Meekness not weakness
By Adrian Warnock
Audio available at
http://jubilee-church.org/sermons/kingdom/meek.wma
8th Feb 2003
(Mat 5:5)
Like the other beatitudes, this one is completely contrary to what the world says- the world says blessed are the RICH, the Happy and the assertive. Jesus obviously doesn’t think so. ’I did it my way’ seems to be the exact opposite of what Jesus is saying here.
These attitudes of the kingdom are not thrown together randomly. They each stand on the shoulders of the one before. It is only as we realize our poverty before God and our inability to save ourselves that we can begin to mourn our sin. Our helplessness and inability to change ourselves or please God drives that mourning. Unless we realize that we cannot live the Christian life under our own steam, we have not become Christians at all. The sermon on the mount ’demands a quality of ethical conduct which is breath-taking in its dimensions.’[1]
Do you ever despair of changing? Do you ever feel helpless before God? Do you ever feel that you are a failure as a Christian? Does the devil ever whisper in your ear and tell you that you are useless and a failure?
Hallelujah you can be comforted. The answer to the devil whispering to you in that way is to say, ’guess what devil you don’t know everything and there are sins I have committed in my mind that you have never seen, but God has dealt with them and do you know what he knows even less about my sin than you do as he has forgiven me and chosen to forget it’!
Today we move onto the third of these attitudes, and again it stands on the shoulders of the previous two and paves the way for the next ones. So today, I stand on the shoulders of Tope and Colin to try and explain the biblical concept of ’meekness’ to you.
Once you know just how hopeless you are on your own, how can you stand up for yourself anymore. How can it bother you that God or man has seemingly unfairly treated you? Does it matter that people have said horrible things about you for you know that there are many more horrible things that could be said. How can you hold yourself as an example of virtue when you truly know the natural evil of your heart and that in the right circumstances you would have been as big a sinner as anyone alive!
A dead man cannot complain at being mistreated, for he is dead. ’He who is already down cannot fall’. Bunyan To the truly meek the cry ’its not fair’ should probably not issue their lips. But I am rushing ahead
Why me? Why am I preaching? Well can I really hold myself up as an example of meekness? Maybe not, but then meekness is one of those things that if you think you have it you probably don’t ’Im proud of being humble’ ’ever so ’umble sir’ Maybe I simply have had to learn more about meekness than most! I know it does not come naturally to me. I have never heard a sermon on this subject, nor have I preached one. This is one of the advantages of a preaching through a series as we are- it FORCES you to confront issues that you normally avoid. I feel I am preaching to myself today, and have really been under conviction all week. But, what is meekness?
What is meekness? Or rather AM I MEEK?
1. not weakness
We tend to think it means weakness. Dictionary definitions seem to confirm this- Meekness is ’Easily managed or handled: docile, gentle, mild, tame. See WILD. .. Having or expressing feelings of humility: humble, lowly, modest. (Rogers thesaurus) or ’Showing patience and humility; gentle .. Easily imposed on; submissive.’ (American Heritage dictionary)
So not exactly a popular concept in our modern word of self love, self assertiveness, and self seeking. But in fact, self assertiveness is not a modern concept ’Pagan writers paid greater respect to the self-confident man.’[i]
In fact the English word derives from an old Germanic word that also gives us the word muck- so it would seem at least that far from inheriting the earth the meek are trampled in the muck!’An effeminate spiritless man or youth; one wanting in courage or manliness’ definition of a ’milksop’ in the thirteenth century. This is the image of Christians held up in countless sitcoms, soaps, movies and news interviews. We loath it rightly, but have we missed out on meekness?
’Gentle Jesus meek and mild’ But meekness does = gentle BUT!! Meekness is not weakness biblically!
2. Meekness is not hasty anger but humble reception of Gods word
It is dealing with our anger, hastiness and sin and receiving humbly what God says to be true and building our lives on it! ’ Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person h be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires. receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.[ii] (James 1:19-21)
We MUST have a teachable spirit.We need to teach ourselves to excuse others and be angry and indignant only against ourselves for our own sin! I have been praised by some others for having a teachable spirit, but have I really got one? Do I apply the bible to myself or rather to others? When you listen to a sermon do you think, o that person needs to hear this? Do you argue with the preacher or worse with what God says in his word internally? Do you allow yourself to be changed? What was the last sermon you heard or verse you read that changed your life
3. Meekness is wisdom not foolishness
Thou knowest well how to excuse and to colour thine own deeds, but thou wilt not accept the excuses of others. It would be more just to accuse thyself and excuse thy brother. If thou wilt that others bear with thee, bear thou with others. Behold how far thou art as yet from the true charity and humility which knows not how to be angry or indignant against any save self alone Thomas a Kempis
Do we humbly accept, believe and act on the following ? We are trying to learn to do so in my family- and I mean the adults as well as the kids!
