Meekness and Humility

Well, good afternoon, everyone. So very good to be here. It is not at all a hardship to come and visit you. It is one of the highlights of our life to be able to come and visit the various church areas and appreciate the invitation and it's certainly good to be here. I hope we have a chance to meet all of you during this weekend and I want to say we appreciate the Smiths and all the service that they have done here over the years as well and their hospitality.

Let me thank the special music. It was very inspiring. The words were inspiring. Sometimes I say the special music is a very good sermonette and prelude to the sermon. So appreciate that very much and all the time and effort it took to put that together. Let me mention that as I'm here that if you have any questions about anything going on in the work, I am more than open to answering anything that you have.

Any questions you might have. Tomorrow morning I know we have a fairly early schedule for a Q&A session. I'm going to give a little bit of overview of the work because I don't know how good we are about letting you know what's going on around the world. So we want to do that a little bit.

We have to get better about that because God is working a lot in the world around us and that has been one of the inspiring things of the last few years as we've gone around and had the opportunity to meet people around the world of what God is working. I'm not talking about that a little bit, but if you have any questions about anything, it is open season on me. So take all. Ask anything you want and if I can answer it, we will do that. Could be Bible questions or anything about the work as well.

You know, I was the topic or the key scripture for this weekend. I commend whoever came up with that. Zephaniah 3 verse 12. You heard in the Bible study this morning with Mr. Foster. What a key verse it is. You know, and I was I was looking at that verse and I'm going to speak about it a little bit this afternoon as well.

It came to mind that you know what Christ said that and we know we live by every word of God. Every word of God and I think he meant exactly what he said. Every word of God. The more we understand his word, the more we understand the scriptures, the more we dig into the scriptures. We realize how deep and how much meaning there is in every single verse in that Bible. We may think you know if we've been in the church 3040 50 years we know a lot. We have barely scratched the surface. When Jesus Christ returns and he gives us his spirit and we understand the words in the Bible.

I think we are going to be absolutely amazed at what there is that we didn't know yet. You and I will be teaching and that we are living, you know as well today. So I want to do. I do want to turn to Zephaniah 3 12 and read it since it is a as Mr. Foster said this morning a key verse a key verse and I'll have to be honest when I read Zephaniah 3 12.

I thought I haven't been in the book of Zephaniah for a while, but when you read through it, you see exactly what he said. This is a book for the end time. Yes, it is a book for us. Every word in the book of Zephaniah here is for the end. It's for you and me and it's pertains to us today. So if you look at verse 12 it says this is God speaking right as he inspired Zephaniah.

I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. And that verse those few words alone you could give multiple sermons on when you dig into those and see what God was saying in that verse at one at one point it is. It's a promise that is what the world will be when God is finished with it and when he has he has put the world through the adversity that he will put it through.

There will be a myth. There will be a meek and a humble people. It's also a goal for you and me because if that's what God is looking for in the millennium and the people that come out of that adversity of the time of the time of the trouble of Jacob of the great tribulation of what's going to come upon the world, then he expects that of you and me today that we will become a meek and humble people and all that that means because in those two words meek and humble there is a lot.

There is a lot and sometimes we may forget what those words mean and sometimes even the Bible translators in the English confuse what those words mean. Those that scripture is instructional. That's what you and I are here to become and to learn what those words mean and to let God develop that in us. It's a requirement. It's a requirement for God's people. That's what he expects us to become. We will say that Jesus Christ was meek and humble and if we are going to be in God's family and our goal and as God leads us is to become like him meek and humble are two things that we have have to become. And it is a result.

It is a result of God's Holy Spirit at work. It's a result of the adversity we may have in our lives, the trials and tribulations that come upon us. Certainly the adversity of the world as it goes through what is going to go through in the coming years.

And in that midst out of all that God leaves a meek and a humble people the same type people you and I are or to becoming today so that we can teach that in the kingdom tomorrow. So as we look at Zephaniah 3 12 we just stick in chapter three there for a moment. No, Mr Foster covered a little bit of this in the Bible study, but since we have some other people here with us this afternoon, let's go back and see what the people were like and what God does to them to bring us to bring them and us to the conclusion of verse 12.

