Pride on SermonAudio

The sermon presents the Tower of Babel as the culmination of mankind's recurring desire to reject God's authority, exalt itself, and become like God—a temptation first introduced by the serpent in Eden and repeated throughout human history and false religion. Rather than obeying God's command to fill the earth and spread His glory, humanity unites in Shinar to build a city and religious tower reaching toward heaven, seeking to make a name for themselves and establish their own kingdom through human power and works. Their unity becomes an anti-God, anti-dominion project in which mankind attempts to seize what belongs to God rather than receive His blessings by faith. Yet their supposedly magnificent tower is so insignificant that Scripture pictures God as having to "come down" merely to see it, exposing the foolishness of human pride. God therefore confuses their language and scatters them throughout the earth, both judging their rebellion and graciously preventing a unified wicked humanity from destroying the faithful line through which the Messiah would come. The sermon concludes by contrasting Babel's false unity with the true unity accomplished by Jesus Christ: at Pentecost the confusion of languages begins to be reversed as people from the nations hear the gospel and call upon the name of the Lord, showing that humanity does not ascend to heaven through its own works, but heaven comes down to humanity in Christ, whose kingdom gathers redeemed people from every nation into one blood-bought people united around His name rather than their own.

Why is it that people can have the truth standing directly in front of them and still fail to recognize it? In Matthew 13 and 14, we see a powerful principle: the condition of the heart can distort what the eyes see. When Jesus returned to His hometown, the people were astonished by His wisdom and mighty works, yet they could not get past their familiarity with Him. They knew His family. They knew where He had grown up. To them, He was still "the carpenter's son." Instead of allowing the evidence to change their perception of Jesus, they forced Jesus back into the category in which they had always placed Him. Their familiarity became a stumbling block that contributed to their unbelief. Then Matthew takes us immediately to Herod and Herodias. Herod hears about Jesus, but his guilty conscience causes him to conclude that John the Baptist has risen from the dead. Herodias sees John not as God's prophet, but as a threat because John exposed the sin she wanted to protect. Herod himself knows the people regard John as a prophet, yet fear, guilt, political pressure, and the opinions of others influence his actions. Nazareth looked through the lens of familiarity. Herod looked through the lens of guilt and fear. Herodias looked through the lens of rebellion and unrepentant sin. Different lenses—but the same result: distorted perception. In this message, Pastor Brandon Holthaus examines how familiarity, pride, guilt, fear, past experiences, and unrepentant sin can cause us to misinterpret people and even miss what God is doing right in front of us. Matthew 13:53–58

Christ's temptation in the wilderness and the way He triumphed shows believers how to endure temptation through the Spirit of God. From Luke 4, we learn that Jesus was led by the Spirit into a lonely, dangerous, and difficult wilderness, where He fasted, suffered weakness, and faced the devil's attacks against His flesh, His worship, His obedience, and His trust in the Father. The way Jesus dealt with the devil's attacks serves as an example to believers to resist the devil with the Word of God, depend on the Spirit rather than the flesh, recognize that temptation will return for another season, and endure faithfully so that God receives the power, glory, and honor.

The sermon explores the spiritual contrasts between worldly pride and divine sovereignty, using Herod's judgment and the church at Antioch as primary examples. It emphasizes that true power resides in God alone, contrasting Herod's self-exaltation with the humble, fasting-dependent ministry of Barnabas and Saul. The preacher highlights how prayer and fasting serve as vital tools for discerning God's will and engaging in spiritual warfare. By examining the transition from Peter's deliverance to the commissioning of missionaries, the message underscores the urgency of global evangelism. Ultimately, the congregation is challenged to adopt a missional mindset, relying on the Holy Spirit rather than human strength to fulfill God's purposes.

"The Trials of Pride and Patience" - Sermon by Deacon Anthony DeLucia - James 5:1-12

The kingdom of heaven was illustrated by an olive tree. I. BRANCHES CUT OFF AND GRAFTED IN II. THE MYSTERY OF PARTIAL HARDENING REMOVED

The sermon identifies brokenness as the essential prerequisite for genuine spiritual revival, drawing primarily from Jacob's encounter at the Jabbok River. It contrasts the destructive nature of pride with the transformative power of humility, arguing that true intimacy with God requires surrendering self-will and facing one's sin honestly. The preacher emphasizes that resisting God through pride quenches His work, while yielding to Him allows for a deep, lasting change in character. By examining Jacob's limp as a symbol of his dependence on divine grace, the message urges listeners to abandon pretense and seek personal repentance. Ultimately, it calls for a wholehearted commitment to humility, presenting it as the only path to receiving God's blessing and experiencing true revival.

Samson was chosen by God to deliver Israel, but his story in Judges 15 reveals a man driven by impulse, pride, and self-reliance. He fought battles on his own terms, took credit for victories that belonged to God, and treated God more like a backup plan than a constant presence. Even so, God remained faithful, not because Samson earned it, but because God is faithful to His purposes. The same is true for us. We are tempted to rely on our own abilities, forget what God has done, and celebrate our wins without acknowledging the One who made them possible. God does not abandon us in our confusion, but our failure to recognize Him as the source of our strength keeps us from growing into who He is calling us to be. The question is not whether God is at work in your life. The question is whether you are paying attention.