’A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. [iii] (Pr 15:1-2). and ’Let your gentleness be evident to all.’[iv] (Phil 4:4-7)
How often am I harsh in my words and my arguments, angry that people can’t see what I am saying, rather than commending the truth to people gently and wisely? My poor wife has had to put up too often with my harsh words, or impatience that she just hasn’t understood whatever I think to be my latest pearls of wisdom to drop from my mouth! Are you like me often impatient with a listener when you try and explain to them something? Then you need more meekness!!
Meekness is described by Sproul as ’The opposite of abrasiveness; this inner mildness flows from a confident strength that is the antithesis of arrogance. The man who is secure in his love for God does not need to intimidate but can be kind and humble’[v]
’ The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth’ [vi] (2 Ti 2:24-25).
Detailed note
Paul had full reason to inveigh against the Corinthians on account of their disputatiousness and arrogance, but they would not make it impossible for him to bring the gentleness of Christ to bear against them, 2 C. 10:1. 29 This meekness has its basis in agape and it cannot therefore think in terms of harsh punishment even in relation to the disobedient, 1 C. 4:21. There can be no question of this course of action on the apostle’s part being branded as softness or weakness, for it rests on the gentleness and love which Christ exemplified for the community during His life on earth. [vii]
Of course Jesus and Moses did act angrily at times with good cause but not to defend themselves-Meekness should say ’I will never defend myself, but I’ll die defending God or others’.
2. Meekness is wisdom not foolishness
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 1[viii] (Jas 3:13-15).
- the meekness of wisdom. It is being wise enough to know ones own limitations and to know just what to do at the right time! Often much may be done by a wise man with minimal effort expended and with much gentleness. It is not manipulation however, but the gentle kindly wisdom that disarms all arguments. This meekness is such that the hearer knows you are for them, and are won over to listen to your wise words that will genuinely aid them. The meaning of the greek word wisdom is described as ’forming the best plans and using the best means for their execution.’[ix]
’Be very careful, then, how you live not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.’ [x]
There is then a clear sense of seizing the day, of carefulness of a degree of caution, and yet not wasting time. The bible can be very dismissive of the ’so called’ wise of this world but holds out as an example a wisdom that is also meek rather than arrogant. When we have been truly instructed in Gods word and received it meekly we too will be wise and understanding- DO we go through life exhausted?- is this because we throw ourselves too much into everything as we don’t have the meekness to know when to hold back!
3. Meekness is what we do not our personality!
Show, conduct, deeds- by three words we see this is an active thing. Meekness is not about being a weak passive person who never says boo to a goose. We cannot hide behind the modern cult of personality, which seeks to shift the blame away from ourselves for what we do onto our unchangeable personality. ’Its just the way I am’ is never a biblical cry! God did not make you to be highly-strung, angry, and proud or week and passive!
Nor so passive that no one ever sees you do anything coz you don’t DO anything!! Its easy to appear meek if you never achieve anything! NO biblically we are responsible for our behaviour and it CAN change with Gods help!
Meekness is ’an attitude of humility toward God and gentleness toward people, springing from a recognition that God is in control. Although weakness and meekness may look similar, they are not the same. Weakness is due to negative circumstances, such as lack of strength or lack of courage. But meekness is due to a person’s conscious choice. It is strength and courage under control, coupled with kindness’[xi] ’It is an attitude of heart in which all energies are brought into the perfect control of the Holy Spirit.’[xii]
’The key to understanding the virtue of meekness is that it is not a quality of weakness but rather of strength. Meekness is not cowardice, timidity or lack of confidence. In classical Greek the word from which we derive meekness was used to describe tame animals, soothing medicine and a gentle breeze. The word also implies self-control. Aristotle describes it as the mean between excessive anger and excessive passivity, so that meekness can be regarded as strength under control.’[xiii] A WILD ANIMAL, a DEADLY OVERDOSE, and a HURRICANE are examples of what meekness is not!! How much unnecessary energy do we expend on a daily basis! How uncontrolled we are!!!