If you look back and versus one through eight we see the type of people that God is talking to. It is the world. It is Israel modern day Israel. It is us because when we read first one that can be us as well as them right. Woke to her who is rebellious and polluted to the oppressing city. She hasn't obeyed his voice. She hasn't received correction. You know, there's a warning message that God talks about in Isaiah 58 verse one. Yes, that goes out to the modern day nations of Israel, but it also to his people. He says to you and me. Do we listen to what is being said? Are we aware? Do we let it sink into our minds as God's Holy Spirit gives us the ability to understand and gives us the recognition?

Oh, we need to become better in this area. They have not received correction. They haven't trusted in the eternal. They haven't drawn near to her God. That could be any of us, right? So God is speaking to us here. He tells us and you hear in sermons that you've heard here in Houston. And by the way, it's been very good to meet so many of you from around Texas as well. That are here today. Her princes for princes in her mister roaring lions.

You know, they they're about themselves. They've got their own agenda. Um, that they're working on her judges are evening wolves that leave a bone, leave not a bone till morning. They're there to devour and whatever it takes because of the interest that they have. Her prophets are insolent. They're not respectful. They're not true to God's word. They're treacherous people. The priests have polluted the sanctuary. They've done violence to the law. And we live in that type of world today.

I hope that doesn't define any of us here or any part of God's church of all the people all over the world that he has called and in whom he's put his Holy Spirit. God is there through it all. He's patient. He's merciful. He has a plan in mind. He knows what the result will be, and he knows what we and the world must go through to become the people that he wants us to become.

If we drop down to verse seven, he says what what his mission is. Surely you will fear me. You will receive instruction so that your dwelling will not be cut off. Despite everything for which I punished her, but they rose early and corrupted all their deeds. This is what they did completely yielded to the world to Satan. Verse eight. God says, wait for me. And then he gives a picture of what it will be like when Christ returns in verse nine. I will restore to the people's a pure language.

And we look at ourselves today and we maybe remember a verse in collage and says, put off all these things. Put off filthy language. Put off corrupt language. We live in a world that is full of that all around. We hear it every day, even if we work in the church. When you walk down the street, when you go to the store, when you turn on the TV, you hear all these things, right? But then there will be a pure language that they may call on the name of the Lord to serve him with.

One accord. One accord. Everyone united all at one with God. And what did Jesus Christ say that last night before he was crucified? My will is, Father, that they the people you call, they will be in one accord. And as much as we may be close to that, we have a ways to go yet as we let God lead us to all be in one accord following him, trusting him, putting our faith in him and letting him letting him lead us to who he wants us to become.

And that's not easy. That means the denying of self. That means the denying of everything we want. That's a matter of putting aside our agenda for God's agenda. Not our way, but his way. Not our will, but his will. In verse 11, he says in that day after after they go through the process of purification, the process of learning these things, being able to recognize the sin that you were there acknowledging the sin and the weakness and the faults that we all have, and that we all have to relinquish and come before God and repentance.

That repentance will bring in that day, says you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds. He will forgive. God is just to forgive Jesus Christ died so that we could have our sins forgiven. When we genuinely ask, when we genuinely mean to follow him, when we genuinely give our lives to him and realize we follow him from that day forward and really truly put to death, put to death ourselves and live with the newness of life he gives us. You won't be ashamed for any of your deeds in which you transgressed against me, for then I will take away from your midst those who rejoice in your pride.

Boy, such a such a prevalent thing in all of us that we have to kind of watch. The pride that's there. I think Mr Foster said it very well this morning when he was talking about pride. He said pride prevents us from growing. Provide pride prevents us from learning pride prevents us from just even acknowledging on recognizing where we're wrong.

It provides us it prevents us from it prevents us from understanding at all. Pride is an enemy that has to be put away. I will put I will take away from your midst those who rejoice in your pride and you shall no longer be haughty no longer thinking you have all the answers that you're the preeminent one.

I will leave in your midst a meek and a humble people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. That's the key verse. Let's go on in verse 13. The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness. You know, Israel will be through an awfully lot if you read through the book of Isaiah, you read through the book of Ezekiel. You see how much adversity Israel goes through. You know about the time of Jacob's trouble. You know about the great tribulation. And you know that that time is coming. It's going to be terrible. It's going to be terrible and it's going to be a time where people have to go through that hurt in order to come to the recognition that God is giving them.

