We’re starting a new, seven lesson series today called 7 deadly sins. This isn’t a comprehensive list of sins, and all sin is deadly. The Bible is clear that the wages of sin is death. You won’t find a chapter in your Bible that lists these seven sins and titles them “the 7 deadly sins”.
Big Idea for this series: The seven deadly sins are bad habits that destroy our ability to love God, others, and ourselves.
Not addressing this issue of pride in our lives will set us up for failure in the other sins we’re going to cover in the series. This can also be a struggle for men, in particular. God has called us to lead in the home and in the church. With that calling to leadership, it can sometimes create pride in us. We can begin leading like a tyrant instead of leading like a servant.
Luke 14:7-11: When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: 8 “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? 9 The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table! 10 “Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. 11 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
The American church and pride/ Fighter Pilot Debrief
Frustrating sin because no one takes it seriously. Almost baked in to American culture. We are told to “Work on ourselves”, “look inward”, have positive self esteem, and the “look at me culture” on social media. SELFIES
If a Pastor gets up and says he struggles with pride people tend to give in a pass because we all have it; but if he said he struggles with lust, they will look at him differently (Francis Chan)
Humility is serving others and keeping the focus/spotlight on God and not ourselves
Self Worth
TP: Pride is a false pathway to self-worth, making it something we try to build on the basis of our own goodness. This may work for a while, but it’s doomed for failure.
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- Luke 18:9-12 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[b]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.
- Jesus addresses this story to men who are described as having “great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else.” They clearly derived their self-worth on the basis of their own goodness. That’s what the Pharisee in the story is guilty of, and that’s clearly the attitude of the Pharisees that Jesus is addressing.
- We can almost always find someone who is struggling more than we are or who deals with a sin that maybe isn’t as much of a temptation to us and so we can become puffed up. The Pharisees that Jesus was addressing this story to scorned everyone else. They clearly felt better than those around them. When we compare ourselves to God’s standard, it will humble us. Contrast the responses of the Pharisees when coming face to face with Jesus vs. the response of Peter. “Depart from me Lord for I am a sinful man.”
- Fear of Failure – My fear of failure is my pride issue
- Proverbs 16:18: Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall
- Proverbs 11:2 Pride leads to disgrace but with humility comes wisdom
True Humility
TP: The opposite of pride is humility: being secure in our standing with God on the basis of Christ’s goodness alone. This is one of the surprising gifts of the Christian life – true emotional health.
- Ephesians 2:8-9 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
- There is no reason for us to be prideful about our standing with God. It was all because of his grace and mercy and what Jesus did on the cross. The reality of the Christian faith is that we bring nothing of value to the table on our own merit, and yet because of the high price he was willing to pay for us, God declares that we are of immeasurable value.
- A true understanding of our identity in Christ brings peace. It brings emotional health. We’re not so hung up on what others think about us. We know the source of our value is in who created us and he is unchanging.
- Luke 18:13-14 But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
- James 4:9-10 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor
The antidote
TP: The antidote to pride is not self-hatred, but self-sacrifice, looking outward to find someone to serve. The reward for this is rich community, which is impossible for the proud hearted.
- We’re called to love our neighbor as ourselves. The Bible tells us in Psalm 139 that we are fearfully and wonderfully made and that God’s works are wonderful. The bible isn’t calling us to hate ourselves. We’re adopted sons and daughters of Almighty God. He doesn’t call us to self loathing. Self loathing
- John 13:3-5 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
- This passage reminds us that Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority and that is what prompted him to wash the feet of the disciples. We see that word “so” in verse 4. Because of what he knew in verse three, he served in verse 4. We should have a “so” in our lives. Because God has sent his Son for us, because he has rescued us, because he has declared us righteous by the blood of Jesus: so we serve.
- There is a level of community and connection that happens at a deeper level when we serve together and serve others. I just saw that again recently at our Campus Clean Day as we were preparing for Easter.
- We need to call out pride- Fighter pilot debrief
- Proverbs 16:5 The Lord DETESTS the proud, they will surely be punished. (NLT)
- Everyone that is proud is an ABOMINATION to the Lord… (KJV)