4. Meekness has no room for bitterness and jealousy
The meek will not be constantly asking ’why’. Like Josephs response to his brothers we will forgive others when they sin against us- we will not be bitter, but realize that God meant it for our good. We will delight in others doing well and therefore will not be jealous. Accept Gods dealings with you as good, and do not fight against them. See all life’s difficulties and even the actions of evil men as in the control of God and do not fight with them so vociferously. This is not pacifism and fatalism but it is peace that cannot be understood.
Meekness is described in one lexicon as ’the quiet and friendly composure which does not become embittered or angry at what is unpleasant, whether in the form of people or fate. This is an active attitude and deliberate acceptance, not just a passive submission, .Greatness of soul is demonstrated by this superior acceptance’[xiv]
5. Meekness is the opposite of selfish ambition
We will want what is good for others. We will refuse to trample over people to get to the top and we will not stab people in the back. Our ambition will be limited to what is good for others not ourselves only. If there is another better candidate for a promotion we will endeavor to ensure that they get the job. Ie Not promotion to the point of incompetence- eg a good deputy manager becomes a bad manager! BUT note that ’it is meek to seek the impossible.’ Sophocles (497–406/5 B.C.) There is something about going out on the edge beyond where you feel comfortable that can humble you. Dreaming big dreams for God is not the same thing as selfish ambition.
6. Meekness is not boasting
The truly meek man is too aware of his own shortcomings and too awed by the grace of God that has got him to where he is, to boast. The pride of man surrounds us, the meek will be prepared to let others speak of all he has accomplished and will want to acknowledge all the help he has received.
7. Meekness loves the truth.
IT is not fales, rather it embraces the truth. Unafraid of the light the meek person will be open, honest and love the truth even when it hurts.
8. Meeness is submission
Meekness (translated gentleness here) is described as beautiful and of great worth- ’Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their husbands’ (1 Pe 3:4-6).
Do we submit to the authorities when they aren’t looking? What about speeding? Or maybe like I did recently you try to cheat the traffic by using the wrong lane- eg cutting across from a right turn only lane into the other lane on the resevoir link road- It was only when I got caught and fined for that that I realized this is not right- I wasn’t being meek
9. Meekness being fixated wholly on God.
’The common assumption is that when a man is meek it is because he cannot help himself; but the Lord was ’meek’ because he had the infinite resources of God at His command. Described negatively, meekness is the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest; it is equanimity of spirit that is neither elated nor cast down, simply because it is not occupied with self at all.’ [xv]
’Not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance, gentle, humble, considerate, meek in the older favorable sense’ [xvi] Meekness is ’the lowly in heart, i.e., the One who is fixed wholly on God’[xvii] A meek man is ’a person who viewed his own role in relation to God as that of a servant and who thus quietly and gently subjected himself to God’s will.’[xviii] There is a total absence of pride and a total dependence on God present. Our only hope is God!
’Poverty of spirit is facing your desperation, mourning is grieving over it, and meekness is throwing yourself on God ’s mercy.’[xix]
The meek do not seek the fulfilment of their own rights! They are concerned rather about their responsibilities to others. The bible is not a human rights based system, rather it is a responsibilities based system. ’God ’s approval is all that matters. The things that used to obsess us clothes, status, success, sex, possessions have lost their appeal because we ’ve found the real source of satisfaction.’[xx]
Martyn Lloyd Jones- Then let me go further; the man who is meek is not even sensitive about himself. He is not always watching himself and his own interests. He is not always on the defensive. We all know about this, do we not? Is it not one of the greatest curses in life as a result of the fall this sensitivity about self? We spend the whole of our lives watching ourselves. But when a man becomes meek he has finished with all that; he no longer worries about himself and what other people say.
To be truly meek means we no longer protect ourselves, because we see there is nothing worth defending. So we are not on the defensive, all that is gone. The man who is truly meek never pities himself, he is never sorry for himself. He never talks to himself and says, ’You are having a hard time, how unkind these people are not to understand you’. He never thinks: ’How wonderful I really am, if only other people gave me a chance.’ Self-pity! What hours and years we waste in this!
