Matthew 5:5...

"Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth.” ()

No man attains this blessing until he has felt his spiritual poverty and mourned over it.

In breaking down this word “humble” or “meek” or “gentle” we dare not miss the point that

in all three of the opening beatitudes the truth is brought out that

the follower of Jesus does not aggressively insist on his own rights but displays genuine humility.

There is my brothers and sisters this idea of a fundamental condition (or disposition) of the heart of

brokenness and contrition before God because of your sin that causes a person to mourn.

We also want to note that these Beatitudes as they proceed become increasingly difficult.

In other words, what we’re considering this morning, is

more searching,

more difficult,

more humbling and even more humiliating than anything we have looked at before.

more humbling and even

more humiliating

than anything we have looked at before.

“Blessed are the humble...”. These are the lowly-minded, and

are ready to give up their portion in the earth; therefore it shall come back to them!

They do not boast, nor contend, nor gloat over others, yet are they heirs of all the good which God has created on the face of the earth.

In their meekness they are like their King, and they shall reign with Him.

The promised land is for the tribes of the meek: before them the Canaanites shall be driven out.

He has the best of this world who thinks least of it, and least of himself.

Men who are repentant cannot be proud, hence the next blessing is to the gentle in spirit.

These enjoy what they have, and, being content with the divine will, they possess

by birthright both this world and worlds to come.

So our text naturally breaks itself down in to two points.

ONE. WHO ARE THE HUMBLE?

We’ve already said that they are those who have been made poor in spirit by God, and

who have been made to mourn before God, and have been comforted; but here

we learn that they are also humble, that is, gentle and meed in mind before God and before men.

I’m going to show you how a humble person relates to God and how he relates to his fellow man.

I’ll give two points to support each!

So the truly humble are first of all, submissive to God’s will.

Whatever God wills, they will. The humble do not quarrel with God!

They don’t talk, as some foolish people do, as to having been born on the wrong planet.

Or during the wrong era!

Even when the humble are struck with the rod of God, they don’t rebel against Him nor call Him a hard Master!

He’s like the psalmist, who when being disciplined by the Lord said, "I am speechless; I do not open my mouth because of what you have done.” ()

They know that it is for their good and for the shapening and molding process of become like Christ Jesus!

We saw last week of the call to endurance before the Lord!

People, by God’s grace, are enabled to raise above the trial and say statements like this:

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. "So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” ()

These are not mere men, who talk back to God and say “to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” ().

But these men and women of grace will not do so.

It is enough for them if God wills anything; if he wills it, so let it be,

—Solomon’s throne or Job’s dunghill;

they desire to be equally happy

wherever the Lord may place them, or

however he may deal with them.

So the humble are submissive to God’s will and closely connected is the truth that they are also flexible to God’s Word.

If they are really humble, they are always willing to bend.

When we’re willing to let the word bear sway in our hearts and minds and become pliable to all its commands, precepts, and pattern this is the spiritually humble person.

The spiritually humble conforms himself to the mind of God in Scripture and doesn’t quarrel with the instructions of the word!

But he does quarrel with the corruptions of his heart!

Listen to the humility in Cornelius’s heart in speaking to the apostle Peter, "So I immediately sent for you, and it was good of you to come. So now we are all in the presence of God to hear everything you have been commanded by the Lord.”” ()

Do you come to the house of God like this? I’ve got my family here in the presence of God to hear everything you have been commanded by the Lord!

That’s the humble spirit!

Oh how happy and blessed are the ones who receive the word humbly even though it comes in majesty!

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

"Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” ()

When the humble in heart find, in the Word of God, any command or precept,, they seek to obey it at once.

They don’t criticize it or ask if they can avoid it.

No, they love God so much that they desire to obey even the least command that He gives, simply out of love for Him!

God is the Writer, and they become living epistles, written, not with ink, but with the finger of the living God.

Thus are they humble towards God.

This humility (or gentleness) isn’t weakness.

Meekness is strength under control.

This Greek word translated “humble,” is a term used to describe a powerful stallion broken and able to be ridden.