They have to come to the point that they hurt so that they become the they can have the joy that comes from knowing God's way of life. What he always intended for all of people all of people to have the remnant of Israel will do no unrighteousness. They will obey God. They will learn his way works. His way is the way that we go. His way is the way that we live in and his way is the way that we follow.

They shall do no unrighteousness. They shall speak no lies. What a world would be like if everyone just spoke no lies. We live in a world today that you know as you've watched TV lies are everywhere and is continually talked about the lies that are out there. But at that time no lies. That's a goal for you and me. That's a goal for God's people. Speak no lies not a deceitful tongue to be found in their mouth for they shall feed their.

Thank you. Feed their flocks and lie down and no one no one shall make them afraid. Kind of remind you of Psalm 23 when we follow God he will lead us by quiet waters.

He will lead us to the point where we can lay down. And be in peace and you read those scriptures and you think what a beautiful picture that is when you go through the rest of Zephaniah 3. It only comes. It only comes when the people are meek and humble. He'll work with the world all that he says he will to become meek and humble. Today he's doing the same thing with you and me meek and humble.

What does it mean to be meek and humble. I want to look at that here today because these two words are are really confused I think when you read the new King James you can see in the translators that they were a little bit confused about what meek means and what humble means. I want to look back to the Hebrew words and you look at the Greek words that are translated into those things you can see there's very similar meanings between those with you look at what strong says they mean and what other Bible dictionaries say they mean very close.

But the bottom line is they are very different. Humility is an absolute requirement. We know that and you can't be meek unless you're humble but meek is more than humble. It's a requirement. So let's talk about meek a little bit when we read the word humble in verse 12 there it comes from and I'm not going to say the word but it's number 1800 in strong school coordinates.

What it means is a dangling a dangling people when you have a picture of a dangling people they're just sort of hanging on by a thread. There's nothing there. They're weak. They're poor. They're thin. They're low and Israel will be that way and the world will be that way at the time of Jesus Christ return. They will have brought been brought low. You look at Israel modern day Israel the time they go through and three times in the book of Ezekiel it says they will loathe they will loathe themselves for what they've done.

You look at lamentations and you see what the people of Judah felt after they lost everything because they didn't listen to what they were told. They lost everything at that point and then they were lamented before God. They lamented before him and they regretted what they had done but in the end time they will repent before God there will be a genuine turn to God and an abhorrence of self.

They will loathe themselves much the same that you way this you and I when we came to repentance and we saw ourselves for who we were we thought how could we have ever thought we were good people. Look at the attitudes that we had look at how we lived our lives look at the things that we thought were okay but they were completely against God completely against his word and we learn to live in constant repentance because none of us when we repent and are baptized. We don't have everything we don't become perfect at baptism.

It's a lifelong process of overcoming a lifelong process of becoming aware of what we need to overcome and who God wants us to be.

I think a really good picture of that we find in the Old Testament in the book of Job. Let's turn back to Job for a second. You remember the story of Job. He was a blameless man God said when Satan went up and asked if he could if he could trouble him God said well he's a blameless man you know but God gave Job or Satan the permission to try him and he went through some difficult difficult times none of which you and I would ever want to see and as Job went through that process as he lost so much as he found his friends coming and kind of blaming him for his sins and he was not looking for what he had done and he found himself justifying himself and God began to reveal there is there is a flaw there is this self righteousness that is in Job and God had to remind him none of what you have Job none of who you are had anything to do with you it had everything to do with me God said and it's the same for you who we are and who we become have nothing to do with us it is 100% God's Holy Spirit in us that leads us and God said to us.

And God says to us that God provides us and changes us and allows us to have the opportunity to begin his kingdom. It's nothing about us everything that we have everything that we will be the character that God God creates in us the God character that God provides in us through his Holy Spirit that's everything none of us can pat ourselves on the back and say haven't I done well what we can do is praise God and thank him that he has allowed us and called us and given us the opportunity to serve him in whatever way he wants.

Us to serve him Job learned that he went through an awfully lot and as God began to work with him at the closing chapters of Job you remember he goes through time after time and point after point Job where were you when this happened Job what about this Job what about that do you have any of those powers is any of this about you and Job at the end of it all in chapter 42 have some words that we.

Could all could all echo Job 42 verse 2 Job says I know God that you can do everything and that no purpose of yours can be withheld from you you asked who is this who hides counsel without knowledge and therefore Job's responds I've uttered what I did not understand things too wonderful for me which I did not know listen please and let me speak you said I will question you and you shall answer me.

