Rev. James Armpriester
26 October 2020
The other day, I was in a conversation with someone who said something completely different from what I thought would be said! Has that ever happened to you — out of nowhere, the conversation takes a left turn when you thought it would go right? That is what happened to those listening to Jesus as He was talking about what attitudes bring blessing and soul-satisfying happiness.
At the time of Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, Rome had in one fashion or another subjugated Israel for over a hundred years. Roman governors ruled over Palestine, and a Roman garrison was situated next to the Jewish Temple. The Jews wanted the Romans to leave so they could govern themselves.
Those gathered to listen to Jesus were evaluating Him as a possible solution to this political problem. The prophets had declared that one would come and establish his kingdom. Perhaps Jesus was this promised Messiah. How He would achieve this was open to interpretation — meaning many had their preference for how it would be done.
Photograph via Canva
Some in the audience were looking for a supernatural deliverance from Rome. They were looking for a Messiah that would free them through miraculous deeds. Others were hoping for a more political solution. The Zealots, they wanted a fight. They were looking for a military leader to crush Israel’s enemies. And, the Essenes were looking for someone to lead them as separatists to create a monastic kingdom. No one — I mean no one — was thinking the Messiah would promote a kingdom for the meek! What kind of Savior builds a kingdom with those who are meek? Yet Jesus said it loud and clear, “Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth!” (Matthew 5:5)
What the Jewish people wanted was a temporal fix to a real problem. So, they were looking for a particular kind of savior. What God sent to them, however, was eternal. Jesus was offering them a victory with eternal ramifications and rewards. He invited the poor in spirit and those who mourned over their corrupt nature into His kingdom and His comfort. Then He calls those who are meek to receive their eternal reward. They would inherit the earth. Did you see that one coming?
Jesus, again, takes our focus off the external and reminds us that happiness is an inside job. Aristotle describes a meek person as [a person who has the right amount of anger, at the right time, for the right reason, and the right duration]. A meek person strives to express the appropriate emotional and behavioral response — not being rude or harsh, but gentle, polite, and well mannered instead. In other words, a meek person is like a wild domesticated animal. The animal maintains its power yet is subject to the trainer. I personally like this one. We are to exhibit power but remain under control, fueled by God’s principles.
When Jesus speaks of being meek, He is talking about our relationship with God. A meek person is one who trusts and hopes in God. This trust and hope allow us to act appropriately and surrender our desires to fulfill His. As His servants, we do not lose our power — on the contrary — we simply yield to His direction, so we accomplish His will and receive His blessing.
As with all of His teachings, Jesus lived them out. He was meek, gentle, girded by God’s will. Those who had already made up their mind what the Messiah would accomplish despised and rejected Jesus for His perceived “weakness. They saw Him as a loser worthy of death. However, Father God did not see Him that way. He valued His meekness, raised Him from the dead, and exalted Him above all of creation.
So if you are considered a loser by society, I have good news for you. God is looking for you. If you trust God enough to surrender your life to Him, He will help you live a life of power according to His will. Will you trust Jesus and place your hope in Him? If so, Father God will make sure you are blessed in this life and the next!
Got questions? Get in touch: Jim@tlcassembly.org.
Helpful Resources
Matthew Henry, The Quest for Meekness and Quietness of Spirit, Wipf and Stock, 2008
Charles Spurgeon, The Beatitudes, Whitaker House, 2012