Pride: The Sin Most Hated by God

0:02 Whenever I hear about, like, things that happen to some of us when we're young, from the very people who are supposed to protect us, I think there's something that just eats away at you inside, right? I want you to think, you know, because different types of evils on the earth tend to affect us differently. I want you to think right now if someone were to ask you what bothers you the most like what evil what current evil on the earth bothers you the most what would you pick what would you say this is the one that you just hate it affects you it bothers you it annoys you okay everyone get one in your head because I'm just going to point to people and you're going to have to tell me so get one in your head that you think, oh, I hate this.

0:58 Andy. Abuse of power to innocent people. Good, good. Darian. Child sex trafficking. Good. Good. I mean, not good.

1:21 David. Your own evil. Okay. Karima. Sex traffic. Child exploitation. Cheers. What's that? Guys with AIDS who think that by raping a virgin they'll cure their wounds. Which happens overseas quite a bit. Let me ask you another question.

2:11 Based upon, I mean, most of us, all of us who are part of We Are Church, we read through the Bible every year. Based upon everything you know about God, and everything you read in Scripture about what God hates, think through all your knowledge of Scripture. think what does God hate the most?

2:39 Like what is the sin that irritates him the most? Go ahead and just shout it out a few. Hypocrisy, idolatry, pride, pride, pride. Legalism. Use his name in vain.

3:00 Isn't it interesting how we have one idea and then we think, okay, what does God hate the most? I remember doing this exercise. Usually the word pride comes up a lot. Because you see it all through scripture. We're reading the book of Job. And I don't know if there's a more humbling book in the Bible. Because you just realize, this is not about me right now. Like, is it possible, is it true that God is watching right now? And that it's not about you, it's not about me, it's about Him right now and His glory. It's about maybe an accuser who's saying, these people don't really love you. And it's about us showing Him, no, we really do. And it's about His glory. That whatever happens in life. But we've been reading Isaiah, and Isaiah is all about how God one day is going to make sure that everyone is humbled. He says there's a day in Isaiah chapter 2, verse 11.

4:06 It says, The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. for the Lord of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty against all that is lifted up and it shall be brought low and the haughtiness of man shall be humbled and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day and the idols shall utterly pass away and people shall enter the caves of the rocks and the holes in the ground from before the terror of the Lord and from the splendor of his majesty when he rises to terrify the earth.

4:51 Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he? Yeah, if I were to guess, guess based upon everything I read of scripture of what bothers him the most, I would say pride. not sure just again based upon my reading of scripture it just seems like he hates it and there's a verse I've been meditating on a lot since we read Isaiah it was Isaiah 57 verse 15 it says this for thus says the one who is high and lifted up who inhabits eternity whose name is holy.

5:45 I dwell in the high and holy place and also with him who is of contrite and lowly spirit to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. Let me read that verse again. Listen to the words of this. For thus says the one who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy. I dwell in the high and holy place and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. So God's saying right now he dwells in a high and holy place. Okay, it's not like us.

6:45 We understand our own little world. God says you've got to understand I dwell in an existence so different from you. I dwell in this high and lofty place. And it says the one who inhabits eternity. What does that even mean? What does that mean to say God inhabits eternity? that he's high he's holy he's lifted up he inhabits eternity gosh you understand there's just certain things that our minds cannot understand the bible is so clear that god is transcendent he's beyond us he's beyond our understanding we don't understand we don't have a clue what it means to inhabit eternity.

7:41 Even his name, I am. He says, my name is the I am. He just is. He always was. He always is. He always will be. He just is. He somehow inhabits eternity. We're barely trying to understand this moment in time, what happened yesterday. No clue what's going to happen tomorrow. And God says, I inhabit all of eternity.

8:06 And he says he dwells in a high and holy place. And also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit. Isn't that an awesome verse? God says, you want to know where I dwell? I dwell in a place you can't even understand.

8:32 My name is holy. I have eternity. and I dwell in this place, but I also dwell with those who are lowly and contrite. I want to talk about humility this morning because I think this is the key to the future of our church. I think it's the key to the future of your life. As I was praying for you this morning, I was just walking around the park praying for you guys and going, okay, God, what's the most loving thing I could do? what's the most loving thing I could say and I prayed for your humility not just because I want you to be humble it's because I want God to dwell with you I mean what's better than that to think that this high and holy God who inhabits eternity dwells with you is there anything you want more than that And the key to that is humility.

