The lesson this morning will
be taken from James chapter 4, verses 10 through 12. My subject is true humility. Let's read these verses together.
James chapter 4, verse 10. Humble yourselves in the sight
of the Lord, and He will lift you up. Speak not evil one of
another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his
brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and
judgeth the law. But if you judge the law, Thou
art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There's one lawgiver
who is able to save and to destroy. Who art thou that judges another? This all has to do with humility. Humility. What is humility? You know, so
often we look in the scriptures and we read a word and we just
walk away like we knew everything about that word and we don't
know anything about that word. And when it comes right down
to it, we've been carrying around for years the whole wrong definition
of the word. What is humility? Well, let me
tell you what the dictionary says. It's a modest or low view
of oneself and his importance in the scheme of all things. How do I see myself in the scheme
of everything? So what are these all things? Well, eternity. If we're going to talk about
spiritual things, we're talking about eternity. Creation. Best creation. We just see a
little tiny bit of it right around here where we live. This is a
big world. Providence. Boy, you want to
scratch your head. Providence. Everything that goes
on in the world 24-7. Providence. Life. These are great things, things
that really matter. And then here's another definition
of humility. A quality of being modest in
self-assessment and behavior, recognizing and accepting one's
faults and limitations. How do I see myself in the scheme
of all things? Here's the ladder. We use that
as a scale. Where am I at on the ladder? Under the ladder. That's how I need to view myself.
Humility is a valuable asset to all men. You're in here this
morning and you don't know God. another one of Adam's race, when
you go to work tomorrow, I'm going to tell you something.
Humility is a valuable asset if you don't get anything else
out of it. All men should recognize their faults and limitations
and be careful to maintain a sense of perspective. But the believer,
that's who I want to talk about this morning. That's what really
matters. I want to know. is setting forth
time after time after time a distinction between true faith and cheap
imitations. And listen, the believer is told
to humble himself or herself in the sight of the Lord. That's
where true humility is born. Humility as it's set forth in
the Scriptures has to do with one taking his place. Where is
my place? Christ came to save sinners.
Am I a sinner? Takes one place at the bottom
and submitting himself to God in a loving obedience, come what
may. Come what may. Let me show you that in the Scriptures. Exactly as James has defined
it here. Humble yourselves in the sight
of the Lord. Look with me over here at Philippians
chapter 2. I tell you this so often, I talk
to you about having the mind of Christ. And now we're talking
about humbling oneself in the sight of the Lord. Philippians
chapter 2 verse 5. Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought
it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation,
took on him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness
of men, and being found in fashion as a man." That's what I want
to know. I want to know something about
this, a man's humility. How do I get it? What is it?
Here it is. Being found in fashion as a man,
he humbled himself and became obedient unto death. He put himself in his father's
hands to do with what he will. That's humility. That's humility. Here he is. He's a representative
man. He's a substitute. He's a sin-bearing
substitute. And he places his soul in his
father's hands, come what may. That's humility. humility. He become obedient unto death,
even the death of the crop. Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted him, giving him a name above every name. Humble yourselves
in the sight of the Lord. And James said, he'll lift you
up. He'll lift you up. Did he lift
up his son? He did. Did he have true humility? He
had perfect humility. Jesus Christ came into this world
as a representative man, a substitute for sinners. And as such, he
humbled himself, become obedient unto death. And talking about
his humble obedience, Paul says in Hebrews 5, 7, listen to this,
who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers
and supplications with strong crying, Hard to imagine crying. Strong crying and tears unto
him that was able to save him from death, and he was heard
in that he feared. Though he were a son, yet learned
he obedience by the things that he suffered. And if I'd have
true humility, how do I go about it? Humble yourselves in the
sight of the Lord. See yourself where you really
are, and as you really are. Don't compare yourself with one
another, compare yourself with Him. Now you get, here's where
I, way down here. I want us to see four things
this morning concerning this thing of true humility. First
of all, I know that true humility is born of a broken heart. You don't just grit your teeth
and I'm going to be humble. No, you're starting out the wrong
way. You can't do that. Humility is
not something in us. It's something God gives us,
enables us to be. There are three great works that
the Spirit of Christ performs in men. They're not one-time
works. but works that continue all through
our days in this earth. It says, when the Spirit of truth
has come, he shall convince men of sin, of righteousness, and
of goodness. Those are the three great works
done by the Spirit of Christ. To convince men of sin, he said,
he shows the sinner the love, the mercy, and the grace of God
in Christ, our willing substitute, and our unwillingness to receive
Him. There's nothing about Him to
reject. There's no flaws in Him. There's no shortcomings in Him. There's nothing in Him to reject. He is the incarnate God. He is God over all. And he didn't come to judge.
