Your Pride is Coming Down — Sam Caldwell

Pride and the Parable in Luke 18

Luke chapter 18 and I want to preach on the topic today of pride. Pride and if you like you can call this sermon Your pride is coming down. Your pride is coming down. I've had about five or six discussions in the last two months with various people in and out of the church About pride and people have mentioned their struggles with pride and I kept drawing them back to luke chapter 18 and People would say i've never well really applied that.

So I just wonder for all of you all of us as christians. Do you have luke chapter 18 on your radar? If you want to deal with pride in your own heart, and you know, i'm not talking today about the pride parade and all that.

Trash all that, uh chaos all that false Stuff that's going on i'm talking about pride in our hearts pride in the christian church and um This is the chapter. This is the little parable here that we need to be equipped with if we want to Tear down pride in our hearts and it's so vital brothers and sisters that we do tear down that pride, isn't it?

Did you know that there could be hidden pride among us hidden sin among us that could be crippling us cried pride can cripple a church. Pride can cripple a family. And so today we want to ask the lord to root out that pride among us and we're going to use luke chapter 18.

Let's read verses 9 through 14. Here's the parable that deals so beautifully with pride. Luke chapter 18 verse 9 and he as jesus Spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves That they were righteous And despised others.

Two men went up into a temple to pray the one a pharisee and the other a publican. The pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this publican.

I fast twice in the week I give tithes of all that I possess and the publican standing afar off Would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven but smote upon his breast Saying god Be merciful to me a sinner I tell you.

This man went down to his house justified Rather than the other. For everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself Shall be exalted. Amen. Amen. I'll pray for us one more time Lord jesus.

These are your words lord. These are your red letter words here. These are your words lord that you've preserved for us. This is your parable lord. This is your story. This is a story straight from the heart of jesus to our hearts today lord.

And so I ask you lord to apply this word to us lord make this word come alive to us today Lord speak to each and every one of us individually about the pride in our lives Lord and tear it out and help us to humble ourselves before you.

Lord we thank you for this beautiful word and we thank you that we're here to open it up. In your presence you're here in this room lord. Bless us as we bless you amen. Amen. We can call this sermon if you like your pride is coming down your pride Is coming down.

And as you hear that title, you might say well that sounds very destructive and mean sam. I am telling you that your pride is coming down. You say you sound like a mean preacher. But i'll tell you that this is the sweetest thing that could ever happen to you.

If your pride would just come down. Then christ would rise higher in your life. If your pride would come down then your family life would be better. If our pride comes down then our church life is better.

If our pride comes down then we are better. Witnesses to jesus christ in this earth. This is the sweetest thing that could ever happen. It's a good destruction. It's what uh, burt baccarat would call the sweetest punch.

You want your pride punched out of you, it's the sweetest thing that could happen to you your life will be made so Sweet in jesus as your pride comes down christ rises higher. That's what we're shooting for today.

So as we head into this text, let me ask you. How would you define pride? How could we define pride? Here's a definition thinking highly of yourself. Pride is all thinking highly of yourself. Now we should distinguish that from having a good estimation of your own abilities, right?

Like you could say I can fix a car. Okay. Great, then you just know yourself. You know what you can do, right? But there's a fine line between that and saying I can fix a car. And all of a sudden it becomes prideful, right?

So pride is when we Take what we can do and we think highly of ourselves. What's the source of all pride? The source of all pride is no intimacy with jesus. If there's one thing that can take away pride, it's intimacy with jesus.

Consider a verse like colossians 3 verse 11. It says in this christian life Christ is all and in all. Can you imagine living out that reality where christ is all and in all and then you say And i'm pretty great.

It just doesn't work does it? Christ he he swallows up my whole life. I'm immersed in him and yet look at me everybody. You see how that doesn't work. The source of all pride is a lack of intimacy with jesus.

It's when we become intimate with jesus that we can say like paul says in first corinthians chapter 4 and verse 7. What do you have that you have not received? And if you have received it, why do you boast?

Do you all see that that's a verse about? Everything we have has been given to us. What do we have that we have not received and if we have received it from god, then why do you boast? There's no more room for pride there.

