Let us turn once again to the
Word of God and we continue in the opening verses of Matthew
chapter 5 the Beatitudes and turning this morning to the words
that we have here at verse 5 Matthew 5 and verse 5, Blessed are the
meek for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the meek for they
shall inherit the earth. Of course the Beatitude, the
Beatitude I should say marks the beginning of the Sermon on
the Mount as we see in the opening verses of the chapter seeing
the multitudes he went up into a mountain and when he was set
his disciples came unto him and he opened his mouth and taught
them is it not in many ways the fulfillment of those prophetic
words that we find back in Isaiah 25 And there at verse 6, in this
mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast
of fat things, a feast of wines on the leaves, of fat things
full of marrow, of wines on the leaves, well refined. The description surely of the
content of the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ and those great
riches and refreshments that we find in the Gospel of the
grace of God. The Lord begins his sermon by
declaring those who are the blessed. Here from verse 3 to 11, nine
times we have that word, blessed. The blessed man in the gospel. And as I've said, the word is
really in the plural, blessednesses, their beatitudes, more literally,
happinesses. And again, words that we find
right back in Deuteronomy 33, happy, art thou of Israel, who
is like unto thee, O people, saved by the Lord. What is the
Lord describing in these Beatitudes? Is he not setting before us some
of the marks of those who are blessed with that great salvation,
that are saved by the Lord? And these are their distinguishing
marks. And so we come this morning to
consider something of those who are the meek. We thought of the
poor in spirit. We thought of the mourners. But
now blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. And really that's the theme that
I want to attempt to address, the inheritance of the meek.
The inheritance of the meek. In that psalm that we were reading,
Psalm 37, there at verse 11, we are told something very similar,
the meek shall inherit the earth. We see then the truth of the
Old Testament being repeated here in the New Testament. Again, there in that psalm at
verse 22 we read such as, Be blessed of him shall inherit
the earth, the blessed are those who inherit the earth, the meek
are those who inherit the earth, says the psalmist, and the Lord
Jesus Christ is saying exactly the same thing, blessed are the
meek for they shall inherit the earth. Well as we come to look
at the verse for a little while this morning I divide what I
say into two parts. First of all to say something
of the beauties of the meek and then in the second place look
at their blessings, the blessings of the meek. First of all then
the beauties And we can think of this beauty in a subjective
fashion. What is it that is the mark of
real meekness? Well, the word that we have here,
that rendered meek, has that basic idea of being soft, or
mild, or gentle. Again, in another psalm, the
psalmist says, thy gentleness. that made me great, and these
meek ones, why, they're gentle ones. And the meekness that we
have here, of course, is not to be confused with weakness. We might tend to think of those
words as sort of synonyms. They're similar in sound, meek
and weak, but there's nothing weak about meekness. They're not synonyms. are we
not told concerning the man Moses that Moses was very meek above
all the men on the face of the earth how remarkable it is with
regards to these saints that we read of in the scriptures
and certain of the Lord's believing people they mark out particular
graces, Abraham of course the great example of faith the father
of all them that believe James says you have heard of the patience
or the endurance of Job. Job is one who sets before us
endurance and patience in the midst of trials. Well, it said
there in Numbers 12 and verse 3 concerning the man Moses that
he was very meek, very meek above all the men. on the face of the
earth and you think of that man Moses there was nothing weak
about Moses in fact even in his early history we see him as one
who is who is bold and ready to come forward in times of trouble
to act on behalf of others there in in Exodus chapter 2 the beginning
really of his history Verse 11, we're told, it came
to pass in those days when Moses was grown that he went out unto
his brethren and looked on their burdens. Of course, he was of
the persecuted Hebrews, but he'd been favored in the courts of
Pharaoh, why, Pharaoh's daughter had taken him for her own son. but when he's a grown man he
goes out and he sees his brethren and their burdens and he spies
an Egyptian smiting in Hebrew one of his brethren and we're
told he looked this way and that way and when he saw that there
was no man he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand there's
nothing weak about this man he's ready to come forward and then
of course subsequently he has to flee Because Pharaoh hears
of this matter. Verse 15, When Pharaoh heard
this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the
face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian. And he sat
down by a well. Now the priest of Midian had
seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the
troughs to water their father's flock. And the shepherds came
and drove them away. But Moses stood up and helped
them. and watered their flock. There's
nothing weak about this man. He comes to the defense of these
daughters of the priest of Midian, Ruah. He becomes his father-in-law,
of course. But here we see him, you see.
