READY TO BE MEEK
PSALM 37:1-11
WE HAVE ENTERED INTO A STUDY ON THE BEATITUDES, AND TODAY WE ARE CONSIDERING JESUS’ TEACHING ON THE MEEK. THE BEATITUDES ARE A SERIES OF ATTITUDES THAT EACH BELIEVER SHOULD HAVE IN THEIR LIVES. ONE TENDS TO FEED ON THE OTHER, SO IF THE LINE IS BROKEN, THEN ATTITUDES THAT SHOULD BE IN OUR LIVES JUST WON’T BE THERE.
THE BEATITUDES ARE OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD AND TAKEN OUT OF CONTEST ALTHOUGH THE THOUGHT THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO INTRODUCE IS EXTREMELY VALID. THE FIRST THREE BEATITUDES THAT JESUS STATES RELATE TO OUR SPIRITUAL CONDITION. WHEN BROUGHT FACE TO FACE WITH OUR SINFULLNESS, WE SHOULD BE POOR IN SPIRIT, AND MOURN OUR SINFUL CONDITION AND THE DREADFUL COST THAT JESUS HAD TO PAY AS A RESULT.
I REMEMBER PLAYING WITH A BALL IN THE HOUSE WHEN I WAS A CHILD. MOM HAD TOLD ME NOT TO, BECAUSE I MIGHT BREAK SOMETHING, BUT IT WAS RAINING OUTSIDE AND I NEEDED SOMETHING TO DO.
MOM WAS ASLEEP ON THE COUCH AND I WAS PLAYING IN ANOTHER ROOM SO SHE COULDN’T HEAR. I BROKE A VASE MY GRAND-MOTHER HAD GIVEN TO MY MOTHER. SHE HEARD THE CRASH, ASKED WHAT HAPPENED, AND NOW I HAD TO TELL HER WHAT I DID.
I WENT INTO THE ROOM WITH MY HEAD HELD LOW, SPOKE IN A QUIET VOICE, TEARS STREAMING DOWN MY FACE. I KNEW I HAD DONE WRONG AND THAT SHE WAS GOING TO PUNISH ME, AND SHE DID. APPEARING MEEK SOMETIMES GETS YOU OUT OF TROUBLE, SOMETIMES IT DOESN’T.
TODAY WE ARE LOOKING AT HIS TEACHING ON THE MEEK, AND IT TAKES THE LESSONS WE HAVE LEARNED EVEN FURTHER. WHAT JESUS WANTS US TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT WE HAVE NOTHING TO BOAST ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR SALVATION. THE SCRIPTURES DECLARE:
GALATIANS 6:14: MAY I NEVER BOAST EXCEPT IN THE CROSS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THROUGH WHICH THE WORLD HAS BEEN CRUCIFIED TO ME, AND I TO THE WORLD.
WHEN WE BOAST IN THE CROSS WE TESTIFY TO THE POWER OF CHRIST. WE TESTIFY TO HIS LOVE FOR US, AND THE GIFT OF SALVATION HE DIED TO GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE. WHEN FACED WITH THE AWESOMENESS OF JESUS’ LOVE FOR US, WE SHOULD APPROACH HIM IN ALL HUMILITY, REALIZING THAT WITHOUT HIM I WOULD BE NOTHING.
POINT ONE: MISCONCEPTION OF THE MEEK?
THERE IS A WORLDLY MISCONCEPTION THAT HAS INVADED CHURCH CIRCLES AS WELL THAT MEEK IS EQUATED WITH A WEAK MINDED OR WEAK WILLED INDIVIDUAL. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT THE CASE. CONSIDER TWO MEN THAT THE BIBLE PORTRAYS AS MEEK, MOSES AND JESUS. THESE ARE TWO OF THE STRONGEST AND MOST COURAGEOUS MEN KNOWN TO HISTORY AND WE SERTAINLY WOULDN’T CALL THEM MEEK, BUT THEY LIST MEEKNESS AS ONE OF THEIR CHARACTERISTICS.