But the man who has become meek has finished with all that. To be meek, in other words, means that you have finished with yourself altogether, and you come to see you have no rights or deserts at all. You come to realize that nobody can harm you. John Bunyan puts it perfectly. ’He that is down need fear no fall.’ When a man truly sees himself, he knows nobody can say anything about him that is too bad. You need not worry about what men may say or do; you know you deserve all and more. Once again, therefore, I would define meekness like this. The man who is truly meek is the one who is amazed that God and man can think of him as well as they do and treat him as well as they do [69, italics added].
Perhaps rather like Shakespear’s description of Duncan the Meek, meekness lies in how we use our powers. Lowell also wrote ’His strength is so tender, his wildness so meek’ Meekness is wonderfully expressed by Worsdsworth in this poem- to the daisy ’Yielding to the occasions call and all things suffering from all’ is I think a wonderful definition of meekness.
So the occasion may indicate even angry action like it did for Jesus in the temple ,but such action will not be to protect ourselves or advance OUR cause, rather to fight for a cause, for others or for our lord. It is meekness that allowed the martyrs to go to their death.
TO THE DAISY
BRIGHT Flower! whose home is everywhere,
Bold in maternal Nature’s care,
And all the long year through the heir Of joy or sorrow;
Methinks that there abides in thee Some concord with humanity,
Given to no other flower I see The forest thorough!
Is it that Man is soon deprest?
A thoughtless Thing! who, once unblest,
Does little on his memory rest, Or on his reason,
And Thou would’st teach him how to find A shelter under every wind,
A hope for times that are unkind
And every season?
Thou wander’st the wide world about,
Unchecked by pride or scrupulous doubt,
With friends to greet thee, or without,
Yet pleased and willing; Meek,
yielding to the occasion’s call,
nd all things suffering from all Thy function apostolical
In peace fulfilling.
What will happen to the meek ?
They will be saved. The character traits outlined in the sermon are necessary for salvation- or rather they flow more and more out of the saved life.
Renouncing force, domination, anger, violence, and revenge (Eph 5:21) the disciple in meekness does not press his own claim nor battle for his own interests. Related to God in submission and dependence, security and contentment (Matt 6:25–34), he in the end gets the most out of life. While anticipating heaven, he enjoys earth to the full[xxi]
Samuel Butler wrote,’I really do not see much use in exalting the humble and meek; they do not remain humble and meek long when they are exalted.’ God obviously doesn’t think so. Both in this world and the next God delights in advancing the very people who do not desire self advancement! When you are meek you seek nothing for yourself, but God gives you everything.
’He e sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.’.[xxii] (Job 5:11)
-PSALM 37 God looking out for the meek!
The meek really are happy in this life and the next for God makes sure that they inherit the earth! Indeed, they feel like kings even if they are living on a rubbish dump for they are children of the king of the kingdom who is himself meek!
How can we learn meekness?
When looking for contemporary examples of truly great meek men, I came up a blank. I also realized I have never heard nor preached a sermon on meekness before.I could think of only one current example of a truly meek hero in the world or the church- Terry Virgo. So forgive the commercial break
One of the few contemporary models of meekness in the world or the church today. This book will show you what God can do with one meek man! Over three hundred churches on five continents, and Terry still says its just him and his friends trying to serve God together. Read it if you are serious about becoming meek!
There is another book the bible that is full of examples- Moses the meekest man the world knew in his time .David .Joseph. But most of all JESUS ’Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey’ ’[xxiii] (Mt 21:5).
The very incarnation and manner of Jesus birth and life on earth embodies meekness. You want to know about meekness- come to the Sunday evening meetings and meet him!
’Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’[xxiv] (Mt 11:28-30).
Do you want rest from the pressures of modern living- always striving for the next thing, for that little bit more money, that next promotion? Jesus as he is meek can give you the rest you need! I think we have also seen today that if anything these attitudes seem to get harder and harder for us to achieve ourselves! Who of us here can claim to be truly meek! Which of us believes that they can achieve it this week by simply applying themselves to it with their own effort?
Yes we must work for meekness and learn to love it, but as we love it we must seek our God to enable us to be the meek who will inherit the earth. Lets humble ourselves before our God in our inability to do this thing that he commands us to do- we are desperate we need him to make us meek! ALL RESPOND FORGIVENESS and help for more meekness.
