Pride - Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ.

Lots of ideas begin the sleeve of everybody will humble himself and not only Christ died.

I don't think you and I would ever have to joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill Gebhardt now again he shows us God's word meets our work friend you ever had family members. You don't usually put the leper colony, and that your life here is this great king man you think you got humble there when you I mean that's an act of humility what God did to him.

And so the question comes diagonal proverb says this, but the problems that pride comes before the fall boy he fell me this is a terrible thing is part for you when I what does this mean to me. I'd say at least one thing please don't take all the credit for what you've accomplished. Do not do not do that, would you get your IQ from you just made it your idiot strong word so you raised your IQ hundred points right on notice that is not possible is what you get that from C.

What about your gene pool when you have to do with your gene please tell me what you did. You and doing good you see how this works. It doesn't matter what were talking about.

What about your abilities, your ability to make money.

Invest well what about your personality.

What about over the course your life, your connections that help you succeed in whatever you did, what about all the people that helped one about all that. Did you do that to guide who made you different than everyone else did you do that to God. She had me meant that's exactly what you see were all spiritual snowflakes.

As I've said, you see, if you don't guard your own heart.

Here you and I are very susceptible to pride, especially when we succeed. You see, but what I did you see based on our pride. I did none of us do this James that every good gift come somewhere hard work right, comes not from the father of lights is what God gives us gives us so many things was your desire great king yes why because what God had given and as long as you walk with the Lord. He was fine and then when he did and became for pride and he's a leper that's a bad way of dealing with it. I want you to go with me now to Philippians chapter 3 in the New Testament and verse three Philippians 3 and verse three Paul is now talking to the Philippian church. He's in prison.

He loves the Philippians they are by and large a pagan church who came to Christ, the Gentiles. You see, they were they were idol worshipers.

They were pagans. And here comes as Jewish apostle. Any leads of the Christ, and now he wants the right to and so he ends up saying this in verse three he said, for we the Jews are the true circumcision, who worship in the spirit of God and the glory in Christ Jesus, and we put no confidence in the flesh, Paul is saying is this in a sense you understand your Gentiles, but I'm Jewish is a unusable hearing advantage in being is yeah yeah he said I'm Jewish. I'm of the true circumcision now what is the circumcision for the circumcision is the sign that you belong to God that was given to Abraham and so all Jewish males, all Jewish males are circumcised on the eighth day, that proves that there set aside all but in the Philippian church wasn't a person circumcised with the Gentiles, but it was for the Jews supposed that I just want you know where I come from persons where you come from. He said although I myself, I might have confidence in my flesh. In other words, both of you and what if you want to have spiritual pride. I'm your guy. I have a lot to be proud interesting. He said if anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh. I probably more whatever you've accomplished in the front of the flesh. I am my flesh accomplish more than you've ever he said I was circumcised on the eighth day. As I said, all Jews have to be. Then he says of the nation Israel is that special will. How many nations this God call his own. Fact one of the Jews called always there. What kind of people chosen.

This is where I'm part of the chosen people. And guess who chose me God.

That's pretty good choice. I was chosen by God, that's who I am. I'm from Israel, I was chosen by God and he said I'm of the tribe of Benjamin now. You okay what it means to be of the tribe of Benjamin. There were Jews that have always existed, who one from the tribe of Benjamin and told people they were of the tribe of Benjamin why prestige Benjamite so the top-of-the-line of the aristocracy of the 12 tribes.

Benjamin you see if your Benjamin. Benjamin remember the last of the 12 tribes he and Joseph his brother, both of the same mother, the one that you see the one that Jacob love it so. Benjamite's are considered the top-of-the-line in fact one of their mottos when they going to battle. Guess who leads Benjamite.

I was a Benjamite mattress that you Benjamite. Then he goes on, he says I was a Hebrew. Among the Hebrews can get more Jewish than me. I'm as Jewish as a man can possibly be. My parents are Jewish.

I'm Jewish. I go by all Jewish traditions, I would choose to not just the Jew but a Jews to his and that's who I am. Then he goes on and says as to the law Pharisee, I know you have a prejudice against them because you read the New Testament, but you win if you live in Israel Pharisees of the most respected men in Israel by a mile. Jewish mothers have said in the past, the Jewish mother would pray that her daughter before it's enough to marry a Pharisee the most dedicated men to Judaism on the planet. He said I was a Pharisee. While, by the way, it also turned out, it should report he's the son of a Pharisee I'm a Pharisee Pharisee. He said, and asked to seal what kind of engage Pharisee was I persecuted the church. That's not normal as a religious Jew.

