Broken to God’s Saddle
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If I asked you if you wanted to be meek, not only would most of us not be lured by the promise of inheriting the earth, we would be skeptical any such thing is possible.
But what if I asked you if you would be willing to be broken to God’s saddle?
1 Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. 9 For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. 10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. 11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.
Matthew 5.5 (JMT) Fortunate are those who have been broken to God’s saddle for they will possess the earth and inherit the new earth.”
The meek.
The meek.
a. Let’s first establish who the meek are not.
a. Let’s first establish who the meek are not.
i. The biblical meek are not the doormats of the world, subject to the abuse of anyone who wants to abuse them.
i. The biblical meek are not the doormats of the world, subject to the abuse of anyone who wants to abuse them.
ii. Two people the Bible refers to as meek are Moses (Numbers 12.3) and Jesus (Matthew 11.29). It is hard to think of either of these men as wimps and doormats.
ii. Two people the Bible refers to as meek are Moses (Numbers 12.3) and Jesus (Matthew 11.29). It is hard to think of either of these men as wimps and doormats.
b. Meek has undergone an unfortunate change in meaning.
b. Meek has undergone an unfortunate change in meaning.
i. There is historical evidence that the word used here was used of a wild horse broken to the saddle.
i. There is historical evidence that the word used here was used of a wild horse broken to the saddle.
ii. So meek was not used of a person who had no spirit but one whose spirit had been harnessed and channeled into a specific direction.
ii. So meek was not used of a person who had no spirit but one whose spirit had been harnessed and channeled into a specific direction.
c. A meek Christian then is…
c. A meek Christian then is…
i. One whose passions, energies and emotions have been subjected to the will and purposes of God in all arenas of life. (Illustrate with things like marriage, job, pleasure, finances, etc.)
i. One whose passions, energies and emotions have been subjected to the will and purposes of God in all arenas of life. (Illustrate with things like marriage, job, pleasure, finances, etc.)
ii. One who does not have to prove herself always right but trusts God to vindicate her.
ii. One who does not have to prove herself always right but trusts God to vindicate her.
2. Shall inherit the earth.
2. Shall inherit the earth.
a. Do the meek really inherit the earth?
a. Do the meek really inherit the earth?
i. In Psalm 37, the earth was a specific reference to the Promised Land given the Jews through God’s covenant with Abraham.
i. In Psalm 37, the earth was a specific reference to the Promised Land given the Jews through God’s covenant with Abraham.
ii. This Beatitude makes reference to the saints dwelling in the new earth John saw in Revelation. [Rev 21.1-7]
ii. This Beatitude makes reference to the saints dwelling in the new earth John saw in Revelation. [Rev 21.1-7]
iii. It is interesting to note that in Revelation 21.7, the meek are described as those who conquer.
iii. It is interesting to note that in Revelation 21.7, the meek are described as those who conquer.
b. If the Beatitudes are now/not now, is there any sense in which this promise is fulfilled in the now?
b. If the Beatitudes are now/not now, is there any sense in which this promise is fulfilled in the now?
i. The wicked men of Psalm 37 and of today are not possessors; they are possessed.
i. The wicked men of Psalm 37 and of today are not possessors; they are possessed.
ii. The meek may possess much or little, but because they are subject to God, whatever they possess they possess. They are possessed by nothing less than God.
ii. The meek may possess much or little, but because they are subject to God, whatever they possess they possess. They are possessed by nothing less than God.
iii. In that sense the meek are the masters of the earth even now, not mastered by it.
iii. In that sense the meek are the masters of the earth even now, not mastered by it.
Whose saddle are you wearing this morning? What’s riding you?
