Wearing humility

It's very nice to be in Garneville again and to meet some of you. It's amazing how well many of you are aging, beautifully growing older, and it's so nice to see faces. Now I know I was here in 2015 and other times, but it just struck me today as I look in the mirror and see how ugly I am aging, and then I meet people in the auditorium and I see how wonderfully you are growing older.

It's very nice to see you. 1 Peter chapter 5. 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 1. The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed, feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Verse 5. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another. Now that phrase there is not in most translations, but this is, and be clothed with humility, for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.

The revised says, likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility to serve one another, for God resists the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Other renderings are like this, clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, all of you without exception.

Verse 6. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. And if we were to continue reading, we are to be sober and to be vigilant. There is a real adversary, and he goes about seeking whom he may devour.

And I just think it's interesting that that adversary, the devil, in the context of humility, is mentioned here in 1 Peter 5, because we have to be aware of our adversary. And Peter writes, in the context of being humble, then he brings in this about the adversary. Seems to be perhaps a part of the secret in dealing with the enemy is to be walking humbly with our God.

Similarly, James chapter 4, he's talking about humility, and then he speaks specifically about our enemy, the devil. Gird yourselves with humility. Put on, be clothed with humility.

I just want to talk a little bit about wearing Bible clothes. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another. Now, everybody looks fine today, and who am I to judge? I'm not a fashion icon, but I am wearing a suit today.

This week was the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Robert Francis Kennedy. And back when I was 11, even though I was a Canadian, I was a Kennedy fan. And I remember Robert Kennedy campaigning in, probably wore this type of suit in other states as well, but in particular, I had a picture on my bedroom wall of Bobby Kennedy wearing a suit.

I'm sure it cost hundreds of dollars more than this one cost. I got this at a bargain basement price in Pensacola, New Jersey. A couple of years ago, I said, finally, I've got an RFK suit.

Well, he was wearing a suit, something like this, in Nebraska when he was campaigning. The summer that he was assassinated, he was wearing this suit, and I have a picture of his dog, Freckles, and Robert Kennedy wearing a suit something like this. But that's enough about my clothes and your clothes, but I want to talk about Bible clothing.

Finding clothes on fashion sites or in magazines is one thing, but how much time do I spend going through the pages of my Bible looking for the clothes the Lord wants me to wear? You know how you pause at your closet door and you scan your clothing options for the day, and you sort of breathe out a perplexing sigh, what will I wear today? It's either because you have too few things to wear, and you wore that same thing yesterday, or the choices are too many. Most of us don't have that problem. And you say, oh, what will I wear today? What will I put on? So we make our choice for the day.

We check it for wrinkles and spots, and we put it on. We look in the mirror, and then we head out the door. Some clothes look better on us than others.

We feel comfortable in them, and we think we don't look too bad. And research proves that throughout the day, if we're wearing something that we think we look good in, we'll actually, our body language will be different. The way we position our head in a meeting will be different.

If we feel like we're dressed properly, our actions and our reactions will have more life to them, and more energy. Our posture, just the way we fold our arms, has something to do with what we wear. But in 1 Peter here, chapter 5, verse 5, we read of the must-wear-today verses in the Bible.

There's one of the must-wear-today verses in the Bible. One of the items in the Bible wardrobe is a must for you to wear today and tomorrow. Actually, we're supposed to wear it every day.

God wants me to fasten on, to gird up, wrap around, tie on, attach. What? Humility. Humility.

It's like an apron attached in the house, outside of the house. Not as an accessory for a mere decoration, like ties and watches and cufflinks. Those are accessories.

But what we've read about this morning is not an accessory. It's not a bandana. It's not a bracelet.

It's nothing like that. It's an absolute must. This is required clothing.

This is a critical piece of the Christian wardrobe. It is not optional. Maybe you're not into aprons.

It doesn't matter. God wants you to wear one anyway. And like I know some of you might be, think that this is too juvenile, but all the way from Prince Edward Island, I carry it.