And Job says what the whole world will say what you and I should say I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear but now my eye sees you now I know now I get it now I know who you are and that everything is wrapped up in you therefore I abhor myself and repent.

In dust and ashes. I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. A hard trial that Job went through a hard trial that you and I. Might go through in life things come our way we may not understand why but through it all. But through it all we trust that God is teaching us something in everything that goes on in our lives there is something God is working what happens to me is different than what happens to you because he knows my weaknesses. Your weaknesses too and we learn and we pause and we think why is this happening why is this going the way it is and then we pause and realize God has a plan let me just follow him let me just be patient and wait.

And so often it's about what I need to change so much about what I need how I need to handle things differently. Job learned that Israel will learn that you and I will learn that and if we learn that just by learning to just yield to God and trust in him and do what he says without having to go through the hard times because he will teach us he will have our minds open. If we will just listen and do what he says and let go let go of of self. So Job you know Job learned the hard way we could go through other people who are humble they're brought low they're kind of dangling no matter no no longer are they self sufficient no longer are they looking at self and I can do this and I did that but realizing.

It's about God focused on Jesus Christ our Savior focused on him and letting him work because he has every single one of us in this room every single one of us listening on the web every single one of us who will listen to this message he has us in mind and he knows exactly exactly what we need in order to become a meek and humble person and a meek and humble people who serve him. And follow him and become the people he wants us to become.

Now that's one definition of the Old Testament and that's number eighteen hundred if we look in the New Testament it happens to be Strong's number fifty fifty eleven.

Fifty eleven and I want to turn to a few of the scriptures in the New Testament to kind of give us the picture of what humility and humble and humble is. I won't turn to James four verse six you remember that that's a memory verse right God resists the proud but what does he do he gives grace to the humble.

Number fifty eleven in Strong's accordance humble in the Bible in the definition of it is to be lowly in a position or spirit lowly in position or spirit and I had to kind of like appreciate the fact that in it it says in parentheses lowly in spirit. In a good sense because it's a good thing to go through that it's a positive thing to go through it maybe not so comfortable physically but a good thing to go through that lowly in position or spirit in a good sense. The helps word studies who looks at these these definitions of the New Testament says it indicates a person who is God reliant God reliant not self reliant.

God reliant and not self reliant if we look at Luke the book of Luke Luke chapter one. And there we find Mary you know Mary the mother of Jesus and she learns that she is going to be blessed with giving birth to who will become the savior and she says quite a quite some statements here in verses forty six to will be down to two verse fifty two here to see you the humility that she had and reference to this verse forty six it says Mary said my soul magnified. And my spirit has rejoiced in God my savior for he has regarded the lowly state of his man made servant. He wasn't like hey I'm so great I was perfect God chose me can I pat myself on the back the lowly state who am I who am I that God would have given me this opportunity in life for behold his fourth all generations will call me blessed. She says for he who is mighty has done great things for me and holy is his name his mercy on those who fear him from generation to generation he has shown strength with his arm he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts who am I I know so much more I can do it better if only God would call on me and ask me about why way is things would be so much better and verse fifty two he has put down the mighty from their thrones and he is exalted the lowly. That's number fifty eleven that's humble he has exalted the humble who come to that state of being low. The kind of dangling person a lowly in spirit who am I but I become God reliant not self reliance a big transformation. In first Peter first Peter five.

First Peter five and verse five.

Translated a little bit here to cue Mila T. Mila T. But in first Peter five verse five he says likewise you younger people submit yourself to your elders yes all of you be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility. Be clothed with humility for God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Sorry we're not going to meet in this yet humility that again is fifty eleven fifty eleven and verse fifty twelve number in the strong conch are virtually the same word they derive from one another but he says there be clothed with humility. Wear it earlier in the in the letter that Peter the epistle he talks about women being of a of a humble nature closed. In humility closed in meekness clothes with humility what can we think about when we're clothed with humility.

