Galatians # 22 Gal 5-22 thru 5-25
Today we’re going to be talking about the 5th FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT and that is GENTLENESS. If you we’re to look up this word in the Strong’s CONCORDANCE, it would tell you that this word means “GENTLENESS”, but it goes on to say that it can also mean “KINDNESS”, and many translation word it that way, like the Living Bible, The NKJV, and the NIV. (The most common)
I) KINDNESS and GENTLENESS are ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. LUK 6:35
A) We think of God as ALMIGHTY and HE IS, but we also think of Him as SHEPHERD. The ONE WHO GENTLY LEADS HIS SHEEP, CARES FOR HIS SHEEP, and LOVES HIS SHEEP.
1) PSA 18:35
(a) This Gentleness of the Lord not only made DAVID great, but it also led him to write 1 of the most loved PSALMS. (PSA. 23) “The LORD IS MY SHEPHERD.”
2) Probably 1 of the best scriptures to describe the GENTLENESS OF the LORD is found in ISAIAH.
(a) ISA 40:10-12
(b) (V 11) talks about HIS GENTLENESS, but the V BEFORE and AFTER talk about the STRENGTH and POWER of the ALMIGHTY.
3) 2COR 10:1
(a) That V tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ is GENTLE, but this same Paul wrote of Jesus in (COL 1:16) saying, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether {they be} thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:” (KJV) (His strength and power)
(b) You can see the GENTLENESS of the LORD when He was dealing with the SICK, the POOR, the CHILDREN, and EVEN the FALLEN.
B) MAR 5:35-43
1) This same Jesus who CREATED the HEAVENS and the EARTH, went to this little girl, took her by the hand and said, “ARISE.” After she arose, He told the parents to FEED HER.
2) That’s amazing that someone with a great ministry like Jesus’ ministry would take time out for 1 little girl.
3) I’m impressed with the bigger name ministries who come to the smaller churches. GETTING BACK TO the POINT...
II) WE ALL NEED GENTLENESS.
A) 1THES 2:7
1) The NIV says, “We were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.”
B) We need to be GENTLE with NEW CHRISTIANS. PETER DESCRIBES them in (1PET 2:2) as “NEWBORN BABES.”
C) Older believers, MORE MATURE CHRISTIAN, sometimes forget that they set the standard for the new born babes.
1) Sometimes the standards that we set for them CAN BE HARMFUL.
(a) For instance, a Christian, who is older in the Lord, might tell a NEWBORN BABE to “JUST STAND IN FAITH.”
(b) That new Christian doesn’t have the WORD IN HIS HEART yet TO STAND IN FAITH.
(i) But if He thinks that’s what he is supposed to do, but doesn’t have faith in his heart yet, he’s going to fall flat on his face, and he may fall away from the Lord because of it.
2) We need a few more Elisha’s to tell the NAAMAN’S to “Go in peace” (2KINGS 5:19) instead of loading them down with heavy burdens. And we need to hold them up before the Lord with prayer and using our faith for them.
(a) Many times we just have to let them grow in the Lord.
(b) It is WISDOM TO BE GENTLE.
(i) JAMES 3:17
(c) That V says that the Wisdom that is from above is GENTLE.
(i) Being GENTLE is using the Wisdom of God. The WISDOM OF GOD SAYS BE GENTLE.
III) (COL 3:12) in the NIV says, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, GENTLENESS and patience.”
A) This is the same with all the Fruit of the spirit; WE NEED TO PUT ON LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, and GENTLENESS.
B) They’ve already been given to us in our hearts, but it’s up to us to BRING THESE THINGS TO the SURFACE.
1) Paul said in (EPH 4:32) “And be ye kind one to another,”
2) And in (2TIM 2:24) Paul said, “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all {men},”
(a) Let’s walk in this fruit of GENTLENESS.