1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,375 2 00:00:02,500 --> 00:00:08,000 [music] 3 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:30,500 All righty, Mars Hill. 4 00:00:30,542 --> 00:00:32,333 We're going to have a lengthy announcement 5 00:00:32,333 --> 00:00:33,875 before we jump into the Bible. 6 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,667 You should have obtained on the way in this booklet 7 00:00:36,750 --> 00:00:39,167 titled "This Is Mars Hill." 8 00:00:39,250 --> 00:00:43,833 And what we like to do every year is give you an annual report. 9 00:00:43,833 --> 00:00:47,375 And so the last few weeks the staff has been culminating 10 00:00:47,500 --> 00:00:50,500 all of the financial totals and the ministry totals 11 00:00:50,542 --> 00:00:54,875 and now I have the great pleasure of giving you a bit of a state of the union 12 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:57,042 and where we are at and what was achieved 13 00:00:57,167 --> 00:00:59,000 by God's grace and your generosity this year. 14 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:01,083 We know that many of you will have questions 15 00:01:01,167 --> 00:01:05,667 and so we would encourage you to take this home and give a bit of time to read it. 16 00:01:05,750 --> 00:01:07,875 It'll actually take you a little while. 17 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:09,500 There's quite a bit in here. 18 00:01:09,542 --> 00:01:11,542 And it's been our policy since the beginning 19 00:01:11,667 --> 00:01:14,083 to do a disclosing document that really tells you 20 00:01:14,167 --> 00:01:16,000 where we're at, where we're going, 21 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:17,750 and what God has done. 22 00:01:17,833 --> 00:01:19,833 And I'll give you some of the highlights 23 00:01:19,833 --> 00:01:21,500 from this past year 24 00:01:21,542 --> 00:01:24,375 as we examine the evidences of God's grace. 25 00:01:24,500 --> 00:01:26,000 I'll start by telling you 26 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:28,583 that Mars Hill Church is all about Jesus. 27 00:01:28,667 --> 00:01:32,542 By God's grace we always will be only about Jesus 28 00:01:32,667 --> 00:01:35,833 and our goal is to plant churches and make disciples. 29 00:01:35,833 --> 00:01:37,750 We want non-Christians to meet Jesus, 30 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:40,667 Christians to come to know Jesus more deeply 31 00:01:40,708 --> 00:01:43,083 and by grace become more like him, 32 00:01:43,167 --> 00:01:45,667 and for more campuses and churches to get planted 33 00:01:45,750 --> 00:01:48,500 so that communities of Christians can gather together 34 00:01:48,542 --> 00:01:51,333 to continue the forward progress of the mission of Jesus 35 00:01:51,333 --> 00:01:53,000 until he returns. 36 00:01:53,250 --> 00:01:56,667 That's our goal, that's our hope, that's our joy. 37 00:01:56,708 --> 00:02:00,500 And here are some of the things that we have enjoyed thus far. 38 00:02:00,542 --> 00:02:03,375 The timeline is that in 1996 39 00:02:03,500 --> 00:02:05,000 a community group was started 40 00:02:05,042 --> 00:02:07,500 in a rental home that Grace and I had. 41 00:02:07,542 --> 00:02:10,875 In the fall of 1996, actually October of 1996, 42 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,042 Mars Hill Church was launched so we're 14 years old. 43 00:02:14,167 --> 00:02:18,083 In the year 2000, the Acts 29 Church Planting Network was started. 44 00:02:18,167 --> 00:02:22,333 In the year 2001, we opened our first morning service. 45 00:02:22,333 --> 00:02:24,875 The church was a few hundred people at the time 46 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:28,583 and we were given a very small building in north Ballard 47 00:02:28,667 --> 00:02:31,875 and it had one parking place and sat maybe 150. 48 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:36,167 And in, I don't know, maybe 6 months it exploded to like 800 people. 49 00:02:36,250 --> 00:02:38,875 It was absolutely insane what God did. 50 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,250 And then in 2006 we outgrew the larger facility 51 00:02:42,333 --> 00:02:44,042 we'd obtained in Ballard 52 00:02:44,167 --> 00:02:46,333 and so we tried a video campus experiment 53 00:02:46,333 --> 00:02:47,875 up in Shoreline. 54 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,375 And so we officially went multi-site as we know it in 2006. 55 00:02:51,500 --> 00:02:53,583 At that same time we also started 56 00:02:53,667 --> 00:02:56,042 The Resurgence to train leaders and publish books 57 00:02:56,167 --> 00:02:59,167 and host conferences and classes around the world. 58 00:02:59,208 --> 00:03:03,333 Well, here are the evidences of God's grace in this past year. 59 00:03:03,333 --> 00:03:06,208 133 new Acts 29 churches planted 60 00:03:06,500 --> 00:03:09,083 just in the United States of America. 61 00:03:09,167 --> 00:03:11,833 Church planting is also occurring in 13 other nations. 62 00:03:12,167 --> 00:03:14,875 This year we're on pace to be planting a church 63 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,833 roughly every other day 64 00:03:17,833 --> 00:03:20,750 if God would continue to be so gracious. 65 00:03:24,250 --> 00:03:26,875 Community Groups as well, under the leadership of Pastor Brad 66 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,083 and his book on this is actually forthcoming, 67 00:03:29,167 --> 00:03:32,833 434 total Community Groups and those are growing constantly. 68 00:03:32,833 --> 00:03:35,042 If you're not in one please get in one. 69 00:03:35,167 --> 00:03:36,583 We'll sign you up today. 70 00:03:36,667 --> 00:03:41,375 Last year 774 people at Mars Hill made professions of faith in Christ 71 00:03:41,500 --> 00:03:43,833 and obeyed him in baptism. 72 00:03:43,833 --> 00:03:46,500 We had-- You can clap if you like. 73 00:03:46,500 --> 00:03:51,667 We had 1,352 Sunday services. 74 00:03:51,750 --> 00:03:57,000 This year we are slated for more than 1,600 Sunday services. 75 00:03:57,042 --> 00:04:00,500 Total Mars Hill members is over 4,000. 76 00:04:00,542 --> 00:04:03,250 The Doctrine class will allow you to join us 77 00:04:03,333 --> 00:04:04,833 as a member of the church. 78 00:04:04,833 --> 00:04:07,875 They run each quarter at every campus based upon the book. 79 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,542 Twelve of you should have brought a friend last year 80 00:04:10,667 --> 00:04:13,833 and then we would have cracked 13,000 for Easter. 81 00:04:13,833 --> 00:04:16,167 We were just under 13,000 82 00:04:16,250 --> 00:04:20,333 and we have a really ambitious goal this year. 83 00:04:20,333 --> 00:04:23,833 All of our campuses grew this year. Every single campus, 84 00:04:23,833 --> 00:04:28,083 all 9 campuses of Mars Hill Church, all grew this year 85 00:04:28,167 --> 00:04:30,875 and most have outgrown their facilities 86 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:33,500 and we cannot house Easter. 87 00:04:33,500 --> 00:04:36,875 And so in the grace of God we are pressing forward 88 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:40,083 to pull the whole church together for one service 89 00:04:40,167 --> 00:04:43,542 for the first time since 1996. 90 00:04:43,667 --> 00:04:46,375 We hope to have the contract finalized tomorrow. 91 00:04:46,500 --> 00:04:50,083 If so, details will be forthcoming shortly; please pray. 92 00:04:50,167 --> 00:04:52,750 We are asking God for 20,000 people 93 00:04:52,833 --> 00:04:56,833 and 500 conversions in 1 service on Easter. 94 00:04:56,833 --> 00:05:00,333 That's the hope for this year. And our total combined attendance 95 00:05:00,333 --> 00:05:03,583 was right around 455,000 people 96 00:05:03,667 --> 00:05:06,333 if you total up all of the Sunday services. 97 00:05:06,333 --> 00:05:10,000 That's a great rejoicing in the grace of God. 98 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,250 We had the best year we've ever had. 99 00:05:12,333 --> 00:05:15,375 More money given, more community groups launched, 100 00:05:15,500 --> 00:05:17,167 more Redemption Groups started 101 00:05:17,250 --> 00:05:19,333 for those who are addicted and abused, 102 00:05:19,333 --> 00:05:22,833 more church services, more baptisms, more money given away, 103 00:05:22,833 --> 00:05:25,083 and higher attendance than we've ever enjoyed 104 00:05:25,167 --> 00:05:26,667 in the history of the church. 105 00:05:26,708 --> 00:05:29,833 Thank you for being generous. It's the best year we ever had. 106 00:05:29,833 --> 00:05:31,375 And there's more. There is more. 107 00:05:31,500 --> 00:05:34,333 Here's how much we were able to give away last year. 108 00:05:34,333 --> 00:05:36,583 We know it was a hard year for many, 109 00:05:36,667 --> 00:05:40,042 and so we like to give away 10% of all dollars 110 00:05:40,167 --> 00:05:42,333 to church planting through Acts 29. 111 00:05:42,333 --> 00:05:46,000 Also we give to The Resurgence, which helps to train pastors and leaders, 112 00:05:46,042 --> 00:05:49,083 produce conferences and books and training, 113 00:05:49,167 --> 00:05:53,833 and also Resurgence, which is hosting Re:Train, 114 00:05:53,833 --> 00:05:58,583 our master's level theological education and pastoral preparation. 115 00:05:58,667 --> 00:06:01,500 Now we also have the Mars Hill Leadership Program. 116 00:06:01,500 --> 00:06:04,333 You guys gave about 3/4 of a million dollars 117 00:06:04,333 --> 00:06:07,583 to ongoing projects in Haiti with Churches Helping Churches. 118 00:06:07,667 --> 00:06:11,375 With MicroMissions a few hundred thousand dollars was set aside 119 00:06:11,500 --> 00:06:14,583 so that Community Group leaders could apply to get grant money 120 00:06:14,667 --> 00:06:17,333 to help the poor, struggling, and needy in their neighborhood, 121 00:06:17,333 --> 00:06:19,375 particularly those who are not Christians 122 00:06:19,500 --> 00:06:21,375 that we want to love and serve. 123 00:06:21,500 --> 00:06:23,875 And also we give away books, resources, and videos 124 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:26,583 to those in the military and chaplains around the world. 125 00:06:26,667 --> 00:06:29,500 As they're away from home we want to do all we can 126 00:06:29,542 --> 00:06:32,167 to help and serve those who serve and protect us. 127 00:06:32,208 --> 00:06:36,083 And so you could see on the right, we gave away a lot this year, 128 00:06:36,167 --> 00:06:39,583 more than double the amount of money that we gave outside of the church. 129 00:06:39,667 --> 00:06:43,500 By God's grace it was almost $3 million we gave away this year. 130 00:06:43,833 --> 00:06:46,000 And we're really excited about that. 131 00:06:49,167 --> 00:06:52,083 And the web guys wanted me to share this with you. 132 00:06:52,167 --> 00:06:54,583 Marshillchurch.org is our website 133 00:06:54,667 --> 00:06:58,042 and it will be for a little while until we launch marshill.com. 134 00:06:58,167 --> 00:07:02,500 We have been trying to get that domain for a really long time and we obtained it. 135 00:07:02,500 --> 00:07:04,750 And so they are preparing to launch 136 00:07:04,833 --> 00:07:08,083 a new incarnation of the Mars Hill website at the new domain, 137 00:07:08,167 --> 00:07:11,583 but this year we saw our web traffic up 62%. 138 00:07:11,667 --> 00:07:14,583 Any second you log on to the site 139 00:07:14,667 --> 00:07:17,750 there are consistently 70 videos being streamed, 140 00:07:17,833 --> 00:07:20,667 some of those being downloaded for free to DVD ISO, 141 00:07:20,708 --> 00:07:24,333 for use in schools and churches and training centers. 142 00:07:24,333 --> 00:07:27,500 30 thousand people have downloaded the iPhone app. 143 00:07:27,500 --> 00:07:30,333 The Android app is right now in beta testing phase 144 00:07:30,333 --> 00:07:33,333 and will also be out shortly for more free content. 