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Blessed
Are The Meek
Matthew
5:5
We are
continuing our study of the Beatitudes this morning,
focusing on Matthew Chapter 5, Verse 5 now. First, let's go
back and read Verse 3, which states, "Blessed are the poor
in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." We
discussed how our lives must be emptied before we can
experience a filling. In the second Beatitude, "Blessed are
those who mourn, for they shall be comforted," we must reach
a point where we feel sorrow for our sins and
transgressions, leading us to turn to God. Now we come to
Verse 5, which aligns with Verse 2: "Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth." For the Jewish people in
the first century, many of whom were looking for an earthly
political and military ruler to deliver them from the
despised Romans, the concept of a meek Messiah was a stark
contrast to their expectations. They understood the sword's
power but did not recognize the strength of meekness, and
this teaching turned their world upside down.
Today, we
often associate happiness with money, possessions, and
worldly riches. However, true happiness comes from a meek
and humble submission to God's will. Thus, the first thing
we need to consider is: What is meekness? We must understand
the word's meaning before truly grasping the Beatitude.
People today often think of meekness quite differently than
how Jesus used it 2,000 years ago. When people hear the word
"meek" or "meekness," they often picture someone weak,
lacking drive, spirit, or ambition—perhaps even cowardly or
like "milquetoast." But that is not at all what Jesus meant.
The Greek word for meekness appears only three times, all in
Matthew's Gospel: first in Matthew 5:5, then in Matthew 11,
where Jesus states that He is gentle and lowly in heart. The
word "gentle" corresponds to our term for meek and appears
in Matthew 21:5. When Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey, He
is described as lowly and seated on a donkey. The term
"lowly" here relates to the word "meek." To grasp the
Beatitude, we need to understand what meek really means.
It's not about being timid, feeling inferior, or being
passive. The idea comes from a root word that implies
balance or equilibrium; in other words, it signifies mastery
over one's emotions and feelings. It involves
self-control—mastering oneself. Thus, someone who is meek,
in the context that Jesus refers to, exercises restraint.
If we
return to Proverbs and read Proverbs 16:32, it states, "He
who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who
rules his spirit than he who takes a city." The phrase
"rules his spirit" relates to the concept of meekness. It
describes someone who is in control of themselves,
demonstrating strength while maintaining that control. One
definition characterizes meekness as the quiet determination
to obey the Lord regardless of the circumstances, which I
find truly important. Such individuals possess the ability
and strength to follow the Lord despite their conditions or
challenges. This requires a considerable amount of trust in
God and His power and sovereignty. This strength is used for
good. Another perspective on meekness is that it involves
using one's strength for something beneficial. Therefore,
meekness is not weakness; instead, a meek person must be
strong, as they need to manage their emotions and feelings,
as highlighted in Proverbs 16. These individuals can assert
themselves but choose not to engage in conflict.
Psalm 37
begins in verse three, saying, "Trust in the Lord and do
good; dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the
desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust
also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring
forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as
the noon day. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him;
do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because
of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from
anger and forsake wrath; do not fret—it only causes harm.
For
evildoers it shall be cut off, but those who wait on the
Lord shall inherit the earth. For a bit longer, and the
wicked shall be no more; indeed, you will look carefully for
his place, but it shall be no more. But the meek shall
inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the
abundance of peace." Here, we see that same phrase: the meek
trust in the Lord, delight in it, and commit themselves to
it. One individual defines this as consistent mildness,
reflecting the concepts of control and restraint. Those who
are meek are unwavering, courteous, and considerate; they
are willing to wait patiently, like the psalmist, whom I
believe to be David (Psalm 37). Thus, they are patient and
understand the importance of waiting for God. Now, would
someone read Job 5:1? This is one of Job's friends, Eliphaz.
Job 5:1 discusses how God elevates those who are lowly,
demonstrating that the meek wait on God. God is the one who
will uplift them. The New Testament also addresses meekness.
Now, would someone read James 1:21? James 1:21 states,
"Therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflow of
wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word,
which is able to save your souls." Therefore, it is
essential for us, when we approach God's word, to receive it
in a specific way—with meekness. 1 Peter 3:15 says, "Always
be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you for a
reason for the hope that is in you, with gentleness and
respect." The word 'gentleness' is similar to 'meekness', so
we must be prepared to defend our faith and beliefs gently.
This attitude is part of the fruit of the Spirit; gentleness
and meekness are often used interchangeably.
We are also
commanded to put on meekness, as expressed in Colossians
3:12: "So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and
beloved, put on a heart of kindness, humility,
gentleness..." This is a commandment we must follow; we need
to actively seek meekness, gentleness, and compassion. Now,
refer back to the Old Testament, specifically the Minor
Prophets, in Zephaniah 2:3: "Seek the Lord, all you meek of
the earth, who have upheld His justice; seek righteousness,
seek meekness. Perhaps you will be hidden in the day of the
Lord's anger." One of the qualities we are to strive for is
meekness. This might not be easy for us; we must work hard
at it. Over time, we should develop more control, restraint,
and patience as we wait on the Lord. One person in the Old
Testament recognized for his meekness was Moses. He was
described as meek, yet he was not a coward but unafraid to
stand up for himself. Although he didn't seek vengeance,
particularly from his family, when his brother and sister,
Aaron and Miriam, spoke against him, he chose to wait for
God to vindicate him. Indeed, God vindicated Moses before
his brother and sister.