So hear me again as we get more intimate with jesus. Our pride gets pushed out and we should be able to get to the place where we can say Lord, there's no room for pride in my life. You're exalted. You're magnified you take over lord.

Jesus amen. Let's think before we dive into this text. What are the forms that pride takes? Oh because pride can be so deceptive can't it it can take all these different forms. I want to give a few of them to you and as I say this let the spirit of the lord search your hearts today.

As I give you these forms of pride. Ask yourself which one of these might I be guilty of? Which one of these have I been guilty of? Intellectual pride. That's when we say I can outthink this. I can think better than that person can think.

Or I can read more than someone else or i've had more education than something someone else. That's intellectual pride. Theological pride. That's when we say i've got it all figured out. I've got my calvinism i've got my Uh eschatological system all figured out.

I've got the way I understand the bible all figured out and It's better than those people over there. That's called theological pride. Oh god. Help us that none of that is in this church. We want to have good theology, but we don't want to have theological pride, do we?

There's such a fine line there. You can have something good and the minute you go like this with it. And you've got pride. What about financial pride? I have more money than those people. I know how to handle money better than those people.

What about national pride? I pride myself on being an american citizen. What about ethnic or racial pride. That's so so sinful racism. What about parenting pride? Parents as we all become new parents.

We try to figure something out and then the minute we figure out it out. We can go. Yeah, i'm doing that better than others. Oh. That's very evil. What about manly pride men. And you say oh, yeah, I can do that.

I'm a man. I can fix that. And then all of a sudden we look down on other men. What about street smarts pride. Similar thing. I can get through that situation. No one else in this room could musical pride.

Oh, we can't have that in this church. Remember we talked about singing a few weeks ago. We don't want to ever get to the place where we say because we use that hymnal or because we sing those songs. That makes us better than others.

No, no, no, no, that's bad. That's musical pride. What about pride in your future? You you're all thinking this through with me, you know that our pride can take on the most insidious and weird forms, right.

Consider this pride in your future. Well, I know that 20 years from now i'm going to be that. What are you talking about? It's not 20 years from now. You haven't proved yourself. What about pride in your past.

Well, I used to be that. That's that's so pathetic. What about pride in the form of judging others. Just I want to correct you. I'm gonna correct you and I see what you're doing wrong. I see what you're doing wrong.

Oh, that's evil. What about pride in not taking help? Has anyone here ever been guilty of that? No, I can. I can fix this. That's a form of pride too. Pride in not seeking counsel. I know the answer. I don't need to ask anyone.

What about pride in self-isolation? Well, i'm an introvert and I don't need anybody else and you know, i'm just going to stay at home and. What about pride and self-reliance. I think that's the the main sin.

That's the sin of main. That's the primary sin of this state. Pride in our self-reliance. We can do it. We can pick ourselves up by the bootstraps. I'm a self-made man. What about pride in self-deprecation.

Has anyone thought about this. When you say I hate myself I don't like myself. I'm ugly. And then what are we doing? We're actually just thinking about ourselves. It's actually just an inverted form of pride.

Oh god, save us from this pride. So now brothers and sisters, I want to apply this text to all that pride that might be in our hearts. Has the lord exposed anything in you. You don't have to tell me right now.

The best thing that ever happened to me around pride was in a cff prayer meeting over at competent family fellowship many maybe three four years ago. And someone a man a young man confessed sin in that prayer meeting and he said i'm having pride problems.

And it was mr. Bennett. Who started to pray about these pride problems. You all know, mr. Bennett over there and he just he just uh. Laid into it if I could put it that way. Mr. Bennett started to pray and he prayed.

Oh lord pride pride is the height of all evil pride will damn you. Pride is horrible pride is evil. And he was just going after it with the lord. And I was like I was thinking this guy just confessed the sin of pride and shouldn't we say lord you're gracious to him lord.

He's gonna be okay lord help him. And I think what mr. Bennett did that night was exactly right. It was the most helpful thing i've ever heard on pride. It was just saying It is evil. It is evil and it has to go.

And you know since then I just I just hear his prayers resonating echoing in my minds. But I want to say that to everyone in this room today. If you have pride, it's evil. It has to go. And here are our four points that we're going to go through these somewhat quickly as we read this text.

