God Opposes The Proud  

 [Listen to Audio of God Opposes The Proud]

1PE 5:1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2  Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3  not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4  And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 

 

    1PE 5:5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, 

 

  "God opposes the proud 

    but gives grace to the humble." 

 

1PE 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 

 

    1PE 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 

 

    1PE 5:10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. [NIV]

Did anything jump out at you in our reading this morning? 

Lets look at a portion of it again SLIDE 1 

[View PowerPoint Slides  right click and Save As to download.]

Maybe if we Zoom in a little SLIDE 2 

Think about that for a moment. 

I want to focus in a little more   SLIDE 3 

With the emphasis on SLIDE 4   God OPPOSES the proud. 

That is what struck me when I began to study this passage. 

Is it important?   

Peter is quoting a Proverb, but he is not the only NT writer to pick up on this passage – which other NT writer quotes this proverb?   James. 

Now if you believe, as I do, that the Bible is the inspired work of one author – The Holy Spirit, and he takes the time to repeat something 3 times do you think it is important?    

Remember that they couldn’t just push a button and print of as many copies of a text as they wanted – it was an expensive and time consuming process reproducing text in the early days. 

What does it mean? 

Would you like to face opposition like this SLIDE 5  - SLIDE 6 – SLIDE 7 

What if I told you that God said you will face these people in battle – and you will win – and their land will be yours?   Now would you face them? 

Imagine facing off against God.  GOD OPPOSES THE PROUD  - SLIDE 8 

Fortunately God doesn’t always have to come at you like an American Football team – or a freight train.

 

SLIDE 9 Trees growing with the wind opposition – all lean one way. 

The constant battle of opposing the wind takes its toll, even although the wind may not always be a hurricane, its effects are still noticed. 

One commentator described God as a river.   

While we are submissive to God we are swept along in the current, but as soon as we rebel we are faced with trying to force our way against the current.  God is opposing us, but only because we are trying to fight against him. 

Think about your lives at the moment. 

Are you finding that things aren’t going the way you would like.   

Does it always seem like you are getting nowhere – achieving nothing? 

Does it seem like God isn’t answering any of your prayers? 

Is it possible that God is opposing you? 

An example from Israel’s history as they tried to enter the promised Land  

(Remember who they are facing SLIDE 10)

SLIDE 11 They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted and became like water. 

    JOS 7:6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the LORD, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. 7  And Joshua said, "Ah, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8  O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9  The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?" 

Joshua’s Plea 

SLIDE 12 – God’s Response. 

    JOS 7:10 The LORD said to Joshua, "Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11  Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. 12  That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction. 

Are we guilty of crying to God when the problem is one of our own doing? 

God says he will Oppose the proud. 

Just a few examples: 

SLIDE 13

PS 31:23 Love the LORD, all his saints! 

    The LORD preserves the faithful,
    but the proud he pays back in full. 

 

PR 15:25 The LORD tears down the proud man's house 

    but he keeps the widow's boundaries intact. 

 

SLIDE 14 

PS 101:5 Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, 

    him will I put to silence; 

  whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, 

    him will I not endure. 

    RO 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 

PR 16:5 The LORD detests all the proud of heart. 

    Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. 

SLIDE 15 Some one said that Pride is the only disease known to man that makes everyone sick except the person who has it. 

Hands up all the Humble people! 

I can identify with the song Lord it’s hard to be Humble. 

The past couple of weeks I have been forced to join the commuter traffic as I have been working at the Nelson Tip. 
I do NOT have the temperament to be a commuter.
Why do people who start work obviously at 9am leave home at 6.30am so they can enjoy a 3 hour dawdle to work???  SLIDE 16 

I could easily have a shotgun on the back seat and join in the road rage fury.   

Just on Friday I was following some slow traffic through Richmond and along the motorway to the Stoke roundabout, where as soon as it opened out on to two lanes I was in the outer lane and starting to pass the traffic.  When the car that was in front of me indicates and starts to pull out without checking their mirror.  I had to brake in case they kept coming across.  At the last minute they see me and swerve back into their lane.  As I continued to pass them they honked at me!?!?!  Like I am to blame for their incompetence? 

As you can see this is not a message for me this morning. 

SLIDE 17 Another commentator said: 

“Humility is best shown in the bearing of a man towards those who are his inferiors, and even towards those who are ungrateful for favours and services.”