Humility: A Gift of the Spirit - Jesus Rebukes Unbelief and Pride

2. Humility – A Gift of the Spirit

4. Jesus rebukes unbelief and pride • Luke 4:25-28 • 25 But in truth I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were closed up for three years and six months, so that there came a great famine over all the land; • 26 And yet Elijah was not sent to a single one of them, but only to Zarephath in the country of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow 27  And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and yet not one of them was cleansed [by being healed]—but only Naaman the Syrian. • 28 When they heard these things, all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage.

5. 2 Kings 5New International Version (NIV) • 5Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant (Courageous) soldier, but he had leprosy.

6. 2 Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’swife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

7. DEALING WITH THE ‘BUT’ • Naaman was a powerful man, a Captain of hosts. He was a hero, who had climbed to the pinnacle of the disciplined forces. • Respect is never given but won. • Only to find out that the top was not the ultimate source of peace and tranquility. • BUT He was a leper • Right now I am smelling good, matching clothes but what am I hiding beneath all the makeup? • How do I appear with my armor removed?

8. Humility • No one has the idea of what I have to deal with in private • I need a God who has power to deal with the issues that overwhelm me in the private • How can I be at the pinnacle of my career and at the same time be a leper in my private life? • He was mighty that he could fight the destiny of his nation and not be able to fight for his life, nor fix his own disease. • He kept the leprosy secret to avoid losing his fame, adoration, respect and power.

9. Humility • Leprosy was eating his flesh. He could not control the smell of the rotting flesh. • Only when he got home, could he remove his amour and reveal his vulnerability. • When God blesses you with a Gift, you are blessed anyhow! • The maid was great because of who she knew • Who you know will always triumph what you do. • She had every right to be bitter – snatched away from her culture and enslaved in a foreign country. • But she walked in LOVE –kept no record of wrongs, not easily angered, was patient, kind, was humble, honored her masters, hoped, persevered…

10. Humility • The real test is what do I do when I have the advantage • The life of a Captain was at the mercy of a slave girl – A little maid • She was little in the outside but she was big in the inside. • God had brought the person with the answer to Captain’s sickness to his own house! • My answer is somewhere in the house, near my reach. • She was held captive by divine assignment. • Her problem served a purpose!

11. Humility • She was in a place she could not get out and so was Naaman. • She had to make a decision – Will I help the one who holds me captive or do I keep quiet and let him die? • When you hold back on what you could do, God holds back what He can do in your life! • Until you learn to be merciful, you will never be mighty. • The greatest test is how you handle those you hate.

12. Humility • Naaman had to make decisions – Go back to the nation he conquered. • Did he need healing so bad to leave his comfort and walk to where he was hated to get well? • What Naaman sought was not in the political leadership • His healing was in his humility – take the advice of the maid, go down to where he was hated, see the prophet, go down to the muddy river Jordan! • He tried to go up – see Kings but God wanted him to go down. • Humility only works when the mighty stoops

13. Humility • Jesus is God stooping down…took human flesh…to the cross ….to the grave • There are some problems that will bring you down to your knees…and do whatever it takes • 13Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.

14. Humility • Down from Syria -> Israel -> Samaria -> River Jordan • Humility is the way to exaltation • If you humble yourself God will exalt you; • If you exalt yourself God will humble you • The leprosy outside was a reflection of what was eating him inside • Your pride is standing in your way of your destiny • What you wont kill will kill you…(Abraham/Lot Gen 13:14). Look out from where you are! • Many times we care more about our image than we care about our deliverance • God is determined to wash out every bit of your image for your deliverance • He humbled himself and became obedience, Paul – humbled and went to Ananias, Jesus humbled …..

15. Conclusion • He went into the muddy waters, into dirt in order to be clean. • He went into degradation to get elevation • He went down sick and came up sick…down sick came up sick…until the seventh time he went down sick and up healed! He never gave up!