145 00:07:33,333 --> 00:07:37,875 45 thousand page views a day, 1.4 million unique visitors, 146 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:42,167 and 7 million sermon downloads last year. 147 00:07:42,208 --> 00:07:44,375 And so we love to give stuff away. 148 00:07:44,500 --> 00:07:46,583 The sermons are available for free in audio, 149 00:07:46,667 --> 00:07:50,542 free in video, free in hi-def DVD ISO download video, 150 00:07:50,667 --> 00:07:54,375 and also in transcription and translation into Spanish 151 00:07:54,500 --> 00:07:57,500 including video subtitles with Spanish. 152 00:07:57,500 --> 00:08:01,833 And we give all of that away and we praise God that it's going out. 153 00:08:01,833 --> 00:08:05,167 Additionally, here's what's going on in the Acts 29 Church Planting Network. 154 00:08:05,208 --> 00:08:07,542 This past year there were church planting boot camps. 155 00:08:07,667 --> 00:08:10,000 Raleigh, Denver, Sydney, Seattle, Phoenix, and London. 156 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,667 133 new churches were planted. 157 00:08:12,750 --> 00:08:15,667 That brings us to almost, just under, 158 00:08:15,750 --> 00:08:19,000 400 churches in the United States of America alone. 159 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:20,875 Right now we are assessing 160 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,750 480 potential church planting candidates 161 00:08:23,833 --> 00:08:25,750 who want to start a church. 162 00:08:25,833 --> 00:08:28,875 And additionally that means that every Sunday outside of Mars Hill 163 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,583 in the Acts 29 churches in the U.S. alone 164 00:08:31,667 --> 00:08:33,875 there are more than 100 thousand people. 165 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:36,333 And we praise God for every one of those people 166 00:08:36,333 --> 00:08:38,083 and I mean that very sincerely. 167 00:08:38,167 --> 00:08:40,833 Here's also where it breaks down financially. 168 00:08:40,833 --> 00:08:42,833 You say, "Well, who gave what?" 169 00:08:42,833 --> 00:08:45,167 21% of those who attend Mars Hill gave nothing. 170 00:08:45,250 --> 00:08:47,167 If you're not a Christian we love you. 171 00:08:47,250 --> 00:08:49,875 We're glad to have you. We're not looking for your money. 172 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:52,542 We'd love you to meet Jesus and him to give you 173 00:08:52,667 --> 00:08:54,083 a gift called salvation. 174 00:08:54,167 --> 00:08:57,375 If you are a Christian, however, starting today you could give $1 175 00:08:57,500 --> 00:09:00,167 and move into the next category of donors. 176 00:09:02,167 --> 00:09:04,833 That also includes my 5-year-old son, Gideon. 177 00:09:04,833 --> 00:09:08,000 So you can do it. And that is-- 178 00:09:09,167 --> 00:09:14,083 That's 43% of the people last year gave between $1 and $500. 179 00:09:14,167 --> 00:09:17,667 15% of the people gave $500 to $1,500. 180 00:09:17,750 --> 00:09:24,333 11% gave $1,500 to $4,000 and 10% gave $4,000 or more. 181 00:09:24,833 --> 00:09:28,375 And the good news is that includes all of your elders, pastors. 182 00:09:28,500 --> 00:09:30,875 We do track the giving of the senior leaders 183 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,333 to make sure that they are being generous. 184 00:09:33,333 --> 00:09:36,833 And we have no issues with any senior leader whatsoever. 185 00:09:36,833 --> 00:09:40,042 All your elders, all your deacons, all your staff members 186 00:09:40,167 --> 00:09:42,333 are all being really generous. 187 00:09:42,333 --> 00:09:44,375 We're seeing those who give their time 188 00:09:44,500 --> 00:09:46,667 also give their treasure. 189 00:09:46,750 --> 00:09:49,833 And we rejoice in that. We'd encourage you to join them. 190 00:09:49,833 --> 00:09:52,083 And what this shows you is that there's not 191 00:09:52,167 --> 00:09:54,333 a lot of very wealthy, affluent people. 192 00:09:54,333 --> 00:09:57,667 You could probably tell that when you pulled up to your campus. 193 00:09:57,750 --> 00:10:00,875 You're like, "There are not a lot of brand-new cars 194 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,083 and there's not a lot of very affluent people." 195 00:10:03,167 --> 00:10:06,542 A lot of people are young. A lot of people are starting their careers. 196 00:10:06,667 --> 00:10:09,542 A lot of people are starting their families. That tends to be 197 00:10:09,667 --> 00:10:11,583 the lion's share of Mars Hill. 198 00:10:11,667 --> 00:10:15,333 So really the most important thing for us is that everyone contribute 199 00:10:15,333 --> 00:10:18,833 because we don't have a number of significant donors that carry the load. 200 00:10:18,833 --> 00:10:21,167 It's everybody doing a little bit. 201 00:10:21,208 --> 00:10:24,000 That's how we get things done here at the church. 202 00:10:24,042 --> 00:10:25,750 Lastly, some of you then will ask, 203 00:10:25,833 --> 00:10:27,833 "Oh, well what about accountability?" 204 00:10:27,833 --> 00:10:31,333 "Who's going to make sure Mark doesn't have a private jet?" 205 00:10:31,333 --> 00:10:34,083 Well, Mark will make sure he doesn't have a private jet, 206 00:10:34,167 --> 00:10:37,875 but in addition to that, there are some other people that make sure 207 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,042 that we spend our money in a reasonable way 208 00:10:40,167 --> 00:10:41,750 and we're good stewards of your money. 209 00:10:41,833 --> 00:10:43,667 After all, if you're going to be generous, 210 00:10:43,750 --> 00:10:47,000 we also want to be generous. We also want to be prudent. 211 00:10:47,250 --> 00:10:50,333 And so internally we have a professional finance department 212 00:10:50,333 --> 00:10:53,083 with multiple CPA's and MBA's. 213 00:10:53,167 --> 00:10:54,875 We don't allow the children, for example, 214 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:56,875 to count the money during the service 215 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:00,083 over in the kids’ ministry. We have CPA's and MBA's 216 00:11:00,167 --> 00:11:03,750 who oversee our accounting policies. They bring in the money, 217 00:11:03,833 --> 00:11:06,000 account for the money, allocate the money, 218 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,375 oversee the policies and procedures 219 00:11:08,500 --> 00:11:10,375 to make sure that everything is done well 220 00:11:10,500 --> 00:11:13,875 because the last thing I want to do is prison ministry from the inside. 221 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,042 So we want to nail this down. 222 00:11:16,167 --> 00:11:19,500 Additionally, this includes regular communication about the budget. 223 00:11:19,542 --> 00:11:22,167 And so every month at every campus there's an update. 224 00:11:22,250 --> 00:11:23,875 "Here's how our campus is doing." 225 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:27,000 Every 6 months there's a full financial disclosure 226 00:11:27,042 --> 00:11:30,083 and also every year there's an annual report. 227 00:11:30,167 --> 00:11:33,083 And to be honest with you, I think we give away 228 00:11:33,167 --> 00:11:34,833 more information than any other church 229 00:11:34,833 --> 00:11:37,167 that is large in the nation. 230 00:11:37,208 --> 00:11:39,250 I don't know of anyone who gives away 231 00:11:39,333 --> 00:11:40,833 this much information. 232 00:11:40,833 --> 00:11:43,250 We also put it on the website in PDF format. 233 00:11:43,333 --> 00:11:45,833 Our belief is if you're going to be generous 234 00:11:45,833 --> 00:11:47,500 we need to be above reproach. 235 00:11:47,500 --> 00:11:49,375 We'll just let you know what's happening. 236 00:11:49,500 --> 00:11:51,500 This includes the external audit. 237 00:11:51,542 --> 00:11:53,542 We have an annual external audit 238 00:11:53,667 --> 00:11:56,000 from an outside accounting firm of Christians 239 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:59,583 who every year give us the highest commendation 240 00:11:59,667 --> 00:12:03,333 for our financial practices and policies. 241 00:12:03,333 --> 00:12:05,375 So we spend tens of thousands of dollars 242 00:12:05,500 --> 00:12:09,000 to hire an outside, objective, independent firm 243 00:12:10,208 --> 00:12:12,833 to comb through our books, our receipts, 244 00:12:12,833 --> 00:12:17,500 our spending, our salaries, and to give us a full review. 245 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,000 And we do that gladly. 246 00:12:20,500 --> 00:12:23,333 And thanks to Pastor Jamie Munson and Pastor Tim Beltz 247 00:12:23,333 --> 00:12:27,333 who lead this area of the church we every year literally get 248 00:12:27,333 --> 00:12:29,375 the highest possible scores 249 00:12:29,500 --> 00:12:31,375 for how we conduct ourselves financially. 250 00:12:31,500 --> 00:12:34,875 And I feel that's important to you because if you want to be generous 251 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:37,542 you also want to be a good steward and make sure 252 00:12:37,667 --> 00:12:40,167 that your money is getting distributed wisely. 253 00:12:40,250 --> 00:12:42,250 And we understand that and we appreciate that. 254 00:12:42,333 --> 00:12:44,167 And so also internally and externally 255 00:12:44,208 --> 00:12:46,500 we have an audit committee and board of directors 256 00:12:46,542 --> 00:12:49,583 who approve the salaries based upon the national averages. 257 00:12:49,667 --> 00:12:53,250 So we do have a pay scale set upon national average. 258 00:12:53,333 --> 00:12:55,667 We're very reasonable within that pay scale, 259 00:12:55,708 --> 00:12:57,500 right in the median range, 260 00:12:57,500 --> 00:13:01,000 and those who help set the salaries of those who are in the church 261 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,333 are people who are good business leaders, 262 00:13:03,333 --> 00:13:07,583 qualified elders and such, but they are not on the payroll. 263 00:13:07,667 --> 00:13:09,833 They are not employees of the organization 264 00:13:10,167 --> 00:13:12,375 so they're in an objective capacity. 265 00:13:12,500 --> 00:13:14,333 They don't have a conflict of interest. 266 00:13:14,333 --> 00:13:17,167 All of that to say, praise God. 267 00:13:17,208 --> 00:13:20,583 It is so wonderful to be at Mars Hill right now. 268 00:13:20,667 --> 00:13:24,333 This is the best season we've ever had. 269 00:13:24,333 --> 00:13:26,583 We enjoyed more of God's grace 270 00:13:26,667 --> 00:13:29,583 than most churches enjoy in a lifetime. 271 00:13:29,667 --> 00:13:33,875 We are unified, there is great love and respect 272 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,833 and mutual submission across the leadership. 273 00:13:36,833 --> 00:13:40,333 I sleep like a Calvinist. Things are fantastic. 274 00:13:41,167 --> 00:13:44,333 You guys made budget. You exceeded budget. 275 00:13:44,333 --> 00:13:46,250 All the campuses are growing. 276 00:13:46,333 --> 00:13:49,375 We're now at this position to continue to move forward 277 00:13:49,500 --> 00:13:52,375 and I want you to be cheerful givers and hopeful givers 278 00:13:52,500 --> 00:13:56,833 and I want you to pray big prayers because we have a big God. 279 00:13:56,833 --> 00:13:59,333 And in the past we set our budget such that 280 00:13:59,333 --> 00:14:01,833 if we didn't make it we were in trouble. 281 00:14:01,833 --> 00:14:04,500 We went intentionally lean with the budget this year 282 00:14:04,542 --> 00:14:07,000 and then we were asking you to be generous. 283 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,375 And if we were able to get beyond the budget 284 00:14:09,500 --> 00:14:11,833 then we could do a few additional things. 285 00:14:11,833 --> 00:14:14,000 So now we will be launching this year, 286 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:17,167 by God's grace, Mars Hill Everett. 287 00:14:17,208 --> 00:14:21,083 We'll also be launching Mars Hill Portland with Pastor Tim Smith, 288 00:14:21,167 --> 00:14:23,667 and we'll be launching Mars Hill Orange County. 289 00:14:23,750 --> 00:14:26,750 Those are the 3 next campuses that are on the horizon. 290 00:14:27,042 --> 00:14:29,500 Additionally, some of the campuses that have outgrown 291 00:14:29,542 --> 00:14:31,583 their buildings are moving into new space. 