CHRIST

(Part 3)

The Meekness and Gentleness of Christ

Matthew 11:28-30

²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light

2 Corinthians 10:1

Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold towards you.

I.                   THE GLORY OF MEEKNESS

As we examine God’s meek heart in Christ, we will see His gentle dealings with all of creation.

1.     Meekness is power under control.

Meekness is associated with gentleness and humility. Meek people have a servant spirit. It is the use of one’s strength to serve and protect rather than dominate and control.

2.     Meekness is not weakness.

Weakness is the absence of strength and power. Meekness is possessing power, yet restraining it for the higher purpose of love and reconciliation.

      John 19:10-11

¹⁰ Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” ¹¹ Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”

II.               THE POWER OF MEEKNESS

1.     It’s the key to clean living

The meekness and gentleness of Christ once understood and embraced produces a wellspring of love to spring up in us. The human heart is quickly pierced by tender mercy.

“A heart won in tenderness is a heart secured in the tightest grip imaginable and is one that will not give way in the darkest hours.”

2.     It makes you great.

Psalm 18:35-36

³⁵ You have also given me the shield of your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. ³⁶ You enlarged my path under me, so my feet did not slip.

Matthew 5:5

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 

Luke 14:11

¹¹ For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

III.            MEEKNESS DISPLAYED IN CHRIST

1.     Mindset

Philippians 2:3-8

³ Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ⁴ Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. ⁵ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ 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.

2.     Compassion for the Hurting

Matthew15:32 (The Hungry)

³² Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.”

Matthew 20:30,32-34 (Two Blind Men)

³⁰ And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”…³² So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” ³³ They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” ³⁴ So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

Mark 1:40-42 (A Leper)

⁴⁰ Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” ⁴² As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.

Luke 7:12-15 (A widow who’s  only child is dead)

Hebrews 4:14-16 (Us)

¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

3.     The Hated

Luke 19:2-5,7-10

² Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. ³ And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him…⁵ And…Jesus…He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”…⁷ But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” ⁸ Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” ⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; ¹⁰ for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

4.     Sinners (Luke 7:36-48)

John 8:10-11

¹⁰ When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” ¹¹ She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

5.     His Prayer Life

a.      Baptized while He prayed. Luke 3:21-22

b.     Withdrew into the wilderness and prayed. Luke 5:15-16

c.      All night on Mountain. Luke 6:12-13

d.     Took Peter, James and John to Pray. Luke 9:28-29

e.      Praying so good disciples asked “Lord teach us to pray” Luke 11:1-4

f.       Prayed for Peter when Satan wanted to sift him. Luke 22:31-32

g.      Garden of Gethsemane. Luke 22:39-44

h.     On the Cross. Luke 22:33-34

6.     Dealing with Difficult People

Luke 9:51-56 (James and John)

⁵¹ Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, ⁵² and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. ⁵³ But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” ⁵⁵ But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. ⁵⁶ For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.

John 20:24-29 (Doubting Thomas)

                        John 13:3-17 (Washing Disciples Feet)

                        John 21:15-17 (Restoring Peter)

7.     Dealing with Gentiles (Woman at Well)  John 4:1-26