Turn with me, if you would, to
Matthew 18. Matthew 18, let's read the first
four verses. here in Matthew 18. It says, At the same time came the disciples
unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the
midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be
converted and become as little children, you shall not enter
into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble
himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom
of heaven." I've titled this Bible study, Humility. I'd like for us to see what our
Lord has to say about humility, and I want us to begin with this.
We're going to see what the Lord has to say to us about humility,
but I want to start with this right here. I want to first see
this and answer this question, okay? Verse 1 says, At the same
time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven? Let's just go ahead and answer
that question. Jesus Christ is. He said, this is what he said,
whoever humbles himself the most, that's the greatest. Who humbled
himself the most? Who humbled himself the most? Look with me at Matthew 20. This is where James and John.
And their mother were trying to work it out so that James
and John could sit on either side of the Lord in glory. They
were trying to reserve their seats. Verse 24 says, And when
the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the
two brethren. But Jesus called them unto him
and said, You know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion
over them. And they that are great exercise
authority upon them. But it shall not be so among
you. But whosoever will be great among
you, let him be your minister. And whosoever will be chief among
you, let him be your servant. Even as the Son of Man came not
to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life
a ransom for many, even as the Son of Man did that very thing. Philippians chapter 2 says, Though
the Lord Jesus Christ thought it not robbery to be equal with
God, he made himself of no reputation and took upon himself the form
of a servant, and he humbled himself. all the way down to
the state of a little child and an infant in the womb. But even as low as that is, he
went lower. He willingly became obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross, the great servant
and the great service of God for his people. Christ humbled
himself all the way down to the accomplishment of it. And because
of that, this is what the scripture says. It says he's the greatest. That's what it says. It actually
says God has highly exalted him and given him a name above every
name. A name so high just at the hearing
of his name. And this is true. This is something
that happens in the heart of God's people. Just at the hearing
of his name, we bow, don't we? We bow and just at the hearing
of his name, we confess he is Lord. He is Lord. He's the greatest. He's the highest. Amen. All right. Now with that established, let's
move on. Go back to Matthew 18. Verse 1 says, At the same time
came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in
the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child
unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily
I say unto you, Except you be converted and become as little
children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. That
word converted means turned. Repent means a change of mind. Converted means turned. And that's what all men and women
need. We need to be turned from our pride and from our arrogance. That's where, that's where all
men and women, all human beings start. We all in our own eyes. Wise, proud. That's where we start. And we
have to come down. We have to be turned from that
pride self. Proverbs 6 says that's the first
thing that the Lord hates concerning man. People say, well, God doesn't
hate anything about man. Oh yes, he does. Turn with me
to Proverbs 6. Proverbs chapter 6. Verse 16, it says, These six
things doth the Lord hate. Yea, seven are an abomination
unto him. Number one is a proud look. That's man. That is man by nature. A proud look, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood. and heart that deviseth
wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord
among the brethren." That's man by nature, proud, haughty, arrogant,
and the Lord said he hates it. And here's the thing about it.