PERHAPS YOU HAVE HEARD OF THE “DEPENDANT ORDER OF REALLY MEEK AND TIMID SOULS”. THIS IS ONE GROUP YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE PART OF. WHEN YOU MAKE AN ACROSTIC OF THE FIRST LETTERS OF IT’S NAME YOU GET “DOORMATS”. THEIR OFFICIAL INSIGNIA, A YELLOW CAUTION LIGHT. THEIR OFFICIAL MOTTO IS “THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH, IF THAT’S ALL RIGHT WITH YOU.”
POINT TWO: WHO ARE THE MEEK?
WHAT THEN DOES IT MEAN TO BE MEEK? THE OPPOSITE OF MEEK IS NOT STRONG, BUT RATHER OUT OF CONTROL. WE SHALL SEE THAT THE PERSON WHO IS TRULY MEEK HAS REALIZED HIS OR HER SPIRITUAL POSITION, AND HAS GAINED THE HUMILITY TO REALIZE THAT WE NEED TO SUBMIT TO THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST IN OUR LIVES.
THE GREEK WORD FOR “MEEK” IS “PROATES” AND IT MEANS “ANGER UNDER CONTROL.” THE PERSON WHO IS A TRULY MEEK PERSON HAS THEIR ANGER UNDER CONTROL. IT IS WHY PAUL LISTS IT AS ONE OF THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.
GALATIANS 5:22-23:
BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, FORBEARANCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, 23 GENTLENESS AND SELF-CONTROL. AGAINST SUCH THINGS THERE IS NO LAW.
GENTLENESS AND SELF-CONTROL ARE THE ESSENTIAL QUALITIES OF MEEKNESS IN A PERSON’S LIFE. IT IS NOT A NATURAL QUALITY, BUT A GOD-GIVEN GIFT THAT IF EXERCISED ALLOWS US NOT ONLY TO CONTROL OUR ACTIONS, BUT ALSO OUR TONGUES.
MEEKNESS DOES NOT MEAN THAT A PERSON DOES NOT GET ANGRY. SELFLESS ANGER IS DIRECTED AGAINST THOSE WHO ARE HURTING OTHERS. IN HUMILITY WE DO NOT REACT WHEN ANGER IS HURLED AT US, BUT WE ALSO ARE NOT TO PUT OURSELVES IN DANGER PHYSICALLY.
MEEKNESS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE ARE HELPLESS, BUT THAT WE CHOOSE TO CONTROL THE STRENGTH THAT WE HAVE. THEY SEE THEMSELVES AS THE SINNER THEY ARE, AND ARE AMAZED NOT THAT GOD COULD LOVE SOMEONE ELSE, BUT THAT HE COULD LOVE A SINNER LIKE ME.
DR. MARTIN LLOYD JONES WRITES:
“MEEKNESS IS ESSENTIALLY A TRUE VIEW OF ONESELF, EXPRESSING ITSELF IN ATTITUDE AND CONDUCT WITH RESPECT TO OTHERS….ONE WHO IS TRULY MEEK, IS AMAZED THAT GOD AND MAN THINK OF HIM AS WELL AS THEY DO.”
THE PERSON WHO IS TRULY MEEK REALIZES THAT THEY ARE NOT SPIRITUALLY SELF-SUFFICIENT. WE ARE DEPENDANT ON THE POWER OF GOD IN OUR LIVES. WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE ARE IN SELF, AND IT IS NOT GOOD, IN FACT IT IS TOTALLY BANKRUPT SPIRITUALLY AND MORALLY. IT IS IN A STATE OF SPIRITUAL BANKRUPTCY THAT WE TURN TO GOD AND CAST OURSELVES ON HIS MERCY.
MATTHEW 11:28-29:
“COME TO ME, ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND BURDENED, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST. 29 TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU AND LEARN FROM ME, FOR I AM GENTLE AND HUMBLE IN HEART, AND YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 FOR MY YOKE IS EASY AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT.”
THE GREEK WORD FOR “MEEK” IS “PRAEIS” AND TRANSLATED GENTLE OR MILD. THE IMAGE CLOSELY RELATED WITH MEEK AND IT’S MEANING IS THAT OF THE HORSE.
THIS FURTHER DESTROYS THE IDEA THAT MEEK EQUALS WEAK, BECAUSE YOU WOULD NOT ASSOCIATE MEAK WITH HORSES.
I ALWAYS ENJOYED WATCHING THE HORSE SHOWS AT THE EXHIBITION. THEY JUDGED NOT ONLY THE TEAMS OF HORSES, BUT THEIR DRIVERS AS WELL. THEY HAD A COURSE SET OUT AND THE DRIVERS WOULD HAVE TO NAVIGATE IT, WITH RIGHT AND LEFT TURNS, GOING FORWARD AND BACKWARD, WITH THE FINAL TASK OF BACKING INTO A VERY SMALL AREA LIKE PARALLEL PARKING.
THE MEN HAD VERY LITTLE DIFFICULTY NAVIGATING THE COURSE AND BACKING INTO THE PARKING SPOT. THERE WAS LITTLE USE OF THE REINS AND THE HORSES KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE ASKED TO DO AND THEY DID IT.
THE AMAZING THING IS THAT THEY ALSO HAD A COMPETITION FOR FEMALE DRIVERS ON THE SAME COURSE, WITH EXACTLY THE SAME RESULT.
WHAT I WANT YOU TO REALIZE IS THAT IT WAS NOT THE STRENGTH OF THE DRIVER THAT MADE THE HORSES OBEY. IT WAS THE FACT THAT THE HORSES WILD SPIRITS WERE BROKEN, AND THEIR GREAT STRENGTH WAS UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE DRIVER. THE HORSES SUBMITTED TO THE WILL AND DIRECTION OF THE DRIVER.
THE SAME THING IS TRUE OF A MEEK PERSON. A TRULY MEEK PERSON IS A PERSON WHOSE INNER POWER IS UNDER CONTROL. THEY WILL NOT REACT IN ANGER WHEN PROVOKED, INSULTED, OR HURT. THEY WILL NOT SEEK REVENGE, NOR TO BE PROVEN RIGHT AT ANY COST. IT IS SUFFICIENT THAT THE RIGHT THING IS DONE NO MATTER WHO GETS CREDIT.
A.W. TOZER WROTE:
“THE MEEK MAN IS NOT A HUMAN MOUSE AFFLICTED WITH A SENSE OF HIS OWN INFERIORITY. RATHER HE MAY BE IN HIS MORAL LIFE AS BOLD AS A LION AND AS STRONG AS SAMSON; BUT HE HAS STOPPED BEING FOOLED ABOUT HIMSELF. HE HAS ACCEPTED GOD’S ESTIMATE OF HIS OWN LIFE. HE KNOWS HE IS AS WEAK AND HELPLESS AS GOD DECLARED HIM TO BE, BUT PARADOXICALLY, HE KNOWS AT THE SAME TIME THAT HE IS IN THE SIGHT OF GOD OF MORE IMPORTANCE THAN ANGELS. HE IS IN HIMSELF, NOTHING, IN GOD, EVERYTHING. THAT IS HIS MOTTO.”
JESUS WAS A TRULY MEEK MAN BUT CONSIDER THE ULTIMATE RESULTS OF HIS MEEKNESS AS PAUL DECLARES TO THE PHILIPPIAN CHURCH:
PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11:
IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH ONE ANOTHER, HAVE THE SAME MINDSET AS CHRIST JESUS: 6 WHO, BEING IN VERY NATURE GOD, DID NOT CONSIDER EQUALITY WITH GOD SOMETHING TO BE USED TO HIS OWN ADVANTAGE; 7 RATHER, HE MADE HIMSELF NOTHING BY TAKING THE VERY NATURE OF A SERVANT, BEING MADE IN HUMAN LIKENESS. 8 AND BEING FOUND IN APPEARANCE AS A MAN, HE HUMBLED HIMSELF BY BECOMING OBEDIENT TO DEATH— EVEN DEATH ON A CROSS! 9 THEREFORE GOD EXALTED HIM TO THE HIGHEST PLACE AND GAVE HIM THE NAME THAT IS ABOVE EVERY NAME, 10 THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH AND UNDER THE EARTH, 11 AND EVERY TONGUE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER.
