2/24/08
Blessed Are the Meek
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall
inherit the earth.”
Matthew 5:5
We have come to the place in
our study of the beatitudes that we take it up with Matthew 5:5, in which Jesus
says to the multitude on the grassy hillside, “Blessed are the meek, for they
shall inherit the earth.”
Meekness. It is a very important character trait, and
it deserves a well-rounded treatment this morning. We’ll start off with an example of meekness.
It is related of General
Gordon, affectionately known as "Chinese Gordon," that when the
English government sought to reward him for his magnificent service in China,
he declined all money and titles, but accepted a gold medal on which his name
and a record of his thirty-three engagements was inscribed. After his death the
medal could not be found. Finally it was learned that he had sent it to
“Meek” comes from Greek, prauoos.
Meek, gentle, kind,
forgiving, mild, benevolent, humane, humble
Aristotle describes it as the
mean between excessive anger and excessive passivity, so that meekness can be
regarded as strength under control.
· Yielding my personal rights and expectations
with a desire to serve others
· Responding properly to anger when others
violate personal rights
· Learning to earn the right to be heard
rather than demanding a hearing
· The ability or tendency to endure injury
with patience and without resentment (Dictionary Definition)
Passages which contain the Greek word prauoos or synonyms
Jesus self-identifies as prauoos:
Matt. 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me,
for I am gentle and lowly in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden
is light.”
There are two imperatives in
this passage: come and take
Jesus can invite us with
authority to come to Him, and to take up His yoke, and in essence to be
meek and teachable, because He
Himself has demonstrated for us how to be gentle and lowly heart.
You can certainly see the
meekness of Jesus shining through when He washed the dirty feet of His
disciples, or when unselfishly gave of Himself in teaching and healing while
hungry and tired, or when He was silent before His accusers and torturers.
You also see His meekness in
the choice of entrance that He used:
Matt. 21:5 “Tell the daughter of
‘ Behold, your King is coming to you,
Lowly,
and sitting on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.’” (from Zech. 9:9) The King of Salvation is the King of Peace!
Zech.
9:9, 10 “Rejoice, O people of
Shout in triumph, O people of
Look, your king is coming to you.
He is righteous and victorious,
yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—
riding on a donkey’s colt.
I will remove the battle chariots from
and the warhorses from
I will destroy all the weapons used in battle,
and your king will bring peace to the
nations.
His realm will stretch from sea to sea
and from the
He sets aside weapons and
chariots and proclaims peace to the peoples.
He is non-violent and non-warlike.
How Jesus Demonstrated
Meekness (Philippians 2:5-8)
1. Christ yielded His
right to wealth
2. Christ yielded His
right to a good reputation
3. Christ yielded His
right to be served
4. Christ yielded His
right to physical comforts
5. Christ yielded His
right to make His Own decisions
Perhaps the most difficult right to yield is
the right of making final decisions. Without yielding this right to God, we
will never experience God's full potential for our lives. When Christ was on
earth, He made no decisions on His own but did only that which was directed by
His Heavenly Father. His continual attitude was "Not my will, but Thine be
done." Once we have that same attitude, it is then possible for God to
accomplish His will through our lives. If we have the attitude that says,
"I will do this no matter what God says," then we are not following
the example of Christ but of Satan. Isaiah 14 describes the fall of Satan and
it reveals his attitude of pride and rebellion (v.v.12-14). Satan says, "I
will...." The Lord Jesus says, "Father, not My will, but Thine be
done." If we want to live for God and be used by Him to make an impact
upon this generation for Jesus Christ, then it is so important that we allow Him
to make the decisions in our lives. Who's authority are you submitted to? Are
you controlled by the Holy Spirit? Have you ever yielded your rights to God?
New Testament Usage
2 Corintians 10:1-6 “Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by
the meekness and gentleness of Christ—who
in presence am lowly among
you, but being absent am bold toward you. But I beg you that when I am
present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold
against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For
though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down
strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself
against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the
obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your
obedience is fulfilled.”