We hate it too, don't we? This new man that God has created
in us, we hate it too. Don't we hate seeing that in
ourselves? As I read that, this is what
goes through my mind. That's me. That's me. We want it to be gone just as
much as our Lord wants it to be gone. Thank God he's able
to remove it. He is able to humble. King Nebuchadnezzar
said, those who walk in pride, He is able to abase. He's able. That's our desire. That's what
we need. That's what we want. Like John
the Baptist said, we must decrease. He must increase. We must decrease. And this is the reason why. It's
because Psalm 10 says, the Lord will hear the cry of the humble. He will hear the desire. of the
humble. Psalm 34 says, The Lord is near
them that are of a broken heart. He saves those who are of a contrite
spirit. The proud he cuts down. But he
helps the lowly. He does. In Luke 18, the Lord
said, Everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased. And he that humbleth himself
shall be exalted. Peter said, humble yourselves
therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you
in due time. I pray the Lord would teach us
something of that this morning. I really do. Lord, teach me to
humble myself so you don't have to humble me. Teach me to humble
myself so you don't have to humble me. Go with me back to Matthew
18. Matthew 18 verse 1 says, At the
same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child
unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily
I say unto you, Except you be converted and become as little
children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever
therefore shall humble himself as this little child The same
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Is a little child
mighty, noble, wise? No. A little child is simple, helpless,
needy, unlearned. When it comes to salvation, our
Lord said that the Father has hid these things from the wise
and prudent and revealed them unto babes. This is not talking
about book smarts. Luke was a physician. This is
talking about how we view ourselves before God, how we view ourselves
before others. Those who see themselves as being
babes, really babes. Look at 1 Corinthians 1 with
me. 1 Corinthians 1 verse 18. It says, For the preaching of the
cross is to them that perish foolishness. But unto us which
are saved, it is the power of God. For it is written, I will
destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the
understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the
scribe? Where is the disputer of this
world? Hath not God made foolish the
wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom
of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, It pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews
require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach
Christ crucified. Christ crucified. We preach Christ
crucified over and over and over unto the Jews. That's a stumbling
block unto the Greeks foolishness, but unto them, which are called
both Jews and Greeks. Christ is the power of God and
the wisdom of God, because the foolishness of God is wiser than
men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you
see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after
the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God
hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the
wise. In God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound
the things which are mighty. In base things of the world and
things which are despised hath God chosen. Yea, in things which
are not to bring to nothing things that are. Why? Why has God chosen
to do it this way? Verse 29 says that no flesh should
glory in his presence. But of him are you in Christ
Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and
sanctification and redemption that according as it is written,
he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. God has chosen the
simple, the foolish, the weak. Let's not ever forget that. Let's
not ever leave that. Paul said in second Corinthians
11, let's not let our minds be corrupted from the simplicity
that is in Christ. That, that singleness that's in Christ, his very own
ambassadors, the apostles, after they were interrogated by the
Pharisees. The Pharisees concluded that they were ignorant and unlearned
men. That's what they are, ignorant
and unlearned men. Why did the Pharisees conclude
that? It's because the apostles only knew one thing, Christ. That's it. That's all I know. I am not smart. I just don't know a lot of stuff. I don't know a lot of religious
stuff. I don't know a lot of weird doctrines. I don't know
a whole bunch about false religion. And I'm thankful for that. I
don't know. You know, people ask me about things. I don't
know. I know one thing. I really only know one thing
to talk about. I had a guy, you know, invite
me when I first got here 10 years ago, a guy called me on the phone
and wanted to invite me to lunch. He wanted to talk doctrine. And
I said, I'd be glad to go to lunch with you, but this is going
to be the most boring conversation you've ever had in your life.
I don't know. You want to talk about Jesus
Christ crucified, I'm all ears. That's it. That's it. Our Lord
saves the simple. Our Lord came to the simple.
One man pointed out that our Lord himself, he's the very one
who created language and the very one who created words. One
man pointed out that while the Lord walked this earth, most
of his speech was no more than one or two syllable words in
our language anyway. He himself said, learn of me,
I am meek and lowly in heart. And he said, if you do that,
you'll find rest to your souls. Go with me back to Matthew 18. Matthew 18 verse one, it says.
