Michael Youssef - Identity Transformation - Part 13
Practicing humility causes me to be realistic about myself, to be realistic about my fallen nature, about my weaknesses, and be realistic about my vulnerability. You see, when I recognize that God is sovereign and I'm not, that is gonna go a long way, not only to give me peace as I walk with Christ and his body, but it's also going to relieve me from my anxiety.
And I wonder what would happen if I take a microphone and I walked down these aisles and I would ask a question, "What is humility"? I know you hear people joke about how proud they are of their humility and all that stuff, but the truth is, we have so many conflicting understanding and even use of the word today that so much so that the average person has no idea what it really means, let alone practice it. And I'm talkin' about folks in the churches. Here's a rule of thumb, okay, let me help you up front here. If a person think that he or she is humble, they're not. Do you get that? That's a rule of thumb. If a person thinks he or she is humble, they're not.
Now, there are some who thinks that if a person is quiet, shy, or kind of self-deprecating, we say, "Oh, he's humble," or, "She's humble". The other extreme, when we see somebody who's rambunctious and forthright and passionate, we think is bombastic and arrogant. And yet, the biblical definition of humility is innocent of these human definitions or human understanding. To understand biblical definition, you will realize that it's far simpler than you think. It really is. I'm gonna give you my understanding of biblical definition. It is to know who God is and who I am in relationship to God and to others. Isn't that simple? It is to know who God is and who I am in relationship to God and to others. It's that simple. But how does this work in practice?
You see, when I recognize that God is sovereign and I'm not, when I recognize that God is in control, I'm not, and that God, I recognize that he is the Lord and I'm not, that he is the Master and I'm not, that is gonna go a long way, not only to give me peace as I walk with Christ and his body, but it's also going to relieve me from my anxiety, as he said in verse 7. John the Baptizer, who is the earthly cousin of Jesus, probably said it best. Nobody can improve on that. I certainly can't. Here's how he defined it. He said, "He must increase, and I must decrease". I can't do better than that. There are so many people in the ministry today who have reversed this definition of John the Baptist. They are on the increase, and Jesus is getting swept in the background, hello, now. But by that very definition, that "he must increase, and I must decrease," there is a progression, by its very definition.
Beloved, let me testify to you before God and before my family and my, you know, friends who have known me for a long time. The longer I walk with Christ, the less I think of myself and the more I think of him. The longer I walk with Christ, the bigger Christ gets and the smaller I get. If this progress is not taking place in the life of believers, then there's something drastically wrong with the process of spiritual growth. In other words, your spiritual growth has been stunted. Now, let me give you a warning. I have met many people who would agree with my definition, who would agree with everything I've just said so far. But they have the hardest time practicing humility. You see, it's easy to get the definition right, but it is much harder to practice humility without the power and the work of the Holy Spirit in us, amen?
Someone said, "To know yourself well is to esteem yourself little". I love that. Think about this for a long time. "To know yourself well," and a lot of people are trying to find themselves these days. "To know yourself well is to esteem yourself little". Now, beloved, this runs counter, opposite to everything that our culture and the school system and education system and the media is throwing at us in their definition of "self-esteem". Practicing humility causes me to be realistic about myself, to be realistic about my fallen nature, to be realistic about my weakness, and be realistic about my vulnerability. Ah, but also realistic about the bigness of my God, amen?
Beloved, here's what I learned through the years from the Word of God. It takes courage to give sound biblical advice, but it takes great humility to accept the advice graciously. And now I want you to turn with me to 1 Peter chapter 5, verses 1 to 7, where Peter, first of all, pleads with everybody, all the believers, to practice humility. But he starts with the leadership. He goes to the young people in the church, and then he goes to the entire church. "To the elders among you, I appeal as fellow elder, a witness of Christ's suffering and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed".
Now, go... "Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers - not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." Be seated, please.
There's a reason why Peter starts with the leaders and goes down to the congregation. First, the young people. By the way, this is young men, it's young women as well, the young guys and young ladies. It's for everybody. Because Peter believes that humility is caught not taught. It is caught and not taught. And that is why he gives us a sense of order, a sense of priority, and he begins with those who are in position of leadership, and then he moves down to everybody else. Leadership, including fathers in the homes who are the priests and the pastors of their households, and leaders in the church. And then secondly, he goes to the young people. And then finally, to everybody. There is always, in every passage, there is a key verse or a key sentence, a foundational sentence upon which the whole passage is built. And this is no exception here, verses 5 and 6: "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another".
