Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. When was the last time You clothe yourself with humility. towards a brother or sister. When did you last practically? Take.
The lowly Place. This is what Peter is saying. Clothe yourself, all of you, with this wonderful garment of humility. Welcome to the verdict with Pastor John Monroe, Senior Pastor at Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. We've all heard that pride goes before a fall, but in our age of self-promotion and personal branding, humility seems like a forgotten virtue.
Today, on the verdict, John shares why true strength still comes through trust in God and embracing a humble spirit.
Now, continuing in 1 Peter, here's Pastor John Monroe with today's message titled. humble and watchful. One of the reasons I chose the title of the verdict for this broadcast is that I want people to hear the word of God, to study it for themselves, to meditate on it, and to obey it. The Bible calls for a personal response. It's easy to hear messages and interact only at the intellectual level.
But God is calling you for a response. What is your verdict? The Word of God is often convicting and challenging. And that's certainly true in today's lesson. One of the cardinal Christian virtues is humility.
Jesus told us to learn of him. He describes himself as Gentle. and lowly in heart.
So we who follow the Master must be characterized by that same gentleness and humility. Let's turn to the word of God, First Peter chapter five. Verse Yeah. Likewise, You who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another.
For God opposes the proud. but gives grace. to the humble Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God.
so that at the proper time He may exalt you. Casting all of your anxieties on him. Because he cares for you. Be sober-minded, be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion.
Seeking someone. To devour. Resist him. Firm. In your faith.
Peter here gives at least three lessons. Three lessons which we who are followers of Jesus Christ must, I believe, practice every day of our lives. These are not just once and for all actions or experiences, but are part and parcel of living an authentic life. Christian. Life.
these three lessons. Simply stated. will help us Navigate lives. Tough times. First lesson is be humble.
Second lesson is trust. In God. The third lesson is resist. The devil. Be humble.
Trust in God. Resist. the devil.
So we'll look at each of these in turn first. Be humble. We see that in verses five through Seven. We know from the teaching of Scripture Right from the very beginning to the end, and certainly supremely exemplified in our Lord Jesus Christ. that humility is a key virtue.
And it is certainly a key virtue for the Christian. Humility is to characterize every Christian. The story is told of Ulysses Grant. The leading Union general in the Civil War, who later, as you know, became the 18th President of the United States. And uh a reception was held in his honor.
This was before he was uh president. And as he was going to it, he got caught in a shower. And offered to share his umbrella with a man who was going in the same direction. And the man said that he was going to this reception in honor of Grant. And he said, they're just going out of curiosity.
He said, I've never seen or met the general before. But I've always thought that he was a very much overrated man. Ulysses Grant said. That's also my view. I thought that is true.
Humility. How do you rate yourself? Probably you overrate yourself. What's the message of our culture? To be humble, not really.
is be yourself, exert yourself, live out yourself. anyone or anything which hinders myself, improvement must be Restricted. I have my truth. I don't care whether you like it or accept it, but this is my truth. Too bad.
If you don't accept it, each of us must decide, we're told, what is right for ourselves, discard. what you've been taught by your parents, by your church. By your teachers. Don't necessarily follow law enforcement orders. Live out your own life.
But that Attitude. Action. which we see in our society today. It's not the way. Christ.
What does Peter say in verse 5? Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. We saw last week he gives teaching to the elders, to the faithful shepherds in the church. And he tells those who are younger to be subject to the elders. In a church fellowship such as Calvary Church, God appoints His leaders, his elders, and the members of the church, all of us are to be in submission.
To the elders. One of the ways we demonstrate in a practical way our humility is in our submission. Children, Are to be in submission to the parents. They are to obey. their parents.
In other words, her humility is not just in her words, that's rather easy. but in our actions, in our attitudes. Is that true of you? You're demonstrating. humility in your submission.
To authority. You say, well, sometimes I don't agree with the elders, that's true. I understand. But we've already learned last week that those who are in leadership Are to serve not in a domineering way, not in a controlling way, but rather with humility. That's what Peter goes on to say, verse 5: You who are younger, be subject to the elders, clothe yourselves, all of you.
with humility toward one another. We are to be humble to one another. all of you. No one is exempt. We are to clothe ourselves with this beautiful garment of Humility, the picture is of the slave.
putting on an apron over his or her clothes. The supreme example of being clothed with humility is the Lord Jesus. Remember that remarkable scene. In John chapter 13, where our Lord is with the disciples and no one is there to wash their feet. There's no slave, there's no woman, there's no children to wash their feet.
And who's going to wash their feet? And you can see them looking at each other and saying, well, I'm not going to do it. And then to their other astonishment. The Lord Jesus Girds himself. And bends down.
And washes the feet of his disciples. Would you would you have done that? Do you do something like that? When was the last time You clothed yourself with humility. towards a brother or sister.
