I would like to spend the next few weeks addressing what true Christians should be seeking, praying for and producing, both in the pulpit and the pew. The characteristics that the search committee should seek in the next pastor as well as what the nominating committee should expect this fall when they suggest people to serve and lead in the church on committees or leadership roles. And regardless of if the church is a mega church or a tiny fellowship, these are the same things Jesus Christ laid out quite clearly in the Sermon of the Mount.
So in my understanding, disciples of Jesus and churches all over the world need more of this—especially those that lead in our churches and our nation:
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:8, NIV)
“Meek” does not mean weak, or cowardly, or someone rubbing their hands together in despair or lacking a backbone. It means something far more powerful than physical strength—it’s more substantive and refined. It means being like Jesus. Jesus was pointing to the heart and quality of those who have a spirit of gentleness and self-control… but who are at the same time free from meanness or a condescending or spiteful disposition. The meek do not take advantage of others; they are not violent; they do not try to take over a conversation for their own agenda. They listen, they empathize with the plights of others. They are people that have emulated the nature of Jesus in their lives and learned from Him. These are the people you need on committees at this church! This is the kind of a person you want to offer a sermon every Sunday.
So, when you listen to others that will speak from this pulpit over the next many months, nothing is so important as the sweet humility of Jesus! Beware of those that yell from the pulpit or are that are heroes of their own stories! You need more than that and God deserves better representatives of Christ than that.
His promise is that the meek will “inherit the earth”, and for the moment, let’s just trust that this is good——whatever it means. I am not totally sure of what Jesus was referencing, but it’s obvious that it’s a big deal and that it’s really, really wonderful! He’s telling us that those of us who choose to be meek get it all—the whole earth. It’s common in our world for the powerful, the arrogant, the despots, and dictators like Putin, Xi and Maduro to get as much as they want, at the expense of the weak. Consider, for example, what is happening right now in Venezuela, North Korea, China, Russia and Oran. In each case, one man has absolute power and ruthlessly eliminates anyone that gets in his way or causes him to worry about what he thinks is essential to make him safe, happy, and secure. The only one that matters is him. Each of those men would send millions of their own citizens to death or exile before they give up power. These dictators and strongmen are the antithesis of the meek. They will one day inherit what they deserve—and they will not like it—it’s going to be a miserable existence for them one day….but the meek will inherit far more than any dictator could ever have imagined. That is a promise from God’s Son.
Unless you live in a fantasy world, you know that meekness, gentleness, and goodness do not come naturally—nor does it occur enough, even in some churches; you cannot make yourself produce those spiritual fruits. Oh, you can fake it—as a pastor or a layman. But when you’re pressed, annoyed, don’t get your way…. the real “you” and the real “fruit” is made apparent. Meekness and gentleness—the genuine variety—are the supernatural extensions of God—a part of His nature—and they are imparted to the man or woman who is living a life connected to Jesus Christ—they are fruit of His Holy Spirit.
Do you want to be meek? He (Jesus) alone can teach me, only His Comforter, the Holy Spirit, how to be meek—-only He can produce it my life, and only I can humble myself so that it can take root.
Meekness springs from a heart of humility, radiating the fragrance of Jesus Christ Himself. It's not mousy or like milk toasty to be humble. It’s not fearful or weak. It's not feeble, iffy, or trite. It’s a rock solid position of confidence in God, who is in charge, that lets you let go and let God take command—- and therefore we don’t have to declare war on another soul when we don’t get way.
But when you think of someone meek or humble, don’t expect to find what most folks call meek or humble nowadays: “he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you he is a “nobody”.” When you come across a humble man or woman, you will probably think about what a cheerful, intelligent person he or she is—you will note that they took a real interest in what you said to them. If you do dislike them it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. A person of humility “will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all.” (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)
So, the first step to take is this If anyone would like to acquire the humility and meekness of Jesus: Realize that you are proud. If you can’t admit that, there’s no hope. And yes, it’s a big step to look in the mirror and admit your own pride. Lucifer never has been able to do it. Neither can most of those in places of great power. But, nothing whatever can be done before you admit this. If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited more than most others.
We think about ourselves all of our waking hours until Christ comes in and moves the object of our greatest love—-which is, of course, the love of ourselves.
Meekness means we submit to God and then draw our strength and authority from Him instead of trying to exhibit power and authority against others. You see, grabbing for attention and power is the opposite of Christ-likeness. The twelve disciples were like this before they became filled with the Holy Spirit. They would actually get into fights about who was the most worthy of leadership and attention. When we are meek we place the interests of others above our own, working as hard or harder for their growth than we would for our own.
Like Jesus, those who are meek focus on giving and not getting; they entrust rather than take. Like Jesus, those who are meek trade their privileges and status in order to serve and sacrifice for others. He would learn to serve must first learn to think little of himself. To me, there’s nothing more odious or distasteful than an evangelist, or member of the clergy that demands the last word, or thinks too highly of himself and too little of the least in his congregation.
After a heated argument with one of my sons this past week, I begged him to minimize his importance and maximize the importance of others! It’s the secret to not only making and keeping friends, but the pathway to understanding true humility. So when you are tempted consider sin and stupidity in your family or the church or in your place of business, in your heart, start to maximize your shortcomings and faults, and minimize the other guys errors and sins. You’ll be astonished and how much more people want to be around you and how much how your conversation and attitude about others change!
This is what Jesus was taking about Luke 8:9-14: “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Would the search committee, that is no considering a new pastor, listen to counsel that I belief is Godly, in that matter. Look for a tax collector before you look for a Pharisee. Would you have this shine for Jesus, grow and become the true bride of Christ. Welcome any person, of any color, belief, creed, color and gender to worship here—yes! But do not allow those of arrogance, meanness, pride, gossip, or those that murmur, whine and complain serve on committees or positions of authority. I have had more than one person approach me in the past week concerned, that the new pastor might welcome some mean-spirited people into the church. Well, yes, that could happen, and I can’t think of a better place for mean people! We should welcome all to worship with us. But membership and representation on committees should be reserved to those that have received Jesus Christ in their hearts and are seeking to live the beatitudes. If you are seeking to be the good son or daughter of our heavenly Father, you will have a positive in outlook….you will be humble in your own assessment of your life, and you will be ready to point out the good in everyone else—not the failures or flaws of the other.
Our goal—our prize—is nothing less that Jesus Himself. Jesus was meek. Never defended himself, never made a personal attack at someone that He did not like. He treated the poor, the blind, the outcasts, the children, and the women far better than the religious leaders of His day. His strongest words of condemnation were for those that thought they were religious, but were really “white washed tombs”—-those religious folks were dead and did not have the good manners to lie down.
This past summer, and particularly this past week, I have never encountered such anger, so many insults, and such hate in all my life. Oh, each time I could find fault with the ones that mean to me or spoke with such hostility. I am not unable to stand to-to-toe with those that have said mean and hurtful things to me. But what would I prove and what would be accomplished? That I am more eloquent, or powerful, or educated, or that I had more friends on my side? If I attacked back and defended myself would I not also be declaring that I doubt God’s preparation to send His angels to attend to me and defend me? If I properly put those that hurt me “in their place”, would I not be extending that fight and perhaps even proving the point of some of those that dislike me.
But praise be to God! Nobody loves me like Jesus! No one understands like He does! Only He alone has seen insult and attack and cruelty that’s been poured on on each of us—He knows our hearts and our intentions. No one can turn a catastrophe or apparent defeat into victory and indescribable joy like my Father can! But He does not intervene if I hold onto my pride, ego and surrender to the darkness of protecting myself. I have to let Him turn disaster into success and triumph. …….So must you.
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