"EVANGELISM THE NEW TESTAMENT WAY" (2 Tim 2:24-26)

June 24, 2009

Prayer Meeting Devotions:

Int. What is meekness? Many people have a totally wrong idea of it, but they can learn the true meaning by listening to jockeys and horse-trainers after a horse race. The horse that wins the race is called "the meekest on the track." This is the horse most under control, the horse that responds most quickly to the jockey's guidance. The self-willed horse, the factious horse, is frequently left at the post; when he does get started he may run faster than some of the others, but he does not finish with the leaders who are meek.

A. (Titus 3:2) "To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men."

1. (Col 3:12) "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;"

2. (1 Pet 3:3-4) "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; {4} But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."

3. (Num 12:3) "(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)"

A. (Num 11:29) "And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!"

4. (Mat 11:29) "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

5. (2 Cor 10:1) "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:"

6. (Mat 21:5) "Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass."

A. (Isa 53:7) "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."

B. (1 Pet 2:21) "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:"

7. (1 Cor 4:21) "What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?"

A. The most incongruous of all things is a proud Christian.

8. (Cornelius Tyree, "The Moral Power of a Pious Life" 1859) "The humility and gentleness of Christ." (2 Cor. 10:1)

A. How strikingly was this grace of humility displayed in our Model and Redeemer. Though no other being ever had the same reasons to entertain high opinions of Himself, yet no one was ever equally humble. He voluntarily chose . . .

The humblest life,

The humblest associates,

The humblest food,

The humblest dress,

The humblest demeanor,

And died the most humiliating death.

9. (Gal. 5:23) "The fruit of the Spirit is meekness.

A. (Matt. 18:3, 4) "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

10. (1 Tim 6:11) "But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness."

Ill. Don Fortner: "Meekness is not a weakness of character that makes men useless wimps. We read in the Book of God that, "The man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth" (Num. 12:3). But I am pretty confident that had anyone who asked Pharaoh for an example of meekness, Moses would have been the very last man to come to his mind."

11. "In meekness Jesus voluntarily bowed to his Father's will and became "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

12. In meekness Jesus drove the money-changers out of the temple.

13. In meekness he set his face like a flint to go up to Jerusalem.

14. In meekness he denounced as pretentious hypocrites the most highly respected religious leaders of the day.

15. In meekness he called idolaters idolaters, adulterers adulterers, and self-serving politicians foxes.

16. In meekness he cast out the prince of this world and triumphantly conquered death, hell, and the grave in his sin-atoning death.

17. (Gal 6:1) "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."

a. R. W . Dale: "Meekness is one of the elements of long suffering."

18. A missionary in Jamaica was once questioning the little black boys on the meaning of (Mt. 5:5), and asked, "Who are the meek?" A boy answered, "Those who give soft answers to rough questions."

19. Pulpit Commentary: "Meekness is the natural expression of a lowly state of mind, opposed to boisterous selfassertion and rude striving with others; it genders a subdued manner and a peace-loving spirit that studies to give the soft answer that turneth away wrath."

20. Christian victories are often gained by meekness and endurance — what Milton called "the invincible might of meekness."

21. The man of meekness will be "slow to wrath" (James 1:19).

22. The man of meekness will give "the soft answer that turneth away wrath" (Prov 15:1)

23. The man of meekness will show that ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which adorns more than rubies (1 Peter 3:4).

24. The man of meekness will be better able to give a reason for the hope that lieth within him. (1 Pet.3:15),

25. The man of meekness will be better able to recover the erring brother. (Gal 6:1)

26. The man of meekness possesses that which is one of the nine graces of the believer. (Gal 5:22-23)

a. (Gal 5:22-23) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, {23} Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

27. The man of meekness is one who has sought meekness. (Zeph 2:3)

a. (Zep 2:3) "Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger."

28. (John Angell James, "Christian Love" 1828) "The meek and gentle and passive virtues of the gospel, are generally looked upon with disesteem, and treated with contempt by the world."

29. (Psa 22:26) "The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever."

30. (Psa 25:9) "The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way."

a. There is room for us all in that spot where Mary sat—at the feet of Jesus!

31. (Psa 37:11) "But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."

32. (Psa 149:4) "For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation."

33. Henry Law (1878) this verse:: " Not only does The Lord take pleasure in His people, He beautifies the meek with salvation! Meekness is their lovely characteristic. This grace proves them to be followers of Him who avows Himself as meek and lowly in heart. Beautiful robes of salvation are prepared for them. These garments are heavenly in structure, fit for the Bride, the Lamb's wife, suited to adorn the palace of our God."

34. (Isa 61:1) "The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;"

35. (Mat 5:5) "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth."

36. John Trapp: THE ADVANTAGES OF MEEKNESS": There is nothing lost by meekness and yielding:

a. Abraham yields over his right of choice: Lot taketh it. And, behold! Lot is crossed in that which he chose; Abraham blessed in that which was left him.

b. As heaven is taken by violence, so is earth with meekness.

c. And God (the true proprietary) loves no tenants better, nor grants larger leases to any, than the meek."

37. Matthew Henry said: "The meek man enjoys almost a perpetual Sabbath. The anger of a meek man is like fire struck out of steel; hart to be got out, and when got out, soon gone. Meekness not only gives great peace of mind, but often adds a lustre to the countenance. We only read of three in Scripture whose faces shone remarkably---Christ, Moses, and Stephen--and they were eminent for meekness."

38. Donald Gray Barnhouse: "Meekness is presented to us as a vertical virtue, not as a horizontal one. Meekness is the way a man stands before God---even Moses was able to stand before Pharoah--he is bolder than any man. "The meek shall inherit the earth."

39. John MacDuff: "The mightiest and holiest of all Beings that ever trod our world was the meekest of all. The Ancient of Days was as the "infant of days." He who had listened to nothing but angel-melodies from all eternity, found, while on earth, melody in the lispings of an infant's voice, or in an outcast's tears! No wonder an innocent lamb was His emblem, or that the anointing Spirit came down upon Him in the form of the gentle dove."

40. Pulpit Commentary: "The King is meek; his followers must learn of him. Pride and violence are hateful in his sight. Blessed are the meek; for they are like the Lord. He sat upon an ass. He approached Jerusalem as a King, but not as one of the kings of the earth; in fetal procession, but not with pomp and magnificence; riding, but not as earthly kings would ride — riding meekly on an ass."

41. At a missionary meeting on the island of Raratonga, in the Pacific Ocean, an old man, who wished to join the Church, rose and said, "I have lived during the reign of four kings.

a. In the first we were continually at war, and a fearful season it was watching and hiding with fear.

b. "During the reign of the second we were overtaken with a severe famine, and all expected to perish; then we ate rats and grass and this wood and that wood.

c. "During the third we were conquered, and became the peck and prey of the two other settlements of the island; then if a man went to fish he rarely ever returned, or if a woman went far away to fetch food she was rarely ever seen again.

d. "But during the reign of this third king we were visited by another King, a great King, a good King, a peaceful King, a King of love, Jesus, the Lord from Heaven. He has gained the victory. He has conquered our hearts; therefore we now have peace and plenty in this world, and hope soon to dwell with Him in Heaven."

Conclusion: