Sermon Tone Analysis

*Today* we’re *going* to go *on with* the *8th* *fruit* of the *spirit* listed here in *(GAL.

5:23)* and that’s *“Meekness.”

* The *NKJV* calls it *“Gentleness.”*

This word can *also* be *translated* *“Humility”* or *“Humble.”*

The *AMP*.

Translation calls it *“Gentleness (meekness, humility).”*

*I) **“MEEKNESS”* is *not* *“WEAKNESS.”*

*A) **Meekness* *sounds* *a lot* *like weakness*, but they are *nothing alike.

*

*1) **I think* *people* *are a* *little afraid* to *call themselves* *‘MEEK,’* *because others* *might* *confuse** **it with* the *qualities* *of being* *weak*.

*(a) **There is* *nothing wrong with being weak*; *in fact*, *it’s* *good to be weak.*

*(i) **2CO 12:9‑10**.*

*(b) **When you realize you’re weak*, then *you can be **made strong* *in **God’s strength.*

*(i) **(ZEC 4:6)* *Says*, *“Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”*

*(ii) *You could say it like this, *“It’s not by OUR might, nor by OUR power, but by HIS spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”*

*2) **There is a** **difference between** **MEEK** **and** **WEAK*; *The* *opposite* of *Weak* is *Strong*, *when we realize* that *we** **can** **not* *do it **in our** **own strength*, *then we’ll get God’s strength*.

*3) *The *opposite* of *Meek* is *Pride*.

*(a) *Look at *PRO 16:18.*

*(i) **(PRO 11:2)* Says, *“{When} pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly (humble) {is} wisdom.”*

*(ii) **(PRO 29:23)* Says*/, /**“A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.”*

*(iii) *In others words *“The humble in spirit will be honored.”*

*B) *There are *quite a few people** **in the** **Bible* *who are MEEK** **but definitely** **not WEAK**.*

*1) **JOH 2:13‑16.*

*(a) **Jesus* was *definitely** **not** **weak*, but *He** **was Meek*.

*(b) *In *(HEB 12:2)* it says, *“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of {our} faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”*

*(i) **It was a humbling experience* for *Jesus* to *go to that cross*.

*(c) **(2CO 10:1)* Says, *“Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence {am} base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:”*

*(d) **Jesus** was **humble*, and *if He was then*, *it’s an** **attribute of God.*

*(i) **2CO 4:4.*

*(ii) **Jesus* is the *image of God*.

*Jesus said*, *“If you’ve seen me you’ve seen the Father,”* *in **(JOH 14:9).*

*(iii) **Jesus* has the *same character** of the **Father*.

*2) **NUM 12:3.*

*(a) **Moses was Meek* yet he was *1 of the greatest leaders* *that ever lived.*

*(b) **EXO 32:17‑20.*

That *doesn’t sound like* *someone* who is *weak** **to me.*

*(c) *The *Bible tells us* in *(1PE 3:4)* *that a MEEK SPIRIT OR* a *HUMBLE SPIRIT*, in the *sight of God* is *of great price.*

*3) **There are** **other examples* of *great men* of God who *were also* *meek or humble*.

*(a) *We have *Stephen** **in (ACTS 7).*

*(b) *We have *Joseph** **in (GEN 50).*

*(c) **Saul** **in (1SA 9).*

*(d) **Solomon** **in** **(1KI 3).*

*(e) **John the Baptist** **in (MAT 8).*

*(f) **Paul** **in (1TI 1).*

*(g) *And *others*.

*II) **Now we are to practice** **MEEKNESS, HUMILITY*.

*A) **MAT 18:4.*

*1) **We are to** **humble ourselves*, and *if we do* we *will be **great in the Kingdom of God.*

*2) **James** **says something similar* to that in *(JAMES 4:10),* which says, *“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”*

*(a) **Nowhere** are we **told to pray** **for humility*, *we’re** **told** **to practice it**,* *and when we do*, *God** **will** **lift us up.*

*(b) **(1PE 5:5)* Says, *“To be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”*

*(i) *Let me read it to you from the *Amplified translation*, *“Likewise, you who are younger and of lesser rank,* *be subject to the elders* *(the ministers and spiritual guides of the church)—[giving them due respect and yielding to their counsel]*.

