In the past few weeks the most frequent question had to do with: How are we to respond to persecution?
Looking this week at Afghanistan… how would you respond when the Taliban comes to your house and asks for your papers and demands that you repeat the Shahadah:
“There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet” The Bible gives us the answer….
A. What does it mean to be meek?
How would you define meekness?
You know, The meek will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5
The meek are frequently thought of as weak, unassuming, without power, and lacking backbone.
Dictionary: The adjective meek describes a person who is willing to go along with whatever other people want to do, like a meek classmate who won’t speak up, even when he or she is treated unfairly.
Is that definition true?
What does God’s word have to say on the subject?
B. Who was the most meek person in the Old Testament?
Numbers 12:13: Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.
But didn’t Moses stand up to Pharaoh?
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes to the water and say to him, `This is what the LORD says: Let my people go…
Exodus 8:20
Didn’t Moses have a temper?
- Moses went to see his own people and watched them suffering under forced labor. He saw a Hebrew, one of his own people, being beaten by an Egyptian. 12 He looked all around, and when he didn’t see anyone, he beat the Egyptian to death and hid the body in the sand … Exodus 2:11-12
- When Moses approached the camp and saw the golden calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. Exodus 32:19
- Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Numbers 20:11
Would you like to redefine meekness?
The meek are those who quietly submit themselves to God, to His word, and to His rod, who follow His directions, and follow His designs… Matthew Henry
In other words the meek are people, like Moses that do not seek their own will but rather follow the will of God. The meek are obedient to God and therefore they are courageous before men.
For example:
Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel. Deuteronomy 34:10-12
Moses lay prostrate before the LORD for forty days and forty nights because the LORD had said he would destroy the people. Deuteronomy 9:25
Meekness compels us to act when God and His Word are dishonored and also to be humble before Him, putting the interests of God’s people above our own. So, meekness keeps us in communion with God and other believers. R.C. Sproul
Moses saw God’s people mistreated, beaten, and enslaved and he acted with courage and conviction.
Moses saw God’s people worshipping other gods and heard them grumbling and playing the part of the victim and he became angry.
And though he sinned, his overriding concern was following the will of God; obedience to God. Moses strived to honor God placing God’s will over his own.
Meekness takes true courage because to be obedient to God means taking a stand against the self-centered practices of the world. Joshua 1:9, be strong and courageous
2 Timothy 1:7 do not have a Spirit of fear but power, love, sound mind
Being meek takes determination as unbelievers will attempt to recruit your to their thinking and way of life. Proverbs 1:11, don’t go along with the crowd Romans 1:32 they will recruit you
Being meek takes self-sacrifice as the meek will pay a price for not compromising with the world. Romans 12:1 living sacrifice
C. Who was the most meek person in the New Testament?
Christ said: I am meek and lowly in heart. Matthew 11:29
What is the deepest desire of Christ?
For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me. John 6:38
Just like Moses, Jesus was meek in that he didn’t seek to do His will. He chastised the Pharisees calling them names Matthew 23:27. His zeal for the truth was so strong that He made a whip and drove those who were monetizing the temple out. Matthew 21:12
(The temple court held 75,000 people, by comparison M&T Bank stadium holds 71,000) Do you normally associate these actions with meekness?
But Christ was meek because His prime objective, His overriding desire, was to do the will of God the Father. He never sought to do His own will.
Christ, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Philippians 2:6-7
Though He was the Creator God, Christ came to earth as a man to rescue mankind by bearing the punishment that we deserved. He humbled Himself and became obedient to the Father, going to His death.
Today the world and even the church frequently project onto Jesus a faulty understanding of meekness. Jesus is seen as a meek and mild precious moments figure. He cleared M&T Bank Stadium whip a whip! But, like Moses, Jesus demonstrated courage, determination, and offered the ultimate sacrifice, giving Himself over to death for His children.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. John 6:38-40
In the Gospels, we see Christ living out meekness flawlessly, emptying Himself as He carried out His Father’s will. Meekness turned the tables in the temple, had compassion on the crowds, called the Pharisees a brood of vipers, and prayed, “Not my will, but yours, be done.” It is meekness that characterizes the Lion of the tribe of Judah who is the Lamb that was slain. It is meekness that carried out the Trinity’s plan for our salvation. Increasing meekness in us is merely a reflection of our Immanuel. R.C. Sproul
D. Because Christ was the perfect example of meekness He makes mankind an incredible offer:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
Are you weary?
Are you burdened?
Do you want to find rest for from your troubles? If so, what does Christ invite you to do?
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.
In what sense was Christ’s yoke, Christ’s mission easy? In what sense was Christ’s burden light?
What is required of us if Christ’s yoke is to be easy for us? We must learn from Him.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
Rather than immersing ourselves in the failed ways of the world, ways that can never bring peace and fulfillment, we are to learn from Christ. We are to study His word. We are to be obedient to His word.
This is counterintuitive. The world teaches us to do what we want, be true to yourself, follow your feelings and we will find peace. But Christ teaches us that His word, and His word alone can bring true freedom and peace.
Following the law of God is the law that brings freedom because it is the law of liberty. James 2:12 Our Creator knows best how we were made, how we are wired.
Men say they don’t want to give up their freedom. There is no freedom until a man knows the Lord Jesus Christ. A man is a slave to sin, to his passions, and lusts until Christ snaps the fetters and sets him free. D.L. Moody
We may think that our ways are best but, no:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9
So stop trying to arrogantly think that your way is the best. Instead, in true courageous meekness, live in obedience to Christ.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
Meekness is calm confidence, settled assurance, and rest of the soul. It is a tranquil stillness of a soul that is at rest in Christ. Meekness springs from the heart of humility, radiating the fragrance of Christ. Matthew Henry
If you have taken on the yoke of Christ and have learned from Him you will increasingly:
Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God… 1 Peter 2:12
Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him. Daniel 6:4
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16
When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe and glorified God, who had given such authority to men. Matthew 9:8
The meek Jesus is not someone who is soft, weak and never offends anyone. The meek Jesus is the Jesus who does the will Father in heaven. When we take up His yoke and learn from Him we are no longer infants who are held captive to their feelings. We find true freedom as learn to live in obedience to God.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:14-15