There's nothing at all weak or timid with regards to this man. He is very much a man of faith.
And that faith that he possesses is a robust faith. It's a faith
of God's elect. He's there, isn't he, in the
catalogue of the faithful that we have in the 11th chapter of
the epistle to the Hebrews. In verse 24 we read, By faith
Moses, when he was come to yours, refused to be called the son
of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction.
with the people of God and to enjoy the pleasures of sin for
a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ's greater riches and
the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense
of the reward." Oh, he has a faith that will inherit the earth,
this man. By faith he foretook Egypt, not fearing the wrath
of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. He will choose to suffer affliction. He will engage then in that good
fight of faith. Oh, there's nothing weak in that
meekness that we read of in that man Moses. He's a man of great
courage. He's a true child of God. Well, what of this word that
we have in the text, to be meek, to be gentle, to be soft, that's
what it means. It has the idea of mildness. Not easily provoked, but ready
patiently to bear. That's what meekness is as we
have it here. And though it's spoken of, isn't
it, by the wise man. In those remarkable statements
that we find throughout the book of Proverbs. Proverbs 16, 32. He that is slow to anger is better
than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that
taketh a sitter. Isn't that an evidence of a man
who has meekness in his soul? And what we have in the Old Testament
of course is also brought out time and again in the New Testament.
Doesn't Peter speak of meekness in his first epistle there in
1 Peter chapter 2 and at verse 21 and the following verses 1
Peter chapter 2 verse 21 he says even here on 2 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 a guy
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." The Lord
Jesus was one, you see, who meekly submits to all those sufferings
that were appointed to him as that one who was to be the great
sin-bearer. How willingly he goes that way
of the cross. Believers, then, are to be Those
who are meek are to learn of the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm sure
we all remember those words that the Lord utters at the end of
Matthew 11. Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart, he says. And though we see throughout
his life a minister that he exercises, he will not break the bruised
reed, he will not quench the smoking flax, how tender he is. in all His dealings with men.
Now we need then to be those who would desire to be the true
followers, the disciples of the Lord Jesus. And isn't Christ
here giving instruction to those who are His disciples? His disciples
came unto Him and He opened His mouth and taught them. Now distinguishing
His ministry is, He's there in the open, He's in the mountain,
and there are multitudes about him and he is said just as a
rabbi would be as we said when we started to look at the chapter
that's the posture of the rabbi they would sit the Lord will
go on later in chapter 23 to remind the people how they are
to have respect even for the Pharisees because they occupy
Moses' seat but they're not to do as those men do because they
say but they do not but the seat of Moses you see and the seat
of the rabbis and it is the Lord he is set and he is giving instruction
in particular to his own disciples they are to be meek blessed are
the meek says the Lord oh Zephaniah 2 verse 3 we have that exhortation
seek meekness seek meekness Lord, do we desire to do that? How
dear John Newton expresses it in the hymn. I know the hymn
is not in Gadsby's selection, but that hymn of John Newton. Quiet, Lord, my froward heart. Make me teachable and mild, upright,
simple, free from heart. Make me, as a weaned child, from
distrust and envy free, pleased with all, that pleases Thee teachable, mild is that how we
come under the word of God that spirit of meekness we will bow
to the authority of the truth of God we would seek meekness
and you know if we make that prayer if we simply and sincerely
utter those words and ask God to favor us with meekness, is
it not in itself a mark of meekness that we should come and desire
such a blessing, such a favor from God? Again, Peter when he speaks of
the duties of the wives, remember the words that we have there
in the third chapter of that first epistle of Peter, In 1
Peter 3 and verse 4 he speaks of the ornament of a meek and
quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
Speaking of the wives and their willing submission to their husbands,
the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, he says, which is in
the sight of God of great price. It doesn't just apply to the
wives, does it really? Because when we think of the
Church, the Bride of Christ, and all of us, if we're real
believers, true Christians, we're those who are part of that Bride. We're married to the Lord Jesus
Christ. And what do we know of that meek
and quiet spirit? Is that something that ornaments
our own souls? All we read of that Bride of
Christ, the King's Daughter, all glorious within. What is
that glory? It's that meekness, that quietness
of spirit. Those who are not easily provoked. All four and sinful nature is
so different to that. What is it that the serpent,
as the instrument of Satan, says to the woman there in the Garden
of Eden, in that temptation? He comes with those words, ye
shall be as gods. No meekness there, no humility,
no quietness of spirits, but a seizing after equality with
God. That was the mark of the devil
himself. And what are we by nature? By nature we are the children
of wrath, even as others. Having the understanding darkened,
alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is
in us because of the blindness of our heart. That's our natural
condition. Now we need then to heed those
words There in Zephaniah 2.3, seek meekness. Is that what we
seek today as we come together again under the Word of God?
