### Summary

Good morning, everyone. Today, we gathered to worship and reflect on the lessons from our recent Vacation Bible School, where over 50 children learned about the love of Jesus. We began with hymns and a children's message, emphasizing that God's love is a gift that requires our acceptance. We also prayed for various needs, including the recovery of Dawn from surgery, the safety of our missionaries Roger and Sue, and peace in conflict-ridden areas like Bangladesh, Ukraine, and the Middle East.

Today's sermon focused on the virtue of gentleness, or meekness, as described in Galatians 5:22-23. We explored how meekness is often misunderstood as weakness, but in reality, it is a powerful demonstration of trust in God's plan, timing, and power. We examined Psalm 37:1-6 to understand the essence of meekness, which involves waiting on the Lord and refraining from anger. We also looked at practical ways to cultivate meekness, such as responding with grace and truth, and the ultimate reward of inheriting the earth as promised by Jesus in Matthew 5:5.

We discussed how meekness is not about being passive but about exercising controlled strength. Jesus exemplified this during His temptation in the wilderness, responding to Satan with calm and measured truth. We are called to emulate this by trusting in God's plan and not reacting with anger or force. The practice of meekness involves making peace rather than breaking it, and it requires the Holy Spirit's help to grow in this virtue.

In conclusion, meekness values God's promises and eternal rewards above immediate gratification. It is a powerful demonstration of trust in God, humility in our interactions, and a focus on eternal rewards. As we go forth, let us strive to grow in meekness, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us in our interactions, making our words full of grace and truth.

### Key Takeaways

1. **Meekness is Not Weakness**: Meekness is often misunderstood as weakness, but it is actually a powerful demonstration of controlled strength and trust in God. It involves waiting on the Lord and refraining from anger, knowing that God's plan and timing are perfect. [36:47]

2. **Trust in God's Plan**: True meekness finds strength in surrendering to God's plan, timing, and power. Jesus exemplified this during His temptation in the wilderness, responding to Satan with calm and measured truth rather than anger or force. [43:58]

3. **Grace and Truth in Interactions**: Practicing meekness involves responding with grace and truth in our interactions. This means being kind and gentle, even when we know we are right, and not reacting with anger or harshness. [46:23]

4. **Eternal Rewards Over Immediate Gratification**: Meekness values God's promises and eternal rewards above immediate gratification. While the world seeks to control and get its way, true meekness trusts in God's ultimate reward, which is far greater than any temporary gain. [50:26]

5. **The Role of the Holy Spirit**: Growing in meekness requires the help of the Holy Spirit. It is through the Spirit that we can develop the fruit of gentleness, making our words and actions full of grace and truth, and reflecting the character of Christ in our daily lives. [55:21]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[03:54] - Children's Message
[11:53] - God Loves Everyone
[13:21] - Prayer for VBS and Announcements
[14:46] - College Age Get-Together
[16:46] - Prayers for Bangladesh and Missionaries
[18:17] - Roger and Sue's Mission Update
[19:35] - Prayers for Global Conflicts
[23:06] - VBS Recap Video
[24:36] - The Lord's Prayer
[31:13] - Introduction to Sermon on Gentleness
[32:24] - Understanding Meekness
[35:52] - The Essence of Meekness
[36:47] - Psalm 37:1-6
[38:27] - Example of Meekness
[40:50] - Responding with Calm and Measured Tone
[42:11] - Jesus' Example of Meekness
[43:58] - Trusting God's Plan
[45:47] - Practicing Meekness
[46:23] - Grace and Truth
[48:06] - Meekness in Daily Interactions
[48:47] - The Reward of Meekness
[50:26] - Eternal Rewards Over Immediate Gratification
[51:28] - 2 Peter's Encouragement
[53:40] - The Value of Meekness
[55:21] - The Role of the Holy Spirit
[56:35] - Closing Prayer
[57:13] - Final Song: In Christ Alone
[01:02:43] - Benediction and Closing Song

### Bible Reading
1. **Galatians 5:22-23**: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
2. **Psalm 37:1-6**: "Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun."
3. **Matthew 5:5**: "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth."

