Scripture: Matthew 5:5
Sermon Series: Vote! King Jesus – Sermon 03
“The question isn’t who is going to let me, it’s who is going to stop me” Ayn Rand (picture). “Show me a gracious loser and I’ll show you a failure” Knute Rockne (picture). “Assertiveness is not what you do, it’s who you are!” Shakti Gawain (picture). “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing” Vince Lombardi (picture). “Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing. Breathing first, winning next” George Steinbrenner (picture). “Nice guys finish last” Leo Durocher (picture).
In His third statement of the Beatitudes Jesus said, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). In an assertive world, that sounds stupid. But we’re no less shocked than those listening to Jesus. It’s not how we think. It wasn’t how they thought. It was a jolting statement.
When Jesus uttered these words, He looked out at the crowd and saw lots of dropped jaws. Meekness and inheriting the earth didn’t go together. It wasn’t a worldview they embraced. In fact, it was one they rejected.
Those 1st century Jews believed the only way to inherit the land, or more accurately to get back their promised land was to overthrow Rome. That wasn’t going to happen by embracing meekness. They looked for a Messiah that would be a conquering military leader. Someone who would swoop down with power and usher in a kingdom. Someone who’d chase the Romans all the way back to Italy.
These first verses in Matthew 5 are what are known as the Beatitudes. Jesus lists inner qualities and attitudes that are the secret to possessing an invulnerable joy that the troubles of life can’t take from us.
There’s a progression in the Beatitudes. A Christian first is someone who recognizes his/her spiritual bankruptcy. They’re poor in spirit. Jesus says we’re blessed when we realize how bankrupt we are as sinners before a Holy God, absolutely dependent on His grace. This poverty of spirit leads us to “mourn” over our sin and spiritual insolvency. Joy comes to those who mourn over the right things. They experience the blessed comfort of God because they sorrow over their own sins and cry for the condition of others. The beatitudes are the only way to have God’s blessing on your life.
The first two beatitudes direct us on how to have a relationship with God. Now verse 5 shifts on how we are to relate to others. We’re gentle and humble. We’re “meek.” We’re not wanting to be number one or in charge or trying to get attention. We’re not defensive, fending off others’ attacks.
It’s a work of God. It takes the power of the Spirit. Getting there is difficult. It’s a work of grace. You can’t work it up. At salvation the Holy Spirit begins to work it out in us. Meekness is a character trait of a Christ-follower, the behavior for an authentic Christian. Jesus’ followers are to be meek.
Suppose though the company you work for were to write a description of the ideal person to be its new CEO. Do you think meekness would be on the list? What about a new head coach for the Packers? Would they want someone meek? Is meekness a quality we look for in a President? Which candidate would get the most votes with a slogan, “Vote for me, I’m meek!”
Even when looking for a new pastor, how excited do you think the search committee would be about a candidate who said his primary leadership quality was that he was meek? If we’re honest, we don’t want someone meek as our leader. We want someone dynamic and powerful.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth comes as a shock. What’s great about being meek? Why do they inherit the earth?
Ours is day where those calling themselves Christians, through their words or actions, think believers are cowards who seek be meek. By screaming on social media, shouting in protests, we’ve communicated that Christ’s words won’t get us where we want to go and aren’t worth trying to follow.
We believe in being assertive. Blessed are the meek isn’t on our “to do” list. So, Jesus’ words are still stunning. But meekness is not Cower Power. It’s much more and much deeper than that. If you’re taking notes…
1. Meekness is not being a doormat
Christian humorist, J. Upton Dickson, joked after writing a pamphlet called “Cower Power,” that he was thinking about founding a society called D.O.O.R.M.A.T.S. It’s an acronym for Dependent Order of Really Meek and Timid Souls. Their logo would be a yellow caution light with the motto, The meek shall inherit the earth…if that’s okay with everybody. Of course, Upton quipped, the society didn’t last very long when someone objected!
Some see meekness as spinelessness fragility, but the opposite is true. This beatitude challenges our basic assumptions. We believe power is what it takes to win and take ground in this world. We think might, strong, persuasive leadership and dogged focus on objectives is what yields results.