That's a high standard, you could have. He persecuted the church while when Stephen was martyred in the book of acts. Guess who was there affirming it and I believe leaving it soft arches that's executing. You know what Sanhedrin would say about that or the priesthood. Way to go Paul or Saul to go so you're such a righteous man you getting rid of these people not hold a place or go with me for a moment back to the book of acts chapter 22. The book of acts chapter 22 now watch Paul was back in Jerusalem.

He decided he wanted to go back to Jerusalem because he loved you so much that he want to see if he can leading the Christ. I believe it was a mistake on his part.

He was even told by the spirit of God not to go back in the book of acts is that he's the great apostle to the Gentiles. But Paul goes back so here is speaking the Jewish people. By the way, didn't go well for him and he had to be rescued by the Romans then took him back to Rome. He says brother and father's here my defense, which I now offer you.

He says when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect they became even more quiet part of this talk like a true is getting to know what I mean when I say this, she talk like a very educated Jew is an extraordinarily bright man is so, so they listen, I'm a Jew born in Tarsus of Sicily and brought up in the city. By the way, what was his name Saul right know why his name was all very likely he's named after the first king Saul who is a Benjamite so his parents Bobby said that's an honor name.

I'm going to call him Saul of Tarsus.

He said he said then educated member to mail a salute. I what's at me, PhD Harvard, the greatest rabbi teacher in the world is commando that you taught me strictly according to the law of our fathers being zealous for God. Just as you all are here today. I persecuted the way to death by meeting and putting both men and women in prisons as also the high priest and all the counsel the elders which is the Sanhedrin can testify from MI receive letters to the brethren and started offer Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished. While he talks about death.

He doesn't ask 26 two when these doing it again. Paul killed Christians. He hunted them down and killed. Think of this, he went from Jerusalem all the way to Damascus why I'm good.

I heard her Christians are numb to get them bring them back put them in prison. That's his religious zeal that you and I think it's a terrible thing but from a religion point of view of Judaism. This is a poster boy this guy is a great, great Jew numbing the back of Philippians he says as the seal persecutor of the church as the righteousness which is in the law found blameless. Many cinemas he's blameless when he means is in every external way that you look at a Jewish person do they externally keep the Jewish tradition and laws posted 100% and in Philadelphia as to the asked outward appearance as a faultless Jew.

That's me. Now here's his bio but whatever things were gain to me those things I have counted as a loss for the sake of Christ.

More than that, I count all things to be loss in the value in the view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffer the loss of all things.

I count them but rubbish so that I can gain Christ posted everything I've ever accomplished is literally done is done.

Everything I did notice no pride.

It doesn't even compare to knowing Christ. None of it is worthy, he said and maybe found in him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed, he says to his death in order that I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Everything I was proud about his tongue rubbish, garbage, none of it is a blessing to me for knowing Christ. That's the difference completely. All the things I did never make me righteous, only knowing Christ not comparable I'm sure someone taught him early on the Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life and no one will ever come to the father but through me. Paul believed with all his heart and faith in faith alone in Christ and Christ. Here's a man who said I could've really been proud that I'm not the only thing I'm proud of is Jesus Christ my Lord now.

No wonder then he rolled over in chapter 2, a little bit before this, the things that he said watch what he says in verse 222 make my joy complete by being of the same mind maintaining the same up united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit saw many things can we do from selfishness or pride is at zero as a man would know a lot he said no can do anything from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourself. So who was more important part of Paul everybody. Everybody every single person get this. He's telling us to do. Everybody you meet is more important than you. Everybody in this body is more important to see it that way.

Come on, get beyond the scarcity have to be honest.

I mean honestly you honestly look like I want to believe that but I know him better than that guy and I know come on that's major.

I know I am posted. You should not click should be humble. You see, put on humility, he said, let me say this week have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ, who, although he existed in the form of God, by the way could Jesus Christ be proud.

Let me think he is God incarnate. Think you could have a pride. He did not recording the regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, he emptied himself, there's the Kenosha's of the book of Philippians, he emptied himself of his divine prerogatives that anything he said all empty myself of that. He took on the form of a bondservant being made in the likeness of men being found in the appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death and across while talk about humbling. God becomes a man. How humbling is that it's worse than you and I becoming a slug I think will be a slug but not any man.

