Pride
A. TOO EASY TO THINK WE ARE BETTER THAN WE ARE.
B. WHEN WE GET TOO BIG FOR OUR BRITCHES, WE ARE GOOD TARGETS FOR THE
DEVIL.
C. PRIDE IS A GOOD ATTITUDE TO AVOID ( Prov. 8:13; 11:2; 16:18; 29:23 )
D. A PRODUCT OF AN EVIL HEART (Mark 7:21-23).
“a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether
as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc” Dictionary.com
A. Rom. 12:3. AN OVERESTIMATION OF ONE’S VALUE, IMPORTANCE OR ABILITY.
B. LINKED TO SELFISHNESS (Phil. 2:3-4). “I’m better, therefore, I deserve more.”
A. SPIRITUALLY HUMBLE – REALIZING SMALLNESS (Psa. 144:3-4).
1. Consider man’s place in the cosmos.
2. Consider man’s effect on his environment (Ecc. 1).
B. A TRAIT NECESSARY FOR MEMBERS OF THE BODY (Matt. 18:1-4).
1. Beware! the temptation to over-inflate (Rom. 12:3; Matt. 3:9).
2. Dare we compare ourselves to others? (2 Cor. 10:12; Luke 18:9-14).
3. Jesus is the standard (John 12:48; Acts 17:30-31). How do we compare now?
4. How important are we? (1 Cor. 12:21-22)
5. Put the other first (Phil. 2:1-4).
6. Lowliness springing out of that Love (Eph. 4:1-3; 1 Cor. 13:4).
D. CONTRAST WITH THE PHARISEES (Luke 18:9-14).
C. WE ARE TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON GOD.
1. Man has nowhere to brag (Prov. 14:12; Jer. 10:23; 1 Cor. 10:12; 1:21; 3:18).
2. All are sinners (Rom. 3:9, 23).
SAVED BY GRACE!
A. WE MUST HUMBLE OURSELVE TO OBEY AS JESUS DID (Phil. 2:5-8).
B. IF WE HUMBLE OURSELVES, GOD WILL LIFT US UP (James 4:10)