In the ancient world, meekness was a virtue and a quality to be valued and sought after. The Greek word used in this passage means, meekness is power under control. It has nothing to do with weakness. Meekness is controlled strength completely surrendered to God’s control. John Wycliffe (picture) in his translation renders this Beatitude: Blessed are mild men.
The symbol of meekness in ancient times was a horse, a broken stallion. A young soldier in the Peloponnesian Wars (picture) wrote to his fiancé about a gift he had for her, a white stallion. He described it as “the most magnificent animal I have ever seen. He responds obediently to the slightest command. He allows his master to direct him to his full potential.” Then he wrote, “he is a meek horse.”
Whatever vehicle you drive, its power is measured by horsepower. A horse is a symbol of power. But in ancient times it was also a symbol of meekness, because the strength of the horse is in the hands of the one who holds the bridle. A meek horse can accomplish great things. He can channel his massive strength to do something constructive, to go great distances, carry great burdens. Why? His power is under control.
A meek person is someone whose strength is under God’s control. Power without control is dangerous! Think about electricity. We power our homes through electrical energy under control. A lightning bolt is electricity, but it’s very destructive. It’s power out of control.
Jesus isn’t telling us to be wimps. Yet with years of multiplied misinterpretation of Scripture, many misconceptions about meekness have been etched on our minds. Here’s what meekness isn’t.
Meekness is not a natural quality. You can’t cultivate a grace. The very nature of a grace is that it’s a gift of God. It’s not natural to the flesh. It can’t be worked up by attending a meekness conference or cloistering yourself away in a monastery or watching YouTube clips on meekness techniques. While someone might show meekness from time to time in a natural state, it won’t be the disposition of their life apart from the gift of God’s grace.
What Jesus is speaking is in sharp contrast to a pagan world. It’s a kingdom quality, brought about by the Holy Spirit at the new birth. When we think of meekness, we must not categorize it as a quiet disposition some have as part of their personality. It’s not a personality trait. It’s a godly character quality.
Meekness is not inactivity. Some assume it’s someone who tends toward laziness and lethargy. They don’t like to sweat, so they’re called gentle. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (picture) points out that it does not mean people who are easy-going. Meekness implies the very opposite; it’s not inactivity. It’s an active pursuit of the self-control evidenced by Jesus Christ.
Meekness is not niceness. It’s not the one who never raises his voice or is the negotiator in conflicts or does kind things for other people. While it’s admirable (and we’d love to see more of it), it’s not the same as meekness.
Meekness is not weakness. This is the word most often associated with meekness. It’s the picture is of a lamb before the paws of a tiger, harmlessly and naively strolling about, unaware of danger. By this standard, a meek Christian is one who’s docile, or who doesn’t know how to flee danger. He’s so harmless you pity his inability to exercise sound judgment.
Meek Christians aren’t inherently weak. Some of the strongest people in the world are gentle. Dr. Harry Love, a church leader in Michigan, was once asked for a reference of a pastor who’d been very critical of him. He gave the man a great reference. A colleague later asked Dr. Love, “Didn’t that pastor just criticize you? He treated you terribly. Why were you so complimentary of him when you were asked what you thought of him?” To which Harry Love replied, “Because I wasn’t asked what his opinion was of me, but what my opinion was of him.” That’s a great example of meekness! When we direct our power to be constructive rather than destructive, it demonstrates controlled strength. Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city (Proverbs 16:32).
Let me quote again, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (picture): “The meek man is one who may so believe in standing for the truth that he will die for it if necessary. The martyrs were meek, but they were never weak; strong men, yet meek men. Meekness is compatible with great strength.”
2. Meekness is only possible by God’s grace
The beatitudes are not human goals. They’re gifts of God’s transforming grace that will characterize those who truly know Christ. Should people exercise these qualities? Yes, everyone should demonstrate them, just as they should obey the Law of God. Yet apart from God’s grace, none of us will succeed in being marked by the kingdom qualities found in the Beatitudes.
