25 October 2020 PM – Proverbs 16:19 – BC20 – Scott Childs
Introduction: Consider some of the voices in our world. Appetite says, “Be sensuous, enjoy yourself.” Education says, “Be resourceful, expand yourself.” Materialism says, “Be satisfied, please yourself.” Psychology says, “Be confident, fulfil yourself.” Pride says, “Be superior, promote yourself.” Humanism says, “Be capable, believe in yourself.” God says, “Be wise, humble yourself.” Ministry127.com
In our Scripture this evening, God states, (Read Proverbs 16:19).
Transition: The primary reason this verse is true because it is God’s word, but I want us to identify three more reasons that this verse is true, which ought to motivate us to humble ourselves.
The first reason this verse is true is because…
1. God hates pride. Why?
a. Pride competes with God.
1) God deserves man’s dependence. (Psalms 10:4) “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.“
2) God hates it when pride steals His glory. (Proverbs 8:13) “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.“
b. Pride is the product of an evil heart
1) (Mark 7:21-22) “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:“
2) (1 John 2:16) “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.“
c. Pride corrupts lives.
1) It destroys good character. (Proverbs 16:18) “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.“
2) It ruins relationships. No one wants to be near a person who thinks he or she is better than everyone else is. (Proverbs 29:23) “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.“
The second reason this verse is true is because…
2. God honours humility. Why?
a. The humble comply with God.
1) One who has a humble spirit does not think higher of himself than he ought to think. (Romans 12:3) “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.“
2) The humble lowers himself in the sight of the Lord. (2 Samuel 7:18) “Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?“
3) The humble sees the Lord as the Creator and himself as the created; God as the Potter and himself as the clay. (Romans 9:20) “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?” No one learned this in a more dramatic way than did Nebuchadnezzar. God caused him to lose his mind for seven years to humble him. (Daniel 4:37) “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.“
b. Humility is a developed character quality.
1) We learn humility by having to depend on God. God sought to teach children of Israel humility during their wilderness travels. (Deuteronomy 8:16) “Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;“
2) Humility is a choice. God told Solomon that humility was a primary condition for his forgiveness and blessing. (2 Chronicles 7:14) “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.“
3) James, the half-brother of Jesus, learned the value of lowering himself in God’s sight. (James 4:10) “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.“
4) Peter, the proud, outspoken disciple learned to place himself humbly under God’s authority. (1 Peter 5:6) “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:“
The third reason this verse is true is because…
3. God values character over wealth.
a. Man’s wealth does not impress God.
1) Humans get excited about dividing spoil (i.e., the plunder taken after a battle victory), but not God. He is God of all.
2) God owns everything that exists.
a) Pharaoh learned this the hard way. (Exodus 9:29) “And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD’S.“
b) The Psalmist recorded this. (Psalms 24:1) “The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” (Psalms 50:10) “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.“
c) Paul preached this on Mars Hill. (Acts 17:24-25) “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;“
3) Since God owns everything, all the wealth that men may accumulate really belongs to God and God has given them the ability to get it. Thus, God deserves the credit.
4) We must remember Jesus’ admonition in (Matthew 6:24) “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.“
b. God values your character not your cash.
1) Whether you are low in society or enjoy much, your character is far more important to God.
2) God highly praises the character quality of humility.
a) (Psalms 138:6) “Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.“
b) (Proverbs 29:23) “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.“
c) (James 4:6) “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.“
d) (Proverbs 15:33) “The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.“
3) We should ask God to help us see ourselves from His perspective.
a) We should seek to know our hearts as God knows them.
b) We should view our talents and abilities as undeserved gifts from our loving Lord.
c) We should remember that every dollar that we have belongs to God who gave it.
d) We should look for ways to serve others expecting nothing in return.
Conclusion: Read Proverbs 16:19 again. Though this is the opposite to popular thinking today, it is true because God said it, because God hates pride, because God honours humility and because God values character over wealth. Make no mistake, on judgment day, true humility will score a 10 while pride will score a zero.
