14 Nov 08 (Week 5 on the theme "Surrender")

Surrendering our Emotions (Part 3 of 3)
By Michael

(A) Verses quoted in our discussions:

Matthew 18:1-4
"At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Romans 12:3-5
"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."

Luke 18:9-14 [The Parable of the Pharisee & the Tax Collector]
"To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

1 Chronicles 17:16 [David's Prayer]
"Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: "Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?"

Proverbs 22:4
"Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life."

Matthew 5:3
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

(B) Summary of Sharing

1. If pride is one of the greatest sin against God, then humility is one of the greatest virtue in the sight of God. God gives grace to the humble, ie. we can live our lives in Christ in peace and joy without fear or anxiety.

2. Our Lord Jesus taught that the way into the kingdom of heaven is by the simple trust and dependence of a child. We need to put our trust in God just as a child would put his trust in his earthly father. (Matt 18:1-4)

3. Being humble does not imply that we are not worthy in the sight of man or God. We are all created in the image of God and we are all equal before God. We are all precious in the sight of God. (Romans 12:3-5)

4. Jesus taught that a sinner like a tax collector who comes before God in sincere humility to confess his sins can get to heaven whereas a proud Pharisee would not. (Luke 18:9-14)

5. Even though God did not accept King David's offer to build the temple, King David in humility gave thanks to God for all that God has done for him and his family. He acknowledged that all that he has and all that he is come from God. (1 Chron 17:16)

6. Humility enables us to say that I am a sinner and I need to be saved. This comes from acknowledging that my life belongs to God - I am a mortal creature and God is my maker. Jesus said "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven".