Mat 7:7 - Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

1Jo 5:14 - ...if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us:
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Related Sermons: Faithfulness, Goodness, Joy, Peace, Kindness, Patience, Love, Self Control

Choose to Be Meek

  1. Introduction
    1. I Believe
    1. God first before ourselves
    2. Others first before self
    3. Step back to step forward
    1. Study on the Fruit of the Spirit
    1. Galatians 5:22 – Meekness Today
    2. Sermon Title: Choose to be Meek!
    3. Worldly Definition of Meek
      1. Weakling, pansy, coward, chicken
    1. Random House Definition of Meek
      1. Humbly Patient
    1. Meekness is much more… It is strength, courageousness, trust, commitment, fearlessness, conviction, and other brave hearted characteristics.
    1. The Objective of this Sermon is to Learn What it is to be Meek.
    1. Matthew 5:5 - Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the [Land] earth. (Sermon on the mount)
      1. Meekness is important.
      1. Meekness is not about us.
      2. Meekness is about God.
    1. Mat. 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
      1. Jesus teaching how to Glorify God in lives.
      1. Aim was for Christian lifestyle to make others think about God.
  1. Introduction to Psalm 37
    1. Similarity between Matt. 5:5 and Psalm 37
    1. Psalm 37:11 may indeed point to Mat. 5:5
    2. Psalm 37:11 - "The meek shall possess the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity."
      1. Words are almost identical.
    1. Psalm 37:9b - "Those who wait for the Lord shall possess the land."
      1. Draw some Conclusions:
      • If meek will possess the land,
      • And those who wait for the Lord will possess the land,
      • Then the meek are those who wait for the Lord.
    1. From verses 11 and 9, we can see the early text here in Psalm 37 is talking about the Meek.
    1. Let’s Begin our Study of What it is to be Meek in Vs. 5-8 of Psalm 37.
  1. 4 Characteristics of the Meek from Psalm 37:5-8
    1. The Meek Trust in God
    1. Verse 5b – “Trust also in Him and He will do it”
    2. Meek people begin by trusting God.
      1. Believe He will work for them
      1. Believe He will show them right in the face of Opposition..
    1. Biblical meekness is rooted in the deep confidence that God is for you and not against you.
      1. Rom. 8:31 – Who can be against us with God being for us?  No one of consequence.
      • Joshua demonstrated trust at the walls of Jericho.
      • Gideon Demonstrated trust with 300 men against Midianites and Amalekites.
      • David Demonstrated this trust against Goliath.
      • Shadrak, Meshack, and Abednego demonstrated it going to the firey furnace.
      • Daniel demonstrated trust on the way to the Lion’s den.
      • Christ demonstrated trust on the way to the cross.
      • Stephen Demonstrated trust as He was stoned to Death by the Sanhedrin
      • Paul demonstrated trust as a prisoner on his way to Rome.
    1. These Men Chose to be Meek and trust in God.
    1. The Meek Commit Their Way to God
    1. Verse 5a - meek people commit their way to the Lord.
    1. The Hebrew word for "commit" means literally to "roll."
    2. Meek people TRUST God and roll their "way" onto the Lord.
      1. Roll Problems over to God.
      1. Relationships,
      2. Health,
      3. Fears,
      4. Frustrations
    1. They admit they are insufficient to cope with the obstacles of life.
    1. They believe God is able and willing to help, guide, and protect them.
      1. Mat 11:30 - For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
      1. The Meek commit their way to God
    1. They know they are spiritually poor! (Mt. 5:3)  They can’t deal with it on their own.
    1. The Meek Are Quiet Before God and Wait for Him
    1. Verse 7a, meek people patiently wait for the Lord..
    1. Not lazy. They're free of frenzy, panic, worry.
    2. They have a steady calm that comes from knowing that God:
      1. Knows all
      2. Can Do All
      3. Has their affairs under his control
      4. Is a gracious God
      5. Will work things out for the best.
    1. Meek people have a quiet steadiness in the midst of upheaval.
    1. Wait for God’s Timing.
      1. Ex. Dan. 3:14-3:18 - Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego
      1. Ex. Acts 16:22-26 - Paul and Silas in Prison Singing
    1. The Meek Don't Fret over the Wicked
    1. Verse 7b and 8 is that they don't fret or anger themselves over the wicked who prosper
    2. Why do the wicked always seem to be doing so well?
    3. Easy to get wrapped up in frustration over sin that seems to be rewarded.
    4. PAGE 753 in Song Book.  Read First and Last.  “Farther Along”
    5. The Meek focus on the mansions of Christ, not the World.
      E. Summary
    1. What does meekness mean in this Psalm 37?
      1. It means Trusting God, committing our Way to God, Waiting for His Timing, and not becoming angry about the benefits of being wicked.
  1. 5th Characteristic of Meekness from Moses
    1. Numbers 12:1–4 describes an occasion when Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses.
    1. In the following verses the Lord rebukes Miriam and Aaron and vindicates his servant Moses.
    1. But Let’s Examine Verse 3 closer.
    1. Meekness Between Opposition and Vindication
    1. Why call Moses meek right between the bitter opposition and God's vindication?
    1. Perhaps the point is that meekness means committing your cause to God and not needing to defend yourself.
    2. Just where we would expect the text to tell us what Moses said to justify himself against the charge of Miriam and Aaron, the text says he was the meekest man on the earth.
    3. Moses doesn't say a word. Instead he:
      1. He waits patiently for the Lord.
      1. He doesn’t worry over these critical words.
      2. And God comes to his defense.
    1. A 5th Characteristic of the Meek.
    1. We can now add a 5th trait of meekness: It trusts, commits, waits for God, and keeps from anger; it also refrains from revenge and defensiveness.
    1. Meekness is the power to absorb adversity and criticism without lashing back.
    2. Ex. Boxers – Don’t work out with Porcelain punching bags.
      1. Bags can absorb great shocks without any problem.
      1. The Meek understand that Vengeance is the Lord’s! – Rom. 12:19.
  1. 6th Characteristic of Meekness in James
    1. James 1:19-21 - Know this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
    1. Two Kinds of People
    1. James has in mind two kinds of people here.
      1. A person who does not take time to listen to what other people have to teach.