Well Jesus Christ who was more humble than any person who ever lived on earth was clothed in humility and he kind of showed that picture if we look back at John thirteen. Something we do every Passover. When we wash each other's feet and we take the form of a bond servant as Jesus Christ tells us in Philippians two. Took the form of a bond servant and John thirteen. As they were keeping the Passover that night that he was introducing the new Passover ordinances he did something that spoke that sometimes we just overlook in John thirteen in verse. Well let's begin in verse two supper being entered the devil already having put it in the cross. Into the heart of Judas Iscariot Simon son to betray Christ Jesus knowing that the father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God. He rose from suffer laid aside his garments took a towel and girded himself. We know those scriptures you know when you look into the Bible and you look at what those words mean the word towel there. Really means what he put on at that time was the apron that servants wore he took off his clothes and what he did was clothed himself clothed himself in the apron of a servant a bond servant who would sit there and wash the feet of people. He made a statement to his disciples at that time I'm taking off my coat my tie my jacket and I'm tilting on this because I'm going to serve you he was clothed with humility and then he went around and he washed their feet. In a lowly stage signifying he was here to serve all of mankind. When we wash each other's feet every Passover once were baptized and and we go through that ceremony as God's people do we think of that God said it in motion so that we would have an annual reminder the humility that is required even Jesus Christ. Did that he doesn't ask us to do anything he didn't do himself took a lowly state and did that clothes himself in humility and Peter much later in his life as he reflected in the understood God's way says you clothe yourselves in humility wear it it's who you are it's who you must become we so we must become.

A requirement for us if we will be in the kingdom of God a requirement for us if we will have the weakness or ever develop the weakness that God wants us to have as well. If we look at Matthew 11. With some of the examples that we've seen and some of the definitions of weak and lowly. Fangling dangling person hanging on by a thread we have nothing to ourselves that we can look at and count on. But we look and realize it's only God it's only God who can rescue us in Matthew 11 verse 29 the words that Jesus Christ said here take on I hope as we look at what God says a meaning to us a deep meaning that ties back to Zephaniah three twelve he will leave a meek and humble people in their midst verse 29 Christ says take my yoke. Upon you and learn maybe we circle that learn from me look at my example do what I say take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle. We're going to come back to that word in just a minute and I am lowly in heart that's the 50 11. They could have assembled they could have translated it humble which they should they got the meaning I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. You want peace you want rest you want satisfaction you want to be have that peace that understands all understanding go to Christ learn his way learn from him become like him humility humility is one of those key things that we must become and let God and even ask God. Is there pride what is in me that's holding me back from becoming what you want me to become I will willingly give it up I will willingly put it away just show me what it is there so that I can do your will. So he says I am lowly in heart 50 11 but he also talks about meekness in that verse is well hidden in the new King James I think of the old King James the King James version it says meekness there. I am meek and lowly in heart but here in the new King James that's been replaced with gentle and throughout the new King James you see this word gentle show up because the translators just didn't get what meekness meant and if you look at the English dictionaries and there are those people who study languages who say in English that you just don't understand what meek means Jesus Christ said I'm meek and I'm humble. Jeff and I have three twelve says I will leave in your midst of meek and humble people like Christ what does meek mean I think sometimes even in the church we lose some of that maybe from reading over this verse or learning over how the translators in the new King James replaced it with gentle and gentle is part of the meaning of meek humble is part of the meaning of meek but that's not all Christ wasn't just humble. And just gentle he was both but he was much more.

Can remember this number actually is pratous P R A U S P R A U S is the Greek word here that there is translated gentle but it's the Greek word for meek and we'll see that forty two and thirty five is that forty two thirty six is pratous taste and it's meekness. Sometimes we see many times we see gentleness it really should be translated meekness. So let's go back keep that in mind let's go back to the Old Testament and look at what's there in Zephaniah three verse twelve and talk about that word that's there in the Old Testament.

In verse twelve we have that word meek it's an important word meek meek and humble it's in Strong's number sixty forty one and sixty thirty five a n n a v has a specific has a specific meaning. On it let's go back and look at it means poor afflicted afflicted and an interesting word wretched poor afflicted wretched not just poor afflicted and low but poor afflicted and wretched. There's a state that's there of that meekness in the Old Testament I don't know that you need to turn to numbers twelve you probably have thought about who is the most meek man on earth that God said Moses in numbers twelve verse three.

He was meek he had that attitude he was gentle he was humble he came to understand God and know that everything came from God but there's also a power in Moses a power that came from knowing God looking at God standing his way that even when things would go his way he always stood for God.

