The Servant Change: Humility

(Message by Pastor Philip Joseph. Happy reading!)

We have been hearing about change in recent weeks. The word of God reveals to us the glory of God-we must behold His glory, and when we do that we ourselves are being changed from glory to glory (2 Cor. 3:18). And the transformation of our soul is also dependent on how we renew our mind according to the verse found in Romans 12:2.

Humility-from the life of Jesus

And today, I want us to focus on just one area of change in our being-that of humility. Jesus said “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11: 29, 30)

Whenever we behold Jesus, and think about His earthly life, we can behold His glory, paving the way for our own change in accordance with God’s will. Notice that Jesus is talking about rest for our SOULS; for when we experienced salvation and forgiveness of sin, we found rest for our SPIRIT. But, rest for our soul is quite another matter!

Jesus clearly states that there is a learning for us to learn; and a finding we have to find. This is a step by step progression, just as in the case of any learning. Learn about being humble in heart-and this we, are privileged to, learn from Jesus Himself. Otherwise, even as born-again believers, we will find our earthly lives full of unrest and strife; but, Jesus is actually calling us to a place of rest.

When we see the earthly life of Jesus, as much as we see the complete work of Jesus, we also find Him at complete rest, all through His life-whether in the water or in the fiery storm. Even in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus shed sweat while praying, but got up fully composed to face the cross and death! “Not My will, but Yours be done”- He prayed. We find the epitome of meekness and humility in His submission to death-even death on the cross.

Humility-from the life of Paul

A renewed mind will see things in a different perspective-different from those of the world around you, where humility is not a valued or even desirable trait. But we need to have the values of the kingdom of God-and we must choose to see things with a renewed mind.

Paul knew this: he says in Gal. 6:3 “For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is {actually} nothing, he deceives himself.” Notice that Paul includes himself-when he says “if anyone…” Paul’s conclusion: We are actually nothing, God is everything. For again he says in 1 Cor. 3: 6-7: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.” Didn’t Jesus forewarn us: Without Me, you can do nothing? (John 15:5).

That is why, when God increases our fruitfulness, blesses our ministry, we can continue to have this mind: God is everything, we are nothing. All glory, one hundred percent, belongs to Jesus.

Humility-as a way of life

A humble heart, a humble mind and a humble spirit is what Jesus is teaching us. Are we tuning in to learn from Him? Jesus says: “…Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matt. 23: 12). Humility is our responsibility-therefore we cannot pray to God, “Please make me humble, so that I may be exalted”-this is hypocritical! The word of God exhorts us to humble ourselves-it is our responsibility, it is the will of God, it is the command of God.

Humility is a way of life, according to our own choosing! Otherwise, we can be so enamoured by our own intelligence and understanding, and forget all about revelation while studying the word of God. James 1:21 says, “…receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” Some do wonder, why even after reading so much of God’s word, and knowing God’s word, it does not bring about any change in their lives? Do you know why? It is because the word was not received in meekness. The Psalmist declares, “…all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way.”

God’s will at any cost

Our meditation of the word starts with pre-meditated conclusion, which is: The word is right on every matter. And if at all, in any matter, God’s word and will crosses our own, we will give way and cross-out, snuff-out, crush-out our own will! We learn from Jesus and say: Not my will, but Yours be done. Sometimes, it may be a cup of suffering that we have to drink…maybe it is painful or bitter, or both… But we will learn to say “Yes” to God’s will at ANY cost… even at the cost of our own life! You know beloved, the great thing in this life is not to escape from death, but to do God’s will, even if it means death. It says about Jesus in Phil. 2:8 thus: And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Relationship with one another

1 Peter 5:5 says: Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Do not allow any form of pride into your hearts-in husband-wife relationship, in relationship between brothers and sisters…. Sometimes there are ego clashes, and sometimes there are past hurts that crop-up again and again… but it is necessary to clothe yourself in humility. In the husband-wife relation, at least one of them must learn this secret of rest for the soul-and walk in humility.

He Must Increase

God’s desire for us is to change us for the better… to give us a future and a hope, to exalt us in due time. The world may think otherwise; in the world humility is not valued, it is even considered as a negative trait. In the world, self-praise and self-exaltation are looked up to… The kingdom frame of mind compels us to esteem God’s word right, and consider it a privilege to walk the servant way. We serve only one Master-who made Himself a Servant, and washed the feet of His disciples. And at the end of our work, when we have done all those things which were commanded, we too will say: “We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.” (Luke 17:10). Remember the words of John the Baptist: He must increase, I must decrease. (John 3:30)

You can conform to the world, or choose to be transformed by renewing our mind. Shall we start placing a value on humility? Shall we take to humility as a way of life, and learn from Jesus? May God Bless You. Amen.