That's what it says in John chapter 3. John really breaks it down
in John chapter 3. He didn't come to judge. He didn't
have to come to judge. He judged this world in the garden.
And he never left his throne. He didn't assume human flesh.
He judged this world from his throne. But to save men and women
in this world, He can't stay on the throne. He has to come
down here. And He came down and He came
in love. The love of God manifested in
the death of Christ. Mercy and grace, mercy and truth
met together in Him. Grace and truth, it came by Jesus
Christ. And John said, this is condemnation. Light has come into the world,
and men love darkness rather than light, and had no reason.
The only reason you reject Christ is your sins. There's nothing
in Him to reject. In Him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily. Why would I reject Him? Because
I'm a sinner. That's how he convicts. men and
women about sin. And I tell you, if he ever convinces
you of sin in this manner, humility will be born. It will be born. Seeing myself at the worst, seeing
myself a helpless, hopeless sinner in the hands of a sovereign,
holy, and just God. God gave his only begotten Son
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting
life. God sent not his Son to condemn
the world. He sent his Son to save. The
world was condemned and Adam at the dawn of creation. Christ
came, Paul said, to save sinners of whom I am chief. And conviction
of sin doesn't just bring our sins before the bar. I read a
lot of men, and that's when they're talking about conviction of sin,
they're talking about his sins being laid bare before the bar. That's not conviction of sin.
Conviction of sin don't just bring our sins before the bar.
He exposes a heart that hates God. He hates God. That's the bottom
line. Our Lord looked at those Pharisees.
They lived a perfect life. You want to judge them by religious
standards? Paul said, you think you have
a righteousness? Mine was perfect. Oh, my. And our Lord looked at
them and he said, I know you. Now listen, that you have not
the love of God in you. Oh, I tell you, you talk about
bringing you down. When God convinces you of sin,
he shows you that you have no love for God. The one who can
save you, you hate. I'm telling you. It'll break your heart. A broken heart is a heart that
discovers its sin against love. Peter's message at Pentecost
was that they crucified the Prince of Life. You killed the Redeemer. Your fathers lived, and their
fathers lived, and you live, and you go on and on and on looking
for the Redeemer, and He came and you crucified Him. You killed
the Prince of Life. You laid aside the chief cornerstone. You murdered the Christ of God. The only name under heaven whereby
God will save sinners. And when they heard this, they
were pricked in the heart. And they said, what are we going
to do? What can we do? True humility is born of a broken
heart. And then secondly, true humility
is maintained being often reminded of the grace of God in Christ.
