#2006-26
Title: Out of Control
Text: Matthew 5:5
Truth: People who yield to God’s control experience well-being.
Aim: To lead them to submit to God.
INTRODUCTION
Victor Hugo, who is famous for his novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame, also so wrote a story called “Ninety-Three.” It tells of a ship caught in a dangerous storm on the high seas. At the height of the storm, the frightened sailors heard a terrible crashing noise below the deck. They knew at once that this new noise came from a cannon, a part of the ship’s cargo, which had broken loose. It was moving back and forth with the swaying of the ship, crashing into the side of the ship with terrible impact. Knowing that it could cause the ship to sink, two brave sailors volunteered to make the dangerous attempt to retie the loose cannon. They knew the danger of a shipwreck from the cannon was greater than the fury of the storm.
That is like human life. Storms of life may blow about us, but it is not these exterior storms that pose the greatest danger. It is the terrible corruption that can exist within us which can overwhelm us. The furious storm outside may be overwhelming but what is going on inside can pose the greater threat to our lives. Our only hope lies in conquering that wild enemy. (sermons.com)
We cannot cure the storm that rages within us. It takes the power of God’s love, as revealed in Christ Jesus. It is only as the character of Christ is formed within that we have any hope of stilling the raging tempest that can harm our souls and shipwreck our lives.
Jesus is at the beginning of his ministry. It is filled with miracles and a message to repent for the kingdom of heaven is near. He is very popular at this time. Once a person has entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ, what’s next? He is to develop the character of His Master and Savior. This character is described for us in the Beatitudes.
What does it mean to be “blessed?” Do you remember the joy and peace you felt inwardly when you were saved or you repented of a deep conviction of sin? It was awareness that you were right with God. Your circumstances hadn’t changed, but everything had changed inwardly. It was a blessed condition. Wouldn’t you like to be able to hang on to that for extended periods of time? The way that happens is to develop these eight Christlike characteristics. Blessed means to be favored by God.
Jesus not only describes them as being filled with an inner sense of joy and peace because they are right with God, but He pledges to reward them for it. Nine times he holds out the condition of blessedness. After each character trait He promises them some kind of reward. I take it that Jesus is greatly desirous that His followers make it a priority to be this kind of person.
The magazine, Psychology Today, sent out a questionnaire asking two questions: “What is happiness?” and “How do you obtain happiness?” The results were interesting and informative. From the responses to the questionnaire they discovered that happiness is not dependent on prosperity. What people had or did not have, whether they were rich or poor, made no difference in determining whether or not a person was happy. They found out if you were prosperous, you might be a little more comfortable in your misery, but that it is not what made a person happy.
Another thing they found out was pleasure does not make a person happy. People might do a lot of things to entertain themselves—beer parties, ball games, vacations—all would bring some temporary relief, but pleasure in and of itself could not make a person happy.
People were looking for happiness, and that is not a bad pursuit. I, personally, believe God wants us happy. The Bible uses the word joy. Joyful Christians are a terrific testimony to the glory of Christ. So it is not the pursuit that was bad. The problem was where they looked for happiness.
Here is the conclusion they drew. Tell me if this is not what Jesus is talking about in the Beatitudes. Happiness is not found in having. Happiness is not found in feeling. Happiness is found in being. Pursue this kind of character and Jesus promises to reward you with a blessed life.
Today, we are looking at the third beatitude: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” The outline of the message is very simple. First, “What Does Meekness Mean?” and second, “What Does Meekness Gain?”
I. WHAT DOES MEEKNESS MEAN?
It’s important to understand this word to understand what Jesus is saying. Words have a way of changing meanings. In 1900 “rap” meant to strike or hit; in 1930 it meant the punishment for a crime; in 1960 it meant a discussion; in 1990 it meant a kind of music. What a word meant in 1611 when the KJV of the Bible was written might be different from the meaning of the same word today.
To us meekness means weakness. A meek person is wishy-washy, indecisive, timid, & unsure of himself. Meekness is not spinelessness or cowardice or shyness. Some dictionaries define the word meekness as deficient in courage. I assure you that none of that is what Jesus meant when He said “Blessed are the meek.”
So what does it mean? The original Greek word is translated in various ways in different translations of the N.T. One version uses the word “tolerance,” another “forbearance” and “adaptability.” What that means is there is no equivalent word in English for the Greek word.
One way to understand the meaning of a word is to see how it was used. In classical Greek three different types of people used it. Doctors, sailors, and farmers used this word. The doctor used this word “meek” to describe a soothing medicine that would take away pain. The sailor used the word “meek” of a gentle breeze that brings freshness and refreshment to the sailors. The farmer used this word of a donkey or horse that is broken and is able to be used, and useful, in farm work. In other words, meekness is power under control. Medicine that is used out of control can wreck your health. We all know what damage a hurricane can do. It is wind out of control. Just try to ride a horse that’s not broke to ride and you’ll learn the definition of power not under control.
What does this mean for a Christian? Weakness is a lack of strength. Meekness is strength under control. Jesus is describing a person, like that wild horse that’s broke, who has submitted to Jesus Christ. He is describing someone whose strength, abilities, and energies are controlled by Christ.
Only two people in the Bible are described as meek—Moses and Jesus. Imagine the control it took on the part of Jesus not to shrivel the arm of the men that beat those nails into his hand! Moses was one of the greatest leaders of history. It took a man with backbone to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. Yet, when his brother and sister bitterly criticized him and opposed him for marrying a Cushite woman, he doesn’t take matters into his own hands but waits for God to defend him.
Jesus and Moses teach us that people who live under the control of God refrain from revenge and anger. They trust God and commit to do things God’s way. If you’ve been very far down the road of Christian discipleship, you’ve struggled with doing things God’s way instead of your way.
A stressed-out man on a busy street was tailgating a woman. Suddenly, the light turned yellow just in front of her. She did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though she could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.
The tailgating man hit the roof and the horn, screaming in frustration as he missed his chance to get through the intersection on her bumper. As he was still in mid-rant, he heard a tap on the window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The police officer ordered the man to exit the car with his hands up. He was searched, handcuffed, and placed in the back seat of the patrol car.
After almost thirty minutes of interaction on his radio and in car computer, the officer let the man out and released him. He said, “I’m sorry for this mistake. I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the lady in front of you and cussing a blue streak at her. I noticed the ‘Choose Life’ license plate holder, the ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Fish emblem on the trunk. So naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car.”
It is not just houses or people’s appearance that need an Extreme Makeover. Inwardly, Christians are to hand control over to Jesus. Blessed are those who have handed control of their will over to Jesus.
Meekness is seen in a mother who handles a child gently instead of jerking it around when she is frustrated. Meekness is seen when a teenage boy refuses to click on that adult sight that pops up on his computer. Meekness is seen when a person is being corrected and instead of being sullen and defensive is open and teachable. Who we surrender our will to—and this is crucial—to God or ourselves reveals the character we possess. The promise of this beatitude is that life becomes a delight when you consistently give control to God.
Who would do this? People who are poor in spirit. They know they are totally dependent on God. People who mourn. They are deeply convicted of their sinfulness and overwhelmed by God’s mercy and grace. In light of that, who wouldn’t surrender the power of your mind, will, strength and being to this God.
What does meek mean? It means submission, gentleness, humility, tolerance, adaptability and forbearance. In a word, power under control.
Second,
II. WHAT DOES MEEKNESS GAIN?
J. Paul Getty said, “The meek shall inherit the earth but not its mineral rights.”
The history of the world could be written consecutively naming those who sought to conquer the world: the Pharaohs of Egypt, Alexander the Great, Ghengis Khan, Napoleon Bonaparte, the Caesars of Rome, Adolph Hitler and the Communists. All have failed.
What you notice is all these men had huge armies under their control, but what they did not rule was their own spirit. In the end, their kingdoms were lost and they were ruined. But Jesus says there are people who do conquer the world. They are the meek.
In fact, the verse is emphatic in the original. It is the meek and only the meek that inherit the earth.
It was difficult to find a good explanation of what it means to inherit the earth. And why is the reward inheriting the earth? The commentators basically named two ideas about the meaning of inherit the earth. The first was experiencing contentment now and the second was ruling with God in the future when He establishes His reign.
When was man most content? When he was in the Garden of Eden. There he lived under the rule of God and all his needs and desires were met. He lost that when he chose to no longer live under the rule of God. There was a time when man knew satisfaction and bliss. His soul was joyous and content because of his relationship with his Creator. Could it be Jesus is pointing us back to the way of Eden, if we’d only submit to His rule?
And what about this looking to the future when we will literally rule the universe with Jesus?
You may be like Betsy Childs. She was telling her friend how she always lived looking forward to the next big thing. It might be Christmas or a reunion with friends or a conference. But occasionally she would find herself with nothing to look forward to and to set her hopes on.
It would convict her that she had put her hope on the wrong things. She tried to understand why she always had to have something to look forward to. She expected her friend to tell her to stop looking forward to things that can’t satisfy. Instead her friend said maybe she wasn’t looking forward far enough. Our longings now are fleeting but a time is coming for those ruled by God where our satisfactions will be forevermore. What must that be like?
It must be like what I feel in my heart when I’m enjoying my grandchildren or I’m standing within a few feet of two beautiful kids of mine pledging their wedding vows and that moment doesn’t fade but it endures. Could it be God is holding out a reward like that for those who surrender their will to God?
Maybe the reason why meekness is not prized more in the Christian church is because we don’t look far enough into the future.
CONCLUSION
Maybe you’ve heard of the Greek philosopher Diogenes? He is famous for carrying a lamp and looking for an honest man. He never really found one.
Once Diogenes sailed on a ship that was captured by pirates who made slaves of the surviving passengers. A slave trader correctly guessed that Diogenes was no field hand. Did he have a useful trade?
The new slave replied that he was no tradesman or skilled laborer. His only trade was that of governing men. Thus, Diogenes concluded, “I would like to be sold to a man who needs a master.”
And he was. A man bought Diogenes to become tutor for his sons and advisor-ruler of his household. Diogenes again became the master.
Finding a man in need of a master is far easier than the search for an honest man.
I am in need of a master. You are in need of a master. Our words, actions and influence are powerful. They need to be controlled so others are not hurt. Our Master is Jesus. Dying on the cross He proved His love for us, arising from the grave He demonstrated He has the power to rule us. He offers the world to those who submit.
PRAYER
INVITATION
Occasionally, I thank you for attending church. But I’ll tell you what amazes me. God has taken time out for you today. He is the ruler of the universe but it is as if he told his secretary to hold all calls just so he could focus on you.
God loves you. He wants to give eternal life. But the problem is your sin. Because He is holy and just He must punish your sin. Jesus is God’s provision for your sin problem. He took your punishment on the cross to provide you forgiveness. It worked. He rose from the dead as proof.
He has taken time out to save you if you will repent and believe.
Who you surrender your will to reveals your character. What do you see my Christian friend? Will you surrender anew?
