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Pride Rev. Scott Strickman Download

Sermon Outline

Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: Proverbs

Proverbs 11:2, 16:18, 18:12, 21:24, 25:6-7 (ESV)
11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with the humble is wisdom.

16:18 Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.

18:12 Before destruction a man's heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.

21:24 “Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man
who acts with arrogant pride.

25:6 Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence
or stand in the place of the great,
7 for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

Sermon Outline
The problem of pride is deep within us, but with wisdom we can recognize it and grow in true humility.

1. Let it pass by.

11:2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.”
16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
18:12 “Before a disaster the heart is haughty, but before honor is humility.”

2. Recognize the place you want to be.

25:6–7 “Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.”
21:24 “Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride.”

3. Listen to the right person.

25:7 “it is better to be told ‘come up here’”

Prayer of Confession
Our great God, there is none higher than you. Instead of rejoicing at your greatness, we have puffed ourselves up. Craving the admiration of others, we suffer envy and arrogance. We are guilty of pride. Our sins have merited disgrace. Forgive us. May the mind of Christ, who humbly bore our sin and shame, be in each of us. Amen.

Questions for Reflection

What makes true humility hard?
How does pride show up in your life? What are some subtle signs that you are being tempted by pride?
What are some of the negative effects of pride? What damage does it do? What problems does it cause?
How can you let pride pass by when you recognize its voice? If you can’t get rid of it, how can you reduce its influence?
What markers of status are you particularly drawn to?
What forms of humiliation do you fear? What does that tell you about values that may be out of balance in your thinking and perception?
What can we learn from the humility of Jesus? How does the humiliation he willingly endured create new possibilities for us?
How does the gospel invite you to humble yourself? How does the gospel call you to a better life?
What new possibilities come with a life that is both humble and hopeful?