Fruits Of The Spirit # 8

We have broken down these nine fruits of the Spirit into three groups: INWARD, OUTWARD, and GOD-WARD.

1) INWARD FRUITS consist of love, joy, and peace

2) OUTWARD FRUITS consist of longsuffering, gentleness, and goodness.

3) GOD-WARD FRUITS consist of faith, meekness, and temperance.

Today we want to focus on MEEKNESS, THE SECOND IN THE GOD-WARD GROUP.

Illus: Let me ask you a question, if you could walk into a plastic surgeon’s operating room and he had the ability to make you look like anyone you wanted to look like, who would you choose to look like?

• Some of you ladies might say to him make me to look like Sophia Loren who in her younger days is probably one of the prettiest woman who ever walk on this earth during our life time. Even today even though she is much older she still is a beautiful woman!

• Some of the men might say make me to look like Clint Walker (Cheynne) who is big and handsome and considered by some to be one of the best looking man who ever lived during our life time.

But what every Christian should be wishing…to be made TO LOOK LIKE THE LORD JESUS!

When all these fruits of the spirit are developed in our life, they make us look like Christ.

When it comes to being Christ like look at Matthew 11:29-30, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Let me show you why I say that every Christian should desire to look like Christ.

Look at these words in Matthew 11:29 again, we read, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me…”

Look at the word “Of” this is a very important word in this verse of scripture.

That is, Jesus did not say – ‘Learn about Me’; He said – ‘Learn of Me.’

Is there a difference?

Yes, knowing facts about Jesus will not change our lives to look like the life of Christ.

Knowing Christ in a real and personal way will.

That is why the Lord says LEARN OF ME!

That is, learn to live the same kind of life I lived!

HOW DIE HE LIVE?

I am meek and lowly in heart.’

The church must always keep in mind that if our Savior is meek and lowly, we need to be also as well.

If we are going to learn to live MEEK like Him we need to look at the word MEEKNESS!!!

First, let’s look at -

I. A DEFINITION OF MEEKNESS

Many have a tainted view of meekness.

One of the reason today that meekness is not a high priority in our life is because many think MEEKNESS IS WEAKNESS!!!

Illus: Years ago a man who attended Dr. O’dell Belger’s church appeared to be a very meek man.

He and his wife faithfully attended Dr. Belger’s church and everyone that knew them as a married couple knew his wife was in full control of their house. In other words SHE WAS THE BOSS!!!

Whatever she said, he would submit to doing without question.

About all that you heard from him is,

• I am sorry dear,

• You are right dear!

• Whatever you want dear!

Some who saw this man always cowering down to his wife said that he was a very meek man.

No, he was not meek man, he was a henpecked husband and did not have the courage as a man to be the man of his household.

People have different kinds of attitude in what is meekness!!!

Illus: This makes me think of a henpecked husband who was advised by a psychiatrist to assert himself in his marriage.

He told him, “You don’t have to let your wife bully you, go home and tell her you’re the boss.”

The husband decided to take the doctor’s advice.

He went home, slammed the door, shook his fist in his wife’s face let out a big growled and said, “From now on you’re taking orders from me, do you understand?”

She was shocked!!!

He went on to say, “I want my supper right now, and when you get it on the table, go upstairs and lay out my dress clothes because tonight I am going out with the boys tonight.”

She was shocked again and was gasping for breathe!!!

He was on a roll and he went on to say, “And you are going to stay at home where you belong!”

And another thing, you do not know, you know I have a hard time tying my tie...“You are going to tie my tie from here on…do you understand?

She had about all this bossing she wanted to hear and she said you are wrong about that, “I know who is going to tie your tie, the undertaker!”