Pride Comes Before the Fall - Sermon Blog
We’re deep into our Hot Ones series—tackling the kind of topics that make us squirm a little. And let’s be real: this week’s message didn’t just step on toes—it exposed a root that runs through every one of us.
I preached this one to myself.
We talked about pride—the silent killer, the invisible root of visible chaos, the sin behind the sins. The kind of issue that hides in both arrogance and insecurity. The kind that can sit in a church pew or behind a pulpit. The kind that sneaks in and builds platforms under our feet—until the moment they collapse.
Pride Isn’t Just Loud. It’s Sneaky.
Most of us think of pride as arrogance, as the loudest voice in the room. But pride doesn’t always shout “look at me.” Sometimes it whispers “don’t look too closely.”
Pride can look like self-reliance. It can sound like defensiveness. It can feel like people-pleasing, perfectionism, comparison, or over-apologizing. Pride isn’t just attention-seeking; sometimes, it’s attention-avoiding. But it always has one thing in common:
Pride puts us at the center of what God was meant to reign over.
When You Build the Platform, You Carry the Pressure
God gives you giftings. He gives you talents. He gives you personality. But they weren’t meant to build your platform—they were meant to move His presence.
That was the visual I shared: cardboard boxes with the words gifting, talent, and personality written on them. We try to stack them, stand on them, and build a kingdom that looks impressive on the outside—but can’t carry the weight of our calling. Why? Because you’re not built to carry what only God can hold.
That’s pride. Building your platform instead of surrendering to His presence.
And pride always leads to collapse. Not because life gets hard—but because God opposes the proud. That’s not my opinion. That’s James 4.
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” – James 4:6
That word oppose in Greek is a military term. It means to line up in battle formation against. Why? Because God protects His throne. And when we try to sit on it, He doesn’t stay silent—He actively resists.
James 4: A Heart Check, Not Behavior Modification
James wasn’t writing to the world. He was writing to the church. To Christians. To people who claim to follow Jesus. And he starts his letter by confronting fights and disunity in the church—not as isolated issues, but as symptoms of something deeper:
Envy
Jealousy
Selfishness
Lust
Division
False motives
But James doesn’t stop there. He digs to the root:
“You adulterers! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” – James 4:4
The issue isn’t just what we’re doing—it’s who we’re crowning as King. Pride takes God’s place. Humility gives it back.
Pride Hides in Church Clothes
Church, we need to recognize that pride doesn’t just live in rebellion. It lives in religion too.
It was the root issue of the Pharisees—who looked perfect on the outside but were rotting with self-righteousness on the inside. They built platforms out of rules, status, and tradition. But Jesus saw through it. Because pride doesn’t just break relationships—it breaks intimacy.
And it’s everywhere:
Marital conflict? Pride.
Church drama? Pride.
Burnout? Pride.
Comparison? Pride.
Prayerlessness? Pride.
“I’m fine”? Pride.
“I’ll do it myself”? Pride.
We keep asking God to fix the fruit—but we won’t let Him uproot the tree.
The Only Way Down Is the Way Up
James says it clearly:
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” – James 4:10
God’s grace doesn’t meet you at the top of the mountain. It meets you in the valley—at the bottom of the platform you built.
That’s where freedom lives. That’s where healing begins. That’s where the presence of God returns—not when we perform, but when we surrender.
So here’s the call: Step off the box.
Get off the platform. Let your giftings serve, not elevate. Let your personality connect, not control. Let your talents build others up, not just build your name.
You don’t need a stage to be seen by God. You don’t need applause to be loved by God. You need humility.
Because pride will collapse under the weight of your calling—but humility will carry it all the way into the presence of God.
Let’s Ask the Hard Questions:
Where have I taken credit that belongs to God?
Am I resisting correction or receiving it as love?
Have I made my platform more important than His presence?
Pride builds a kingdom that collapses. Humility builds a church that endures.
Let’s be the latter.