[1]Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. (1996). New Bible dictionary (3rd ed. /) (Page 1080). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.
[i]Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. (1996). New Bible dictionary (3rd ed. /) (Page 747). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.
[ii]The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (electronic ed.) (Jas 1:19-21). Wheaton: Good News Publishers.
[iii]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Pr 15:1-2). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[iv]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Php 4:4-7). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[v]Sproul, R. (2000, c1994). Vol. 4: Before the face of God : Book four: A daily guide for living from Ephesians, Hebrews, and James. Includes indexes. (electronic ed.). Logos Library System;Before the Face of God (Page 416). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House; Ligonier Ministries.
[1 Tim. 3:3]
Gal. 6:1; Tit. 3:2; [1 Tim. 6:11; 1 Pet. 3:15]
See 1 Tim. 2:4
[vi]The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (electronic ed.) (2 Ti 2:24-26). Wheaton: Good News Publishers.
29 Allusion to a dominical saying (Thieme, 24 f.; Harnack, 113; ) is very doubtful, cf. Wnd. 2 K., ad loc.
[vii]Theological dictionary of the New Testament. 1964-c1976. Vols. 5-9 edited by Gerhard Friedrich. Vol. 10 compiled by Ronald Pitkin. (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley & G. Friedrich, Ed.) (Vol. 6, Page 650). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
ch. 2:18
[viii]The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (electronic ed.) (Jas 3:13-15). Wheaton: Good News Publishers.
[ix]Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the test of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.
[x]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Eph 5:15-17). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
[xi]Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1995). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible dictionary. Rev. ed. of: Nelson’s illustrated Bible dictionary.;Includes index. Nashville: T. Nelson.
[xii]Believer’s Study Bible. 1997, c1995. C1991 Criswell Center for Biblical Studies. (electronic ed.) (Mt 5:5). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[xiii]Ryken, L., Wilhoit, J., Longman, T., Duriez, C., Penney, D., & Reid, D. G. (2000, c1998). Dictionary of biblical imagery (electronic ed.) (Page 545). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
[xiv]Theological dictionary of the New Testament. 1964-c1976. Vols. 5-9 edited by Gerhard Friedrich. Vol. 10 compiled by Ronald Pitkin. (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley & G. Friedrich, Ed.) (Vol. 6, Page 645). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
p Rom. 2:29; [Rom. 7:22; 2 Cor. 4:16; Eph. 3:16]
[xv]Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W. (1996). Vine’s complete expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words (Vol. 2, Page 401). Nashville: T. Nelson.
[xvi]Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature. "Based on Walter Bauer’s Griechisch-deutsches Wr̲terbuch zu den Schriften des Neuen Testaments und der frh christlichen [sic] Literatur, sixth edition, ed. Kurt Aland and Barbara Aland, with Viktor Reichmann and on previous English editions by W.F. Arndt, F.W. Gingrich, and F.W. Danker." (3rd ed.) (Page 861). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
[xvii]Theological dictionary of the New Testament. 1964-c1976. Vols. 5-9 edited by Gerhard Friedrich. Vol. 10 compiled by Ronald Pitkin. (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley & G. Friedrich, Ed.) (Vol. 6, Page 649). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
[xviii]Bromiley, G. W. (1988;2002). The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised;ISBE (Vol. 3, Page 307). Wm. B. Eerdmans.
[xix]Discipleship Journal : Issue 49. 1999 (electronic ed.). Colorado Springs: The Navigators/NavPress.
[xx]Discipleship Journal : Issue 49. 1999 (electronic ed.). Colorado Springs: The Navigators/NavPress.
[xxi]Dallas Theological Seminary. (1971;2002). Bibliotheca Sacra Volume 128 (Vol. 128, Page 138). Dallas Theological Seminary.
e 1 Sam. 2:7; [Ps. 113:7]
[xxii]The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (electronic ed.) (Job 5:11-16). Wheaton: Good News Publishers.
u Cited from Zech. 9:9; [Isai. 62:11]
[xxiii]The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (electronic ed.) (Mt 21:5). Wheaton: Good News Publishers.
r [ch. 23:4; Luke 11:46]
u Jer. 6:16
v 1 John 5:3
[xxiv]The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (electronic ed.) (Mt 11:28-30). Wheaton: Good News Publishers.
