Daniel 4:1-37 “Pride and Humility”

INTRO> Wow… we wanted to take a few moments before continuing in our text to celebrate and recap what happened last weekend at the Coliseum. We had over 100+ volenteers and according to the Coliseum’s management anywhere between 1,300-1,500 people in attendance.

• “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” Romans 13:7
• Read the list of the names of every volunteer.
• “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20

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CONTEXT> It is also very timely for us that we are studying the book of Daniel, because today God has a word for us. The context of this chapter is Pride…. How timely for us! We see King Neb at the center of this chapter, he becomes prideful about all that he has done and his kingdom and God brings him down.

• • • The in Bible the word pride has a couple of roots to it but it mainly means “to be make oneself high”

APP> Pride is the obsession to have God’s position.

• • • “The LORD tears down the house of the proud but maintains the widow’s boundaries.” Proverbs 15:25
    • “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 16:5
    • “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”- James 4:6
    • v37 “those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”

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Big Idea > God will pursue you and purify you of your pride.

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1. A Picture of Pride.

1. 1. Pride hides in false praise. v2-3 – King Neb seems to be genuine in his praise but remember what we learned? He is adding God to his life but he is still at the center of his life.
   2. Pride lies about contentment. v4,28-30 – Again, we see a man who has everything but can’t sleep, his conscience is still so troubled.
   3. Pride hardens  the heart. v28- 12 months! This is so dangerous, this is playing with fire!
   4. Pride take credit for what God did. v30– O really bro, go back to Daniel 1:1 *ILL> Being in College, and hearing about the professor who caught the kid who used a paper when he bough the car.
   5. Pride makes you an animal.v33 – Do you see what Daniel is showing us here, you become beast like.

“The essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison. It was through Pride that the devil became the devil. Pride leads to every other vice. It is the complete anti-God state of mind.” C.S. Lewis

The Pride Test:

• • • Which is easier for you to give, a compliment or a critique?
    • Do you feel like you are always the exception?
    • Can only “certain” people influence you?
    • Do you demand recognition?
    • Which is easier for you? Proving you are right or admitting you are wrong?
    • Are you arguing with this list?

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Big Idea > God will pursue you and purify you of your pride.

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• What I love about this passage is that God is pursuing him! WOW

2) The Healing of Humility.

APP> Humility is the ability to empty yourself of any prominence.

1. 1. Humility knows it’s place. v27,35 – Do you see what Daniel is telling him, he give him something to do. To sere people, then King Neb knows his place v35
   2. Humility sees the gift. v36– He realizes that it’s all a gift. Pride wants to work for it, Humility knows that it has to be received.
   3. Humility bows the Knee v37 – This King bows his knee to THE King.

Close>

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,  so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11

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Big Idea > God will pursue you and purify you of your pride.

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