SATISFACTION UNGUARANTEED

A Look At Pride

INTRO - In a certain pond on one of the farms in the East were two ducks and frog. Now these neighbors were the best of friends; all day long they used to play together. But as the hot summer days came, the pond began to dry up and soon there was such a little bit of water that they all realized that they would have to move. Now the ducks could easily fly to another place, but what about their friend the frog? Finally it was decided that they would put a stick in the bill of each duck, and then the frog would hang onto the stick with his mouth and they would fly him to another pond. And so they did. As they were flying, a farmer out in his field looked up and saw them and said, "Well, isn't that a clever idea! I wonder who thought of it!" The frog said, "I did..." (Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations)
It could be called a group of lions but it could be better defined as the quality of having an excessively high opinion of oneself. (Oxford) or an unreasonable and excessive vie of one’s self-esteem (Webster) It is when one thinks higher than self than one should. What is it? It is Pride the first of what was once classified as the Seven Deadly Sins by Pope Gregory the Great.

I. STORIES OF PRIDE
A. Pharaoh - Unable to let the Israelites go. (Ex 4-14)
B. Naaman - Unwilling to dip in the Jordan river (2 Kg 5)
C. Hezekiah - Showing off all his riches (2 Kg 20)
D. Haman - Thinking all should bow to him. (Es 3-7)
E. Nebuchadnezzar - Thought he did it himself (Dn 4)

II. DANGERS OF PRIDE
A. PRIDE AND GOD - Unhealthy pride is a form of self deification. (Making ones self out to be god.)
1. 1 Pt 5:5B for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. - Pride is in opposition to God
2. Pv 16:5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.
a. Pride is hated by God
b. Pride will be punished by God
B. PRIDE AND SELF
1. Pv 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling
a. Pride brings destruction
b. Pride causes stumbling
c. Pride leads to a many sinful attitudes and actions
2. Pv 29:23 A man's pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor. - Pride leads to humiliation
3. Pv 11:2 When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom - Pride brings dishonor on one’s self
C. PRIDE AND ALIENATION
1. Psalms 10:4 The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his thoughts are, "There is no God." - Pride lures us into living independently of God. The proud person depends on self rather than on God.
2. Mt 13:58 And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief. - Pride undermines our faith.
3. Ep 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
a. Pride distorts our view of our self and others. Jews and Gentiles alike could be guilty of spiritual pride—Jews for thinking their faith and traditions elevated them above everyone else, Gentiles for trusting in their achievements, power, or position. Spiritual pride blinds us to our own faults and magnifies the faults of others.
b. When one makes mistakes - and we all do - the bragger is often left to his own.

CONCL - Pp 2:3-8 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. - Pride, something we can live without.