This is the heart of the passage. This is the core, this is the foundational stone of this whole passage. Indeed, if you can use your imagination, try to use your imagination and imagine humility as a robe, and that robe you're gonna wear and it's gonna cover you from head to toe. This robe of humility would cover every word you speak. This robe of humility covers every activities you're involved in. This robe of humility covers every decision that you make, big or small. This robe of humility covers all of your deliberation, when people are watching and when people are not watching. You see, this does not mean that you walk around saying, "Hey, guys, look at me. Look at my robe of humility". No, in fact, you are not even conscious of that robe that you're wearing. You are constantly wearing this robe as you go on your daily activities.
In other words, it becomes part of you. You're not even conscious of it. That robe should be worn by pastors. This robe should be worn by lay leaders. This robe should be worn by Bible teachers. This robe should be worn by Sunday school teachers. This robe must be worn by mom and dad at home. This robe must be worn by everyone who is in a leadership position. Why? Why? Because know it or not, people are looking at you and they're imitating you. Whether you accept it or not, it is a fact. Just as sheep follow the shepherd, kids follow their parents' example. Just as a sheep follows a shepherd, people imitate their leaders. Just as sheep depend on the shepherd for their feeding and for their provision, pastors must feed the flock by the Word and on the Word of God, nothing else.
And that is why, in verse 4, Peter speaks of Jesus as "The Chief Shepherd". I have no doubt in my mind that Peter, as he was penning those words under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that he was thinking of a specific encounter that he had with Jesus after the Resurrection, right there by the lake of Galilee. "Peter, do you love me? Feed my sheep". "Peter, do you love me? Feed my sheep". He did not say to him, "Peter, entertain my sheep," or, "Peter, tickle my sheep," or, "Peter, appease my sheep". He did not say, "Make my sheep feel good by some smooth talking". No, "Peter, feed my sheep". They're not our sheep. They're Jesus' sheep.
And there's only one food that is worthy of the name, and that is the food of the Word of God, a Word of God that so many evangelical pastors today are doubting it's inspiration. There's one thing that leaders who call themselves true disciples of Jesus need to do. They are only to follow the Chief Shepherd. They obey the Chief Shepherd, and they only distribute the food that comes from the Chief Shepherd. The reason that churches that once were Bible-believing churches have lost their way is because the leaders have ceased to follow the Chief Shepherd. Look at verses 2 and 3. Those who serve the Chief Shepherd, they will not be doing it for personal gain. They are not doing it for personal acceptance. They're not doing it for personal aggrandizement. They're not doing it for personal power. But they're doing it out of a deep calling to follow and obey the Chief Shepherd.
Just as parents, who are the shepherds of the home, protect and feed and provide the best for their children, so is everyone in church leadership. We are to protect people from the enemy of their souls, even if some of those enemies are dressed in clerical garb. Hear me right, please. Only when we are faithfully feeding the sheep, young and old, upon the Word of God will they be sustained in the tough times and the easy times, in the hard times and the not-so-hard times. They'll be sustained whether the world hates them or not. That's the only way they'll be sustained. Only then will they truly expect the Chief Shepherd to give us the unfading crown when he returns.
Make no mistake about it, every under shepherd who sought to please the trends of culture, every leader who sought to accommodate to the fads of culture, every leader who sought the approval of men, they will be put to shame on that great day. And it's not for a minute or 2, a day or 2, a year or 2. It's for eternity, unless they repent. See, the picture here that Peter has in mind is a picture of a Roman army general. You remember, Rome conquered the world, and many of the generals went to west and the east, and they conquered. The Roman Empire was far and wide. And when these generals go and lead battle, and they win the war, and they come back to Rome, and they parade in that main road in their parade, they may be bloodied from the battle, they may be wounded from the battle, they may be broken in the battle, they may be even limping as they're walking in that parade, and yet, they are crowned with a garland of flowers.
Most often, that crown of flowers is an evergreen, so it lasts just for a little long time, but not forever. It will fade. That coveted crown will pass away. But listen, not the crown that Jesus has for his faithful leaders. In fact, I was reading the other day that when Philip of Macedon, who happened to be the father of Alexander the Great, when he died in 336 BC, his coffin was surrounded by a beautiful, intricately made golden crown. And that golden crown was beaten into a shape of a wildflower and golden butterfly. But even that, when the time comes, and all earthly treasure are burnt and perished, that crown will disappear. But not the crown, the unfading crown that Jesus has for his faithful servants.
Please hear me right. For leaders who follow the example of the Great Shepherd of the sheep, the Chief Shepherd, for the leaders who humble themselves before the Chief Shepherd, for the leaders who sought to model the Chief Shepherd, for the leaders who refuse to follow their instincts, for the leaders who refuse to go along to get along, for the leaders who give God all of the glory even when they get all of the grief, they will get the greatest crown that will never fade. That crown is provided for faithful leaders. Do you know what it is? Do you know what it is? They're going to hear from the lips of Jesus, "Well done, well done, good and faithful servant".