292 00:14:31,667 --> 00:14:34,333 And one of the things I would give you in prayer 293 00:14:34,333 --> 00:14:37,667 is this year it is on my heart to really put 294 00:14:37,708 --> 00:14:41,042 the spotlight, as it were, on children's ministry, 295 00:14:41,167 --> 00:14:45,875 that every week on Sunday we have 1,500, 296 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:48,833 one thousand five hundred children. 297 00:14:48,833 --> 00:14:51,333 Most of them are under age ten. 298 00:14:52,167 --> 00:14:54,083 Additionally, with all the weddings we have 299 00:14:54,167 --> 00:14:58,000 and people having larger families, which is highly unusual in our day. 300 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:01,375 Welcome to Mars Hill. Be fruitful, multiply, increase in number. 301 00:15:01,500 --> 00:15:04,667 We said dibs, we grabbed that verse. That one's ours. 302 00:15:04,708 --> 00:15:06,875 We love kids, we absolutely love kids. 303 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:08,583 And we want to be a church 304 00:15:08,667 --> 00:15:11,375 that not only reaches the city and reaches the world 305 00:15:11,500 --> 00:15:13,250 but also reaches the next generation 306 00:15:13,333 --> 00:15:15,875 so that we leave missionaries in our wake. 307 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:20,000 So that after we're done they continue loving, serving Jesus. 308 00:15:20,042 --> 00:15:21,583 And at the rate we're going, 309 00:15:21,667 --> 00:15:24,083 we're going to have a lot of resources and opportunities 310 00:15:24,167 --> 00:15:25,583 for our kids and grandkids. 311 00:15:25,667 --> 00:15:28,667 And so what that means for us is we're in the process 312 00:15:28,750 --> 00:15:34,083 of selecting a key point person to help us develop curriculum 313 00:15:34,167 --> 00:15:37,000 for the children's ministry based upon the "Doctrine" book. 314 00:15:37,042 --> 00:15:39,667 Additionally, to improve the children's spaces 315 00:15:39,750 --> 00:15:42,167 and pick-up and drop-off for moms and dads 316 00:15:42,208 --> 00:15:45,042 and training of parents. This is going to be something 317 00:15:45,167 --> 00:15:47,333 that I personally along with the other 318 00:15:47,333 --> 00:15:49,333 executive elders and a few folks 319 00:15:49,333 --> 00:15:51,333 are going to be focusing on this year. 320 00:15:51,333 --> 00:15:54,083 If we continue to grow at the rate that we are, 321 00:15:54,167 --> 00:15:55,875 in a few years we will have 322 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,708 upwards of 3 thousand elementary school students. 323 00:16:00,667 --> 00:16:03,708 All right, you see a tsunami of opportunity coming. 324 00:16:04,500 --> 00:16:08,583 And so we just want to get our surfboard ready and ride that wave. 325 00:16:08,667 --> 00:16:10,833 What a good day to be at Mars Hill! 326 00:16:10,833 --> 00:16:12,583 There have been years in the past 327 00:16:12,667 --> 00:16:14,833 that the annual report did not sound like this. 328 00:16:14,833 --> 00:16:17,500 All right, it was just like, "You guys." 329 00:16:17,500 --> 00:16:20,875 This is a great report! We love you, I'm really happy, 330 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:23,500 and when I'm cheery you know it's real 331 00:16:23,542 --> 00:16:25,333 because I always start pretty depressed 332 00:16:25,333 --> 00:16:27,250 and I'm really fired up. 333 00:16:27,333 --> 00:16:30,333 So praise God for your generosity. Praise God for his grace. 334 00:16:30,333 --> 00:16:32,500 I'll pray and now we'll jump into the Bible. 335 00:16:32,542 --> 00:16:38,333 We're going to look at Luke 14:7-11, the Parable of the Wedding Feast. 336 00:16:38,750 --> 00:16:42,542 Father God, thank you for being generous and good. 337 00:16:43,167 --> 00:16:47,833 God, it's wonderful to get up and to say, "What a great year!" 338 00:16:49,167 --> 00:16:51,000 That God you were gracious 339 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:53,167 and many of your people were generous. 340 00:16:53,833 --> 00:16:57,000 And we feel like the little boy who handed his lunch to Jesus 341 00:16:57,000 --> 00:16:58,667 and saw it multiplied 342 00:16:58,750 --> 00:17:01,583 to do far more than he was ever anticipating. 343 00:17:01,667 --> 00:17:03,333 We feel like that, God. 344 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:07,250 We handed you a little bit and with it you did a lot. 345 00:17:07,333 --> 00:17:09,542 And so help us this year to be generous 346 00:17:10,208 --> 00:17:13,333 and please take what we give and multiply it. 347 00:17:13,833 --> 00:17:15,333 And God as we study today 348 00:17:16,250 --> 00:17:19,000 please help us to grow in humility, 349 00:17:19,042 --> 00:17:22,000 that as you're gracious to us that we'd respond 350 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:24,375 with gratitude and not pride. 351 00:17:24,500 --> 00:17:27,083 So as we study today we ask for this grace 352 00:17:27,167 --> 00:17:29,333 in Jesus' good name, amen. 353 00:17:29,333 --> 00:17:32,542 All right, here's the scene, Luke chapter 14. 354 00:17:33,500 --> 00:17:37,250 Jesus is out preaching, teaching, casting out demons, healing people. 355 00:17:37,333 --> 00:17:39,833 And the religious people are following him around 356 00:17:39,833 --> 00:17:42,667 and the Bible says they're watching him closely. 357 00:17:43,500 --> 00:17:47,083 And so these highly conservative religious types, 358 00:17:47,167 --> 00:17:48,875 they're wanting him to do anything wrong 359 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:51,042 so they can criticize him and pounce on him 360 00:17:51,167 --> 00:17:52,667 and send out a press release 361 00:17:52,750 --> 00:17:54,750 and undermine his authority and integrity. 362 00:17:54,833 --> 00:17:56,833 Well of course Jesus never does sin. 363 00:17:56,833 --> 00:17:59,083 He's perfect, sinless, and God. 364 00:17:59,167 --> 00:18:01,500 He does, however, violate some of their rules. 365 00:18:01,542 --> 00:18:04,000 Not God's rules, their religious rules. 366 00:18:04,333 --> 00:18:05,875 And one of those occasions 367 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:09,250 is when Jesus is invited to the house of a religious leader, 368 00:18:09,333 --> 00:18:13,333 a wealthy, affluent man, for a meal with his enemies. 369 00:18:13,333 --> 00:18:15,583 And Jesus is kind enough and bold enough 370 00:18:15,667 --> 00:18:17,333 to actually show up for the meal. 371 00:18:17,333 --> 00:18:19,500 And so they bring in a man who's sick. 372 00:18:19,500 --> 00:18:22,583 They know that Jesus loves people and he can't help but heal them 373 00:18:22,667 --> 00:18:24,375 because his heart is so filled with compassion. 374 00:18:24,500 --> 00:18:27,833 So they set him up and they bring in a guy who's sick on the Sabbath. 375 00:18:27,917 --> 00:18:30,667 And they know that Jesus is going to want to heal him 376 00:18:30,750 --> 00:18:33,583 but that violates one of their rules, not one of God's rules. 377 00:18:33,667 --> 00:18:35,833 Jesus does heal him and then he rebukes them 378 00:18:35,917 --> 00:18:37,833 for not being very loving toward this guy. 379 00:18:37,833 --> 00:18:41,333 And rather than leaving the party, which to be honest is what I'd do. 380 00:18:41,333 --> 00:18:43,750 I'd be like, "You guys brought me into a party, 381 00:18:43,833 --> 00:18:45,875 I rebuked you, now I'll leave." 382 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:49,167 Instead what Jesus does, he makes it even more awkward. 383 00:18:49,250 --> 00:18:51,250 He stays... 384 00:18:52,167 --> 00:18:56,333 And he starts teaching them how they're all sinful and proud. 385 00:18:56,333 --> 00:18:57,875 All of them. 386 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:01,875 And he begins by looking at their seating arrangement for dinner. 387 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,000 And he says, "Oh, while we're at it 388 00:19:04,042 --> 00:19:07,500 "how come you guys are all arguing for the best seat at the table? 389 00:19:07,500 --> 00:19:11,333 "Why do you all care about, you know, where your name is at 390 00:19:11,333 --> 00:19:13,542 and where your seat is held?" 391 00:19:13,667 --> 00:19:16,500 It's like, perhaps, even some of you. 392 00:19:17,208 --> 00:19:20,167 You need to be honored. You need to have the best seat. 393 00:19:20,250 --> 00:19:22,500 You need everybody to know who you are. 394 00:19:22,542 --> 00:19:24,083 You're very important. 395 00:19:24,167 --> 00:19:27,333 You ever seen this at a coffee shop? 396 00:19:27,333 --> 00:19:31,083 One person--I've got a lot of kids, so the way it works for me is, 397 00:19:31,167 --> 00:19:33,583 I'll walk in at the same time as one guy, 398 00:19:33,667 --> 00:19:35,083 he'll walk over to like 399 00:19:35,167 --> 00:19:37,667 an eight-seat table and drop a cell phone. 400 00:19:37,708 --> 00:19:40,500 He's like, "Dibs." For him! 401 00:19:41,042 --> 00:19:43,083 It's like, "There's a lot of us!" 402 00:19:43,167 --> 00:19:46,042 "Dibs!" It's like that. 403 00:19:46,167 --> 00:19:49,167 That kind of push your way to the front, inconsiderate, 404 00:19:49,250 --> 00:19:51,083 "I don't care what happens to anybody else. 405 00:19:51,167 --> 00:19:55,000 "Who cares if they don't have a seat? Who cares if they have a bad seat? 406 00:19:55,042 --> 00:19:56,500 I took care of myself." 407 00:19:56,542 --> 00:19:59,083 And this is exactly the kind of thing that's happening 408 00:19:59,167 --> 00:20:03,750 at this religious meal with these religious people who are supposedly very holy. 409 00:20:03,833 --> 00:20:07,083 But when you look at how they're treating one another, Jesus says, 410 00:20:07,167 --> 00:20:10,042 "This doesn't look very holy to me. This looks very selfish." 411 00:20:10,167 --> 00:20:13,583 And so he's going to use them as a negative example. 412 00:20:13,667 --> 00:20:15,667 And the point is 413 00:20:15,750 --> 00:20:18,333 that life is a classroom and God's always teaching 414 00:20:18,333 --> 00:20:21,000 and if your eyes are open there's always something to learn, 415 00:20:21,042 --> 00:20:23,375 even if it's a negative lesson. 416 00:20:23,500 --> 00:20:25,333 So here's the story. 417 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:28,667 And it's about humility or humiliation. 418 00:20:28,750 --> 00:20:32,375 Luke 14:7-10, "Now he told a parable to those who were invited, 419 00:20:32,500 --> 00:20:35,000 when he noticed how they chose the places of honor," 420 00:20:35,042 --> 00:20:36,875 the seating chart, "saying to them, 421 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,333 "'When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, 422 00:20:39,333 --> 00:20:41,583 "'do not sit down in a place of honor, 423 00:20:41,667 --> 00:20:44,667 "'lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 424 00:20:44,708 --> 00:20:47,833 "'and he who invited you both will come by and say to you, 425 00:20:47,833 --> 00:20:49,667 "'”Give your place to this person,” 426 00:20:49,750 --> 00:20:53,875 "'and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 427 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,833 "'But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, 428 00:20:56,833 --> 00:20:59,667 "'so that when your host comes he may say to you, 429 00:20:59,708 --> 00:21:01,333 "'”Friend, move up higher.” 430 00:21:01,333 --> 00:21:03,875 "'Then you will be honored in the presence of all 431 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,375 who sit at table with you.'" 432 00:21:06,500 --> 00:21:10,208 God's plan A for you and me is humility. 433 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:15,042 If we don't go with plan A, God goes with plan B, humiliation. 434 00:21:16,667 --> 00:21:19,583 Either way, we're going to learn this lesson. 435 00:21:19,667 --> 00:21:23,667 Let me just submit to you, plan A is a lot better than plan B. 436 00:21:24,542 --> 00:21:27,375 Humility is better than humiliation 437 00:21:27,500 --> 00:21:30,333 and Jesus here is saying if we don't operate with humility 438 00:21:30,333 --> 00:21:32,708 we will experience humiliation. 