That's how it's maintained. How do you see yourself? I'm
talking about, I'm in the group. How do we see ourselves? Or to make it more personal,
how do you see yourself? Do you see yourself having merit
before God? Some merit, some rights to his
favor and blessings? It was so crude, and I thought
it sounded so good at the time, and now I see it as the abomination
that it was. The preacher stood up and he
said, God's only obligated to call you one time. He ain't obligated
to call you at all. Is that right? You see yourself having some
merit before God, some value, some right to his favor and blessings? Or do you see yourself wholly
dependent on the mercy and grace of God? Here I am. Here's how to see yourself. Here
I am. I'm in His hands. Whether I bow
to the fact or not, I'm in His hands. And He can save me or
He can pass me by. Now you see yourself that way,
you'll walk humbly before men. But not until. Not until. Paul said, this is a faithful
saint, worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners, now listen, of whom I am cheap. One thing that distinguishes
true faith from all the cheap imitation is its character, and
it's humble in character. This character is maintained
by the preaching of the gospel. Conviction of sin, of righteousness,
and of judgment is something that takes place over and over
as we hear the gospel preached. Every time I come here, I'm convicted
of sin. I'm convinced of righteousness
and judgment satisfied. It's an ongoing thing. Believers are mindful of the
grace of God in Christ, of His merciful dealings with Him, Remember
Paul said that you bring in time past Gentiles in the flesh, he
reminded them. Heathens, rebels, idolaters,
godless people in the light of the true and
living God. Ignorant, having the understanding darkened, alienated
from the life of God through the ignorance that's in them.
True humility is maintained by being reminded. of the grace
and mercy of God in his dealings with us. God's pervenient grace
going before me, arranging things, providing things, causing things
to come. Who maketh thee to differ from
another? We're reminded, and it maintains
that humility. I don't know if you're aware
of this or not, but God intervenes in the lives of his people. Things
go on, we get upset, we get all tore up and then we think about
it for a minute. Wonder what God was preventing. Wonder what lay out there that
I couldn't see. Wonder what good thing he has
in store for me instead of them. I'd have been satisfied with
a scratch and he has a fully cooked meal over here. You see
what I'm saying? I keep seeing like he sees. He
sees and knows and arranges all things, and He does it for our
good and His glory. And the more we know that, the
less we mumble and grumble around about it. Oh, my. David said about, if
it had not been the Lord who was on our side, When men rose
up against us, they had swallowed us up quick. How many times did
that man go into battle being outnumbered three, four, five
to one? Oh, the waters, he said, had
overwhelmed us. But God provided an ark. The stream, he said, had gone
over our soul. Blessed be the Lord who hath
not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our help is in the name
of the Lord who made heavens and earth. True humility is born
of a broken heart. It's mindful, it's maintained,
being reminded constantly of the grace of God who's intervened
in our lives. And then thirdly, true humility
is formed in the heart of those who understand the consequences.
Verse 12 of our text in James 4 said there's one lawgiver who's able to save, that's all
religion ever talks about, and destroy. You mean God's going
to destroy somebody? Oh my. Who art thou that judges? Proud
men judge. Humble men submit themselves
to the judgment of God. Proud men insist on division. Humble men seek reconciliation
and forgiveness. In James 4.11, we're warned about
speaking evil or judging our brother. A man becomes our brother
by faith in God and resting in the person and work of Jesus
Christ. He becomes my brother as he takes his place among God's
elect according to the mercy and grace of God. He takes his
place as one of the elect of God by the substitutionary work
of Christ and his righteousness, covered with his righteousness
and by an inworking of God the Holy Spirit. And I'm going to
sit in judgment on him? I am what I am by the same grace. How in the world can I sit in
judgment of him? We've both been justified. The basis of our fellowship is
love and mercy and grace. The best basis of our fellowship
is Christ himself. Fellows in the same ship. That's
what fellowship is. And listen to me. Jesus Christ
is the Lord of all. He's Lord over your minds, your
emotions, your understanding, over situations, circumstances,
and the ground that we have not yet set our feet on. He's Lord. We walk in the light as He is
the light. We have fellowship one with another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. And listen to this. The law that
He talks about here. You say, well, I ain't under
the law. Oh, yes you are. Oh, yes you are. You're under
the royal law of liberty. It's a law. It's a law. And the law he speaks of here
is the perfect law of liberty. Well, we sit in judgment of that
law? Huh? He said, when you're over here
just wowing your brother out and calling him everything but
a toadstool, You're not sitting in judgment of him, you're sitting
in judgment of the law that set him free. You see what he's saying? Now you ain't a judge of that
man, you're a judge of God's perfect law. You're judging God. Huh? Think about that next time
you hear something. Oh my, I'm sitting in judgment
of God. Who is he that can do that? Christ
died. God who justifies. Oh, but I'm
going to sit and judgment of God. You can have that. I don't
want any part of that. You bring some flaw in the royal
law, some insufficiency, you find some fault with the
blood of Christ, That perfect righteousness, the work of the
Holy Spirit. Here's what we need to be reminded
of. There's one lawgiver, and he can save and he can destroy. True humility arises from an
understanding of the consequences. And then lastly, a truly humble
man is willing to submit himself, his situation, and his circumstances
to the Lord. I don't have to run down to the
judge. Leave it in his hands. You take care of it. You take care of it. We live
in a country of law, of government, and law enforcement such as it
is. We cannot take the law into our
own hands. Can't do it. If we have a disagreement,
we're to submit it to those in charge and abide by their judgment.