The four points are these? Pride is ugly. Pride is satanic. Pride is antichrist. And fourth pride is doomed. Again, you might say that sounds mean sam. That sounds destructive. That's absolutely right.

Pride Is Ugly: Self-Righteousness and Hypocrisy

We want that pride to come down today. So let's look at this text. Our first point pride is ugly. Look at verse 9. Here's our lord. He speaks a parable. What's a parable? It's a story. It's an illustration.

And you know, I don't have to give you all any illustrations today christ is going to give us the illustration. He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others.

Right here in verse 9 The bible starts to lay out what I want to call killing words. These are killing words a fight. The fight is on the battle is raging. Look at how. These people are described in verse 9.

There are people who trust in themselves. That they are righteous. Is there anyone in that room in this room that that describes? You trust in yourself. That you are righteous. Aren't those killing words.

I love every word in this parable. It's so incredible and then it says what else do they do? They don't only trust in themselves and say i'm good. I'm just i'm righteous. What do they do? They despise others.

They look down on others. They despise. This starts to teach us so much about pride doesn't us doesn't it? The first thing we learn is that a prideful person is a self-righteous person. The prideful person is full of self-flattery.

I trust in myself. I'm righteous. And then the second thing we learn in verse 9 and it appears again in verse 11 is that the prideful person is condescending. What does it say verse 9 they look down on others.

They despise others. What about verse 11? What does this pharisee do? He says god. I thank thee that I am not as other men. That's the phrase just pause right there. Circle that phrase underline it tattoo it in your heart if you have to.

Have you ever said that and I know everybody in this room has said something like that. God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are. Have you ever said anywhere? You don't even have to add it as a prayer.

Have you ever said? I'm, just so glad i'm not like him. Well, at least i'm not doing it like they are. Well, at least i'm not like her. That is the height of being condescending comparing looking down on others.

Denigrating being mean being judgy. That's the heart of pride right there. Aren't those killing words? Christ wants to do all-out war on our pride right here. We learn that the prideful person is self-righteous.

Secondly is condescending even to the point of hating others. And thirdly get this. The prideful person is hypocritical. Look again at verse 11. We hear about this pharisee. It says the pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself.

God. I thank thee. Pause and consider that with me for one second. God is in the mix. This pharisee is a lost man. This pharisee is a self-righteous man. It says in verse 14 that the publican went down to his house justified and the other one didn't.

This man goes away and he's not saved. He's on his way to hell. But what does he do in verse 11? He says god. I thank thee. God is in the mix. This is very striking brothers and sisters when I First got saved I remember thinking.

A non-christian can never pray right? I had just gotten saved and I was like, whoa. All of a sudden I can pray. I had never prayed before. It was like this whole reality was opened up and I realized jesus is the only mediator between god and men.

He's opened this whole communication up through his blood and now I can speak to the father and then I I was like No one else can do that, right? Only christians. And then I realized. Everybody else thinks they're praying.

Muslims think they're praying. Catholics think they're praying. Non-christians think they're praying. Hypocrites think they're praying. Pharisees think they're praying. And so this ought to really scare us.

Verse 11. This guy is able to say god. He invokes the name of god. And says I thank thee that I am not as other men. And the whole time he doesn't know. A lick about god. Isn't that amazing? So the prideful person what have we learned is self-righteous.

The prideful person is condescending looking down on others and the prideful person is hypocritical. What do I mean by hypocritical? He takes the name of god in his mouth. But he doesn't know god and he offers the most disgusting prideful prayer.

Now consider one more thing, this is our first point pride is ugly. Pride is ugly. Have you ever considered just how ugly your own pride is? Think of this pharisee right here consider this. We read this passage.

We look at this pharisee and we can see him clearly. Can't we? We can say This man is prideful. This guy is messed up, right? Look at it. Look at what he said. I thank thee. I'm not as other men. Even as this publican.

He's despising this guy. Verse 12. I fast twice in the week. I give tithes of all that I possess. What would we all say there? He's cocky. He is a lost man. This is ugly. But consider this brothers and sisters the pharisee couldn't see that.