So, in answer to the question, “is meekness possible”? Only by God’s grace. It’s why we must constantly remind ourselves that Jesus was not giving an ideal picture for humanity to give people a goal to aim for in a pursuit of their own utopia. Jesus was giving the marks of His kingdom, the evidences of His lordship.
My friend, if you’re working hard to pursue these qualities without first being born of God into His kingdom by the regenerating work of the Spirit and faith in Jesus Christ, you’ll only be frustrated. The way of meekness is the way of Jesus’ cross. Without being born-again, you’ll conclude Christianity doesn’t work. That it’s a worthless, unrealistic religion. You’ll potentially abandon your pursuit of the Beatitudes in such frustration that you’ll rebel into great sin against God; all because you sought to embrace the traits unpacked in the Beatitudes without the grace of God in Christ.
Meekness is only possible through the gift of God’s grace. Once God has shown His grace in your life, what will meekness look like?
C.H. Spurgeon (picture) gives five words to describe it: Meekness is humble, gentle, patient, forgiving and contented. That means that meekness delivers us from pride, harshness, anger, vengeance, and ambition.
Jesus is calling us to something wonderful here. Grow in meekness, and you’ll win control over anger. Meekness will moderate your passions. It will subdue your impulsiveness. It will change the way you speak and give you control over harsh words and sharp put downs.
Grow in meekness and you’ll find contentment. You’ll be reconciled to the position that you’re currently in. It will help you to accept the difficulties you face and see the loving hand of God in them.
Meekness is submitting to God’s Word. Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls (James 1:21). The evidence that a person submits to God is that they believe and do what His Word says. They don’t pick and choose parts of the Bible like they’re at McDonald’s. Jesus said, Whoever hears My words and puts them into practice is like a man who builds His house on the rock (Matthew 7:24).
A church where the Bible is taught clearly and valued highly is a wonderful place to be, because our lives are nourished by the Word. It’s how Christians grow. Yet, a church where God’s Word is taught clearly is also a dangerous place to be, because all of us are responsible for what we hear—nobody more so than the one who speaks. Do you receive God’s Word with meekness? Do you just talk about the Word of God, or are you obeying it?
The self-willed person hears what God says in Scripture but reserves the right to disagree: “God may say that, but I don’t believe it. That may be what God says, but it’s not what I want, and it’s my life.”
Meekness is the ability to submit to the shaping influence of God’s Word. You become like soft wax, so God’s Word transforms you to be like Jesus.
Meekness is submitting to God’s will. There are times in the life of every believer when God puts you in a place that if you had your way, you’d wouldn’t choose to be there. It may come through difficult circumstances at work, in your family, difficulties in the church, or even with your health.
When God brings you to a place you wouldn’t choose, unbelief begins to rise up from the flesh that always resists God: “This must mean that God doesn’t love me.” Resentment grows and envy settles in: “Why does she have that blessing and it wasn’t given to me?”
What does meekness look like when God puts you in a place that you wouldn’t have chosen? Come with me to a Garden. It’s late and dark. A few men are asleep. Further on, there’s another man. His whole body is draped over a stone. You come closer and see He is sweating profusely. He’s in agony of soul. Then He says: Father, if it is possible, let this cup be taken from me. Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done (Matthew 26:39).
Frame that picture on the wall of your heart. It’s meekness—Jesus submitting Himself to the will of His Father at unimaginable cost! It’s what He calls us too as well.
Have you become “used to the hand” of God upon your life? Or are you like a wild donkey, kicking against the call and claims of Jesus Christ, at war with yourself? Sadly, your conflict will spill over into the lives of others.
Meekness is submitting to God’s people. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21). A pagan world’s way is, “Assert yourself! Stand up for your rights! You don’t have to take it!” God’s way is, submit to one another. These views are at polar opposites!
Ephesians 5 describes what it looks like when God’s people are filled with the Holy Spirit. They care for each other. They encourage each other. They’re thankful for each other. And there’s a big evidence of people being filled with the Spirit—they submit to each other.
