child and stood him by his side.

Why would he take a child? Because a child, this was a young child, not an older child, would be someone who comes with no accomplishments and no achievements, who is completely dependent upon a greater being to live. So he takes a child who has no accomplishments, no achievements, and this child becomes the illustration of greatness. This child becomes the illustration of greatness because this child is a life of complete and total dependency, see? And greatness in God's kingdom is determined by one's dependency on the God who is great.

And those who depend upon that God who is great, know that they have nothing to offer that God. They have no achievements and they have no accomplishments that make them worthy to be a part of that God. So he brings a child in and sets the child among them and says, whoever receives this child in my name receives me. And whoever receives me, receives him who sent me for the one who is the least among all of you, this is the one who is great. Now here's where pride gets really, really ugly because not only does pride destroy unity and not only does pride declare superiority and not only does pride demonstrate depravity, but pride in all reality, listen carefully, disdains deity.

Pride hates God. Pride rejects God. That's why Christ says, whoever receives this child in my name receives who?

Me, me. And whoever receives me, receives him who sent me in other words, we are one of the same, okay? And so if you're gonna reject this one, you reject me. If you reject me, you disdain me as your God. You have turned your back on me as your God. Pride disdains deity because it requires me, it requires me to let God be God. And I truly, I truly as an American, as a human, live a Mormon-like life. I want to be God. I wanna be God. I wanna be in charge. I wanna be the top dog. And therefore, if I live a life of pride, I will disdain God because he's taken my throne.

He's thrown me off the throne and ascended my throne. And I don't like that about God because it puts him in charge and me not. And no one likes that. And these men wanted to ascend their own thrones. And after all, Jesus did tell them that they would be on 12 thrones in the kingdom of God and rule over God's people. And they were just trying to ascend it a little bit quicker. And so Christ tells them from the positive standpoint, you reject me by telling them, if you accept this child, you accept me.

If you receive this child, you receive me. But if you reject this child, the same is true. You reject me because pride disdains deity. Satan is the author of pride, right? He is, he hated God. And Satan is the author of pride. He is the originator of pride. And therefore, when we act in prideful ways, we align ourselves with his character. Demonstrate the fact that we reject Christ. So pride does this. Pride truly destroys unity. Pride declares superiority. It demonstrates depravity. It disdains deity and it defiles ministry.

It defiles ministry. He says, for the one who is least among us, all of you, this is the one who is great. And your ministry is to be one of service. Your ministry is the one to be lowly. Your ministry is one to be the least among us. And so if you want to be the greatest among us, you have defiled any kind of ministry that we want to accomplish. If you're saying I am this and I am that, and you are that and you are this, and putting yourself and elevating yourself above somebody else, you have just defiled ministry.

Because you filled it with Satan's attitude. And that just doesn't work. For the greatest among us truly is the least among us. This child is the least among us. Because he brings to the table nothing. He brings no accomplishment. He brings no miracles to the table. He brings no sermons to the table. He brings no ministry to the table. He's a child. But what he brings is dependency. What he brings is wholehearted trust on someone greater than he is or she is. And therefore, the least among you then becomes the greatest.

And lastly, pride always drives exclusivity. It drives exclusivity. Verse 49, John answers, said, Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow along with us. He's not a part of our group. And pride always drives exclusivity. Somehow our group is the best group. And this guy was casting out demons. But he wasn't doing it with us. He did it in your name. But he didn't do it as part of our ministry. So we try to stop him. And Jesus said, do not hinder him, for he is not against you, he is for you.

Why are you hindering him? If he's serving the king, maybe he was one of the 70, not one of the 12, but one of the 70. And he was fulfilling his ministry, his biblical mandate, doing what God had commissioned him to do when he was casting out demons. These guys say, well, you're not a part of our group. And you can't be doing miracles if you're not a part of us. Now you need to stop doing that. Because if you keep doing that, you're gonna get more glory than we are. You're gonna get more recognition, more press, more print, more TV time than we are.

You can't do that any longer. Jesus says, wait a minute, time out. If he's not hindering the ministry, let him alone. He's doing it in the name, the name of Christ. You see, humility is that which preserves our partnership, our cohesiveness, our body. Without that, pride raises its ugly head. And all of a sudden pride becomes that which drives every one of us to some kind of exclusive group, exclusive party that somehow is anointed by God and others are not. That's just an ugly thing. So Christ addresses this with his men.

And it would not be the last time because it was a part of their nature. The sanctification process is a process that leads me to live more humble than arrogant. You know, we had a snake in our front yard a number of years ago and we cut off the head of the snake. But it just kept wiggling and wiggling and wiggling and wiggling as if it wasn't dead. When you come to Christ, you cut off the head of the snake, your sins are forgiven. But pride just keeps wiggling and wiggling and wiggling and wiggling, doesn't it?

Just wiggles all the time. And there are those times where we just want to, just want to look so much better, act so much, be so much better than everybody else. That was the 12th. And Christ had to address that with his men. Not just once, not just twice, but at least three times that we know of in the scriptures he addressed it with his men. The last being the eve of the crucifixion because the same argument arose among them. How is it I move from that to living a life that truly exemplifies Christ's humility of mind?

That's next week. So we introduce the point to you and we'll conclude it for you next week. Let's pray together. Father, we thank you for today and the chance we have to be in your word. Truly, Lord, help us to live for the glory and honor of you as our King. Forgive us, Lord, of our arrogance and our pride, our selfish ambition, our jealousy, our envy. Forgive us, Lord. Reminded of the words of Hosea the prophet. We said, our sins have arisen as high as the heavens. Sometimes, Lord, we look at our pride and our arrogance and it is so overwhelming.

Yet, Lord, you have a whole different life for us to live like yours. And our prayer that, Lord, you would bring conviction upon all of us today that we would truly live your life for your glory, not our life for our glory. We pray in Jesus' name, amen.