WEBVTT 00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:11.759 You're listening to the road with Pastor Teacher Steve Holt. 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:18.000 I think one of the greatest lessons that any of us can learn in walking with Jesus is it's not about you. 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:25.199 It's not about your 401k, it's not about your job, it's not about your marriage, it's not about your family. 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:30.160 Those are all important, believe me, hugely important, but they're not the most important. 00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:32.640 It's all about him. 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:41.679 And so learning to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him is one of the great freedoms of the Christian life. 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:51.439 I mean, it is tremendous freedom when we realize that when we take on Jesus and we take on his cross, he begins to set us free. 00:00:51.679 --> 00:00:56.960 He begins to give us that peace that rests in our souls. 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:02.320 At The Road, our mission is to empower people to change the world. 00:01:02.560 --> 00:01:06.640 For more information on the road, visit theroad.org. 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:11.760 We hope you are encouraged by today's message from Pastor Teacher Steve Holt. 00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:24.159 So, turning your Bibles to Matthew 11, I want to go back over the passage that we looked at last week. 00:01:24.319 --> 00:01:26.480 I want to talk about humility. 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:29.040 And I'm calling it the cardinal virtue. 00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:36.239 I believe that it is from humility that all other character virtues flow. 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:44.319 Humility is the soil by which grace grows in our lives. 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:48.799 Humility comes from grace, and grace comes from humility. 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:56.239 And it is the root from which the fruit of the character of Christ flows out. 00:01:56.400 --> 00:02:01.840 And I want to just encourage you about a little book that has changed my life over the years. 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:07.599 I've probably read it five or ten times, and it's called Humility by Andrew Murray. 00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:10.080 And so it's easy to order online. 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:12.240 You can even order it used. 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:15.840 It's been around for, I don't know, 50, 60 years. 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:20.719 But humility by Andrew Murray is a great resource for you. 00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:33.039 So last week we talked about this cardinal virtue of humility, and I shared last week what I thought were the three key components to understanding humility, and I want to go over that again. 00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:38.400 And the first quality of humility is Jesus. 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:48.560 Because the reason I think that's important, the reason I started with that is because there's a lot of caricatures of what humility is that's way off track. 00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:52.479 It's almost like, you know, humility is Mr. 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:53.599 Bean or something. 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:57.520 And I just want to break that and say, Jesus is humility. 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:07.599 And we see in Jesus not only beautiful love, but we see a fierce boldness, a fierce boldness of faith in him. 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:20.800 I mean, this is the guy who took the cords in the temple, and he just ripped through that, and he was angry about what had been done in the temple of the Lord, the house of the Lord. 00:03:20.879 --> 00:03:28.240 And he cried out, This house is not a house of merchandise and commerce. 00:03:28.639 --> 00:03:31.039 This is a house of prayer for the nations. 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:36.960 And that's why we believe so strongly at the road in prayer, because Jesus modeled it to us. 00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:38.719 That's humility too. 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:42.000 Humility is bold, it's assertive. 00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:44.960 And so Jesus is our example. 00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:50.240 Peter said, God gives grace to the humble. 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:54.240 And Jesus, in his humility, needed more grace. 00:03:54.400 --> 00:03:57.520 We're going to talk about that a lot here this morning. 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:01.039 So he says, Come to me. 00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:02.560 Let's look at it again. 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:04.319 Let's read it together. 00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:06.479 Verses 28 through 30. 00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:10.800 Come to me, all of you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:18.720 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you'll find rest for your souls. 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:21.759 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:26.399 So Jesus is our prime example of humility. 00:04:26.560 --> 00:04:27.920 He says, Come to me. 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:32.240 Take my yoke and learn from me. 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:33.759 Learn from me. 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:40.319 So first, Jesus is our definition of a human being who is humble. 00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:46.319 Secondly, true humility is entire dependence on God. 