Central Christian Church
May 9 2002
The Spirit Led Life Part 10 (Gentleness)
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Gal 5:23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Gentleness- The word is associated with the word meekness; G4240. prautays, from G4239b; gentleness:-- consideration(1), gentleness(8), humility(m)(1), meekness(1).
The word gentleness (in Koine Greek, daily Greek if you will) used in the Bible means much more than a person’s outward behavior in his relationships with his fellow man. Rather it is an inwrought grace of the soul and it begins with a meekness towards God.
Is your temperament toward God one which accepts His dealings with you as good? Or are you angry with God? When my step sister and her husband were killed in an automobile accident my step dad was angry with God, and then when her son Luke was run over by a drunk boater on the Suwanee River and killed, my step dad was even more angry with God. Randy who we talked with a couple weeks back at the Laundromat was angry with God. He was angry because bad things happen in the world, why doesn’t God stop it? If God is love and God is so good, where is He?
Why did God create the Devil to roam around like a lion looking for one of us to devour?
If we are like Randy, we are antagonist toward God, gentleness and meekness begins in us, when no matter what happens it is “well with our soul.”
The meekness and gentleness this word describes is reflected in the individual who live or die lives or dies for Christ.
The meek or gentle Christian does not put God in charge on a part time basis, but good times or bad times he knows God is in control and he lives his life without disputing or resisting God.
Are you meek and gentle in light of this definition?
The word is closely tied to humble- it is only the humble heart which is meek and does not fight against God and struggle and contend with Him.
Now remember that this meekness and gentleness is first evidenced in one’s relationship to God. Then it shows up in relationships to men, even evil men, because the meek man knows His strength comes from the God who set the stars in place and knows their names.
Meekness is not readily expressed in our language the way it is in the Bible. You see in our culture if you think of someone as meek and gentle you consider them to be weak. Biblically, we are weak, yet know we are strong in Christ, being able to do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us. Really what meekness/gentleness is biblically is the fruit of POWER.
Christians you can afford to be weak because you have the infinite resources of God available to you at His command.
Meekness is the exact opposite of self-assertiveness and self interest it is the “calmness of mind” the one who is on an even keel, neither elated or cast down, simply because he is not occupied with self at all.
Robert Ringer who wrote two best sellers Looking Out For No. 1 and Winning Through Intimidation , obviously did not have a meek relationship with God. The church preachers the meek shall inherit the earth and the world says, “you have got to be kidding me.” The world says and they quote it like it is in the Bible some place, “God helps those who help themselves” and the one I really like, “do unto others before they do unto you.”
I want you to know tonight that to equate biblical meekness with weakness is inaccurate. Just because the two rhyme does not make them synonymous.
Ironically, meekness in its true Biblical form is far from weakness, because it takes unusual strength not to knock someone out in the face of evil, when you know you have the physical strength to do it. Or give them a tongue lashing that they will never forget, when we are wronged. When one refuses to rage, because He knows God deals, then he is exhibiting the fruit of meekness.
Moses was described as more meek than anyone on the face of the earth. (Num. 12:3) We saw God’s strength enter with Aaron and Miriam when they gave Moses a hard time.
Num 12:4 And suddenly the LORD said to Moses and Aaron and to Miriam, "You three come out to the tent of meeting." So the three of them came out.
Num 12:5 Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the doorway of the tent, and He called Aaron and Miriam. When they had both come forward,
Num 12:6 He said, "Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream.
Num 12:7 "Not so, with My servant Moses, He is faithful in all My household;
Num 12:8 With him I speak mouth to mouth, Even openly, and not in dark sayings, And he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant, against Moses?"
Num 12:9 So the anger of the LORD burned against them and He departed.
Num 12:10 But when the cloud had withdrawn from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. As Aaron turned toward Miriam, behold, she was leprous.
Are you meek like Moses enough to know that God will deal with those who deal in their strength with us?
We are to be like Christ and leading a Spirit led life makes us like Jesus.
Mat 11:28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 "Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.
Do our lives model meekness or better yet do our lives model Christ?
Jesus was not looking out for number one, He was not winning through intimidation or tough nosed tactics.
Mat 21:5 "SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, ’BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU, GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY, EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.’"
Jesus had nothing to prove, He knew His Father was in control.
When someone calls you a ‘spineless wonder” and you are so by choice, you are choosing to be strong, it comes as a conscious decision not to be assertive.
The mature disciple of Christ strives to keep a gentle, humble spirit as he authoritatively and firmly, honestly speaks the Truth in love.
Meekness will earn one the right to enter into the ministry of rebuke. That is the meek one will be able to gently restore the one in error to the truth.
Gal 6:1 Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted.
You see meekness demands a lack of self-righteousness, meekness is shown in a spirit that is understanding rather than condemning. Meekness accepts the fact that I am not immune from temptation.
2 Tim 2:24 And the Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,
2 Tim 2:25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,
2 Tim 2:26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
The real strength of meekness is the readiness to be vulnerable and honest in ministry, open and ready to serve.
Meekness is the strength to back off from a fight you know you could win, because you rely on the Spirit of Him who is meek and lowly of heart.
There is nothing stronger than meekness.
Meekness is:
In our rough-and-rugged individualism, we think of meekness as weakness, being soft, and virtually spineless. Not so! . . . Meekness includes such enviable qualities as having strength under control, being calm and peaceful when surrounded by a heated atmosphere, emitting a soothing effect on those who may be angry or otherwise beside themselves, and possessing tact and gracious courtesy that causes others to retain their self-esteem and dignity. . . . Instead of losing, the gentle gain. Instead of being ripped off and taken advantage of, they come out ahead!
CHARLES R. SWINDOLL (1934– )
sources:
Briscoe, Spirit Life
Vines, Expository Dictionary
Draper, Book of Quotes