        - Has fretful anger, doesn’t listen, doesn’t hear, knows it all.

      1. A Person who is receptive to the Word of God.Listens and considers.
      1. - Receives with meekness – humble patience – the Word of God.
    1. Thus, 6th characteristic of Meekness Is Teachable – Open to Reason
    1. This means we don't have a resistant, hostile spirit when we are being taught.
    1. It doesn't mean:
      1. We are gullible.
      2. We will never get angry about what some people teach.
    1. Verse 19 says that we should be "SLOW to anger," not never experience anger.
    1. Jesus said in Matthew 11:29, "I am meek and lowly in heart." But in…
      1. Mark 3:5 it says he became angry and grieved at the hard heartedness of the Pharisees
      2. Matthew 21 he drove the merchants out of the temple and turned over their tables.
    1. Meekness is not the absence of passion and conviction for the glory of God.
    1. It does mean that we don't have hair-triggers.
    1. Meekness of Wisdom
    1. James 3:13 - "Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good life let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom."
    2. James 3:17 - "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason . "
    3. Does not this Scripture teach there is a correlation between meekness and being open to reason?
    4. Ex. Discussion with another person:  Travis and Myself
      1. Meekness will listen to the reasons for another’s opinion.
      1. Meekness will allow one to calmly give the reasons for their opinion.
      2. This happens because we are wanting to please God and we are seeking His Word.
  1. 7th and final Characteristic, Meekness Cares about Truth.
    1. Meekness cares about truth and whether others agree.
    1. Matt. 28:18, Mk. 16:15, Col. 3:16, 2 Tim. 3:16 emphasize the spreading of Truth.
    1. If we are spreading truth, we want folks to embrace it.
      1. And therefore our meekness may become passionate and powerful.
    1. Remember: Meekness is always a servant submissive to a higher standard of truth.
      1. It is willing to change its opinions into line with truth.
    1. Meekness knows its own ability to make error.
      1. But for that reason Meekness takes debate and argument seriously.
      1. It wants to understand its own errors and put them away.
    1. Deference is not Meekness
    1. Ex. Travis and I have a discussion and we do not discuss our different opinions. We are not being meek!
    2. We are Being Weak!
    3. We defer our reasoning, because we don’t want to put ourselves to the test against higher Truth, but hold to our own perceived truth.
    1. Galatians 6:1–2 - Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of meekness. Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted.
    1. Meekness is slow to speak and slow to anger,
      1. but when it decides that it must speak
      1. It speaks with the deep awareness that it is fallible.
    1. Mt. 7:3-5 – “first cast out the beam out of thine own eye…”
    1. Ex. Meekness is like a Doctor with bad eyes – Get Your glasses on before surgery!
      1. Meekness seeks truth and what is right in all its dealings.
      1. We must be like the “Punching Bag” and absorb the loving blows of our friends instruction.
      2. Meekness loves the truth and wants to learn.
  1. Closing
    1. The Full Portrait of Biblical Meekness:
    1. Begins by putting our trust in God.
    1. Committing our way to him.
    2. Waiting patiently for the Lord’s timing in handling all things.
    3. Not giving way to quick and fretful anger.
    4. Letting God deal with the vengeance department.
    5. Being open to Reason.
    6. Caring about Truth, even if it means we need to be corrected.

      What does Meekness have to do with God?

            Meekness begins with God and ends with God.

    1. They Shall Inherit the Earth
    1. Now let's turn our attention to the second half of: Matt. 5:5 - Blessed are the meek, FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH.
      1. This is a promise!
    1. Meekness as a fruit of the Spirit is a promise!
    1. What effect does Jesus want these promises to have on the disciples?
      1. HE WANTS IT TO MOTIVATE CHRISTIANS to continue in their meekness.
      1. Verse 12: "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you."
      2. The Promise of Great Reward Gives Strength to Endure!
      • Ex. Alaskan Fishing Boats – Great Money – Rotten Conditions.
          1. We Have God!  We have His Promises. God Delivers!
    1. Man’s Tendency is to Want Control
    1. Is meekness a scary thought?
    1. When you are meek, you are giving control to God.
    2. You are admitting you cannot survive on your own.
    1. God knows what is best for you and what will Glorify Him.
    2. He will guide you with the truth of His Word.

      Will you submit to Him today?  Will You Choose to Be Meek? 

      Will You Come?