In the Kingdom of God, Christ is Lord and King. We're not to
take things into our own hands, but submit them unto Him and
His designated authority and abide by their rulings. That's
what it is to be in the Kingdom of God. In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul
said in verse 10, For we must all appear before the judgment
seat of Christ. When is that? Right now. Right now. When is that? At the
final day. Huh? Right now and then. Nothing's gonna change between
now and then. Nothing. And here's why you gonna appear
there, that everyone may receive the things done in his body according
to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. So know this. That our Lord holds those in
His kingdom responsible for their actions. And we who have the rule over
our congregations do so as they who must give account. We're
responsible also. And it's not so far off as being
in the future, but one that's exercised daily. And we've seen
that. We've seen it more than once.
God exercising His judgment on men. In 2 Corinthians 5.11, he
said, knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men,
but we're made manifest unto God, that is, held accountable.
And I trust also we're made manifest, judged correctly in your eyes. There's a law that governs believers,
and this law is the perfect law of liberty, and it's enforced
by Christ the Lord. We're all brothers and sisters
in the Lord, and all by the grace and mercy of God. And here's
our hope. James 4, verse 6. He giveth more
grace. He giveth more grace. Wherefore
he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to whom? The
humble. The humble. I'm saved by grace. Are you? Not without humility. Isn't that what James is teaching
here? Oh, I'm saved! And walk around proud as a peacock.
No, you're not. No, you're not. He gives grace
to the humble. Humble yourselves in the sight
of the Lord, and the Lord will lift you up. You can't go up
if he don't lift you, you're going to stay right where you're
at. Now watch this, verse 7. Submit yourselves therefore to
God, resist the devil, and he'll flee from you. He personifies
your trouble, calling it the devil. Peter was not the devil, but
his trouble was, and Christ said, get thee behind me, Satan. Peter
was blessed. That's what the Lord told, said
about Peter. Blessed art thou, Simon Bartholomew.
Blessing blood hasn't revealed this to you. My spirit revealed
this to you. Huh? Get thee behind me, Satan. He wasn't talking to Peter. He
was talking about Peter's trouble. He was talking about his mind.
He was talking about how he was thinking. He was talking about
where his hope was. Satan is the accuser of the brethren.
not so much to God as it is with us. And so Paul says, let us
consider one another to provoke unto love and good works. What
can I say to provoke you to love God? That's what I need to study
and be ready to do. Get that. Get that. Be ready
to get it instead of judging. And then he said this in verse
25, very next verse, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,
as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so
much the more, as you see the day approach. May the Lord be
pleased to teach this sinner something about true humility. Enable me, when I do, to teach
others. Humility. Humility. Oh, what a gift. What a grace. Humble. And you know what comes
with that humility? Meekness. Moses was the meekest
man. Huh? You think he was weak? No,
that's weakness. He wasn't weak. He was meek. He was meek because God humbled
him. Oh, may he do that for us. Thank
you.