[0:00] Galatians chapter 5. We have not been there in about three weeks. And it's probably going to be another couple weeks before we get back to it. But Galatians chapter 5. Because next week we have the missionary speakers.
[0:14] And the week after that is this special day. I can't remember what it's called. Mother's Day? Mother's Day. So Galatians chapter 5.
[0:27] We've been talking about verses 22 and 23. You read it with me. Let's do something a little different. You read it with me. Don't go too fast on it.
[0:38] Kind of think about what we're saying. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.
[0:53] Against such there is no law. We've been talking about the fruit of the Spirit. And we've talked about love, joy, peace, long-suffering.
[1:05] And then right in the middle he has gentleness. Gentleness. We're going to be talking about gentleness this morning.
[1:16] Matter of fact, Webster defines gentleness. And I found this interesting. Noble, chivalrous, as a gentle knight.
[1:28] Generous, kind. Generous and kind. I can, you know, okay. You know, okay. Noble, chivalrous, as a gentle knight.
[1:41] I thought that was kind of interesting. Then I got thinking about it. You know, we always talk about a white knight in shining armor. We always talk about, you know, he comes riding in and saves the day and saves the fair maiden.
[1:57] You know, does all those type of things, you know. But they were always stand fast, stand firm. But always kind towards a gentle maiden who needed to be rescued.
[2:11] Okay. You think about the Lord Jesus Christ. And you think about the Spirit that he had. Stand fast, stand firm for what is right. But he did it in a gentle way.
[2:24] So we're going to be talking about that this morning. Matter of fact, Benjamin Franklin. He has a quote. It says this. I will speak ill of no man.
[2:35] Not even in the matter of truth. But rather excuse the faults I hear. And upon proper occasion speak all the good I know of anybody. And I thought that was interesting.
[2:47] Because I kind of read that at first. And I'm not sure I agree with that. Because he says, I will speak ill of no man. Not even in the matter of truth. But then I thought about it. We can stand fast.
[2:59] We can stand firm for the truth. But we can be pleasant in the way that we do it. Too often today people are so. What's the word I want?
[3:13] They lack tact. How's that for them? They lack tact. They lack a gentle spirit. We go after people today, don't we?
[3:25] You ever go on Facebook and you see somebody's comment. And you're going, hmm. And then you start reading the comments on the comment. And the comments that come afterwards.
[3:37] Whoa. That is, wow. They're not gentle and they're not kind. We have this thing about. We have to go after everybody today.
[3:49] And that's not the way life should be. That's not the way God would have us do that. See, gentleness and kindness. He says there's a fruit right in the middle of all those others.
[4:00] And he says, here's a fruit or a part of the fruit that will either make or break your Christian testimony. Think about that for a second. It will either make or break your Christian testimony.
[4:13] How you handle things. How you answer people. How you treat people. Can make or break your Christian testimony. You know, our society as a whole, as I was just talking about.
[4:29] Gentleness and things like that. They're hard to come by. Kindness is hard to come by. In church, we shouldn't be gentle with one another. It should be named amongst us often.
[4:43] When people think of you, they should think, you know, they're among the nicest people I know. They're always kind. They're always looking out for people. They're always, that's the kind of attitude we should have.
[4:56] So I'm going to talk about this a little bit more. But let's have a word of prayer first. And then we will talk about this idea of gentleness. Heavenly Father, I pray this morning that you would help us.
[5:07] Lord, you have helped during this past week. As Fred and Margaret pointed out. As Candice and Corey found out. Lord, you've been watching over people.
[5:19] You've been taking care of them. Lord, they may have gone through things. But you have watched out for their well-being. The fact that all of them walked away. Lord, some may be with a few more problems than others.
[5:33] But Lord, they've all walked away without serious injury. Lord, I pray that you would be with us. Help us to be a kind and gentle church.
[5:45] That we would show people the love of Christ in everything that we do. Everything that we say. Lord, may it be a matter of showing others exactly who Jesus was.
[5:58] Lord, I pray that you would help us through the Holy Spirit. To live lives that are kind. Lord, I pray that you would help us to learn today.
[6:10] So that when we go out from here. And we encounter other people. Some of them not among the most friendly. We can show kindness to them.
[6:20] Lord, use us to have an impact on lives. Because of Jesus Christ living within us. Lord, just bless our time here now in Jesus' name.
