The Meek
Notes
Transcript
Scripture Intro:
Sermon on the Mount
The Beatitudes so far...
The Poor is Spirit
Those who Mourn
Transition Question:
How do you respond when it looks like you will not get the results you had hoped for?
Jesus’s answer with surprise us...
and in many ways,
confound us.
Scripture Reading (“Please stand…”)
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Pray...
Intro:
Beginning in 1948 in South Africa,
Apartheid was a system of laws that enforced strict racial separation.
It gave political, economic, and social power almost entirely to the white minority,
while restricting the rights, education, and opportunities of the Black majority
and other ethnicities.
Families were forcibly removed from homes in cities
Entire neighborhoods were bulldozed
People were relocated to distant, impoverished townships
Sharpeville Massacre (1960):
police opened fire on peaceful protester
69 killed, many shot in the back
180 wounded
Torture and Abuse of Political Prisoners
The government banned anti‑apartheid groups
one organization was the African National Congress (ANC).
Nelson Mandela was a budding leader in which opposed apartheid.
In 1961, Mandela helped establish an armed wing of the ANC,
Umkhonto we Sizwe (“Spear of the Nation”).
They carried out sabotage operations against government infrastructure,
not aimed at people, but at symbols of apartheid power.
He was arrested in 1962 (permanently imprisoned in within the next year)
spent the next 27 years in prison.
You can imagine mistreatment he endured in prison...
Small cell, hard labor
He was allowed one visitor every six months, for 30 minutes.
He could receive one letter every six months, heavily censored.
Newspapers were banned; information about the outside world was limited.
Prisoners were classified by race.
Black prisoners (including Mandela) received the least food, the worst clothing, and the harshest work assignments.
To prevent organizing,
he was separated from other ANC leaders to prevent organizing.
He spent years in solitary confinement or isolation.
Upon his release in 1990 from prison,
the expectation was that he would call for retribution.
Instead, Mandela walked out of prison and gave a speech calling for:
peace, negotiation, mutual respect, and a future built with former enemies
He did not call for revenge.
He did not call for uprising.
He did not call for purges.
This shocked the world and led to the healing of South Africa.
While in prison, Mandela moved from armed resistance to peaceful reconciliation.
During that time,
he studied political theory
he saw how violent revolutions often collapsed into new forms of oppression
What kind of South Africa could actually endure?
He concluded that a violent overthrow would destroy the country he hoped to build.
armed struggle alone could not win.
After his release, Mandela:
worked with the President de Klerk who was a supporter of apartheid
negotiated the end of apartheid
calmed violent outbreaks
urged unity in speeches
modeled forgiveness personally
His leadership prevented civil war and stabilized the transition of power.
He was patient, strategic, forgiving.
He believed dignity was stronger than retaliation
He was president for one term,
until he voluntarily stepped down.
Very different than most liberation leaders around the world...
who remain in power until they die.
Mandela chose quiet strength as his way of leading his country forward.
And that allowed South Africa to continue to heal and thrive beyond Mandela’s leadership.
Summary:
Quiet strength
Strength under control
Meekness… Gentleness.
Transition:
While Mandela modeled this as a political strategy,
Jesus actually empowers us through a heart transformed by his grace.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Because the Gospel has quieted our hearts,
our gentleness reveals how deeply we have internalized it.
Gentleness Flows from Being Transformed by Grace
Gentleness Flows from Being Transformed by Grace
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“meek” - quite difficult to define
The Greek word rendered 'meek' in our passage...
is translated 'gentle' in its three other usages in the NT: Matt 11:29; 21:5; 1 Peter 3:4.
So “meek” describes one who is humble, gentle, and not aggressive.
In the teachings of the early Church Fathers (first few centuries after Jesus),
'meekness' was seen as parallel to the Greek words meaning:
“quiet”, 1 Pet 3:4),
"patient”, “merciful”,
“gentle/forbearing” Titus 3:2; 2 Cor 10:1)
Think of the context:
“poor in spirit”… “mourning”
both places of low position
“poor in spirit” - spiritually bankrupt
“mourn” over our sin.
But what flows from the understanding of ourselves...
is how we view life and treat people around us.
“meekness”
In Galatians 5 (the Fruit of the Spirit)...
