The Good Life - Having Nothing to Prove

Our Theme for 2025 is “Live Like Jesus”

It comes out of a simple desire to follow Jesus - and to learn better what that means.

We are going to spend the entire year in the Gospel of Matthew.

We begin with a short portion of scripture that summarizes Matthews gospel.

Live like Jesus means aligning our minds, hearts and actions with His.

Matthew five through seven contains a text referred to as the sermon on the mount. And the first twelve verses are called the beatitudes.

Matthew 5:1–12 ESV

1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Jesus opens his sermon on the mount with eight statements about “the good life”, but the good life is not what you think.

We began by saying that you can live the good life and live with in your means.

The Biblical concept of blessing has everything to do with how we live, but very little to do with how we feel.

It is not about needing more, but about learning to depend on God.

Last week we noted that you have to give yourself permission to feel.

The best way to deal with negative emotions is to share them with someone who cares and preferably someone who has been there and truly understands.

This week’s beatitude or attribute of “the good life” is about our aspirations and our attitudes.

Matthew 5:5 ESV

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

What does it mean to be meek?

We don’t use that word anymore outside of the Bible.

It means to be humble, gentle and calm.

In the modern vernacular, we might say that a meek person is “pretty chill.”

They don’t feel like they need to prove anything to anyone.

Jesus says that these are the ones who will inherit the earth.

Not the people who try harder.

Not the people who stand out and excel.

Not the people who achieve their grandiose dreams.

The meek, the ones you probably never notice - the people that you probably wouldn’t even take into account, they are going to be the ones left standing when all is said and done.

There once was a young boy named David who took care of sheep. He was overlooked by everyone, even his own family. When it came time to choose a king, God chose David—not the strong warrior or the handsome brother. God loves to use the meek and the humble. In the end, it was David who stood tall as a giant slayer and king. Never underestimate the quiet ones; their time will come, often when we least expect it.

The meek are the people we underestimate.

They are not the loud and flashy ones.

They are rarely the best or the most popular.

They may not even be the smartest, the bravest or the most talented.

But what they have is a quiet confidence.

They are faithful, consistent and under control.

They demonstrate patience and trust in God.

Think about the story of the tortoise and the hare. The speedy hare, full of confidence, underestimated the steady tortoise, who quietly kept moving forward. In the final stretch, the hare napped, and the persistent tortoise crossed the finish line first. This fable reminds us that those who are perceived to be weak or meek can achieve great things through humility and perseverance.

The Bible say that the meek are the ones who will possess the land.

Whether that land is the land of Israel or the whole earth.

The point is that in their hearts, they are settled on the promises of God and so they eventually also receive those promises.

Life is a marathon, not a sprint.

And so slow and steady - those who have nothing to prove - eventually win the race.

The people we underestimate.

Who are the meek?

They are regular people.

They are the people that, when you go back and read your school yearbook, you realize that you forgot they even existed.

My kids were going through their bins of stuff that they had saved over the years, throwing stuff out that they no longer want to keep. Jonas was looking through old yearbooks, including one from pre-kindergarten at Quakertown Christian School. Right next to him in his pre-K photo is Sabrina Carpenter. - who is now a famous singer. Jonas was going to throw it out - but that picture could be worth some money on Ebay. People collect that stuff because it shows a celebrity is really just a regular person before they become famous.

Why does it matter that famous people lived regular lives?

Because it helps us to put our own lives in perspective.

We are not so different from the people we admire.

Or from the people who may intimidate us.

There are no unimportant people.

In the Bible Project Podcast - Biblical language scholar Tim Mackie defines the meek as “unimportant people.”

He bases that assessment on how the Greek term that is used is often translated from the Hebrew term which refers to common people.

The nameless faceless masses of people that nobody really knows or cares about.

These are the people who are overlooked in society.

They are the people who might have cause to wonder, “do I really matter?”

When my wife Karie and I are watching “Star Trek,” we noticed that the show focuses entirely on the main characters. In fact whenever there is another character in a scene, especially a battle scene or an away mission, we call them “expendable crew members.” They are usually and indication that someone is about to get killed. Of course, the main characters need to continue on in the series. So the expendable crew members are always the ones who get killed off because we don’t really know anything about them - they are expendable.

Are there really expendable people?

Not according to Jesus.

The “poor in spirit” the people who are “unimpressive” are the one who are the owners, the important people in the Kingdom of God.

Jesus is going to repeat this theme over and over again throughout his teaching.

Matthew 20:16 ESV

16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

Matthew 25:40 ESV

40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

There are no minor roles in God’s story - no expendable crew members.

Everyone has an important part to play and everyone’s life and role is meaningful.

Everyone is valuable - created in God’s image.

The world will tell you that you have to do something to distinguish yourself, to make your life worth something.

But Jesus tells you that you are a child of God.

And as a child of God, you have an inheritance.

You are included and important just because you are you.

Being is more important than doing.

Psalm 25:12–14 ESV

12 Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. 13 His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land. 14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.

Being comes before doing.

Who you are should determine what you do.

What you do doesn’t necessarily determine who you are.

