The Fruit of the Spirit
Part 6 – Gentleness
Rev. Bruce A. Shields
First Baptist Church Tawas City Michigan
www.TawasBaptist.org
WELCOME
We are continuing our Series on The Fruits of the Holy Spirit, this being Part 6.
We’ve spoke over the past few weeks on Love, Joy and Peace, and week before last we spoke about Longsuffering. Today I would like to talk about Gentleness.
INTRODUCTION
In the King James Version this characteristic, or Fruit of God’s Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23, is described as Gentleness.
Most of the more modern translations change it to kindness or goodness, which doesn’t make much sense considering the next Fruit IS Goodness.
The literal Greek word means moral excellence in character or demeanor.
With Goodness as the next Spiritual Fruit, Gentleness is a better description of this characteristic.
Gentleness is an important and almost forgotten form of behavior.
One scripture could never really capture the full scope of the meaning behind this Characteristic.
It is a thoughtful, polite, gracious, considerate, understanding act of kindness which stems from a very tender heart.
The world in which we live knows very little about tenderheartedness.
This characteristic is God’s, which comes through us because of His Holy Spirit dwelling within us.
Our gentleness is the result of the compassion of the Holy Spirit for a lost and dying humanity.
The hurrying, bustling and pressurized life we live tends to make even some of the finest of Christians annoyed at the interruptions of “the little people.”
I know I can be guilty of this myself sometimes, as I’m sure most of us are.
If I were to look back, there are many lost opportunities that I will never be able to regain.
But as I grow in the Lord, as we all should be doing, and the closer I get to Jesus, He prunes me.
His Holy Spirit, like as masterful Gardner, trims away a little more of me each day, allowing only His precious Fruit to slowly grow and develop in my life.
The Holy Spirit is nurturing the work of the Lord in me, and allowing the Fruit to blossom and grow to maturity.
This is the way it is in each one of us who allow God’s work through the Holy Spirit within us.
This gentleness is not the ways of man, but the way of Christ. It is a beautiful characteristic of our God.
The Lord Jesus’ gentle spirit serves as an illustration when contrasted with the disciples’ cruel, but oh so human, attitude toward the children who had been brought by their parents to be blessed by Him.
The scripture tells us that the disciples rebuked those who brought them, but Jesus said something different.
Our scripture reading today is in Mark 10:13-16.
Listen to the contrast of the characteristic of the human nature in the disciples versus the Spiritual Nature of Gentleness in our Lord.
SCRIPTURE READING
Mark 10:13 – 16
“13 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 16 And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.”
When Jesus saw this, the NIV says He was indignant. The original Greek word here means Jesus was greatly afflicted.
The behavior of the disciples toward those who were trying to get to Jesus hurt Him.
How many times in the scriptures do we see God angered over those who stand between God and man?
The disciples, acting on the fruit of their flesh, angered Jesus and offended Him because they prevented the children from coming to Jesus.
This touching, or laying on of hands, that they came for began back in Genesis when Joseph was obedient to God and took his two sons to Israel (Jacob), to be blessed.
Joseph was also blessed.
The laying on of hands is part of the blessing that Jesus did.
Do you see the paradox in this scripture?
Do you see the battle between the flesh of the disciples and the Spirit of God?
Do you see the dilemma?
The sinful flesh says “Get back! Don’t come near to the Lord!”
The Lord is a busy man.
He has no time for the likes of you.
He has serious matters to take care of.
He couldn’t possible make time in His busy schedule for you, maintaining the universe and the heavens and everything in it and all.
Why do we as people insist on building barriers between God and man?
Sometimes we even use church doctrine, which is really the doctrine of man in disguise.
How? Some churches deny you communion unless you’re a member.
So apparently the membership to the church is above membership in the body of Christ.
The devil doesn’t want you to receive a blessing.
The devil doesn’t want your children to receive a blessing.
And he will do whatever it takes to keep you from it.
He did it back then, what makes you think he won’t do it today?
There is more to being saved than going to heaven.
As if heaven isn’t enough!
There are blessings and benefits to belonging to the Kingdom of God.
And God wants to bless you now, on earth! Not just when you go to heaven.
But Jesus, who was led by the Holy Spirit, not His flesh, spoke up and was upset at the disciples.
The paradox of this scripture is; the disciples were strongly rebuking the people for bringing their children to Jesus, while Jesus was strongly blessing those brought to Him.
Why was this laying on of hands so important?
Why was blessing these children so important?
