Meek Out
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3:33 - Welcome - Quick Shout out to those online - FB, YouTube, Podcast - yes, if you miss a week but want to stay up to date with the message you can! For those of you wondering if Summit is worth checking out in person - C’mon Summit let them know you want them to come join you! To come and Be known Find hope and love the city all in the name of Jesus…
Do me a favor, picture an image in your mind of an animal that you consider MEEK. What image comes into your mind. Meek isn’t a word we use too often is it. So, take a second and picture that little meek animal in your mind for a minute. Maybe its like a little Chickadee or a little cute kitten! AWWWW
Chickiadee / Kitten
Who doesn’t love a little Kitten - even those who have Cat issues - no judgement by the way - even you with Cat issues gotta think this little guy is adorbs…Is it wrong for a guy my age to say adorbs - instantly regret it.
Listen, If this is the image that you got. Not that it was a chickadee or a little kitten but something like that. Something that is timid and a pushover and something that would have difficulty standing up for itself. Well, you got the American version of meek right.
“Quiet, Gentle, Easily imposed upon”
So, if I were to read:
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
You’d be like, well I am out. This was fun but not a chance that’s gonna be me! In all honesty, thats how I would have responded 15 years ago. Marine, Firefighter, Cop filled with so much machismo is was borderline Narcissistic. I’d be like, and this is why the message of the church doesn’t make sense. You have to have your head on a swivel out here. You can’t be gentle, you can’t be easily imposed on an survive out here. It is survival of the fittest.
If I was around when Jesus said this, I’d be about to argue with Jesus for sure. The meek aren’t going to inherit anything, they are going to get run over. The only way to get in this world is to be strong, to hold your ground, to drop the hammer on these Roman bullies. BUT BUT BUT
Jesus is flipping everything on its head. If you recall, he is telling the people to repent,,,to Do life in a different direction. Why???
From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Because the Kingdom of Heaven is near! The thing they have been waiting for - the Jewish people, the people of God in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria - That its all about to change. So if thats you, if you are ready to bail out on me because you think I am asking you to be meek like a chickadee, or a helpless little kitten - NOT SO FAST!!!!
Kitty / Chickadee
I am going to help you, I am going to help all of us see that Meekness is not this image but it is THIS IMAGE!!
Lion / Eagle
To which I am guessing you have a couple of questions. First, How in the world are you gonna do that PC? Over the last couple of weeks we have been in a series to help up Sync UP with God. To help our posture, thoughts, actions, attitudes, our emotions SYNC UP with God.
So, how are we going to SYNC UP today - by getting the right image in our minds of this word PRAUS - Translated in some Bibles as MEEK - actually in many of the popular Bibles over that last few generations. The best way I know to do that, is letting the Bible speak for itself, and describing to you the only two people in all of scripture described as Praus.
This first guy is an interesting story. Born of humble origins, and narrowly escaping would be executioners at an early age. God’s divine hand is no doubt all over this story. This young man grows into a place of power and prestige but through a series of circumstances he flees the city of his birth.
It is fair to say that the early years of his life, even well into adulthood - Praus was not a word used to describe him. His sense of justice was strong, but the rash actions in youth left him afraid and on the run. Many years later God changed all of that. God called a steady, hardworking, faithful family man into a great service. A service that would not only bring Justice to his people, but set him on a trajectory of infamy.
His cause was one set by God the Father, but it was no easy task. The people he saved, we not an easy people. The opposition he faced, was not only from a distance but even within his own family… Time and time again he had to lead those who were impossible to lead, to face those who would have him killed, and to stay the course even when his own brother challenged him.
Time and time again, this man defied what the American definition of meekness is, time and time again he showed restraint when prudent, and power when necessary. In the words of the Biblical Scholar William Barclay -
“always angry at the right time, and never angry at the wrong time” - William Barclay
Have you figured out who this guy is yet??
Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.
Yes, some translations of the Bible use the term “very humble.” But this is how many of the bible translations of our time translate this word Praus!
I’m curious who you think the next person is, but let me describe him a bit. Similar to Moses he grew up in very difficult times. Rulers and leaders constantly at odds with each other. Suspicion of succession and the danger of an overthrow was a constant companion to the ruler of the region. This was even true for those who would rule even in God’s promised land.
As the child grew it became clear that greatness was in the future. I am not sure the extent of the greatness was known, but more than a beggar for sure. Into adulthood the pressures of His given role was significant. Time and time again he would develop a group loyal to rebuilding, a group ready to see the people of God flourish once again. Only every step of momentum, every step to help a community find safety in God’s hands was met with opposition. Serious, well empowered people bent on destroying the mission. Bent on ending the momentum, even at the walls of the city.
