Greetings Church,
We have been seeking wisdom these past few weeks, and this week we learned that true wisdom comes in humbling yourself.
Questions for Small Groups:
To start your group, have everyone share something that God is doing in your life this past week.
I. The Pursuit of Honor.
1. Pride seeks honor. Pastor Jamie compared it to being in a courtroom- constantly defending yourself or promoting yourself. What are some ways or areas of your life where you pursue your own honor? Defend your own honor?
2. Proverbs 16:18-19. 18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Proverbs 15:25. The Lord tears down the house of the proud but maintains the widow's boundaries.
The path of pride is destruction. Have you seen the destructive power of pride in your own life? In the life of others?
II. The Pursuit of Humility.
3. Often we think that humility is the same as self debasement or inferiority. What is true humility? How would you define it?
4. Humility is a right view of self and a right view of God. Rather than pursuing our own honor we receive honor from God through Jesus Christ.
Proverbs 18:4. Before destruction a man's heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.
Proverbs 22:4. The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.
Proverbs 29:23. One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.
Matthew 23:12. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Why does God honor the humble? How is being humble related to what you worship?
5. Pastor Jamie talked about three steps to humbling ourselves:
a. Trust what God’s word says about us- we are sinful/prideful.
Proverbs 13:13. Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.
b. Allow fellow believers to speak into your life.
Proverbs 15:31. The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise.
c. Confess and forsake sin.
Proverbs 28:13. Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
Which of these three “steps” stands out to you? Are you listening to the Word of God? To other Christians? Are you confessing sin?
III. The Pursuit of Jesus.
6. Jesus pursued us in order to free us from the courtroom (self-promotion and self- defense).
- Jesus was dishonored for us on the cross.
- Jesus was honored by God through the resurrection and ascension (Phil 2:5-8).
- Jesus honors us when we trust in him (Romans 8:30).
How do these gospel truths change the narrative that is going on in your head? How can they give you a proper view of yourself?
7. How does the gospel allow you to follow through on the three steps in #5?
a. Trusting the Word of God.
b. Listening to other believers in small group.
c. Confession and rejection of pride.