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:48.639 Entire dependence on God. 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:50.879 It's the soil that grace grows from. 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:55.360 Jesus was entirely dependent on his Father. 00:04:55.519 --> 00:05:00.000 And that's where we're going to camp in a moment in this message this morning. 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:02.959 Thirdly, true humility is death to self. 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:10.000 So I think one of the greatest lessons that any of us can learn in walking with Jesus is it's not about you. 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:13.360 It's not about your 401k. 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:14.800 It's not about your job. 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:16.480 It's not about your marriage. 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:18.240 It's not about your family. 00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:21.360 Those are all important, believe me, hugely important. 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:23.120 But they're not the most important. 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:26.000 It's all about Him. 00:05:26.879 --> 00:05:30.000 It's about our relationship with Him. 00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:38.319 And so learning to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him is one of the great freedoms of the Christian life. 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:48.079 I mean, it is tremendous freedom when we realize that when we take on Jesus and we take on His cross, He begins to set us free. 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:53.279 He begins to give us that peace that rests in our souls. 00:05:53.519 --> 00:06:03.360 And I know for some of us right now, just because of the length of time of this stay-at-home time and the COVID-19, I mean, some of us are like stir crazy and totally get it. 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:04.879 I feel that way too. 00:06:05.199 --> 00:06:11.120 I have to deny myself and say, Lord, you're working out a plan here. 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:15.199 You're working out a greater purpose here that's amazing. 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:33.040 Could it be that you're going to use these circumstances to bring a kingdom revolution in my heart, in my marriage, in my family, in our city, in our state, and across the nation and all over the world? 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:39.920 Well, I want to talk about the Gospel of John here this morning. 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:53.839 Because what's unique about the Gospel of John is how many times Jesus speaks of his entire dependence on the Father and even his denial of himself. 00:06:54.399 --> 00:06:59.920 He's modeling to us what it means to live a humble lifestyle. 00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:02.160 I call it humility and action. 00:07:02.399 --> 00:07:03.519 You might want to write that down. 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:05.120 Just humility and action. 00:07:05.439 --> 00:07:08.720 Jesus fully surrendered to the Father. 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:10.560 Humility and action. 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:14.240 Jesus fully surrendered to the Father. 00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:18.000 Now, I've got a number of verses we're going to read. 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:20.399 I want you to turn in your Bibles to John chapter 5. 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:23.839 So turn in your Bibles to John chapter 5, and we're going to go through these. 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:29.839 And here's what I ask you to do is make a check mark or underline these verses. 00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:47.759 Now I'm going to move pretty quickly through here, but I want you to take note of these passages as it relates to our understanding of what it means to live a humble life, to be totally dependent on God, to be subservient and submitted completely to God in our lives. 00:07:47.839 --> 00:07:49.360 And there's some key words here. 00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:52.000 One key word is not, NOT. 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:53.839 Not. 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:55.920 And nothing. 00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:57.519 Not and nothing. 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:07.360 Jesus is going to use not and nothing a lot in his lifestyle of walking with the Father. 00:08:07.920 --> 00:08:19.279 Now, church, it's amazing to me that we get caught up, and we should get caught up in the redemption of Christ from the perspective of the cross. 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:20.240 That's beautiful. 00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:21.040 It's wonderful. 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:25.600 But remember, it's the life, death, and resurrection of Christ that saves us. 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:27.839 So it's the life of Christ. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:40.879 Jesus could have come and on the first day, you know, he's one year old, or when he's 31 years old, and just gone to the cross and died in his blood would have healed us of all of our sin. 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:42.480 But see, that's not the point. 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:47.519 The point isn't just salvation, it's also about sanctification. 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:56.960 And it's also about a lifestyle of learning to have eternal life, the fullness of life flowing through us every day. 00:08:57.279 --> 00:08:59.679 By us becoming like Christ. 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:04.480 For Christ flowing through us into the lives of others. 