One day in particular, while in the sacred space designed for worship, He was confronted with profane images and idols that were in direct contrast to God’s design, God’s commands. Without allowing anger and the offense to go unchecked he forcefully cleared the filth and disease that was infiltrating God’s courtyard.
Yet again another who fits the mold of William Barclay:
“always angry at the right time, and never angry at the wrong time” - William Barclay
pretend for a moment we are playing the game clue and you think you know the answer to the infamous questions Who, Where, and with what….
Jesus in the Temple with the Whip
Yes, Moses and Jesus are the only two individuals in all of scripture specifically described with the word Praus!!
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.
Would you describe either Moses or Jesus as MEEK - the American Version? Would you think of Moses as a Chickadee?? Of course not - but and Eagle. Power, Strength, a symbol of Freedom and perseverance…Well, that was the Symbol of the great bird that I grew up with. Its why I have three of them tattooed on my body!
Would you think of Jesus like the helpless little kitten - NOT A CHANCE - He is the Lion of Judah!!
MEEK ≠ WEAK
Instead, Instead–Here is what I really want you to see – God is not saying that in order to inherit the Earth you need to be a push over, you need to sit on the sidelines cover your eyes and just hope the boogey man doesn’t see you. You don’t have to burry your head in the sand and hum Koom-Bye-ya pretending everything is going to be alright. You don’t even have to just go along to get along, to avoid conflict at every turn.
Nope - Not at all. Instead this Biblical Picture of Meekness – sometimes translated as humility or gentleness – is truly POWER under control…
MEEK = POWER UNDER SUBMISSION
Are you with me church??? If you want to SYNC UP with God we need to be people who are filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit and in full and total submission to God
Let me say that again. If you want to take up the posture of those who are blessed and will inherit the Earth…You and I are to be people who are MEEK
EMPOWERED BY THE SPIRIT SUBMITTED TO THE FATHER
One of the icons of the faith who embodied this so unbelievably well was the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Last month was Black History Month, but we do not box up or ignore the incredible resilience, perseverance, and leadership of our faithful heroes to some dedicated month. Dr / Pastor King faced incredible injustice in nearly every space we found himself. He faced opposition even within his community , and we all are aware of the great hate some had - even to the point of taking his life.
But Pastor King was a living example of Biblical Meekness. In fact, Dr King said this in a sermon in 1957:
“I am certain that Jesus understood the difficulty inherent in the act of loving one's enemy. He never joined the ranks of those who talk glibly about the easiness of the moral life. He realized that every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.
He continued…
So when Jesus said "love your enemy," he was not unmindful of its stringent qualities. Yet he meant every word of it. Our responsibility as Christians is to discover the meaning of this command and seek passionately to live it out in our daily lives.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
Power under control, power under control, power under control——The control of the Holy Spirit.
Wanna SYNC UP with God and ensure you will inherit the Earth? The new Earth, not this one. If it was this one, I think we would all be like “NOPE” No thanks I’m good you can have this one.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
Praise the Lord for the new creation, the new heaven and the new earth. The promise of the future blessing.
If you want to SYNC UP your life with the life of Jesus - We exhibit the confidence because of the power of the Holy Spirit in humble submission to King Jesus.
If you recall back to the first two Be Attitudes, it is all about posture right. We have the posture of someone who recognizes their total and complete powerlessness to save ourselves. To live a life in keeping in God’s standards everyday, all day. To recognize that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glorious standard of God. But But But - In Jesus we are made WHOLE!!
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Jesus lived the life we could never live - a perfect life free of sin in every way - and Christ died the death we deserve to die because of the sin in our lives - all of us - So that in his resurrection we can have a certain hope to receive the gift of grace and be people redeemed - reconciled with God.
He never had to change his mind about us, but we had to recognize the total depravity of our sin - to be poor in spirit. If you have not made that decision to accept that free gift of grace through Jesus - I am going to invite you to consider doing so a little later.
2nd Be Attitude - 2nd way to SYNC UP with God is through mourning. Two things we grieve the sin in our lives and the lives of those around us. We grieve those lost without finding salvation in Christ and know that we are sent to those in our lives far from Christ! Chances are, the comfort we felt in the deepest seasons of grief is the exact hope the you living next to you needs today!
