The purpose of the Sermon on the Mount is to inform God’s disciples of the qualities they are to possess and display to a watching world.
So far we’ve come to see that a blessed Christian is someone who is:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
• We know we have nothing to offer, nothing to boast about, and nothing with which to buy the favour of heaven.
• We live by His grace at all times.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
• We want to have a sensitive heart, to be grieved by the things that grieve the heart of God, to mourn for sin and the effects of sin in people’s lives.
• We cannot say “It’s none of my business.” The moment we become a Christian, God’s concern is our concern.
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
• Most people consider meekness to be weakness.
• In a world dominated by the strong – powerful corporate leaders, men with authority and power - no one wants to be the wimp everyone takes advantage of.
• An atheist philosopher - Friedrich Nietzsche said, "Assert yourself. Care for nothing except for yourself. The only vice is weakness, and the only virtue is strength. Be strong, be a superman. The world is yours if you can get it."
• In fact, if you go up and tell someone that they were meek, I’m not sure it would be received as a compliment.
So what it means to be meek?
• When Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek," He was not advocating a spineless acceptance of life or a doormat mentality.
• He was telling His followers to be submissive to God and willing to put their strength under His control.
Let’s take a look at TWO persons that the Bible mentioned as meek. One is Jesus Himself, and the other Moses.
• Jesus says in Matt 11:29 (KJV) “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.” NIV is gentle and humble in heart.
• Is Jesus timid and soft? No. If we watched the Passion of the Christ, He did come across to us as meek and lowly. Isaiah says (Isa 53:7) “He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
• Yet this is not a sign of weakness. In fact, all power and authority has not been lost at any point of time throughout the episode.
• In the Garden, He says “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt 26:53).
• In the Court, He tells Pilate “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” (John 19:11)
You see, to be meek is to have strength that is under control.
• Jesus says in the Garden, “53Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"
• The meek submits to God. The meek is submissive to the will of God.
Moses is the other person the Bible mentioned as being meek.
• In Num 12:3 "Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth."
• His meekness was shown in his acceptance of what God ordained, including endless quarrels with the stubborn people whom he was trying to lead from Egypt to Canaan, including, even the enormous disappointment of himself not getting into the Promised land.
• Despite the grumbling and criticisms, Moses stood in the gap and prayed for the very ones that had been against him.
• Moses was a man with a fierce temper - it was this which had betrayed him during the time in the wilderness. When God said, in effect, "Now look, Moses, in order to teach the whole world how much loss sin can bring, I’m not going to let you enter the land; the people will go in, but you won’t," Moses did not curse God in angry protest; quietly, he accepted God’s decision.
• That’s meekness. Meekness, for a child of God, means accepting without complaints 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’s for our and others’ good.
It’s like a wild horse, full of energy but needs to be tamed.
• To fully harness its power and put it to good use, the horse needs to be controlled.
• So we train and tame them to be obedient to the bit and bridle.
• An animal of tremendous size and strength, seven or eight times the weight of a man, submits itself to its master’s control.
• A horse may race, leap, turn, or stand motionless at the rider’s slightest command.
• That’s strength under perfect control. The power remains but this time, it is useful and effective. That defines Christian meekness.
The world tells us to put up a strong front so that others won’t think of us as vulnerable.
• But Jesus says (Luke 6:29) “If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.”
• The meek is not vengeful or spiteful, despite the wrong done to him.
• He is self-controlled, or rather Spirit-controlled (same, self-control is a Fruit of the Spirit), to an extent that only God’s love, grace and forgiveness flows out of him.
In the States a company had decided to open their stores on Sunday. B
• Because they were located in an area with many churches, the corporation received scores of condemning letters from angry Christians.
• Some even said they were glad there was an eternal hell for those who had made this decision.
• Christian and non-Christian employees were offended and embarrassed.
• Nothing was really achieved for Christ’s cause.
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were quick to judge and lacked gentleness.
• They criticized Jesus cos He ate and drank with tax collectors and sinners (Mt 11:19).
• They were shocked because He showed concern for these people instead of harshly condemning them.
• Nobody enters God’s kingdom through them.
What are the characteristics of the meek? Let us look at Psalm 37 (first part), because this beatitude is either a direct quotation from this psalm, or at least an illusion to it.
Ps 37:11 “But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.”
Let’s see if we can create a composite picture of meekness.
1. The meek don’t worry about what people may do to them.
• Instead of being afraid of others, or envying what others may have.
• ‘Do not fret’ appears a few times. (See 37:1, 7, 8) The meek rests in God, knowing that God will make things right.
• "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord (Rom 12:19b). The meek take no revenge, but leave room for God’s wrath.
2. The meek trust God.
• 37:3 summarizes the meek person’s focus. Again he rests in God.
• First, in his vertical relationship, he “trusts in the Lord” and then in relationships with others, he strives to “do good.”
• 37:5 says they commit their way to Him because they BELIEVE that He will work for them.
• That’s why verse 7 says they can “be still before the Lord…” The meek do not strive because they believe that God can work things out.
3. The meek put their hope in God
• We see this in verse 9: “Those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.” Contrast this with verse 11 “the meek will inherit the land…”
• Earlier the psalmist describes him as one who will “wait patiently” (v.7) for God for do His work, and he is not be easily angered (v.8 “Refrain from anger”) when things aren’t right.
• Benjamin Franklin says, “They see the roses among the thorns, rather than complain about the thorns among the roses.”
The meek is submissive, never resisting or disputing the will of God.
• His trust in the Father enabled him to show compassion, courage, and self-sacrifice even in the most hostile situation.
• The meek has this quiet confidence in a good God who will do things right. He does not need to take things into his own hands, because His sovereign God eventually will.
The meek is like the mango tree. All its branches hang with fruit. Passer-by come and assails it with stones and sticks. It responds by dropping the fruit at every blow, at the feet of those who assail it. At the close of the season, it stands scarred and battered, its leaves torn off, its branches broken. Come the next year, it continues to bear fruit - more fruits than the previous year.
That is meekness. It does not try to conserve its self-esteem. It bears fruit, and blesses even those who are not deserving of it.
What the Bible is talking about is a powerful virtue.
• It’s the power of God’s Spirit working through us when we yield to Him.
• We are to grow in meekness because it is a trait mentioned in the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5). Blessed are the meek.
Cultivating ‘Meekness’:
1. REST IN GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
Am I often fighting for my right or my way?
Am I taking things into my hands all the time?
2. BE SUBMISSIVE TO GOD’S WAY & TIME
Am I more concern about my opinion or God’s opinion of things?
Do I expect others to serve me?