439 00:21:33,667 --> 00:21:36,042 And I know immediately some of you say like, 440 00:21:36,167 --> 00:21:38,667 "The guy up front with all the lights on him 441 00:21:38,750 --> 00:21:41,000 is talking to me about humility." 442 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:44,333 Please humbly overlook the obvious, okay? 443 00:21:45,500 --> 00:21:47,000 Back to the story. 444 00:21:47,042 --> 00:21:49,875 Now, he uses the parable, 445 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:53,042 and a parable is a little story that teaches a big idea. 446 00:21:53,167 --> 00:21:56,375 And he says, "Guys, think of it this way. 447 00:21:56,500 --> 00:21:58,375 There's a wedding." Don't you love a wedding? 448 00:21:58,500 --> 00:22:00,750 As a pastor, been to a lot of weddings. 449 00:22:00,833 --> 00:22:02,375 What happens in a wedding? 450 00:22:02,500 --> 00:22:05,167 All right, there's the groom's side, there's the bride's side; 451 00:22:05,250 --> 00:22:08,542 everybody gets a seat. Who's supposed to sit up front? 452 00:22:09,250 --> 00:22:12,875 Grandma, grandpa, mom, dad, immediate family. 453 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:14,667 Those are seats of honor. 454 00:22:15,333 --> 00:22:17,000 And Jesus says 455 00:22:17,042 --> 00:22:18,833 to religious people who are jockeying 456 00:22:18,833 --> 00:22:20,833 over position and power and preference. 457 00:22:20,833 --> 00:22:23,583 It's kind of like you guys walked in on a wedding 458 00:22:23,667 --> 00:22:25,875 and the house was full and you thought, 459 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:30,500 "Well, there are seats up front." You walk up front and have a seat. 460 00:22:30,542 --> 00:22:33,667 Then all of a sudden the usher comes along and says, 461 00:22:33,750 --> 00:22:35,833 "That's Nana's seat. 462 00:22:35,833 --> 00:22:39,375 "Somebody's going to walk her down the aisle in a moment. 463 00:22:39,500 --> 00:22:41,333 "And she's got a walker, she's very old, 464 00:22:41,333 --> 00:22:43,333 and you're in her seat." 465 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:47,542 You're like, "Oh, yeah. I'm very selfish." 466 00:22:48,167 --> 00:22:51,667 Now you got to stand up and everybody's looking at you. 467 00:22:52,167 --> 00:22:53,875 It's an awkward moment. 468 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:56,083 And you notice the video camera's going. 469 00:22:56,167 --> 00:22:58,167 You're like, "Oh, my gosh." 470 00:22:58,250 --> 00:23:00,833 For the rest of their life, every anniversary, 471 00:23:00,833 --> 00:23:02,667 they're going to relive this moment. 472 00:23:03,333 --> 00:23:07,583 "Oh, there's Hank. There he is, took Nana's seat." 473 00:23:07,667 --> 00:23:09,667 You know? 474 00:23:09,708 --> 00:23:12,333 You're all flushed and just trying to walk down the aisle. 475 00:23:12,333 --> 00:23:13,875 And you're looking for a seat 476 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,875 and you can't find a seat and all the seats are taken. 477 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:20,333 The next think you know you're up in the balcony standing against the wall. 478 00:23:20,333 --> 00:23:22,583 And everybody keeps looking back, like... 479 00:23:22,667 --> 00:23:24,542 just shaking their head at you. 480 00:23:25,333 --> 00:23:28,750 Right? You're humiliated. 481 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:33,542 And what Jesus is saying is, if we're proud 482 00:23:33,667 --> 00:23:35,750 and always-- And here's what happens. 483 00:23:35,833 --> 00:23:38,250 If you're proud you're always pushing yourself, 484 00:23:38,333 --> 00:23:42,000 not to where you ought to be but to where you want to be. 485 00:23:42,333 --> 00:23:44,833 And this happens in seating. 486 00:23:44,833 --> 00:23:48,583 This happens in homes and families. This happens in businesses. 487 00:23:48,667 --> 00:23:50,000 This happens in churches. 488 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,500 And some of you don't see this as a problem 489 00:23:52,542 --> 00:23:54,083 because it's really worked for you. 490 00:23:54,167 --> 00:23:58,583 You're pushy, kind of a bully, a little bit rude, maybe bold. 491 00:23:58,667 --> 00:24:00,542 And other people don't like conflict 492 00:24:00,667 --> 00:24:03,667 and so they kind of let you get away with it. 493 00:24:03,750 --> 00:24:05,333 You say, "Well hey, it works." 494 00:24:05,333 --> 00:24:08,333 If you look confident and sort of just take it, 495 00:24:08,333 --> 00:24:11,833 most people are kind of scared and they just let you do it. 496 00:24:12,333 --> 00:24:18,000 Jesus says, "Yeah, but if you start with exaltation 497 00:24:18,333 --> 00:24:20,833 God's going to give you humiliation." 498 00:24:21,167 --> 00:24:23,167 So it's better to start with humility 499 00:24:23,500 --> 00:24:25,833 and then God can exalt you. 500 00:24:27,333 --> 00:24:29,250 Is this not true? 501 00:24:29,333 --> 00:24:32,375 Look back at your own life. Maybe yourself 502 00:24:32,500 --> 00:24:34,667 and/or people you know. 503 00:24:34,708 --> 00:24:36,875 Was there somebody who was always pushing, 504 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:41,500 shoving, jockeying to be in power? 505 00:24:42,542 --> 00:24:43,833 To be in charge? 506 00:24:44,667 --> 00:24:46,333 To get a seat at the table? 507 00:24:47,333 --> 00:24:49,833 Did it go well for them in the end? 508 00:24:50,333 --> 00:24:53,667 No. No, it never does. 509 00:24:54,667 --> 00:24:56,833 And sometimes the heart is revealed 510 00:24:58,667 --> 00:25:01,042 with simple actions like where we sit. 511 00:25:03,208 --> 00:25:07,833 And Jesus is saying here that pride is really evil. 512 00:25:07,833 --> 00:25:10,083 It's pernicious, it's horrendous. 513 00:25:10,167 --> 00:25:12,167 And let me say this. 514 00:25:12,250 --> 00:25:14,042 We just don't believe that. 515 00:25:15,833 --> 00:25:19,750 We just don't believe that, because one of the greatest virtues, 516 00:25:20,333 --> 00:25:21,875 not only in our nation 517 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:23,833 but the entirety of the western world, 518 00:25:23,833 --> 00:25:25,667 is pride. 519 00:25:26,208 --> 00:25:30,333 We use pride as the motivating factor of our lives. 520 00:25:33,667 --> 00:25:35,500 And we call it self-esteem. 521 00:25:37,208 --> 00:25:40,375 So the answer is, if you want to achieve something, 522 00:25:40,500 --> 00:25:43,583 if you want to succeed, if you want to make a difference, 523 00:25:43,667 --> 00:25:46,708 you need to have more self-esteem. 524 00:25:47,167 --> 00:25:50,250 You know why you're depressed? You don't have enough self-esteem. 525 00:25:50,333 --> 00:25:54,083 You know why you're not successful? You don't have enough self-esteem. 526 00:25:54,167 --> 00:25:56,708 You need more self-esteem. 527 00:25:58,167 --> 00:25:59,750 Am I wrong? 528 00:25:59,833 --> 00:26:04,333 This is the continual mantra of culture. 529 00:26:04,333 --> 00:26:07,167 Self-esteem, self-esteem, self-esteem. 530 00:26:08,042 --> 00:26:12,500 Self-help, self-actualization. 531 00:26:13,667 --> 00:26:15,833 This is not biblical thinking at all. 532 00:26:15,833 --> 00:26:20,042 In fact, the Bible says in Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28, 533 00:26:20,833 --> 00:26:22,667 that's satanic. 534 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:28,667 Because Satan himself became proud, 535 00:26:29,750 --> 00:26:33,542 not humble, and so he fought with God 536 00:26:33,667 --> 00:26:35,667 rather than trust in God. 537 00:26:36,250 --> 00:26:39,333 And the root of all sin is pride. 538 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:43,667 It's pride. 539 00:26:43,708 --> 00:26:45,833 And Satan and evildoers, 540 00:26:45,833 --> 00:26:49,375 even if they don't experience humiliation in this life 541 00:26:49,500 --> 00:26:52,333 will in the life to come, forever. 542 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:57,875 Augustine, the great church father, 543 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:00,542 said that pride is like a mother 544 00:27:00,667 --> 00:27:03,250 who is pregnant with all the other sins. 545 00:27:03,333 --> 00:27:07,667 Do you know that under all sins is ultimately the sin of pride? 546 00:27:09,208 --> 00:27:14,500 And again, we call it self-esteem, self-help, self-actualization. 547 00:27:14,500 --> 00:27:16,333 It's a life without reference to God. 548 00:27:17,250 --> 00:27:20,000 And this comes out of the teaching not of the Bible 549 00:27:20,042 --> 00:27:23,583 but of a psychologist named Abraham Maslow. 550 00:27:23,667 --> 00:27:25,875 And he created something called a hierarchy of needs. 551 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:27,375 And if you think of it 552 00:27:27,500 --> 00:27:29,833 like a pyramid or a triangle, he says, “Well, 553 00:27:29,917 --> 00:27:32,333 “we have lower needs, sort of essential needs 554 00:27:32,333 --> 00:27:34,542 “like food and water and shelter. 555 00:27:34,667 --> 00:27:38,500 “And then we proceed up to our highest need, 556 00:27:38,542 --> 00:27:44,500 “our greatest need, which is self-actualization. 557 00:27:45,208 --> 00:27:49,667 “For me to achieve all that I can achieve, 558 00:27:49,708 --> 00:27:52,583 “acquire all that I can acquire, 559 00:27:52,667 --> 00:27:57,042 “do all I can do, and be all I can be. 560 00:27:57,333 --> 00:28:01,833 “I exist for me to achieve my potential! 561 00:28:02,833 --> 00:28:04,333 “My full potential! 562 00:28:05,667 --> 00:28:09,708 And then I'm self-actualized and I've met my greatest need.” 563 00:28:10,500 --> 00:28:13,042 And the Bible says, "Satanic." 564 00:28:14,208 --> 00:28:17,333 We exist for God's glory, not our own. 565 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:24,875 We exist to love, honor, serve, obey, enjoy God and help others. 566 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:28,667 And if I am at the top of the pyramid of my life 567 00:28:28,833 --> 00:28:31,500 I can't lovingly help and serve people. 568 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:34,333 And I don't believe I have any need for God. 569 00:28:34,333 --> 00:28:37,667 I've become my own god and I expect people to worship me. 570 00:28:37,708 --> 00:28:41,167 I don't expect to worship God by loving and serving people. 571 00:28:41,833 --> 00:28:44,250 And that explains the world we live in. 572 00:28:45,667 --> 00:28:48,042 That explains the world that we live in. 573 00:28:48,333 --> 00:28:51,167 And I just need to emphasize this to you. 574 00:28:51,208 --> 00:28:54,875 It is so deeply engrained in all of our education, 575 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:58,833 it is so deeply engrained in all of our upbringing 576 00:28:59,542 --> 00:29:02,542 that this isn't a lesson that you and I will learn today. 577 00:29:02,667 --> 00:29:05,500 This is a lesson we need to learn every day. 578 00:29:05,542 --> 00:29:07,875 And this isn't just a sermon I preach to you. 579 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:11,167 This is a sermon I preach to me as a guilty fool. 580 00:29:12,833 --> 00:29:16,750 And so the problem is pride and the answer is humility. 581 00:29:16,833 --> 00:29:19,333 The remedy is humility. 582 00:29:19,750 --> 00:29:21,500 Humility-- 583 00:29:21,542 --> 00:29:24,375 Well first of all, if you want to study it some more, 584 00:29:24,500 --> 00:29:26,875 I think the best book I've read on the issue is 585 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:29,583 by a man that we love and appreciate and I enjoy very much 586 00:29:29,667 --> 00:29:30,583 named C. J. Mahaney. 587 00:29:30,667 --> 00:29:33,167 He's got a little book, you can read it pretty quick, 588 00:29:33,250 --> 00:29:35,500 called "Humility". It's a good book. 589 00:29:35,542 --> 00:29:37,750 And he talks about humility. 590 00:29:37,833 --> 00:29:41,667 And humility by definition means to know your place. 591 00:29:42,208 --> 00:29:44,167 So that's what it means to be humble. 