Sermon Tone Analysis

*The Pride of Humility, Part 2*

*Matthew 18:1-5*

Andrew R. Rappaport

!

Introduction

·         On one occasion, someone approached Augustine and asked, "What is the most important quality in the Christian life?"  Augustine responded, "*Humility*".

The person then asked, "What is the second most important quality in the Christian life?"  Again Augustine responded, "*Humility*".

This same person asked a third time, "What is the third most important quality in the Christian life?"  Augustine repeated, "*Humility*".

·         As Christians we all know we are supposed to be humble.

However, like the disciples many people have a pride of humility.

Too many Christians have a false humility that they put on display for others while really seeking to be seen as better than one another.

We see here in this text that the disciples had the very same problem.

While they pretend to be humble they argue over who would be the greatest in the kingdom.

·         Jesus' ministry is coming to a close and He is trying to provide *final instructions* before He departs this earth.

Jesus is informing the disciples on how to *administrate the church* that He will establish after His death.

Jesus is starting to *transition* their thinking about the kingdom of God and the plan of God for His people on Earth.

He needs to transition them from their selfish thinking of who would be greatest in the kingdom of God to be leaders of the body of Christ.

·         Jesus makes the *transition* with his disciples from *discussing their pride to discussing their need for humility* by using the illustration of calling to Himself a little child.

·         Vs.

1-5: Jesus speaking to those who think they are leaders, which is evident in the fact that they are arguing over who is the greatest.

Therefore, when he states one must humble himself like a child to enter the kingdom of heaven it does not mean that there is an *entrance fee *and then one can grow up and be prideful.

Jesus expects us to enter as a humble child and stay that way.

That is why he states the greatest in the kingdom is the one who does not only enter humbly but *remains humble*.

·         v. 1 - the word disciples is broader than just the 12.

It is all those who were following after Christ.

·         The disciples still do not understand what it means to follow Jesus.

They are still developing their understanding of the kingdom of Christ and what it means to be a follower of Christ.

·         Jesus is going to explain *how we should* *deal with conflicts within the body of Christ*.

He is going to use their argument over who was greatest to *explain the attitude* we should have with one another *when conflict arises*.

This is a text that deals with *interpersonal* *communication* primarily within the body of Jesus Christ.

·         Do any of you ever have conflicts with people in the church?

If you answer no it would only be because you do not interact with anyone in the church.

We all have conflicts at some point with one another.

·         The first thing we must remember when dealing with conflict with one another, is that we are saved by the same grace that we only receive through humility.

*Transition:*     The disciples feigned a humility which was really to mask their pride.

However, Jesus Christ is going to explain that their false humility will not gain them entrance into the kingdom of heaven.

!

I.             The Kingdom of Heaven

·         The kingdom of heaven is a phrase Matthew uses about 32 times and is *synonymous* with the *kingdom of God*.

It had become common for the Jews at the end of the Old Testament era, and especially during the intertestamental period, to *substitute*, out of reverence, the word heaven for the Hebrew tetragammatin (YHWH).

They did this to prevent from violating the second commandment of using the Lord's name in vain.

It is very common that they would replace YHWH with Adonai.

·         When used in this way, heaven is simply another way of saying God.

Both phrases refer to the rule of God, kingdom of heaven emphasizing the sphere and character of His rule and kingdom of God empathetically pointing to the ruler Himself.

·         The *first component* presented for entering the kingdom is *repentance*.

·         The *second component* of faith that grants entrance into the kingdom is the *recognition of spiritual bankruptcy*.

·         The *third component* of the faith that allows entering the kingdom is *meekness* or* humility*.

·         *Upon entering the kingdom of God*, the one who enters God's kingdom will have a *desire and capacity to be obedient*.

·         The one who enters the kingdom of God also is willing to *make public confession* of his desire to follow the Lord.

·         The one who enters kingdom of God is *aware of his need to be self-denying*.

