Sermon Tone Analysis

Pray

Introduction

Today we come to the penultimate of the fruit of the Spirit, which is gentleness.

Think of a new born baby.

It’s a couple of hours hold - still barely opening his or her eyes - still very sleepy.

And think of the baby’s father, holding the child.

Actually, when Bethany was born, Kate had to have an emergency cesarian section, and what I DIDN’T know was that once they get the baby out, they give it to the dad and kick him out of the operating theatre while they stitch up the mum.

It wouldn’t have made a difference if I had known, but at least I would have been prepared!

Because once Bethany came out, she was wrapped up and given to me.

And there I was, no knowledge of WHAT on earth I’m doing, in a room by myself praying that they’ll be quick in theatre so I can give this baby back to Kate.

But then there’s the first time Bethany griped my finger.

She was lying in the plastic cot they have in the hospital, I put my finger close to her hand and she holds onto it.

And when she held onto my finger, my heart just melted.

It was gentle, it was soft, it was such a weak but beautiful thing.

Gentleness...

But that’s NOT the gentleness we’re looking at today!

Actually, we need to flip it around…The gentleness that we’re looking at is from the other perspective - the perspective of the father.

Because, despite the fact that I look slim and slender, I’m quite a big man…especially compared to a little baby only a few minutes old.

I am big, and strong and I could squeeze this baby in my bear hands if I wasn’t careful, I could do some damage to this little child who is helpless and who is completely dependant on me.

And so, with that in mind, I hold this new baby gently.

I don’t squeeze her too hard, because I have the power to crush her if I’m not careful.

So I pick her up gently, and hold her gently.

And when I hold HER tiny little hand, I do it ever so gently.

It’s not weak, it’s not powerless…in fact it’s the opposite - this gentleness comes from the fact that I DO have lots of power - power to hurt this child if I’m not careful…it’s power…but it’s under control.

Gentleness is power under control.

Pause

Now, those who have been at the midweek might recognise that phrase.

It was used over a year ago when we started the beatitudes.

It was used to describe the meekness of Jesus.

And guess what…the word for ‘gentleness’ in Galatians 5 is the same word for meekness in Matthew 5…

Gentleness and meekness are not words that describe someone who is weak or soft or helpless.

These are not the words to describe a baby.

They are words to describe someone who is strong and powerful…but who has their power and strength under control and can therefore stoop down and pick up this tiny baby without hurting them.

And I use the words ‘stoop down’ carefully - because the word in the Greek also conveys the sense of humility.

I have the power to destroy you…but I am not going to use it…I’m going to be gentle with you - I will stoop down and place my power and strength under control, which is what a father does with a new born baby.

Pause

The Greek word for ‘gentleness’ or ‘meekness’ comes from the word Praus...

And Praus is a word that was used when taming wild animals.

A wild animal that has been tamed is called praus.

Think of a lion being tamed for the circus, or think of a horse that is wild.

It kicks and runs and is crazy.

All that muscle and power is unleashed and the horse is bonkers.

But a horse whisperer can brake a horse - the horse is broken and becomes tame.

All that power and muscle is there - but it’s under control.

And that’s the difference.

The horse now follows and is obedient to the will of its master.

But it has to be broken first.

And when the horse is broken, it knows that it has this power, but it knows WHEN to use it and when NOT to use it…and having power and knowing NOT to use it requires humility - a kind of humility which needs to come from God himself.

So you can see why meekness, gentleness and humility are all linked here.

This Fruit of the Spirit is the quality that we have where we KNOW we have power and strength from the Lord, but we know WHEN to use it and when NOT to use it.

Aristotle said this about Praus...

He defined praus as the mid-way-point between two extremes, specifically anger.

In other words, you can have someone who is ALWAYS ANGRY and you can have someone who is ALWAYS ANGERLESS.

Praus, or meekness, or gentleness is someone who is in the middle…

In other words…Someone who is Praus… is ONLY ANGRY at the right time and never angry at the wrong time.

And the example we have in this is Jesus Christ himself, who was gentle and meek.

Pause

And I mentioned this example at the midweek, but let’s look at it again...

Because, you see, we grow up with an image of ‘gentle Jesus meek and mild’ - of a kinda hippy with long hair and beard telling everyone to love each other…a man who would never say boo to a goose.

But that’s not what Jesus was like.

Think about it.

Jesus is the Lion of Judah.

He is God himself, with the power to crush us puny little humans like someone would crush a plum in their hands.

He is all-powerful and all strong.

And yet he humbled himself and suffered and died and LET HIMSELF be killed in order to show us his love and grace - that’s gentleness personified.

But he never lost his power and strength.

In fact, let’s look at when Jesus was angry at the right time.

John 2:13-15

So Jesus comes into the temple and he sees the people exchanging money and all the hindrances that they put on worship, and he is enraged.

Is this gentle Jesus, meek and mild?

Cos I often picture the scene as if Jesus comes in, sees what’s happening and is in a fit of rage and starts turn over the tables.

That’s NOT what happened.

Jesus comes in to the temple, sees what’s happening, is angered by it, and he does what?

Look at verse 15… He makes a whip of cords.

That takes time.

This isn’t an incident when Jesus flips out in the heat of the moment - Jesus is calculated here.

He deliberately makes a whip to drive these people out.

This is NOT weakness.

This is NOT a doormat.

And this is ALSO NOT Jesus going wild and flipping out.

This is power under control.

To go and make a whip of cords means that Jesus is controlled.

Jesus has all the power of heaven at his fingertips - he could strike them all down instantaneously, but he doesn’t.

This is meekness - this is power under control.

But at the same time, he is angry with the way the religious leaders have treated his Father’s house so he still brings them to account.

But it’s NOT weakness…This is meekness, this is gentleness.

Another example is in Matthew 23...

Jesus is coming down HARD on the scribes and pharisees - the experts on the law - the Jewish leaders, the heads of the church...call them what you will - cos they are NOT leading the way they are supposed to, and they are NOT behaving the way the should.

They shut the kingdom of heaven in peoples faces through their rules and burdensome regulations that are unnecessary.

They travel to convert people and when they do they corrupt them into being and behaving just like them.

They clean the outside of the cup - in other words, they look great from the outside.

They dress well, they keep the law and they LOOK perfect, but inside they are full of sin, greed, self-indulgence.

Now, once again, is this gentle Jesus meek and mild?

Jesus doesn’t hold back here.

He’s on their case and in their face.

This is being angry at the right time.

Pause

But Jesus is NEVER angry at the wrong time. 1 Peter 2:21-23

Here’s our example - Jesus Christ who, when he was reviled he did not revile in return, when he suffered he did not threaten but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

So when people turned on Jesus, he didn’t react.