592 00:29:44,208 --> 00:29:46,542 Some of you say, "I want to be a leader!" 593 00:29:46,667 --> 00:29:48,667 Are you a leader? 594 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:53,667 "I want to be in charge!" Are you the best person for the job? 595 00:29:55,333 --> 00:29:58,875 Humility is knowing your place, and back to the story, 596 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:03,333 that is gladly accepting, not where you want to be, 597 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:06,667 but where you ought to be. 598 00:30:11,667 --> 00:30:14,667 And Jesus says, "Those who are humble, 599 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:18,000 they can be honored and exalted." 600 00:30:20,042 --> 00:30:23,083 Back to the story, it'd be as if there was a wedding 601 00:30:23,167 --> 00:30:26,542 and maybe you were a relative or a close friend of the family 602 00:30:26,667 --> 00:30:28,167 and you showed up, you said, 603 00:30:28,250 --> 00:30:33,250 "It's going to be a packed house. I'll just sit in the balcony." 604 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:37,167 And the groom looks up and sees you in the balcony 605 00:30:37,208 --> 00:30:39,583 and tells one of the ushers, "Go get him! 606 00:30:39,667 --> 00:30:42,042 "Gosh, we love that person. We're close to him. 607 00:30:42,167 --> 00:30:44,000 Bring him on down. Give him this seat." 608 00:30:44,042 --> 00:30:46,667 And all of a sudden the person comes up and says, 609 00:30:46,750 --> 00:30:50,875 "You know, the family has personally requested that you come sit in this seat." 610 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:53,208 "Really? Okay, thanks." 611 00:30:53,708 --> 00:30:55,333 Now you're honored. 612 00:30:56,167 --> 00:31:00,250 You're walking down the aisle the right way, not the wrong way. 613 00:31:02,333 --> 00:31:05,500 And it's like, "Oh, well they must be close." 614 00:31:05,500 --> 00:31:08,833 And see some of you say, "But I want a seat at the table! 615 00:31:08,833 --> 00:31:11,500 I want to be in a position of influence!" 616 00:31:11,500 --> 00:31:14,167 Jesus would say, "That's not a problem. 617 00:31:14,208 --> 00:31:17,833 The question is, how do you hope to get there?" 618 00:31:18,667 --> 00:31:22,042 Is it through pride and pushing 619 00:31:22,167 --> 00:31:25,167 or is it through humility and honoring? 620 00:31:26,333 --> 00:31:29,000 Jesus doesn't mind you getting a good seat. 621 00:31:29,042 --> 00:31:34,042 The question is, have you taken it or has it been given to you? 622 00:31:35,667 --> 00:31:37,167 It's convicting, isn't it? 623 00:31:38,042 --> 00:31:40,667 Humility is knowing our place and here's the truth. 624 00:31:40,708 --> 00:31:42,333 We're finite beings. 625 00:31:43,500 --> 00:31:45,000 We don't know everything! 626 00:31:46,042 --> 00:31:47,500 We're created. 627 00:31:48,167 --> 00:31:50,375 We're not equal to God. We're under God. 628 00:31:50,500 --> 00:31:53,333 We're finite. We're also fallen. 629 00:31:53,333 --> 00:31:58,000 We're sinful, proud, selfish. And we're foolish. 630 00:31:58,750 --> 00:32:02,833 Sometimes we say, do, think ridiculous things. 631 00:32:03,833 --> 00:32:05,333 And knowing our place is, 632 00:32:05,333 --> 00:32:07,875 "I'm not like God. I'm not equal to God. 633 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:11,833 "I'm under God and I'm finite. I got a lot to learn. 634 00:32:11,833 --> 00:32:14,583 "I'm fallen. I'm really selfish. 635 00:32:14,667 --> 00:32:17,833 And I'm foolish. Sometimes I do and say stupid things." 636 00:32:18,667 --> 00:32:24,000 Knowing that allows us to gladly accept our place. 637 00:32:24,500 --> 00:32:28,333 Not the place we want to be, the place we ought to be. 638 00:32:28,333 --> 00:32:31,750 And if we're humble in the place that God has positioned us, 639 00:32:31,833 --> 00:32:35,333 when he feels we're ready, he can call us to lead more 640 00:32:35,333 --> 00:32:37,375 or to do more. 641 00:32:37,500 --> 00:32:39,833 But he needs to work on us. 642 00:32:39,833 --> 00:32:42,875 He needs to work on us and our character. 643 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:45,083 And I tell you this as someone who, 644 00:32:45,167 --> 00:32:49,000 I hate--I love-hate preaching these sermons 645 00:32:49,500 --> 00:32:52,583 because this is a perennial issue for me. 646 00:32:52,667 --> 00:32:57,667 Pride, me-ism, I'm a drama queen, I love a crowd, right? 647 00:32:57,750 --> 00:32:59,375 I mean, it's just like, gosh, 648 00:32:59,500 --> 00:33:02,667 every time I preach this sermon I just feel like, man, 649 00:33:02,750 --> 00:33:05,875 over and over when the Bible keeps talking about humility 650 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:08,875 it's, I mean, it's just like a-- 651 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:11,667 It's a week in the wood chipper for me. 652 00:33:11,708 --> 00:33:14,667 Okay, and so I don't tell you, "Here's what I've learned." 653 00:33:14,750 --> 00:33:16,042 I would tell you, 654 00:33:16,167 --> 00:33:19,167 "Take it from the guy who walked the wrong way up the aisle. 655 00:33:19,250 --> 00:33:21,500 That's not very fun,” right? 656 00:33:22,167 --> 00:33:24,083 Be humble and let somebody else 657 00:33:24,167 --> 00:33:26,500 walk you the right way down the aisle. 658 00:33:26,542 --> 00:33:29,667 Here's what we're going to do. We're going to take a pride test. 659 00:33:29,750 --> 00:33:31,542 You will. 660 00:33:35,250 --> 00:33:38,167 Number one, do you long for a lot of attention? 661 00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:42,500 Some of you do this by being really dramatic. 662 00:33:42,708 --> 00:33:45,208 You have the spiritual gift of freaking out. 663 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:49,333 Some of you are always needy and clingy and desperate 664 00:33:49,333 --> 00:33:51,500 and you've learned to look pathetic. 665 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:55,750 "Is there something wrong?" "Yes, there is! How could you tell?" 666 00:33:55,833 --> 00:34:00,333 "Well, the billboard sort of indicated." 667 00:34:01,667 --> 00:34:05,375 Some of you do this by being pushy or demanding attention 668 00:34:05,500 --> 00:34:08,667 or being big personality or vocal or-- 669 00:34:08,750 --> 00:34:10,667 Do you demand a lot of attention? 670 00:34:10,750 --> 00:34:12,042 And if people are talking 671 00:34:12,167 --> 00:34:13,833 but you're not the center of attention, 672 00:34:13,833 --> 00:34:17,000 do you make a way to get all the attention to you? 673 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:21,500 Number two, do you become jealous or critical of people who succeed? 674 00:34:24,333 --> 00:34:26,833 "Oh I can't believe they got-- They didn't deserve that! 675 00:34:26,917 --> 00:34:30,542 That's not even fair! How in the world?" 676 00:34:31,667 --> 00:34:33,833 Blog, Facebook, Twitter-- 677 00:34:33,833 --> 00:34:36,750 So much of the world has gone totally negative. 678 00:34:37,750 --> 00:34:40,250 We just criticize people who succeed. 679 00:34:40,333 --> 00:34:42,875 And part of that is quite frankly just jealousy. 680 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:46,167 It really is. It just is. 681 00:34:46,833 --> 00:34:49,583 "Well I could do better than them." 682 00:34:49,667 --> 00:34:52,542 Maybe you could, maybe you couldn't. But God's working on your character 683 00:34:52,667 --> 00:34:54,375 and if you want to do something 684 00:34:54,500 --> 00:34:57,500 start with humility and we'll see what he has for you. 685 00:34:57,708 --> 00:35:01,000 Do you become jealous or critical of people who succeed? 686 00:35:02,333 --> 00:35:05,375 Number three, do you always have to win? 687 00:35:05,500 --> 00:35:07,500 "Can't lose, I'm a winner!" 688 00:35:07,708 --> 00:35:10,000 Some of you even cheat at board games! 689 00:35:11,667 --> 00:35:14,875 There's no pot of money. There's no trophy, 690 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:17,375 there's no ESPN highlights 691 00:35:17,500 --> 00:35:21,333 for the backgammon or Monopoly move of the day. 692 00:35:22,833 --> 00:35:25,833 "I just can't lose! I cannot lose! I'm a winner!" 693 00:35:25,833 --> 00:35:27,667 You know-- Oh, whatever. 694 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:33,167 Number four, do you have a pattern of lying? 695 00:35:34,333 --> 00:35:35,833 Oh, the room changed. 696 00:35:35,833 --> 00:35:38,000 The whole temperature of the room changed. 697 00:35:38,250 --> 00:35:41,583 That was interesting. Some of you say, "No, I don't lie." 698 00:35:41,667 --> 00:35:43,833 Well, you just did. 699 00:35:45,333 --> 00:35:48,333 And see, under lying is pride because lying is usually, 700 00:35:49,167 --> 00:35:50,875 "You're going to know something about me 701 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:52,875 "that doesn't put me in a favorable light 702 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:55,333 "and I want to be seen in a favorable light 703 00:35:55,333 --> 00:35:57,833 "so I will lie, even if it's a little thing. 704 00:35:58,667 --> 00:36:02,208 Just so that I'm perceived as being someone I'm truly not." 705 00:36:03,333 --> 00:36:05,542 Under lying is pride. 706 00:36:05,667 --> 00:36:07,500 We lie to make ourselves look better 707 00:36:07,542 --> 00:36:09,833 and we lie to make other people look worse 708 00:36:09,833 --> 00:36:11,667 so we can look better in comparison. 709 00:36:11,750 --> 00:36:13,333 It's all pride. 710 00:36:14,250 --> 00:36:18,875 Number five, do you have a hard time acknowledging you were wrong? 711 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:21,833 You don't confess sin, you have to get caught. 712 00:36:22,667 --> 00:36:26,667 And even when you get caught you put up a fight. 713 00:36:26,750 --> 00:36:29,500 You blame shift, get emotional, 714 00:36:29,750 --> 00:36:32,833 You say, "I don't like the way you showed me my sin!" 715 00:36:32,833 --> 00:36:36,833 Change the subject to their tactic instead of your transgression. 716 00:36:37,167 --> 00:36:39,000 What? Tricky. 717 00:36:39,708 --> 00:36:41,833 Some of you can't say, "I'm wrong." 718 00:36:42,833 --> 00:36:45,542 Some of you will say things like, "Nobody's perfect!" 719 00:36:45,667 --> 00:36:49,833 Which is basically saying, "I'm a human being", 720 00:36:49,833 --> 00:36:53,833 which isn't really an apology. It's more of an excuse. 721 00:36:54,833 --> 00:36:58,500 You have a hard time acknowledging you were wrong. 722 00:36:59,333 --> 00:37:01,083 Number six, 723 00:37:01,167 --> 00:37:04,250 do you have a lot of conflicts with other people? 724 00:37:06,542 --> 00:37:11,833 There are a lot of conflicts between the proud and the proud. 725 00:37:12,833 --> 00:37:15,250 They're always going at it. 726 00:37:15,333 --> 00:37:18,542 Sometimes there's conflict between the proud and the humble. 727 00:37:18,750 --> 00:37:20,667 We see that with Jesus, right? 728 00:37:20,833 --> 00:37:23,542 He's humble but he keeps having conflicts 729 00:37:23,667 --> 00:37:25,167 with religious people who were proud. 730 00:37:25,250 --> 00:37:27,833 But he humbly stands up to the bullies. 731 00:37:27,917 --> 00:37:31,250 Very rarely is there massive conflict 732 00:37:31,333 --> 00:37:33,000 between the humble and the humble. 733 00:37:34,750 --> 00:37:36,250 Right? 734 00:37:36,708 --> 00:37:39,875 Yeah, those humble people- they are killing each other. 735 00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:41,750 Those humble people. 736 00:37:44,167 --> 00:37:46,667 So if you're involved in a lot of conflict 737 00:37:46,750 --> 00:37:51,750 maybe you're the humble one, probably you're the proud one. 738 00:37:54,500 --> 00:37:56,375 Number seven, 739 00:37:56,500 --> 00:38:00,667 do you cut in line at the store, airport, on the freeway, etc.? 740 00:38:04,333 --> 00:38:06,000 Right, you're at the grocery store, 741 00:38:06,042 --> 00:38:09,375 it's a long line, they open another line, you're in. 742 00:38:09,500 --> 00:38:12,875 You cut, and everybody's giving you the stink eye. 743 00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:15,333 But you know most people don't like conflict 744 00:38:15,333 --> 00:38:17,542 and they're not going to say anything. 