OUR REWARDS ARE NOT BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE OR CAN GAIN IN THIS WORLD. WE ARE NOT LIKE THE PHARISEES WHO PRAYED ELEQUENTLY JUST TO HEAR THEIR WORDS, OR TO GAIN PHYSIAL POSSESSIONS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY ROT AND DECAY. THE SAYING IS STILL TRUE TODAY. I’VE NEVER SEEN A U-HAUL ON THE BACK OF A HEARSE. THE BIBLE DECLARES:
MATTHEW 6:19-20:
“DO NOT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES ON EARTH, WHERE MOTHS AND VERMIN DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES BREAK IN AND STEAL. 20 BUT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN, WHERE MOTHS AND VERMIN DO NOT DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES DO NOT BREAK IN AND STEAL. 21 FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO.
IT BRINGS UP A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR US TODAY. WHERE IS YOUR HEART TODAY? WHAT DO YOU TRULY DESIRE?
POINT THREE: HOW CAN WE BE MEEK TODAY?
I READ AN ACRONYM THAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU ON HOW WE CAN BECOME MEEK IN GODLY CHARACTER.
MEEKNESS IS BEING LIKE CHRIST. WHEN CHRIST MADE HIS TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM MATTHEW RECORDS JESUS’ WORDS:
MATTHEW 21:4-5:
THIS TOOK PLACE TO FULFILL WHAT WAS SPOKEN THROUGH THE PROPHET: 5 “SAY TO DAUGHTER ZION, ‘SEE, YOUR KING COMES TO YOU, GENTLE (MEEK) AND RIDING ON A DONKEY, AND ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A DONKEY.
JESUS KNEW WHY HE WAS GOING TO JERUSALEM AND ACCEPTED THAT THIS WAS THE WILL OF HIS FATHER AND IT WOULD NOT CHANGE. HE CHOSE TO OBEY AND EXALT HIS FATHER’S WILL, NOT HIS OWN.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT HE TOLD PETER WHEN HE TRIED TO STOP HIS ARREST?
MATTHEW 26:53: DO YOU THINK I CANNOT CALL ON MY FATHER, AND HE WILL AT ONCE PUT AT MY DISPOSAL MORE THAN TWELVE LEGIONS OF ANGELS?
A LEGION WAS MADE UP OF 6000 FOOT SOLDIERS AND 600 HORSEMEN. MULTIPLY THAT BY 12 AND THE NUMBER OF ANGELS JESUS HAD AT HIS DISPOSAL WAS 80,000. BELIEVE THAT, AND YOU
WOULD BE WRONG! LOOK AT THE VERSE AGAIN. IT SAYS HE COULD CALL MORE THAN 12 LEGIONS SO THE ANSWER IS OVER 80,000 ANGELS AT JESUS CALL. JESUS HAD THE POWER BUT HE CHOSE HUMBLE SUBMISSION AND NOT TO USE THE POWER AT HIS DISPOSAL, THAT IS MEEKNESS.
JAMES PACKER WROTE:
“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 IS FOR OUR AND OTHERS’ GOOD.”
ESTEEMS OTHERS BETTER THAN HIMSELF.
PHILIPPIANS 2:3-5:
DO NOTHING OUT OF SELFISH AMBITION OR VAIN CONCEIT. RATHER, IN HUMILITY VALUE OTHERS ABOVE YOURSELVES, 4 NOT LOOKING TO YOUR OWN INTERESTS BUT EACH OF YOU TO THE INTERESTS OF THE OTHERS. 5 IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH ONE ANOTHER, HAVE THE SAME MINDSET AS CHRIST JESUS
HUMILITY DOES NOT MEAN THINKING LESS OF YOURSELF THAN OF OTHER PEOPLE. IT IS ACTUALLY OPPOSITE OF THAT. IT IS BEING SO CONFIDENT OF CHRIST’S PRESENCE IN YOUR LIFE, THAT YOU CAN ALLOW OTHERS TO HAVE THE SPOTLIGHT AS YOU SEEK TO BUILD GOD’S KINGDOM. THE IMPORTANT LINE IN THIS PASSAGE IS “HAVING THE SAME MINDSET AS CHRIST JESUS.” IF WE ALL HAD THIS MINDSET WE COULD WORK TOGETHER TO HELP BUILD THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN CAMPBELLTON.