[6:32] Amen. So, the best way to learn about gentleness. Is to look at an illustration of gentleness. An example of gentleness. How do we do that?
[6:43] The Lord Jesus Christ himself. Jesus Christ is the example. The illustration. Of gentleness. If you were to read Psalm 117.
[6:53] Long Psalm. Two verses. And it says this. Oh, praise the Lord, all ye nations. Praise him, all ye people. Why should we praise him?
[7:05] Verse 2. For his merciful kindness is great toward us. And the truth of the Lord endureth forever. Praise ye the Lord. His merciful kindness is great toward us.
[7:21] You ever stop and think about the kindness that Jesus has shown to us? He came and gave his life for us. He came and gave his life for us. He came and went to the cross for us.
[7:33] He has watched over us day after day. It is part of his character to be kind toward us. The character of Jesus shows us.
[7:44] So much about who he is. He didn't have to die. He didn't have to go to the cross. He voluntarily went there. So that we might have eternal life.
[7:55] So that we might have salvation. So that we might have a home in heaven. In 1 Peter chapter 2, beginning of verse 21, 21 through 24, it says this.
[8:07] For even here unto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps.
[8:19] Follow Christ's steps. Act like him. He gave you an example. What did he do? Verse 22. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.
[8:30] He did not sin while he was here on earth. And neither was guile in his mouth. He didn't ever win after anybody. He wasn't going after people. He wasn't condemning people. He wasn't.
[8:41] Now there was a few, you know, the religious leaders who were leading people astray. He gave them a hard time sometimes. But the average person on the street, Jesus did nothing but show love to them.
[8:52] He wanted to help them. He took care of them. Verse 23. Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.
[9:07] When he was reviled, when people were saying things to him, accusing him of things, saying all manner of evil against him, he didn't answer them back. You remember we just went past Easter.
[9:18] You remember when he was heading toward the cross? And people were saying all kinds of things to him? And finally, Pilate says, aren't you going to say anything? No.
[9:30] He wasn't going to answer. He wasn't going to revile again. When he suffered, he threatened not. Those Roman soldiers were putting those spikes in his hands and his feet. You guys just wait.
[9:42] You're going to see what's coming your way. No. He didn't do that. He threatened not. Verse 24. He came to complete a work that he and the Father had come up with.
[10:18] He said, it's finished. It is finished. It's done. The gift of salvation has been given to those of this world.
[10:32] Notice the compassion of Christ. The compassion of Christ. Because in his kindness, as I just said, he offered us salvation.
[10:45] In Titus, I didn't put these verses down. You can just listen to them. Titus chapter 3, verses 4 through 7. He says this. But after that, the kindness and love of God our Savior toward men appeared.
[10:59] Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy. He saved us. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
[11:09] Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. The Holy Spirit has been given to us. The Holy Spirit lives within us. He has been given to us abundantly.
[11:20] Verse 7. That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Not only did he give us salvation. Not only has the Holy Spirit been given to us.
[11:32] He says you've been made heirs. All of God has given to us. All of Jesus. And how did he do that? But after that, the kindness and love of God our Savior toward men appeared.
[11:43] We got to see the kindness, the gentleness of Jesus Christ given to us. Ephesians chapter 2, verses 7 through 9.
[11:57] You know verses 8 and 9. But verse 7 says that in the ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Jesus Christ.
[12:09] For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. You've been shown the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us.
[12:24] Do we deserve what Jesus Christ has given to us? No. We are sinners. But by his kindness, his gentleness, he has given us salvation.
[12:38] His kindness leads us to repentance. Romans chapter 2, verse 4. Or despises thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.
[12:59] He says, so many people do this. Have you ever had people, you try to share the gospel with them, and they just about bite your head off? You try to share the gospel with them, and they just don't want to hear it.
[13:13] He says, despises thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. He says, so often we just, people just go after him and go after you because you're talking about the Lord Jesus Christ.
[13:31] And he says, God has given you a great gift. You know, both this verse and the one back up in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 7, he mentions the riches of his grace. Here he mentions the riches of his goodness.
[13:43] Do you realize how much we have in Jesus Christ? The riches that we have because he came and died for us.
[13:53] The riches that we have because he gave his life so that we wouldn't have to. The riches that we have because we've been heirs of God. The riches that we have because we have a home in heaven.