It's not an apron. I think it's a pillowcase. Just to make the point, if you forget some of my words, God expects us to wear in our Christian life every day the apron of humility.

And so I don't know how you wear it, but is it like this? Yes. But we are to wear the apron of humility. So when I get up this morning, was I giving any thought to this? Wear it? Yes, it's conspicuous.

Because everyone else around, if you're going to get anywhere, if you're going to climb the corporate ladder of success, you do the name-dropping thing. Who you know. You discreetly and diplomatically talk about your past achievements.

You know, you try to be very humble about it, but yet you're communicating it, whether it's on LinkedIn, wherever. You're putting yourself out there. You are doing the necessary network to say, look it, I'm qualified.

You need me. Your corporation will never be as good as it could be if you had me. That's the world around us.

And so, yes, if you wear the apron of humility, it will be conspicuous. I've known sisters rushing from the kitchen to a gospel meeting, and they're horrified when they get to the meeting, and they're sitting down in the chair, and they still have their apron on from the kitchen. It's conspicuous.

But this is an apron that God expects of us as Christians to wear every day. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another. For God opposes the proud.

He gives grace to the humble. Clothing ourselves with humility. It simply means, in the original language, we are to wear the apron of humility, modesty, lowliness, the attitude of service, probably burned into the apostle Peter's mind was a scene of his Lord wrapping a towel around his waist and crouching to wash Peter's dusty, tired feet in John 13.

Peter gives us some interesting insights into our character from a biblical perspective. Chapter 3 of his first epistle. I don't know.

I know it's definitely in the context of women, but I think it's an expectation for every believer. What does God say is precious? Well, the context he's talking about, Peter's writing about outward adornments. But what is important to God? Let it be the hidden man of the heart.

In that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God, a great price. So in contrast to external adornments, external exterior beauty, Peter is writing the beauty that really counts. Is internal.

Let the beauty be internal. Let it be the hidden person of the heart. The imperishable quality of a gentle and a quiet spirit says it's a great price, very precious in the same in the sight of God.

It's the same word is used of the spikenard poured out on the Lord Jesus. Very precious. So is this imperishable quality that is precious in the sight of God? Does it only pertain to sisters? I know the context is definitely sisters.

That's very obvious, but do you think it's supposed to mean every one of us? If I have been spending time alone with the Lord Jesus, I will know that it applies to me as well. Matthew 11 verse 29, the Lord Jesus said, take my yoke upon you. Learn from me for I am gentle, humble, or lowly in heart.

You will find rest for your souls. Here was a clear declaration from himself about himself. I am meek.

I am gentle, humble, lowly in heart. Listen to this verse from Matthew 21. When he comes in riding on a donkey, the daughter is I and behold, your king is coming to you meek or lowly and sitting on a donkey.

So seniority gift, like I've been saved 49 years ago this month. Some people wonder why I gave the golfs a big hug last night. When I came in, I didn't give everybody a big hug.

Well, you know why? Because 49 years ago last week they were at our Prince Edward Island conference and Mrs. Goff became critically ill and she was hospitalized. It seemed to be she was hovering between life and death. They couldn't go back to Newfoundland and it was absolutely the worst time of years to have gospel meetings and nothing was done right.

They didn't, there were no invitations printed up, but they couldn't go back to Newfoundland. So Mr. Goff and Mr. Buckle decided to have some gospel and preach the gospel while Mrs. Goff was hospitalized. It was the farmer's busiest time of year, planting time, school closing time.

Absolutely the worst time of year, but over 30 of us trusted Christ as our personal Savior. So when I saw them last night, I had a flashback like that. And he gave them a tender embrace.

I've been saved 49 years, so I have seniority now. But you know, seniority, gift, role in the local church, recognition among assemblies, that's no excuse for asserting oneself and acting as if I have arrived. The King himself was coming in lowliness.

