What Does True Humility Look Like?
March 21, 2010 | Todd Cyphers
Luke 3:1-6
What Does True Humility Look like?
John the Baptist
Luke 3:1-6
I. Tools to enhance humility
1. Conflict Luke 3:7
2. Desert times Luke 1:80
3. Times of doubt Luke 7:18-23
4. Process of death Luke 9:7-9
II. Characteristics of humility John 3:22-30
1. Embrace their identity and purpose
2. Know their weak spots
3. Handle applause well
4. Descend into greatness
Questions for this week:
I. For Starters:
- Who in the Bible, besides Jesus, if you could, would you like to spend a day with? Explain why.
- When is the last time someone hated you or rejected you for your love of Christ and the Gospel? How did the event affect you?
II. Overview of Scripture
- Read Mark 1:1-8 (one of the other accounts of John the Baptist’s ministry). What do you see that encourages you?
- What does 1:1 tell us about Mark’s Gospel?
- In your own words, who is John the Baptist? (vs. 1-2)
- In your own words, why was he sent? (vs.2-3)
- Why were the Jewish people to be baptized? (vs. 4)
- What did the people have to do before they were baptized? (vs. 5)
- Do you think it would be right for everyone being baptized today to be asked to confess that he/she is a sinner saved by grace or to give a short testimony? Why might this be important?
- Sum up John’s attitude about Jesus? (vs. 7)
- What was John’s message? (vs. 7)
- How did John’s baptism differ from Jesus’ baptism? (vs. 8)
11. Have you followed Christ’s command to be baptized as a believer? If not,
what or who is stopping you from obeying Christ in this matter?
- Review Sunday’s message with someone.
- Read Acts 9:15-16 and 2 Corinthians 12:7. What does God often do with his choice servants who He gives a great ministry? Why?
- Read the below article by Neal Anderson. Discuss why humility is so important and how we can help people in the church who fit the descriptions below.
Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles
himself shall be exalted. Luke 14:11
A small percentage of people defend against rejection by buying
into the dog-eat-dog system of the world and learning to compete
and scheme to get ahead of the pack. These are the movers and
shakers, people who earn acceptance and strive for significance
through their performance. They feel driven to get on top of
every situation because winning is their passport to acceptance.
They are characterized by perfectionism and emotional insulation
and they struggle with anxiety and stress.
Spiritually, the beat-the-system individual refuses to come under
God's authority and has little fellowship with God. This person
is committed to controlling and manipulating people and
circumstances for his own ends, so it is difficult for him to
yield control in his life to God.
In our churches this person jockeys to be chairman of the ruling board
or the most influential member on a committee. His motivation is not to serve
God in this position, however, but to control his world because
his self-worth is dependent on it. Beat-the-system controllers
are some of the most insecure people you will meet.
Sadly, the controlling individual's defensive strategy only
delays inevitable rejection. Eventually his ability to control
his family, his employees, and his church diminishes and he is
replaced by a younger, stronger controller. Some survive this
mid-life crisis, but many who make it to retirement don't enjoy
much of it. Studies show that high-powered executives live an
average of nine months after they retire. They base their lives
in the world system they seek to conquer, but inevitably the
world claims its own. "See to it that no one takes you captive
through philosophy and empty deception, according to the
tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the
world, rather than according to Christ" (Colossians 2:8).
4. Finish with