### Observation Questions
1. According to Galatians 5:22-23, what are the characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit?
2. In Psalm 37:1-6, what are we instructed to do instead of fretting over those who do wrong?
3. How does Jesus describe the meek in Matthew 5:5, and what is their promised reward?
4. What example did the pastor give to illustrate the essence of meekness in Psalm 37:1-6? ([36:47])

### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of meekness in Psalm 37:1-6 challenge common perceptions of strength and power? ([37:38])
2. Why is it significant that Jesus responded to Satan with calm and measured truth during His temptation in the wilderness? ([43:58])
3. How can practicing meekness, as described in the sermon, lead to inheriting the earth as promised in Matthew 5:5? ([35:52])
4. What role does the Holy Spirit play in helping believers grow in meekness and gentleness? ([55:21])

### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you reacted with anger. How could you have responded with meekness instead? ([35:15])
2. Think of a time when you had to wait on God's timing. How did that experience shape your trust in His plan? ([37:38])
3. Identify a relationship in your life where you struggle to respond with grace and truth. What steps can you take to practice meekness in that relationship? ([46:23])
4. How can you remind yourself to value eternal rewards over immediate gratification in your daily decisions? ([50:26])
5. What practical ways can you invite the Holy Spirit to help you grow in gentleness and meekness this week? ([55:21])
6. Consider a situation where you have the power to control the outcome. How can you demonstrate trust in God's plan by exercising meekness? ([42:11])
7. How can you incorporate the practice of making peace rather than breaking it in your interactions at work, home, or church? ([45:47])

Day 1: Meekness as Controlled Strength
Meekness is often misunderstood as weakness, but it is actually a powerful demonstration of controlled strength and trust in God. It involves waiting on the Lord and refraining from anger, knowing that God's plan and timing are perfect. Meekness is not about being passive or weak; it is about exercising strength under control. This virtue allows us to respond to situations with grace and patience, trusting that God is in control and His timing is perfect. By refraining from anger and waiting on the Lord, we demonstrate our faith in His plan and His power.

Psalm 37:1-6 says, "Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday." [36:47]

Reflection: Think of a recent situation where you felt anger or frustration. How can you practice controlled strength and trust in God's timing in similar situations in the future?


Day 2: Trusting in God's Plan
True meekness finds strength in surrendering to God's plan, timing, and power. Jesus exemplified this during His temptation in the wilderness, responding to Satan with calm and measured truth rather than anger or force. This kind of trust requires us to let go of our need to control outcomes and instead rely on God's wisdom and timing. By doing so, we align ourselves with His will and demonstrate our faith in His ultimate plan for our lives.

In Matthew 4:1-11, we see Jesus being tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Despite the temptations, Jesus responds with calm and measured truth, showing His trust in God's plan and timing. This example teaches us the importance of surrendering to God's will and trusting in His power. [43:58]

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?


Day 3: Responding with Grace and Truth
Practicing meekness involves responding with grace and truth in our interactions. This means being kind and gentle, even when we know we are right, and not reacting with anger or harshness. By doing so, we reflect the character of Christ and create an environment of peace and understanding. This approach not only helps us grow in our faith but also positively impacts those around us, fostering relationships built on love and respect.

Colossians 4:6 says, "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." This verse reminds us of the importance of speaking with grace and truth, reflecting the character of Christ in our interactions. [46:23]

Reflection: Think of a recent conversation where you could have responded with more grace and truth. How can you approach similar conversations in the future with a spirit of meekness?


Day 4: Valuing Eternal Rewards Over Immediate Gratification
Meekness values God's promises and eternal rewards above immediate gratification. While the world seeks to control and get its way, true meekness trusts in God's ultimate reward, which is far greater than any temporary gain. This perspective helps us focus on what truly matters and align our actions with God's will, knowing that His rewards are eternal and far more fulfilling than anything the world can offer.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says, "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." This passage encourages us to focus on eternal rewards rather than immediate gratification. [50:26]

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are seeking immediate gratification? How can you shift your focus to value God's eternal rewards instead?


Day 5: The Role of the Holy Spirit in Growing Meekness
Growing in meekness requires the help of the Holy Spirit. It is through the Spirit that we can develop the fruit of gentleness, making our words and actions full of grace and truth, and reflecting the character of Christ in our daily lives. By relying on the Holy Spirit, we can cultivate meekness and demonstrate controlled strength, trust in God's plan, and respond with grace and truth in our interactions.

Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." This passage highlights the importance of the Holy Spirit in developing the fruit of gentleness and other virtues. [55:21]

Reflection: How can you invite the Holy Spirit to help you grow in meekness today? What specific actions can you take to rely more on the Spirit's guidance in your daily interactions?

