Blessed to Be a Blessing Lesson 3
Matthew 5:5. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
We have discussed over the past few weeks the reason Jesus preached the “Sermon on the Mount” and why He started with the Beatitudes.
The Beatitudes are our “footprint” for recognizing our need for salvation, the attitude of the heart as we recognize that need and the continuous attitude we need to walk fully in the blessing promised with each one. The attitude of our heart is very important in helping us continuously living for Christ and the beatitudes point out the blessing associated with this choice. They build on one another to make a whole.
God is so good. He makes the complicated things simple.
When we actually look at each of these verses, our lives are affected and we should open our hearts to the change He wants to make in each of us. Amen?
Over the past few weeks we have discovered that it takes being “poor in spirit” to realize our need for a savior. Being “poor in spirit” means that we are totally void of anything except our need for a savior and our total dependence on God.
We have learned that “mourning” is the spiritual attitude we must have toward our sinful nature. Each of us must mourn for our sins and ask forgiveness, initially when we accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and then as we continuously walk in our Christian life. It represents a contrite heart, one that is truly sorrowful for our sinful state and that lead us back to being “poor in spirit” and realizing our need for forgiveness and our need for a savior.
It is very important for us to realize that all of these “heart conditions” are to be our continuous spiritual state. We must always be “poor in spirit” toward God and our continual need for Him and we must always have a contrite heart.
We must continuously walk in these attitudes to maintain the blessings and conditions that are granted with them.
I want you to understand they form a whole. When we are finished with this study, we will see that we are complete in Jesus, with these characteristics of a Godly person, because they describe Jesus and they should describe us because He lives in us. Amen?
The Amplified Bible says this:
5 Blessed (happy, blithesome, joyous, [e]spiritually prosperous—[f]with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the meek (the mild, patient, long-suffering), for they shall inherit the earth!!
As we have discussed in the past, the description of blessed is slightly different for each verse. I find that very interesting.
We are once again as in verse 3, described as joyous with life-joy no matter what our outward condition.
I think that Jesus used this version of blessed because meekness is hard for many of us.
What is meekness?
Our society has several definitions for meek, including spineless or spiritless; compliant. Many associate meekness with an attitude of allowing everyone to run over you because you are afraid of them, but you see this is so worldly in its view and narrow. The world associates meek with weak, meekness with weakness, the only things these two word have in common is that they rhyme.
Biblically meek is defined as Strength under control. It is a harness power or will bent in a godly manner. It is the power of self control.
Noah was meek: Numbers 12:3 - “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.” Another translation says he was humble.
David was meek: Look at how he mourned the death of Saul, who had sought repeatedly to kill him.
2 Samuel 1:11, 12 - “Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.”
Jesus was meek.
Matthew 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.”
It takes a truly humble person to be meek. As with all godly traits you can be falsely meek, falsely humble, but the truly mature Christian will be humbly meek
A meek person does not seek his own way or retaliate with a wrong is done.
What does that describe? Love, the God kind of love.
You cannot have a truly meek spirit if you do not walk in love.
Meekness is a trait we are to seek and cherish. Just as we cherish the love of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
“Blessed are the meek” - These are the individuals who understand their spiritual poverty, mourn over their lost condition and are willing to submit their lives to the will of God.
Meekness causes us to seek God with all our heart.
Zephaniah 2: 3: 3. Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger.
Many times we let our pride override our meekness. We always have to be right, have the last word. A meek person will hold her tongue, learn to tame it. This is probably one of the hardest things for us to do.
A meek spirit is one totally yielded to God. A meek spirit is an obedient spirit.
You cannot obey God and walk in your on path at the same time. It is impossible.
A meek person wants God’s will in her life not your own.
A meek person wants to glorify God in all she does, not bring attention to herself.
It is choosing how to move forward in extremely difficult circumstances in a way that totally glorifies God.
Matthew 5:5. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Psalms 37:11; 11. But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Psalms: 149: 4 For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
Psalms 22:26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
Those who are meek (faithful Christians) have an inheritance here in this life.
- They are truly satisfied. They are content.
- The wicked, in their rush to possess, usually miss or overlook the best of this world, or else, having seen it, they refuse to pay the price to gain it, or having gained it, they are miserable.
- Philippians 4:11 - “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
If you remember the definition of blessed in this verse, it is that we are blessed and joyful no matter what our condition. This is what Paul is describing.
The meek will also inherit the new heaven and new earth.
- Romans 8:17 - “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
If you remember the verse in Zephaniah 2:3: Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger.
As we cloth ourselves in the cloak of meekness, we are promised to escape the wrath of God. We are promised eternal life and not to have to face the wrath of those who have chosen not to accept Christ as Savior.
Everything we do is a choice. It is a choice to be saved and it is a choice to walk in our salvation daily. Each choice we make has promises, blessing and difficulties.
Yet as we continue our study we see how Jesus prepares us to live this wonderful life.
Amen?