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:14.480 And so Jesus here in John gives us a glimpse into what it looks like to walk with Christ every day. 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:17.279 So look at John 5, verse 17. 00:09:17.440 --> 00:09:19.440 John 5, verse 17. 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:27.919 But Jesus answered them, My Father has been working until now, and now I've been working. 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:34.159 So Jesus is saying, I'm working because the Father has been working. 00:09:34.799 --> 00:09:36.080 Verse 19. 00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:48.159 Then Jesus answered and said to them, Most assuredly I say to you, the Son can do nothing of himself but what he sees the Father doing. 00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:55.200 For whatever the Father does, the Son also does in like manner. 00:09:55.440 --> 00:09:59.679 This is why in Jesus' ministry, sometimes he healed everybody. 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:01.759 In other cases, he heals one guy. 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:03.360 I mean, he goes to the pool of Salaam. 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:05.360 He heals one guy there. 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:11.759 We know that historically that that pool had hundreds of people. 00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:12.960 I've been there. 00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:14.879 And you that are going to Israel with me. 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:15.519 We're going to be there. 00:10:15.600 --> 00:10:16.879 We're going to go to the pool of Salaam. 00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:22.480 And there'd be hundreds of crippled people, sick people around the pool of Salaam. 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:26.240 And yet Jesus came to one guy and healed him. 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:27.440 Now, why did he do that? 00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:29.120 Why did he skip all the others? 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:31.679 Because that's what he saw the Father doing. 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:40.320 Talk about total surrender, total submission, and total dependence and complete humility to God. 00:10:40.639 --> 00:10:43.440 Jesus could only do what he saw the Father doing. 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:44.720 Verse 20. 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:50.639 For the Father loves the Son, and he shows him all things that he himself does. 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:55.840 And he will show him greater works than these that you may marvel. 00:10:56.320 --> 00:11:03.200 So Jesus is saying again, he can only do what he sees the Father doing, and God revealing to him because he loves him. 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:05.519 Verse 26. 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:15.679 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. 00:11:16.399 --> 00:11:24.000 And he has given him, meaning Christ, authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of Man. 00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:25.919 Amazing verse. 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:35.919 Jesus is saying that the life that the Father has has been given to the submitted Son. 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:40.639 He only has life in himself because the Father gives it to him. 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:43.039 Verse 30. 00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:45.360 This is beautiful. 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:47.360 Probably ought to underline this one. 00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:49.759 I can of myself do nothing. 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:51.039 This is Jesus speaking. 00:11:51.360 --> 00:11:54.559 I can of myself do nothing. 00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:57.440 As I hear, I judge. 00:11:57.759 --> 00:12:06.720 And my judgment is righteous, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me. 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:17.120 Even Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Man, in a mysterious way, fully God, fully man, did not have a will of his own. 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:20.080 He was submitted to the Father's will. 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:23.600 And the only will that the Son had is what the Father had. 00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:25.679 Men and women, that's true for us. 00:12:25.919 --> 00:12:28.960 True humility is saying, I don't have a will in this. 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:32.639 I only do what God instructs me to do. 00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:34.080 And so I come to him. 00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:36.320 I have to know what the Father's will is. 00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:38.559 That's the attitude of Jesus. 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:41.039 I can do nothing myself. 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:45.679 How many of you out there sometimes feel like you can't do anything? 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:47.440 You can't do anything right. 00:12:47.679 --> 00:12:49.519 Someone say, Man, you can't do anything right. 00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:51.919 You ought to say, that's true, I can't. 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:54.240 Man, I don't, you don't have what it takes. 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:56.639 You say, that's right, I don't have what it takes. 00:12:57.440 --> 00:12:58.879 Man, you're driving me crazy. 00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:02.240 And you should, your answer should be, I'm driving myself crazy. 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:11.840 Because true humility is realizing that we don't have what it takes, and we're not smart enough, and we're not strong enough. 