On May 16, 2021, Pastor Eric continued his sermon series on the beatitudes.

In Psalm 28:6, David says,

Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the voice of my supplications. 

God hears our cries for mercy. The Lord is our provider, our strength and our shield. We can turn to Him in our hardships and find comfort. He gives us peace that surpasses all understanding and helps us through our greatest difficulties.

In Matthew 5:5, we read:

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

Jesus promised the meek that they will inherit the earth, the Promised Land. The Promised Land is not only the new heaven and the new earth. It’s also a place of peace and prosperity for God’s people. It’s God’s promise to believers…a blessing for those who practice meekness. What is meekness? Meekness is not a synonym for weakness: it’s anger under control. In other words, it’s a sign of strength and self-control. Meekness is not closing our eyes to abuse or anger, but rather, choosing to control our reactions. 

What are the attributes of a meek person?

1.To be meek is to aspire to be more like Jesus. In Matthew 11:29 Jesus says,

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. 

To be meek is to be more like Jesus. By praying to Him, Jesus helps us to become more like Him. Those who are meek have decided to journey with Christ and to imitate Him.

2.To be meek is to have self-control. Proverbs 16:32 states,

Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

To be meek is not a discipline: it’s a by-product of God Himself. It’s a result of walking with God. We get self-control by focusing on God, worshipping Him and praying to Him. Meekness is not a synonym of weakness. Meekness is a synonym of gentleness. If we are gentle, our relationships will improve and we will benefit from God’s blessings. The meek are far from perfect, but they were given the gift of self-control. We need to crucify our sinful nature and God gives us the ability to do that.

3.To be meek is to be submissive. To be submissive is to put others before ourselves and putting God’s desires above our own. We submit to God by doing His will. Luke 22:41-44 says:

He… knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

This is a reminder that no one crucified Jesus. Jesus voluntarily gave his life for us on the cross. Jesus said to his Father, “…not my will, but yours be done.” If there was another way out, Jesus would have taken it. This is a perfect example of submission. 

Practicing meekness is very difficult at times. We need God’s strength to keep our anger under control. It takes a lifetime to be sanctified. The more we know God, the more we see our sins for what they are. We often want revenge, but Jesus calls us to a higher standard than those who do not know Him. He is calling us to meekness.

Watch video here: