Bear Fruit: Gentleness

Introduction

Galatians 5:22–23 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Im going to be honest with you all. Because I believe you deserve my honesty.

And heres the simple reality as we talk about gentleness tonight in a lot of ways I feel super disqualified.

This is probably my biggest weakness when it comes to the fruit of the Spirit.

I simply have lacked gentleness all of my life.

Like yall its just so hard to be gentle.

The Lord made me big and loud and bold. and a lot of those things have made me the opposite of gentle.

Then I think of my life and the things I have been through. The suffering. The pain. and sometimes we build up walls.

Sometimes we grow thick skin. and we think thick skin is good but what we realize is that our thick skin has become unable to feel the sensitive moments of life.

So I really dont feel that gentle.

Yet I will also tell you all this week has been a week of growing in gentleness for me.

Most of yall know that on Tuesday we had to put down our dog.

and I just felt this overwhelming responsibility from the Lord as a husband and dad to be gentle for my family.

To cry with them. To mourn with them. but also to encourage.

Iv told numerous people this week. 2024 has been one of the hardest years of Stephanie and I’s life when it comes to the physical things.

Flu, multiple stomach bugs, severe back issues, long trips away. Losing our dog. Its been brutal.

But at the same time.

The Lord has been so good in our life. Hes bringing students to faith in Jesus. He’s calling others to ministry. Yall we have so many youth baptisms coming up. Like the Lord has been so good.

and what I have realized is that he has shown me so much gentleness.

What is Gentleness?

Gentleness is difficult to define.

And really I dont think we would have this word or this fruit if it wasnt for Jesus.

I say that because gentleness is so rare.

the James of definition of gentleness is the presence of humility and thankfulness while also showing leadership and authority.

Theres only one person who ever perfectly embodied gentlesness. and it was Jesus.

Gentleness is not weakness.

Gentleness is actually a straight of someone who has strength.

and the The opposites of gentleness are anger, a desire for revenge, and self-worship.

One Commentary I read said Gentleness can be defined by what it is not. not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance.

To be gentle you must be mentally and spiritually strong.

Truths About Gentleness

1. Gentleness comes from believing the Gospel.

To be Gentle. You have to first know the one who was and is gentle. Then you must let him change you and command all that you do.

We all have power and influence. Whether you are following Jesus or not. You have influence in this world and you influence others.

Gentleness is closely related to the power of influence.

Gentleness takes our natural influence and filters it through the Gospel.

Our influence and our power. We realize its not ours. We owe all to Jesus.

To be Gentle is to say that God’s ways are better than our own ways.

Isaiah 55:9 “9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

To be gentle means to humbly realize that our whole world has been shaped by sin and that we need God to save us from sin. To accept Gods way as true and to live for Him because his way is true.

2. Gentleness Comes from Walking with Jesus

One of the most comforting passages of all of Scripture comes from the words of Jesus himself.

In Matthew 11.

Matthew 11:28–30 “28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.””

Jesus is Gentle.

As we spend time with and walk with Jesus. We begin to be more like him.

3. Gentleness offers correction with Grace.

2 Timothy 2:24–25 “24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,”

As believers we have a duty to proclaim the Gospel in to the World.

Yesterday a few of you sat at the coffee shop with me and we talked about how the Gospel in its on nature is terribly offensive.

and we must be willing to offend people with the Gospel.

But we must also have grace.

4. Gentleness makes more of Jesus and less of self.

If you want to be gentle. Focus less on yourself and focus more on Jesus.

John 3:30 “30 He must increase, but I must decrease.””

Gentleness is not reminding others of their sin all the time.

Gentleness is not religiousness.

When I talk about making more of Jesus.

I mean making all of your life like Jesus’

Theres a older song.

Give me your eyes.

The whole idea is that we should want to be like Jesus in every way.

3 Times we need to be Gentle

1. When somebody serves you, be understanding, not demanding.  Then next time you’re in a long line at a government office or coffee shop, be considerate—be understanding—of the person who eventually helps you.

2. When somebody disagrees with you, be tender without surrender. You’ll never get your point across by being cross. You don’t have to back down from God’s truth, but you can treat people with gentleness and respect.

3. When somebody disappoints you, be gentle, not judgmental. Ephesians 4:32 “32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”