We want to know that beauty, a soft spirit, a receptive soul,
a mild temper. God's Word sometimes comes as
a sharp word. It's profitable for doctrine,
it says, for reproof, for correction. as well as for instruction in
righteousness. How are we when we hear the reproofs
of God's words and the corrections of the Scripture? Nor do we bow
in meekness to the authority then of the Word of God. Is that
the spirit that we seek from the Lord? Blessed are the meek,
says the Lord. Blessed are the meek, for they
shall inherit the earth. But then We can also think of
the beauty of meekness in an objective
way. Is it not really a description
of the character of those who are truly the save of the Lord?
We're told the Lord taketh pleasure in his people. He will beautify
the meek with salvation. He beautifies the meek with salvation. And what is that beauty? It's
not what they are inward, it's that that has been reckoned to
them, as we were singing just now in that hymn of John Kent,
113. It's that righteousness of the
Lord Jesus Christ. that is their beauty. Again,
in the language of the hymn by Kanzinzendorf, their beauty is
their glorious dress. Jesus the Lord, our righteousness,
of all that meekness of Christ, is part and parcel surely of
the righteousness that He wrought by the obedience of His sinless
life, that active obedience. And then, of course, when we
think of his passive obedience, as we call it, his dying upon
the cross, that's how the theologians distinguish the work of Christ. You know they speak of the life
that he lived, that life of obedience to all the commandments of God,
that righteousness that he accomplished by his obedience, not only in
his deeds, but in every aspect, in his thoughts, in his words
what a righteousness was his, holy, harmless, undefiled separate
from sinners, well they call that his active obedience and
then they speak of his death as his passive obedience but
really of course even when he comes to die he's active, no
man takes his life He has power, he has authority to lay that
life down and he has power to take it again. That was the commandment
he had received from the Father. But now when we think of his
dying, oh what meekness there, what a willingness to submit
to all the Father's will, even to the death of the cross, the
accursed death, and this the sinless one and yet dying now
is a common criminal but not only enduring all the scoffings
and the mockings of men but all what he suffers in his own soul
as he makes his soul an offering for sins before the Holy God. Isn't this the beauty of those
who are the saved? He will beautify the meek with
salvation, it says. And that's their beauty, it's
the Lord Jesus Christ. Again, the language of the Prophet
Isaiah there in chapter 61 and the 10th verse. I will greatly
rejoice in the Lord, he says. My soul shall rejoice in my God,
for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath
covered me with the robe of righteousness. As a bridegroom decketh himself
with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. It's that objective righteousness
then of the Lord Jesus. What Paul speaks of to be found
in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that
which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which
is of God, by faith. The way of this salvation you
see, it so suits those who are humble and those who are meek. Is that what we desire? To know
what it is to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. You know meekness
in a sense is one of the marks of election. There are those who are often
tormented by the thought of election. Do they bear the mask? Do they know? Can they know that
they really are the chosen of the Lord? Paul gives that exhortation in
the third chapter of Colossians, put on their foot as the elect
of God. He mentions a number of graces
and amongst them there to put on meekness, put on therefore
as the elect of God meekness. Meekness is a marker sign of election. If we are to give
diligence to make our calling and election sure, surely we
should be those who are seeking meekness or the beauty of it. whether
we think of it subjectively, the spirit that the Lord favours
his people with, or whether we think of it objectively in that
salvation, that righteousness that we have in the Lord Jesus
Christ. But let us turn for a while to
the second point that I wanted to take up this morning, and
that is the blessings, the blessings of the meek, because that's what's
set before us here in the text. Bless it, says the Lord. all
the happinesses that belong to the meek. They
shall inherit the earth says the Lord. Well, two things that
I want to mention here as we think of these blessings. First
of all, the meek are those who receive the
Lord Jesus Christ. I think of the words that we
have there in James 1.26. Receive with meekness, says James. Receive with meekness the engrafted
Word that is able to save your souls. What is James speaking
of when he uses that expression, the engrafted Word that saves
the soul? Well, he's speaking of the Gospel,
of course. And how do we receive the Gospel?
