The Pursuit of Meekness by Brother Curtis Hansen

         Good morning. If you will, turn your Bible to the book of Matthew. We will be reading from chapter 5 from Matthew. This scripture is pretty familiar and quite popular with believers. Jesus is beginning his Sermon on the Mount, and he begins with The Beatitudes.

        And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

        2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

        3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

        4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

        5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

        6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

        7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

        8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

        9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

        10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

        11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

        12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 

        Let us go back and highlight some of these verses. In verse 3, blessed are the poor in spirit, Jesus is speaking on what David would write in a song over in Psalms 51. A broken and contrite spirit. In verse 4, blessed are they that mourn, if you have never experienced true loss, you have never truly had comfort. Scripture states to truly mourn over loss and not merely internalize it nor really pass it aside. It is good to mourn and it is requested of you.

        Don't seek praise for yourself nor of your growth from the world or your church family. You are not a reflection of this church, or strive to be a reflection of the pastor. You should seek to be a reflection of Jesus. In verse 7, blessed are the merciful, if you do not give genuine mercy, you will not receive any mercy. It is telling in the gospels how the pharisees would regard Jesus as a teacher but be offended to the point of harm when he proclaimed he was God.

        Let us focus on verse 5. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. What does it mean to be meek? The world defines meekness as patient, quiet, gentle. The bible defines meekness as a strength and power held in check. It is wisdom in action and requires submission to God. Submission is very difficult for us in our relationships with one another, yet, the Lord wants you to submit to him. Meekness is not weakness. They are often confused by man's definition of them. Meek is more like a gentleman. I know of people who wrap themselves in knots trying to study the significance of root words in the Hebrew and Greek to get the true meaning of the scripture. Sometimes its for understanding and sometimes its a means for an out if you have faults you are comfortable with. It is fruitless to put in all that work if you don't love nor know Jesus. 

        Turn over to Psalms 37. We will pick up at verse 8

        8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

        9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lords, they shall inherit the earth.

        10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

        11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

        The meek inheriting the earth isn't a physical takeover made manifest. It is more about the meek having a inner peace.

        To strive towards meekness you should be aware of the evil around you among men and the devil. The world is not going to change for the better. No matter what time you give, effort made and money donated to causes you believe will pause the end of things. The meek man does not sow confidence in the world but the principles of God. The principles of God state this earth is at its end. That end began once Jesus ascended into heaven.

        If you strive for meekness, you cannot be passive. The meek man is not envious of other men, what they do, their successes nor wealth. The meek man cultivates faithfulness. As the wicked cultivate wickedness, a meek man should cultivate good works and strive to stay in the will of God for life.

        If this is left unchecked, then you seeking out praise for what you have accomplished now compared to where you were a year ago, needing an ego boost to make you feel better? That is more a reflection of the devil than it is of God. You may know people like this, who just bounce about life like a rubber ball, or never center themselves. You may know people who gravitate towards drama, to be the victim and be in pain for the sympathy of you and others. You can see a direction for some of them based on decisions which they make. This is why prayer, and most importantly intercessory prayer is so key in your daily life.

        A meek man delights in the principles that God has established. The purpose God has given you can be muddied when you also chase after your fleshes desire or your mind is not a made up mind. You want to stay with one foot in faith and one in the world.

        Be meek but be capable. Meek does not mean weak. Those who are incapable are loud, mouthy, and dangerous. You cannot utilize power God gives you if you remain passive and indecisive. If you aren't dangerous you can't strengthen yourself. God wants you to use the power to bind and loosen in your life. That power supply is endless which God wants you to use and get to know him better.

        The role of the Holy Ghost is to guide you into truth about yourself and the principles God has established. It is also brings all things into memory. That power you have makes you capable. It is better to be a warrior and a gardener, rather than a gardener and a warrior.