It was important enough for Jesus to get upset and say “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
The laying on of hands, the blessing, is very important to God, especially in children.
Proverbs 22:6
“Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
The Hebrew word translated into train here literally means to initiate into a discipline.
To bring your child to a man of God and have him lay hands on your child and bless him or her, is your proclamation that you are dedicating your child to the Lord.
You are proclaiming that your child is God’s child, and the blessing from God will lead that child down the Lord’s path.
This is why we have child dedications.
This is why when Rebekah was born we had Jonathan Cheatham officiate the dedication of her. He laid hands on her and the blessing of the Lord upon her.
We initiated her into the discipline known as Christianity.
She belongs to the Lord.
So Jesus was upset when the disciples were stopping the children from coming to Him.
He was upset because of His gentleness. His tender heart wanted the people to come to Him.
His Gentleness caused Him to act.
First Jesus told them not to stop the children from coming and receiving their blessing.
Then He told them why.
"Let the little children come to me, and do not obstruct them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
15 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 16 And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.”
How were these children receiving the Kingdom of God?
They were trying to get to Jesus so He could touch them, and bless them.
What else were the children doing to enter the Kingdom of God?
Nothing.
The only way to the Kingdom of God is through Jesus Christ.
Like these children, we need Jesus. We need to get to Him, and let Him touch our lives and bless us.
If we do not have the spiritual fruit of gentleness needed to operate in the Spirit, we too may be keeping others from the Kingdom of God.
We may be preventing others from getting to Jesus.
The simplicity of the little child is the model and the rule for everyone who desires, by the Grace of Christ, to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven.
If not, you will not enter.
Jesus said so.
Another aspect of the characteristic of gentleness is forgiveness.
The gentle characteristic of the Holy Spirit never asks such a question as, “How often must I forgive my brother when he sins against me?”
Or, “Should I forgive my brother when he sins against me?”
Or, “Isn’t there a limit to how much a person can stand?”
The Holy Spirit is able to give gentleness in the face of all kinds of pressure.
How many times has the Lord forgiven your sins?
Do you want the Lord to forgive your sins?
Is there a limit the Lord should set on how many times you can be forgiven in your life?
The Lord forgives your sins; in the same way forgive others.
How can you not forgive others, and then expect to be forgiven by the Lord?
Sometimes we think so highly of ourselves.
Sometimes we think we are so much better then so and so.
I’ll never forgive them for what they did.
Lord forgive me for my sins.
Does the Lord hear that prayer?
Remember the Pharisee, “I thank God I am not like that man…”
No, you’re not like that man.
He is humble, and righteous before the Lord because he confesses his sins.
The gentleness we show to others can be a bridge for them to come to the Lord.
Gentleness in the form of being thoughtful to other people for their feelings can build relationships.
It’s these relationships that are so important to God.
This is why we have to work together to be the body of Christ. God wants us in relationships with each other.
No one Christian can be the body of Christ.
To be considerate to others, even those who have sinned against you will foster forgiveness.
Forgiveness will build relationships.
To have a tender heart and to care for the lost is to be gentle.
If you’re a man and you cry are you a wimp?
Absolutely not.
Jesus cried when His friend Lazarus died.
Who is more of a man than Jesus was?
Talk about strength, to withstand what He did.
He cried because of His gentleness, His tender heart.
It is from this gentleness that we receive our compassion for others.
Without that compassion for others, we can’t truly accomplish what the Lord has given us to do.
How can you preach the good news of Jesus Christ to those you have no compassion for?
You can’t.
Jesus, who possessed the Holy Spirit “without measure,” pictured Himself as a shepherd gently caring for easily injured sheep, and He, through His followers, tenderly cares for them today.
Do you need this fruit of gentleness in your life? Yes.
Can you receive it today? Yes.
Perhaps you have never had the opportunity to come to Jesus.
Perhaps people or circumstances in your life have kept you from receiving Jesus’ touch in your life and blessings from Him.
Jesus wants you to come to Him today, just as though children did.
Jesus wants to touch you today; He wants to touch your heart.
The Lord wants you to receive your blessing from Him.
If you have never felt Jesus in your life, come up during this closing song and I’ll pray with you.
Nothing says it better than the last verse of our scripture reading today.
16 And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.”
Come to Him.
Let Jesus take you in His arms right now.
Let Him lay His hands on you and in your life.
Let Jesus give you the blessings that He has stored up for you.
If you have a need or want prayer for healing, come forward and the Elders will pray with you.
If you want prayer, the Elders will be here for as long as there are those who are coming forward.