We receive it with meekness. That Gospel that is before us
here in Holy Scripture and of course when we speak of the Gospel
we're not just thinking of the fourfold Gospel Matthew, Mark,
Luke and John that is the account that we have of the the great
mystery of the Incarnation the coming, the birth of the Lord
Jesus, and his life, and his death, and his resurrection from
the dead, and his ascension on high. We have all that wonderful
record, but really all of the New Testament is the Gospel.
But not just the New Testament, there's Gospel in the Old Testament. The Bible, as we've said many
a time, is made up of those two principal parts. It's law and
it's gospel. And there are laws in the New
Testament, there's the precepts of the Lord Jesus Christ, and
there is a great deal of gospel in the Old Testament. We've already
made several references this morning to Isaiah's book. And
it's full of gospel. All the Gospel is here before
us when we open the Word of God. And it's spoken of as that engrafted
Word or implanted Word that is able to save the soul. It's not
just to be here on the page of Holy Scripture. It must come
into our souls. And what is the promise of the
New Covenant? There in Jeremiah 31.33, God
says He will write His law on their inward parts. That's the Gospel. God writes
His law on the inward parts. When God gave the law, He wrote
it on tables of stone. Or there's a severity and a hardness
and a harshness with regards to the Lord of God. By the Lord
is the knowledge of sin. That's the ministry of the Lord.
It's a ministry of condemnation. It's written on tables of stone.
There's a permanence to that law. But when God comes in the Gospel,
how he writes it in their inward parts, the New Covenant. That's
what's being spoken of there in Jeremiah 31. And then we come
to the New Testament and we see the same in 2 Corinthians chapter
3, where, remember in that chapter Paul speaks again of law and
gospel. And what does he say with regards
to the gospel? He says it's written in fleshy
tables of the heart. for we're to receive it. And
if we're receiving the Word of God, we won't be partial, we'll
receive it in its entirety. We have here in the Gospel, of
course, exceeding great and precious promises. And all those promises
in the Lord Jesus Christ, they're yay and they're amen, Paul says
there in 2 Corinthians 1. They're not yay and nay, there's
a a certainty and a sureness, the Gospel. It's God's promise,
it's God's promise confirmed by God's oath, it's God's promise
that's sealed in the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh, do we not love the Gospel and the promises of the Gospel?
But we're not to be partial, you see, because there are also
precepts, Gospel precepts. and we embrace the precept as
well as the promise. We want it to be evident that
that Lord of God is indeed written upon our hearts. We want to conform
to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we speak so graciously. Come unto me, he says, all ye
that labour, and I have elated, and I will give you rest. Learn
of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest
for your souls. For my yoke is easy, my burden
is light." Well, this is the one that we have to come to,
that one who is full of meekness. And those who come to Him, why,
by the grace of God, they're made meek as well. They receive
His Word, and they receive all of His Word. they don't quarrel with his words,
but with those who would meekly submit them to all the authority
of the Word of God. And not cop and criticize the
Word of God, but receive it with meekness. It's the only way we
can receive it. And as we receive it in that
fashion, we're receiving the Lord Jesus Christ himself. He
is the gospel. He is the gospel. And remember
here how this gospel is addressed to specific cases and conditions
of people. We've looked at these previous
verses, the poor in spirit, blessed are the poor in spirit, we read
there at verse 3. Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Or how the gospel comes to the poor. What does the Lord say
here in chapter 11? Those opening verses where John
the Baptist is in prison and he seems full of doubts. Is Jesus of Nazareth really the
promised Messiah? He sends his disciples to Jesus
to ask of him. and remember how the Lord answers
here is the mark that he is truly the Christ the poor have the
gospel preached to them the poor, the poor in spirit how the gospel
is addressed to the poor in spirit how the gospel is addressed to
those who are mourning not just those who fill their spiritual
puppets But those also mourning over their sins, blessed are
they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. And isn't that
a ministry that's spoken of quite clearly again there in Isaiah? Remember the language that we
have at the beginning of chapter 14? And it's speaking of course
of the, we'll go on to speak of the coming of Him who is the
voice in the wilderness. the harbinger of Christ and his
gospel. That's what we have in Isaiah
40, but those opening verses comfort you. Comfort ye my people,
saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem,
and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity
is pardoned. For she hath received of the
Lord's hand double for all her sins, the voice of Him that crieth
in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord." Oh, what
