(Clip) Being Free of Pride by Looking to Jesus
The permanent solution to living in humility every day is to look unto Jesus all the time.
This sermon discusses the dangers of pride and the tendency to build 'Babylon' in our lives, churches, and ministries by seeking glory for ourselves rather than giving glory to God. It emphasizes the importance of humility, avoiding comparisons with others, and focusing on Jesus as the ultimate example of humility and grace.
Full Transcript
See this verse in Daniel chapter 4. We spoke about Babylon. Here is how people build Babylon even today among Christian churches and preachers. Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 4.28, was walking on the royal palace of Babylon and he looked at this beautiful city he had built and he didn't say anything.
He was the only man walking on the roof and he reflected and said to himself, isn't this Babylon the great which I myself have built by my power for my majesty. Pride is always like this. I built it according to my plan.
I built it with my power. I built it for my glory from man through man to man. The opposite of that is Romans 11.36, from God through God to God.
That's how it should be. But it is from man through man to man. My glory, my power, my plan.
So you can look at your work. You can look at anything. Look what a wonderful church I have built.
Look how wonderful children I have raised. Not like that fellow's children. The devil will tell you that.
Comparison, comparison. It's all the time. You can compare yourself with other people in the church.
You can compare your children with other people in the church. The world is full of parents who are comparing their children with other people's children. And it can happen in the church where you compare your children with somebody else's children and glorying how wonderful they are.
That's the devil. It's 100%. It's a poison of pride that you cannot say now in such a situation that the devil comes and he's got nothing in you.
He's got plenty in you. So what's the solution? Again by comparison, you compare yourself with somebody who got 100% and you won't be proud. So that's the solution.
The permanent solution to live in humility every day is to look unto Jesus all the time. Every step of this race to look at Jesus. Look at Jesus.
I tell you, I wish somebody had told me this when I was converted at the age of 19 and a half. I would never have had a problem with pride. But I had to discover it myself.
But I thank God I discovered it before it was too late. And now I've seen it. Every single day God is my witness.
I run the race looking unto Jesus. Every single day I'm quick to apologize if ever I said something wrong, did something wrong, hurt somebody, misunderstood somebody. Oh, I'm sorry.
That was wrong. It was my mistake. Publicly, privately, all the time, to anybody, to a husband, to a servant.
Sermon Outline
- I. Pride and its effects
- A. Pride is built on human power and glory
- B. Pride leads to comparison and competition
- C. Pride is a poison that can destroy us
- II. The solution to pride
- A. Comparison with others is not the solution
- B. Looking unto Jesus is the permanent solution
- III. Living in humility
- A. Looking unto Jesus every step of the way
- B. Quick to apologize and acknowledge mistakes
Key Quotes
“Pride is always like this. I built it according to my plan. I built it with my power. I built it for my glory from man through man to man.” — Zac Poonen
“The permanent solution to live in humility every day is to look unto Jesus all the time.” — Zac Poonen
“I run the race looking unto Jesus. Every single day I'm quick to apologize if ever I said something wrong, did something wrong, hurt somebody, misunderstood somebody.” — Zac Poonen
Application Points
- To overcome pride, we must look unto Jesus every step of the way and make it a habit to do so.
- We should be quick to apologize and acknowledge our mistakes, and not let pride get in the way.
- Living in humility is a daily choice that requires us to look unto Jesus and seek His guidance.