00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:16.320 But in Christ, we have everything that we need. 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:18.639 In Christ, we're more than conquerors. 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:22.480 In Christ, we're more than conquerors. 00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:25.120 Because he's flowing through us. 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:26.720 Verse 31. 00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:31.120 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:32.320 Listen to that. 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:33.919 Jesus is saying this. 00:13:34.159 --> 00:13:38.799 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:48.639 Verse 32, there is another who bears witness of me, and I know that the witness which he witnesses of me is true. 00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:49.759 Hello? 00:13:50.080 --> 00:13:51.440 Are you kidding me? 00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:56.559 Jesus the Christ is saying, I don't even bear witness to myself. 00:13:56.720 --> 00:13:58.720 I don't even care what anybody thinks about me. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:00.799 I'm not trying to be anything. 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:03.200 I am submitted to the Father. 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:06.960 And if he gives a witness of me, I receive that. 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:10.159 And that witness is true. 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:14.480 Verse 36, but I have a greater witness than John's. 00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:24.320 For the works which the Father has given me to finish, the very works that I do, bear witness of me that the Father has sent me. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:27.120 So Jesus saying, I can only do what I see the Father doing. 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:30.960 But what I see the Father doing, that which I do, I have no will of my own. 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:33.600 But whatever God tells me is his will, that's what I do. 00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:35.039 I have no strength of my own. 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:36.399 I have no witness of my own. 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:37.840 But what he gives me, I do. 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:47.519 And the works that flow through me through my humility and through my submission to him, bear witness of who God is. 00:14:47.840 --> 00:14:51.200 The healings that I do come through the power of the Father. 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:58.320 The demonization, folks, that I cast the demons out of, it comes through the Father's power. 00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:00.480 Verse 41. 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:03.919 Really important, verse 41. 00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:06.879 I do not receive honor from men. 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:09.840 I do not receive honor from men. 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:12.000 Jesus saying, I don't need your honor. 00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:13.440 I don't receive your honor. 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:14.960 It means nothing to me. 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:17.840 I take my marching orders from the Father. 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:19.360 Now John 6. 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:21.039 John 6, 38. 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:29.200 For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:34.399 How freeing is that, folks, to be able to say, I'm not doing my will. 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:40.480 I don't have a vision for my life, except what God has given me as a vision. 00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:42.879 That's true humility. 00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:44.799 John 7, 16. 00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:46.879 John 7, 16. 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:54.080 Jesus said to them, My doctrine is not mine, but his who sent me. 00:15:55.120 --> 00:16:06.399 Jesus is not taking any ownership over his will, over his power, over his own personal strength, or even his will. 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:08.240 It's all from the Father. 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:13.759 And now he's saying, Even my doctrine, even what I teach, comes from the Father. 00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:16.240 John 7, 28. 00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:30.399 Then Jesus cried out as he taught in the temple, saying, You both know me, and you know where I am from, and I've not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you do not know. 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:35.679 But I know him, for I am from him, and he sent me. 00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:43.440 So he's even saying to the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the scribes in the temple, you don't know God the Father. 00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:57.440 If you don't recognize who I am as the Messiah, and this is before he's gone to the cross, this is before the resurrection, if you can't recognize the Father through what I'm doing, through my works, you don't even know the Father. 00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:02.320 I mean, that's that's like blasphemy to the Pharisees. 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:03.759 What are you saying? 00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:06.480 Hey, look, we are children of Abraham. 00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:12.079 And he said, no, if you don't recognize me, if you don't know me, then you don't know God. 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:15.200 That's powerful stuff, men and women. 