Heaven’s Humble Heirs
Sermon on the Mount- 3
TITLE: Heaven’s Humble Heirs
TEXT: Matthew 5:5
TONE: Encouragement
TARGET: Believers
TASK: To encourage believers to practice meekness.
TEACH: I remember reading about a well-known preacher that was walking with his son. A man approached them and started talking to the preacher. At one point the man asked the preacher his opinion of another man that had been at great odds with him. The preacher said something along the lines of “I think that he is a good man.” Not long after than the man went on his way. Once the father and son were alone again, the son looked up at his dad and said, “I thought that man hated you and couldn’t stand you. Why were you so complimentary toward him when you were asked what you thought of him? To which the preacher said, “Because son, I wasn’t asked what his opinion was of me, but what my opinion was of him.”
I. Meekness is strength under control
a. Explanation: Meekness is strength displayed through humility. A paradox that mirrors the divine economy of God’s kingdom. “Meekness is not, as many people imagine, a weakness. It must not be confused with being wishy-washy. A meek person is not necessarily indecisive or timid. He is not unsure of himself that he could be pushed over by a hard slap from a wet noodle. Still less is meekness to be confused with mere friendliness. Some people are just naturally nice and easy-going; but then again, so are some dogs. Meekness goes much deeper” (D.A. Carson, Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, pg. 24).
Meekness is not weakness. Biblical examples include Moses (Num. 12:3) and Jesus (Matthew 11:29). Moses was described as “very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.” Despite his position of leadership, Moses’s strength lay not in dominating others but in his unwavering obedience to God’s commands and intercessory prayer for Israel. In King David, we see another facet of meekness in his refusal to harm King Saul (1 Sam.24:6). Despite having the power and reason to seize the throne by force, David exemplifies restraint and respect for God’s anointed, embodying strength under divine guidance and humility
Jesus, through His life, ministry and sacrificial death, provides the ultimate model of meekness. Philippians 2:6-8 expounds how Jesus considered Himself on no reputation and thus, emptied Himself. This passage demonstrates that true meekness includes:
i. Divinely sourced strength.
ii. Self-emptying.
iii. Service to others.
iv. Willingness to endure suffering.
Arthur Pink wrote, “Meekness is the opposite of self-will toward God and ill-will toward men” (A.W. Pink, Exposition on the Sermon of the Mount, pg. 22). Meekness is first expressed Godward then manward.
b. Illustration: The passion narratives present Jesus’ path to the cross as the ultimate demonstration of meekness. Despite possessing the power to summon legions of angels to save Himself (Matt. 26:53), Jesus chose to submit to arrest, unjust trial, and crucifixion out of obedience to the Father’s will (Lk. 22:42) and love for humankind. During His trial and crucifixion, Jesus exhibited extraordinary restraint and control. He did not retaliate when falsely accused, beaten, and mocked (1Pet. 2:23). Instead, He prayed for His persecutors (Lk. 23:34) and surrendered His spirit into the Father’s hands (Lk. 23:46).
c. Application: Practice a spirit of humility and surrender daily. Begin and end each day with prayer of surrender. Acknowledge God’s sovereignty in all aspects of life and ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance to yield to His will throughout the day.
II. Meekness is submissive to God’s will
a. Explanation: At the heart of meekness lies a profound submission to the will of God. This submission isn’t a sign of passivity or weakness; rather, it reflects a deep trust and reverence for God’s sovereignty, wisdom, and love.
R.T. Kendall makes three important points concerning meekness. He wrote, “Meekness is an undoubted achievement of spiritual development. It is unnatural to the temperament of natural man and is the work of God in the poor in spirit. Kendall further comments, “Meekness is an unconscious anointing. If a person is truly meek it is because God brought them to this spiritual level.”
To be meek is to acknowledge God’s ultimate authority and purpose in all aspects of life. The meek person readily affirms that “The earth’s is the Lord’s and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1) and understands that God’s plans and purposes far exceed human comprehension (Is. 55:8-9).
Submission in meekness is not passive resignation but active obedience. It means aligning one’s will with God’s through prayer, Scripture, and dependence on the Holy Spirit. As Jesus exemplified in the Garden of Gethsemane (Lk. 22:42).
The meek spirited Christian says, “Let God do what he will with me, let him carve out what condition he pleases, I will submit. God sees what is best for me” (Thomas Watson, The Beatitudes, pg. 109). The meek person allows the Word of God to bear sway on their soul and become pliable to all its laws and maxims. He is spiritually meek who conforms himself to the mind of God, and does not quarrel with the instructions of the Word.