Galatians 5:22-25 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who
are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we
live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become
conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
Meekness is so important that
God made sure it is listed as one of the spiritual fruit that all believers are
to have in their lives. Notice
that when a person
experiences these wonderful spiritual fruit, they end up being spared from
conceit, envy, provoking. In other
words, meekness will lead us to a life of peace. Peace with God, peace with others.
Galatians 6:1 “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any
trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering
yourself lest you also be tempted.”
Even when working with
someone who has fallen in sin, we are to be meek, gentle, humble before God,
not thinking that we are any better than that person.
Colossians 3:12-17 “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy
and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving
one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave
you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which
is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to
which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ
dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the
Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of
the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Here meekness is set in the
context of mutual forgiveness, kindness towards people. When you are meek, you are not so concerned
about who hurt you or slighted you. You
are more concerned with strengthening relationships out of respect for God, who
has forgiven you. Meekness helps us to
have the peace of God in our hearts.
A sister passage is Ephesians
4:1-3 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the
Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,
with all lowliness and gentleness,
with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
2 Timothy 2:24-26 “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel
but be gentle to all, able to teach,
patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps
will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that
they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil,
having been taken captive by him to do his will.”
Here Paul reminds us that if
we are meek and humble before God, we will be able to teach and correct others
without pouring gasoline on a fire! We
will be able to guide them towards repentance, so that they can come to their
senses, and escape the snare of the devil!
This is serious business!
We each have individuals in
our lives who are teetering on the cliff of death! The devil is holding them captive to do his
will. Do you think that God wants us to
help these people? You bet He does. We have that responsibility before the
Father. But we must be humble and meek
as we work with these people. We are no
better than they. We are fellow
travelers, fellow students under Christ’s tutelage.
Titus 3:1, 2 “Remind them to be subject to rulers and
authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one,
to be peaceable, gentle, showing all
humility to all men.”
Here meekness is spoken of in
the context of being a good citizen; how we carry ourselves in general. A believer in Jesus should be
peaceable and gentle; this
should be the main thing that others notice about us. If it isn’t, then we have some praying to do,
don’t we. The main thing people notice
about us should not be how neatly we dress, how fancy our hair or our shoes
are, how smart we are, but rather how meek and Christlike we are.
1 Peter 3:13-17 “And who is he who will harm
you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for
righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their
threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and
always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a
reason for the hope that is in you, with
meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as
evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it
is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for
doing evil.”
Here Peter tells us that when
we are mistreated, when we suffer for doing what’s right, we should keep a
noble bearing and be ready to humbly explain why we believe what we believe;
why we do what we do as Christians.
James 1:21-25 “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and
overflow of wickedness, and receive with
meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if
anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his
natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately
forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of
liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of
the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”
James teaches us to lay aside
all filthiness and wickedness, and to receive with meekness the implanted word
of God, which is able to save our souls.
It takes meekness to receive the things of God; to surrender to His will
in Scripture. It takes meekness to be
able to look in the mirror of God’s Word, and make the necessary adjustments
that God is revealing to us. Oh, how
important that is.
James 3:13-18 “Who is wise and understanding among
you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have
bitter envy and self-seeking in your
hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend
from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist,
confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from
above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle,
willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without
hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make
peace.”
James contrasts meekness with
self-seeking. It’s the very opposite of
self-seeking. The child of God is to
give up on pleasing oneself, and willing to yield to the God who loves us. It is quite different than what we are taught
in the world. The world tells us to
stand up for our rights at all costs, to sue whenever we have the chance, and
to grab the better position before the next person does. The Bible teaches us to rest in Jesus, and in
His love for us, knowing that His perfect will is being carried out in our
lives, and He wants the very best for us.
1 Pet. 3:3, 4 “Do not let your adornment be merely
outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine
apparel—rather let it be the hidden
person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very
precious in the sight of God.”