9:42 Because that's who I dwell with. I don't dwell with the proud. As I was praying about this, these four words came to my mind and I'm not saying it came from God at that moment but I just heard these four words speak less tremble more Speak less, tremble more. and whenever you think you maybe hear something from the lord which isn't very often for me you're supposed to test and go okay is that biblical you're not going to tell me something that is against scripture and i thought of isaiah chapter 66 verse 2 where he says this is the one to whom i will look he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word God says this is the one that I'm going to look for he's the person who is humble contrite in spirit and trembles at my word And so whether I heard from the Lord or not, it doesn't matter.

11:03 It's in Scripture, so it's from the Lord, that I think sometimes we can be so quick to speak. I've been spending the last few weeks just repenting before God going oh God I just get so arrogant And sometimes when I speak... I don't fear you enough. I don't fear saying things that are wrong about you. and I can be quick to speak.

11:50 When God says to guard your steps when you go near to the house of God, you know, come near to listen rather than to speak and to offer the sacrifice of fools who don't even know that they're doing wrong with all of their words. I think a lot of times when you give a sermon, you just want to give all these convincing reasons why a person should change. but what we really should do is just tremble at his word. I mean, I should just stand here and say, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. and we should just meditate on that God opposes the proud.

12:52 but gives grace to the humble. So there's a high and holy God. And he says he opposes the proud. That word for opposed is the word adversary. Same word used for Satan. This is the arrogant person God's opposed to.

13:41 The humble person he's going to give grace to. Is there anything you want more than that? God's grace? God's presence with you? takes humility. This is why we seek humility. It's not just to be humble. It's because we want God. Would the people around you say that you're humble? Is that what you're known for?

14:39 because humility is so elusive you know pride is so elusive people say pride is like bad breath you don't know you have it but everyone else does you know thing but it just never quite works and it's the same with pride we just can't see it in ourselves and the most arrogant people genuinely don't see it. They really don't see it. And so it's hard for you to even check yourself today to go, man, am I proud? If right now you're thinking of someone else and hoping they're listening, or you wish they were here, you're proud.

15:35 Just know that. You're struggling with pride right now. Jesus tells that story of the Pharisee and that tax collector and how that Pharisee is like, Oh God, I'm so glad that I'm not like him. See, whenever we have that attitude of, oh, that person really needs to hear it.

15:58 I might be arrogant, but not as arrogant as her. That was the whole attitude of that Pharisee that day. If you're a complainer, it's usually because you're arrogant. It's because of pride. You believe you deserve better. And you're the victim. Sometimes we don't recognize pride because we just think, oh, that's the guy that stands up and starts bragging about everything he's accomplished. And of course, that's the obvious pride. But other people go, how can I be proud? I'm depressed. pride is the cause of depression you just keep thinking about yourself you can't get your mind off of yourself and onto other people and whenever you get together with someone you want to talk about yourself and everything you feel and why your life is so terrible you can't get over yourself that's so much of depression People sometimes think, well, she's really quiet, so she can't be arrogant.

17:15 Well, sometimes you're quiet because you're arrogant. You're scared to say something stupid and looking bad. There's times when you're supposed to speak up and you don't. Why? Because you're proud. I was telling you, pride is very elusive. You go, well, I'm not a proud person. I'm just stressed out. Well, you're stressed out because you're proud. you think you can change things you think it's in your hands and so you worry and you try to figure out how to fix it God revealed that to me a lot of my stress was because of my pride man pride just takes so many forms and I don't want to be up here just Talking about all of this for too long, I just think about our anger. it's because we're proud that we're angry at someone someone offended you or hurt someone you love so you're angry at them you believe it's your right to do that pride's the root of so many things Thank you.

19:02 It is so hard to be humble and speak. I am so struggling this morning. And you guys know me. I mean, I could be behind a mic. It's like, ah! And then, but then I realized, you know what, God? I. I don't want to be arrogant. I don't want to just get up and start talking like I understand something. I prayed something this week and I'm just going to close with this because I don't want to take too long. It was very hard for me to pray this week. Like I said, the last couple weeks I've just been repenting, saying, God, I see so much pride in my life and I'm so quick to speak about you. And I started thinking, how badly do I want humility?

20:08 Because I think all of us would say, I want to be humble, right? No one here wants to say, no, I'm good with being proud. We all want humility. But how badly do you want humility? because humility usually comes from suffering humility usually comes from god humbling us and my prayer for years has been god please don't humble me let me humble myself okay because i know how you humble you've done it before and the bible says humble yourself i mean that's biblical god So I'm going to humble myself. I swear, this has been my prayer for years. Every time I think about this, I go, God, don't humble me. I got this. I know, that's so arrogant. I got this. No, but do you know what I mean?

