Seek Not The Crown Of Honor Matthew 20:25-28 Luke 14:7-11 Philippians 2:1-5 Colossians 3:12 1 Peter 5:5-7 Proverbs 15:33 Isaiah 66:2 Proverbs 3:34 Ephesians 4:2 11.12.18

SEEK NOT THE CROWN OF HONOR

BREAD

²⁵ Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”   Matthew 20:25-28 (NIV)

⁷ When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: ⁸ “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. ⁹ If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. ¹⁰ But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. ¹¹ For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Luke 14:7-11 (NIV)

¹ If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴ Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.  Philippians 2:1-5 (NIV)

¹² Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Colossians 3:12 (NIV)

⁵ Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  ⁶  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.   1 Peter 5:5-7 (NIV)
 

³³ The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor. Proverbs 15:33 (NIV)
 
² “Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.”  Isaiah 66:2 (NIV)

³⁴ He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble.   Proverbs 3:34 (NIV)

² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2 (NIV)
 

BUTTER

“Be content with such things as you have, since the Lord has ordered all things for your good.  Take up your own daily cross; it is the burden best suited for your shoulder, and will prove most effective to make you perfect in every good word and work to the glory of God.  Down busy self, and proud impatience, it is not for you to choose, but for the Lord of Love!”   Charles H. Spurgeon 

“There is no true holiness without humility.”  Thomas Fuller

“Strive to turn your heart from loving things that are seen, and to set it upon things that are not seen…How much better is a lowly peasant who serves God than a proud philosopher who watches the stars and neglects knowing himself…We must not trust every word of others or feeling within ourselves, but cautiously and patiently try the matter, whether it be of God.  The more humble a man is in himself, and the more obedient toward God, the wiser will he be in all things, and the more shall his soul be at peace.”  Thomas a Kempis

“God knew when He made us that we’d never find contentment outside of His perfection.  Only Jesus can satisfy our hearts’ longing for perfection. But it takes a humility that is willing to forsake our pride and its many manifestations. We need a new paradigm for humility. Thankfully, we have one in Jesus.  So, in humility and love, Jesus submitted to history’s greatest injustice when He humbled Himself ‘by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross’ (Philippians 2:8).  Letting go of the ambitions, expectations, and standards my pride had erected hasn’t been easy. The serpent’s hiss is ever present, tempting me to doubt, become discontent, and believe the lie that God is not enough.  While my daily battle with perfectionism seems as far from Eden as my messy bedroom is from Paradise, it’s the very same temptation. Will I trust God and His promises, power, wisdom, and love, or will I proudly turn to my own resources to manage my life? Will I believe He is enough?”   Kim Hyland

“The Christian gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me.  This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time.”  Tim Keller

“Stoop if you want to climb to heaven. Is it not said of Jesus, ‘He who descended is the one who also ascended’?  So must you. You must grow downwards, that you may grow upwards; for the sweetest fellowship with heaven will be enjoyed by humble souls and by them alone. God will deny no blessing to a thoroughly humbled spirit. ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,’ with all its riches and treasures. All of God’s resources will be made available to the soul that is humble enough to be able to receive them without growing proud because of it.  When a man is sincerely humble and never tries to take the credit or the praise, there is scarcely any limit to what God will do for him. Humility makes us ready to be blessed by the God of all grace and equips us to deal efficiently with our fellows. True humility is a flower that will adorn any garden. This is a sauce that will season every dish of life and improve it in every case. Whether in prayer or praise, whether in work or suffering, the genuine salt of humility cannot be used in excess.”  C. H. Spurgeon revised by Alistair Begg

“O, how our nation has broken faith with God, how its people need to repent, to turn from our sinful ways and turn to God!  How we need to give thanks to Him for all of the blessings He has given!  O, if only His people, who are called by His Name would humble themselves and pray and seek His face and turn from our sinful ways.  O that God will hear the prayers of us repentant sinners and forgive us and heal our land!”  Roger Killian

“The Bible is the most amazing book in the world. And when we’re tempted to feel bored with it, we may need to step back and remember how marvelous and unique and powerful this piece of literature is. The Bible is simply unequaled in its influence, audacious in its claims, and unrivaled in its power to transform hardened sinners into humble saints.”  Jon Bloom

“Listen to the sermon with an open Bible; Don’t rush from the Word of God to the rest of your life; Get in God's Word as a way of life; check your Bible like you check your phone: frequently & consistently; Approach the Bible with eager expectation; hunger for the Word of God; Prepare to study the Word deeply; read, read, read.; Be confident that YOU are able to discover biblical truth; examining is hard work, but you don't need to be a genius.; Test difficult doctrines against Scripture before discarding them. (Examples include marriage, sexuality, predestination); Be discerning; Some things which claim to be from the Bible are not.; Be humble to submit to the Bible- no matter who you are; Give the Bible the final say on every matter on which it means to speak.”  Kevin DeYoung (10 Ways to be Noble like the Bereans) 

“For those who would learn God’s ways, humility is the first thing, humility is the second thing, humility is the third.”   Augustine

“Nothing sets a person so much out of the devil’s reach as humility.”   Jonathan Edwards

“Humility is nothing but a true knowledge and awareness of oneself as one really is.”   David Nicholas

“Humility births courage and is brother to the brave.”   Ann Voskamp

“The King of Glory enters Jerusalem seated on a donkey's colt. Majesty is never so majestic as when it is clothed with humility. There never was one so majestic as this Jesus, none so humble. Nor shall there ever be.”   Ronnie Collier Stevens

HEART SAVOR

·       God opposes the proud but bestows grace giving way to grace giving way to grace to the humble in heart.

·       What do I have that I did not receive and if I received it, there leaves no room for boasting.

·       God’s way up is to stoop low.  It is He who exalts the truly humble at heart.