745 00:38:17,667 --> 00:38:20,542 So you do one of two things. You stare at them, like, 746 00:38:20,667 --> 00:38:22,375 "I dare you to argue with me," 747 00:38:22,500 --> 00:38:24,833 or you talk on the phone and pretend you're stupid 748 00:38:24,917 --> 00:38:27,000 like you didn't know. Right? 749 00:38:27,167 --> 00:38:28,875 "Yeah, I'm at the store." 750 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:31,875 Then they can't come up and say, "Hey, you cut in line", 751 00:38:32,000 --> 00:38:34,500 because then they would be rude. And what you're doing is 752 00:38:34,542 --> 00:38:37,375 you're being rude and making them feel that they can't be rude. 753 00:38:37,500 --> 00:38:40,083 Tricky. Tricky. 754 00:38:40,167 --> 00:38:42,542 Some of you drive on the shoulder of the road 755 00:38:42,667 --> 00:38:46,375 all the way up to the front of the line in traffic and cut in. 756 00:38:46,500 --> 00:38:49,875 Why? You're more important than everyone you just passed. 757 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:51,500 Right? 758 00:38:51,542 --> 00:38:53,167 "I'm very important, I have a place- 759 00:38:53,250 --> 00:38:56,750 I have important places to go. I have significant things to do." 760 00:38:57,500 --> 00:38:59,417 You all can just wait. 761 00:39:01,500 --> 00:39:03,500 Or, at the airport is amazing. 762 00:39:03,500 --> 00:39:05,000 The airport-- 763 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:06,833 If you don't believe in total depravity, 764 00:39:06,833 --> 00:39:08,708 go to the airport. 765 00:39:09,833 --> 00:39:12,083 It's amazing. 766 00:39:12,167 --> 00:39:15,375 You can be on a plane at the very back of the plane, 767 00:39:15,500 --> 00:39:17,500 you're like the last row. 768 00:39:17,542 --> 00:39:20,250 You can't even see the front of the plane. 769 00:39:20,333 --> 00:39:23,500 Ding! Everybody jumps out of their seats 770 00:39:24,042 --> 00:39:28,750 and they're all fighting to get in line to go nowhere! 771 00:39:31,333 --> 00:39:33,875 It doesn't matter where you're in line, 772 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:36,583 getting off the plane, it's going to be a while. 773 00:39:36,667 --> 00:39:39,750 You can cut in front of one person, you know what that does? 774 00:39:39,833 --> 00:39:42,167 Nothing, nothing. 775 00:39:42,250 --> 00:39:45,083 But it's just a way of saying, "Yes, there's hundreds of us, 776 00:39:45,167 --> 00:39:49,167 but at least I'm better than that one. 777 00:39:49,500 --> 00:39:50,750 I'm very important." 778 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:53,333 Do you cut? 779 00:39:53,417 --> 00:39:55,583 Number eight, do you get upset when people 780 00:39:55,667 --> 00:39:57,042 do not honor your achievements? 781 00:39:57,250 --> 00:39:59,083 "They didn't even say thank you. 782 00:39:59,167 --> 00:40:03,167 They didn't even send a card saying, 'Hey, thanks.' 783 00:40:04,333 --> 00:40:07,250 They never- nobody ever honors me. 784 00:40:07,333 --> 00:40:10,333 Nobody ever acknowledges- Why do I even bother? 785 00:40:10,333 --> 00:40:13,875 Nobody even says good job! 786 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:17,000 Oh, wait a minute, that's right, 787 00:40:17,042 --> 00:40:19,000 I'm supposed to wait for Jesus to say, 788 00:40:19,042 --> 00:40:20,583 'Well done, good and faithful servant', 789 00:40:20,667 --> 00:40:23,583 and that day's still coming." 790 00:40:23,667 --> 00:40:25,000 Number nine, 791 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:28,583 do you tend more toward an attitude of entitlement or thankfulness? 792 00:40:28,667 --> 00:40:31,667 "Hey, I deserve that! I've worked hard! 793 00:40:31,708 --> 00:40:36,750 I really made a sacrifice. This is what I have coming to me." 794 00:40:36,833 --> 00:40:40,833 Or thankfulness? “You know what? I deserve hell. 795 00:40:40,833 --> 00:40:43,167 Everything else is a gift. 796 00:40:43,208 --> 00:40:49,000 Thanks, Lord. I'm grateful for whatever." 797 00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:52,042 Proud people, they feel like they deserve. 798 00:40:52,167 --> 00:40:54,833 They have this sense of entitlement. 799 00:40:54,833 --> 00:40:58,833 Humble people say, "Thanks, Lord. 800 00:40:58,833 --> 00:41:03,042 That you would give gifts to your enemies, that's great." 801 00:41:03,167 --> 00:41:05,750 Number ten, 802 00:41:05,833 --> 00:41:08,333 do you honestly feel you are basically a good person 803 00:41:08,333 --> 00:41:10,000 and superior to others? 804 00:41:10,042 --> 00:41:15,000 Now, you wouldn't put this on your Facebook account, all right? 805 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:19,542 "Tell us about yourself." "Well, I'm better than everyone." 806 00:41:20,833 --> 00:41:23,542 But in your heart, 807 00:41:23,667 --> 00:41:29,167 there's sort of this smugness, this superiority, 808 00:41:30,750 --> 00:41:32,333 thinking, "You know what? 809 00:41:32,417 --> 00:41:35,167 Most people are pretty stupid and I'm pretty smart. 810 00:41:35,250 --> 00:41:38,833 And most people are not a real gift to the planet 811 00:41:38,833 --> 00:41:41,333 and I'm superior to them. 812 00:41:41,333 --> 00:41:44,667 I'm basically better than most people." 813 00:41:44,708 --> 00:41:47,250 Okay, now we'll score this. 814 00:41:47,333 --> 00:41:50,167 We had 10 questions and you get 1 point for every question. 815 00:41:50,250 --> 00:41:54,667 If you scored 1 to 10, you're proud. If you scored 0, you're very proud. 816 00:41:57,000 --> 00:42:00,500 There's your score. 817 00:42:08,042 --> 00:42:12,250 "What did you score, Pastor Mark?" Twenty-seven! 818 00:42:12,750 --> 00:42:15,750 That's what I scored. 819 00:42:16,167 --> 00:42:18,500 So what happens to those who are proud? 820 00:42:18,500 --> 00:42:20,042 What's the consequence? 821 00:42:20,167 --> 00:42:25,167 Well, Jesus says humility can lead to honor 822 00:42:25,250 --> 00:42:29,875 just like pride leads to dishonor. He says this in Luke 14:11, 823 00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:31,875 "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, 824 00:42:32,000 --> 00:42:34,167 and he who humbles himself will be exalted." 825 00:42:34,208 --> 00:42:37,833 Jesus says you either start with humility 826 00:42:37,833 --> 00:42:40,333 and then God raises you up, 827 00:42:40,333 --> 00:42:45,000 or you start with pride and God knocks you down. 828 00:42:45,542 --> 00:42:49,917 So there's only two ways to live your life. 829 00:42:50,167 --> 00:42:53,500 And Jesus tells you this because he loves you. 830 00:42:53,542 --> 00:42:57,000 And he doesn't want you to pick a fight with him 831 00:42:57,000 --> 00:43:00,667 and he doesn't want to have to knock you down a notch. 832 00:43:00,750 --> 00:43:03,083 He'd rather you be humble and him lift you up 833 00:43:03,167 --> 00:43:05,500 when you're ready for more leadership and influence 834 00:43:05,500 --> 00:43:09,542 and service to others. 835 00:43:09,833 --> 00:43:12,042 Jesus is good, he loves you. 836 00:43:12,167 --> 00:43:16,750 But he can't let arrogant, proud people using his name 837 00:43:16,833 --> 00:43:20,333 just run around and take advantage of people. 838 00:43:20,333 --> 00:43:24,042 Because, see, proud people, boy, they make the worst spouse, 839 00:43:24,167 --> 00:43:27,583 they make the worst parent, they make the worst friend, 840 00:43:27,667 --> 00:43:31,167 they make the worst church member. 841 00:43:31,250 --> 00:43:33,833 Humble people, they, by the grace of God, 842 00:43:33,833 --> 00:43:36,750 they can be a pretty good spouse, pretty good parent, 843 00:43:36,833 --> 00:43:39,500 pretty good friend, pretty good church member. 844 00:43:39,542 --> 00:43:42,000 Are you going to start high and end low 845 00:43:42,000 --> 00:43:44,750 or are you going to start low and end high, 846 00:43:44,833 --> 00:43:47,250 actually end with the resurrection of the dead 847 00:43:47,333 --> 00:43:52,000 and the ascension into the kingdom of God. 848 00:43:52,667 --> 00:43:54,667 This is a big issue in the Bible. 849 00:43:54,708 --> 00:43:57,750 The Bible talks about humility and pride frequently. 850 00:43:57,833 --> 00:44:01,000 I'll give you a few examples. Proverbs 16:18, 851 00:44:01,042 --> 00:44:05,833 "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." 852 00:44:06,042 --> 00:44:08,083 You ever seen that? 853 00:44:08,167 --> 00:44:11,583 Somebody really prideful, maybe you, 854 00:44:11,667 --> 00:44:14,875 felt cocky and confident and self-assured. 855 00:44:15,000 --> 00:44:19,167 "I know what I'm doing." Boom! The bottom falls out. 856 00:44:19,917 --> 00:44:22,667 I was looking at it before the sermon 857 00:44:22,750 --> 00:44:24,542 and I was reminded of it. 858 00:44:24,667 --> 00:44:27,042 When I was in Ireland, I went to County Cork, 859 00:44:27,167 --> 00:44:29,167 where my great-great-grandfather James sailed to the U.S. 860 00:44:29,208 --> 00:44:31,042 from during the potato famine. 861 00:44:31,167 --> 00:44:36,333 And it's the same port of call that the Titanic had its last leave from. 862 00:44:36,417 --> 00:44:39,375 There's a big picture and under it there's a caption 863 00:44:39,500 --> 00:44:43,667 that was said when the boat left the dock. 864 00:44:43,750 --> 00:44:46,833 I don't know if it was the captain or whomever, said, quote, 865 00:44:46,917 --> 00:44:49,750 "Even God could not sink this ship." 866 00:44:51,042 --> 00:44:54,042 That was not a good idea at all. 867 00:44:55,250 --> 00:44:59,000 That was not good. 868 00:44:59,333 --> 00:45:06,333 So Jesus' own brother, in James 4:6, 869 00:45:06,333 --> 00:45:10,167 and Jesus' disciple Peter in 1 Peter 5:5, say, quote, 870 00:45:10,250 --> 00:45:13,833 "Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, 871 00:45:13,833 --> 00:45:17,542 for God opposes the proud but he gives grace to the humble." 872 00:45:17,667 --> 00:45:20,583 Friends, I've been meditating on that verse for the last few years 873 00:45:20,667 --> 00:45:25,333 and I'm not saying I've learned it, but I'm compelled by it. 874 00:45:25,417 --> 00:45:28,667 God opposes the proud. That means we pick a fight with God 875 00:45:28,750 --> 00:45:31,000 when we're proud. 876 00:45:31,042 --> 00:45:35,667 And God gives grace to the humble. He comes to serve. 877 00:45:35,750 --> 00:45:41,167 What a foolish thing it is to fight God. 878 00:45:41,500 --> 00:45:43,833 And see, some of you think that humility 879 00:45:43,833 --> 00:45:46,667 means you don't do anything. Jesus wants you to do things. 880 00:45:46,708 --> 00:45:50,167 He wants you to do them by grace and humility. 881 00:45:50,250 --> 00:45:53,500 He cares about the heart as much as he cares about the action. 882 00:45:53,542 --> 00:45:55,500 He cares about both. 883 00:45:55,500 --> 00:45:58,167 Why you do what you do, not just what you do. 884 00:45:58,250 --> 00:45:59,833 They both count. 885 00:45:59,833 --> 00:46:02,667 Let me say a few things about pride versus humility 886 00:46:02,750 --> 00:46:07,167 like Jesus says here. The exalting is pride. 887 00:46:07,667 --> 00:46:12,000 Actually, you guys can take that one back for a minute. 888 00:46:12,042 --> 00:46:14,500 I'll tell you a couple of things 889 00:46:14,500 --> 00:46:16,000 about pride versus humility. 890 00:46:16,042 --> 00:46:18,542 Number one, if you want to grow in humility, 891 00:46:18,667 --> 00:46:21,667 don't focus on humility. 892 00:46:21,750 --> 00:46:24,500 Because here's what I've seen happen. 893 00:46:24,542 --> 00:46:27,500 "I'm so proud, I need to really work on humility. 894 00:46:27,500 --> 00:46:30,833 So I'm going to focus on humility so that I can be more humble," 895 00:46:30,917 --> 00:46:34,500 which is still about me, 896 00:46:34,500 --> 00:46:39,167 which is ultimately pride. 897 00:46:39,500 --> 00:46:41,667 You say, "Well, how do you grow in humility?" 898 00:46:41,708 --> 00:46:45,083 Think about somebody else. 899 00:46:45,167 --> 00:46:47,833 His name is Jesus. 