Reverend Michael Mwangi
Senior Pastor, Fedha Church, Kenya Assemblies of God
The meek
Again this is contrary to the world's teaching. The world says if you want to inherit the world, get money, get power, get fame, be proud, and put yourself in front and flaunt what you have. But Jesus says, be meek. Only the meek will inherit the earth.
Meekness (upole) according to the Cambridge dictionary is the quality of being quiet, gentle.
There is a difference between humility and meekness.
The first beatitude of being poor in the spirit means to be humble before God (humility). Meekness means to be humble before men.
This is even more difficult. When God call us sinners we can accept but if our neighbour calls us sinner that becomes harder to accept.
It is a very rare quality because naturally we all long for significance.
Most people think meekness is a weakness but it is strength under control that leads to submission, not because of fear.
It is the character of letting go of the self and letting God and trust him to fight for you and the outcome.
There are five signs of meekness
1. A meek person does not seek his own rights, his advantage.
2. He does not become offended or hurt when another person wrongs him.
A meek person does not care so much about his honour. Reverend. Doctor. He does not try to defend himself, to make excuses to hide his sins.
3. He never tries to take revenge - don’t revenge.
Romans 12:19;
19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
1 Peter 2: 19-23.
19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
Jesus was reviled and never retaliated, He is our perfect example, he was in a position to sermon angels to his defence but didn't. He went on to be crucified by mere men only offering forgiveness to them
4. Is always willing to learn.
5. Does not try to have His own way.
He does not seek his own will, he submits to the will of God and others.
Ephesians 5:21
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
He gives himself and all that he has to God. He keeps nothing to himself unwilling to argue or express your opinion.
Meekness is not just a modest attitude towards others. It is not feeling better than others or I am better than him or her.
The meek are those who are humble and submissive to God. They depend on nothing but him for security in life and refuge from trouble. They commit Themselves and the direction of their lives entirely to him. They are more concerned about the kingdom i.e. God’s work and God's people than what might happen to them personally.
Psalm 37:11
But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.
Humility is you having God but meekness is God having you. Every one of us has God but does God have you? Or how much of you does God have you?
We all accept Jesus as saviour which is humility but is He Lord in your life? That is meekness.
Meekness is a measure of how much the self has died and the extent of how much God is alive in you. A dead man never retaliates or shows off.
Your level of meekness is the measure of how much God has control over your life.
Meekness is GOD fully taking over your life and all that you have. No wonder God will let them have everything by inheriting the earth.
The meek rather than those who aggressively pursue their own ways, ultimately will inherit God's benefit and reign with him in the end.
Without meekness, pride is what fills our lives and comes out in the following traits
Roho ya ubinafsi, kujiinua, kimbelembele, kujipendekeza, kujionyesha, kufeelisha, kujitakia makuu, kiburi na majivuno, kutaka kuonekana na kutambulika. Roho ya siasa na critism and finger-pointing. Mdomo mingi and no substance. (The spirit of selfishness, self-aggrandizement, presumptuousness, flattery, showing off, wishing for greatness, pride and arrogance, wanting to be seen and recognized. The spirit of politics and criticism and finger-pointing. Much talk and no substance.)
Lack of humility leads to pride and arrogance which is purely the works of flesh while meekness is a fruit of spirit.
Meekness builds and affirms others but not tear them down.
Meekness puts others first and is the antidote to jealousy.
Meekness values others and it does not diminish them in any way.
Philippians 2:3
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
Be humble consider others better than yourself.
Judas and Mary.
Matthew 26:6-13
6 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you,[a] but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
Mary humbly sits at the feet of Jesus giving the deepest worship and Jesus enjoying it.
Judas stands to criticize na hakuna mtu amemuuliza maoni au kumchahuagua.. Ni kimbele mbele na mafuta sio take. (Judas stands to criticise and no one has asked his opinion or criticized him... It is presumptuous and the oil is not his.)
He is very angry Jesus is receiving too much worship, it is wastage hiyo pesa au masaa tumeomba sana, tumeabudu sana, tumetoa sana. Hiyo pesa na time tungefanya kitu ingine nayo. (He is very angry Jesus is receiving too much worship, it is a waste of money or hours, we have prayed too much, we have worshiped too much, we have given too much. We would have done something else with that money and time.)
Be humble Jesus deserves our best. We need God more than anything else. Blessed are the poor in the spirit for there is the kingdom of God.
Mary in humility never argued or answered back, it was Jesus who fought for her.
Pride and arrogance.
Ni roho ya kimwili na hivo inapiginanga sana na mambo ya Kiroho. Haipedi ibada au kujitolea au kujitoa sana kwa vitu za kiroho. (It is a carnal spirit and it is in conflict with spiritual things. It does not like worship or devotion or devotion to spiritual things.)
Judas complains about our sacrificial giving to God and they don't usually give na si juu ya kukosa. (Judas complains about our sacrificial giving to God and they don't usually give and not about lack.)
Pesa yao ni lifestyle. (Their money is for lifestyle.)
Philippians 3:19
19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
Tumbo na kuvaa. (Stomach and clothes.)
Romans 14:17
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
Judas sold Jesus ndio akae maisha starehe. (Judas sold Jesus to live a comfortable life.)
Juu ni roho ya kimwili haifurahingi sana na mambo ya kiroho. (Carnal spirit not very happy with spiritual things.)
Ibada ya two hours imekaa sana na you can have 5 hours men na siasa, ladies 6 hours mucene, young people a whole day in football. (The two-hour worship is too long and you can have five hours of men and politics, ladies six hours gossiping, and young people a whole day in football.)
Humble yourself and God will lift you.
Judas hakumaliza vizuri because lack of meekness. (Judas did not finish well because of lack of meekness.)
Hakuna kitu hufanya anamalizia... (Nothing makes him finish well...)
Never inherited the earth but Mary continued to enjoy the blessings.
Jesus said Mary will be preached wherever the gospel will be preached.
Literally inherited the earth.
So many are named Mary.
How many would call their child Judas?
Numbers 12:1-14
Moses was God's chosen prophet.
Moses was the meekest person on earth.
They spoke against him when they could have spoken to him.
Matthew 18:15-17
15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
Miriam was exiled for seven days.
Both died earlier and Moses lived on.
Numbers 16:1-3
16 Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent[a] 2 and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council. 3 They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”
Dothan, Korah and Abiram.
The ground opened up and swallowed them.
The earth literally inherited them instead of them inheriting the earth
Learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart.
Matthew 11:29.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
This is a fruit of the Spirit and only when we are born New of the Spirit can we possess and demonstrate true Meekness.
John 3:3
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
How do you become meek?
First you must become poor in the spirit, verse 3 then you must mourn for your unworthiness and sin verse 4. Then he must place his faith in Jesus and Holy Spirit will centre him and make you new giving you a spirit of Meekness.
When a man gives up everything to God what does he get? The meek will inherit the earth
Paul said. Sorrow but always rejoicing... having nothing but possessing everything.
2 Corinthians 6:10
sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
Romans 8:17
17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
If we are children of God, then we are co-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.
What earth shall we inherit?
The new earth in the kingdom of heaven.
Revelation 21:1-4
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
This present earth and all the proud people with all they have will pass away.
1 John 2:17
17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
Only the meek will be left to inherit the new earth in the kingdom to come.
Psalms 37:10-11
10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. 11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.
For whoever exalts himself...
Matthew 23:12
For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
No one mourns until they are poor in spirit; no one is meek towards others until he has a humble view of himself. If you don’t sense your own need and poverty, you will never hunger and thirst after righteousness; and if you have too high a view of yourself, you will find it difficult to be merciful to others.
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