·         The *phrase “/are converted”/* translates an aorist passive word, /strepho/, which is always translated with the idea of *turning* or *turning around*.

It means to mark an *about face* and go in the *opposite direction*.

·         *Conversion* is the *other half of repentance*.

*Repentance* is being *sorry for sin* and *turning away from it*; *conversion* is an *expression of will* that *fully turns from sin* to the Lord.

You can think of it as *conversion is the emotion* and *repentance is the action*.

·         Jesus’ use here of the *passive voice* indicates that the disciples *could not be converted* from sin to righteousness by *their own efforts* but *needed someone else* to turn them around.

Although the response of a person's will is required, only *God* has the power to convert.

*Transition:*     The greatest in the kingdom of heaven is the one who is humble, genuinely sincere, undemanding, non-self-centered, receptive to whatever God offers an eagerly obedient to whatever he commands.

But what is humility?

!

II.

Definition of Humility

·         Possibly the greatest mark of spirituality; the greatest evidence of spiritual growth is humility.

The greatest question to ask to judge your spiritual growth is to ask yourself how humble are you?

The more humble you are the more like Christ your.

Are you filled with pride?

Then you probably are not as spiritual mature as you think you are or should be.

·         *Pride consists* in *attributing* to ourselves and *demanding for ourselves the honor, privileges, prerogatives, rights and power that are due to God alone*.

*Humility*, then, *consists* in an *attitude* wherein we *recognize our own insignificance and unworthiness* before God in *attribute to Him the supreme honor, praise, prerogatives, rights, privileges, worship, devotion, authority, submission and obedience that He alone deserves*.

It also involves a natural, habitual tendency to think and behave in a manner that appropriately expresses this attitude.

·         *First*, a truly humble person has an *abiding sense of natural insignificance*, as compared to God.

·         *Second*, a truly humble person has an *abiding sense of his moral insignificance* and sinfulness, as compared to God.

·         *Third*, a person who is truly humble has a *theocentric mindset*.

He would much rather deny himself than exalts himself or be exalted by others.

·         *Fourth*, a person who is truly humble *attributes* *to God supreme honor, praise, rights and privileges*.

He acknowledges God as his supreme authority in all matters of life.

·         Pride is a sin and more so, the source of sin, that is always with us as long as we live.

The *only solution to pride is humility*.

·         *Humility reverses competition*.

To operate primarily with the goal in life to be the greatest promotes a *competition* that *destroys relationships*.

When promotion of self at the expense of others is the motivation, *competition is destructive*.

·         To fail to humble oneself is to disobey God, in such disobedience is sin.

·         Greatness is not achieved through one's personal accomplishments but through humility in receiving God's grace.

·         The verb , /“humbles”/, /tapeinoo/, has the *literal meaning of making low*.

·         Matthew 23:11-12, states "and whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbled himself shall be exalted".

The person who is not willing to humble himself as Jesus "humbled Himself" (Philippians 2:8) will have no place in Jesus' kingdom.

*Transition:*     Jesus says in order for us to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven we must humble ourselves as a little child.

How is a child humble?

!

III.

How is A Child Humble?

·         The Greek word for child, /paidion/, identifies a *very young child*, sometimes even an *infant*.

·         Our culture is not supportive of children.

They are sometimes seen as an inconvenience.

·         In the *ancient* *world*, children were valued primarily for the *benefit* they brought to the family by *enhancing the workforce*, adding to the *defensive power* and guaranteeing the *future of the house*.

They *had no rights or significance apart from their future value* in the family and were *powerless in society*.

The humility of a child consists of the *inability to advance his or her own cause apart from the help and resources of a parent*.

·         As God children we* enjoy God's love, care, protection, power and other resources in abundance for all eternity*.

·         Humility is described as being like a child because of the qualities of a child.

A little child is:

o   innocence – ignorance of evil

o   honest

o   simple

o   selfless