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus saying, Who is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child
unto him and set him in the midst of them and said, Verily I say
unto you, except you be converted and become as little children,
you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever
therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same
is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive
one such little child in my name receiveth me. Whoever receives
one of my own whom I have humbled receives me." That's what he's
saying. This little child is an example and an illustration
of his people. One who receives faith to believe
on him. Verse 6 says, but whoso shall offend one of these little
ones which believe in me. It were better for him that a
millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned
in the depths of the sea. Who so shall offend? That word offend means offend. When you look it up, that's what
it means. It means is a stumbling block a hindrance? He said, it were better that
a millstone were hanged about his neck and he were drowned
in the sea. We need to be careful with each
other. We need to be careful with each
other. We need the humility to not offend each other. I do not
want to be a stumbling block or a hindrance to your worship. That's one of the things that
I pray the Lord would do for me, help me with the rest of
my days in this position. If the word is a stumbling block,
I can't help that. But this whole center right here,
this wicked, ridiculous center. May God help me. I do not want
to be a stumbling block. I don't want to be a hindrance
to your worship. And I don't want to be a stumbling block
or a hindrance to my worship. And that's what our Lord is talking
about right here, being an offense to others or to our own selves. Verse seven, he said, woe unto
the world because of offenses, for it must needs be that offenses
come. But woe to that man by whom the
offense cometh. We read that and and we think,
yeah, the unbelievers, they better watch out. That's what we think. Well, he's talking to the world. He's talking to me just as much
as he's talking to anybody, I'm in the world. By his spirit,
I'm not of the world. But physically speaking, I am
the world. Verse 8, he said, Wherefore,
if thy hand, your hand, you see he's talking to us. Wherefore,
if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off and cast them
from thee, it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed
rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting
fire. What he's saying is cut yourself
down. You're better off cutting yourself
down than having God cut you down. Verse nine, and if thine
eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. It is
better for thee to enter into life with one eye rather than
having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. Take heed that you
despise not one of these little ones. For I say unto you that
in heaven, their angels do always behold the face of my father,
which is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to
save that which was lost. The true story is told. Are those verses at all interesting
to you? The true story is told. Henry
told me this and I do not remember all the details of it. I don't know if he knew this
woman from the 50s or the 60s or if he heard of this woman
from years ago. I don't remember. But there was
a group meeting in a house, a group of people gathered for worship,
meeting in a house. And I guess some man was preaching
from this text. And this woman, after hearing
this, got up and went into the kitchen and got a butcher knife
and cut her hand off. Now, I know that's gruesome.
But I'm telling you this because this is so important to understand. That is not what our Lord is
saying right here. That's not what our Lord, and
I'm not saying that so nobody will cut their hand off. If you
cut your hand off, that's your business. I'm not saying it for
that reason. I'm saying it for this reason. As we read this, every one of
us thinks that's what needs to happen to me. Every one of us
who knows something of ourselves, we think that's what ought to
happen to me. All right. But here's the thing about it.
The sin that is in this hand runs all the way through this
arm and all the way through this body. And you can't cut it off
like that. Oh, we'd love to be rid of sin,
but you can't cut. Don't don't falsely believe that
you can cut sin off by doing something like that. It is in
every fiber of our being, we are infected with a loathsome
disease of sin from the crown of our head to the sole of our
foot. And the only thing that could rid us of that sin was
Christ had to be cut off. That's the only thing that could
do it. Christ had to be cut off. And He was cut off for our offenses. He took care of it. Alright? He took care of it. We could
not accomplish that ridding of sin for ourselves. That's why
Christ had to come. He had to seek us. He had to
save us. And it had to take Him being
cut off to accomplish that. Therefore, what our Lord is teaching
us In this is two things. I'm going to be try to be brief
here, OK? If he went through that to redeem
us back to God, number one, he gets all the glory. He gets all
the glory and number two, there's no reason for any of us to boast
in anything. There's no reason to boast in
anything. We're not above each other. We're
all equally beneath him. And this hand does not need to
point the finger at anybody. And this eye does not need to
look down on anybody. Nobody. Who made us to differ? We were all lost. That's what
he said. We were all lost. We were all
just sinners saved by grace. And the next time we look at
each other and say, you see that you're a sinner. Hold the mirror
up. What do I think I am? Now, with that being said. Let
me just point out two things from the scripture regarding
offense, if we can get a hold of this, I believe. It'll help
us, I believe it'll teach us something of what humility really
is, OK? What these two things are is
a look at a fence from both sides. Turn with me over to Romans 14.
I will wrap up. Go with me to Romans 14. Romans 14, see if the Lord will
let you enter into this. I'm gonna be done, but I gotta
read through this very quickly. Romans 14, verse one says, him
that is weak in the faith, receive ye. A person who is weak and
in doubts and questions, and receive ye, but not to doubtful
disputations. That means not to judge his doubtful
thoughts. Don't receive him to judge his
doubtful thoughts. Verse two. For one believeth
that he may eat all things, another who is weak just eats herbs.
