INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• Over the past few weeks we have been examining some of the characteristics that should be growing in the life of one who is being transformed into the image of Jesus.
• One thing that should be obvious as we have been examining the assorted characteristics that we need HELP!
• When you start to dig down deep into each of the characteristics we have inspected, the task is scary and intimidating.
• I cannot tell you how many people I have dealt with during my ministry who were trying live some semblance of a life for Jesus before they were in Christ.
• We can try develop all of the traits we have been inspecting without having the Holy Spirit within us; however, our endeavor will experience limited success because we cannot do this on our own.
• The characteristic we will cover today is no different. Because of the nature of gentleness, we really need to help of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us to master this one.
• The term GENTLENESS is not an easy word to translate into one word in English. The basic flavor of the word refers to a gracious and reasonable spirit. In particular it forsakes insistence on one’s own rights in order to benefit others.
• GENTLENESS does not insist on every right of the letter of the law of custom.
• Some translations use the word GRACIOUSNESS, UNSELFISH, REASONABLE, MODERATION.
• A gentle person would even be willing to bear unpleasant treatment if that were warranted. This was not a browbeat attitude, showing lack of courage. Rather it was a response of strength, inspired by the relation to Christ.
• When we start thinking about the possibility of yielding our rights for the benefit of others, THAT IS DIFFICULT TO DO ONE OUR OWN, we need help!
• Jesus was the ultimate example of what it meant to be gentle. Jesus was no wimp, Jesus was full of power and love.
• Jesus said in Matthew 11:29
• SLIDE #2
• Matthew 11:29 (NET) Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
• A weak person cannot take on the burdens of other folks, they cannot allow anyone to lean on them. Gentleness is not weakness, but rather it is power that is restrained.
• WE will be in Philippians 4:4-6 this morning as we seek to understand the characteristic of gentleness.
• SLIDE #3
• Philippians 4:4 (NET) Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!
• SLIDE #4
SERMON
I. The right attitude is the ground where gentleness is planted.
• The context of our passage is important to grasp. In verse 2, we see that there was some sort of division that was beginning to affect the church. We do not know what was going on with the ladies, but we know the dispute was to a level that Paul felt he needed to offer his precious time to address.
• When you think of strife and division that happens between people and groups of people, it usually involves some sort of real or perceived injustice.
• So when we look at verses 4-6 and even those deeper in the chapter we need to understand the context that brings it together.
• Ok, now let’s go to the passage.
• At first glance, verses 4,5,6 seem to be some disjointed statements that Paul offers to us. To REJOICE ALWAYS, TO LET EVERYONE SEE YOUR GENTLENESS, and in verse 6, NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING.
• However, these verses tie together. I see them all related to the issue of gentleness because of the context from which Paul is writing.
• If one is going to be willing to not enforce their real or perceived rights in a given situation, they must have an overarching attitude rejoicing.
• Paul tells us to rejoice in the Lord always. Notice the word ALWAYS!
• When we are focused on rejoicing in our Lord, it is much easier not to allow the negatives of life put us into a positon where everything is life or death to us.
• The tow ladies in the Philippians church, had they been rejoicing in the Lord as instructed, would not have been focusing their energy of fighting with one another.
• When we rejoice in the Lord, we will be filled with joy, versus being filled with thoughts of negativity and revenge. If one is not able to rejoice in the Lord, their life will rise and fall with circumstances instead of being rooting in the Lord.
• I am going to GENTLY and carefully use the Presidential election and what has gone in the aftermath of the election to bring some rubber meets the road to this message.
• We had an election, the rules for the most part were followed. One side in an election always loses, no one gets a participation trophy for running for office or for voting.
• When one side loses, they if they are only focused on winning, when they lose, their world collapses.
• We have actually had rioting in the streets, we have had people burning American flags. WOW. We have had college classes cancelled so the snowflake students could take a break.
• I wonder if they would have done the same thing if the other side lost?
• Here is my point. Those who are protesting a legal election, those who are burning AMERICAN flags need to step back and be thankful for a couple things.
• Even in defeat they can still rejoice.
• Number 1. They live in a country where they have the freedom to VOTE!
• Number 2. The President, baring death or impeachment, is only guaranteed to hold office for 4 years.
• Number 3. Jesus us STILL LORD!
• I have watched the protests, and the anger these folks have displayed shows they lack the tolerance they preach, and they lack the joy they should have because they get to live in the United States of America!
• Gentleness is planted in the ground of a proper attitude.
