An outline of Ps. Steve Breithaupt’s message when he visited Japan and preached at IBF church in April 2018.
BLESSED ARE THE MEEK
The great reversal
The world encourages us to be arrogant, aggressive, confident, driven. To think of success as way more important than our character or Christ-likeness. (Christ-likeness is just something to do on Sundays.)
However, in the kingdom of God, the first shall be last, and the last shall be first. Honor and respect is given to the humble and gentle. In Jesus’ eyes, the meek will be successful!
1 Peter 3:3-4: “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment . . . Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”
1 Peter 3:15b: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…”
Scripture says to defend the faith with meekness, not rudeness. That can be challenging. What is meekness and how do we develop it?
What is meekness?
Many imagine that Jesus was “meek and mild.” That he was quiet, didn’t say much, and allowed people to do as they pleased. But consider this:
Matthew 21:12-13: “Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and seling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers’.”
Matthew 23:33: “‘You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?”
So, what happened here? Did Jesus suddenly go crazy?
Meekness is not weakness. It is not being weak-willed or indecisive.
Meekness is gentle strength. It is always commended in Scripture. Spiritual meekness is not a natural trait. It results from acknowledging the God’s authority
over my life.
How do we develop meekness?
1) We need determination and commitment. There will always be inner and outer hindrances to developing this quality of character.
2) We need to confidence in God. Also, we need confidence in who we are in God. That happens when we accept who God is, and who we are through our relationship with Him.
3) We need humility. If we allow pride a foothold in our lives, we will lose the peace and strength of character to remain meek in the face of opposition.
4) We need courage. It takes great courage to stand up for your beliefs with gentle strength. Meekness doesn’t mean that you don’t stand up for what you believe in. But as always, do it with meekness (again, 1 Peter 3:15).
When do we speak out?
We stand up for something when we are in a position of authority, such as being a boss. Or when we are in a position of responsibility, such as being a parent, teacher, or caretaker. Even if we are not in such a position, we may need to speak out to right an injustice and defend the helpless. We do this with gentle strength.
Examples of meekness in Scripture
1) Moses:
In Numbers 12:2-4, Miriam and Aaron spoken against Moses, who was credited the meekest man on earth (v. 3). As a result, God warned them.
2) Jesus:
Matthew 11:29 – “I am gentle and humble in heart…”
Matthew 21:5 – “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey…”
Matthew 27:12-14 – Jesus was accused but gave no defense, which amazed Pilate.
3) The famous “love” passage:
I Corinthians 13:4-5: “[Love] does not boast, it is not proud…”
Hindrances to meekness
1) Insecurity: The need to support your self-image through the approval of others. An insecure person may be either shy or aggressive.
2) Pride: Feeling that one is superior to others. Or that one’s rights and opinions are more valuable or important than others’.
3) Our egos: The need to feel good about ourselves or to always be right.
We may not voice these feelings out loud, but we may be thinking it. Being quiet does not always equal meekness.
Closing thoughts
Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
2 Corinthians 12:10 – “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”