Peter reminds us that what
God is after is the jewelry and ornamentation that goes on the inside of a
person. The hidden person of the
heart. The inward beauty of a gentle and
quiet spirit. When you are submitted to
God on the inside, you are truly beautiful, no matter what your exterior
is.
Philippians 2:1-4 “Therefore if there is any consolation
in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any
affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love,
being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done
through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem
others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own
interests, but also for the interests of others.”
When it all comes down to it,
meekness will lead us to think of other people before ourselves. Just like Jesus. It is this authentic love for others that
really characterizes meekness. Only the
meek person can truly love, for they have been freed from the tyranny of self.
Old Testament Usage
Meekness toward God is that
disposition of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and
therefore without disputing or resisting. In the OT, the meek are those wholly
relying on God rather than their own strength to defend them against injustice.
Thus, meekness toward evil people means knowing that God is permitting the
injuries they inflict, that He is using them to purify His people, and that He
will deliver His people in His time. (Is. 41:17, Lu. 18:1-8)
Gentleness or meekness is the
opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest. It stems from trust in God's
goodness and control over the situation. The gentle person is not occupied with
self at all. This is a work of the Holy Spirit, not of the human will. (Gal. 5:23)
“one who is in the position
of a servant”
“one who feels that he is a
servant in relation to God and who subjects himself to Him quietly and without
resistance.”
In reference to God’s people,
who quietly wait on the Lord, even in the midst of hardship and mistreatment;
“triumphant waiting”:
Psalm 37:3-11 “ Trust in the LORD, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and
feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the
desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it
to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the
noonday.
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of
him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who
brings wicked schemes to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret—it
only causes harm.
For evildoers shall be cut off;
But those who wait on the
LORD,
They shall inherit the earth.
For yet a little while
and the wicked shall be no more;
Indeed, you will look
carefully for his place,
But it shall be no
more. But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight
themselves in the abundance of peace.”
In reference to those who
honor and respect God by obeying Him and keeping His requirements:
Zeph. 2:3 “Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth,
Who have upheld His justice.
Seek righteousness, seek humility.
It may be that you will be hidden
In the day of the LORD’s anger.”
In reference of the remnant
people of God:
Zeph. 3:9-13 “ For then I will restore to the peoples a
pure language,
That they all may call on the name of the
LORD,
To serve Him with one accord.
From beyond the rivers of
My worshipers,
The daughter of My dispersed ones,
Shall bring My offering.
In that day you shall not be shamed for
any of your deeds
In which you transgress against Me;
For then I will take away from your midst
Those who rejoice in your pride,
And you shall no longer be haughty
In My holy mountain.
I will leave in your midst
A
meek and humble people,
And they shall trust in the name of the
LORD.
The remnant of
And speak no lies,
Nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in
their mouth;
For they shall feed their flocks and
lie down,
And no one shall make them afraid.”
The children of
Psalm 138:6 “Though the LORD is on high,
Yet He regards the lowly;
But the proud He knows
from afar.”
Moses: Hidden in Christ
Abraham-ben-Ahzad, Pharisee,
listening to Jesus on that grassy hillside, in his mind is brought back to
Moses, whom he believes to be the meekest man of ages past. He remembers the wording of Numbers 12:3 “(Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were
on the face of the earth.)”
Now, Moses wasn’t always
meek. He had quite a temper, and at
first he tried to take matters into his own hands. But in the course of his development, he was
able to daily moderate between parties for his people. As a leader he was able to live up to this
ideal, when, sorely troubled by revolt, he still showed himself to be meek, not
easily offended, and humble.
At the burning bush, Moses was meek before
God. The once proud military general no
longer felt that he was worthy or able to speak for God or to lead His
people. But he was just the man that God
needed.