[14:08] If you came Washington Junction today, they've been working on that road. All week, put a whole bunch of new culverts across the road. Sometimes they're supposed to put down new pavement.
[14:20] But I guarantee you, the pavement they put down on that road will not be streets of gold. But he says, I'm giving you the riches of his grace.
[14:31] I've given you the riches of his goodness. I've given you the riches of his gentleness and kindness. That's who Christ is.
[14:44] He's the influence. He's the example that we follow. How do we get that in us? An infusion of gentleness. An infusion of gentleness.
[14:54] We get it because the Holy Spirit comes to live within us. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, he comes and lives within us. He takes up residence in us.
[15:05] We have Jesus himself, his spirit, living within us. So I'm talking about being kind and being gentle. You've often heard me say, I don't understand, especially Christians, how they can have the kind of quarrels and arguments and animosity that they have sometimes.
[15:26] Because the Christ living in Steve is the same Christ living in me. The Christ living in Garrett is the same Christ living in me.
[15:38] How can Christ be upset with Christ? How can Christ go after Christ? It doesn't happen. It can't happen. Somewhere, somebody is not following Christ and following what he has for them.
[15:51] So how are we going to have this infusion into us? The Holy Spirit is going to come. And he's going to show it to us, first of all, through sensitivity. Oh, Pastor Hersey's going woke on us.
[16:04] We're talking about sensitivity now. We're going to get some sensitivity training in church. No. But I want you to understand this. It doesn't matter how many verses you memorize.
[16:16] It doesn't matter how many convictions you have. If you can't hold those things with kindness, it really doesn't matter.
[16:32] What? I didn't put these verses up. I thought of them when I was going over this this morning. But 1 Corinthians chapter 13, that love chapter. Listen to what it says, the first few verses.
[16:45] Therefore I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not charity. I am become a sounding brass or tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and all.
[16:59] And though I have all faith so that I can remove mountains and have not charity. I am nothing. And though I just sow all my goods to feed the poor. And though I give my body to be burned.
[17:10] And have not charity. It profiteth me nothing. You see, we can do all kinds of things according to what God would have us do.
[17:21] And we can follow the word of God the way we should. But if we do it without kindness and gentleness. What good is it? Because the people watching us. Who need to hear the message of the gospel.
[17:33] People are not going to pay any attention. They talk about goodness and kindness and all this. And look at the way they treat people. Look at the way he talked to me the other day. See the testimony that we have.
[17:46] Christ says, look, part of the fruit of the spirit. Is gentleness. We need to be sensitive to the needs of others. We need to watch how we handle others.
[17:59] So that we do nothing to hurt the testimony of Jesus Christ. Philippians 2, verses 4 and 5 say this. Look not every man on his own things.
[18:10] But every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. He says, look, don't be just concerned with yourself all the time.
[18:22] Don't be concerned about what you're going to get. And how you're going to benefit from this. And what am I going to get out of it? He says, think about those around you. How are you going to treat those around you?
[18:35] How are you going to affect those around you? He says, let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Hmm. Why did Jesus come?
[18:47] Luke tells us he came to seek and to save that which was lost. Jesus came to help the lost. Jesus came to see people saved. He went to that cross so that you and I and all the world could have the opportunity to know salvation through him.
[19:04] He says, look, you show kindness, you show gentleness to those around you so that they may see Jesus Christ in all that he is.
[19:16] How about through sympathy? Sympathy. Romans 12, 15. Rejoice with them that do rejoice and weep with them that weep.
[19:30] That's a hard verse to do sometimes. Rejoice with them that rejoice. Somebody else gets something. Things are going well for them. They got a new house.
[19:42] They got a new car. They got a bonus at work. They got a... And he says, rejoice with them that rejoice. Well, how come I didn't get one? Why are they always getting things? Nobody cares about me.
[19:55] We do that, don't we? He says, look. Rejoice. With them that rejoice. When God blesses somebody, praise the Lord.
[20:08] Be joyful with them. Then it says, weep with those that weep. He says, you know, so often we don't have the concerns for others that we should.
[20:21] We need to be there in comfort to help. He says, be gentle. Be kind to those that are around. 2 Timothy, chapter 2, verse 24 through 26.
