Sermon Summary

Highlights On Humility

Philippians 2:1-18

Jean Harvey

July 13, 2025

Satan works on our minds to try to defeat us. He tries to get us to focus on our self-importance. God counters that by leading us to develop humility. We do need self-confidence, but too much focus on that leads to pride. Humility is not thinking less of oneself, but thinking about oneself less. Pride in a person makes everyone sick except the one who has it. 

Today’s text, along with Hebrews 5, is a description of the humble life of Jesus Christ. He lived a life of love, grace, sacrifice, and obedience. So, when we are called to sacrifice, we are not alone. Jesus is with us. 

Numerous verses in Proverbs address the issue of pride. They include Proverbs 8:13; 11:2; 13:10; 16:18; 29:23.

Several steps can be taken to develop humility. They include

1.       Realize that everyone has limitations.

2.      Seek feedback from others.

3.      Serve others. Volunteer.

4.      Practice gratitude. “Count your blessings; name them one by one.”

5.      Avoid comparing yourself to others.

6.      Admit your mistakes.

7.      Spend time in prayer. It will remind you of your need for God. It will lead you to give up self-sufficiency and receive God’s sufficiency. Be quiet before God. Satan uses noise to distract us from God. 

We are called to shine like stars. To do that, give up complaining. Complaining is rebellion against God. We choose one of two paths.

1.       Gratitude to God.

2.      Complaining.

The world is looking for humble, Kingdom people. 

Jesus Is the Answer

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Jody Robertson

June 1, 2025

We saw last week that through Christ, we are a new person, although we do still have an old nature. Verse 18 makes clear to us that God did the reconciling, not us. Ephesians 2:8,9 gives the same understanding. However, God provides us with a ministry of reconciliation. In fact, reconciliation is the keyword in this text. 

In God’s reconciliation of us to Him, He has given us a special freedom. Galatians 5:13 tells us that He has not called us to a life of doing whatever we want. Instead, it is to live with freedom from sin and freedom to serve. Verse 19 tells us that this service is a responsibility to give out the message of reconciliation. 

We come to a fuller understanding of our calling in verse 20. We are called ambassadors for Christ. An ambassador is someone who is sent to another country to represent the country from which he was sent. We represent Christ to the world. We give the message that the answer to the wrongs of the world is Christ and the cross. 

We should note that most unbelievers are not in church. As ambassadors, we are to go to where they are. That may mean going to irritating people. However, that is an opportunity to shine light on people in darkness. And Jesus is always with us. This summer, Pastor Jody will not be with us, but Jesus is always with us. 

Verse 21 lays out the message we share. It is a message for people like the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. He was humble enough simply to want to be one of the servants. But he was clothed with a robe, a picture of the sinner clothed in righteousness. A ring was placed on his finger, a picture of the authority given to the sinner to be an ambassador for Christ. 

People who know us typically know what we were and did. We need to share with them what Christ did. That is expressed in Ephesians 2:12-19. Verse 12 tells us what we were. Verse 13 tells us what we are now. Verses 14f tells us what Christ did. As Jesus said in John 10:10, He gives us life.

Summary prepared by Elton Nelson