The pharisee couldn't see his own pride. And we all need to realize that. If you're prideful You're looking at yourself. And you're very pleased. But everybody else on the outside Is looking at you and they're like They're disgusted.

Do you all just consider that you get that perspective it can really help to think that through. Consider if i'm prideful and i'm just Puffing myself up and i'm doing it in front of all of you. I think i'm amazing.

You all look at me and you say what a joke right. Just consider that the next time pride comes up and wells up in your heart consider. I think i'm amazing but Others are looking at me. And they know this is a farce.

Pride Is Satanic: The Repeated “I” of Self-Exaltation

I hope that's helpful. We have to get that perspective. That's our first point. Second point. Pride is satanic. It's not only ugly. But it's worse than evil. What do I mean there? Let's look at verse 12.

This is the second thing that this pharisee says he says in verse 12. I fast twice in the week. I give tithes of all I possess. What's the word that he uses on repeat right there, can anyone tell me? Amen.

I fast. I give. I possess. That's how we can detect pride brothers and sisters. Has anyone here ever gotten into a pattern? Where you're going through your weeks and you start to say I've done a lot of work.

I deserve this. I need to be treated better. I Should be looked at. I should be famous at this point in my life. I should be this. I Deserve this in 10 years. I should have a better. I should have a better.

I should have a better car better apartment better house. Do you all see what i'm talking about? Now I want to show you who speaks that way. Could you please turn with me to isaiah chapter 14 just briefly.

Isaiah chapter 14 who speaks with an eye on repeat. It's not only the egotistical man or woman. It's not only the prideful person in isaiah chapter 14. We hear of an actual king the king of babylon. But what isaiah is doing and about this through this king?

He's prophesying about satan himself. He's talking about an actual king. But this king you could say is a type of satan. This king points towards satan. Look at isaiah chapter 14 and verse 12 through 14.

He addresses satan himself he says how art thou fallen from heaven. Oh lucifer son of the morning. Did you all know that satan is a fallen angel? This is one of those passages where we learn about satan's fall.

So it says how art thou how did you fall? Oh lucifer you son of the morning. How art thou cut down to the ground which didst weaken the nations? Did you all know that that's one of the things satan does he weakens the nations?

And then look at verse 13 for thou hast said in thine heart, okay. So right in the depth of satan's heart, what does he say? I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of god. I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north.

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the most high. What's the word that satan repeats most often there? Can anyone tell me? I I I will ascend. I will exalt. I will sit. I will ascend.

I will be like god he says. And that's why what did god do he cut him down. I'm trying to tell you today that pride is satanic. If anyone here wants to deal with their pride I would ask you to catch a vision of this.

That when you start to speak with all those I statements I can do this. I can do this. I deserve this. I'm going to do this. I deserve this. You're in league with satan. Does that help brothers and sisters.

You're you're a saint. You're washed by the blood of christ but now you start to Think only about yourself just say I I I I I. And you know what satan is saying? Oh, I got him in a good place. It's like he's going to heaven, but he's working for me.

Isn't that horrible? We don't want to ever be like that. Pride is ugly. Second pride is satanic. Think about that. Please the next time your mouth gets filled with I statements. Remember that that's the way satan speaks.

Pride Is Anti-Christ: The Tax Collector’s Mercy

We don't want to be like that. Thirdly pride is antichrist. Look back at luke chapter 18. Luke chapter 18. And let's look at verse 13. So we heard about the pharisee. He's being ugly. He's being satanic.

He's exalting himself. And then we hear about the publican. What's a publican anybody know what that means? It means a tax man. He's the tax collector. He had a position in society that would have tempted him to sin all over the place.

He could have extorted people. He could have taken money from people. It it just it would have been. A job description that was associated with sin all over the place. But here's the publican verse 13.

The tax man. Picture his life. Picture how different this is from what the pharisee did what we just learned about. And the publican standing afar off. Oh, he's standing afar off. Would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven.

Why do we sometimes need to get on our knees. Why do we need to bow. Why do we need to get low even with our bodies. He wouldn't even lift up his eyes to heaven. He knew he wasn't deserving. And then he smote upon his breast.