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:20.559 There are a lot of folks out there in America, around the world. 00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:21.839 I believe in God. 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:23.519 Yeah, I believe in God. 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:26.720 And you know, which your answer should be like, well, so do demons. 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:28.319 Demons believe in God. 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:34.640 Demons know that Jesus is the Messiah, but they're not born again. 00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:38.480 Because they've never fully humbled themselves and surrendered to Christ. 00:17:38.640 --> 00:17:42.640 So it is with most human beings today that don't know Christ, is they say, Well, I believe in God. 00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:44.240 I'm not an atheist or anything. 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:45.759 I'm a good person. 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:47.599 I do good things. 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:50.480 Look, I, you know, I give to the Red Cross. 00:17:50.720 --> 00:17:52.640 I mean, I'm a good guy, you know? 00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:54.079 Okay, great. 00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:54.960 That's fantastic. 00:17:55.119 --> 00:17:58.400 I'd rather have a good guy than a bad guy, but you're still going to hell. 00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:02.880 We don't know the Father. 00:18:03.039 --> 00:18:04.960 We don't know God unless we know the Son. 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:07.119 We've given ourselves to Him. 00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:10.480 John 8. 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:13.759 John 8, 14. 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:21.920 Jesus said to them, Even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true. 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:25.359 For I know where I've come from and I know where I'm going. 00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:30.079 But you do not know where I come from, and you do not know where I'm going. 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:37.680 So again, Jesus is speaking that he doesn't bear witness to himself, he lets the Father bear witness to the Son. 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:39.359 John 8, 16. 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:43.519 And yet if I do judge, my judgment is true. 00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:48.319 For I am not alone in this, but I am with the Father who sent me. 00:18:48.480 --> 00:19:00.640 So Jesus is saying, look, it's not me who judge, but even if I do judge, my judgment is true because I'm completely in humility submitted to the Father. 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:02.720 Verse 28. 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:14.720 Then Jesus said to them, When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of myself, but as my Father taught me, I speak only what He taught me. 00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:18.400 And he who sent me is with me. 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:22.480 The Father has not ever left me alone. 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:26.400 For I always do the things that please him. 00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:28.319 Amazing verse. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:37.440 Church, that true humility in our lives is doing what Christ commands and to please him in everything we do. 00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:40.799 That's what finds rest for our souls. 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:42.240 Verse 42. 00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:46.240 Jesus said to them, If God were your father, you would love me. 00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:49.279 For I proceeded forth and came from God. 00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:53.279 I have not come of myself but him who sent me. 00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:57.039 Verse 50, and I do not seek my own glory. 00:19:57.279 --> 00:20:00.559 There is only one who seeks and judges. 00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:03.920 John 9, verse 4. 00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:07.839 I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day. 00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:11.359 The night is coming when no one can work. 00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:14.319 Get it? 00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:16.640 That's humility. 00:20:17.119 --> 00:20:22.240 Humility is dependence on Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:25.200 It's an empty vessel. 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:30.480 It's all of us, church, becoming empty vessels that He can fill. 00:20:32.319 --> 00:20:42.400 I believe that the true Spirit-filled life can only happen with an empty vessel. 00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:46.720 And if I had a cup up here and it was empty, I'd say, that's humility. 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:51.119 It's being emptied of you, emptied of your future. 00:20:51.279 --> 00:21:03.039 I remember, you know, when I was thinking about graduation, I was getting coming to the end of my time at uh in college, and and I didn't know what to do, and I wasn't sure what God wanted me to do. 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:13.920 And one time I was out at the football team's practice field by myself late at night and cried out, God, I'm I don't know what to do, but I am available to you. 00:21:14.160 --> 00:21:20.559 Anything you want to do, anywhere you want to send me, any way you want to work through me, I'm available. 00:21:20.640 --> 00:21:22.319 And I think he heard that prayer. 00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:26.720 God's looking for empty vessels that he can fill. 