• Let’s turn to verse 5.
• SLIDE #5
• Philippians 4:5 (NET) Let everyone see your gentleness. The Lord is near!
• SLIDE #6
II. One’s relationship with the Lord is the fertilizer that grows gentleness.
• We already spoke of what it means to be gentle. Paul offers a compelling reason for one to show gentleness to everyone!
• Notice in verse 4 we had an all-inclusive word, ALWAYS.
• On verse 5 we have another all-inclusive word EVERYONE.
• (OWE ODE EAH) Euodia and (SENT TA KEY) SYNTYCHE apparently were not displaying gentleness toward one another, but rather, they were at odds with each other.
• Remember this point; gentleness means “not insisting on every right of letter of law or custom, yielding, gentle, kind, courteous, and tolerant.
• Aristotle describes the gentle person as “the one who by choice and habit does what is equitable, and who does not stand on his rights unduly, but is content to receive a smaller share although he has the law on his side.”
• In the dispute between the ladies in the Philippian Church, at least one of them had been either wronged in some manner or they perceived they were wronged in some way.
• For the dispute to end, each of the victims would need to decide to pursue a higher way of acting.
• The reason we are to reach for a higher level of conduct is because the Lord is near!
• This phrase could refer to the fact that Jesus will return or to the fact that He is close to our hearts.
• I think both views are valid, but I think the context is an appeal to display gentleness because of being in a relationship with Jesus. The ladies who were causing harm within the church needed to remember to whom they had given them lives.
• Those who are truly rejoicing in the Lord at all times will be characterized by gentleness to all.
• This is how other people are to experience the Christian’s joy in the Lord.
• If we treat others with gentleness instead of the way the world tells us to treat others, we are showing them what God does for us.
• Back to the election. In every election at least one side loses. I have seen the flag burning, the foul language, the calls for violence.
• When you see that, does it inspire you to want to sympathize with them or does those actions drive a deeper wedge?
• Do those type of extreme actions do anything other than reinforce why you voted the way you did? Do those actions inspire unity and change or to they cause all sides to dig in with a deeper resolve?
• I saw some of the protestors given an open mic by a reporter to articulate their angst so folks could understand what exactly was troubling them.
• The protester offered up vile profanity. I saw another young female protester who articulated her fears and desires with a level of calm and intellect. I may not have agreed with her, but I was willing to empathize with her point and listen.
• We will make more headway with people when we show gentleness to ALL people.
• Gentleness should not be reserved only for close friends and family or only for fellow Christians; it should be evident to all. Paul calls for Christians to have a reputation of being gentle.
• My relationship with Jesus, coupled with the fact that one day I will give an account to Him for my treatment of others, should inspire me to display gentleness to EVERYONE!
• SLIDE #7
• Philippians 4:6 (NET) Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God.
• SLIDE #8
III. Anxiety is the poison that kills gentleness.
• Here is another all-encompassing word, ANYTHING!
• Anxiety will poison gentleness. Many times disputes come as a result of anxiety.
• Anxiety can produce irritability and defensiveness. It is a poison that permeates the soil from which discord could grow.
• Our relationship with Jesus along with understanding that He will return can help stave off anxiety from one’s life.
• In the Luke, Martha “was bothered about many things” (Luke 10:41).
• To be anxious is “to be of a divided mind,” whether to seek this way out or that, to use this means or that.
• The Christian is never to worry thus about a single thing.
• SLIDE #9
• 1 Peter 5:6–7 (HCSB) Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.
• Thinking back to what we are seeing in the aftermath of the election along with all the anxiety that happened during the campaigns.
• Our fear of uncertainty caused a great deal of anxiety and vitriol.
• People are foolishly rioting because they are anxious about what the next administration will or will not do.
• Their anxiety has led to some doing some things that will ultimately hurt their cause.
• When we get anxious, gentleness is out the window.
• In Christ, we are told not to be anxious about ANYTHING!
• No matter who won the White House, GOD IS IN CONTROL.
• We cannot allow anxiety to poison our gentleness!
CONCLUSION
• We have to people who do not ALWAYS DEMAND what we want, even times when by all rights we should have it.
• Gentleness is not WEAKNESS; it is one who has the strength to do what is best for others even at a personal cost to oneself.
• Jesus was gentle, but He was far from being weak.
• We will not win people over by bullying them to Jesus, we will not win people to our point of view by running them over or calling the names. We need to show them Jesus!
• That will change hearts, minds, and lives!
