Scriptures:
Psalms 10:4
Proverbs 16:18
Isaiah 13:11
James 4:6
1 Peter 5:5
Luke 18:10-14
Genesis 3:1-6
What put Jesus on the cross?
The answer is simple... Sin.... Specifically, Pride. The Pharisees' pride made them blind to the fact that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah. Adam and Eve's pride made them disobey God and eat the forbidden fruit. Our pride makes us unable to see that God loves us and wants what is best for us. We must battle each day to keep our pride in check so that God can use us for His glory. I wear an armband that says "I Am Second". It refers to the I Am Second ministry that attempts to spread the gospel by filming people - ordinary and famous - giving their testimony. All of these testimonies are about how they came to the realization that Christ had to be first in their lives. Appropriately, each of them ends their testimony with "I Am Second". This message of "I Am Second" stands opposite of our popular culture - which encourage us to focus on self. You've heard the sayings "I'm looking out for number one" and "I'm gonna get mine". These are clear evidence that this world full of pride and exalts self above God.
Why is pride so bad?
God has made it clear in scripture that he detests pride and its effect of causing people full of pride to exalt themselves above Him.
Isaiah 13:11
And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
James 4:6
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Luke 18:10-14
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 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.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 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.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
My Testimony
Let me tell you how pride has affected me. In early 2009, I found myself living with my Mother and had lost my house, my family, and my marriage. At almost 40 years old, I was adrift and wondering how I got to that point in my life. As I look back, I can most assuredly tell you that pride and its tag-along sin, self-centeredness, had cost me my marriage and greatly affected my life. From the outside, it appeared that we had the perfect life - Good careers, beautiful children, and good, church-going Christians --- In reality, we were mostly playing church. Pride and self-centeredness kept us from truly worshiping and serving God. Just like Adam and Eve, we allowed our desires to overcome God's commands. Sin is like that. It can creep into your life through temptations and if you give in to sinful desires, you will grow away from God. If there is space between you and God, He did not move.
How do we know if we are prideful?
If we think we are not full of pride or that someone else has a problem with pride, we most likely have a prideful spirit. If we can't stand it when someone snubs or ignores us or someone else exhibits a prideful spirit, we need to ask God to help us get rid of our pride and humble ourselves.
How do we resist pride?
James 4:10 - Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
As the opposite of pride, humility is seen by the world as a weakness. We must remember a humble and obedient Jesus went to the cross as the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
Jesus taught about humility in his ministry:
Matthew 18:4
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 22:36- 39
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
When Jesus answers the lawyer about the great commandments, you can see that we have to be humble in order to obey both of these commandments. You cannot love God with all your heart, mind, and soul and put yourself first. You also cannot love your neighbor as yourself, if you love only yourself.
What does all this mean?
John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
God sent Jesus as a sacrifice for us - Jesus' shed blood covered all sin - past, present, and future. We are bought with a price. God wants us to humble ourselves and come to Him so that He can give us eternal life in heaven with Him. Each of us needs to remember what the cross symbolizes -- Jesus died for us!
The cross is viewed by some as an offensive thing -- and they are right - it is offensive - offensive to sin. Because on the cross, Jesus conquered sin, death, and hell. The cross is offensive because it forces us to face our sin - if we understand what the cross stands for, we have to face Jesus and choose to accept or reject Him.
God doesn't hate us. He hasn't forsaken us. He loves us! It does not matter how unworthy we feel. We are worthy of accepting that gift of salvation. It does not matter how full of sin we are - each and every one of us is a sinner. The difference is whether we are a saved sinner or a lost sinner. If you are lost, please accept Jesus' invitation today. If you are a Christian and are feeling like God has deserted you, please ask God to show you how you moved and re-new that close relationship with Him.