Meekness embodies a deep trust in God’s goodness and timing, dispelling fear and anxiety. Meekness is the result of a rooted trust in the assurance found in Romans 8:28. Jesus taught that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who exhibit childlike trust and humility. Childlikeness is intrinsic to meekness, which sees God as a loving father who will is always perfect.
b. Illustration: Mary, the mother of Jesus, beautifully exemplifies meekness in her submission to God’s will. When visited by the angel Gabriel, her response, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled” (Lk. 1:38). This illustrates her willing acceptance of God’s extraordinary plan for her life, despite the personal cost and societal implications. Another great example is Abraham. Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac (Gen. 22) showcases submission to God’s command, predicated on deep faith in God’s promises. His meekness allowed him to trust in God’s provision and covenant, epitomizing a profound surrender to divine will.
c. Application: Foster gentle and patient reactions toward others. Practice active listening, making an effort to understand others’ perspective without rushing to judgment or becoming defensive. James 1:19. “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Meekness is a grace whereby we are enabled by the Spirit of God to moderate our passions. Meekness calms our passions. It sits as moderator in the soul, quieting and giving back check to its distempered emotions. Thomas Watson wrote that meekness consists of three things: “the bearing of injuries, the forgiving of injuries, and the recompensing good for evil” (pg. 110).
Bearing the fruit of injuries: It is not easily provoked. A meek spirit, like wet tinder, will not easily take fire. Meekness bridles the mouth and tied the tongue to good behavior. The opposite is: hastiness of spirit. “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for rest in the bosom of fools. Malice: Malice is nothing more than mental murder. It makes one unfit for duty and for prayer (Lord’s Prayer). Revenge: Malice is the scum of anger, and revenge is malice boiling over. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves” (Rom. 12:19).
Forgiving of injuries: Jesus said, “And when you stand praying, forgive” (Mk. 11:25). It is of little purpose to pray unless you forgive. A meek spirit is a forgiving spirit. We tend to forget forgiveness and remember only injuries. Our forgiveness must be Really: God does not make a show of keeping a list of sin but blots them out (Isa. 43:25). He forgives and forgets. Fully: God forgives all our sins. Thus, a meek spirited Christian forgives all past injuries. Often: We sin every day and God forgives often. Peter ask the question, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Till seven times? Christ answers, “I say not unto Thee, not until seven times, but until seventy-times.” We are never to cease from doing good.
Recompensing good for evil: This is a higher degree than the other. “Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you” (Matt. 5:44). “If thine enemy is hungry feed him” (Rom. 12:20). The opposite to render evil for evil is brutish and devilish. When grace comes into the heart, it works a strange alteration of our disposition (Thomas Watson, Beatitudes, pg. 110-116).
III. Meekness leads to a divine inheritance
a. Explanation: Meekness is what allows the Christian to get much more enjoyment out of this earthly portion. Delivered from greed and grasping for positions, instead he is satisfied with what he has. However, the phrase “inherit the earth” echoes Psalm 37:11, where the meek are contrasted with evildoers. This inheritance is not merely possession of land but symbolizes a share in God’s renewed creation (2Peter 3:13).
Jesus’ teaching anticipates an eschatological fulfillment where the meek will fully realize their inheritance in the renewed heaven and earth. It includes eternal life, reigning with Christ, and full experience of God’s presence.
One day God will completely reclaim His earthly domain and those who have become His children through faith in His Son will rule that domain with Him. Of course, the Jews believed the kingdom belonged to the strong, yet Christ stated, it belongs to the gentle.
Meekness reflects the upside-down values of God’s kingdom. Unlike worldly powers that prize aggression and self-assertion, God’s kingdom esteems humility, service, and reliance on God.
b. Illustration: A.W. Tozer once wrote, “The meek man is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. Rather he may be in his moral life as bold as a lion and as strong as Samson; but je has stopped being fooled about himself. He has accepted God’s estimate of his own life. He knows he is a weak and helpless as God declared him to be, paradoxically, he knows he is in the sight of God more important than angels. In himself, nothing; in God, everything. That is his motto” (Today in the Word, September, 1989, pg. 19).
c. Application: Everywhere you go plant seeds of meekness. Choose to be a peacemaker, invest in others, and practice regular self-evaluation.
TAKE-AWAY: In myself, nothing. In God, everything.
Lamb of God, I look to Thee,
Thou shalt may example be;
Thou art gentle, meek, and mild;
Thou was once a little child.
Now I would be as thou art;
Give me an obedient heart;
Thou art pitiful and kind,
Let me have thy loving mind.
I shall then show forth thy praise,
Serve thee all my happy days;
Then the world shall always see
Christ, the holy child, in me.
Charles Wesley
© 2012 - 2024 Blake Gideon. All rights Reserved
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