Our identities can be so wrapped up in doing that we get it backwards.

Our identity should inform our actions, so that we don’t get our identity from our actions.

So failing doesn’t make you a failure.

Lying doesn’t make you a liar.

Neither does winning make you a winner.

You are first and foremost a child of God - and that should be the first consideration in everything that you do.

Ephesians 5:1 NLT

1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.

My first ministry assignment was as a missionary in Denmark. I had been trained in mega-church to be goal oriented. I had dreams and ambition. But I had a prayer partner who would write letters of encouragement. In those letters, he would say things like, “don’t think that God has called you there to do anything. God has called you first and foremost to be, and then to do.”

I have to admit that it was hard for me to hear and it took me a long time to understand what he was saying. Much of what I tried to do didn’t work out, at least not the way I thought it would. I would get anxious every time I had to write a newsletter. I thought I had to tell a great story which would justify the sacrifices that my supporters were making to keep me there. I relayed this struggle to one of my Danish friends who said, “I don’t know what to tell you, except that your being here is making a difference.”

In the end, the way that I was able to have the most significant impact was the friends that I made and the people that I was able to influence who went on to do great things for God. My being there, just being the person that God made me to be and contributing to the mix what the assignment God had for me. And it taught me the value of being versus doing.

Remember that we said - The Biblical concept of blessing has everything to do with how we live, but very little to do with how we feel.

That was true of being “poor in spirit”

We may feel powerless, but we are not really powerless - we still have choices to make within our limitations.

It is also true of our emotions, that the worst way to handle negative feelings is to suppress or deny them.

Instead we find appropriate ways to express them and move through them to healing.

When it comes to meekness, we may feel insignificant or insecure, but that is only when we compare ourselves to others or listen to the worlds values.

Proverbs 2:20–22 ESV

20 So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it, 22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

Who does God say that you are?

You are His child.

You are in covenant relationship with Him.

You are “in Christ” and as such, you have everything that you need.

Just stay on that path - stay close to God and learn what it means to abide in Him.

Having quiet confidence.

You may have heard that “meekness is not weakness.”

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Chapter 5

Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is strength under control. Praus, the Greek word translated “meek,” is a term used to describe a powerful stallion broken and able to be ridden. Moses was known for his meekness in the Old Testament

Meek people are not timid or scared.

They are not necessarily always quiet.

Moses said, “let my people go!” and yet he was described as meek.

When they are quiet, it is not because they are insecure.

Sometimes it takes more strength to show restraint then it does to respond.

When you know who you are and you know who is in control, you don’t have to prove anything to anyone.

You just keep on keeping on and let things play out around you.

Keep calm and don’t fret.

In this verse of the beatitudes, Jesus is quoting Psalm 37.

Psalm 37:11 ESV

11 But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.

This is a good psalm to read when you are anxious or afraid to put your life into perspective.

This psalmist is comparing himself to the wicked who seem to prosper and get away with behaving badly.

Three times, the psalm warns not to fret.

Psalm 37:1 ESV

1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!

Psalm 37:7 ESV

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

Psalm 37:8 ESV

8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

To fret is to allow yourself to over react to what you are perceiving.

The Hebrew word literally means to get hot.

It’s what happens when we get worked up over a perceived threat or injustice.

In the book Crucial Conversations, written by multiple authors, they define a crucial conversation as a conversation in which “the stakes are high, there are differing opinions and emotions are strong.”

It is at those times that it is most important to recognize what is happening,

Take the time to regulate our own emotions and reactions,

And enter into the conversation rationally and diligently putting the issues into perspective.

Just calm down and breathe … don’t overreact.

Just “Keep calm and carry on”

“Keep Calm and Carry On” is a slogan with its roots dating back to 1939. Formed by the British Government during the Second World War, the Ministry of Information was responsible for the publicity and propaganda surrounding Britain’s involvement in the war. The Ministry of Information had a plan in place to release this poster upon the invasion of Britain by Germany, but since a British invasion never occurred, the poster was never officially released to the public. While most of the posters were destroyed at the end of the war in 1945, in 2001, Stuart Manley, co-owner of Barters Books Ltd. found one of the posters while sorting through a box of used books. Mr. Manley hung the poster by the cash register in his bookstore where it garnered a lot of interest from customers. After demand for the poster kept coming in, Mr. Manley ordered 500 reproductions and began selling them out of his store.

The irony of the story of this poster is that it was never actually needed.

The invasion that everyone feared never happened.

Psalm 37 reminds us that wicked people sometimes prosper, but it is only temporary.

The righteous will outlast the wicked.

Psalm 37:34–36 ESV

34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off. 35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree. 36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.

The Psalmist constantly brings himself back to the perspective that evil may seem to win in the short run, but righteousness is better in the long run.

It’s the tortoise and the hare - don’t be fooled when the wicked seem like they are winning - they are inherently inconsistent.

Do you know why evil can never win?

Because evil people have to constantly pretend that they are good.

If they come right out and say,”I’m evil” nobody will tolerate it, not for long.

So they try to make their evil look like it is good.