Perhaps a brother or sister you don't agree with. Perhaps a brother or sister who you think doesn't value you the way they should. When did you last practically? Take. The lowly place.
This is what Peter is saying. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with this wonderful garment of humility. You see, not only are we to show our humility by submitting to those in authority. But We are to Humble ourselves before one another. And Peter goes on to say verse 6.
We are to humble ourselves therefore. Under the mighty hand of God. Managers. The mighty hand of God, the symbol of power. A symbol of authority, a symbol of might.
And we may be humiliated by others, but humbling ourselves is something we do voluntarily. We are to place ourselves under the mighty hand of God. In suffering and difficulties and trials, we must humbly submit to God. when I meet with couples who may have tensions and they're uh marriage, I often wonder and sometimes challenge them Are you humbling yourselves under the mighty hand of God? Easy to point out the faults of one another, isn't it?
But here is the spirit of Christ. This is what God wants: to humble ourselves, yes, before one another, but to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. of God. When there are difficulties, when there are disappointments, when we don't feel appreciated, When life doesn't go the way we want, it's so easy to be bitter against others and even to be bitter against God. That's a sign of our pride, isn't it?
That's a sign of saying, well, God, I really. don't deserve this. But under God's mighty hand. We're in a safe place. and we're in a secure place, where else would you want to be?
But under the mighty hand of God. Peter gives two reasons. for being humble. There's many reasons. Of the example of our Lord, of course.
But in this passage, he gives two reasons. First, God opposes the proud. And gives grace to the humble. Verse 5. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders.
Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another. Here's a reason. For God opposes the proud. but gives grace to the humble. Do you want God to oppose you?
Do you want God to be against you? God Scripture says here and elsewhere. that God is opposed to the the proud. Think of the examples of scripture. Think of Satan himself and his pride.
I will be God. Think of Nebuchadnezzar that powerful king of Babylon as he looked at Babylon And this is what I have built. Look at me. I'm the top. person in the whole world.
The leader of the Free world is a world, although I slave, put into slavery everyone where I go. And God reduces um and get some eating. grass. Think of King Herod. In the New Testament, Proud man.
exalting himself And in a moment. In Acts 12. He's brought down. God Opposes The proud. but gives grace to the humble.
You think, well, it's the proud that needs grace. You think God would give grace to the proud. But those who are proud, when we're proud, we cannot be used by God. We will not receive His grace. We think we don't need God.
Are you struggling in a difficult situation? Are you really asking God? for his help. asking God for his Blessing. Are you really in a situation where you would do exactly what God says, as you pray to God for guidance, as you pray to God for help?
As you're discerning God's will, Are you truly in a humble position under the mighty hand of God? Because here is the promise: God always gives grace to the humble. How do we begin the Christian life? Not through our baptism, as we've been told, important although baptism is. No, we begin the Christian life.
in humility. In repentance, in an acknowledgement that we cannot save ourselves, as long as you're proud. As long as you depend on your church heritage. As long as you boast of what you have done, of what you have accomplished, you will never enter the kingdom of God.
So That's the first reason. God supports the proud. The second reason To be humble is also given. Verse 6. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God.
So that Are you listening? At the proper time. He may Exalt you. At the right time. That is the time, not that you want, but what God wants.
At the proper time, He will lift you up. Have we learned that repeatedly in 1 Peter? First the suffering, then the glory. First the cross, then the crown. First, the tragedy, then the triumph.
First, the humiliation, and then the exaltation. That was the way of our Savior. And this is what Peter is saying: I want you. To humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. And at the time, of God's choice.
He may. Lift you. Oh. It's wonderful to know, isn't it? You say, well, I want to be lifted up right now.
Well, God may do that. Here's what God is saying to you today: humble yourself. under the mighty hand of God. Accept a place. Accept a position that God has for you at the moment.
and at the proper time. At the time of God's choosing, he may. Exalt you. God. is opposed to the proud.
He gives grace to the humble. And at the proper time. He may exalt you.
So when suffering comes, difficult times come, don't rebel against God, don't be overcome with self-pity. But Be humble. Under gods. mighty hand. That's not easy for us, is it?
But God through his Spirit and pours his grace on us. that in the difficulties His strength. is made perfect in our Now there's our second lesson. And it's Basic to the Christian life. This is Christianity, it is to trust in God.
Verse Seven. Casting all of your anxieties on him. because he cares for you. You are to cast all of your anxieties on God. This is another way we show humility.
I think this verse, verse 7, which is a much loved verse and rightly so, but I think it's often divorced from its context. This is one of the ways we show our humility. Is by casting our anxieties On God.
Now, I don't want to be too technical here, but if you look at the word humble, That is an imperative. That is a command. And the word casting verse 7. Is a circumstantial participle dependent on the imperative.