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "God loves everyone. He wants a relationship with them, but not everyone will come to have a relationship with them. Did you know that? Because God doesn't force himself on us, but he also offers eternal life to all of us. And that's why we need to take that offer. We can't just leave it on the table and go, yeah, I don't like that. It's a gift that God gives us." [11:53] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2. "Worldly strength seeks to control and get their way. But true meekness finds strength in surrender. To God. You catch that? True meekness or true understanding of where the power is. Because this officer had all the power in the situation. He had a gun. He had a taser. He had handcuffs. He had all this stuff. Yet he was kind to a nth degree to this gentleman. Even though he was not kind back." [41:30] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3. "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 Jesus talking. And he's saying to us, this is who I am. And if you want to look like me and be my representative. Here's what you need to be growing. And gentleness and humble in heart. Our yoke to others should be light. But often we're not." [42:11] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4. "Meekness is not weakness. Meekness. Is trusting. In the most powerful being. Ever known. And saying I trust you. And your timing. And your reward. See meekness. Again is not weakness. But a powerful demonstration. In trusting our God. Humility in our interactions. And focus on the eternal rewards. So when we interact with people. Let our conversations be sprinkled with grace. Grace and truth. Not just truth. And not just permission or license." [54:14] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


### Quotes for Members

1. "The essence of meekness. We're going to be taking a look at Psalm 37, 1-6. And I think it gives us all three points in this passage. Psalm 37, 1-6 says this. Do not fret. Evil men, or be envious of those who do wrong. For like the grass, they will soon wither. Like the green plants, they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust in him, and he will do this. And he will make your righteous. Shine like the dawn. The justice of your cause. Like the noon day sun." [36:47] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2. "Reactionary anger breaks peace. But humble meekness makes it. Say that again. Reactionary anger breaks peace. But humble meekness makes peace. In your interactions with people. How are we doing? Are we breaking the peace more than we're making the peace? Because often times. In my own life included. I react. Anger in itself is not bad. But when we use it in the wrong way. It becomes. It becomes something that is not from God." [45:47] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3. "Meekness trusts God's plan. Meekness trusts his plan. His timing. And his power. But often we forget the power that you and I have. If you are a follower of Jesus. You have the power of heaven and earth at your fingertips. You have access to the one true God in heaven. Yet often we respond in our daily activities. Thinking that we are the ultimate. And have to do it. And have to do it by ourselves. True meekness. The fruit of the spirit of gentleness and meekness. Trust God's plan. His timing. And his power. Knowing that whatever comes our way. We can have rest. The yoke we have should not be so heavy." [45:06] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4. "But the meek. The gentle. Will inherit the land. And enjoy great peace. I don't know if you caught that. But there was another passage. That was from Jesus earlier. That said the meek will inherit the earth. This is long ago. Long before Jesus. God is saying this. The God of the Old Testament is the same God as the New Testament. He is not calling for the destruction. And angry macho people to come in the Old Testament. And the wimpy ones in the New. It is the same God in the Old and the New. And as we look at scripture. It is one voice." [48:47] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5. "Meekness is knowing the truth. Holding firm. And no matter how someone else reacts. Is coming with grace. That's hard. And the only way we're going to be able to do that. Is through the Holy Spirit. And that's why. When we look at the fruit of the Spirit. We see that as evidence. Of our faith growing in us." [55:21] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

