WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:13.960 Good evening, everyone. So we're going to talk about gentleness today. I want to start us off by asking the question, where does gentleness rank on your fruits of the spirit list? 00:00:16.699 --> 00:00:29.699 ! You know, if you're thinking about fruits of the spirit, you go, ah, well, love. I mean, gotta have that one. God is love, right? Joy. I mean, who doesn't want joy in their life? 00:00:29.699 --> 00:00:39.899 Okay, so that's number two. Joy. I mean, peace. A lot of people pray for peace, think peace would be pretty good. And if you were even here two weeks ago, David Brown was talking about self-control. 00:00:40.079 --> 00:00:52.519 And he mentioned self-control as kind of a foundation for almost all of the other fruits of the spirit. So you start to make a list and you go, ah, well, not top three. Does gentleness crack the top five? 00:00:52.520 --> 00:01:03.640 And you start to think, oh, well, it's kind of way down there. The good news is when Paul is listing the fruits of the spirit in Galatians 5, he doesn't list them in order of priority. 00:01:04.040 --> 00:01:12.680 He is saying, hey, all of these are important for the Christian life, whether it's love or gentleness. All of these are important. 00:01:12.680 --> 00:01:23.240 And so we all know that and we acknowledge that. But when it really comes down to it, we go, ah, but that's really hard, Seth. 00:01:23.460 --> 00:01:30.300 And I understand completely. I am not a gentle person. See, when we think of gentleness, a lot of times we like to think of this picture right here. 00:01:30.780 --> 00:01:35.400 I call this picture Renaissance Mary, or if you have a better accent than me, Renaissance Mary. 00:01:35.400 --> 00:01:43.700 See, this Mary, who we kind of think of, right, when we think of gentleness, she's very poised. She's very calm. 00:01:44.200 --> 00:01:51.600 This Mary, you look like you could come up to her very gently and say, Mary, I am so sorry. I just ran over your dog. 00:01:52.080 --> 00:01:55.040 And she would go, God bless you. That's okay. 00:01:56.280 --> 00:01:59.719 See, this is what we think of when we think of gentleness. 00:01:59.719 --> 00:02:07.859 But we just never can attain to this. Instead, I like to think of myself, at least, as more Byzantine Mary. 00:02:08.099 --> 00:02:11.539 So this is a picture of Mary from Byzantine, and it's a little far away. 00:02:11.740 --> 00:02:16.240 But if you can peer into Byzantine Mary's eyes, she looks like she is so done. 00:02:17.419 --> 00:02:22.900 She looks like if the little baby Jesus there reaches up his hand and touches her, one more face, 00:02:22.900 --> 00:02:29.099 she is going to be not only on the edge, but she's going to be pushed over that edge and screaming bloody murder. 00:02:29.099 --> 00:02:31.439 She looks completely done. 00:02:32.239 --> 00:02:35.099 And this is not how we respond a lot of the times, right? 00:02:35.299 --> 00:02:40.400 At least for me, in general, I, when responding to people not with Renaissance Mary, 00:02:40.680 --> 00:02:49.819 but rather Byzantine Mary style, of being very upset and very just mute and honestly right on the edge with people. 00:02:51.019 --> 00:02:58.659 Well, so how? How can we go from responding like Renaissance Mary to Byzantine Mary? 00:02:59.780 --> 00:03:05.280 Well, it's the entire reason why I labeled this talk and titled it Back to the Future, 00:03:05.519 --> 00:03:10.579 is that we need to go back and understand where we have come from 00:03:10.579 --> 00:03:16.759 to then understand how we can be gentle as we understand our future as well. 00:03:17.620 --> 00:03:21.500 So as we dive into this, let's start with the question, why be gentle? 00:03:21.500 --> 00:03:26.539 So I know I kind of asked the question earlier about how can we be gentle, 00:03:26.539 --> 00:03:33.280 and I kind of switched it around on you right here, and I'm saying why, but I think the why question is important. 00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:40.659 If we don't understand why, what would happen here is that we would go, you know, 20 minutes here, 00:03:40.699 --> 00:03:45.280 I'd tell you how to be gentle, you'd go out of the doors, and you would try really hard, two days. 00:03:45.699 --> 00:03:47.400 I mean, if you're really good, three days. 00:03:47.740 --> 00:03:49.300 But then something would happen. 00:03:49.479 --> 00:03:50.180 You'd mess up. 00:03:50.340 --> 00:03:51.280 We're all human, right? 