Lesson 16

TOPIC:THREAT TO CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP: PRIDE

TEXT: Proverbs 11:2; 29:23.

AIMS:

1. To teach that pride is an unarmed enemy, less considered but has capacity to destroy greatness.
2. To teach that the best way to avoid being trapped by pride, is to secure our territory with humility.

INTRODUCTION

Everyone is a soldier, the distinctive differences in our identities depend on the ideologies we stand for or against, the interest of whom we fight for or against, and at the command of the leader we’ve been enlisted to fight along with. To succinctly fight and successfully defeat one’s enemy in ground battles, one must strategically position his or herself where the enemy can be seen very well. It’s a brilliant idea to attack one’s enemy from such angle, it will also be a plus to one’s rank if the enemy can be captured alive.

If we are always aware of the battles that are coming, we can prepare ahead to fight, but there is one enemy, so hard to identify, deadliest one that strikes silently, unseen one that kills faster than any sophisticated weapon (s)! It’s called “PRIDE”. The moment pride sets in, everything becomes abnormal, we must strive by always engaging, the weapon of humility to incapacitate the manifestation of pride.

DISCUSSION

1. How dangerous is pride?
2. Is there any level one can attain in life that pride cannot bring him down?
3. What should be our attitude when we notice that praise of men is gradually entering into our head?
4. To what extent can we benefit when we choose humility over pride?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Pride can blindfold us to our faults and as well stop us from learning and growing. The more we enjoy the offer of pride, the more we incapacitate our benefit from others. It is better to humble ourselves and enjoy the benefits of godly association than raising our personal bar above that of others until we fall beyond recovery.

MEMORY VERSE: James 4:10.