Now let's
turn to 1 Peter 2, where we can see the example of Christ.
Please turn to 1 Peter 2, verses 21 through 23... All right,
see what He did. He committed Himself or submitted Himself.
Meekness is one of the underlying principles of submitting
ourselves to God, which means we have to trust Him, trust
His promises, and trust His word—all of that. Christ didn't
revile or threaten those who hated Him but left it in God's
hands, just like Moses did, and that's what we need to do.
Now, let's briefly go back to Romans chapter 1 and talk
about Christ. This is verse three, concerning His Son, Jesus
Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according
to the flesh and declared the Son of God with power
according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from
the dead. So He had power, but it was power under control.
Yes, Jesus had infinite power, but He controlled it, and
that's what it's supposed to be for us too. Now, let's go to
Philippians for a minute. Philippians chapter 2 also
discusses this very concept concerning Christ. Philippians
2:5 says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ
Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it
robbery to be equal with God but made Himself of no
reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in
the likeness of men; and being found in appearance as a man,
He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of
death, even the death of the cross. Therefore, God also has
exalted Him and given Him the name above every name." So
Jesus didn't exalt Himself; the Father exalted Him. Again,
that's part of this idea of meekness. He had the heart of a
servant, and if we follow His example, we too should aspire
to have a servant's heart.
So that's
the first part: blessed are the meek. Now, what does it mean
that they shall inherit the earth? From reading the New
Testament, we understand that God didn't promise us that we
would live in mansions, own fancy cars, or have enormous
amounts of money. If we examine inheriting the earth or
inheriting the land, we can refer back to the Old Testament.
That idea was given to the Israelites, stating they would
inherit the land of Canaan. To inherit the land meant they
would receive all the blessings that God would provide when
they entered the land of Canaan. They would enjoy special,
unique blessings that other people wouldn't have. Therefore,
when we talk about inheriting the earth, some mistakenly
believe that we will live on this earth forever and rule
this physical earth. However, that's not what He means at
all. Christians enjoy special blessings that no other group
has, both now and in eternity. Today, Christians benefit
from blessings that no other group possesses. Christ
essentially owns this world—everything belongs to Him. Let's
take a moment to turn to 1 Corinthians 3 to see this idea
illustrated. In 1 Corinthians 3, if someone begins in verse
21 and reads through 23, it states: "Therefore let no man
glory in men, for all things are yours, whether Paul or
Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things
present or things to come. All are yours, and you are
Christ's, and Christ is God's."
There's
that idea again—everything belongs to Christ, and since we
belong to Christ, in that sense, we own all things. The meek
person is content now in this life because of the promises
we have through Christ. In other words, Christians have the
best possible life now. Consider everything a Christian
doesn't have to worry about simply because he is a
Christian. We don't have to worry about death, the next
world, or how this world will end because we already know
how it will end. When Christ returns, He will destroy the
world; that's how it will end, and life will continue as
usual. Christians don't need to be troubled by climate
change or nuclear war. We don't need to be concerned about
those issues because we understand how it concludes. No
other group of people knows how it will end except for us.
So that's one way in which we inherit the earth—we
experience special blessings that no one else does.
We possess
this inheritance, so let's return to 1 Peter. This time,
let's look at chapter one. In 1 Peter chapter 1 verses 3 and
4, he discusses an inheritance: "Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His
abundant mercy has begotten us again into a lively hope by
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an
inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fades not
away, reserved in heaven for you." Remember, 1 Peter is
directed toward Christians, so this only applies if you read
the first three verses of that chapter. It pertains only to
Christians.
So we have
an inheritance that's reserved in heaven for us, and it's
incorruptible. There’s no way for anything to cause it to
decay or lose value; nothing can defile it, and it's not
going to fade away. It is something that's reserved for us,
and again, it's just for Christians and those who surrender
to the will of God. That ties back to the concept of
meekness. They control themselves; they exercise restraint.
They demonstrate this strength and submit to God and His
word. We follow His directions, we are meek towards all men,
and although we are certainly provoked, we do our best. Yes,
we can fail at times, but we strive not to respond in anger.
We don't seek vengeance because that belongs to God, as He
says. This will conclude our lesson on meekness. Now let's
go to Matthew 11, and of course, I meant Matthew 11 when I
mentioned Matthew 10. Would someone read the last three
verses, 28 through 30 of Matthew 11? "Come to me, all who
are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my
yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble
in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke
is easy and my burden is light." He says, "Come to me;
submit to Him, and I will give you rest." He declares, "I am
gentle; I am meek; I am humble." And again, He promises you
will find rest. So for those who are disciples of
Christ—those who submit to Him and exercise restraint in
their lives—strength under control—we have that inheritance
that awaits us. Well, thank you very much; our time is up.
Next week, we will explore those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness.
October 23,
2024
Prepared by
Bobby Stafford
The church
of Christ at Granby, MO
Located at
516 East Pine St.
P.O. Box 664
Granby, Mo. 64844
(417) 472-7109
For more
lessons and Sermons, please visit
granbychurchofchrist.org/
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