He didn't believe he can eat meat, you know. Verse three,
let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not
him which eateth not judge him that eateth for God hath received
him. Who art thou that judgest another
man's servant? To his own master he standeth
or falleth. Yea, he shall be holding up for
God is able to make him stand. We're not each other's judge.
God is. Verse five, one man esteemeth
one day above another. Another esteemeth every day alike.
Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth
the day, regardeth it unto the Lord, and he that regardeth not
today to the Lord, he does not regard it. He that eateth, eateth
to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks. And he that eateth not
to the Lord, he eateth not and giveth God thanks. One's convicted
in this way. Another one is convicted in that
way for none of us. liveth to himself, and no man
dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live
unto the Lord, and whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Whether
we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end,
Christ both died and rose and revived, that he might be Lord
both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? Or why dost thou set it not thy
brother? For we shall all stand before
the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live,
saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall
confess to God. So then every one of us shall
give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one
another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling
block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." Now, let
me just get our attention right here. Have we understood what
he's saying? If he wants to do that, let him
do that. And if he wants to do that, let him do that. Don't
just let everybody mind their own business. But watch this. Verse 13, let us not therefore
judge one another anymore, but judge this rather. that no man
put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
I know, Paul said, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there's
nothing unclean of itself. But to him that esteemeth anything
to be unclean, to him it is unclean. If thy brother be grieved with
thy meat, if the one says you can't eat meat, We don't want
to offend God, you can't eat meat. And he sees me sitting
there eating meat and he is just killing him. If thy brother be
grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not lovingly. You're offending
him and you know you're offending him. Destroy not him with thy
meat, for whom Christ died. Let not then your good, you know,
it's fine for you to eat meat. Let not your good be evil spoken
of. For the kingdom of God is not
meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy
Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable
to God and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after
the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may
edify another. For me, destroy not the work
of God, meaning God's done a work in this man's heart, just for
the sake of you, because I think steak tastes good. For me, don't
destroy a brother. All things indeed are pure. You
can have the steak, but it is evil for that man who eateth
with offense." Saying, you know, I don't care what this is doing
to you. It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine. Nor anything whereby thy brother
stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith?
Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not
himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth
is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith, for whatsoever
is not of faith is sin." Meaning if the brother believes I'm sinning
against my God by eating that steak and he does it anyway,
he's willingly sinning against his God in his heart. So if me
doing something that's lawful to do according to the scriptures,
but if you don't see it that way, and if me doing it offends
you, like having a glass of wine, the apostle pointed out. If me
having a glass of wine offends you, then I don't need to do
it in front of you. That's what he's saying. I don't
need to force that liberty on you. I just need to keep it to
myself. But the flip side of that is,
he said, if I see a brother doing something that offends me, I'm
offended by it. I need to let the offense go
and not be offended by it. I don't need to be the one who
easily offends. And I don't need to be the one
who is easily offended. I don't need to say this. I was
going to read it. Brother Obi sent me an article
by Charles Spurgeon that was so good on this, but I don't
have time. I don't need to say. I don't care whether this offends
you or not. I have liberty to do it, so I'm
going to do it anyway. I don't need to say that. And
I also don't need to say. You really offended me. I am
offended. I take that as an offense. I
don't care what your intention or what your motive was. I don't
care what your liberties are. I take that as an offense anyway. Both of those reactions are pride. I can do whatever I want to do. You really offended me. Both
of those reactions are pride, arrogance, haughtiness. That's
not how we need to be with each other. That's not how Christ
was with us. It's not how he was with us.
In the way that we treated him and in the way that he treated
us from him came only humility, just humility. As he was with
us, we need to be with each other. Humility says, you know what? I'm going to stifle my liberties
so it doesn't offend you. For love's sake, in return, humility
says, you know what? It's not about me. It's not about
me. I'm going to let that go. Just
let it go. That's humility for Christ's
sake, for love's sake, peace sake. That's how we need to be
with each other. I pray the Lord would help us
to do it. You're dismissed. Sorry, I ran way over. We have
to have a quick turnaround.