Humility by Pastor Abidan Shah

HUMILITY by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Introduction: How many of you know a proud or an arrogant person? How many of you know someone who thinks he/she is humble when they’re really not? How many of you would say that you are a humble person? All of us tend to think that we are humble and someone else is proud—when in reality, we all have the same spirit of pride. It reminds me of that man to whom they gave the badge of humility but they had to take it away when he tried to wear it. There’s only one who was/is truly humble and his name is Jesus. In fact, he humbled himself to the point of death, even the death of the cross. He is our model and source of true humility. That’s our message today titled – HUMILITY in our series from Philippians 2called MIND (RE)SET.

Philippians 2      5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, andcoming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient tothe point ofdeath, even the death of the cross. 9Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11andthatevery tongue should confess that Jesus ChristisLord, to the glory of God the Father.

Question: Are you a humble person? Do you have the spirit and the heart of Christ? Have you come in humility before him and received him as your Savior and King?

Context: Last weekend, we learned that Jesus chose to come into this world as a “doulos,” as a slave. He didn’t stop being God. He didn’t give up any of his divine attributes. He gave up by taking on the mind of a slave, the mind of humility and obedience.Listen again to verse 8“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient…”If you read the gospels carefully, he’s constantly serving and humbly inviting people to come to him so he could serve them. Matthew 11    28 “Come to Me, allyouwho labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29 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. 30For My yokeiseasy and My burden is light.” Multitudes thronged to him. They understood what he meant. They felt that he could help them. They also knew that they could approach him. After all, who is afraid to come to a slave!

Application: 2000 years later, men and women, boys and girls are still coming to Jesus and exchanging their burdens for his. They are laying down their sorrows, regrets, guilts, shame, struggles, fears, worries, and doubts and taking up his cause and living a life of peace and joy. Have you made the exchange?

But Jesus came for much more than just to serve people and lighten their load.Listen again to verse 8“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient tothe point ofdeath, even the death of the cross.” In other words, Jesus didn’t just live the slave’s life, he also died the slave’s ultimate death. The cross was a slave’s ultimate punishment. Let me explain what that means (My information is coming from scholarly books and articles, especially Martin Hengel’sCrucifixion in the Ancient World and the Folly of the Message of the Cross):

1. Crucifixion was widespread in the ancient world. I’m sure you’ve heard that the Persians invented crucifixion. That may be true but we don’t know for sure. There have been citations from ancient sources that it was practiced by the Indians, Assyrians, and Scythians (modern day Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan). Even the Celtic, Germanic, and Brittani people practiced it. The Greeks with all their high ideals of human dignity also practiced crucifixion. At one time, Alexander the Great had 2000 people crucified for rising in rebellion against him. The Carthaginians (Punic people, ancient Phoenicians) were known for brutally crucifying people. More than likely the Romans learned it from them. Men and women were crucified, probably more men than women.

2. Crucifixion among the Romans was for the lower classes of people – slaves, violent criminals, and rebels. The Persians and Carthaginians used it for high officials and commanders and the Greeks used it for state criminals but the Romans used it primarily against slaves and those who were free but not Roman citizens. It was called a servile supplicium. A slave could be crucified if he was found with a weapon (a shepherd was crucified for defending himself against a bear) or if the owners were not capable of controlling their slaves. It was especially utilized against rebellious slaves. This was seen during the Third Slave Rebellion led by Spartacus in the first century BC when the Roman General Crassus had 6000 slaves crucified and lined them all along the Appian Way leading to Rome.

3. Crucifixion was very effective. There were 3 reasons for this: 

• First, it satisfied the human thirst for revenge, especially against rebellious slaves. One ancient writer called it “resentful rage.” It means torture and scourging would happen before the crucifixion. Jesus was flogged.
• Second, it spread fear among the onlookers. Crucifixion did not end in 6 hours like Jesus. Many times, the victims would hang there for 3-8 days.
• Third, it was set up at a high traffic place like a crossroad, theater, high ground, and even the place of the crime. Jesus was crucified on the hill called Golgotha or Calvary. Golgotha is Aramaic and Calvary is Latin for skull. It was outside the city (Hebrews 13:12) and by the main road (Mark 15:29). People were shaking their heads and even taunting him – “Didn’t you say that you were going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days. How about saving yourself and coming down from the cross!” By the way, the victims were never buried. The scavengers would come and eat on the corpses. That’s the worst form of humiliation and dishonor. 

4. Crucifixion was not discussed. Ancient Roman writers did not like to talk about crucifixion. They just mention it and move on. It was horrible sight. Some leaders and philosophers would talk about the heinousness of the crucifixion but they knew it had to be done. The only time crucifixion was ever discussed was in drama and theater. Even here, the hero would end up escaping the cross. The people in Philippi to whom Paul is writing may have seen plenty of crucifixions. It’s horrible but part of life. Just don’t have anything to do with it. 

5. Crucifixion was accursed to the Jewish people. The Hasmonean kings had practiced crucifixion. Alexander Jannaeus had crucified 800 Pharisees and another one had crucified 70-80 sorcerers at one time. It was very shameful, especially because of Deuteronomy 21     22 “If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you asan inheritance; for he who is hangedisaccursed of God.”

Why did Jesus choose a slave’s death? It was God’s plan of redemption. Listen to Isaiah 53      3He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, ourfaces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5But He waswounded for our transgressions, He wasbruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peacewasupon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. 8He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. 9And they made His grave with the wicked—But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, norwas anydeceit in His mouth. 

Joseph of Arimathea (a member of the Sanhedrin of 71 leaders, the highest ruling body in Jerusalem, presided by the High Priest) secretly went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus and Pilate gave him the permission. Nicodemus (another member of the Sanhedrin) also met him and brought a big bag of mixture of myrrh and aloes to anoint his body. Then they put him in Joseph’s tomb in which no one had ever been laid. Why was he not left to rot on the cross or placed in just any old tomb? Yes, he was a slave but he was much more than just a slave. Plus, it was also a fulfillment of a prophecy we will see in a few moments.

So also, the thief on the cross got it. He rebuked the one who was taunting Jesus and said in Luke 23    41And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”42Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 43And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” By the way, it’s not just these two Jewish men who got it but think about the Roman centurion standing by the cross. Mark 15:39So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!”

Are you humble like Jesus your Savior and King? Do you know him? He is humbly calling you. Isaiah 53:10“Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Himto grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall seeHisseed, He shall prolongHisdays, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.”