So after a person realizing he is poor in spirit and begins mourning,

he finds himself humbled with his strength harnessed for the purposes of the King and for Him alone.

What every it is, that God requires of him, appears, in his eyes, to be right.

"I carefully follow all your precepts and hate every false way.” ()

This is the humble person’s disposition of their heart towards the Lord of glory!

What’s a humble person’s disposition towards his fellow man?

They are patient. They know that offenses will inevitable come () yet they are too humble to give offence or to take offence.

It’s hard to offend a humble person!

The natural man, the unsaved man, is so irritable, that it’s impossible to please them for very long.

They are like the sea, tossed and agitated by every breath of wind!

The humble aren’t easily provoked. The humble man is “"... quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger”

Because he knows that "...human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.” ()

He takes it as a virtue to overlook an offense.

The humble man takes the commandment of “Be angry and do not sin” (from ) and so

endeavours to guard his anger, so to temper it with love and pity,

so as to restrain his anger both in measure and duration!

When people mock his faith, this humble man regards Christ the Lord as holy and is “...ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.

And he does this, “...with gentleness and respect, ...” ()

And he instructs “...his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth.” ()

If the lot falls to the other hand and he has to do the tough thing of reproving his brother in Christ, he will endeavour to “...restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted.” ()

A humble man is also forgiving.

He may receive lashings as others do but he doesn’t resent them as others do!

He knows that he is “not to repay anyone evil for evil.” but is to be “heaping fiery coals on his head.” so that

if by any means, he may at the last melt them into love: not by being “conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.” ()

The humble man seeks to mode Christ in "bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.” ()

So who are the humble this morning? Well towards God they are submissive to His will and flexible to His Word.

And in relation to his fellow man, the humble man is patient and forgiving!

Now, what lavish promise do you have? This leads us to point

TWO. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO INHERIT THE EARTH? "Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth.” ()

TWO. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO INHERIT THE EARTH? "Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth.” ()

The blessedness of those who are meek consists in this, that “they shall inherit the earth.”

In a sense they inherit it even now, and this for several reasons:

a. by not paying undue attention to enriching themselves but rather

to doing their tasks before God and fulfilling their task on earth;

in other words, by first and most of all seeking God’s kingdom and His righteousness,

“all these things” (food, clothing, etc.) are graciously bestowed upon them as an extra gift ().

b. Their very meekness makes them a blessing to their fellowmen, some of whom will bless them in return (; , ; ; ).

c. They may possess only a small portion of this earth or of earthly goods,

but a small portion with God’s blessing resting upon it is more than the greatest riches without God’s blessing.

Humility carries with it blessing in this world and in the life to come.

It’s sort of like what Paul said to Timothy in 1 Timothy

"....godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” ()

So the humble who inherits the earth, because they are the earth’s conqueror.

He is the conqueror of the world where ever he goes!

We don’t conquer the world with the fire and the swords, but with the weapons of kindness and humility!

WHEN weightlifters want to strengthen their legs, there is no exercise that competes with the squat.

You put the weights on your shoulders and you go down, up and down, up and down, in order to build strength in your legs.

In order to build your legs, you’ve got to squat.

Most of us don’t get low enough.

Some do not grow stronger because you’re not willing to bend.

To bend like one preacher who got socked in the mouth and said these words to his attacker:

“You may knock out all my teeth if you will permit me just to speak to you so that your soul may be saved;”

It’s awesome to see rough natures won over by gentle natures.

After all, it’s not the strong who conquer, but the weak!

The anvil stands still while the hammer beats upon it, but one anvil wears out many hammers!

And gentleness and patience will ultimately win the day. At this present moment, who is the mightier?

Cæsar with his legions or

Christ with his cross?

We know who will be the victor before long,—Atheism with the doctrine of only the fittest survive

or Christ with His doctrine of love?

When all earthly forces are overthrown, Christ’s kingdom will still stand.

Nothing is mightier than meekness, and it is the meek who inherit the earth, in that sense.

True meekness may be a quality of the strong, those who could assert themselves but choose not to do so.

The strong who qualify for this blessing are the strong who decline to domineer.