Well, good morning everyone. Welcome to worship this morning. We're glad that you're here withus today. Whether you are a regular attender or a guest with us today, we're just glad that you'rehere. Whether you're watching down in the family center or online as well, we're just glad thatyou're here with us today. We're gathering together after a week of vacation Bible school.That's why this backdrop is up here this week. And we had over 50 students or kids come to hearabout the good news of Jesus. And we had an amazing set of volunteer leaders that helped inso many different ways, shapes, and forms. And we're very, very thankful to everyone whoparticipated in our vacation Bible school. You'll see a little recap video in a little whileduring the announcement time of kind of what happened and transpired this week.And we hope that you'll be blessed by all of that as well. We're going to start by worshiping andwe're going to sing some songs together. We're going to sing two hymns right away.We're going to sing hymn number 105, We Will Glorify,and hymn number 105, We Will Glorify.We're going to sing hymn number 139, Great is Thy Faithfulness. Would you please just stand,greet one another as we get ready to sing. Hey, we invite the kids to come up for achildren's message and you can be seated. Thank you. Come on up, kids. We got a few of us. That'sawesome. Come on up. So how are you guys doing today? Are you all recovered from vacation Bibleschool? Yeah. So I see everybody was here. So I would like to ask you guys today for ourchildren's message. Have a seat, Grayson. Come on up. What was your favorite partabout vacation Bible school? Hadley? You don't remember? How about you, Riley? As you come up,what's your favorite part about vacation Bible school? What was it this week?We're all pretty shy today. Anybody? Tavi, what was your favorite part about vacation Bible school?The songs. That's right. That was awesome. The songs with the actions. Isn't that fun?You guys did a great job on our program night and you can watch the program on our YouTubechannel as well. The kids did an amazing job singing with actions and whatnot. I was hopingyou'd say with the games because that's what I was running. No, huh? Crickets. Well, I don't know.They were all fun. It looked like all the stations were really amazing. We had so many great leaders.So can you share with me, because we're going to actually teach them today, what was the thing,what was the one big thing that you took away from vacation Bible school about Jesus or God this week?Loving Jesus. That's amazing. So God loves everyone, right? It says that. And what, what,when we said God loves everyone, what did we say? Thanks God. Okay. And the boys have it.The boys are paying attention. So let's try it. God loves everyone. Thanks God. Yeah. So God loveseveryone. He wants a relationship with them, but not everyone will come to have a relationship withthem. Did you know that?Because God doesn't force himself on us, but he also offers eternal life to all of us. And that'swhy we need to take that offer. We can't just leave it on the table and go, yeah, I don't likethat. It's a gift that God gives us. So as kids, as you guys go to VBS, you got to remember thatit's a gift that is given to you, but you have a choice to say, I don't want it. And the thingabout it is, is we can say we don't want it. We can say, I don't want it. We can say, I don't want it.We can say, I don't want it. And God will give us a lot of blessings along the way, which is calledcommon grace. But at the end of our lives here, then that's it. We don't get to have a relationshipwith God after that at all. So God has some sort of a relationship with everyone now. But when wepass on from here, if we don't take the gift of eternal life from God, we will then cease to haveall the relationship that God offers everyone at this point. So we need to remember that. Okay.Okay.Guys go, God loves everyone. We can say, thanks God, but we need to take the opportunityto actually love him back because it will pay dividends in the long run. And we're going tolearn about that in our sermon today. All right. I'm going to pray for us. And then you guys cango back to your seats. Lord, thanks so much for this group of kids that learned about Jesus andthe leaders that taught about Jesus, whether it was 4k and 5k or, uh,grades one through five, Lord, we pray that all the kids that came here this week know about youand come to love you as well. It's in Jesus name. All God's kids can say. Amen. All right. Go backto your seats guys. We've got a few announcements before we continue in. Whoa. Octavia, the octopuswent down. There we go. All right. We've got a few announcements before we continue in worship thismorning. Um, college,age students, whether if you're in college or college age on Thursday, Michelle and I are goingto be hosting a college age, get together at our house for some games and some snacks. And we'regoing to have it start at 6 PM. You're invited to join us for a great night of fun. So please comeout, tell your friends, and we'd love to have everybody come out. We'll play some games on theyard over there and whatnot. So we invite you to come out for that. Um, hope has a couple or anannouncement for a youth group stuff and,um, I'll let her share her announcement today.All right. Pie social, August 13th. Come out and have a great time and listen to the band and havesome great pie as well. Um, we have some prayer requests as we continue in worship this morning.So there's a fair amount of stuff. So Dawn had her surgery this last week. She came home and it'samazing. Um, and she is recovering at home. So please pray for her. She's going to be back ina couple of weeks. So pray for Dawn as she continues to recover. The doctor said the surgery went welland things are progressing well. Um, also pray for Isaac and, um, Ella and Liam and Tavi as theycarry extra load at home as Dawn is trying to recover from her surgery. Um, you may have heardin the news this past week, there's been so much news in this last week. Uh, and one of the newsis things was that there's been an uprising in the country of Bangladesh. And I don't know if you know,but there's been