Today we live in a biblical anomaly – a churchless Christianity. Read the New Testament. You won’t find independent Christians. Nearly every book was either written to a local church or the pastor of one. The metaphors of a church don’t fit with an independent Christian: body, building, army. Do you walk in Menard’s and see a pile of bricks and think, “What a great building!”
If you’re not a member of a local church, to whom do you submit to? It’s an important question: How can you do what God asks you to do in Ephesians 5, if you’re not a committed member of a local church?
Meekness grows through the discipline of committed relationships in a local body of Christ. Autonomous, self-directed Christians miss out on the blessing of meekness.
My friend, if the pattern of your life is to walk away every time a person upsets you or you don’t get your way, you won’t learn meekness. Meekness happens when you’re upset, and you submit yourself to God in the middle of it. As David Murray (picture) puts it, meekness is opposed to me-ness. D.A. Carson (picture) writes meekness is a controlled desire to see others’ interests advance ahead of one’s own.
Now there’s an important distinction to be made between submission to God’s Word, submission to His will, and submission to God’s people. Submission to God’s Word and submission to God’s will are unconditional. Our submission to each other isn’t. The Apostles said, We must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). There may be times when we say that too. But remember the Apostles said that when they were forbidden from preaching the Gospel. The normal pattern of healthy Christian relationships is that we submit to each other in the body of Christ.
Meekness is formed out of the difficulty of doing this: Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves (Philippians 2:3). That means I must listen to what others are saying and to what they think. I must listen to it and give weight to it, even when I feel that I may be right.
3. Inheriting the earth is not real estate
I hate to disappoint you, but Jesus wasn’t saying if we’re meek, we’ll be rich because we’ll inherit this earth. He wasn’t saying, “Be a meek believer, because if you do, I’ll reward you with oil wells or real estate holdings.”
It reminds me of a story of a man who was sitting on a curb crying. When he was asked what was wrong, he said, “I just found out that Rockefeller, the richest man in the world, died.” The person then asked, “Why are you crying? You’re not a relative of his, are you?” And the weeping man said, “No, and that’s why I’m crying.” Jesus wasn’t referring to this kind of earthly inheritance.
It strikes us as a little odd that Jesus would say, “inherit the earth.” Why not just say, “possess the earth,” or “own the earth”? Those aren’t wrong, but Jesus uses terminology His disciples were familiar with. To inherit the land of promise was to come into possession of it as found in the promises to Israel about the Promised Land.
When you inherit something, you’re given riches you didn’t earn. The wealth comes from somebody else and is being passed along as a gift of that person’s kind intentions and steadfast love. The future possessions of Christ-followers are the product of God’s kindness to us.
In Matthew 5:5 it’s clear that the person who has the quality of meekness comes into possession of the earth. It’s inescapable. Those who lack meekness don’t qualify for ownership of the earth in the future.
It’s not Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” but the “eternal survival of the meekest.” In other words, it’s only the meek who inherit the earth.
The they in they shall inherit is emphatic. It means that they alone, only they, shall inherit the earth. Jesus is saying that if these characteristics aren’t showing up in our lives, we’re not part of His kingdom.
The world is wild and unruly—they don’t obey God. The believer has submitted control of his life to God and wants to obey Him. They’re rich now as part of God’s Forever Family. 50 trillion years from now they’ll still be lavishing in the unfolding of the immeasurable riches of His grace (Ephesians 2:7). What does it mean then to inherit the earth?
In the future, the meek will inherit the earth at Christ’s coming. When God created the earth, He gave dominion of it to mankind, but when Adam sinned, paradise was lost. Satan became the prince of this world. Sin brought this world into bondage. Instead of staying in a state of newness and fruitfulness, it decays, grows thorns, and causes pain. One day though at Christ’s return, He’ll give the world again to the meek. There will be a renewal of the earth. The lion will lie down with the lamb, the cow will feed with the bear, and children will lead them. There will be perfect peace in the world. Paradise will be ruled by the meek, as co-heirs with Christ.