[20:34] And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men. Stop right there for a second. Look at what that says.
[20:47] The servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men. Be kind. Be kind. Help them. Watch out for them.
[20:59] Be apt to teach, patient. In meekness, instructing those who oppose themselves. If God, peradventure, will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.
[21:09] Why do we treat them kindly? Why do we look out for them? What? He says, so that they might come to repentance and acknowledge the truth. We show them Christ's likeness.
[21:21] Verse 26. And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who is taken captive by him at his will. We're trying to let them come to a place where they are no longer under the influence of the devil.
[21:34] Where they are under the influence of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit is living in them. He says, you do that by showing them kindness and gentleness. How?
[21:46] Through spontaneity. Spontaneity. Well, that sounds interesting. How are we going to show them kindness and gentleness through spontaneity? Galatians 6.10. As we have, therefore, opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
[22:05] He says, as you have opportunity, show good. Do good. Show gentleness. Show kindness. Do good unto all them. Especially those of the household of faith.
[22:18] In here, we should be showing gentleness, kindness, helping one another. Rejoicing with one another. Weeping with one another. Taking care of one another.
[22:29] Looking out for one another. He says, that's what you're supposed to do. You know, how many times do you hear people and they say, well, this happened or that happened or this is going on.
[22:40] And you're saying, can I help you with that? Let's do this. Let's do that. Or can I pray with you? Or can I? Are we there to try to help with what's going on in their life?
[22:52] So, we have an influence. Jesus Christ himself. An example that shows us. Jesus, when we're saved, comes to live within us.
[23:04] We get an infusion of this gentleness because Jesus lives within us. And if Jesus is now living within us, we have a reason to show gentleness.
[23:18] Or for another word that starts with an eye. We have an inducement to gentleness. He's going to show us. You know, think about it.
[23:29] Ephesians chapter 5 verse 18 says this. Be not drunk with wine when you're in success, but be filled with the Spirit. If Jesus Christ saves us and he gives us his Holy Spirit, do we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us in the work the way he wants to in our lives?
[23:49] We are empowered, empowered by the Spirit of God. We can't do it on our own. It's not, I'm going to be kind today to everybody that comes along because somebody's going to say something to you and you're going to go, what?
[24:08] And you're ready. We can't do it on our own. But he says, but an infillment of the Holy Spirit, an inducement of the Holy Spirit. Where? First of all, in our homes.
[24:21] In our homes. Do we show kindness and gentleness in our homes? One of the things I've noticed since being a pastor, a lot of homes don't have gentleness and kindness in them.
[24:35] It's because we ignore Scripture. There's a lot of homes that I'm familiar with, people I've talked to, people I've counseled.
[24:46] And the husbands in particular know the words submit real well. Wives who submit unto their own husbands.
[25:00] Yeah. But they forget the one that says, husbands love your wives. See, we're supposed to be kind and gentle in our homes to one another as well.
[25:13] And there's some wives who can be kind of prickly as well. So it goes both ways. But be kind in your homes.
[25:25] Be gentle. Let me give you an illustration of that. This mother had two boys. One's five and one's two. And she's in the kitchen one day.
[25:40] The two boys are playing. And the two-year-old reaches up and pulls the hair of the five-year-old. Nobody's ever seen a kid do that, right?
[25:51] And the five-year-old screams out in pain. Oh. And his mom comes running. And she says, what's the matter? He pulled my hair. And mom says, well, he's only two.
[26:05] He doesn't know what it's like to have his hair pulled. Moms, can you see a problem coming here? He doesn't know what it's like to have his hair pulled. Mom leaves.
[26:16] A few seconds later, there's a scream coming from that room again. And she runs back in. What happened? Five-year-old says, well, you said he didn't know what it felt like. He does now.
[26:29] Sometimes we don't treat people with kindness. We just, you gave me this, I'm going to give you this. You said this, I'm going to say this.
[26:41] And Jesus says, no, that's not how it works. That's not what we do. We show gentleness and kindness. How about in our community? As I mentioned, you go on social media, all kinds of comments being made about everybody and everything.
[26:58] I have a friend from high school. She's as liberal as they come. Let me tell you how liberal she is.
[27:09] I'm not against these stations, but she used to work for NPR and NPBN. Kind of gives you the slant that she's coming from. And she just says some of the most outlandish things I have ever heard.