an uprising in the country of Bangladesh. And I don't know if you know, but there's been an uprising in the country of Bangladesh. And I don't know if you know,much about Bangladesh. To be honest with you, I didn't before hearing about this. I did a littleresearching and there's an uprising because there's some political things going on. But then thegovernment actually said, we're putting a curfew in and anyone caught after such and such a timeout is, has a shoot on site order. Uh, it's pretty, pretty drastic and we just should be praying forthe country. So here's some statistics that I found online. Bangladesh, while it isn't illegalto be any religious, it's not illegal to be a religious. It's not illegal to be a religious.At all. It's kind of set up from British colonial times. It is 91% Muslim and only 0.3, not three0.3% Christian. So here's the thing that I ask us here as Christians in America to be praying foris that we pray for the Christians in Bangladesh and that God uses this time to bring people tothe saving knowledge of Jesus. Oftentimes in uprest and unheap, uh, upheaval,God uses these things. He doesn't cause them, but he uses them to bring people to a savingknowledge. So if we can be praying for the country of Bangladesh and that this event would move theChristian percentage of Christians in that country to a higher percentage, we'd love to see in theyears to come that Jesus is making headway there. Also, uh, if you follow our, one of our missionaries,Roger and Sue, we won't share their last name for security reasons because this is online as well.They've been in a country and they have been closed and there's been kind of issues with theirsecurity. They've been back and forth to the village that they, uh, have a mission at, andthey have recently been out of the village because of security concerns, but they're back. They cameback yesterday and they asked for prayers for safety because right before they got there, therewas some missionaries from another religion that had came looking for them. And here's the quotethat Sue shared.Um, that they wanted to share God's story with them, these missionaries from another religion.And again, if you follow Roger and Sue, you know, this other religion is one that is anti-Christianand we would love for them, all them to know the actual true story of God, but also we'd love topray for safety and the village that they're in, they are protecting them. They are doing all theycan to keep them safe because they want them there. There, there is something sweet about,Roger and Sue and the, as they're sharing the love of Jesus are there. So we, if we can continue topray for that situation, then also please be praying for all the conflicts in the middle Eastand Ukraine. It seems to be that there's always rumors of some attacks somewhere. And we just prayfor God's peace to come and intervene because we live in a broken world. And this just shows ushow broken our world is. And if God does not intervene, we are going to continue to go down apath of brokenness.And wars and just, it's going to get worse. But as Christians, we can be praying on the behalf ofChrist followers that God would intervene and bring his peace. So let's go to God in prayeras we continue in worship. Oh, actually, before I do that, sorry. The first thing I wanted toshare with you was our VBS recap. So here's the video from VBS from this.let the love of God move you, change you, raise your eyes and see the oneSo it was a great experience.great week and we're just thankful that god was in this place and he used a lot of us to sharethe good news of jesus with the kids this week from all over our community uh would you pleasejoin me now in prayer as we go to the lord lord we just pray as we gather together and we cometogether as your people that there's so much stuff going on we thank you for the successful surgeryof dawn's surgery and that she's at home recovering but we also lift up isaac and the kidsas they now take on an extra load that mom had and now that the load is still there but they arecarrying it for mom during this time lord we we just ask that you continue to heal dawn help herto get back to a place maybe better than what it was and that you are with this family lord we liftup our missionaries roger and sueas they continue to be in a place as dangerous but they've shared that they continue want toshare the good news of jesus and that they want to bring peace to a place that has little peaceor we pray for them that your truth will go out in power and love we pray for the nationof bangladesh as there's upheaval and and just discontent lord we don't know what exactly isgoing on there but we also know that it's not goodso we pray for your intervention in that place just as much as we pray for ukraineand also the middle east as well or we pray for our political season where this last week wasfull of upheaval and that there was an assassination attempt lord that's not how youdesigned your people to live and we pray over all the candidates for safety going forwardthat there is a civil discourse that we can actuallybe gentle in our words lord we need your peace here because we don't have near as much as wethink we do we live in an illusion that everything is good but often we're reminded of how broken ourworld is and there's times where we come and we just don't know what to pray and it scripturesays that your spirit moans and prays for us lord but you've also taught your disciples to pray aprayer and we pray that prayer and we pray that prayer and we pray that prayer and we pray that prayernow our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be doneon earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as weforgive our debtors and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdomand the power and the glory forever all right we're going to continue to pray and we're going to prayand we're going to continue worshiping now and would you please stand as we sing i speak jesusLord, I don't know where we are today.Whether we've come in here full of anxiety, depressed.Whether we've space.all over the board.I know we are.Even in my own heart, I'm anxious and all this stuff all at the same time.I know we