Matthew 5:5 NIV

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Possessing The Land_pt1: Enter His Rest

Matthew 5:5 NIV

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Possessing the land… is there something you are seeking to posses? A promise you are holding onto? Fighting for? Believing for?

[TODAY] - Go to that promise in your heart… let’s go there now!

Now, let’s study God’s Word concerning His promises.

[HERE] - Jesus was referencing Isaiah when he said these words on the mount that day...

Isaiah 60:21 NIV

Then all your people will be righteous and they will possess the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor.

Possess the land forever… this is His rest.

THANK GOD WE CAN POSSESS THE LAND!

The Israelites wandered in the wilderness until they possessed Caanan.

They entered into the land and possessed the PROMISE.

[ASK] - How do we “possess the land” in our lives?

Jesus tells us in that the meek will possess the land.

Are you the meek?

[FIRST] - Let’s determine what meekness is...

Meekness is...

Not weakness

Numbers 12:3 ESV

Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.

Numbers 12 NIV

Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this. (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.) At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out. Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward, he said, “Listen to my words: “When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them. When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous—it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease, and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.” So Moses cried out to the Lord, “Please, God, heal her!” The Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp for seven days; after that she can be brought back.” So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on till she was brought back. After that, the people left Hazeroth and encamped in the Desert of Paran.

Matthew 11:29 NIV

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.

Moses killed a man who was harassing his countryman

Moses defended women at a well against 7 other men

;

Moses stood before Pharaoh, the most powerful man in the region

Moses lead millions of Israelites through the wilderness for 40 years

Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22–23 ASV 1901

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.

Nothing from the Spirit would be considered weakness, but POWER!

Truly submitted

[POINT] Meekness describes the attitude between student and mentor.

[STORY] - Coach Mason had a famous quote: “Be coachable!”

This is emptying yourself of self

Obeying whatever is told

Letting go of your way, your feelings, your pain, your needs.

This is submitted.

[WRITE IT DOWN] - Meekness is Truly submitted

SCRIPTURE

Philippians 2:1–4 NIV

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Enter His rest

SCRIPT

Matthew 11:29 KJV 1900

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

[POINT] Again! meekness describes the attitude between student and mentor.

This is the only place REST exists.

[PAYOFF] - We are commanded to rest in His rest. (His presence, His will, His plan, His promises)

There is NO work we can do.

Yet, we toil.

NOTE - Take my yoke (easy and light)… Is the work Christ does through us. The good works we do are a result of the rest we live in.

There is a burden, but when that burden becomes heavy in our soul, we are toiling!

Seek

Matthew 6:33 NIV

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

[REMEMBER] Isaiah said, they will be righteous and possess the land… THIS IS NOT OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT HIS!

[PAYOFF] - The saving grace of Jesus is the Promised Land!

Mathew 6:33

Bare

John 15:8 NIV

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Meekness is a fruit to bare

And, baring His fruit shows we are His disciples, students (the disposition of student to teacher)

Possess

Hebrews 4:1–11 NIV

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

His works have been finished since the creation of the world…

On the seventh day God rested from all His works...

There remains a rest for the people of God...

Therefore make every effort to enter that rest...

“POSSESS” is His command to enter with confidence and faith!

Take Away

[ASK] - What does this mean to me?

Rest - I must rest in His rest...

Toiling for any reason outside of faith...

Some toil to please Him

Some toil because they do not simply have faith.

HE IS AT REST, we too are invited into His rest.

We’ve entered through Christ.

BACK TO ISAIAH - All the people will be righteous, and they will possess the land forever.

Isaiah

Isaiah 60:21 NIV

Then all your people will be righteous and they will possess the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor.

BACK TO MATTHEW - Take my yoke upon you… find rest for your souls.

Matthew 11:29 NIV

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.

[SIDE NOTE] - Is it possible for Christ to “work” in your life, without Christ’s work, in your life?

Colossians 2:10 NIV

and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.

Christ’s work in your life is complete. Now, rest in Him!

When “incomplete” seems to show up, REST!

When fear shows up, REST!

When lack or need is present, REST!