Part Six of The Way Up Is Down Series

 
JESUS – THE SUPREME EXAMPLE

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:10)

(Note: Last time we looked at four real-life applications of the “way up is down” principle. Today we finish this series by looking at Jesus as the supreme example of this principle.)

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Finally, let me point you once again to our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the supreme example of this principle. God could have stayed up in heaven and shouted this principle down to us, and it would have been just as true. But he didn’t just shout it out to us.

The way up is down, so Jesus the Son of God came down to earth as a man. “He humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross. Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 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” (Phil. 2:8–11).

So Jesus is riding into Jerusalem. It’s Palm Sunday. The people are cheering him on. But Jesus knows better. He comes humble and lowly, riding on a donkey. His face is set toward the cross at Calvary. Jesus is the living embodiment of this verse in James 4:10: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

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Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this series.

Note: You can access the whole series here:
The Way Up Is Down Series
 

Part Five of The Way Up Is Down Series

 
REAL-LIFE APPLICATIONS

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:10)

(Note: Last time we learned that the top of the mountain is that place of perfect peace and contentment that we find in God alone. We also learned that God’s way up is down. Now we look at some real-life applications of this principle.)

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Let’s look at a few applications of this principle so we can see how it operates in real life. And to do that, we need to return to the four ways the world says we get from here to there and see how God’s way works instead.

First of all, let’s look at the world’s way number 1 — the way up is “up,” the path of self-exaltation. You know when I struggle with this one the most? When I am first meeting people in a new situation. It’s very tempting in a new setting to try to prove yourself to others. You find yourself talking about yourself and putting yourself forward in ways that maybe you don’t in more familiar situations.

Why do we do this? Because we are convinced that the way up is “up.” But if we take God’s way, we will take more interest in the other person, loving them for God’s sake, seeking to learn more about them, seeking to build them up rather than building ourselves up in their eyes. And then we let God lift us up in his way and his timing. The way up is not “up.” The way up is down.

And then there’s the world’s way number 2 — the way up is “over,” the path of self-promotion. This one gets tricky, because there are legitimate times when we need to promote ourselves, for example when you are putting together a résumé or interviewing for a job. The key here is to be honest. Don’t put on your résumé: “I am a lousy person and a terrible worker. You would never want to hire me. Why don’t you hire the next person instead?”

No, Romans 12:3 says this: “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” In other words, know your abilities and give an honest assessment of yourself to your boss or potential employer.

But even as you do so, recognize that everything you have comes from God. Give God the glory for the abilities he has given you. And remember, promotion comes not from self and not from others but from the Lord. Psalm 75 says: “No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another” (Ps. 75:6–7). The way up is not “over” other people. The way up is down.

And then there’s the world’s way number 3 — the way up is “through,” the path of self-effort. The very worst example of this is when we try to work our way into heaven, when we try to earn God’s favor by our own good works.

Good works are good, but they are not the way to salvation. The Bible says: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). We are not saved by our own works but by God’s grace given to us through Jesus his Son, who died for us so that we could be forgiven.

And how do you reach this place of God’s blessing and favor? You humbly confess your sins to God, you admit your need for a Savior, and you believe that Jesus died to be your Savior. The way up is not “through” your own efforts. The way up is down.

And what about the world’s way number 4 — the way up is “around,” the path of self-preservation? Jesus said: “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matt. 16:25). It’s another one of those paradoxes, but it’s so true. If you try to save your life, you will lose it, but if you lose your life for Christ, you will find it in a way you never thought possible.

The way up is not “around,” because you can’t go around the cross. You can’t go around the cross for salvation, and you can’t go around the cross as a Christian. God’s way is not the way of self-preservation but the way of self-denial. The way up is down.

Next: Jesus – The Supreme Example

Part Four of The Way Up Is Down Series

 
GOD’S WAY UP

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:10)

(Note: Last time we looked at the four main ways the world tries to get to the top of the mountain: “up, over, through, and around.” Now we will look at God’s way.)

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So if the way up is not up, and it’s not over, and it’s not through or around, what is the true way up? This is where we turn to God’s way, and we find that God’s way up stands in stark contrast to all the world’s ways. God says: “The way up is down.” That’s what the word “humble” means in James 4:10. It translates a word that means “to make low” or “to bring low.”

This is the path of self-denial. Self-denial is the very opposite of pride, because instead of exalting yourself (the way up is up), or promoting yourself (the way up is over), or taking pride in your efforts (the way up is through), or seeking to preserve your life at all costs (the way up is around), you deny yourself: you take up your cross and follow Christ instead.