And when Israel was complaining and murmuring and wanting to go back to Egypt and do things the old way and let's just forget this it was easier life was back then Moses always stood for God. He even relented when God said if you remember I'm just going to destroy Israel and I'll raise up a nation from you Moses some of us might have said sounds like a good idea to me right good idea to me you know forget these people they say just complain.

And they murmur all the time but Moses said no no no your plan is these are the people you took out of Egypt these are the people who are called by your name this is the people you created because of miraculous births of Abraham son Isaac and then Jacob and then Joseph and all those things because God says I created Israel and God and Moses was committed to God's plan. And he had the strength to say God no that's your plan and God knew that and saw that meekness in him let's look at just a few verses in the Old Testament where we can see this meekness.

That is there evident much of it we find in David's writing because David was a meek and humble man he became that after he had some trying times in his life let's look at Psalm Psalm nine. Psalm nine and verse eighteen here here he writes for the needy that's the poor but not humble poor literally poor for the needy shall not always be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. That's the translation but the word is meek the expectation of the meek will not perish forever.

It may take some time you heard Mr. Foster say this morning that scoffers are prideful they may think all your time is coming but who knows when it'll come we've been hearing about this for ever forever and ever we've been hearing Jesus Christ is going to return. But the meek for the meek the expectation it won't perish forever because you have a strong commitment to God a strong commitment to his truth you absolutely know it and you don't stray from it because you follow him and you are motivated by him and you're waiting for him. Psalm 10 Psalm 10 and verse 12 arise O Lord O God lift up your hand don't forget the humble but that's not the word humble that's meek that's translated humble there in the new don't forget the meek God will not forget the meek.

The meek the meek are ones who become like him who stand in his strength Psalm 25 Psalm 25 and verse 9. The humble that says he guides in justice and the humble he teaches his way. So as humble humility is part of being meek but that's number that's the word meek the meek he guides in justice the meek he teaches his way that's who he's looking to the people that become like him they're humble but they're committed to God there's something about them that's different than just humility absolutely a requirement absolutely a requirement.

Absolutely necessary but something more Isaiah Isaiah 29 verse 19. I'm going to read verse 18 is kind of going to show you that this is kind of a verse looking toward the future but also applies to us today verse 18 of Isaiah 29 says in that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book their minds will be open just like your my minds are open to the truth today God opened our minds to do it in that day there.

They will be open to the words of the Bible and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out and out of darkness verse 19 the humble will increase their joy in the Lord increase their joy in the Lord now that that is a beautiful verse isn't it who doesn't want to increase their joy in God. That's part of the joy that comes from knowing God that's a fruit of the spirit the joy that comes from that the humble will increase their joy in the Lord and the poor among men shall rejoice in the holy one of Israel but it's not the word humble that should be meek that's number 6 0 3 5 the meek the meek will increase their joy in the Lord.

Who increases their joy in the Lord where does true joy come from how do we understand that and Isaiah 61 then another prophetic verse talking about the time when Jesus Christ returns verse 1 the spirit the spirit of the Lord God Jesus Christ says is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good to the Lord. He has sent me to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted and so forth and so on. To preach good tidings to the poor.

That's number 6 0 3 5 to the meek. He has anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek. They're humble. They're poor. You recognize their wretched and that they need God and absolutely have the need of God. If you look in Strong's it will show you that 6 0 3 5 number 6 0 3 5 and Old Testament is translated in the New Testament with with a couple verses a couple a couple of words.

One of them is number 4 2 3 9 that we talked about. Prat oos and 4 2 3 6 which is its equivalent meekness. So we're going to go and look at Prat oos but I want to read to you a few things from what some places other than just Strong's talk about a scholars have looked at this word meekness and trying to figure out what it means. What is the difference in it? Why does God have that word in there? What does it have to do and sometimes you have to dig a little further than Strong's and there have been people that have been doing that.

Let me read with Strong's lexicon not Strong's concordance says about this under the cultural and historical historical background of this word meek as used in New Testament times back in the Greco Roman world. It says in the Greco Roman world meekness was not typically considered a virtue. The culture valued power dominance and assertiveness. However in the biblical context meekness is a highly esteemed quality reflecting the character of Christ himself.