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:31.839 He's looking for empty vessels that he can fill to overflowing. 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:36.319 So it's not just the spirit-filled life, it's the spirit-spilled life. 00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:42.079 But you can't have the spirit-spilled life without the spirit-filled life without being an empty vessel. 00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:46.000 Have you surrendered everything to Christ? 00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:52.960 It's the way of freedom, it's the way of joy, it's the way to happiness, it's the way to peace in our lives. 00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:54.880 It's to be empty. 00:21:56.880 --> 00:21:59.759 To have Him take over your finances. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:03.839 To have him take over your job search. 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:06.000 For him to take over your marriage. 00:22:06.079 --> 00:22:10.400 That's what we were talking about in the couples conference when I spoke about the spirit-spilled life. 00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:13.599 The spirit-filled life, I said it's the power to be out of control. 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:22.079 It's you getting out of the way and letting Christ come in and take over your marriage, take over the frustrations in your family. 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:26.319 And some of us have some pretty big frustrations in our marriages. 00:22:26.559 --> 00:22:28.079 Some of us have some pretty big issues. 00:22:28.160 --> 00:22:30.720 Some of you here are considering divorce. 00:22:30.880 --> 00:22:34.559 Some of you here are contemplating suicide right now. 00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:38.400 And my challenge to you this morning is Christ loves you. 00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:41.039 He wants to come in and invade your life. 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:42.720 Will you humble yourself? 00:22:43.440 --> 00:22:48.079 Will you humble yourself and realize that you don't have what it takes, but he does? 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:52.799 And to realize your character is not what it should be, but his is. 00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:58.960 And so to surrender to him is to become an empty vessel and say, Lord, I empty myself of me. 00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:00.880 I'm going to do it your way. 00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:03.519 And church, this is the way. 00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:05.680 It's through the word. 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:08.559 You want to know how to fix your finances? 00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:10.079 Go to the word. 00:23:10.559 --> 00:23:17.119 He shows us how to live financially right here in this book. 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:18.079 He guides us. 00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:19.920 You want to know how to have a happy marriage? 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:21.119 Go to this book. 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:22.720 How to parent your kids? 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:23.920 Go to this book. 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:26.240 How to walk in integrity at your work? 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:27.759 Go to this book. 00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:29.759 Listen, listen. 00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:34.640 God can't pull out of us what hasn't gone into us. 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:39.680 And so if you're not reading God's word, if you're not in God's word, you're not going to know what to do. 00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:51.519 And you're going to be at the mercy of the culture, at the mercy of some of these books that are written that have absolutely nothing to do with where true fulfillment comes from. 00:23:52.240 --> 00:24:03.359 And Jesus has given us an example here of the only way to find that kind of purpose in our lives, and that's through the way he lived, through complete dependence on him. 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:09.759 Andrew Murray writes, we must learn of Jesus, how he is meek and lowly of heart. 00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:14.799 He teaches us where true humility begins and finds its strength. 00:24:15.119 --> 00:24:29.920 In the knowledge that it is God who works all in all, that our place is to yield to him in perfect resignation and dependence, in full consent to be and to do nothing of ourselves. 00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:32.000 This is the kind of Jesus. 00:24:32.319 --> 00:24:35.599 Jesus came to reveal. 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:39.759 It's the character of Jesus taking over our character. 00:24:39.920 --> 00:24:42.480 It's the love of Jesus taking over our love. 00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:46.799 It's the forgiveness of Jesus taking over our inability to forgive. 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:50.000 It's the joy of Jesus coming into our depression. 00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:59.119 So humility, the cardinal virtue, is the emptying of ourselves to Him. 00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:02.240 I'm convinced of this. 00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:34.160 That if we went to state hospitals, Spring Canyon, some of these places around the country where people have gone to retreat and get away because they're depressed or they have anxiety, they're frustrated, or they're going through therapy or something like that, that if they could empty themselves of themselves and let Christ come in and fully, completely surrender to Christ everything, they would be healed. 00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:40.559 They would be almost immediately healed because it wouldn't, there would be no longer that weight. 