The Cure for Self-Absorption | The Gospels | Matthew 3:13–16
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Why do we struggle with self‑absorption and how does the episode begin?
Welcome to 10 Minute Bible Talks,
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I'm Tanya Wilmoth. Have you ever met someone who made you feel like they had nothing more important to do than have a conversation with you? They listened without moving their eyes away when you were talking. They didn't scan the room to see who else was coming in. They didn't glance down at their phone or interrupt you. They didn't connect what you said to something about them. They just listened until you were done and you felt truly heard. Tim Keller wrote a short book called The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness. And he sums this up in a couple of sentences. He said, the thing we would remember from meeting a truly gospel humble person is how much they seem to be totally interested in us. Because the essence of gospel humility is not thinking more of myself or thinking less of myself.
It is thinking of myself less. I think thinking of ourselves less is something we would all strive to do, but it is really hard because if we're honest, most of us have a self-absorption problem. We want to be people who are in the art of self-forgetfulness. But the reality is that we are living by a playbook called The Freedom of Self-Absorption. And that book sounds a little bit different because the things in that book say, be your own boss. It says, do what feels good. And it says, listen to your inner voice. The problem with playing by that book is that we're not equipped. We're not wired by our creator to handle ourselves that way. And so when we do that, we don't have the power.
What does Tim Keller say about gospel humility and thinking of ourselves less?
We don't have the power to rule over our own lives. So when we try, we experience things like overwhelm and guilt and anxiety. We end up burning bridges instead of building them. We end up comparing ourselves to others and falling short and constantly thinking of ourselves causes us to either love ourselves or hate ourselves. There seems to not be an in-between. So what's the cure? What's the solution for self-absorption? Here is the thing. Self-absorption and unbelief are actually closer than we usually admit because both keep the spotlight on us. It keeps the spotlight on whether we are capable, whether we're worthy before God and others, whether we measure up. whether we can do what we think we're supposed to do.
It keeps the focus on us instead of on who God is. Doubt and unbelief say, I can't trust this because I don't understand it well. Self-absorption says, I can't trust this because it doesn't center on me. They're different sentences, but the subject is always I or me. So the only way we can think of ourselves less is is if we think of Jesus more. The only way to loosen doubt's grip is the same way we loosen self-absorption's grip by keeping our attention and our worship fixed on God and asking Him to help us in our unbelief. So let's take that. Let's look at our biblical passage for today, because I think you'd be surprised that even John the Baptist struggled with this. Even John the Baptist struggled when he met Jesus face to face.
See, John the Baptist was on a mission to prepare the way for the Lord. But when he met Jesus, his own sense of unworthiness kept him from simply obeying what Jesus told him to do.
How is self‑absorption linked to doubt and what’s the proposed cure?
From Matthew 3, verses 13 to 16, listen in. Then Jesus came from Galilee to John of the Jordan to be baptized by him. But John tried to stop him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me? Jesus answered him, "'Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness.' Then John allowed him to be baptized. When Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water. The heaven suddenly opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him, and a voice from heaven said, "'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.'" John's hesitation was a kind of doubt dressed up as humility. Surely you don't mean me. Surely this isn't how it's supposed to go.
We go around trying to tell Jesus what to do or what we're not going to do or what we're not fit to do, what we don't feel like doing.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
Why do we struggle with self‑absorption and how does the episode begin?
0:00–1:45
2
What does Tim Keller say about gospel humility and thinking of ourselves less?
1:45–3:36
3
How is self‑absorption linked to doubt and what’s the proposed cure?
3:36–5:43
4
Why did John the Baptist hesitate to baptize Jesus and what does that reveal about doubt?
5:43–7:18
5
How does Jesus’ baptism illustrate the power of the Holy Spirit over our doubts?
7:18–8:39
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study
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