Self-assertion is never a Christian virtue; rather, it is Christian to be busy in lowly service

and to refuse to engage in the conduct that merely advances one’s personal aims.

Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew (p. 98). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.

Think of what we said earlier.

Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (Vol. 9, p. 272). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Maybe you only possess a small portion of this earth or of earthly goods,

but a small portion with God’s blessing resting upon it is more than the greatest riches without God’s blessing.

Except in a very legal sense, does a man whose soul is racked by the fear of the coming judgment really possess his earthly goods?

Does he possess them in the sense of enjoying them?

Of course not! It is NOT he who has them: they have him!

What can you possibly do with a man that honestly and truly believes and lives ?

When a man believes and knows that “all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

These people enjoy life! They enjoy what they have!

If you find me a person who thoroughly enjoys life, I tell you, he is a humble and quiet-spirited man.

Enjoying life doesn’t consist in the possession of riches!

Many rich and famous are miserable! And there are many poor people that are miserable too!

You may have misery, or you may have happiness, according to your state of heart in any condition of life.

The humble man is thankful, happy, and contented, and it is contentment that makes life enjoyable.

Whatever part of the earth God is please to give, the humble man gladly receives!

The promise, dearly loved of the Lord is this, “They shall inherit the earth,”

may be read, “they shall inherit the land,” that is, the promised land, the heavenly Canaan.

These are the men who shall inherit heaven, for up there they are all humble-spirited.

If he doesn’t have certain things, he truly glad for others, that they have it.

There are no

contentions there;

pride cannot enter there.

Spurgeon, C. H. (1907). The Third Beatitude. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 53, pp. 550–551). London: Passmore & Alabaster.

Anger, wrath, and malice never pollute the atmosphere of the celestial city.

There, all bow before the King of kings, and all rejoice in communion with Him and with one another.

Ah, beloved, if we are ever to enter heaven, we must fling away

strivings, and

discontentment, and

wrath, and

self-seeking, and

selfishness.

May God’s grace purge us of all these; for, as long as any of that evil leaven is in our soul,

where God is we cannot go.

And then, dear friends, the text means yet more than that,—we shall inherit this earth by-and-by.

David wrote, "But the humble will inherit the land and will enjoy abundant prosperity.” ()

After this earth has been purified by fire, after God shall have burned the works of men to ashes,

and every trace of corrupt humanity shall have been destroyed by the fervent heat,

then shall this earth be fitted up again, and angels shall descend with new songs to sing,

and the New Jerusalem shall come down out of heaven from God in all her glory.

And then upon this earth, where once was war, the stirring sounds of battle shall ring no more;

there shall be neither swords nor spears, and men shall learn the arts of war no more.

The humble shall then possess the land, and every hill and valley shall be glad, and

every fruitful plain shall ring with shoutings of joy, and peace, and gladness, throughout eternity.

So the most complete fulfilment of the promise is reserved for the future, when at Christ’s return in glory

the humble will inherit the new heaven and earth,

Baker New Testament Commentary: Matthew The Third Beatitude

But the most complete fulfilment of the promise is reserved for the future, when at Christ’s return in glory the meek will inherit the new heaven and earth, the rejuvenated universe from which every stain of sin and every remnant of the curse will have been removed and in which righteousness will forever dwell (Rev. 21:1 ff.).

Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (Vol. 9, p. 272). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

the rejuvenated universe from which every stain of sin and every remnant of the curse

will have been removed and in which righteousness will forever dwell (.).

The Lord send it, and may we all be among the humble who shall possess the new Eden,

The Lord send it, and may we all be among the meek who shall possess the new Eden, whose flowers shall never wither, and where no serpent’s trail shall ever be seen!

whose flowers shall never wither, and where no serpent’s trail shall ever be seen!

But this must be the work of grace.

We must be born again, or else our proud spirits will never be humble.

And if we have been born again, let it be our joy, as long as we live, to show that we are the followers of the humble and lowly Jesus,

with whose gracious words I close my discourse: "“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. "Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”” ()

So may it be, for Christ’s sake! Amen.

"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. "I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. "Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. "Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” "Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life. "The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. "But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”” ()

Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew (p. 98). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.