Sermon Central
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Meek But Not Weak
Contributed by Keith Shuler on Nov 5, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: Meekness:a reluctance to assert oneself. It means to be tamed. It means to plow a field.
Meek But Not Weak
Its been said that God is more concerned about our character than he is our comfort. And I have found that God knows how to engineer circumstances so that He can develop our inner man. He is after conformity. He desires that the citizens of the kingdom reflect his image, his heart and his ways. This is why we have what’s the beatitudes.
One lesson God has to teach us over and over again is meekness. Meekness is opposite of what the world teaches us. Instead of saying ‘blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth,’ the world says ‘blessed are the strong for they shall conquer the world.”
We see this example in the lives of Alexander the Great, Genghis Kahn and Adolf Hitler. They were all ruthless men who killed whomever they wanted to in an attempt to conquer the world. But notice that the Lord says that "we shall inherit the earth", that means instead of trying to gain the world, the Lord promises to give us the world. Its not the world we see that’s he’s going to give, but the world that’s to come.
Well if Christ is planning to give us the earth what must we do? He says that we should be meek.
What does it mean to be meek?
It is a reluctance to assert oneself. It means to be tamed. It means to plow a field.
So meekness is a picture of a person being compared to a horse, full of strength and power but controlled and steered, led by the Owner.
On the contrary a piece of land that’s so hard cannot yield any fruit or vegetation. So the farmer has to plow, and then sow seeds. Spiritually as we remain soft instead of hard, then the Lord can bring forth fruit unto righteousness. But sometime He has to plow…
Meekness also keeps a person from wanting to inflict injury because he/she was injured.
Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:15, see that no one repays evil for evil but always seek after that which is good for one another and all men.”
Meekness is the manifestation of another virtue called humility. Humility is submitting oneself under the authority of God.
All leaders need humility. Jesus told his disciples that in order to be considered the greatest leader in the kingdom, you had to be the greatest servant.
Yes in ministry we need to have meekness and humility. Another word for meekness is gentleness.
People that are not gentle don’t need to be ushering.
People who are not merciful don’t need to be ministering.
Well lets take a meekness examine.
1. You know that you are not meek when you always have something to say.
A. Opinionated.
B. Proverb 29:11, a fool utters all of his mind, but a wise man holds his tongue.
2. You know you’re not meek when you like being in the spotlight.
A. Always gotta be seen
B. Matt. 23:5-11. Jesus speaks of the Pharisees who liked to eat at the banquets and be
Seen of men. Sitting in the main seats of the Synagogue.
C. Be weary when men speak well of you.
D. Compliments should humble us and constructive criticism should exalt us.
3. You know you’re not meek when you like to seek revenge.
A. Always trying to pay somebody back
B. I won’t speak to them anymore.
C. Rom. 12:19 “Never take your own revenge, but leave room for the wrath of God.
For he has said “vengeance is mine I will repay.”
4. You know you’re not meek when you want others to serve you.
A. Galatians 5:12, For you were called to freedom, only do not use your freedom as
An opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
1. You know you’re meek when you’re able to inflict pain but you decide not to.
2. You know you’re meek when you’re able to allow God to mold you.
3. You know you’re meek when you have surrendered to God’s will.
4. You know you’re meek when you know you have power but its under control.
5. You know you’re meek when you’re able to endure hardship without bitterness.
6. You know you’re meek when you’re able to forgive.
Well brother Pastor meekness seems to be a weakness.
But when we’re meek we allow God to be strong.
When we’re passive we allow God to be active.
Meekness is allowing God to be God.
One of the greatest examples of meekness is the man called Moses.
He was raised in the house of Pharaoh.
He was educated in the ways of the Egyptians.
But Moses was proud and he killed an Egyptian soldier.
So the Lord had to teach Moses about meekness and humility. He allowed Moses to spend time in the wilderness and sometimes the Lord has to send us into the wilderness to teach us humility.
