Blessed are the Meek
TEXT: Mat 5:5
INTRODUCTION
· Notice how men are portrayed in the media?
· Doesn’t say much but is rugged & built like a linebacker, drive fancy sports car...In beer adds he’s grabbing for the gusto...with women he’s a conqueror...confident & poised
· In contrast, Xn writer Joyce Landorf says women want their men tough & tender
· Rare combo of strength & stability blended w/ kindness & compassion
· In a word, meek
· Jesus...meekness is part of the character of a Xn
· Third series as we work our way thru the Beatitudes – today…blessed are the meek
I. BLESSED ARE THE MEEK
A. Gr word interesting, rich & full of meaning
1. Used to describe a wild stallion that has been tamed & brought under control
2. Describe carefully chosen words that soothe strong emotions
3. Describe the ointment that takes the sting out of a wound
4. Plato: A child asking a Dr to be gentle as he treats him
5. Describes those who are polite, have tact, are courteous, & treat others with dignity & respect
B. In other words, "Happy are those who have strength under control, who are peaceful & calm when surrounded by a heated atmosphere, who emit a soothing effect on those who are angry."
1. That’s the meekness Jesus is talking about
C. Applications are numerous
II. POWER UNDER CONTROL
A. No hint of weakness
1. Easy to confuses meekness w/ weakness
2. Is power under control
B. Everyone of us has all kinds of power
1. Power to influence others
2. Power to be a blessing to others or make them miserable
3. Husbands & wives get into power struggles (Q marriage must decide who’s in charge here)... roommates in the barracks get into power struggles... parents have power struggles w/ their kids... kids have power struggles w/ their parents
4. Power to make decisions that will impact pos or neg on others
5. Meekness keeps the power under control
(IL) Mac Fountain story
(IL) I Sam: God has promised David he would be King instead of Saul... David had served Saul (killed Goliath... play his harp for Saul...had done nothing to incite Saul against him... yet Saul repeatedly tried to kill him... Even went out with his army & chased David across the mountains & desert...Saul in a cave, David crept up & cut a piece of a Saul’s robe... Had the power & opportunity to take matters into his own hands & kill Saul, but he didn’t...Another occasion Saul was sleeping & David crept up & took his spear & water jug. Had power & opportunity to kill Saul, but he didn’t...The throne of Israel was w/in his grasp...David had power under control & he trusted God for the outcome rather than taking matters into his own hands.
III. MEEKNESS IS WHEN OUR TONGUES ARE UNDER CONTROL
A. One of biggest battles we’ll ever face
(IL) Like Arabella Young. Her tombstone stands on a hillside next to a church in the English countryside:
"Beneath this stone, a lump of clay,
Lies Arabella Young,
Who on the 24th of May,
Began to hold her tongue."
B. Meekness is evident when our tongues are under control
1. Words can soothe & refresh
a. Bring encouragement, healing, reconciliation, comfort, let people know they’re loved & understood, help others preserve dignity & self-esteem
2. Words can bring discouragement, pain, anguish
C. Failure to control our tongues means we are deceiving ourselves & our religion is worthless.
1. Ja. 1:26. If anyone considers himself religious & yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself & his religion is worthless.
2. We don’t have a religion that is worthless, meaningless, or empty
3. That is exactly what it becomes
(IL) CHICKEN FEATHER STORY: PASTOR IN COUNTRY CHURCH HAD LADY COME TO HIM TO CONFESS SHE’D GOSSIPED ABOUT HIM. HE LISTENED TO HER, SAID HE FORGAVE HER, BUT HE WANTED HER TO DO SOMETHING FOR HIM. "GO GET ONE OF YOUR CHICKENS, KILL IT, AND YANK THE FEATHERS OUT OF IT. THEN TAKE THE FEATHERS AROUND TOWN AND EVERY COUPLE OF BLOCKS, GRAB A FEW AND THROW THEM ON THE STREET. THEN COME BACK AND SEE ME." THE LADY DID JUST AS SHE’ED BEEN ASKED AND WENT BACK TO THE PASTOR. THEN THE PASTOR SAID, "DO ONE MORE THING FOR ME. GO BACK THROUGHOUT THE TOWN AND PICK UP ALL THE FEATHERS." SHE GASPED AND IMMEDIATELY SAID, "NO ONE COULD NEVER DO THAT, THEY’VE BLOWN EVERYWHERE." PASTOR RESPONDED, "THAT’S THE WAY IT IS WITH GOSSIP. WHILE I FORGIVE YOU FOR WHAT YOU’VE DONE, THE DAMAGE YOU HAVE CAUSED CAN NEVER BE UNDONE."
D. Ask yourself three things before saying something about someone
1. Is it true? (based on fact or rumor, hearsay, opinion?)
2. Is it kind? (cruel, vicious, want it said about me?)
3. Is it needful? (what is the benefit, what will be gained?)
E. Need a “Yes” to all three questions
IV. HAVING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF ANGER AT THE RIGHT TIME
A. Someone, "Meekness is being angry over the rt thing @ rt time, & not being angry over the wrong thg @ the wrong time."
(IL) Tom Jefferson wrote on how to handle anger in his "Rules of Living." "When angry count 10 B4 you speak. If very angry count a hundred."
(IL) Mark Twain, 75 yrs later, revised it a little. "When angry count 4. When very angry, swear."
B. Not my recommended solution
1. If honest, we’ll admit we sometime struggle w/ our anger
2. Further admit we get angry over the dumbest things
3. Usually cause don’t get own way, didn’t achieve a goal, have been wronged or treated unfairly
a. Or even think we’ve been wronged or treated unfairly
C. Pure meekness gets angry when injustices are done to others, when God is dishonored or sin accepted or condoned
1. See it all around us
a. Can’t pray in school, but some will provide condoms
b. Convicted drunk drivers who have killed people driving & killing again
c. Abuse, Poverty
2. These things should make us angry & motivate us into action
D. Jesus was perfect example of getting angry over the right thgs
1. (Mat 23) Angry at religious hypocrites, Phar, "Woe unto you...whitewashed tombs...snakes...blind fools...brood of vipers.
2. Moneychangers in the temple...had a whip...downright mad;
overturned tables, drove their animals out
E. The perfect example of being angry at the right time for the right thing, not being angry at the wrong time for the wrong thing.
V. FOR THEY WILL INHERIT THE EARTH
A. Real winners in this life are the meek
B. May appear to be taken advantage of or be ripped off
(IL) David eventually, in G’s perfect timing, got the throne
C. Today’s English Version - "for they shall receive what G has promised."
1. Is a reference to the Jews moving into & living in Canaan
2. Enjoyed G’s bountiful blessings...land flowing w/ milk & honey; received fulfillment of G’s promises
3. Life of satisfaction & contentment
D. The meek receive what G has promised
1. His Presence, His blessings, abundant life, eternal life, glories of heaven
CONCLUSION
· On scale of 1-10 how is meekness revealed in your life?
· Ask 3 questions to help you determine
Õ Are you self-controlled?
Õ How willingly do I forgive & restore?
Õ Do I retalliate only when God is dishonored?