ENCOURAGING WITH OUR WORDS:
GALATIANS 6:1: BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IF SOMEONE IS CAUGHT IN A SIN, YOU WHO LIVE BY THE SPIRIT SHOULD RESTORE THAT PERSON GENTLY (WITH MEEKNESS). BUT WATCH YOURSELVES, OR YOU ALSO MAY BE TEMPTED.
RESTORE IS A SPECIAL WORD THAT MEANS “BRING BACK”. OLD HOMES, AND CARS ARE RESTORED TO PRISTINE CONDITION.
THE THING TO NOTE IS THAT THE RESTORATION IS TO BE DONE “GENTLY”, OR WITH MEEKNESS AND COMPASSION. WHEN RESTORING WE ARE DEALING WITH VULNERABLE PEOPLE WHO CAN EASILY BE BROKEN BEYOND REPAIR. TREAD LIGHTLY.
AS A MEEK PERSON WE REMEMBER THAT WE TOO WERE RESTORED BY CHRIST. SOMEONE WITNESSED TO US, SOMEONE DISCIPLED US AND WATCHED US GROW. SOMEONE IN LOVE SHOWED US THE ERROR OF THEIR WAYS. IT NOW BECOMES OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO REMEMBER WHERE WE CAME FROM, AND REMEMBER OUR VULNERABILITY TO FALL AGAIN, AND IN HUMILITY HELP SOMEONE BACK INTO THE FOLD.
KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS.
COLOSSIANS 3:12-13:
THEREFORE, AS GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE, HOLY AND DEARLY LOVED, CLOTHE YOURSELVES WITH COMPASSION, KINDNESS, HUMILITY, GENTLENESS AND PATIENCE. 13 BEAR WITH EACH OTHER AND FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER IF ANY OF YOU HAS A GRIEVANCE AGAINST SOMEONE. FORGIVE AS THE LORD FORGAVE YOU.
A MEEK PERSON WILL ALWAYS KNOW THAT THE KNIVES THEY ABSORB IN DOING MINISTRY, WILL ALWAYS BUILD THE KINGDOM, NOT DESTROY IT. KEEP TRACK OF THE GOOD IN OTHERS, AND THEY WILL KEEP TRACK OF THE SPIRIT IN YOU.
John MacArthur WROTE:
“THE MEEK PERSON IS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT DEFENDING HIMSELF BECAUSE HE KNOWS HE DOESN’T DESERVE ANYTHING. HE DOESN’T RUN AROUND TRYING TO GET HIS DUE.”
CONCLUSION:
JESUS STATEMENT IN MATTHEW COMES FROM PSALM 37:9-11. IT SAYS THAT THE MEEK WILL INHERIT THE EARTH BUT WHY WOULD THEY WANT IT?
THIS IS WHY. IT IS NOT THIS EARTH THAT JESUS WAS TALKING ABOUT. IT WAS THE NEW EARTH, OUR FINAL HOME. PSALM 37:11 SAYS THE MEEK WILL ENJOY GREAT PEACE, AND SO WE SHALL. WHEN WE ARE AT HOME IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
WHEN THE CHURCH BECOMES A GATHERING OF MEEK PEOPLE, THEN THE PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING WILL BE THE RESULT, AND WHAT A BLESSED AND VICTORIOUS CHURCH THAT CAN BE.
MATTHEW 16:25: FOR WHOEVER WANTS TO SAVE THEIR LIFE WILL LOSE IT, BUT WHOEVER LOSES THEIR LIFE FOR ME WILL FIND IT.