have the spirit showing in us.See what we need, but also experience as well.Well, it's in Jesus' name.Please be seated.Have you ever had one of those days where the sermon just slaps you in the face?Today's sermon, it was one of those things where I was confronted with the reality of it right away this morning.And in an interaction with a family member that I really love.And I prepped for this sermon all week and I still failed.I didn't do a great job.Today's sermon is based on gentleness.And in our NIV version, we have the word gentleness.But in the New King James, it's actually translated meekness.And in our American versions, what the translators are trying to do is to help us get the idea.Not necessarily the word itself, but the idea of what the authors are going towards.We know this in our American slang.If you ever watch TikTok, there's the Gen Z.Translator, bet, riz.Like all these kind of newfangled words for these young kids that us millennials, Gen X, and boomers,we're like, what in the world are you talking about?Are you having a stroke?But it's been that way through all generations.My generation, rad, right?It's been this kind of, we all have these slang words that we've translated into these meanings.And what translators are trying to do is to help us get the idea.What translators are trying to do is catch the meaning of what the speaker is trying to say.Rather than the actual word.Because sometimes the word to us means nothing.The word meekness, I don't know if you hear that word, what you think of.And to be honest with you, before I really dug into this, I had a really wrong idea of what meek was.Meek rhymes with weak.Did you know that?I mean, obviously you know that.But meek rhymes with weak.Oftentimes we think meekness is some sort of weakness.But it's not.And we're going to dive into that today.So as we've been doing through this whole series,we're going to read the fruit of the Spirit passage in Galatians.So would you please recite this with me?But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.Against such things there is no law.Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.So gentleness, meekness.It is something that we often, in our American culture, we don't really put up as a value.It's more of a vice than meekness.It's more of an actual value.But in God's economy, gentleness, meekness, is something that every Christian,whether you're male or female, should be pursuing towards and growing in.So here's my failure this morning.I had a conversation again with a family member that I love.And they were helping me.I'm trying to not use pronouns.They were helping me.And giving me advice, which I didn't want the advice.Because I knew what I was doing.But they were giving me advice, actually, to do something that they were trying to help.They were trying to be helpful.And I kind of went, stop it.I wasn't gentle.I wasn't meek.I knew what I was doing.But yet, I felt like I needed to put them, get them out of my way to get my job done.Ever done that?Snapped at somebody?Just me?Everyone else is liars here?Great.Okay.I think we've all done it.Where we've snapped at our children.We've snapped at our parents.We've gotten to this place where we just don't want the input.But our response is not gentle or meek.It is harsh.And we've all been there.We've probably, some of us, again, like myself, today, have done it today already.But meekness.Gentleness is something that we should be pursuing.In Matthew 5.5, Jesus says this.Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.This sounds suspiciously like something that we should be pursuing as Christ's father.Because if we are not meek, we will not inherit.That kind of is the inverse of this passage.Here's three things we're going to go after today.One.The essence of meekness.How do we practice meekness?And what is the reward of meekness?Because if we want to define it, we want to define it, yes.But then we need to figure out how we actually do it and then why we do meekness.The essence of meekness.We're going to be taking a look at Psalm 37, 1-6.And I think it gives us all three points in this passage.Psalm 37, 1-6 says this.Do not fret.Evil men, or be envious of those who do wrong.For like the grass, they will soon wither.Like the green plants, they will soon die away.Trust in the Lord and do good.Dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.Commit your way to the Lord.Trust in him, and he will do this.And he will make your righteous.Shine like the dawn.The justice of your cause.Like the noon day sun.We're going to take this passage and pick it apart a little bit.So in Psalm 37, starting in verse 7, here's the essence of meekness.Be still before the Lord.Wait patiently for him.Do not fret when men succeed in their ways.When they carry out their wicked schemes.Do not fret.Refrain from anger.Turn and turn from wrath.Do not fret.It only leads to evil.For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.We see in that passage that that's the essence of meekness.Waiting on the Lord.Even though you know the truth, we wait.We don't act in our own power.This past week, I saw a YouTube clip.And we have open records in this state.And often they'll post body cam footages from officers.And these officers, while a lot of times they get a bad rap for being harsh and mean sometimes,I would dare say the majority of their interactions with people that are not so kind and harsh are way over the top.The title of this Facebook page, which linked to this YouTube video, said,This cop.Deserves an award.And he pulled up on a gentleman that was heavily intoxicated, had fallen asleep in his truck in the middle of the road.In the middle of the road.Fallen asleep.Parked it.Again, I don't know.And they originally got called because they thought the person was having a medical emergency.So he knocks on the window.And the guy answers like,What do you want?Sir, you're sleeping in the middle of the road.No, I'm not.Yeah, you are.I mean, the truth was right there.Then the gentleman continues to get more belligerent.And he shares, I just want to go home.And he's like, well, I smell intoxicants on you.I didn't have anything to drink.Well, obviously he did.And he continued to get