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Breaking Free from the Lie of Self-Absorption Phlp. 2.1-11
5/6/07 Mount Pisgah Allen R. Hunt
I. This may be the oldest material in the NT
Lot of scholars believe that before Gospels, before letters of Paul, a few old Christian texts existed – and this is one of them – like a hymn
And it reveals the mind of Christ – have this mind, just like Christ did
Philippians 2.1-11 - Sacrifice, Servant, Slave

Had been thinking long and hard about this all week
Even asked the girls – can you give me some good examples of how selfish I am?
They chuckled and began the list
“Well, there’s the way you insist on being the one to hold the remote even when we all want to watch something different.”
“Then there’s how you come downstairs to the family computer and tell us to get off so you can check your email, as if what we were doing weren’t important. However, you are not nearly as bad about that as Mom is.”
The list went on for some time – but I could not find the right example to make my point
Then lunch scheduled with good friend, Bob – usher at 8:00 worship
Getting ready to move back home to New England – I wanted to say goodbye
One fellow caught me at door – Bob headed over to booth and took a seat, waiting on me
Few minutes later, I scurried over – sat down – saw the water and lemon in front of me, squeezed it in and took a long drink
Waitress came over – looked at Bob and said, “I guess you’ll need another water”

It hit me – I had not even thought about – never noticed or crossed my mind
Water was his – only one on the table – but I saw it and figured it was mine
Bob said in understated New England way, “I guess your aggressive side is coming out.”

And it is not just me - Just something about us, isn’t there?
Something that just kicks in to put ourselves and our own interests first – first instinct is to think of self first – preoccupied with self
For others, never willing to speak up for ourselves – think so little of ourselves that preoccupied with inferiority – still preoccupied with self
Bible calls this Pride – and we get it honest
Adam and Eve – taking the fruit from the tree – because they wanted to “be like God”
Babel – building the tower so that “we can make a name for ourselves” (Gen 11.4)

Dictionary – good pride – healthy self-worth and confidence
Next definition – preoccupation with self – self-absorption
Lance Webb said it is the father of all the other sins – our preoccupation with self Chaucer called it the swelling of the heart
I call it “All about me”
No matter what you call it – pride is putting self where God should be – at center of life

And our culture teaches us everyday that it is the right thing to do – path to fulfillment
Why average woman will spend 2.5 years of her life fiddling with her hair – shampoo, style, salon – not exaggerating – 2.5 years – preoccupied with self
How we end up with Alec Baldwin cussing out his 11 year old daughter on a voice mail, goes to see Dr. Phil, talks about his needs, and comes out wanting to work on “parental alienation” – how about starting with putting your child first and yourself second?
Why children under 10 think very best thing in the world is to be a celebrity, good looks are 2, and being rich is third – God, He comes in 10th
18-25 year olds no different – Pew Study showed that 81% considered getting rich as first or second most important life goal and 51.5% said same thing about becoming famous
And sadly that is how we end up with fewer live births in Dekalb and Fulton than abortions – ended the lives of more infants than started
There is just something in us, reinforced by our culture, that says it is all about me
And it is spiritually deadly – complete anti-God state of mind (CS Lewis)
Me first, everyone and everything else second - sIn

II. Pride destroys Souls
Keeps us from being who God made us to be
If you wonder how pride might infect your self – two simple questions
1) How do you respond to being mistreated or overlooked? Do you demand that your needs be catered to; get angry when not so? (Romans 12.3)
2) What is your attitude toward serving?
When asked to do something you believe is beneath you, what’s your attitude?
Sniffing, huffing, resentment and grumbling or humble service just for sake of serving?

And that is a really good question
Because God’s answer for Pride begins here – Cure
Comes in the form of a V – Philippians 2.1-11
Jesus in glory Emptied self Became slave
Obedience and humiliation – death on a cross – cruel punishment reserved for revolutionaries, slaves, and people with no status at all – this is God’s answer

Cross is the fulcrum of human history and it is the turning point for your soul
Cross turns your heart from all about me into all about Him
From selfishness to selfless service – in the model of Jesus
In the cross, we see the very face of God – sets us free – we do not have to be this way
God isn’t

Why Paul called himself a “slave of Christ” in most of his letters
Why Jesus said if you want to find your life, you will lose it by giving it away
Take up cross and follow me (Mt. 16.24-26)
Greatness in Kingdom of God is measured in service and sacrifice not celebrity or wealth

Pride is the single greatest preventor of folks accepting God’s gifts
Too proud to listen Too proud to repent Too proud to accept that we all need God
Jesus offers a different way
We were made to make a name for God not for ourselves