Pride on SermonAudio

The sermon explores the concept of the patience of the saints, arguing that enduring through trials and maintaining faith until the end is the evidence of true salvation. It examines Revelation 13 to show that God sovereignly allows persecution and hardship to refine believers, emphasizing that suffering is part of His divine plan rather than a sign of abandonment. By citing Psalm 40, the message highlights God's active role in lifting believers out of despair and establishing their steps, contrasting this with the temporary nature of false conversions described in 2 Peter 2. The preacher urges believers to examine their own lives, warning against pride and complacency while affirming that genuine faith is sustained by God's power, not human effort. Ultimately, the central theme is that perseverance is the fruit of God's grace, proving that those who remain steadfast are truly partakers of Christ.

In Chapter 3, John Owen explains that frequent thoughts about spiritual things do not inherently prove a person is spiritually minded if those thoughts are merely triggered by external means—such as hearing the preaching of the Word, exercising spiritual gifts in prayer, or engaging in religious conversation. While these external occasions excite temporary mental activity and emotional fervor, they lack an internal root and dry up once the external stimulus ends, functioning like transient guests at an inn. In contrast, true spiritual mindedness springs from an inward, vital principle of saving grace that continuously produces spiritual thoughts like children residing in a home. In prayer specifically, Owen distinguishes between the mere operation of natural gifts—which can mimic piety and foster self-pleasing pride—and the active exercise of grace, which yields genuine spiritual growth, a humble delight in God, a consistent life of watchfulness against sin, and an equal regard for all Christian duties.

The sermon examines the account in Matthew 12 where Jesus heals a man with a withered hand in the synagogue, challenging the Pharisees' legalistic interpretation of the Sabbath. The central message emphasizes that doing good and showing mercy are lawful and essential on the Lord's Day, contrasting the compassion of Christ with the hostility of those who prioritize rules over people. The preacher draws a parallel between the ancient plot to accuse Jesus and the modern experience of believers facing criticism for standing on biblical truth, urging the congregation to respond with humility and grace rather than pride. By referencing Old Testament commands to help neighbors, the text highlights that the intent of the law is love, not restriction. The message concludes with a call to view the Sabbath as a time for worship and necessary acts of mercy, warning against the blindness of judgment and encouraging believers to trust in God's sovereignty over human accusations.

The Canons of Dort The Fifth Head of Doctrine – The Perseverance of the Saints ARTICLE 12 – This doctrine of perseverance (that the saints may never be lost) does not work pride in man, but works humility, reverence, piety, patience, prayer, endurance in suffering, confession of the truth, and rejoicing. This certainty of perseverance, however, is so far from exciting in believers a spirit of pride, or of rendering them carnally secure, that on the contrary it is the real source of humility, filial reverence, true piety, patience in every tribulation, fervent prayers, constancy in suffering and in confessing the truth, and of solid rejoicing in God; so that the consideration of this benefit should serve as an incentive to the serious and constant practice of gratitude and good works, as appears from the testimonies of Scripture and the examples of the saints. Not the source of pride. The source of humility. Canons of Dort: Certainty of perseverance does not make us careless. It makes us humble. Childlike reverence. Fervent prayer. Gratitude and good works —for the glory of the God who holds us. Not fire insurance.

Isaiah saw the Holy One, and He is King over all. The Lord is high and lifted up; He gives His glory to no other. In the presence of our Holy God, we readily recognize ourselves as guilty and without excuse. Which is why we must behold our King if we would ever find freedom from pride, self-aggrandizement, and self-righteousness. We must not avoid this piercing conviction of God's holiness, for this holiness is our only hope of being pure before our King. This King, who reigns from the throne, is also the Suffering Servant who placed himself on the altar for our cleansing. Although we come before His throne guilty, His work cleanses, consecrates, and commissions us for His good purposes. It is the Holy God who transforms us into His saints, His holy ones.

This sermon examines the institution of the Lord's Supper in Luke 22, emphasizing the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice for all sins. The central message contrasts the irrevocable condemnation of Judas, for whom there is no remedy, with the enduring grace shown to the disciples despite their pride and Peter's impending denial. The preacher highlights how Christ's desire to share the Passover with His followers demonstrates that His broken body and shed blood fully cover their weaknesses and future failures. By addressing the disciples' strife over greatness and Peter's doubt with compassion and promises of a kingdom, the sermon illustrates that believers are not dependent on their own moral perfection but on the complete atonement of Jesus. The tone is comforting and instructional, urging the congregation to rest in the assurance that no sin is beyond the reach of Christ's forgiving blood.

In the absence of established authority, society inevitably descends into chaos, as illustrated by the biblical condition of Israel lacking a king, where 'everyone did what was right in their own eyes.' The sermon emphasizes that stable families, grounded in biblical principles, are the foundation of a healthy nation, with clear roles and boundaries fostering both discipline and freedom. Without parental authority and structure at home, children fail to learn submission, accountability, and moral boundaries, leading to broader societal breakdown. The call is urgent: families must be restored as God intended, with fathers leading spiritually and parents jointly establishing godly discipline, for only then can national revival begin. This vision calls for prayer, personal responsibility, and a return to biblical order as the antidote to cultural decay.

This sermon examines the character traits of the wicked individual described in Proverbs 6, highlighting how distorted speech, deceptive actions, and a heart full of mischief reveal a person's true nature. The central focus shifts to the seven things the Lord hates, with particular emphasis on the abomination of sowing discord among believers. The message warns that God views division within the church with the same severity as other grave sins, urging believers to examine their hearts for pride, lying, and wicked imaginations. It provides practical guidance for identifying and shutting down gossip by refusing to be a passive listener and instead encouraging direct, honest confrontation to preserve unity. The tone is convicting and instructional, calling the congregation to guard against the subtle spread of division and to pursue biblical balance and truth in their relationships.

The sermon examines the oracles of judgment found in Isaiah chapters 21 through 23, focusing on the divine warnings against Babylon, Edom, Arabia, Judah, and Tyre. It highlights the central theme that placing trust in human nations, political powers, or self-reliance leads to inevitable destruction, whereas true security is found only in God. The teaching contrasts the fleeting prosperity of worldly systems, symbolized by Babylon and Tyre, with the enduring sovereignty of the Lord who orchestrates history for His purposes. By referencing New Testament parallels in Revelation, the message underscores that the world system is ultimately opposed to God and subject to His judgment. The tone is instructional and convicting, urging the audience to reject the 'eat and drink' mentality of despair and instead rely on the Creator who sustains all things.

This sermon examines the Prayer of the Publican from Luke 18:13, analyzing the theological weight of acknowledging one's status as a sinner before a holy God. It contrasts the humility of the publican with the pride of the Pharisee, using examples from Isaiah and Exodus to illustrate the overwhelming nature of God's holiness and the human inability to stand in His presence without a mediator. The message emphasizes that God's justice is satisfied through the atoning work of Jesus Christ, allowing Him to extend mercy to those who repent. The preacher urges the audience to recognize their total depravity and need for grace, concluding that justification is found only in the cross, not in personal righteousness.