He became the servant of all men. The bondservant ideas a slave to begin the bought the sleeve of everybody to humble himself further and not only that you go to the cross and died for all men. That's what you and I should be. I don't think you and I would ever have to humble ourselves and in close to this degree notice. And what happens for this reason, God highly exalted him, and bestowed him a name above every name, so here's the son of God humbling himself to the greatest degree and what does God do with he exults. Here's Uzziah this great king, with all the blessings he had became proud for what the God do with struck him with leprosy. See the difference of what is done here. Only humility can please God, not pride something to leave you with four questions and these questions don't come for me to come. Jesus but it does not describe whether your iPod for a humble person.

The first one is this to Matthew 18, am I willing to come to Christ as a child because Jesus said if you don't come as a child by the way, you don't come who has a child, what does a child bring nothing except one thing.

Trust just simple trust.

That's what a child. Children trust by the way, if you have a child that loves you the ever notice the first time that the earth you're doing. Born near the edge or something and you Lacey jump what the typical kid. I don't know what's gonna happen here we go now to go get us away way how deep this pool I will you swim see how long on my face be underwater children trust using a graphic on the Christ that way, if you're not you see in the Christian that's the. Only have faith. That's all a child had he doesn't have the intellect you can have the past accomplishments he just has faith. Secondly, are you willing to be last for God willing, I would say to be not first last, because Jesus said, he said if you go to follow me. The first have to be what last you have to be last.

Paul said, you have to be the servant of everyone considering one is more important than you see what is Eve White, what are they directing these thoughts that I don't pride that's beneath me think that we say that I never that's beneath me, but it's fine for you, I'll hire you to do. That's beneath me was a come from. That's a pride second or third day if I ever want to leave for Christ crisis. I have to be the servant of all.

In fact, Jesus went out of his way and said you know how Gentiles lead. They lorded over people and they say on the boss. You can't do that you had to be there servant. Wait a minute I get that business school soon.

I mean it's it it's up it's difficult for us because our culture has the Gentile version of leadership Jesus as leadership or servant hood that does mean you don't have responsibility. I get someone in the last one in my willing to take up my cross and follow before you say yeah. Please understand what I mean by that.

When Jesus said, you need to take up your cross daily and follow me. It doesn't mean that means I'm loyal to Jesus way more when you were crucified by the Romans.

What they would do is they had a crossbeam that not admit the post is in the ground.

The crossbeam is attached to the post when they crucified so they bring the crossbeam. That's what Jesus carried through Jerusalem.

He did not carry the whole cross.

He carried the Crosby now when you do that they want to let you what you'd be affected in a certain way. Here is what happens they give you the crossbeam. They strip you naked. I mean make it not loincloth naked right then they hang your claim around your neck so everyone can read and then they almost always one assorted take you and switch back through the town so that everybody there can see you're going to be crucified and what for members that seem embarrassing, humiliating, yes, that's what happened to the King of Kings and Lord of lords. That's what happened to Jesus he said are you willing to take that kind of embarrassment and humiliation for me. Take up your cross and follow me because that's where I'm going to you willing to do that. The only thing that can stop you from actually obeying his words is what your pride. I think I do that to Cindy, you need to do that and so you have to examine your own horse today you have to ask yourself the question, my powerful my probable or more importantly, do I meet the standards. Do I walk humbly before the Lord. She is very humility about me and only you can answer whispering father. The problem that we have one more powerful as we often never recognize we never see ourselves that way but am afraid you do, and even a lot of the time, others to father, I just ask you through your spirit convict our heart and ask ourselves the question, do I walk with pride or do I walk with humility before mine. We are to have the same attitude that he had should be. Father I pray that we are obedient to the skull of. I pray for good bathroom number if you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you just like to listen to the message one more time. Remember the little green website called in one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the fellowship and the word online at that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of her previous audio program, had Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make his broadcast possible with all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting a monthly fourth is the one time gift support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon that Pastor Bill delivered during a Sunday morning service of fellowship monitored visit our website SBC Nola.org that SBC and of LA.O RG at our website you will find hundreds. Pastor Bill sermon you can browse through our sermon archives defined sermon series you're looking for or you can search by title. Once you find the message you are looking for.

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