It's associated with a deep trust in God and a commitment to his ways even in the face of adversity. Matthew 5 5 the meek the meek will inherit the earth commitment to God even in the face of adversity. The helps study guide on on that goes through some of the and a lot of the etymological sources of these words says the difficult to translate root in Pratus that's P R a the difficult to translate root in English means more than meek.

Biblical meekness is not weakness but rather refers to exercising God's strength under his control that is demonstrating power without undue harshness. Gently asserting the power of God's word not hammering people not throwing things across the room not argumentative but just here's the strength in the word of God. This is what meekness is they say Strong's dictionary Bible biblical usage as gentleness as it's translated so often in the New King James or meekness is the opposite of self assertiveness and self interest.

It stems from trust in God's goodness and control over the situation. The meek person is not occupied with self at all. This is the work of the Holy Spirit not of the human will. Isn't that interesting not of the human will but of God's spirit. So we look at the fruits of God's spirit in Galatians five. We see meekness listed there. Galatians five verse 20 beginning of verse 22 but the eighth and ninth listed spirit fruit of God's spirit is in the New King James it says gentleness.

It's not gentleness it's meekness meekness and then self control meekness. You know recently I've talked a little bit about a gap a and how you can't really understand what biblical agape is unless you have God's Holy Spirit simply can't understand it. It's from God's Holy Spirit is a fruit of God's Holy Spirit. The Christian world that's outside can talk about a gap all they want. Other people can do it. We only understand it and develop it with God's Holy Spirit. It literally is the only way.

Same thing for faith talked about unshakable faith is the faith that comes from God's Holy Spirit. We can have faith but it grows over the course of time just like a gap a grows over the time. And so this gentleness that's a misnomer you should cross that out and put meekness with God is developing and you and me is meekness.

The world can't understand that you develop it with God's Holy Spirit exactly as Strong's dictionary says when you look at the Bible when you look at the words that are there it occurs with God's Holy Spirit. It's not of the human will. It's what you and I come to understand as we are led by God's Holy Spirit. Again Matthew five five the meek the meek will inherit the earth. The people who are led by God's Holy Spirit those who God is working with today and who are letting the Holy Spirit guide them.

One more. This is William Barkley and he has a series of things on a lot of the words of the Bible. Here's what he says. He says in Greek meekness or Prasus has this meeting. He says this is another fact which will illuminate the meaning of the word. Prasus is the Greek for an animal which has been trained and domesticated until it is completely under control.

Therefore the man who is Prasus is the man who has every instinct and every passion under perfect control. You know what verse that should bring to mind. Second Corinthians ten five when I read that my mind immediately went there. That's where it says the power of God the Spirit of God. What does it do? It helps us. It enables us to bring every thought into the captivity of Christ. Every thought into the captivity of Christ. Let that sink in every thought into the captivity of Christ.

You read it again. Therefore the man who is Prasus is the man who has every instinct and every passion under perfect control. His control. No God's control. The Holy Spirit's control. It would not be right to say that such a man is entirely self control for such self control is beyond human power. But it would be right to say that such a man is God controlled.

God controlled the Holy Spirit living God's way doing his will letting him do the things that he wants you to learn. The perfect illustration the perfect illustration of Prasus. Mr. Barkley and a few other writers as well have come across when they talk about an animal that's domesticated and one of the words that they use in association with Greek is the stallion. Everyone knows of a wild stallion right. Horses a powerful animal has a lot of things going on with it. But when they're wild they're just completely out of control.

But when they're trained when they're broken they become a powerful powerful tool for mankind. But they have to be broken. The power is still there. The strength is still there. But now they are under the control of their master. Then they become a tremendous asset to all of the people who own them. They become a tremendous asset to the world.

Power under the control of the master. That's what meekness is. It doesn't mean just gentle. There is a way of approaching things that are gentle. Doesn't mean just humble. You have to be humble before you can ever receive God's Holy Spirit or God provides that or puts it on us when we're that way.

That's part of it. But there's that power under the control of the master when our spirit is broken. Well we realize it's all about God. Psalm 51 when David recognized his sin with Bathsheba. Remember what he said? He said this is a broken and contrite heart. A broken and contrite heart is what you seek. A broken heart. He didn't mean I lost my love and so I have a broken heart. He means one who is now under the control of God. No longer self reliant but God reliant and looking to him.