The same word as gentle and meek spirit in 1 Peter 3, where he's talking about the women and what's really precious in the sight of God. It's the same word that is of great value to God. The King was coming in lowliness.

Gospel preacher, I'm thinking of Norman Crawford. He was a tremendous gospel preacher and a Bible teacher for many of the younger ones. You won't even recognize his name.

How quickly that happens. When older Christians remember the attributes of the late Norman Crawford, he was a giant in the church. He was a great gospel teacher.

He was a writer. He was a soul winner and a gospel preacher. But when older Christians speak of Mr. Crawford, what do they most frequently refer to? His quiet ways, his gracious demeanor, his lowly, humble deportment, his self-effacing humility, his gracious smile.

What Christlike impressions to have left behind us for us to cherish. What a heritage. That is absolutely beautiful to remember a Christian of such stature in our eyes, but to remember his demeanor and his Christlike ways how important it is for older Christians to pass on this part of the baton of truth, the deposit of the apostle's teachings, because this is a part of the apostle's teachings.

So often when we talk about the passing on the truth, we're pretty narrow in our definition as to what the truth is that we're passing on. It can get really specific, but when we're talking about passing on the baton of truth, we're talking about the entirety of the apostle's teaching. And how many times in the apostles, the letters that are left in the scriptures for us to read, how many times over and over and over and over again, we read about humility and meekness and gentleness.

This is a part of the apostles doctrine. First Peter three verse eight, finally be all of one mind in the bottom line seems to be this. All of you, Peter's trying to communicate, be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, humble.

And I know the King James is courteous, but most translations, including the revised say humble minded or humble in spirit. Peter says a gentle and quiet spirit are imperishable qualities that cannot fade away. They're lasting.

Humility is a part of a godly person's character and it is imperishable. Just think of what he's in Ephesus to the elders in Ephesus acts 20, the apostle Paul to the elders there. He said, I serve the Lord with what all humility with many tears is the same Greek word.

And then Paul again uses the same Greek word Ephesians four, where he's imploring Christians in Ephesus walk in all humility and gentleness. That's to Ephesus to the believers in Philippi. Paul uses the same word again within the context of the beautiful character of our Lord Jesus Christ, the lowliness, Philippians two, the lowliness, the humility of mind, let each esteem others better than himself to the believers in Colossae.

It is definitely a part of the apostles doctrine. I hope we're broad enough in our thinking to include this when we're talking about the apostles doctrine. Colossians three put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering.

So it's the same Greek word. The inventory of Christ-like virtues illustrates the character of holiness that grace creates in us. Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience.

And our verse here this morning, clothe yourselves all of you with humility toward one another. William Macdonald, many of you have his Bible commentary, many other books. He writes, if I were to pick out two phrases necessary for spiritual growth, I would pick out these.

I don't know. And the second phrase, I am sorry. And both phrases are the evidences of deep humility.

When has somebody at last asked me a question and I said, I don't know. We spew out the verses. When have I last said in the last 12 months, I am sorry.

Look at the words humble in spirit and humility and see who those words hang out with. What is the family of words? Gentle, quiet spirit, lowliness, meekness, heart of compassion, kindness, long suffering. Paul said tears.

They form a composite or a composite of what it means to be Christ-like. You can tell someone who is on the apron. They are modest.

They're not cocky. They are humble. They are not proud.

They are meek. They are not domineering. They're self-effacing.

They're not arrogant. They are reserved, not mouthy. They are reticent, not forward.

They are gentle, not blunt. They are restrained, not outspoken. They are cautious, not bold.

They are peaceful. They are not troublesome. When I am clothed with humility, when I am wearing the apron, my words, my text, my online posts, my comments in the comment sections, things online, my emails will reflect a warm sensitivity, a gracious style, a humble yieldingness.

Sharpness of tone will be absent. Harshness of words will be too. Sarcasm will be non-existent.