900 00:46:47,833 --> 00:46:54,000 You start to think about Jesus and that's how we grow in humility. 901 00:46:54,042 --> 00:46:56,500 You say, "Okay, how did Jesus live his life?" 902 00:46:56,500 --> 00:46:59,167 Friends, was Jesus humble? 903 00:46:59,208 --> 00:47:01,583 The most humble person who's ever lived. 904 00:47:01,667 --> 00:47:06,583 How did he live his humble life? By the power of the Holy Spirit. 905 00:47:06,667 --> 00:47:08,333 So for us to grow in humility, 906 00:47:08,333 --> 00:47:12,667 it's about not just being totally obsessed with ourselves. 907 00:47:12,750 --> 00:47:14,667 "Am I proud or humble?" 908 00:47:14,750 --> 00:47:17,875 Jesus, let me get to know Jesus. 909 00:47:18,000 --> 00:47:19,875 Let me look at the life of Jesus. 910 00:47:20,000 --> 00:47:23,500 Let me live by the power of Jesus and, as a result of that, 911 00:47:23,542 --> 00:47:27,083 I'll be able to start to demonstrate a little bit more all the time, 912 00:47:27,167 --> 00:47:31,000 I hope, the character of Jesus. 913 00:47:31,042 --> 00:47:33,583 The answer to pride is not humility. 914 00:47:33,667 --> 00:47:39,000 Humility is a byproduct of really focusing attention on Jesus. 915 00:47:39,042 --> 00:47:41,500 Then you grow in humility because it's also-- 916 00:47:41,500 --> 00:47:44,250 again, if it's knowing your place, you get to know Jesus, 917 00:47:44,333 --> 00:47:48,000 you're like, "Yeah, I really don't have anything to brag about. 918 00:47:48,000 --> 00:47:50,375 "Jesus is my Lord and he is good to me 919 00:47:50,500 --> 00:47:53,000 "and he saves me and salvation's a gift 920 00:47:53,000 --> 00:47:56,250 "and, yeah, I know my place. 921 00:47:56,333 --> 00:47:59,917 "My place is not seated on the throne high and exalted. 922 00:48:00,042 --> 00:48:05,083 My place is before the throne, face on the ground, saying thanks." 923 00:48:05,167 --> 00:48:09,250 So, some years later, the Apostle Paul comes along 924 00:48:09,333 --> 00:48:12,667 and he talks about this issue of pride versus humility 925 00:48:12,750 --> 00:48:15,667 and how Jesus is the answer to pride. 926 00:48:15,708 --> 00:48:18,250 And it's from Philippians 2:1-11, 927 00:48:18,333 --> 00:48:21,000 and it's lengthy so I'll just read it to you. 928 00:48:21,000 --> 00:48:23,375 "So if there is any encouragement in Christ," 929 00:48:23,500 --> 00:48:25,750 so he's talking about Jesus Christ, 930 00:48:25,833 --> 00:48:28,250 "any comfort from love," 931 00:48:28,333 --> 00:48:31,167 all right, that he loves you. He loves me, he loves us. 932 00:48:31,250 --> 00:48:33,167 "Any participation in the Spirit," 933 00:48:33,250 --> 00:48:36,833 that Jesus lives a humble life by the power of the Holy Spirit 934 00:48:36,833 --> 00:48:41,042 and then he saves Christians and gives us the Holy Spirit 935 00:48:41,167 --> 00:48:46,833 that we might live a life like his by the power of God. 936 00:48:46,833 --> 00:48:49,042 That's humbling, isn't it? 937 00:48:49,167 --> 00:48:52,000 So it's not even me glorifying myself, 938 00:48:52,000 --> 00:48:56,042 it's me glorifying Jesus, which means looking like him. 939 00:48:56,167 --> 00:48:58,833 And it's not even me doing it by my own power, 940 00:48:58,917 --> 00:49:01,083 but by the power of the Holy Spirit. 941 00:49:01,167 --> 00:49:06,750 All of this is tremendously humbling. 942 00:49:07,250 --> 00:49:10,583 "Any affection and sympathy." 943 00:49:10,667 --> 00:49:12,667 What this allows us to be toward people 944 00:49:12,750 --> 00:49:16,542 is affectionate and sympathetic, saying, "You're proud." 945 00:49:16,667 --> 00:49:19,042 And see, here's what we should never say to people, 946 00:49:19,167 --> 00:49:22,000 "You are so proud! I cannot believe it!" 947 00:49:22,000 --> 00:49:24,167 We should be affectionate and sympathetic. 948 00:49:24,250 --> 00:49:25,833 "You are so proud like me." 949 00:49:25,917 --> 00:49:27,833 That's how we should say it. 950 00:49:27,833 --> 00:49:31,333 I understand, we're in this together. 951 00:49:31,333 --> 00:49:37,167 Let's be forbearing, longsuffering with one another. 952 00:49:37,208 --> 00:49:39,583 You're proud, I'm proud, we're proud. 953 00:49:39,667 --> 00:49:41,833 Let's be affectionate and sympathetic. 954 00:49:41,833 --> 00:49:44,167 We both need Jesus to save us from ourselves 955 00:49:44,208 --> 00:49:49,000 and the Holy Spirit to cause us to be like Christ. 956 00:49:49,333 --> 00:49:52,375 "Complete my joy by being of the same mind." 957 00:49:52,500 --> 00:49:54,542 Paul's going to start talking here about the mind, 958 00:49:54,667 --> 00:49:58,000 that we need to think differently, we need to think biblically. 959 00:49:58,042 --> 00:50:00,583 If you just think in a way that is worldly, 960 00:50:00,667 --> 00:50:03,083 you'll automatically default to pride. 961 00:50:03,167 --> 00:50:05,833 “Pride's good! Humility's bad! It's all about you! 962 00:50:05,917 --> 00:50:08,333 Get what you can get! Be what you can be! 963 00:50:08,333 --> 00:50:10,833 Do what you can do! Take what you can take! 964 00:50:10,917 --> 00:50:13,542 Be in it for yourself, not for God or others!" 965 00:50:13,667 --> 00:50:15,583 And Paul says, "Different mind. 966 00:50:15,667 --> 00:50:19,083 You got to change your thinking. 967 00:50:19,167 --> 00:50:21,875 The world and its wisdom," he says elsewhere, 968 00:50:22,000 --> 00:50:23,583 "does not know God." 969 00:50:23,667 --> 00:50:26,500 All right, "Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world. 970 00:50:26,542 --> 00:50:28,667 Be transformed by the renewing of your mind." 971 00:50:28,750 --> 00:50:30,833 It all starts with a change of mind, 972 00:50:30,917 --> 00:50:34,167 which is saying, "I don't want to follow worldly wisdom. 973 00:50:34,250 --> 00:50:37,500 I want to be like Jesus 974 00:50:37,542 --> 00:50:42,833 because he's the wisest one of all." 975 00:50:42,833 --> 00:50:46,833 "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit." 976 00:50:46,833 --> 00:50:48,500 Competition, "I'm going to beat you." 977 00:50:48,542 --> 00:50:52,167 Conceit, "I hate you, I despise you. I'm going to destroy you. 978 00:50:52,250 --> 00:50:57,083 I'm going to-- I'm going to defeat you!" 979 00:50:57,167 --> 00:51:00,833 There is a way to humbly win. 980 00:51:00,833 --> 00:51:04,833 You can do this in sports, you can do this in business. 981 00:51:04,917 --> 00:51:09,667 You can have a humble ambition. You can have a humble competition. 982 00:51:09,750 --> 00:51:12,375 You can even have a humble victory, 983 00:51:12,500 --> 00:51:16,375 which is very different than rivalry and conceit. 984 00:51:16,500 --> 00:51:22,833 And so much of life is motivated by pride and hatred. 985 00:51:23,042 --> 00:51:27,500 Jesus says to be motivated by humility and love. 986 00:51:30,250 --> 00:51:35,000 "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility," 987 00:51:35,042 --> 00:51:36,542 there's our word. 988 00:51:36,667 --> 00:51:39,333 "But in humility 989 00:51:39,333 --> 00:51:45,250 count others more significant than yourselves." 990 00:51:46,167 --> 00:51:50,375 Most of us only think about ourselves. 991 00:51:50,500 --> 00:51:52,875 Those of you who are single, 992 00:51:53,000 --> 00:51:55,875 you're going to have to work at this the hardest of all 993 00:51:56,000 --> 00:51:58,833 because you don't have to consider anyone else. 994 00:51:58,833 --> 00:52:04,500 You get up, go to bed, eat, drink, do, watch, whatever you want. 995 00:52:04,542 --> 00:52:05,875 Whatever you want! 996 00:52:06,000 --> 00:52:10,083 You don't have to consider anyone else. 997 00:52:10,167 --> 00:52:15,667 You have a universe with one person in it. 998 00:52:17,833 --> 00:52:20,333 And even if you get married, 999 00:52:20,333 --> 00:52:24,500 it's possible to still be a person that's not considerate of the other. 1000 00:52:24,500 --> 00:52:27,375 You think, "I'm going to get married so that they'll serve me, 1001 00:52:27,500 --> 00:52:31,083 help me, go to bed with me, take care of me, look after me. 1002 00:52:31,167 --> 00:52:33,667 They're here to make my life better." 1003 00:52:33,708 --> 00:52:39,667 Pride. Same thing with kids. 1004 00:52:39,750 --> 00:52:42,333 "Kids are here to make me happy, to give me affection, 1005 00:52:42,333 --> 00:52:46,708 to be a joyous presence in my life, to carry on my legacy. 1006 00:52:47,000 --> 00:52:52,167 How dare you do that! How could you do that to me?" 1007 00:52:52,500 --> 00:52:59,167 Pride. Paul says, "Consider others above yourselves." 1008 00:53:00,333 --> 00:53:06,542 The whole world doesn't exist to glorify you. 1009 00:53:06,667 --> 00:53:09,000 Consider others. 1010 00:53:09,042 --> 00:53:12,500 And friends, we live in this world where the whole goal 1011 00:53:12,542 --> 00:53:16,500 is to, out of hatred, rivalry, conceit, crush other people. 1012 00:53:16,542 --> 00:53:19,333 In pride, get the best seat at the table 1013 00:53:19,417 --> 00:53:22,250 and then pay other people to serve us. 1014 00:53:22,333 --> 00:53:27,250 That's the goal. 1015 00:53:29,000 --> 00:53:33,083 The Bible says, what about other people 1016 00:53:33,167 --> 00:53:37,583 that also bear the image of God? 1017 00:53:37,667 --> 00:53:42,250 What about Jesus? Is that how he did it? 1018 00:53:42,667 --> 00:53:44,042 Some of you say, 1019 00:53:44,167 --> 00:53:47,875 “But I want to do something! I want to make a difference!” 1020 00:53:48,000 --> 00:53:51,333 No one's done more than Jesus, friends. 1021 00:53:51,417 --> 00:53:54,167 More songs written about him, 1022 00:53:54,208 --> 00:53:58,375 more books written regarding him, more paintings painted of him, 1023 00:53:58,500 --> 00:54:01,667 more lives committed to him, billions, 1024 00:54:01,708 --> 00:54:04,500 than anyone who's lived in the history of the world. 1025 00:54:04,500 --> 00:54:07,167 Our calendar is around B.C. and A.D., 1026 00:54:07,250 --> 00:54:11,083 Before Christ and anno Domini, the year of our Lord. 1027 00:54:11,167 --> 00:54:13,083 Our biggest holidays are about his birth 1028 00:54:13,167 --> 00:54:15,333 and resurrection from death. 1029 00:54:15,333 --> 00:54:21,250 No one's bigger than Jesus and he did it all humbly. 1030 00:54:22,333 --> 00:54:25,375 See, it's-- Are you like me? 1031 00:54:25,500 --> 00:54:27,875 Are you straining to even get your head around this? 1032 00:54:28,000 --> 00:54:31,000 Like, this is just so counter-intuitive, 1033 00:54:31,000 --> 00:54:36,333 counter-cultural. Actually, it's kingdom. 1034 00:54:36,708 --> 00:54:40,000 It's kingdom. 1035 00:54:40,042 --> 00:54:43,875 "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus." 1036 00:54:44,000 --> 00:54:47,333 It says you can't think like this unless you belong to Jesus. 1037 00:54:47,333 --> 00:54:53,333 This isn't just philosophy. This is the Holy Spirit's miracle. 1038 00:54:54,500 --> 00:54:56,667 "Who, though he was in the form of God, 1039 00:54:56,750 --> 00:55:00,333 did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 1040 00:55:00,333 --> 00:55:04,500 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, 1041 00:55:04,542 --> 00:55:06,375 being born in the likeness of men." 1042 00:55:06,500 --> 00:55:09,583 The eternal God, the creator of heaven and earth, 1043 00:55:09,667 --> 00:55:15,750 the same stuff as God the Father, this immaterial, spirit God, 1044 00:55:17,167 --> 00:55:19,667 decided to do what? 1045 00:55:19,708 --> 00:55:25,375 To pursue proud rebels and to do so humbly. 1046 00:55:25,500 --> 00:55:30,667 And so he let go of all that he enjoyed 1047 00:55:30,708 --> 00:55:36,083 and he took upon himself human flesh and God became a man. 1048 00:55:36,167 --> 00:55:39,000 Humility, ultimate humility. 1049 00:55:39,042 --> 00:55:42,833 Jesus went from affluence to poverty. 1050 00:55:42,833 --> 00:55:47,000 He went from hearing angels sing, "Holy, holy, 1051 00:55:47,042 --> 00:55:49,583 holy is the Lord God Almighty!" 1052 00:55:49,667 --> 00:55:56,167 to people he made shouting, "Crucify him, crucify him, crucify him!" 1053 00:55:56,500 --> 00:56:02,833 He went from a glorious throne to a humble manger. 