00:03:51.280 --> 00:03:55.939 And then, once you've messed up, you'd say, ah, maybe this just isn't me. 00:03:56.039 --> 00:03:57.039 I'm not a gentle person. 00:03:57.140 --> 00:03:58.000 You'd forget about it. 00:03:58.379 --> 00:04:03.740 But if we know why we're supposed to be gentle, well, that can transform the how. 00:04:04.580 --> 00:04:05.379 So why? 00:04:05.659 --> 00:04:07.199 Why should we be gentle? 00:04:08.120 --> 00:04:11.340 Well, it's a very churchy answer, but the answer is Jesus. 00:04:11.979 --> 00:04:15.780 We should be gentle because Jesus was gentle. 00:04:15.780 --> 00:04:21.939 See, Matthew 11, 29, Jesus describes himself as gentle. 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:30.680 He says, take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 00:04:31.740 --> 00:04:35.220 See, Jesus here has an opportunity to describe himself. 00:04:36.279 --> 00:04:37.240 And what does he say? 00:04:38.180 --> 00:04:39.220 He could have said he's powerful. 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:41.680 He could have said that, you know, he's God. 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:45.300 And he says, I am gentle and humble. 00:04:45.300 --> 00:04:49.060 I am gentle and lowly, if you choose a different translation. 00:04:50.040 --> 00:04:52.020 And see, his gentleness comes out in many ways. 00:04:52.100 --> 00:04:56.120 In the Old Testament, you look at Isaiah 41 through 2, it says, 00:04:56.560 --> 00:04:59.040 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 00:04:59.180 --> 00:05:08.120 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for. 00:05:08.360 --> 00:05:11.000 Basically, the people have rebelled against God. 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:21.860 And while they're in exile, God says, listen, I know you deserve this, but I am going to act gently towards you and give you, 00:05:22.579 --> 00:05:25.459 I'm going to free you from this captivity here in a little while. 00:05:27.100 --> 00:05:28.480 See, it's in the New Testament. 00:05:28.540 --> 00:05:31.839 If you go to the New Testament, well, you just have to look at the person of Jesus, right? 00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:35.679 We already talked about he describes himself as gentle and lowly in Matthew 11. 00:05:36.439 --> 00:05:39.879 In John 8, there is a woman who's caught in adultery. 00:05:40.479 --> 00:05:45.339 The Pharisees catch her in the act of adultery, bring her before Jesus, and say, 00:05:45.439 --> 00:05:52.059 Master, the law says that you have to stone her, and that we should stone her. 00:05:52.060 --> 00:05:53.579 What do you say? 00:05:54.699 --> 00:06:01.839 And Jesus, he kneels down, writes something in the sand, and then says, 00:06:01.980 --> 00:06:05.259 You who are without sin, you go ahead and cast that first stone. 00:06:07.300 --> 00:06:11.240 Well, one by one, the people, the Pharisees, they start to trickle off. 00:06:11.540 --> 00:06:13.120 Jesus looks up, it's just the woman there. 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:19.480 And he says, oh, in almost a sarcastic tone, oh, no one can stone you. 00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:21.319 Well, I don't condemn you either. 00:06:21.800 --> 00:06:23.740 Go and sin no more. 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:31.959 See, Jesus, this woman deserved death, and yet Jesus' gentleness overflows into her being spared. 00:06:33.139 --> 00:06:38.240 Just before Matthew 11 is Matthew 9, Jesus is going through the countryside, 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:47.040 and he sees the people, and he looks at them and has compassion on them. 00:06:48.939 --> 00:06:52.680 See, he sees the crowd and loves them so much that he starts to heal them. 00:06:52.960 --> 00:06:56.139 That's what his gentleness leads to, is him healing people. 00:06:57.900 --> 00:07:05.939 And actually, I would say that Jesus' healing is actually his greatest showing of gentleness. 00:07:05.939 --> 00:07:10.980 But not physical healing, like he does in Matthew 9, 00:07:11.620 --> 00:07:15.379 but in healing our relationship to the Father. 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:21.680 See, at one point in time, we have all decided that we wanted to be God, right? 00:07:22.279 --> 00:07:24.000 It's what the Bible calls idolatry. 00:07:24.139 --> 00:07:26.519 We decide that we know better than God, so we sin. 00:07:27.060 --> 00:07:29.639 This sin separates us from God. 00:07:31.159 --> 00:07:32.439 I mean, Romans 3.23 says, 00:07:32.439 --> 00:07:34.920 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 00:07:35.939 --> 00:07:41.839 And so since we have sinned, we need somebody to set us right. 