Someone who is clothed with humility, it will be so different from what the world wears. We are living in an age when we can be behind a little keyboard. Oh, we come here Sunday morning.

Oh, we're just the sweetest, gentlest people ever. But then what kind of comments do we make online, under our name or anonymously? What has happened? Is this just a show, what we do on Sunday morning? Who is the real me? The real me is who I am when I'm anonymous. That's whether I am wearing the apron of humility.

Someone who's wearing the apron of humility, total respect will be apparent, and that Christian's default will always be to honor the person with whom they are communicating. I'm not talking now about political and diplomatic savvy of buttering one up before you criticize them. They say that's the way to correct somebody is you talk about all their positives and then you go, wham! I always just would rather just tell it.

Like, I know what's coming now. You buttered me up. I get that.

I'm not talking about that. This applies to elders communicating with the flock, to young people interacting with elders, with seniors, to preachers, to teachers, our audience. It applies to all of us.

The verse says, clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another. It's a part of the apostle's doctrine. It's what the apostles taught.

How steadfastly are we continuing in this aspect of the apostle's doctrine? Those wearing the required piece of humility clothing will take the low place. They're quick to say, sorry, I spoke too quickly. I apologize.

I jumped to conclusions. I feel terrible I wrote that. I am so sorry.

Is it a part of my vocabulary? Those wearing humility, they gravitate to small tasks others wouldn't bother doing. They pay attention to those who are snubbed by others. They don't push themselves out into the sunlight.

They prefer the shadows. They aren't looking for opportunities to be noticed. No, they are wearing the apron.

Wearing the apron is a spiritual outcome of consistently spending private time with our Lord Jesus Christ. The degree to which I am enjoying Christ is the degree to which the apron will be obvious in my life. We get like the company we keep, and if we're keeping company with the Lord Jesus on a regular basis, we'll become more like the master.

This is not about trying to demonstrate humility when I'm around other people. It's not staged. It's not contrived.

It's not like, well, I need to, it's not the spiritual equivalent. Some of the older folks will remember the name of Dale Carnegie, how to win friends and influence people. I looked up online to see what the in books are in the Masters of Business for MBA programs, and you can get a book now by Barbara Patcher, The Essentials of Business Etiquette, How to Greet, Eat, and Tweet Your Way to Success.

It's not about reading a book and saying, how do I appear to be humble? It's not like that. It is an inner intimacy and affinity with Christ that produces an inner disposition that surfaces and becomes apparent no matter who I am with, no matter where I am. It has nothing to do with personality types.

You may be an alpha female, you may be a beta male, and there's such a thing as an omega male and female too. But just because I'm an alpha male, it is no excuse for me to be bombastic and blasting people, thinking before I speak, if Christ is doing his work in me, I will become, no matter what my personality type is like, I will be gentle, I will be meek, I will be humble. So it's no excuse.

Just because you say, well, that's just my makeup. No. The outburst of anger, you know, is my grandfather and my father.

He had a short fuse. So do I. No. If the Spirit of God is doing his work and Christ is in me and I'm walking closely with him, just like we expect someone who's growing in Christ to drop their alcoholism and to drop their swear words and to cease their gambling, the same changes should be happening in me to deal with my anger and my outburst.

It's the same thing. We can't excuse our personalities. This is not about personality.

This is about Christ in me. I may be able to speak eloquently behind a pulpit. I may be able to write beautifully.

I might be the most dynamic Sunday school teacher within a hundred mile radius. But here's what counts. My Christian maturity is best seen in my humility.

The real test of my spiritual maturity, my intimacy with the Lord Jesus Christ is the attitude I display and the words I choose when, not when I'm in public, when I'm in private communicating with others. That's a test. Oh, we can be like United Nations diplomats in public.

That's not the test of Christian maturity. It is what am I like when I'm sending a text, when I'm leaving a comment, when I am writing an email. And in private communications, not the people I like to be with or aspire to be like.