more belligerent.Now, what happened was the cop was calm through this whole encounter.He knew the truth.He didn't get in an argument with the gentleman.And I think part of the idea of the officer.Is not getting in an argument and being overly kind.Is they know the people are not able to process this coherently.So you're going to respond in an angry way.One, it's hard not to take that personally.But they don't.At least they shouldn't.And I feel this is a really great kind of example of meekness as well.That we know the truth.We know.We don't have to be angry against it.We know that what is literally happening in front of us.But often, we respond in the opposite way, don't we?We respond when someone affronts our religion, our Christianity, our God.And we get angry and we come back with fists of flying.How many videos have you seen angry Christians yelling back and forth?It happens more than we would care to admit.But if we have the fruit of the spirit growing in us.We should be responding in calm and measured tone.Not necessarily angry.Not necessarily with emotions.That's why in Psalm 37.7 it says,Be still before the Lord.Wait patiently for Him.Don't fret when men succeed in their ways.When they carry out their wicked schemes.Don't worry about it.They're going to do it.You know the truth.Wait for your God.Here's what kind of a saying I kind of picked up was,Worldly strength seeks to control and get their way.But true meekness finds strength in surrender.To God.You catch that?True meekness or true understanding of where the power is.Because this officer had all the power in the situation.He had a gun.He had a taser.He had handcuffs.He had all this stuff.Yet he was kind to a nth degree to this gentleman.Even though he was not kind back.Worldly strength will say, I want to control this situation.But true meekness in the fruit of the spirit.Gentleness says.I'm going to surrender.Even though I know I'm in the right.And I have all the power here.I am good with waiting on God.Jesus says this in Matthew 11, 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 Jesus talking.And he's saying to us, this is who I am.And if you want to look like me and be my representative.Here's what you need to be growing.And gentleness and humble in heart.Our yoke to others should be light.But often we're not.And I'm including myself in this.Convicted.Here's Jesus' response to the ultimate evil.Satan.So you may know the story.Jesus is put out into the wilderness for 40 days.He doesn't eat.He's out there being tested by Satan.Here's what happens.Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit.Now, remember this.Full of the Holy Spirit.Full of the Holy Spirit.What we want to be is full of the Holy Spirit.Jesus was that in that moment.Returned from the Jordan.Was led by the Spirit into the desert.Where for 40 days he was tempted by the devil.He ate nothing during those days.And at the end of them he was hungry.So here's what the tempter does.He comes in.And he says to him.I will give you all the authority and splendor.For it's been given to me.I have it.I can give it to anyone I want to.So if you worship me.It will be yours too.Here's what Jesus answered.He didn't go.I'm God.Bow down to me.That's not what he did.He didn't just kind of come out and lay Satan into his place.Here's what he answered.It's written.Worship the Lord your God.Serve him only.That's all he said.He didn't get angry.He knew the truth.He knew he had all the power.But yet he didn't lay Satan on the ground.See meekness finds.And meekness trusts God's plan.Meekness trusts his plan.His timing.And his power.But often we forget the power that you and I have.If you are a follower of Jesus.You have the power of heaven and earth at your fingertips.You have access to the one true God in heaven.Yet often we respond in our daily activities.Thinking that we are the ultimate.And have to do it.And have to do it by ourselves.True meekness.The fruit of the spirit of gentleness and meekness.Trust God's plan.His timing.And his power.Knowing that whatever comes our way.We can have rest.The yoke we have should not be so heavy.So what does it look like in practice?The practice of meekness.Reactionary anger.It breaks the peace.But humbly.Humble meekness makes it.Say that again.Reactionary anger breaks peace.But humble meekness makes peace.In your interactions with people.How are we doing?Are we breaking the peace more than we're making the peace?Because often times.In my own life included.I react.Anger in itself is not bad.But when we use it in the wrong way.It becomes.It becomes something that is not from God.John 1.14.The word of the Lord.The word became flesh.And made his dwelling among us.We have seen his glory.The glory of the one and only son.Who came from the father.Full of grace.And truth.you catch that?Grace and truth.We can tell the truth.This officer.He didn't say.I guess you weren't.You weren't sleeping.Sorry.Be on your way.He was nice through the whole interaction.He was full of grace.And truth.Parenting.It's hard.Grace and truth.Isn't it?When your kids are doing something that you're like.Are you kidding me?We can come with a lot of truth.And when they've disobeyed us for the umpteenth time.Grace seems to go out the window.Because they don't listen to grace.Right?You make me mean.We still choose that.But the reality is.We can come full of grace and truth.It isn't always going to be great.We don't always get our way.But this is something we all need to be growing.And if we are Christ followers.Paul says this to Colossians.Let your conversation be full of grace.Seasoned with salt.Which is truth.So that you may know how to answer everyone.Meekness is this.It responds with grace.It responds with peace.And responds with humility.Let's be honest.Those three things.Are so difficult for us as humans.We want grace.We want peace.And we want others to be humble towards us.But in reality it is those three things.That we want most from others.That are the hardest for us to give out to others.And that is something we need the Holy Spirit for.To help grow us.So we looked at the essence of meekness and gentleness.How does it look in practice?But why do we do it?And here is the reality.Psalm 37 in 11 