Colossians 3:12, “gaining biblical humility” [Listen]

Remember when we looked at Matt 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”? I’d like to look at “humility” again, and also look at three examples we can learn from. We’ll see that “humility” is VERY connected to the way we see our mission here.

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

In this day and age, it seems that it’s easy to think of our spiritual lives, our relationship with God, as a type of exchange. I will make much of you, God, if you make much of me. I will give you praise and follow you, God, as long as you are moving me toward a life of ease. I will commit to a Bible study or Christ-exalting lifestyle as long as I FEEL you are near. I put money in the offering plate because I “trust” that, at some day, God will make me rich – like a business transaction. In the end this kind of thinking is not about the God who is at the center of reality or God’s purpose, it’s about me.

This world is built on the principle of exchange. In exchange for a college diploma – I must pay (work). In exchange for the trendy coffee – I must pay (work). Often it goes like this: in exchange for my love – you must pay (work).

The Bible gives us a pretty clear picture of how we should live and think and relate to God – and it has nothing to do with exchange. It has everything to do with humility and dependence. The Bible shows God’s salvation coming to those who have NOTHING to offer – only desperate need.

Deuteronomy 8:3 (NIV)
He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone (man’s provision) but on every word (God is the provider) that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

Psalm 138:6 (NIV)
Though the Lord is on high, he looks upon (is near) the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar.

Proverbs 18:12 (NIV)
Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.

Matthew 18:4 (NIV)
Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

James 4:6 (NIV)
…“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

James 4:10 (NIV)
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Three examples:

Peter

Luke 5:8 (NIV)
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

When Peter experienced the magnitude of Jesus’ power and authority he had his eyes opened. He saw the giant chasm between who Jesus was and what he could offer. The result was genuine humility.

Isaiah

Isaiah 6:1-8 (NIV)
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. ² Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. ³ And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” ⁴ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. ⁵ “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” ⁶ Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷ With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” ⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

First – Isaiah, like Peter, saw God / experienced God.

Second – seeing God’s magnitude the natural reaction emerged – “I am sinful.

Third – after Isaiah experienced God’s acceptance he saw God’s mission as important.

Jesus

Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV)
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: ⁶ Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷ but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross!

The humility of Jesus is directly connected to his mission…

Summarize -

1. Biblical humility arises from seeing the magnitude of God. Seeing God correctly will give us a proper perspective of his power and our helplessness.
2. Seeing God correctly will expose our sinfulness
3. Seeing God correctly will give us a needed perspective of our vision and priorities as compared to God’s vision and priorities. A proper

God is NOT interested in a business agreement. God would, however, like to do amazing things in the lives of those who desperately need him and have no merit in themselves.

This very much relates to what we’re doing here. [Listen to the sermon for more]