*Clothe (apron) yourselves, all of you, with humility [as the GARB of a servant,* *[garb is either clothing or manner of acting]* *so that its covering cannot possibly be stripped from you,* *with freedom from pride and arrogance]* *toward one another.*

*For God sets Himself against the proud (the insolent, the overbearing, the disdainful, the presumptuous, the boastful)—[and He opposes, frustrates, and defeats them], but gives grace (favor, blessing) to the humble.”*

*(c) **If you need more** **of** **God’s Grace*, His favor and blessing, *Humble yourself**.*

*III) **We** **have a** **need to be Meek**.*

*A) **GAL 6:1.* *Meekness* here *is* *humility and gentleness*.

*1) **Backsliders*, if they repent, *are to be restored** **in** **a** **spirit** **of** **Meekness**,* *and* *their** **wrong doings Forgotten*, *just as God forgets* our sins.

*(a) **This is a** **warning** **from God**,* *if we don’t stay humble*, *we will become** **caught up** **in** **a spirit of** **Pride*, *and* *Pride* *will** **cause** **you to** **fall**.*

*B) **If someone asks* us *a question* *or* *if* they are even *trying to** **argue** **against** the **Gospel*, *we are **still* to *answer* them *with Meekness*.

*1) **1PE 3:15.*

The Word *MEEKNESS* here *means*, *“Mildness of disposition and gentleness of spirit.”*

*(a) **To **argue** and **strive* *in a** **contentious spirit* is *likely* to *make* the *person deny* the *Truth*, even if they see it.

*C) **We** **ourselves* *are to receive the Word* of God *with** **Meekness**.*

*1) **JAMES 1:21.*

*(a) *Again, let me give it to you *from the** **Amplified** Translation*, *“So get rid of all uncleanness and the rampant outgrowth of wickedness, and in a humble (gentle, modest) spirit receive and welcome the Word which implanted and rooted [in your hearts] contains the power to save your souls.”*

*(i) **There is** **power** **in** **God’s Word* *especially* *when you let it become** **implanted** **and** **rooted** **in your heart**.*

*(ii) **He says that** **it contains power* *to **save** **your** **souls*.

*(a) *The Word *“SOULS”* *in this verse* is the *Greek* *word* *“PSUCHE”* *which is* *usually** **translated* *“SOUL”* *which we usually referred to mean* *“OUR MIND”* *but it is** **almost equally translated* *“LIFE.”*

*(b) *The word *“SAVE”* in this verse is the *Greek word* *“SOZO”* *which means*, *“safety, soundness, deliverance, healing, preservation, and really all of promises of God.”*

*(iii) **When we receive** the **Word** **of God* *in a** **humble** **spirit* *and* *allow it to be** **rooted** and **grounded** **in our** **hearts*, *the seed of that Word* *can utterly** **change your life* *and* *bring you into** **an area of **soundness*, *deliverance*, *healing*, *and **prosperity*.

*(b) **It **happens** **too many times* that *when we have** **heard something before*, *we get a Haughty spirit**.

[I’ve heard that before.]*

*2) **Paul** **said** **to Timothy* in *(2TI 1:6),* *“Wherefore I put thee in remembrance.”*

*3) *And *Peter said* in *(2PE 1:12),* *“Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know {them}, and be established in the present truth.”*

*IV) **There are **rewards of Meekness**.*

*A) **(PSA 22:26)* Says, *“The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.”*

*B) *The *NIV** translation* of *(PSA 25:9)* Says, *“He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.”*

*C) *Probably the *most famous promise* *on* the *subject of** **Meekness* *is* *MAT 5:5;* let’s *turn there*.

*The Word* *“EARTH”* *can just as easily be translated* *“LAND,”* *and** **that would be** **referring** **to the** **Canaan** Land**,* *the** **land of promise*, *the** **land of blessings**.*

*D) **Turn with me* to this *one **last scripture*.

*1) **PRO 22:4.*

*2) *The *NIV* says, *“Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life.”*

TFC and WOLCC 8~/26~/94 Sun, and Word of Life Christian Church Sunday, June 25, 2000 & August 25, 2005