Notice James says you are to humble yourself “before the Lord.” It is not enough just to deny yourself certain pleasures or privileges in life. You could do that and still take pride in your self-denial. You could even end up flaunting your humility before others. But you can’t fool God. James says to humble yourself “before the Lord.” The word translated “before” literally means right in front of God, right in his sight, right in his presence. This is a humbling of yourself primarily before God, not before other people.

Now you would think that shouldn’t be too difficult. I mean, really, how hard can it be to humble yourself before God? God is pretty big, and we’re pretty small. And yet the fact that we all struggle with this shows just how much pride is engrained in our sinful nature.

And what will God do when you humble yourself before him? James says: “He will lift you up.” He will take you from here to there. He will bring you to the top of the mountain.

Now I promised you earlier that I would tell you what the top of the mountain is. We have already seen that it is not financial security, it is not success in your chosen field, and it is not finding the perfect relationship here in this world.

So what is the top of the mountain? The top of the mountain is that place of perfect peace and contentment that we find in God alone. That’s it! That’s the top of the mountain. Not everyone realizes that is what they are looking for, but it is. St. Augustine said it best when he prayed: “Almighty God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you” (Confessions, I, 1).

And how do you get from here to there? How do you get to that place of perfect peace and contentment in God? God says: “The way up is down.” “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:10). It’s a paradox.

A paradox is something that seems contradictory at first glance but upon closer inspection proves to be true. There are a lot of paradoxes in Scripture: the first shall be last and the last shall be first; blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth; whoever among you wants to be the greatest must become the least and the servant of all. And perhaps at the top of the list: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” How do you get to the top of the mountain? The way up is down.

Next: Real-Life Applications

Part Two of The Way Up Is Down Series

 
THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:10)

(Note: Last time we talked about how everyone is “here” and wants to get “there.” We illustrated this with the image of a mountain. The “here” where you are right now, that part of your life that you would like to see change or improve, is located at the base of the mountain. The “there,” the place where you want to be is located at the top of the mountain. So how do you get from here to there? How do you get to the top of the mountain?)

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First we need to identify the top of the mountain. What is this place we are all looking for?

1) Some people believe financial security is the top of the mountain. They think: “If I just had enough money so I didn’t have any more financial problems or worries — that would be the top of the mountain for me.” But we know financial security isn’t the top of the mountain, because there are too many rich people who are miserable. There are too many wealthy people who are still trying to get from here to there. Money can’t buy you love, and money doesn’t make you happy. Financial security is not the top of the mountain.

2) Some people think success in their chosen field is the top of the mountain. They tell themselves: “If I could just get that promotion, or strike that business deal, or win that award — that would be the top of the mountain for me.” But the people who’ve been there, the ones who have already climbed to the top of the ladder, will be the first to tell you it always leaves you wanting more.

Tom Brady was quarterback for the New England Patriots and a multiple Super Bowl winner. He said this in a 2007 interview:

“Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there’s something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, ‘Hey man, this is what is.’ I reached my goal, my dream, my life. I think, ‘… it’s got to be more than this.’ I mean this isn’t, this can’t be what it’s all cracked up to be … I love playing football and I love being quarterback for this team. But at the same time, I think there are a lot of other parts about me that I’m trying to find.” (https://tonyreinke.com/2008/01/10/tom-brady-super-bowl-rings-and-ecclesiastes/)

Brady would go on to win even more Super Bowl rings, but even at what seemed like the very pinnacle of his career, he testified that success is not the top of the mountain.

3) Others think finding the perfect relationship is the top of the mountain. That’s getting closer, but the truth is there are no perfect relationships in this world because there are no perfect people in this world. If you are looking for a human relationship to give you ultimate meaning and purpose in life, you will find yourself disappointed every time.

So what is the top of the mountain? I’m going to tell you what the top of the mountain is and how to get there, but before we do that, I want us to look at some of the ways the world says we get up the mountain.

Next: The World’s Ways Up

For Holy Week this year, I would like to share some reflections on James 4:10 that I shared in church on Palm Sunday. I’ve divided the message up into sections, so you can read it a little bit at a time. I will update this post daily with the links to each section so if you join in late you can read the whole series in order. I hope you find these reflections helpful in your own life. God bless, and Happy Easter!

The Way Up Is Down Series
1. Everyone Is Here and Wants to Get There
2. The Top of the Mountain
3. The World’s Ways Up
4. God’s Way Up
5. Real-Life Applications
6. Jesus – The Supreme Example