E.

Deborah Kalauserang | Every Nation Jogja

7 February, 2020

Walking in Humility
IS THIS A TOPIC WORTH LISTENING TO?

 Why is this important?

Walking in humility is a challenge that we, as leaders, often encounter when we have to set our
priority for God (whether it’s in terms of finance, relationship and time) or when we have to
obey God’s desire in our lives instead of ours.
 What is the takeaway?
We will learn that to lead is to walk in humility.

ICEBREAKER

 What is one word that defines “humility”?

WORD

 Philipians 2:5-11 (ESV)

5
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,[a] 6 who, though he was
in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,[b] 7 but emptied
himself, by taking the form of a servant,[c] being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being
found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even
death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name
that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven
and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

The 3 characteristics of Christ of walking in humility:

1. Humility is to serve.

6
who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be
grasped,[b] 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,[c] being born in the
likeness of men. - Philipians 2:6-7 (ESV)

Jesus gives an example in serving his disciples. He is our Lord and Savior, creator of heaven and
earth. However, he humbled himself to serve his disciples so that they can understand the true
meaning of humility. One of the examples is when he washed Peter’s feet. Yet, when Jesus was
crucified, everyone deserted him including Peter who even denied knowing Jesus. Jesus cried on
the cross, alone. But Jesus kept serving His disciples, even cooking for Peter on the seashore,
after Jesus had experienced betrayal, heartbreak and even death itself. Jesus does not serve his
disciples because he expects them to give him something back in return, like we often do.
Instead, Jesus serves his disciples because he loves them and does not expect anything in
return.
Transition: That is why Jesus knows that humility is to obey.

2. Humility is to obey.

8
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of
death, even death on a cross. – Philipians 2:8 (ESV)

Jesus’ obedience is a form of his walk in humility. Jesus does not run away from the will of God
in his life. He does not hide when the Jews were looking for him to be crucified. He does not
command lightning to struck down the person who whipped him either. Jesus does not live for
his own will, but for the Father’s will.

For us, to obey God may be hard because we have our own plans in mind, especially for me, who
often likes to follow my own plans. However, God wants us to obey Him because He provides a
special plan for us.

 Illustration:

This reminds me of a story of a young student who loves Jesus very much. This student
received Jesus when he was in his freshmen years in the university. A few years later, he got
married and had two children. One day, he was invited to speak about Jesus in a certain
event. At the end of the event, he received a thick envelope of love offering from the
congregation. As he drove home in his car, he heard God telling him to go back to that place
and give back that love offering as his tithes for God. That man was in a dilemma, because
he had no money at that time. He started to remember that he had to buy diapers for his
children. He also remembered that there were bills to pay. He even realized that he only
had a pair of trousers—with a rip at the back, because he accidentally sat on something
with that one time. Moreover, he remembered that he used that trousers to speak in front
of many people of God’s love—with holes behind that very trousers! However, he decided
to turn back his car and obeyed what the Lord asked him to do. He did so, and went home.

And that very man is my father.

In relation to that illustration, I’m not trying to say that what my father had experienced is
something worth comparing to others’ sacrifice in following Jesus. What I’m trying to say here is
that God molds us to obey Him in different ways. And what’s more important, I realize that
without his humility in walking with God, I wouldn’t be here. Without someone’s obedience to
walk in humility with God, we all wouldn’t be here.
Transition:

This ‘someone’ may be our father, mother, leader or anyone else. Hence, that is how God is glorified
through our lives.

3. Humility is to glorify God.

9
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every
name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and
under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. – Philipians 2:9-11 (ESV)

This is God’s special plan for us: God uses our humility in walking with him to exalt him, so that
many tongues will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Therefore, Jesus’ walk in humility is not
merely for the sake of himself; Jesus’ walk in humility is to glorify the Father.

APPLICATION

Points review:

To summarize, now we understand that humility means to serve, to obey and to glorify God with
our life. Is there any area of our life where we need God to teach us to walk in humility? If there
is, then, let’s ask God to help us.

Takeaway:

Hence, everyday, we will become more like Jesus as we learn to walk in humility step by step.
That is why we learn that to lead means to walk in humility. An most importantly, humility is
Jesus.

PRAYER

 Thank God’s grace that he sent his son, Jesus, to walk in humility so we can be saved
 Ask God’s grace to teach us to serve, obey and glorify God with our lives
 Ask God’s grace to make us more like Jesus everyday

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