1054 00:56:04,167 --> 00:56:08,833 He went from heaven to a small town with one well 1055 00:56:08,833 --> 00:56:14,500 and a few dozen people, to a teenage mother. 1056 00:56:15,000 --> 00:56:20,208 His dad wasn't a king. His dad was a carpenter. 1057 00:56:20,500 --> 00:56:22,583 He didn't travel the world. 1058 00:56:22,667 --> 00:56:27,208 He walked a little bit on foot and didn't get very far. 1059 00:56:27,500 --> 00:56:33,042 He didn't live in a big mansion. He lived in a peasant's house. 1060 00:56:33,167 --> 00:56:38,500 He didn't work a fantastic job. He was a laborer. 1061 00:56:40,708 --> 00:56:46,333 He didn't have loads of money. He was homeless and broke. 1062 00:56:51,917 --> 00:56:55,833 This is not the God anyone was expecting, 1063 00:56:55,833 --> 00:56:57,500 and when Jesus showed up, 1064 00:56:57,500 --> 00:57:02,542 this was even part of the complication and conundrum of the religious people. 1065 00:57:02,667 --> 00:57:07,667 Like, "You can't be God. God's not humble. 1066 00:57:07,750 --> 00:57:12,333 God doesn't humble himself." 1067 00:57:12,333 --> 00:57:16,042 Yes, he does. His name is Jesus. 1068 00:57:16,167 --> 00:57:18,375 Jesus is humble. 1069 00:57:18,500 --> 00:57:22,000 It says he took on the form of a servant. 1070 00:57:22,042 --> 00:57:25,083 See, our whole mindset is, "No, no, no, no. 1071 00:57:25,167 --> 00:57:27,750 You're supposed to be served! 1072 00:57:27,833 --> 00:57:30,667 You're supposed to fight for your seat at the table, 1073 00:57:30,750 --> 00:57:32,667 get to the position of power, 1074 00:57:32,750 --> 00:57:35,500 and then have lots of people serve you!" 1075 00:57:35,542 --> 00:57:40,083 No. Jesus had that, gave it all up, 1076 00:57:40,167 --> 00:57:44,750 came to earth to even wash the feet of Judas Iscariot, 1077 00:57:44,833 --> 00:57:49,000 who was ripping him off and going to betray him. 1078 00:57:49,250 --> 00:57:56,208 He's a servant. It's shocking, it's scandalous. 1079 00:58:02,417 --> 00:58:05,083 "Being found in human form, he humbled himself." 1080 00:58:05,167 --> 00:58:08,833 Friends, you and I, we need to humble ourselves. 1081 00:58:08,833 --> 00:58:15,000 Circumstances can humiliate us, but we must humble ourselves. 1082 00:58:17,250 --> 00:58:19,500 "By becoming obedient to the point of death, 1083 00:58:19,500 --> 00:58:21,750 even death on a cross." 1084 00:58:21,833 --> 00:58:25,833 God was humble enough to let his creation murder him 1085 00:58:25,833 --> 00:58:29,500 so that he might die in our place for our sins as our savior. 1086 00:58:29,542 --> 00:58:34,000 You and I are going to spend eternity just thinking about that 1087 00:58:34,042 --> 00:58:37,000 because it's overwhelming. 1088 00:58:37,042 --> 00:58:39,875 "Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him 1089 00:58:40,000 --> 00:58:43,833 the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus," 1090 00:58:43,833 --> 00:58:46,000 that's the name! 1091 00:58:46,042 --> 00:58:48,083 Not your name, my name, our name. 1092 00:58:48,167 --> 00:58:50,333 Not our church name, not our theology name, 1093 00:58:50,333 --> 00:58:52,875 not our company name, not our family name. 1094 00:58:53,000 --> 00:58:56,875 The name of Jesus, that's the name that matters. 1095 00:58:57,000 --> 00:58:59,833 "Every knee should bow, in heaven," 1096 00:58:59,833 --> 00:59:03,167 those who are saved, "on earth," the church, 1097 00:59:03,250 --> 00:59:06,875 "and under the earth," even those who are going to hell. 1098 00:59:07,000 --> 00:59:09,083 "And every tongue confess 1099 00:59:09,167 --> 00:59:12,500 that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." 1100 00:59:12,500 --> 00:59:14,500 Here's what he's saying. 1101 00:59:14,542 --> 00:59:18,542 Jesus was in glory, came in humility, 1102 00:59:18,667 --> 00:59:23,167 suffered as a servant, died and rose as our savior, 1103 00:59:23,208 --> 00:59:26,250 has now been exalted. 1104 00:59:26,333 --> 00:59:30,667 We see Jesus today, he's not in humility. 1105 00:59:30,750 --> 00:59:37,375 He's in glory, he's in glory! And his name is above every name. 1106 00:59:37,500 --> 00:59:43,500 And the response to that is that our knees bend, bow. 1107 00:59:43,500 --> 00:59:48,833 This is a position of humility. This is a position of surrender. 1108 00:59:48,917 --> 00:59:51,667 This is a position of worship. 1109 00:59:51,750 --> 00:59:57,667 The right response is someone on their knees 1110 00:59:57,708 --> 01:00:01,000 saying nice things about Jesus. 1111 01:00:01,000 --> 01:00:02,667 That's what we're made for. 1112 01:00:02,750 --> 01:00:06,250 Some of you are miserable, here's the cure. 1113 01:00:06,333 --> 01:00:10,583 Here's the cure! This is what you're made for! 1114 01:00:10,667 --> 01:00:13,333 And he alone is worthy. 1115 01:00:13,417 --> 01:00:16,083 When's the last time you were on your knees? 1116 01:00:16,167 --> 01:00:18,833 Some of you say, "I never get on my knees." 1117 01:00:18,833 --> 01:00:21,250 That's the problem. 1118 01:00:21,333 --> 01:00:23,542 Even as we worship and sing, Mars Hill, 1119 01:00:23,667 --> 01:00:27,000 if you want to get on your knees, put your face in your seat, 1120 01:00:27,000 --> 01:00:29,375 and talk to God about your pride, feel free to. 1121 01:00:29,500 --> 01:00:32,667 And some of you say, "I would, but what will other people think?" 1122 01:00:32,750 --> 01:00:37,667 And I would say, "If you're humble, does it really matter?" 1123 01:00:37,750 --> 01:00:44,500 Knees bent, voice raised, singing praise, prayer, worship to Jesus. 1124 01:00:44,542 --> 01:00:50,500 Our humble God, our serving God, our loving God. 1125 01:00:50,542 --> 01:00:54,333 What's the answer to pride? Jesus. 1126 01:00:54,417 --> 01:00:57,375 Some of you say, "No, no, the answer to pride is humility." 1127 01:00:57,500 --> 01:01:01,167 Humility is a byproduct of getting to know Jesus, 1128 01:01:01,250 --> 01:01:03,583 the exalted one. 1129 01:01:03,667 --> 01:01:06,875 Let me close with a few things. 1130 01:01:07,000 --> 01:01:09,583 Pride is natural. 1131 01:01:09,667 --> 01:01:13,500 You just get it as a-- as a descendant of Adam, 1132 01:01:13,542 --> 01:01:17,833 with a sin nature, selfishness. 1133 01:01:17,833 --> 01:01:19,833 Humility is truly supernatural. 1134 01:01:19,833 --> 01:01:22,833 It's a gift of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. 1135 01:01:22,917 --> 01:01:26,000 True humility-- you can fake humility. 1136 01:01:26,000 --> 01:01:29,500 True humility is a miracle. 1137 01:01:29,542 --> 01:01:31,875 Number two, pride covets others' success. 1138 01:01:32,000 --> 01:01:35,167 "I can't believe they got married! I can't believe they got a 4.0! 1139 01:01:35,250 --> 01:01:38,167 I can't believe they got a raise! I can't believe they got-- 1140 01:01:38,250 --> 01:01:39,875 I can't believe-- that's not fair!" 1141 01:01:40,000 --> 01:01:42,167 Humility says, 1142 01:01:42,208 --> 01:01:45,083 "Praise God, that's awesome! I'm so happy for you," 1143 01:01:45,167 --> 01:01:48,667 and actually means it. 1144 01:01:49,167 --> 01:01:52,542 Pride is about being selfish. 1145 01:01:53,500 --> 01:01:57,750 Humility's about being a servant like Jesus. 1146 01:01:58,042 --> 01:02:01,542 Pride is about getting glory! 1147 01:02:01,667 --> 01:02:04,583 "Where's my seat at the table? 1148 01:02:04,667 --> 01:02:07,833 Where's my honor? Where are my accolades? 1149 01:02:07,833 --> 01:02:11,083 Where's my 'at a boy'?” 1150 01:02:11,167 --> 01:02:16,833 Humility's about giving glory. "Jesus, you're great. Thank you. 1151 01:02:16,917 --> 01:02:20,375 Yeah, I did something, but I did it by the grace of God. 1152 01:02:20,500 --> 01:02:25,000 Yeah, I've got a good mind. Hey, thanks for my mind! 1153 01:02:25,000 --> 01:02:27,667 Yeah, something went well, thanks for the opportunity! 1154 01:02:27,750 --> 01:02:30,500 Yeah, I worked hard, thanks for the strength!" 1155 01:02:30,500 --> 01:02:33,583 It's all by the grace of God. 1156 01:02:33,667 --> 01:02:37,042 It's all by the grace of God. 1157 01:02:37,167 --> 01:02:42,208 so that the grace comes to us and the glory goes to him. 1158 01:02:42,833 --> 01:02:45,875 Pride is independent. "I've got this covered. 1159 01:02:46,000 --> 01:02:49,375 I'm organized. I'm disciplined. I'm self-sufficient. 1160 01:02:49,500 --> 01:02:52,333 I don't really need God and I don't really need people. 1161 01:02:52,333 --> 01:02:55,583 I can take care of myself." Humility is about dependence. 1162 01:02:55,667 --> 01:02:59,875 "God, I really do need you to help me and I really need your people. 1163 01:03:00,000 --> 01:03:02,500 So I want to be in community in the church. 1164 01:03:02,542 --> 01:03:06,000 I'm blind to my own blindness. 1165 01:03:06,000 --> 01:03:09,333 I'm finite, fallen, and foolish. 1166 01:03:09,333 --> 01:03:13,333 That means I need some friends." 1167 01:03:14,000 --> 01:03:15,875 And pride is achieved. 1168 01:03:16,000 --> 01:03:18,167 You can check pride off your bucket list. 1169 01:03:18,250 --> 01:03:21,667 It's something you can do. 1170 01:03:22,000 --> 01:03:23,833 "I want to be proud. Nailed it! 1171 01:03:23,833 --> 01:03:26,000 And the backflip, landed the dismount, tada! 1172 01:03:26,042 --> 01:03:28,583 I did it!" 1173 01:03:28,667 --> 01:03:35,000 Humility is nothing you achieve. It's something you continually pursue 1174 01:03:35,000 --> 01:03:37,333 by the grace of God. 1175 01:03:37,333 --> 01:03:40,083 So you can't reach a point where you're like, 1176 01:03:40,167 --> 01:03:43,833 "I'm so glad I'm through that proud season! 1177 01:03:43,833 --> 01:03:48,667 Dang it, I'm--" 1178 01:03:49,250 --> 01:03:52,583 "I just went varsity with pride! 1179 01:03:52,667 --> 01:03:55,583 What mess I am!" 1180 01:03:55,667 --> 01:03:58,375 We never achieve humility in this life, 1181 01:03:58,500 --> 01:04:02,042 but our goal is to pursue it by the grace of God 1182 01:04:02,167 --> 01:04:06,208 and the power of the Holy Spirit because of Jesus' love. 1183 01:04:07,417 --> 01:04:09,042 And some of you will hear this 1184 01:04:09,167 --> 01:04:11,042 and you will immediately go to despair. 1185 01:04:11,167 --> 01:04:15,000 "Oh, I am horrible." Yes, you are. 1186 01:04:15,833 --> 01:04:18,167 And you will start obsessing over yourself. 1187 01:04:18,250 --> 01:04:22,167 I want you to have conviction, but not condemnation. 1188 01:04:22,250 --> 01:04:26,667 I want you to move from your pride to Jesus' humility, 1189 01:04:26,750 --> 01:04:30,875 that he is a servant. He died for all your sins 1190 01:04:31,000 --> 01:04:33,667 and even though he's Lord, God, Savior, King, and Christ, 1191 01:04:33,750 --> 01:04:36,333 high and exalted, seated on a throne right now, 1192 01:04:36,333 --> 01:04:38,833 he's still a humble servant. 1193 01:04:38,833 --> 01:04:44,083 He's here to serve you and to help you with your pride. 1194 01:04:44,167 --> 01:04:48,083 So rather than being depressed and thinking about how proud you are, 1195 01:04:48,167 --> 01:04:55,083 let's talk about the name that is above every other name. 1196 01:04:55,167 --> 01:04:58,000 Let's do that in song, amen? 1197 01:04:58,042 --> 01:05:01,333 And we'll take communion. As we take communion, it's humbling. 1198 01:05:01,417 --> 01:05:03,833 We receive communion like we receive salvation. 1199 01:05:03,833 --> 01:05:06,667 The broken body, shed blood of Jesus, gift. 1200 01:05:06,750 --> 01:05:09,167 He gives, we receive. It's humbling! 1201 01:05:09,250 --> 01:05:14,042 We sing, we sing of the name that is above every other name. 1202 01:05:14,167 --> 01:05:16,333 The answer to pride is Jesus, amen. 1203 01:05:16,417 --> 01:05:21,833 Father God, as we gather now to sing the name of Jesus, 1204 01:05:21,833 --> 01:05:27,167 and some of us feel inclined to bend our knee in surrender, 1205 01:05:27,208 --> 01:05:31,875 we confess, God, that pride is a sin 1206 01:05:32,000 --> 01:05:34,875 and that humility is a miracle. 1207 01:05:35,000 --> 01:05:37,667 So please forgive us of our sins 1208 01:05:37,750 --> 01:05:41,333 and allow us to experience this miracle 1209 01:05:41,333 --> 01:05:44,875 of being about Jesus, 1210 01:05:45,000 --> 01:05:48,083 our humble servant, 1211 01:05:48,167 --> 01:05:51,167 in whose name we pray, amen.