That's not the test either. It's how do I privately communicate with a sister or a brother or a neighbor with whom I am not impressed. That's the critical test.

Easy to be nice to those that we're attracted to. That's not the test. It's how am I to the wards of people that I'm not really that keen to be coming over to our house on Friday night anyway.

I hobnob with other Christians. And so that's a test. How sweet, humble and yielding and gracious meek am I in communicating to believers that I don't see eye to eye with.

That's a test. Well, how can I walk humbly before God and before others? How can I clothe myself with humility? That's the question that we all have. It's like a train track, a concurrent approach.

Be occupied with Christ and be truthful about self. If I want that to grow in me, humility, be occupied with Christ, be truthful about self. The Word of God is absolutely essential in our lives.

If we are going to see our hearts as God sees them and to know God as he can be known, the Word of God is an absolute must. So we've talked about putting on the apron. But just before I sit down, put on, I asked for a piece of paper and an ink marker today where I'm staying.

They graciously complied. Put on the apron of humility and take off the mask. Take off the mask.

We come to Garneville, a conference, and we look so stately and saintly. If I want the spirit of God to do his work, his work in me, then alone with God, I take off the mask and I become transparent in his presence, transparency in the sight of the Lord. David prayed, search me, O God.

David took off his mask, took it off, and he said, here I am in your presence. Search me, O God. Know my heart.

Test me. Know my thoughts. When Peter realized that Christ could see fish in the bottom of the lake, he realized if he can see fish in the bottom of the lake, he can see into the bottom of my heart.

And that's when he said, depart from me. I am what? A sinful man. The mask came off.

Transparency in the Lord's presence. Taking off our mask. It will bring our own sense of unworthiness to the surface.

Give us a keener sense of our own brokenness. We can point to the failures of others, but when we take off our own mask and say, oh God, I'm not half as good as I appear to be and as others think I am. You know me inside out.

Transparency. Practice it. Truthfulness.

Commit to it. David, after his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband and Psalm 51 said, God desires truth in the inner parts. Transparency.

Practice it. Truthfulness. Commit to it.

Oh, it's hard to confess it in alone with the Lord, isn't it? We tell the truth, but then we say, but Lord, this is really why I blurt that out. This is really why I said it, but because they were provoked. No, no, no, no.

We tell sinners just say guilty period. Transparency. Practice it.

Truthfulness. Commit to it. Strip off the mask in God's presence.

Be real transgressions. Face them. Humble yourselves.

Don't let one sin go on. Confess. Tackle it.

If you've had a nice contribution in the Bible reading and people come up and said, that was really nice, brother, and you get out in your car and say, wow, I'm doing right there. Catch it. Oh God, that's the beginning of pride in my heart.

Transparency. Practice it. Truthfulness.

Commit to it. Transgressions. Face them.

Don't run from your confession. Be in his presence. And then repeat the treachery of your own heart.

How wicked the human heart is and the flesh. It's so treacherous. Tell the Lord that.

What a treacherous heart. How we favor ourselves. Self-partiality.

Acknowledge it repeatedly and tripping. Fear it constantly. Paul feared tripping.

If you think you stand, take heed lest you fall. Peter thought he really, really, really, really loved the Lord. He underestimated the monster of pride and the dragon of arrogance in his own heart.

So dear child of God, as I sit down, we want to be channels that the Lord can use. We want to be vessels that are available for the master to use. In our own personal walk, there is one quality that he's really, really looking for.

You can read about it in Isaiah 66. I won't take the time to read it. In Isaiah 57 as well, he says, I dwell.

There's two places where the Lord dwells, a high and lofty one. I dwell in the high and holy place. And I dwell with him who's of a contrite and lowly spirit.

So may the Lord help us to think about the apron of humility. Is there any evidence that in my own personal life, when I'm alone with the Lord on my knees, am I open and transparent? Is there any evidence that I'm actually growing in this area? Put on the apron of humility. It is a required must if we're going to be useful to our Lord.