That's the crown. But we have become so secular in our minds that everything is to do with this life. Everything is here. And everything now. Your best life is here. Your best life is now. We have forgotten about heaven. But that's a sad day for the church. And so, first, leaders model humility. Secondly, the young submit to such leaders. When leaders submit to the authority of the Word of God, and when they submit to the authority of the Chief Shepherd, it will be a delight for young or old alike to submit to such leadership. Beloved, let me tell you something. I have met people in the ministry through the years who are extremely talented. I mean, they had talents coming out of their ears. But when they failed to submit to godly spiritual authority, and that's authority submitting to the authority of the Word of God, sooner or later, they implode.
Children who try to love, honor, respect their parents, they will grow up to be adults who will love and honor and respect their God and the Word of God. Here is something I want to say, and I know there are thousands of pastors around the world, thousands of church leaders around the world who watch this ministry, and I thank God for you. I always want to be an encouragement to you. But I want to say to the laypeople and the members of the churches: if you are in a church where the leaders are not living in submission to the authority of the Word of God, get out. Don't sit there and fret. I can tell you that I could not submit to a spiritual leader who's not obeying the Word of God, who's not living under the authority of the Word of God. I would not do it. I cannot do it.
Leaders, model humility. Young people, submit to such leaders. And thirdly he says, "Exercising humility toward one another". This is everyone, everyone. Back to the definition of "humility" is "knowing who God is and who I am in relationship to God and in relationship to one another". Therefore, when I know who God is an I know who I am in relationship to God and in relationship to the body, I am realistic about myself. I'm very realistic about my abilities. My musician friends here know I love singing. I really do. But I don't sing in public. I just don't want them to feel threatened. I don't want 'em to feel bad, you know? But in all seriousness, in all seriousness, being realistic about what I can or cannot do is not gonna make me sit there and be envious of their gift or jealous of their gift, or coveting their gift, or belittling their gift. No, when each member of the body recognizes and appreciates the giftedness of others, we get blessed by the Chief Shepherd, and that's what it means when we exercise humility with one another.
One of the old timers said something that really stayed with me and will stay with me. Here's what he said. He said, "Humility is something we should ask God for, but never thank God that we have it". Did you get that? "Humility is something to pray and ask God for, but never thank God that you've got it". Finally, Peter said, "When this true humility is practiced, you're going to find that anxiety will not be the hallmark of a believer". Why? This is really interesting that he comes in right in verse 7 and he says, "Don't be anxious," after he told us all about humility.
You see, when a Christian becomes overly anxious, listen to me carefully, please. I want you to test me on this one. And when you find yourself in an anxious moment, and we all go through it, okay? So, you're not the only one. But when you find yourself in this anxious moment and you're worried sick, I want you to stop and remember, "Am I failing to submit in faith to the loving care of the Chief Shepherd who promised to take care of all my needs"? Listen to what the Chief Shepherd himself said in Matthew 6:25: "'Do not be worried about your life, what you eat and you what you drink.'" What does that mean? You don't go and buy groceries, and just sit there, hoping the birds will bring you food? No, no, no, that's not what he's saying. That's not what he's saying. That's not what he's saying.
We do shopping. We do planning. We do everything else that we're supposed to do and we need to do, but to do it all without being frantic and worried sick. Indeed, anxiety and worry, it isolates us from God and it gets worse. Instead of turning back in faith, we get worse in separation. Why? Because worry and anxiety is an indication there is lack of faith. There's lack of faith. Faith, and I'm not talking about the faith of salvation. I'm talking about daily faith. You can obtain it in two steps. The first step is to ask God for it. He will give it to you. He will give it to you. And then you begin to practice it. Faith is like muscles, and muscles can only grow through practice.
You see, you practice it, day in and day out, day in and day out. And here's the exercise I want you to think about all this coming week. Ask yourself the question, "What steps of faith am I taking that help me grow in faith"? Some of you might never be tithers, because out of anxiety and fear that if you give the Lord his tithe, you're gonna have less and you're not gonna meet your needs. Start, the first step, take those dumbbells and exercise. Take a step of faith.
And some of you are having a hard time trusting God with your children, with your family. Some of you are having a hard time trusting God with your business. Whatever it is, you know where you are. I'm not here to stand in judgment on you. I'm here to encourage you. Take a first step of faith this coming week and ask yourself every day, "What steps of faith have I taken in order that I might grow in faith"? You'll be amazed. You'll be amazed. A few weeks from now, you're gonna come and say, "Thank you, I began to take these steps of faith, and God has honored it," amen?