does Christ come with in the Gospel? He comes with this word
of comfort. You see the Gospels for those
who are mourning over their sins and there's comfort. What is
that comfort? God speaks to the hearts of His people. He addresses
their hearts where they feel all the horrors
of their sins and so again here in verse 5 blessed are the meek
for they shall inherit the earth it says and again think of the
words of the Lord Jesus remember in Luke chapter 4 after his baptising
after the Spirit's descent upon him and he's led of the Spirit
into the wilderness and he's tempted and after 40 days he
returns in the power of the Spirit and he goes into the synagogue
there in Nazareth and he reads in the book of the Prophet Isaiah
and what does he read? Isaiah 61 he has come to preach
good tidings unto the He has come to preach good tidings,
the gospel is for the meek as much as it is for the mourners
and for the poor in spirit. You see, maybe sometimes we feel
we're more those who are poor in spirit than anything else. We feel our spiritual poverty,
that we have nothing, we are nothing. And then other times
we come and we're those who are so much mourning, we're grieving
over our sins but then maybe when God favours us we do have
that meekness of spirit or we come in willing submission we
will bow to all the authority of the Word of God, the Gospel
you see it suits us whatever our case or our condition that's
the wonder of the Word of God it's exceeding broad, exceeding
broad there is no condition that we can ever be in but God's word
will come to us and minister to us or that we might know what
it is and with meekness to receive it as the engrafted word able
able to save our souls the blessings of the meek they receive the
gospel they receive the Lord Jesus Christ and then finally
or secondly really with regards to the blessing but also finally
they are a contented people they are a contented people Psalm 22 and verse 26 the meek
shall eat and be satisfied they shall praise the Lord that seeketh
your heart shall live forever all the meek they eat and they're
satisfied. They're satisfied with all that
they find here in the word of God. They inherit the earth. They inherit the earth. How do
they inherit the earth? Well, they're content in this
world. That's the meek. They're content even in this
foreign world. This world that lies in wickedness. They're content. Again, look at the language of
Paul, 1 Corinthians 7.31, There are they that use this world
as not abusing it. Is that how we look at the world?
We use it, we're in it, but we don't abuse it, we're not of
the world. For the fashion of this world passeth away. All
that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of
the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is
of the world. and the world passeth away and the last thereof well
that's the language of John isn't it in his first epistle but how
these apostles they speak the same truths those words that
I just referred to in 1 Corinthians 7.31 they that use this world
as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away no
satisfaction in the world all the contentment. And where is
that contentment found? It's found only in God as He
has come and revealed Himself to us in the Lord Jesus Christ. I go to those words in 1 Timothy
chapter 6 and verse 6, godliness. says Paul, godliness with contentment
is great gain for we brought nothing into this world and it
is certain we can carry nothing out and having food and raiment
let us be there with content but they that will be rich fall
into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful
lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition for the love of
money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after
they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through
with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee
these things and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith,
love, patience, meekness." Always to follow after meekness. And the meek inherit the earth,
you see. or the meek inherit the earth. As I said, we don't
only have it here in Christ's Sermon on the Mount, we have
it in the Psalm that we read there in verse 11 of Psalm 37,
the meek shall inherit the earth. And remember how it goes on again
later at verse 22, such as be blessed of him Blessed of God,
blessed of Christ, shall inherit the earth, ought to know the
Lord's blessings, trust in the Lord, and do good. So shalt thou dwell in the land,
and verily thou shalt be fed. We read these words, didn't we,
just now in the psalm? Going there at verse 16 of that
psalm, a little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches
of many wicked. if we have but a little of this
world's goods what matters it for those who
have the Lord Jesus Christ whom have I in heaven but thee there's
none upon earth that I desire besides thee says the Psalms
for the meek they inherit the earth and so what does the Lord
go on to say in the course of his preaching here through chapter
5 into chapter 6 Seek ye first the Kingdom of
God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added
unto you. O God, grant that we might know
that favour then, that blessing of a meek spirit to be the receivers,
the recipients of the Lord Jesus Christ and to be content. Blessed are the meek for they
shall inherit the earth. May the Lord bless His word to
us today. Amen.