SCRIPTURE: Philippians 1:27-2:30 (Page 1396); Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (Page 879)
SERMON: Get Down!										   22 July 2001

  I. WISDOM FROM ABOVE, CONTINUED (Jms.3:15a,17a)

A. ABOVE/BELOW (Jms.3:15b; see 15a,17a)

B. HUMBLE/EXALT (Jms.3:14,16; see 4:6,10)

C. HUMILITY: DOWN TO THE GROUND
1. humiliation (1Sam.17:49; Jer.19:7; Amos 3:14; Acts 9:4; 22:7; see 2Kngs.10:10; see Gen.3:19)

2. hair of head (1Sam.14:45; 26:20; 2Sam.14:11; 1Kngs.1:52)

3. bird, stars (Amos 3:5; Mt.10:29; see Rev.6:13(Is.14:13; Lk.10:18,15); Dan.8:10)

4. respect (Gen.44:14; Ruth 2:10; 1Sam.20:41)

5. worship (2Chr.20:18; see Job 1:20; Judg.13:20; Ezk.38:20; see Rev.4:10; 5:14)

D. ILLUSTRATIONS
1. rain, snow (Gen.7:12; Job 37:6; see Is.55:10,11)

2. seed (Jms.3:18(1:18:&22; 2Tim.3:14-17); see Lk.8:5f; 1Cor.15:36f,43; see Gen.3:19)

E. LESSON: HUMBLE EXALTED (Jms.3:18; 4:6:10; Mt.23:12; 1Pt.5:5; see 1Cor.15:36f,42f)

II. THE ONE COMING FROM ABOVE 

A. WISDOM FROM ABOVE (Jms.3:15,17 with 1Cor.1:30,31)

B. RAIN FROM HEAVEN (Ps.72:1f; 6,7)

C. LIGHT FROM HEAVEN (Jn.1:9; 3:19(13); 12:46; see Rom.5:12)

D. MANNA FROM HEAVEN (Jn.6:31f,38; see 4:34; 8:29; see 5:41,44; 7:18; see Lk.22:42)

E. HUMBLING HIMSELF (Phil.2:7,8; Mk.10:42-45,35f; see Jms.3:17)

F. SOWING HIMSELF (Phil.2:3-8; see 1Cor.15:36f; see Jms.3:18)

G. RAISED UP (Phil.2:9f; see 1Cor.15:36f; see Jms.4:6,10; Lk.14:11; 18:4; see Lk.6:38; 9:24; 2Cor.9:6)

H. CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP (Phil.2:5,3f; 3:7f; 10,11; 2:19f,27; contrast 1:15,17; see Mk.8:24=Lk.9:23)

III. WHAT IS HUMILITY?

A. ATTITUDE 
1. toward God (Is.6:1f; Ezk.1:1f; Rev.4:1f; 5:1f)

2. toward man (Phil.2:3f,5,20; Mk.10:42,45; see Rom.12:3f,10b,16; see Lk.18:9f(14); Rom.14:3,10)

B. ACTIONS 
1. toward God (Is.6:5; Ezk.1:28; 2Chr.20:18; Rev.4:10; 5:14)

C. SUMMARY (Mt.22:37,39) 

IV. GET DOWN! (Phil.2:1f; 2:20; 3:5f; see Rom.12:16; 15:1f; Jms.3:13-18; 4:6,10; Lk.14:11; 18:4; see Lk.6:38; 9:24; 2Cor.9:6)
Get down, as in get down off your high horse, whether from false pride or true honor!  Sow yourself into the ground in humble, obedient worship to God and service to men.  In Christ, we are called to serve, not be served.  And, in Christ, we are promised that, as we sow ourselves into the ground in humble, obedient worship and service, God will raise us up, like a green plant, in the glory and blessing of perfect life with Him forever.