[27:27] But I don't answer her. I have been tempted, but I don't. Just because I can do more by putting up things that have to do with the Lord Jesus Christ than I can political things.
[27:42] See, a lot of times we have an unkind spirit in our communities and toward our community leaders and things. And God says, no, don't do that. Matter of fact, in Colossians 3, verses 12, 13, he says, But put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another and forgiving one another, even if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
[28:22] Did you see what he said there? How are we supposed to treat people? He says, first of all, you're part of the elect of God. You're part of God's family. And he says, because of that, you're holy.
[28:34] You're beloved. So how should I live my life? But he says, showing mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing, forgiving.
[28:49] That's the way I'm supposed to live my life. That's the things I'm supposed to do. That's how I'm supposed to show others Jesus Christ in me. He says, don't do all those other things.
[29:01] Show kindness. To who? To those in need. You think about Jesus again. Remember the woman who had the issue of blood that just reached down and touched the hem of his garment? Or the woman at the well?
[29:14] Or the blind man that he gave sight to? All those different ones, the lepers. Jesus took those that were in need.
[29:24] And they had some great needs. And he showed kindness to them. How about those that oppose us? Those that go against us? How do we treat them?
[29:36] Treat them with respect. Treat them with kindness. Don't go after them. The Holy Spirit empowers us. And then we are encouraged by the testimony of Jesus.
[29:50] We are encouraged by the testimony of Jesus. Think of how Jesus has forgiven you. Not just your sin. I mean, he forgave you of your sins.
[30:01] He cleansed you. He's given you a home in heaven. He's done all these things for you. But day by day. He's still forgiving you, isn't he? It's not even noontime today yet.
[30:15] Let's see how honest you are. Anybody who hasn't sinned yet today? Yeah, good answer. No. And he's forgiving us.
[30:27] Always forgiving us. We're encouraged by the testimony of Jesus that he does forgive. Three more verses. Three more verses. And I'm wrapping this up.
[30:38] Ephesians chapter 4, verses 30 to 32. Verses you know well. He says this. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
[30:51] Don't grieve the Holy Spirit. Okay. Okay. I'm not supposed to grieve the Holy Spirit. So how do I not grieve the Holy Spirit?
[31:02] Verse 31. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. Wait a minute.
[31:13] I can't hold grudges? No. I can't have bitterness in my heart toward people? No. I can't talk badly about people? Evil speaking?
[31:24] No. He says give it all that stuff. And then he says in verse 32. And be ye kind one to another.
[31:35] Tender hearted. Forgiving one another. Even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. He says show kindness. Show gentleness. Show forgiveness. Show them that they matter to you and to Jesus Christ.
[31:52] Show them that nothing is more important. Whatever they said, whatever they did, it is not as important as what Jesus Christ did for them. And they need to have him in their lives.
[32:03] So, in a society where gentleness and kindness are kind of going by the wayside. I was even reading an article the other day.
[32:17] I was watching a video the other day about the NBA. You know I like sports. And I'm right into watching the Celtics and what's going on there. But they were showing an article how disrespectful players are getting.
[32:35] And the way they treat teammates. The way they treat the other team. The way they treat the referees. It's just, you know, there is just so lacking in kindness these days.
[32:51] And we need to show gentleness, kindness to our families, to our community, to one another. Like I said though, that doesn't come through determination.
[33:05] It doesn't come through perseverance. Remember back when we started part of this? Look at verse 16. This I say then, walk in the spirit.
[33:17] We have to walk in the spirit. Day by day by day. And then in verse 19 through 21, he told us all the works of the flesh.
[33:28] He said, nah, don't do those things. Avoid all those things. He says, have the fruit of the spirit. Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness.
[33:44] This message wasn't for unsaved today. And as I look around, I believe everybody here is saved. If you're not, come talk to me. I'd be glad to show you. But for those of you who are saved, gentleness.
[34:00] Do we have a care and a concern for those around us? Do we have a care and concern for those out there who need to know Jesus? Are we making sure our testimony does not detract from the message of the gospel that needs to go out?
[34:21] You know, I look at this and I look at what we've just talked about and I look at Jesus as our example. What was part of Jesus' character that made all of this possible?
[34:32] He had a servant's heart. Take your hymn book. Turn to page 548. Please, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are, if you are