Monday, 24 December 2007

• THREE STEPS "DOWN" TO GENUINE HUMILITY

  1 Peter 5:5-7 -  "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."

  INTRODUCTION:
    -I have battled Pride all my life.
    -Pride is an attitude that is so easy to recognize in others.
    -We measure Pride in others by how they look, act and
              respond to us and circumstances.
    -We think we can hide our own Pride. We also feel that
              a "little bit of pride" is justifiable.
    -Our Heavenly Father is very sensitive to Pride.
    -He resists even the smallest hint of Pride.
    -He is repelled by it.
    -We think of getting closer to God by going up.
    -The way to move closer to God is going down.

  Peter shares with us in this passage:
  THREE STEPS DOWN TO GENUINE HUMILITY.
  He gives us a truth hard for the flesh to understand:
  THE WAY UP IS DOWN! 

    -It’s not the natural way to go.
    -Peter begins the Lesson on humility by exhorting the
             elders.
    -He reminds them that he was a witness of the sufferings
             of Christ, and a partaker of the glory that shall be
             revealed.:
    -He encourages them to:
    -Feed the flock of God which is among you,
    -Taking the oversight thereof,
    -Not by constraint,
    -But willingly;
    -Not for filthy lucre,
    -But of a ready mind
    -Neither as being lords over God’s heritage,
    -But being ensamples to the flock.
    -The Lesson on humility continues by instructing the 
              flock.
    -The exhortation to the elders encouraged them to submit
              to the Chief Shepherd.

  1. FIRST STEP DOWN TO GENUINE HUMILITY
                                                (Continued next post)

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