Some of you didn't listen to your English teacher, and you have no idea what I'm talking about. You've never you wouldn't know a circumstantial participle if it bit you on the end of your nose But this is what we have in verse Seven. You have the command, humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. What's the relationship of The participle casting to the imperative humble, it is this. The way by which You demonstrate your humility before God is by doing this, is by casting, is by unloading, is by throwing, is the point.
All of my anxieties. On God. You get that? One of the ways We humble ourselves. Under the mighty hand of God.
is by unloading. is by throwing, is by casting all of my anxieties. On God. This word cast interesting is used. of the throwing of the Cloaks on that colt that our Lord was going to ride on that triumphal day into Jerusalem.
It's casting, it's throwing. You say humility. Under God's mighty hand, Leads. to trusting in God. Of course life often doesn't go the way we expect.
Peter has told us, chapter 4, verse 12: Don't be surprised when you find yourself in the fiery trials. Of course not. And if you don't cast all of your anxieties on God, Know what's going to happen? You're going to experience anxiety. I have the privilege of speaking to our College students today, and I'm going to talk.
to them about anxiety. Going to s dig into this a little deeper. Do you know what the number one struggle of students is today. The research tells us anxiety. Anxiety.
We've got a very, very anxious Society, not just with her students, Anxiety. Any anxious people today? What's the answer? Look to Christ. Cast your anxieties on Him.
And also, Don't buy into the philosophy of the day that the most important thing in your life is your personal happiness. If you have happiness as the goal of your life, let me tell you, you're going to live a pretty discouraging life. As Christians, we don't conduct our lives based on our feelings. Is not what Peter is saying. No wonder you're anxious, no wonder you're depressed.
You've got the wrong goal in your life. Our goal in life is not to be happy. Our goal in life is to please God. Is to humble myself under the mighty hand of God, is to entrust my whole life to God, to surrender it. And that may make me feel from time to time very unhappy.
Who's happy when they're going through the fiery trial? No, we have joy when we know that God is with us and this is God's will for us. But if we determine our life based on our happiness, we're missing the point of the Christian faith, and you're not going to have a very, very good life. Practically as well, I would say. And we know this also from the research.
And I'm talking particularly to our students but uh Some of you who are older as well, and you should know better is. Don't spend so much time on social media. Research tells us this. Here's some student, they put a picture of themselves. Uh by a tree.
But the sun and they give us six pictures of themselves in different poses. You know what they're going to be doing? How many likes do you have? Listen, there's always someone who's going to have more likes than you are. Because some people don't like you.
I mean What a narcissistic.
Society we're in. No, that's what the text says. Casting all your anxieties. Yeah. We all all experience.
Anxiety. It's a common human phenomenon. Think of the teaching of our Lord in the Sermon on the Mount. in Matthew 6. Verse 25, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life.
That meant that as our Lord Jesus Christ was given the greatest sermon ever preached, There were many people listening to him who were anxious. Verse 25, he's saying, I'm telling you, do not be anxious about your life. Verse 31, therefore do not be anxious. Verse 34, therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow. And what do we do?
Don't be anxious. Look at the birds, look at the lilies. No, you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Have that as your goal. and all these things.
will be added. To you. We're more humble. We acknowledge we don't have the solution to all of our problems. This is the verdict with Pastor John Monroe.
and the first part of a message titled Humble and Watchful. John will return with more shortly, so keep listening. But first I want to tell you about a timely resource from the verdict. With so much uncertainty in our world today, many believers are asking tough questions about the future and Christ's return. John has written an encouraging booklet called For the Time is Near, which provides biblical clarity on these important topics.
Whether you're curious about prophecy or seeking comfort in difficult times, this resource offers solid answers from Scripture. Discover how biblical prophecy isn't just about the future. It's about transforming how you live today. Get your complimentary copy by visiting theverdict.org. And as we continue reaching listeners with the truth of God's Word, we're so grateful for those who partner with us through their generous support.
Your financial gifts help us maintain this daily ministry and expand our reach to new audiences. Whether you can give $25, $50, or more, every gift makes a difference in sharing the gospel. Take a moment right now to make your contribution at theverdict.org. Finally, we'd love to meet you in person. If you're near Charlotte, North Carolina, come experience worship at Calvary Church, home of the verdict.
You'll find us at the intersection of Highway 51 and Ray Road, or you can join our Sunday services through our live stream online. For worship times and more information, visit theverdict.org.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe with closing remarks for today's message.
Well, what's your verdict? It's difficult to assess whether we're humble or not. If we think we are humble, the probability is that we're not. We're not to be self-absorbed or self-focused as our society often encourages. Peter is helping us to understand in a practical way What it is.
to be humble. Are you submissive to others? Are you self-promoting? or do you put others as more important than yourself? Don't miss the broadcast next time.
as we continue learning from the Apostle Peter on humility and trust. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
