Sunday 06/25/23 - Sidney UMC
Sermon Title: “Be Humble!”
Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17
New Testament Scripture: Romans 6:1b-11
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 10:24-39
What does it mean to be humble? Is it
good to be humble? It is bad to be humble? According to the Merriam-Webster
online dictionary to word “Humble” can be defined as:
1: not proud or haughty : not arrogant or
assertive
2: reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or
submission
a humble apology
3a: ranking low in a hierarchy or
scale : INSIGNIFICANT, UNPRETENTIOUS
b: not costly or luxurious (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humble).
I am sure that all of us have witnessed
both great humility and great arrogance in our lives. What is it that makes
someone humble? What is it that makes someone arrogant? What makes someone arrogant
and entitled enough to believe that are in one or more ways superior to someone
else. What makes someone superior to someone else? Is it education? Money?
Looks? Possessions? Intelligence? Family name? Etc.? If someone is to act
superior to someone else then they have decided within themselves for one or
more reasons that they are somehow better than others.
I have heard the term in the military
and other places called “superior officer”. Maybe when a military officer is
correcting a lower ranking soldier, the officer might say firmly, “You are
speaking to a superior officer!” I would say in general that the person is not
superior, but their rank is superior. Titles and rank and file in this world create
this hierarchy. This is not all bad, but is needed on some level. Yet are we
better, or is our title just higher?
As an ordained United Methodist Church
Pastor, I have a special title and special duties and responsibilities. Am I
superior to others? No, of course not, but my title comes with certain rights
and responsibilities, which I take very seriously. Using one’s authority in a
Godly and a biblical way is much different than believing yourself to be
superior to another person.
I think if we are all honest, we have
all done it. At some point, we looked at someone and said, or thought in our
minds, “I am much better than that person”. Some might agree or disagree, but
to “Be Humble” is to lead in a Godly and a Christlike way. The best leaders,
with the highest titles, the “Superior Officers” have the love and the respect
of the people that they lead. The worst leaders lead by fear, terror, and
division, because they are not humble. Being humble does not mean that we are
push-overs and are not strong, but seeing the value in all people, and helping
all people to be better is what a leader is.
What is a good example of a humble leader
then? Well, there are many, but I was given one example that I saw when I was still
in seminary school. I attended two seminaries from 2010-2014, and during my
time at my second seminary the Roman Catholic Church elected a new Pope, Pope
Francis. I remember him coming out on the little porch or the overlook in the
Vatican where the popes have sometimes waved and or talked. This Pope however,
then asked the people to pray for him. Certainly, a humbling moment for the
leader of a Christian denomination of over 1-billion people.
When Holy Week came, which starts on
Palm Sunday and ends with Easter Sunday, Pope Francis visited a juvenile
detention center on Maundy or Holy Thursday. Maundy or Holy Thursday is of
course the night before Jesus was crucified on Good Friday. On Maundy or Holy
Thursday, Jesus had the Last Supper with disciples in the Upper Room. We still
celebrate the bread and cup when partake of Holy Communion or the Lord’s
Supper.
Jesus also gave us the “Maundy” or “Mandate”
to love each other. In addition, we have the washing of the feet, where Jesus
washed the feet of his disciples. Certainly, a humble thing for the savior of
the world to do, to wash his disciples’ feet. On Maundy or Holy Thursday, every
year since I have been a pastor, I have washed feet or hands, depending on the
persons preference. It seemed right, and it was a humble act of love.
Yet as I said, the newly elected Pope
Francis visited a juvenile detention center in Rome on Maundy or Holy Thursday.
This leader of the biggest Christian denomination in the world, knelt down and
washed the feet of various youth. Some of the youths were Roman Catholic, some Protestant,
some atheist, and some of other religions. Even so, the Bishop of Rome, the
leader of the world’s largest Christian denomination washed the feet of all of
these kids like a servant.
It was moving to me to see some of these
kids cry or tear up, as a very powerful religious leader humbly washed their
feet. This is certainly the opposite of arrogance, pride, and superiority. It definitely
changed how I approach washing feet and hands. A good leader will serve, a good
leader will get in the trenches with those they are leading, and will show care
and concern for those they lead. This is true leadership. Leaders also help the
weak and the helpless.
We are told in our reading from Psalm
86:1-3 once again:
1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; 3 be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all day long (Ps. 86:1-3, NRSV).
God leads us with mercy, love, and also with strength.
The ultimate humble leader though,
that we should all model our lives after is Jesus Christ. In fact, the Apostle
Paul reminds us in Philippians 2:5-8 this:
5 Let the same mind be in
you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he
existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be
grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming
human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human, 8 he
humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross
(Phil. 2:5-8, NRSV).
Jesus Christ, our humble, loving,
merciful, and strong savior. Remember to that on earth Jesus took on the forces
of sin and darkness. In looking at out reading for today from Romans 6:1b-11,
the Apostle Paul tells us to depart for sin and move towards Christ. The
Apostle Paul then tells us through our baptisms, we have died and haven risen
with Christ, and through faith in Christ we are offered newness of live. While
Jesus was physically crucified, we are called to be spiritual crucified, so
that we might die to our old self and live a new life in Christ. All this to
say we are changed, restored, and forgiven in Christ, and offered newness of life
and life eternal. We die to old, put on righteousness, and pursue Christ daily
(Rom. 6:1b-11, NRSV).
In looking at our gospel of Matthew
10:24-39 reading for this morning, once again, what inspired my sermon title of
“Be Humble” for this morning is Matthew 10:24-25. In this scripture Jesus
reminds us once again:
24 “A disciple is not above the teacher nor
a slave above the master; 25 it is enough for the disciple to be like the
teacher and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the
house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household (Mt. 10:24-25, NRSV).
Even
though slavery is something that is wrong, Jesus was speaking to the reality he
was in. Essentially, none of us are any better than anyone else, even if our
title or our earthly station is higher or lower. There are generals and low-ranking
soldiers. There is certainly a difference of rank and file, but no person is
better than another person.
In
fact, Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:28-31 once again:
28 Do not fear those who kill the body but
cannot kill the soul; rather, fear the one who can destroy both soul and body
in hell.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will
fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head
are all counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are of more value
than many sparrows.
People who are arrogant and prideful might
try to harm us, or harm us physically, but they can’t have our soul. Our soul
is God’s, as we seek to be humble in a world than sometimes knows very little
humility. Jesus tells us whatever the world throws at us, to put our trust in
him. For he will never forsake us or abandon us.
Our
gospel of Matthew 10:24-39 reading for today then ends with a rather controversial
piece of scripture. Jesus said in Matthew 10:34-39 for this morning, once
again, this:
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, 36 and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. 37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me, 38 and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it (Mt. 10:34-39, NRSV).
Matthew
10:34-39 is a tough piece of scripture, and I even had a lay preacher e-mail me
this week to get clarification on the meaning of this piece of scripture. Think
about it about it though, if we pursue Christ, if we pursue humility, love,
mercy, grace, and hope, do you think everyone will be supportive of this? Some
people do not like the gospel of Jesus Christ and would rather live differently.
Therefore, some people will not like our faith in Christ, and this could, unfortunately
even be members of our own family. Some we know might mock or be angry with our
faith, as we are called to “Be Humble!”
Despite many religious leaders and others trying to constantly attack Jesus he was always kind, and never acted cruelly or unloving. It can be hard sometimes to “Be Humble!” Imagine though if we gave up on doing this? Imagine how more the world would suffer. So, what is Jesus’ message to us all this morning? “Be Humble!” Be like Jesus. Amen.
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