Sermon Notes
Jesus told tired people to come to Him and learn meekness. God resists the proud and gives more grace to the humble, so your life can be easier than it is if you will put humility on. This week the picture is Nebuchadnezzar. Pride takes the credit. Humility gives thanks.
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
1. God Gave Him Jerusalem. He Thought He Took It.
Nebuchadnezzar overran Jerusalem and thought it was because he was awesome. Daniel 1 says God gave it to him because of Israel’s pride. Pride continues in sin. Humility repents. Through Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego he was exposed to wisdom and power that could only be God, and he became a worshiper. Then he dreamed of a great tree that fed and shaded the earth until an angel cut it down and banded the stump. Daniel told him the tree was him. Heaven rules. Break from your sin—pride—by doing righteousness and showing mercy to the poor, and the prosperity might last.
2. Twelve Months Later He Still Took the Credit
A year later he walked the palace roof: “Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” He did not see Daniel. He did not see the three Hebrews. He did not see his generals, his engineers, his mother, or the God who handed him Jerusalem. He saw himself. While the words were still in his mouth, sovereignty was removed. He ate grass like a cow. Hair like eagle feathers. Nails like bird claws. God showed him how awesome he was when it was just him. Without grace he could not think, lead, govern, or even come in and go out. It is grace that keeps you in your right mind.
3. There Is No Middle Ground Between Thankful and Unthankful
If someone hands you twenty dollars and you walk off silent, you are unthankful. Thankfulness says thank you. Unthankfulness is silent. Pride says nothing because it feels entitled. It is impossible to be gracious to someone who thinks they deserve it. Ingratitude shuts off the capacity to receive—from people and from God. Enter His gates with thanksgiving. If it is good in your life, it is God. Apart from the vine the branch produces nothing. You can do all things—through Christ. Pastor Joel’s grandmother kept a picture of Nebuchadnezzar on the wall that used to look like a nightmare. He would take that picture back now. It is that easy to get in pride.
4. Gifts Are Graces, and Grace Can Be Taken Off
Romans 12 says do not think more highly of yourself than you ought. Eyes see and ears hear because God gave them a function, not because they earned it. Mercy on a wife, leadership on a husband, prophecy, serving, giving, exhorting—these are gifts according to grace. When pride took the leadership grace off Nebuchadnezzar, nobody wanted him. When he lifted his eyes to heaven, reason returned, the kingdom came back, and surpassing greatness was added. He blessed the Most High and said God is able to humble those who walk in pride. He does it by removing grace.
5. An Evil Eye Makes Life Hard to Enjoy
Lucifer was fearfully made, covered in jewels, anointed, set on the holy mountain. He did not want to give praise. He wanted to receive it. He stared at what God had until thankfulness died and an evil eye formed. An evil eye looks at your own life and sees nothing good, then looks at everyone else’s marriage, kids, health, vacation, job, car, and money and starts chasing the next level. Who told you that you have to have something else in order to enjoy what you already have? Contentment refuses to delay joy for a future season. Put humility on. Say thank you.
Pride takes the credit. Humility gives thanks.
Lift your eyes. Say thank you. Receive more grace.
“He is able to humble those who walk in pride.” (Daniel 4:37)