“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, GENTLENESS, self-control”
Gentleness is our word.
It is a gift from the Spirit of God.
Even more pointedly,
meekness and gentleness is a miraculous work of God. I
f someone is willing to go from seeking out how they can gain through their strength
to being willing to move through life with a settled gentleness,
that is a miracle.
That cannot be brought about by mere effort of the will.
That is a move of the Spirit of God.
“Meekness is humility that is expressed in kindness and gentleness.”
Other Scriptures understanding of meekness:
Meekness is contrasted against anger.
for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Other passages link it to:
the defense of the faith (1 Peter 3:16)
correcting unbeliever with gentleness so that they may turn to Christ by faith (2 Tim. 2:25)
correcting another believer in their sin (but without arrogance) (Gal 6:1)
So meekness is not sitting back and doing nothing.
It is action with gentleness.
The meek are those who ARE powerful (strong),
but who have the maturity and grace to use their power
for constructive rather than destructive purposes.
We’ll use 'Gentleness' as shorthand for this.
That Gentleness is the expression of humility in how you treat others and view the unfolding of life."
Dan Doriani:
“The mark of meekness is not the absence of assertiveness. It is the absence of self-assertion.” (Dan Doriani)
The Illustrations of True Strength
The Illustrations of True Strength
The Horse Breeder Illustration:
One commentator pointed out that Southern horse breeders used to have a phrase—
'the meekest horse wins the race.'
Meaning, the one who can hold his power and strength until the proper moment
is the one who wins.
It's the horse that doesn't exert himself all at the beginning of the race that will win in the end.
So meekness is not the absence of strength.
It is a decision of how to employ such strength.
Meekness is when strength is 'harnessed and brought under focused control.'"
The Cross of Christ:
Often we hear the phrase,
“gentle Jesus meek and mild”
and we think of some effeminate looking Jesus...
and we rightly REJECT that picture.
But Jesus describes himself as 'gentle and lowly'.
“gentle and humble” (gentle is our word for meek).
Paul describes Jesus' 'meekness and gentleness.' ...
With that in mind, picture Jesus on the cross.
Beaten, bloody, mocked, nailed to the cross.
And now, listen to the words of the soldiers...
“save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.'
Gentleness and Meekness is Jesus staying on the cross.
He had the strength to come down and wipe everyone out.
Yet, he stays on the cross.
He restrains himself and responds with gentleness toward those who mock him:
“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
That is gentleness!
It's not a lack of strength.
It is strength that is not exerted for yourself,
but for the benefit of others' needs
And when we look at Jesus and his meekness/gentleness...
we see that our salvation is all by grace.
And that grace transforms us.
It changes us.
to the point that we begin to display the gentleness of Jesus.
Gentleness Flows from Trusting in the Father’s Care
Gentleness Flows from Trusting in the Father’s Care
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Human logic dictates that we must assert ourselves to secure our place.
We fear that if we do not stick up for our own rights,
we will become a doormat.
In the first century,
might and military power is what led to blessing.
Greater might meant that you could take whatever you wanted.
Matthew 21:5 (cf. Zech. 9:9) he makes a peaceful entry into Jerusalem in sharp contrast to Zealot hopes.
“Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’ ”
Our Struggle Today (The What):
For us today, things are not all that different.
We may not go to war to get what we want,
but there is a myriad of ways that we can obtain our desired outcome
by sheer grit or force.
We demand our rights, we interrupt, and we use self-promotion.
Take matters into our own hands.
The "Older Brother" Sin:
Internal arrogance, but external humility.
This person is full of backdoor messages,
where they are letting people know how great they are but not in an obvious way.
They try to be subtle, because full out self-promotion is a turn off.
Lack of faith:
We grab because we don’t trust the Father.
Gentleness seems so passive.
If I don't exert myself, then I won't get anything.
The Restlessness and Danger of Self-Assertion
The Restlessness and Danger of Self-Assertion
Think of the effects of a lack of meekness/gentleness.
One author noted 'how greatly ferocious people are disturbed by their own restlessness.'
The thougth is that our wellbeing is up to us.
We are the only ones who can be trusted.
Thought: "Gentleness will get us killed. Therefore, we can't do it."