His meekness was shown in his acceptance of
what God ordained, including endless battles with those negative and
disappointing people whom he was trying to lead from
Moses was a man with a fierce temper -- it
was this which had betrayed him during the time in the wilderness -- but when
God said, in effect, "Now look, Moses, in order to teach the whole world
how much loss sin can bring, I'm not going to let you enter the land; the
people will go in, but you won't," he did not curse God in furious protest;
quietly, if sadly, he accepted God's decision. That's meekness. Meekness, for a
child of God, means accepting uncomplainingly what comes, knowing that it comes
from the hand of God who orders all things. What he sends, we accept in faith
even if it hurts, knowing that it's for our good and others' good.
Joseph: Ability to Forgive
Jacob the peasant, hearing
Jesus words “Blessed are the meek”, remembers Joseph, the brother who was sold
into slavery. He remembers Joseph’s
patience when he was falsely accused and thrown into prison. He remembers Joseph not fighting for his
rights, but rather submitting himself into God’s care. And Jacob the peasant remembers how the Lord
blessed Joseph and enabled him to be a wise ruler, highly esteemed by the
people. He remembers Joseph’s ability to
forgive his brothers for their cruelty, and the kindness he showed to
them. This is meekness.
David: Rising Above Negativity
Zadok, the fisherman, upon
hearing Jesus words about meekness on the grassy hillside, remembers David, and
his ability to spare Saul’s life when he had a chance to take his life. Zadok thinks to himself that if it were he in
that cave, he would have did the ruthless king in, and been done with it.
But Zadok remembers that
David said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my
master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he
[is] the anointed of the LORD.” 1 Samuel
24:6
Zadok the fisherman remembers
when King David was fleeing for his life from his son Absolom and a vast army,
and Shimei came out hurling stones, curses, and insults at David. David, instead of allowing his general to cut
the man’s head off, simply said, “Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the
LORD has ordered him. It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and
that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day.” 2 Samuel 16:11, 12
That’s meekness before the
Lord. David recognized, even in this
vicious attack, the work of the Lord.
There was a kernel of truth in what the man was saying, and David was
able to humbly discard the 95% garbage, and hang on to the 5% truth. That’s meekness. That’s being hidden in Christ. This is what we must do with negativity when
it comes. Recognize the part that is
truth, and discard the garbage. That’s
how we grow.
Implications for Last Days
Meekness Requires Death to Self
Death to self involves the following
concepts:
- Presenting
our bodies as living sacrifices unto God (see Romans 12:1-2)
- Surrendering
to God our rights as Christ did in coming into the world (see Philippians
2:5-8)
- Committing
ourselves to carry out God's will at any cost (see Luke 9:24)
- Recognizing
anger as a symptom of unyielded rights (see James 1:20-21)
Closing:
Luke 9:23, 24 “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life
for My sake will save it.”
What Jesus calls His people
to in these last days is meekness, self-denial.
It is an attitude of surrender to God, to do His will no matter what the
cost. It’s an appeal to find our joy and
meaning and purpose in the Lord and His ways.
This in the only way that you and I will survive the last days. This is the only way that we will receive the
promised Holy Spirit in latter rain power, and be fitted to endure the trying
times that we are about to pass through.
When the Lord describes His
people who avoid the mark of the beast in the last days, here is how He
describes them:
Revelation 14:12 “Here is the patience of the saints; here are
those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”
It’s going to take patience
to make it in these final days. Patience
to trust God with our very lives.
Patience to obey and love God by keeping His commandments and obeying
God even when it is inconvenient or even illegal to do so.
Meekness today in our lives
will lead us to humbly trust and obey the Father now in whatever He is showing
us and teaching us. Meekness will help us
practice to trust and obey God now in a time of peace, so that we will be able
to trust and obey God in a time of calamity and fierce opposition.
Let us take advantage of this
Sabbath, to grow in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us sit at His feet and learn from the
meek and lowly Teacher of Galilee. Let
us practice meekness before the Lord, and embrace whatever He is teaching us
today. For in so doing, we will be
blessed, as Jesus says, and we will one day inherit the new earth that Jesus
will prepare for those who love Him.