What does that signify in the old testament? Pain. Pain, yes anguish and repentance. You think of elisha when his mentor elijah died. And there was a a smiting. There was a tearing of the clothes. There was a hitting his chest.

It was a way of saying whoa. It's a way of expressing repentance. Remorse amen. He smote upon his breast. And then what did he say god? Be merciful to me a sinner. And there what does he utter. Pure gospel.

Pure gospel. This man is actually speaking to god. He's not a hypocrite. He's humbled himself. He's stood afar off. He's beat his chest in repentance. He said God and he's actually speaking to god. And then he says be merciful.

What does that mean? Be merciful means hold back the judgment that's due to me. Have mercy have mercy. Be merciful. Hold back the judgment that I know I deserve. And how do we know he knows that he deserves it?

Because he says a sinner. I'm a sinner. Isn't that beautiful gospel right there? If we're true gospel believers, we don't say I I I I deserve this. I should be exalted. Why isn't anybody looking at me?

Why don't I have what I think I deserve? We say god Be merciful to me. I'm, nothing but a sinner. Beautiful gospel. Beautiful gospel. I have to remind you all and i've said this in a few sermons, but let's just think through this again.

The most beautiful and exalted picture of the gospel in all the bible is in romans chapter 3 when paul gives that that that. Detailed picture of the gospel. It's a few verses long. You all know what i'm talking about.

And what does he say right after he lays out the most beautiful picture of the gospel? He says romans chapter 3 verse 27. Where is boasting then? And he says it is excluded. You all picturing that with me.

We know the gospel we speak to god and we say be merciful to me. I'm a sinner. I can only be saved through the blood of jesus christ. I can't get into heaven with my own works. And then paul says so where's boasting?

Where's your pride? And how does he answer? It's excluded. There's no more room for pride if you're a true gospel christian amen. Amen. Pride's death is a major purpose of the gospel. So here I've been telling you pride is anti-christ.

Pride as we see it in these other verses as we see it in the pharisee. Is completely against the gospel and I just want you all to get that the next time pride swells up in your heart. Please tell yourself this.

I don't have the gospel, right? If pride swells up in your heart then say I don't understand jesus christ you see. We have so many ministries today that say that they are christ-centered. You've all heard those terms.

Or gospel-centered. But then sometimes you meet someone in that ministry and they're just reeking with pride. If you are truly gospel-centered then you should say with paul where is pride. Paul where is boasting.

Do I have any more room to be prideful? And we should all just chant with paul. It's excluded. There's no more room for pride in my life. Amen. So again when pride crops up in your breast you say Okay, i'm forgetting the gospel.

I'm forgetting the very essence of the gospel which is meant to do what to humble me. To delete and exclude all pride from my life. Final point. Point number four. We've said pride is ugly. We've said pride is satanic.

We've said pride is anti-christ and anti-gospel and fourth. Pride is doomed. I love this one. Look at verse 14. Our lord says I tell you. This man went down to his house justified. So who went down to his house justified?

The publican the publican the taxman. Amen. Rather than the other. So who didn't go down justified who was not saved in the end of this story? The pharisee the prideful pharisee amen and then Christ says one of the most beautiful things in the bible and this this promise echoes throughout the whole bible.

He says for everyone that exalteth himself shall be Abased. And he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Right there Our lord is giving us a promise. He's saying god has promised that pride is coming down.

Y 'all look at that promise with me. Look at the two Aspects of it everyone that exalteth himself. So you lift yourself up you exalt yourself you magnify yourself like satan. What's going to happen to you?

It's promised right here. He shall be abased. You're coming down. And then what's the opposite he that humbleth himself Shall be exalted. If you humble yourself, you'll be lifted up. Isn't that beautiful?

Like I said that promise rings throughout the whole bible. And it appears especially in isaiah chapter 40 and verse 4. Let me read that to you. Isaiah says and this is a new covenant promise. Isaiah promises every valley Shall be exalted.

And every mountain and hill Shall be made low. I was speaking with a dear brother Recently and I mentioned that verse to him and I said, you know, that's about pride. And he said i've heard that verse my whole life.