and 13.It says this.But the meek.The gentle.Will inherit the land.And enjoy great peace.I don't know if you caught that.But there was another passage.That was from Jesus earlier.That said the meek will inherit the earth.This is long ago.Long before Jesus.God is saying this.The God of the Old Testament is the same God as the New Testament.He is not calling for the destruction.And angry macho people to come in the Old Testament.And the wimpy ones in the New.It is the same God in the Old and the New.And as we look at scripture.It is one voice.Psalm 37 continues in verse 12.The wicked plot against the righteous.And gnash their teeth at them.But the Lord laughs at the wicked.For he knows their day.His day is coming.So often we get angry.We cut corners.To get our way in the moment.But in reality.It will never last.Immediate gratification fades quickly.But eternal inheritance.Lasts forever.And you and I know this.To be true.We want something.So we go into debt to get it.And now we are struggling financially.We want our way.So we kind of connive.And do things to get our way.But then it ends up breaking the relationship.And now we are trying to repair it later.This immediate gratification.It is good for the moment.But it always fades.As a young person.I didn't understand that.I saw people who seemed to have all the fun.And do all the great things.That I kind of wanted to do.But my parents.They were trying to instill this reality.Of we are looking.For the Lord.And doing his way.And his way is better.But I was looking over here.But they are having a lot of fun.And they seem to be succeeding.I mean they are doing all these things.So I started to go that way.And realizing very quickly.That it does fade very fast.Yeah.Taking the long game.Is never easy.And it sometimes isn't fun.But the reward on the back end.Is better than we could ever know.In 2 Peter.Peter says.Therefore my brothers and sisters.Make every effort to confirm your calling and election.For if you do these things.You will never stumble.Live how I'm calling you to live.And here's the reward.And you.Me.Will receive a rich welcome.Into the eternal kingdom.Of our Lord and Savior.Jesus Christ.That is the reward.We are pursuing after.Have you ever.Saved up money for something you've wanted.And at the end.You've been able to just plop it down.And go.It is mine free and clear.There's something good about that.This past week.I made the final payment on my car.Yeah I know.I've been paying off my car.But I walked into that bank.I had the money in hand.And I said.I'd like to make the final payment on my vehicle.it felt good.It felt really good.That car is now mine.I've put in the effort.I've actually paid ahead.Of what was supposed to do.And I was able to make that payment.And it is now mine free and clear.I have put in the practice of paying.A little bit here and there every month.To get to where I need to go.There's nothing better of that reward going.I don't have to make that payment anymore.It's free.It's clear.It's mine.You and I as we invest.In our eternal future.We will have.To give up things for the here and now.But.The reward we will get on the back end.Will pale.Will just make what we gave up.Nothing.And we need to understand that.Because Satan is always trying to get after us.That is the original lie.That Satan told Eve.Did God really say.He's trying to keep this from you.What if Adam and Eve wouldn't have sinned.You ever think about that.What if they would have.Held tight.Trusted God.What would this world look like.No wars.Famines.Things are as they're supposed to be.The things we all complain about.But.We live in a world that.They looked at the instant gratification.Over the long game.See meekness.It values God's promise.God's reward.And God's inheritance.Above all.So meekness is not weakness.Meekness.Is trusting.In the most powerful being.Ever known.And saying I trust you.And your timing.And your reward.See meekness.Again is not weakness.But a powerful demonstration.In trusting our God.Humility in our interactions.And focus on the eternal rewards.So when we interact with people.Let our conversations be sprinkled with grace.Grace and truth.Not just truth.And not just permission or license.Meekness is knowing the truth.Holding firm.And no matter how someone else reacts.Is coming with grace.That's hard.And the only way we're going to be able to do that.Is through the Holy Spirit.And that's why.When we look at the fruit of the Spirit.We see that as evidence.Of our faith growing in us.Let's pray.Lord I pray over each and every one of us.As we sit here today.That you forgive us of our sins.Where we fall short.When we miss the mark of meekness.Or gentleness in our interactions.When we're harsh.And I know I have a long way to go as well.But it is in you Jesus.That we find our hope.Our strength.Our truth.And our life.It is what you did on the cross.That frees us from the bondage.Of sin and slavery.It is what you did Jesus.That gives us hope.It is what you did.That gives us the Holy Spirit.That is now growing in every believer.So Lord.As we sing this next song together with you.Lord let it be our hearts cry.To trust you.To walk in humility.And to repent when we don't.It's in Jesus name we pray.Amen.Amen.We're going to sing our last song together.And it's.And again like I said in the prayer.These words are more than just.Wrote words.They're the truth.That we.We sitting here today.Are alive.And have this hope.Because of what Jesus did on the cross.For our sins.Would you please stand with us as we sing.In Christ alone.Again.No matter if you've crushed this gentleness.Meekness.Or you've struggled with it.stand in the power of Christ.So as you go out of here today.Don't feel defeated.Don't feel guilty.Feel refreshed.Because we have a savior.Who died on the cross.For our sins.That we can pick ourselves up.And the yoke of Jesus.Is light.And we can go Lord.Grow this meekness.This gentleness in me.Have my words be.Both grace and truth.Wouldn't it be amazing.never going to be perfectly Jesus.can always be growing inSo to him who's able to do.More than we could ever ask or imagine.Be glory and honor.Forever and ever.Amen.We're going to sing God be with you till we meet again.As our ending song.