21:02 I mean, isn't that our attitude? Like, God, I'm going to try. I'm going to humble myself. I'm going to get on my knees. I'm so sorry. Just start confessing everything and humbling myself before the Lord. Because I'm like, God, I really don't want you to humble me. Like, I don't enjoy suffering. And even though the Bible says considered all joy when you're surrounded by all of these trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces this perseverance, and let the perseverance have its perfect work. You know, let it run its course. Let it finish its work so you can be mature, complete, not lacking in anything. But it's been so hard for me to count it joy when I'm surrounded by trials, And yet God says, that's the way I test you. That's the way I strengthen you. That's the way I change your character. And I'm saying, God, but I want to humble myself.

21:55 I want to do it myself. But then finally this week, you know, I just came before the Lord and I wrestled with him. I'm like, man, am I willing to pray to God and say, God, just do whatever it takes. I must be humble. So God, as we're reading through the book of Job, God, do whatever it takes.

22:24 And God finally got me to the point where as afraid as I am of pain and suffering, I'm more afraid of pride. I'm more afraid of being distant from God. Man, I hate pain. but to finally get to the point where I'm going, God, I hate my bride even more.

22:55 And so, God, whatever, I need to suffer, but I want you to dwell with me. And you dwell with the person who is contrite and lowly in spirit. So Father, bring it. Not that you need my permission,

23:17 but God, I'm saying I want it that badly. And so that's the question I have for you today. I know you'd like to be humble, but how badly? and could you come before God today and say, God, I actually want you to do whatever it takes to make me humble. Because when I wake up, I don't think about you, I think about me. You know, when I come to a church gathering, I don't think about the people around, I think about me. and God I don't want to end this way I want to be like Jesus who came to this earth not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many The last verse I want to read is just a verse my mentor sent me the other day.

24:25 As I was telling him about my battle with pride. It's Ephesians, I'm sorry, Hebrews 5, verses 8 and 9. Talking about Jesus. Actually, I'll back up to 7. Hebrews 5, 7 through 9. Listen to this. In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death. And he was heard because of his reverence. although he was a son he learned obedience through what he suffered and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him Did you guys catch that?

25:25 This is Jesus. Jesus in the flesh. In the days of his flesh. Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death. And he was heard because of his reverence. That verse is awesome. Picture God in the flesh. Jesus screaming out to the Father, crying out to the Father, and the Bible says the Father heard him because of his reverence. You'd think it would say, well, the Father heard him because he's Jesus.

25:59 It's like, no, the Father heard Jesus because of his reverence. But then it's even more fascinating because it says, although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. Jesus? Wait, Jesus learned? Just that is weird. But in his flesh, as he emptied himself and became human, Jesus learned obedience through what he suffered. If Jesus couldn't learn obedience outside of suffering, then who do we think we are? You say, God, I got this. I'll figure this out, even without suffering.

26:59 Jesus learned obedience through what he suffered and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him look I am no different from you I hate pain I hate suffering I hate hardship but if that was the path for Jesus to come to obedience to learn obedience then it's going to be the path for all of us and humility Bye. isn't going to be grown in us through everything going our way.

27:51 It's when life is difficult. And we're studying that as we look at Job and we're going, God, you know what? I can consider this joy because I want to be mature and complete. I don't want to be arrogant, spoiled, complaining about everything, thinking I deserve something. so I would challenge you to try to come before God this week and say God I want you I want you to dwell with me I want your grace and that comes through humility I was walking around the park this morning going God do I really want this do I really want this I'm going yeah there's nothing I want more than your grace and you give that to those who are humble. so I'm not saying God make me humble just because I want to be humble it's like God make me humble because I want your grace and I want you so Father you don't need my permission but whatever it takes make me humble and I just thought if we as a church prayed that if all of us prayed that to the Lord really meaning it Thank you.

29:11 I think God's going to do amazing things through us. If there's a group of people that collectively said, God, empty us, break us down, so that you can dwell with us, I think we have yet to see just how much God wants to pour out his spirit on us and how much he wants to do through us. But it all depends on how humble we'll be. the future of your life and the future of your church depends on your humility and so I just want to pray for us right now hint God, even now we picture you in your high and holy place inhabiting eternity.

30:15 Your name is holy. You dwell in unapproachable light. You're keeping us breathing. You're keeping our hearts beating. You're keeping our brains working so we can even comprehend your word. and God your word says that you give us the mind of Christ so God humility is not impossible it's right there you want to do this work in us and I thank you for that I thank you for your grace that makes us humble God we just want to experience more of you. And so God, I pray that you would humble us today. Do what it takes, Lord.

31:16 We're so sorry. We're so self-centered. We think about ourselves so much. God I pray that you would change that and God even now as we remember the cross we think about your grace God I pray that that would humble us just thinking everything you had to go through to save us You're so good, Lord. please Lord humble our church so that we can experience you even more In Jesus name.