At Summit Church we say it like this. We are all about helping one more person Be Known, Find Hope, and Love the City all in the name of Jesus.
Poor in Spirit and people who mourn are not describing things we must DO - but simply describing the kind of people we must be to SYNC UP. When our lives are marked by Spiritual Poverty and Deep Honest Mourning sin…We take on the posture of Meekness or Humility.
How can we MEEK OUT? How can we have a meekness or humility inside that is expressed outside?
Yes, there is a direct correlation between Meekness and Humility. Some translators use humility instead of meek. Humility is a little easier to identify maybe, maybe a little easier for self reflection. If we want to SYNC UP is starts with an honest self assessment.
Just like recognizing we are poor in spirit, we need an honest self-reflection
Self - Reflection: Collaboration
Here are some real quick hitters when it comes to Humility:
Do you say they did it or we did it? Do you say the team is awesome or my team is awesome. Do you try and ensure you get the bulk of the credit or the rest of the team? Such an easy trap that I have caught myself falling into from time to time. No shame here, but reflect on the way you describe accomplishments or the people you collaborate with or even the people who you happen to supervise.
Correct it in real time - If you saw “we” did something when in fact you didn’t do it - make the adjustment. Humble yourself.
Athletes - even the ones claiming Christ - fall into this trap all the time. They point to the sky and then celebrate themselves. They say I couldn’t do it without such a great team, instead of simply saying we have such an incredible team.
So what do you do if you struggle with humility? You grab a bigger towel! Find your space in the church, in the city to serve the community. Serve the community on a Sunday morning, just by simply greeting people at the door, or making sure the coffee is prepared and there’s plenty to go around. Or the sidewalks are shoveled or the leaves are raked or the signs are out or the parking lot is in working order.
There are so many different ways that you can serve right here on a Sunday. Or maybe it’s grabbing the sign-up for weekly food distribution. Whether that’s on Wednesday nights for mid week or Tuesdays when people go out into the city. Or serving at the food shelf, or the clothes closet that’s on in the basement. The pointers, find ways to be around other people and learn their needs so you can serve them.
Self - Reflection: Vindication
Power under control! Whose control - certainly not self-control but submission to God. What does that mean for us? It means we trust God’s power to right the wrings in our lives. To trust God’s timing and preparation for the work he may call us to do to combat injustice.
Power under control means allowing God to provide vindication on his timeline, not yours. To not allow the offense you may feel in your flesh - that hit to your pride, the hit to your feeling of worthiness, intelligence, emotions - not allowing those things to control the way you respond. BUT BUT to allow God’s Spirit within you lead the way.
Meekness in SYNC is waiting on the Lord for vindication not acting in retaliation.
So how do you respond when threatened. When your ego is threatened - do you assume the worst and demand correction? Do you “come unglued” a phrase often said by my biological dad and echoed by me. It is amazing how fast I - maybe we - can go from being filled by the Holy Spirit to filled by the Melton.
Wait on the Lord and take your direction from Him and not your personality type.
Take your orders from Jesus and not your ego…
Ask God to help you with it. Start your day asking for the controlled fully submitted strength each day.
To Sync Up in Meekness requires - Self reflection in our intentional and personal devotion to The Lord.
Self - Reflection: Devotion
It is near impossible to know how to respond if we are not in regular devotion to the Lord.
Wanna Sync UP - do the things Jesus did. He regularly got away to pray and commune with the Father. To pray, to listen, to plead, and to follow the lead of the father. Jesus embodies POWER UNDER CONTROL…
Going a little farther, he fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Jesus agonizing over what was to come for him, the arrest, the abuse, the murder, the cross, the separation because of the weight of our sin…The ultimate POWER UNDER CONTROL and we - those in Christ are to adopt that same attitude.
Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited.
Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.
So when we come before the Lord in Devotion I love the Eugene Peterson frames Matthew 6:5-6
“And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat? “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.
Living in full devotion to God provides us the context to recognize how poor in spirit we are, how much we mourn for the presence of sin/pain/death/disobedience, and trust God enough to live a life in powerful humble submission to the one and only King of this world - King Jesus.
Are you ready to take a step closer to Jesus???
Salvation moment.
Play with me/king Jesus/help me to live/a life and full surrender/to be empowered by the Holy Spirit/live under your control. Jesus, I know you died from my sin / I believe that you were raised to life / and today I surrender my life to you / I put you on the throne of my life / Forgive me for my sins / fill me with your spirit / and help me live / every day for you in Jesus name.
See you next week!
