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Hearing His Voice Today
The Meek are not Weak

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Matthew 5:5 (English-KJV)
  1. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
In our study of the Sermon on the Mount we have already seen two characteristics of the person who is "favored" or graced by God --- he is poor in spirit and he mourns over sin. Today, we see a third mark of God's people --- meekness.
  1. What Meekness Is Many see meekness as being spineless and weak. What does the word "meek" really mean? The word "meek" had three shades of meaning: remembered as the ABC's of meekness.
    1. Awareness --- of one's faults, inabilities and weaknesses. The opposite is pride which blinds the person to his faults --- thus, "pride cometh before the fall" Proverbs 16:18.
    2. Balance --- in life. Aristotle used to speak of a meek person as one who was balanced in all aspects of his life --- "not too much emotion, not too little emotion."
    3. Control --- over one's self-interests. This word was used by the Greeks to describe domesticated animals which were trained to respond to their master's voice. Psalm 32:9 says, "Be not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding, but must be controlled by bit or bridle, or they will not come unto you." When God saves a person, He gives them a meek heart! "The meek He will guide . . . the meek He will teach His way" Psalm 25:9.
  2. What Meekness Does
    Jesus said, "I am meek and lowly in heart, learn of me" Matthew 11:29.
    1. Three characteristics of a meek person's relationship with God . . .
      1. Submissive to God's Word -- "Receive with meekness the Word" James 1:21.
      2. Submissive to God's Will.-- "Thy will be done on earth" Matthew 6:10.
      3. Submissive to God's Ways -- "Shall we not accept trouble from God?" Job 2:10.
    2. Four characteristics of a meek person's relationships with others . . .
      1. Unprovoked by caustic critics -- "Jesus endured hostility" Hebrews 12:3.
      2. Patient with faithless friends -- "May it not be held against them" II Timothy 4:16.
      3. Gentle to unkind unbelievers -- "To those who oppose him, he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance" II Timothy 2:23.
      4. Gracious to broken believers -- "You should restore your brother gently (lit. "in the spirit of meekness"), watching unto yourself" Galatians 6:1.
  3. What Meekness Brings

    "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" Matthew 5:5. The Pharisees believed Israel would inherit the earth through a Messianic means. The Sadducees believed in materialistic means to overcome the yoke of Roman bondage. The Zealots believed in militaristic means --- they were called "dagger men" The Essenes turned to monastic means and closeted themselves in the desert. All these groups missed out on the truth --- God's kingdom is inherited by those who are meek --- Matthew 25:34.


Questions? Comments?
Pastor Wade