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.
The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.
Key Quotes:
John Calvin on the "Diabolical Proverb": "We must howl with the wolves, because the wolves will immediately devour every one who makes himself a sheep."
John Calvin on Divine Security: "Though exposed to every species of attack, subject to the malice of wicked men, surrounded by all kinds of danger, they are safe under the divine protection."
Martin Vincent on Acceptance: "As toward God, therefore, meekness accepts his dealings without murmur or resistance as absolutely good and wise. As toward man, it accepts opposition, insult, and provocation, as God’s permitted ministers of a chastening... forgiving and restoring the erring in a spirit of meekness..."
On the Nature of Zeal: "Meekness builds up, while hot and rash zeal pulls down."
Everyday Family Dynamics (The Principle Applied)
Everyday Family Dynamics (The Principle Applied)
Older Siblings: "Imagine this in the everyday life of a family. An older sibling holds the place of greatest strength among the other children. How will they use that strength? Will it be to get whatever they want? Will they oppress the younger kids in the home? Or will the older sibling use that greater strength for the benefit of their siblings? Will they defend and protect them? Will he serve them, using his strength for their gain, not his own?"
Children's Obedience: "Think of a child in their desire to disobey their parents. Mom tells them to clean their room, but they simply don't want to. How will that child respond? Their strength is often shown in the family through explosive anger or manipulation through silence. Will that child seek to punish her mom... or will they, before the Lord, settle their heart and willingly not create a scene in the home? Will they seek the wellbeing of the family around them or just fight for their own 'not wanting to work'?"
Parents' Authority: "For parents, when a child is sassy and defiant, how will we respond? Will we meet our children in their anger? Or will we gently use our strength and authority? Would a simple, 'That kind of response is not welcome in this home. When you are able to speak with respect and kindness, we can continue this conversation. In the meantime, you lose all privileges of entertainment and fun.'"
Gentleness Flows from Abiding in God’s Promises
Gentleness Flows from Abiding in God’s Promises
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The first Beatitude – “poor in spirit”… present reality of the kingdom
2nd and 3rd – both promise of future blessing
Doriani – “This reminds us that we live between the times.”
But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.
For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
The Gospel Solution (What Jesus Did)
The Gospel Solution (What Jesus Did)
His Substitutionary Life: "Jesus takes the lowest place for us. He does not merely teach meekness; He embodies it. He is the One who had every right to demand honor, yet He laid aside His rights and became gentle and lowly in heart."
His Finished Work: "Jesus' finished work allows us to rest in his provision. He has secured our future. We will inherit all things this world has to offer. We will rule and reign with Christ. We will not lack for all eternity. It is finished."
Rewiring our Desires: "Jesus frees us from the need to elevate ourselves. Because He has already lifted us up with Him, we no longer need to scramble for approval, competence, or credibility. The Father’s approval is ours in Christ. The inheritance is ours in Christ. The security is ours in Christ. Jesus restores dependence. Where our lack of meekness destroys dependence, Jesus restores it by showing us the Father’s heart — a Father who delights to give, so we no longer have to take."
The Practical Response in the Home
The Practical Response in the Home
The Freedom of the Inheritance: "We are free to stop living for today and start living in light of eternity. His certain inheritance allows us to not grab for all things of this world today. Jesus calls us to live trusting our heavenly Father, rather than our own arrangement of life."
Concrete Steps for Families:
Quiet the Urge to Look Good: "Resist saying the thing that would try to make you look good. Trust that God will make it known if needed."
Celebrate Others Without Inserting Yourself: "Let someone else’s success stand without adding your own story. When someone shares an accomplishment, resist the urge to match it or top it. Celebrate them without inserting yourself."
Practice Unnoticed Faithfulness: "Do something good that no one sees. Let the Father be the only witness. This breaks the addiction to human approval."
Postures of Curiosity Over Competence: "Ask more questions than you give answers. Interrupting and dominating conversations dissolve when you adopt a posture of curiosity. Questions create space for others and quiet the need to be the most competent voice in the room."
Close in Prayer
Closing Song:
“How Firm a Foundation”
“who for refuge to Jesus hath fled”
Benediction:
The words of Jesus:
Take my yoke upon you,
and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
