WALK IN LOVE - with all meekness Luke 9:51-55 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. Matthew 27:39-42 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. Meekness is power under control. This is one of the hardest lessons we have to learn, not in doctrine but in life, in application! It is worth all it takes to learn because the rewards is tremendous. One of the temptations that Jesus overcame was to prove his divinity. In Matthew chapter four verse three the devil said to Him, ... If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Why would the devil tempt Jesus to prove his divinity by doing such a simple thing? Something that does not appear to be sin in itself. Is there anything wrong for a minister to prove that he is a man of God by exercising his powers? Is it wrong for our wives to prove to us they are in charge of the home by exercising their powers? Or the husbands to prove to the wives they are the heads of the family by wielding their authority? The chief priests, the scribes and the elders said to Jesus on the cross, ...if you be the son of God come down and we will believe you. They followed the devils example in telling Jesus to do something He could easily do for them to believe! Brothers and sisters the trouble with all of these is to exercise power without control! Outside the will of God! It may come in the way of temptation, provocation, challenge, opposition, insult or otherwise demanding exercise of power without control, without due regard to the will of God. The scriptures say to be angry and sin not. Perhaps an illustration will help us. Consider a senior police officer clad in muffty who was challenged by a school boy without knowing who he was! Just to show him who he was, he tortured the boy and locked him up. Something he could have overlooked with a simple rebuke. This is using power without control, a lack in meekness. Or consider another illustration of a man of God highly anointed who was visited by village youths at his church building site unduly demanding money and obstructing his work. Since the anointing was there, he called down fire and consumed them. The same people for whom he was building the church to reach. That man of God lacks meekness. His anointing is not under control and is exercised without due regard to the will of God. How unlike Jesus! So let us take a look on our Lord Jesus Christ to see how He acted under similar circumstances. The first scene is from Lk.9.51-55. Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem where He would die on the cross for sinners including those in Samaria. He was to pass through one of the Samaritan villages. The villagers came out and blocked the road forbidding Jesus and his disciples to get through. The disciples were furious, how can that be, obstructing the work of Jesus!. They had power to call down fire from heaven like Elijah and clear the way but needed permission from Jesus to do so. Jesus rebuked them saying, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. The next thing Jesus did was glorious! They turned and went through another village. This is meekness. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:1 saying, Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, ..... The Corinthians have crossed the red line. The apostle was going to take action but was under control by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.. There are several demonstrations of the meekness of Christ but we shall take one more example. This time let us read from: Matthew 26:51-53 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priests, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? All right. Remember our focus, for there are many lessons in this passage. We will only consider the matter of meekness, power under control, the exercise of power with due regard to the will of God. Presently Jesus and his disciples were besieged by vain men with clubs and matchets to arrest Jesus. The disciples this time without asking Jesus for permission went on the offensive cutting someones ear, narrowly missing the target. Perhaps the disciples entertained some suspicion weather Jesus can cope with the situation, for so far He has done nothing. (Dont we do the same thing). Jesus addressed this suspicion when He said, Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? At other times ( John chapters 7 and 8) the people made several attempts to arrest him but could not. So we know that the power was there all the time and sufficient to address the situation! Jesus remained on course and in control of His powers according to the will of God. Brothers and sisters, here we behold the meekness and gentleness of Christ. He would not use the power without due regard to the will of God! The will of God at this point is his arrest and He would not wield his power against it. He even repaired the damages caused by his disciple. That is meekness, power under control! Today all power and authority is given to Him because he has satisfied the heart of God.. God would not trust a man not meek with power. If you trust a child with a gun he would shoot every other child just for calling him a naughty boy. The quality of lowliness and meekness is of great value before the Lord. Here is the records: 1 Peter 3:4 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. 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. Psalms 45:4 And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. As we continue to behold the meekness and gentleness of Christ with open faces may we be changed into the same image! according to 2 Corinthians 3:18, But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD. Next on line will be: Walk In Love - with all longsuffering or forbearance. Another beholding of the glory of Christ, of his walk and person! Until then take this scriptures and let them be with you: 1 Peter 3:8-15 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 1 Peter 2:19-24 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. lowlymeekandforbearing!
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 09:55:25 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015