Presently, the meek inherit the earth in the sense that they’re not possessed by their possessions. There’s a present inheritance that abundantly enriches our earthly existence. There’s a sense in which those who focus on riches never possess anything.
How much is enough? For John D. Rockefeller (picture) the answer was just a little bit more. At the peak of his wealth, he had a net worth of about 1% of the entire U.S. economy. He owned 90% of all the oil and gas industry of his day. Compared to today’s rich guys, Rockefeller makes Bill Gates and Warren Buffett (pictures) look like paupers, yet Rockefeller still wanted “just a little bit more.”
It’s the meek who own the earth now. Their life is free from the tyranny of “just a little more.” Our world is ruled by the spirit of more – the newest phone, laptop, clothes, car, etc. But they never really possess anything. Instead, their possessions possess them. When believers don’t focus on the things of this world, it allows them to seek first the kingdom of heaven and Christ says, all these things will be added unto them (Matthew 6:33). God meets their needs now, and one day, they will possess all things.
In 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul wears his heart on his sleeve. In chapter 6, he hemorrhages out this list of all the sufferings he’s endured. He ends it with, as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything (2 Corinthians 6:10). In Christ, Paul has found the world. He’s content. He has all He needs – despite all that the cruel world has brought Him. In Christ, Paul has inherited the world.
Conclusion
Tom Wolfe wrote The Right Stuff that was later made into a movie (picture). The Right Stuff is about the development of America’s space program. When Wolfe did his research, he discovered there was something that set the best test pilots apart from others, some quality that combined courage, coolness under pressure, and total self-control. They had it and others didn’t. There was no name for that quality, so he made one up. He simply called it … the right stuff.
Jesus says that there’s a kind of Christian right stuff that sets us apart in this world. It’s meekness. Meekness is the real “right stuff.” It’s a Spirit-controlled life manifested by a gentle spirit based on an unshakable confidence in God. Let’s end with two Take Home Truths.
Meekness is the way to live like Jesus Christ. Puritan pastor Richard Baxter (picture) wrote: Men would sooner believe that the gospel is from heaven, if they saw more such effects of it upon the hearts and lives of those who profess it. Meekness is a quality those who don’t know Jesus, notice because so few live this way. It’s exactly what God wants to create in you: a Christ-like meekness. It may be your greatest witness to those around you.
Meekness is something God’s Holy Spirit has to produce in you. It’s the fruit of the Spirit. That means you’ve got to be a Christian, first of all. You have to know that God’s Holy Spirit is in you to do this. You must work together with the Lord to produce this fruit. Be assured, if you’re a Christ-follower, God is working in your life right now to build this quality into you.
Some of you are in a situation right now that God has specifically allowed in your life, so that you will have the opportunity to learn meekness and to demonstrate to the world that this is how a follower of Christ responds. This isn’t the way “everybody” acts; but it’s the way a follower of Jesus does.
Taylor University is a Christian college in Indiana. Years ago, they were pleased to learn that an African student, Sam, was enrolling in their school. This was before it was common for international students to come to the States to study. Sam was a bright young man with great promise. Taylor felt honored to have him. When he arrived on campus, the President of Taylor took him on a tour, showing him all the dorms. When the tour was over, the President asked Sam where he’d like to live. The young man replied, If there is a room that no one wants, give that room to me. The President turned away in tears. Over the years he’d welcomed thousands of Christian students to the campus, and none had ever made such a request.
If there is a room that no one wants, give that room to me… that’s meekness.If there is a job that no one wants to do, I’ll do it…that’s meekness. If there’s a kid that no one wants to eat lunch with, I’ll eat with that kid…that’s meekness. If there’s someone that everyone else is dodging, I’ll reach out to them…that’s meekness. If there’s a parking space that’s far away from the church, I’ll park in that space…that’s meekness. If there’s a ministry others don’t want to do, I’ll do it… that’s meekness. If there’s a hardship someone has to endure, I’ll take it… that’s meekness. If there’s a sacrifice that someone needs to make, I’ll make that sacrifice… that’s meekness.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. My friend, do you know Jesus? Is the Spirit producing meekness in your life?