Looking to him for salvation. Self no longer applies. All the focus on God and the power that comes from knowing God's word. Believing it. Speaking it. And that when you talk about it you have that power. That boldness. This is truth. I have no doubt about it. It's exactly the way God has. We can say it gently. We can say it powerfully. We can say it boldly. But I absolutely know this is God's truth. Peter talks about it.

Let's look at first Peter here. First Peter 3. Verse 15. First Peter 3 verse 15. Verse 15 says but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you. And they have a correctly translated here with meekness. And fear. So when you're asked a question you can respond. This is truth. I have absolutely no doubt this is from the word of God.

This is truth. And they can take it or leave it. But you know it in your heart. You can say it with power. You can say it without waffling because you know it. You study the word of God and you've allowed God's Holy Spirit to be in you.

And you know that in that moment God has given you that opportunity to say or answer in the way that he would want you to do. Do it in meekness. It doesn't mean weakness like the world wants to say. But do it with power with surety. Strength or power under the control of the master collagions collagions 3. And verse 12. Therefore Paul writes scriptures that we read around Passover time again in the days of unloved bread. Therefore is the elect of God. That's you and me if we really are living God's way of life led by his Holy Spirit.

Therefore is the elect of God holy and beloved put on earlier in the verse. He says take those garments off. Take the garments of old off and put these on. This is what adorns you now put on tender mercies kindness humility. We talked about that and that's a correct translation there put on humility put on meekness.

That's correct. These are the things you wear now long suffering bear with one another and so on and those verses those are what mark us now those define us now humility. And meekness. In Titus. Titus 3. Titus 3 and verse 2. Begin to verse 1. I guess remind them Paul writes as he's instructed Titus remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities to obey to be ready for every good work to speak evil of no one to be peaceable.

To be peaceable to be gentle. No to be meek to be meek. That's six. That's four nine or four two three nine to be meek showing all humility to all men. Many times when you read the word gentle in the New Testament look it up. It means meek. Sometimes we get ourselves crossed up and some of the things we even do in the church because we look at the word gentle and we don't understand the word meek. Stand on God's word. Don't waffle. Be sure.

Let him direct. Let him correct. Let him do the things that he does. Know it. Believe it and let the Holy Spirit put his power. He has given us the spirit of power and love and a sound mind not power about ourselves power from him to do the things that he wants us to do.

Go back to the book of Zephaniah. Zephaniah this time chapter two verse you heard earlier this morning but we'll rehearse it again. Zephaniah two. Another word from God. Another sure thing he says Zephaniah two verse three seek the Lord. We sang a song about it today.

We know we have to seek God and all we do see him in all we do trust him and all we do. I haven't even touched the last part of Zephaniah three twelve. There's a whole other sermon that can be given from that verse just about trusting in the name of God and doing what he has to say. Seek the Lord all you meek of the earth.

That's correct. All you meek of the earth. The people led by God's Holy Spirit the people like Moses the people like Jesus Christ the people like the apostles the people like you and me and what we are to become. Seek the Lord all you meek of the earth who have upheld his justice stand strong in his faith stand strong in his truth seek righteousness seek humility but that's the word meekness again seek meekness look for it develop it. Ask God to develop it in you seek meekness and then he makes this statement.

It may be that you will be hidden hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. If we do it now will God will God will we let God develop that in us now that he may hide us or are we going to have to be people that have to go through the adversity tough tough adversity because God will God is patient that he loves us that he wants every single one of us to come to be people.

Of Zephaniah three twelve a meek and a humble people. We can yield to God now we can yield to God now and just give our lives to him and simply do what he says to do and adopt that position with the power of his Holy Spirit and let him and ask him to root out the resistance wrote out the whatever things about self that are still in us.

And yield to him or it may be that there's another way that he does that that could be less pleasant but if we're going to be in the kingdom. He will he we will become individually meek and humble. And a people. Who are meek and humble. So we look at Zephaniah three twelve. We can look at that verse and as Mr Foster said this morning it's a good memory verse one that hadn't come to my mind until I saw it on whoever decided you know that that should be the theme of this weekend.

And it says a lot. It is an instruction for us. It is a requirement for us. It is a goal for us. It is the vision of who God wants us to be. It's all those things. And if we keep that in mind and if we really seek the humility and the meek this that God wants. We will all become of one accord. We will all learn to trust in the name of God in the way of God and we will become the people he wants us to be.