I've heard it in uh in messiah by handle handles messiah. You know every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill shall be made low. And he said it's just a beautiful picture. And he hadn't realized.

It's about pride. It's actually talking about the same thing that our lord is talking about here. Everyone just follow me on this isaiah promises every valley Shall be exalted. And every mountain and hill Shall be made low.

He's saying all the low points in your life. All the depression all the grief all the trials all those valleys that you go through. They will be exalted. You're going to be lifted up. And then he also promises.

Every mountain every high place every grove where you worship god in a way He shouldn't be worshiped every time you lift yourself up every time you think that you deserve to be somewhere. That's going to be made low.

Do you all see that? It's such a beautiful promise and that's what our lord is echoing right here. Everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Get this that's a principle for how the whole world works.

That's a principle for how everything works in this world. Every person you've ever seen fits into this promise. The one who's exalting himself He's going to be brought low. The one who's humbling himself He's going to make it to heaven.

Isn't that amazing? Every person you anybody in this room knows fits into this promise somewhere. And so i'll tell you this you can either agree with god's promises or you can kick against them. And god says your mountains your high places are coming down.

And you each christian in this room could say okay lord I agree with that I want them to come down now. And then you could live a blessed christian life. Or you could kick against god's promises and god says your pride is coming down and you say Maybe 20 years from now.

And you say i'm not that prideful. I don't want to confess that. You see what i'm talking about? We can either agree with god's promises and just get in line and just ride on the track of god's promises or We can kick against them.

But this is the amazing thing these promises will finally come true on judgment day, won't they? We can live our whole life kicking against god's promises and leaving mountains of pride in our life. Judgment day you meet god and they they're down.

Humbling Ourselves Through Confession and Repentance

So here's our final application brothers and sisters. I hope you've enjoyed this text. This text is amazing. I hope that every time pride crops up in your heart in the future you turn again to luke chapter 18.

It covers everything it covers everything that the bible tells us about pride. It's such an exhaustive parable. It's so amazing here's your application. Humble yourself. Did you know that the bible doesn't tell us to pray lord humble me.

Now the bible tells us you go humble yourself. Humble yourself. James chapter 4 verse 10 says humble yourselves in the sight of the lord and he shall lift you up. Same exact beautiful promise going there, right?

But what does it say? Does it say we should wait in prayer and say lord, would you please humble me someday? Lord, however long it takes humble me. I've heard all all of us have prayed that way. Bible doesn't say that it says you humble yourself.

You do it today. Humble yourself. Look at our lord right here luke chapter 18 verse 14. What does he say everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. He's telling us you all have the ability to go and humble yourselves, right?

So this is how you do it. When pride crops up you actively identify it you confess it. And you actively kill it. That's it. And then as you do that You'll fly into heaven. Isn't that beautiful? I love this passage.

I pray that this is sweet to you all. I pray that this. The destruction that this passage caused causes to your pride is a sweet destruction. Because as your pride your pride has to come down. No. Is everyone convinced in this room that your pride has to come down?

It has to come down soon. Don't wait 10 years. Don't wait 20 years. Don't say i'm going to deal with that in the future if there's pride in your heart. Let it come down now. Amen. Amen. And I pray this is beautiful to you.

It'll make your life so much sweeter as you get rid of every ounce of pride. And did you know that it can all come down christian. Maybe some of you will have heard this sermon and you're going to say it's going to take years.

And maybe i'll take like 25 of my pride down. No. Take it all down. Be like the tax man. Stand afar off. Don't lift up your eyes to heaven spout upon your breast and say god be merciful to me a sinner.

Don't let any pride remain. There's no pride in that picture of that man that beautiful parable a beautiful illustration of him. He's a prideless man. It's not a it's not a 75 percent pride coming down.

It's no he's crushed under the majesty of god. Amen. Let's pray. I thank you so much lord. Jesus for this beautiful passage. And I thank you lord that we all Know that if you clear away our pride if we humble ourselves lord.

Such sweetness comes in such beauty comes into our souls. Such heavenliness comes in. When we get rid of this constant exalting of ourselves. Lord, I pray that everyone in this room has heard. That those eye statements need to go and that christ needs to rule and reign.