00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:43.599 Remember our verse? 00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:53.279 Come to me, all of you who labor and are heavy laden, depressed, anxious, worried, frustrated. 00:25:53.599 --> 00:25:55.680 And I will give you rest. 00:25:56.400 --> 00:26:00.400 If you will empty yourself of yourself, and let me come in. 00:26:00.559 --> 00:26:02.480 And I'm not talking about it's a one-time thing. 00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:07.440 It's not a one-time thing, it's a daily thing of surrendering yourself. 00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:17.519 And when you come to this place where you're anxious and you know that feeling inside, like, ah, that feeling where you're just like, it's just like something inside of you is just gnawing at you. 00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:18.559 That's you. 00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:20.960 That's you trying to figure things out. 00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:21.920 You can't. 00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:23.359 You can't do that. 00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:28.559 You've got to allow Christ to come in to that place. 00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:36.160 And that means you've got to empty yourself of you and let Christ come in and flow and find that dependence that comes through him. 00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:58.880 Well, Paul, in describing the mind of Christ, turn your Bibles to Philippians chapter 2, Philippians chapter 2, he describes humility and action through Christ as a challenge to the church at Philippi of the kind of mindset we have to have. 00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:02.319 Men and women, we have to have a new mindset. 00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:08.400 We have to have a new mindset in every area of our life if we're going to be disciples of Christ. 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:12.640 You have to have a new mindset right now in the midst of the situation we're in. 00:27:12.799 --> 00:27:18.960 I mean, those devotionals I've been doing, where I've been talking about the worshiper warrior mindset. 00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:19.920 Remember that? 00:27:20.160 --> 00:27:23.200 Those early devotionals, I went through, I think three devotionals. 00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:26.799 I talked about the worshiper warrior mindset. 00:27:27.200 --> 00:27:32.640 That's a mindset that I'm in a war, but I'm going to win. 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:37.680 Not because I'm so strong, but because he is all sufficient for everything that I need. 00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:43.440 And I'm going to win because of the power of Christ flowing through me to be more than a conqueror. 00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:46.319 And I'm going to leverage difficulties in my life. 00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:48.319 I'm going to leverage these struggles in my life. 00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:53.200 And I'm going to actually win and become stronger because it's hard. 00:27:53.680 --> 00:27:55.440 Because it's difficult. 00:27:56.880 --> 00:28:02.079 So here's what Paul says in Philippians 2, starting at verse 5. 00:28:02.640 --> 00:28:20.720 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:31.680 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:39.759 Therefore, God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name. 00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:40.799 Here's the point. 00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:48.480 He says three things here that I think are powerful about a mindset of humility, a mindset like Christ had. 00:28:48.640 --> 00:28:50.799 First, you're not God. 00:28:51.359 --> 00:28:52.480 You are not God. 00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:57.599 Even Jesus did not consider himself equal with God. 00:28:57.680 --> 00:29:00.559 And we just read all those verses where he said that. 00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:02.799 Don't try to take God's place. 00:29:03.359 --> 00:29:05.920 Don't even think you know anything. 00:29:06.160 --> 00:29:07.920 Rather, trust Christ. 00:29:08.079 --> 00:29:08.480 Trust him. 00:29:08.799 --> 00:29:10.400 God, you know what to do. 00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:14.240 Lord, my financial situation is in shambles right now. 00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:15.920 I don't know what to do. 00:29:16.240 --> 00:29:22.160 I'm going to get wise counsel, but before I do that, I'm giving it all to you. 00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:25.519 And I'm asking you, Lord, to start giving me wisdom. 00:29:25.839 --> 00:29:27.119 I'm not God. 00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:28.799 You are. 00:29:29.119 --> 00:29:31.119 And so I'm depending on you. 00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:33.200 It starts there, and it doesn't end there. 00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:35.119 We get wise counsel. 00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:40.799 We start using, you know, we start thinking through how to get out of the mess that we're in. 00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:42.000 All that's important. 00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:46.960 But again, we go to God's word, and as we do, God will speak to you. 00:29:47.839 --> 00:29:53.039 It's amazing what God does when we seek Him and He gives us revelation. 00:29:53.200 --> 00:29:56.160 Number two, Jesus became a bondservant. 00:29:56.319 --> 00:30:01.359 So, second of all, we have a mindset of a bondservant. 00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:04.799 It's more blessed to give than to receive. 00:30:04.960 --> 00:30:07.839 It's learning two great lessons in life. 00:30:08.079 --> 00:30:09.759 Keep growing and keep giving. 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:11.359