It’s like putting a fancy label on a bad product.

People will only buy it once… eventually it is seen for what it is.

God knows this and he is not worried.

He knows that the evil will always, eventually go too far.

It is the nature of evil, after all, to be undisciplined, excessive and disordered.

So God is patient, and while we are all concerned, he just lets things unfold until they begin to unravel.

When you know this, you learn to be patient… its only a matter of time.

This is one of the ways that we can learn to live like Jesus.

Matthew 11:28–30 ESV

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.”

When Jesus says he is gentle - that is the same word that is translated as “meek” in Matthew 5.

He is calm and confident.

He’s not worried.

He doesn’t have anything to prove.

He is working from a place of rest.

And we can find rest in Him.

We can find confidence in His confidence.

We can find security in our identity in Him.

We don’t have to solve all of the problems of the world, or even our own problems.

We can let our doing come out of our being in Him.

Psalm 37:39–40 ESV

39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. 40 The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

He is our stronghold and our refuge.

This is where we can weather the storm.

This is where we outlast the wicked.

This is where we begin to possess the land.

Possessing the land.

When Jesus said the meek would inherit the earth, it is commonly understood in one of several different ways.

The Greek word used here refers to the physical earth, the land and the created world that we live in.

But the Old Testament scriptures which Jesus seems to be quoting most often refer to “the promised land” as the land of Israel.

And “the promised land” also has a connotation of a restored earth, a new creation and a renewed relationship with God.

So just as our them for last year was “possessing the land” and with it was the idea of entering into the plan and the purpose of God for our lives, that same idea is contained in the phrase “inherit the earth.”

The prophet Isaiah foretold the exile of Israel over a hundred years before it happened, but he also foretold a return to the land.

He talked about a restoration, not just to the way things were or are supposed to be, but even better - a double portion!

Isaiah 61:7 ESV

7 Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy.

Notice that the inheritance that Isaiah speaks of is not just a piece of property, it is honor and joy.

It is as much about who you are an how you live as it is where you live.

Receive your spiritual inheritance.

1 Peter 1:3–5 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Yes, I believe that, on one hand, Jesus was talking about a literal physical inheritance. - a new heaven and a new restored earth.

But the spiritual implications are also important and connected to the whole concept of inheritance.

Whether or not we see the earth coming under the rule of God and being redeemed, there is a spiritual component to that inheritance that is already being fulfilled.

We have a living hope, based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that the evil effects of the fall are unraveling.

It has already begun in the heavenly realm and gradually is being manifest on the earth.

As we live and move in this world, we do so with the confidence that God’s redemptive purpose has already begun and will eventually be fulfilled.

Ephesians 1:11–14 ESV

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

The Holy Spirit is the beginning of our inheritance.

While the world is degenerating from sin and corruption.

Evil will eventually manifest openly which will also bring about the end of this world’s system.

Meanwhile the Kingdom of God is growing, not just the organized church, but the people of God transcendent of religious, denominational and cultural barriers.

The true church are all the followers of Jesus, all over the world, who live by and manifest the Spirit.

In other words, those who live like Jesus!

We all have a part to play.

And doing our part comes directly out of being in Him and the transformation that come out of our relationship with Him.

Steward your allotted portion.

Some people understand the Bible to say that the world is just going to get worse and darker until Jesus comes back.

Others interpret the Bible as saying that Jesus is coming back for a victorious bride who overcomes the wold by the power of His Spirit.

I happen to think that the two views are not entirely incompatible.

Realistically, I’m not sure how it is all going to work out - I just know I need to do my part.

Colossians 3:23–24 ESV

23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Remember how Jesus said to take His yoke, because He is meek?

A yoke is a harness by which two oxen pull an implement together.

Whatever God has given us to do we are doing it together with Jesus.

That is where our quiet confidence comes from - its from being yoked together with Him.

It’s from living like Jesus - with Jesus!

Psalm 16:5–6 ESV

5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

There have been many Christians down through the centuries who have served the Lord’s purpose in their generation without seeing what it all means or how it all ends.

Many of those have been persecuted - even lost their homes and their lands - because of the gospel.

But just as we saw in Psalm 37, who has the final word?

The Expositor’s Greek Testament, Volume I (Matthew–John): Commentary Chapter 5: The Sermon on the Mount

The meek of England, driven from their native land by religious intolerance, have inherited the continent of America.

God’s Kingdom continues to move forward because the will of God, though subtle, is more powerful that all of the opposition that evil can trow at it.

And it is why we can be humble, gentle and quiet in our confidence.

Because we have everything to gain and nothing to prove.

Questions for reflection:

It has been said that humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. Have you been trying to prove yourself in ways that are unhelpful or unproductive? Maybe it is time to “let go and let God?”

Read Psalm 37 over again. What have you been fretting about? Where does your confidence come from? Remind yourself of how things go for the wicked and run to God as your stronghold and your refuge.

What is your inheritance? How does your life contribute to what God is doing in the earth? What part do you play in establishing His Kingdom? Are you working hard at it or do you simply live like Jesus?