00:07:42.680 --> 00:07:45.300 That act of setting right is called justification. 00:07:45.819 --> 00:07:47.819 Christians for centuries have called it justification. 00:07:49.699 --> 00:07:52.939 And we need justification. 00:07:53.879 --> 00:07:55.180 And how do we get it? 00:07:56.620 --> 00:07:57.180 Jesus. 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:00.439 Jesus is our justification. 00:08:00.439 --> 00:08:03.240 He lived the perfect life. 00:08:03.319 --> 00:08:05.620 He took our place on the cross. 00:08:07.180 --> 00:08:09.980 And because he took our place, Romans 5.1 says, 00:08:10.259 --> 00:08:12.899 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, 00:08:13.139 --> 00:08:17.300 we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:08:17.300 --> 00:08:21.120 See, but there's something interesting here. 00:08:21.180 --> 00:08:22.420 I don't know if you caught it, if you're listening. 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:27.639 Romans 5.1 there, the tense of the verb. 00:08:29.480 --> 00:08:32.759 Paul says that we have been justified. 00:08:33.779 --> 00:08:35.180 This is a past act. 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:35.820 It's accomplished. 00:08:36.639 --> 00:08:38.600 So what does that mean right now? 00:08:39.940 --> 00:08:41.060 What does that mean for Jesus? 00:08:41.059 --> 00:08:42.579 That's the question that we have to ask ourselves. 00:08:42.719 --> 00:08:44.919 What is Jesus doing now? 00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:48.259 Is he hit retirement age? 00:08:48.279 --> 00:08:52.539 Is he 66, collecting his pension, sitting by the pool, drinking mocktails, 00:08:52.599 --> 00:08:54.639 and about to go play 18 with Elijah and Moses? 00:08:56.239 --> 00:08:58.359 While I would love to see Jesus play golf, 00:08:58.419 --> 00:09:00.979 so I can maybe take a few strokes off of my own game, 00:09:01.339 --> 00:09:03.639 that's not what's happening here. 00:09:03.639 --> 00:09:09.460 See, Hebrews 7.25 says that Jesus right now 00:09:09.460 --> 00:09:12.179 isn't just hanging out in heaven chilling, 00:09:12.600 --> 00:09:16.199 but instead is interceding for us. 00:09:17.379 --> 00:09:17.639 It says, 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:20.419 Consequently, he's able to save to the uttermost 00:09:20.419 --> 00:09:22.559 those who draw near to God through him, 00:09:22.860 --> 00:09:26.539 since he always lives to make intercession for them. 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:30.319 See, Jesus' job is not done. 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:34.360 He doesn't just give us this path to new life, 00:09:34.440 --> 00:09:35.000 this justification, 00:09:35.320 --> 00:09:35.560 and say, 00:09:35.680 --> 00:09:36.740 Hey, here it is. 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:37.500 Figure it out. 00:09:37.560 --> 00:09:41.140 No, he is walking alongside us as we go along. 00:09:43.020 --> 00:09:47.900 He lives to constantly make intercession for us. 00:09:49.940 --> 00:09:53.580 Now, I want to say something to make something clear. 00:09:53.740 --> 00:09:58.420 This does not mean that justification is not fully complete. 00:09:58.419 --> 00:10:01.879 But instead, through intercession, 00:10:02.500 --> 00:10:09.099 Jesus is applying constantly what justification accomplished. 00:10:10.139 --> 00:10:15.360 Again, this does not mean that justification is not complete. 00:10:15.459 --> 00:10:16.879 Once we are saved, we are saved. 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:18.539 Jesus has a one-time act. 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:19.279 Jesus has done it. 00:10:19.879 --> 00:10:23.259 But intercession, what Jesus is doing now, 00:10:23.360 --> 00:10:24.279 once you are a Christian, 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:25.379 once you are saved, 00:10:25.379 --> 00:10:29.939 is that he is constantly applying that justification to your life. 00:10:31.240 --> 00:10:33.399 And that's great news, right? 00:10:34.939 --> 00:10:37.620 Dane Ortland, who wrote the book Gentle and Lowly, 00:10:37.700 --> 00:10:39.860 which a lot of this stuff is based off of, 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:41.360 high recommend on the book. 00:10:42.299 --> 00:10:43.919 And if you want a copy, we have plenty, 00:10:44.019 --> 00:10:44.820 so please come ask. 00:10:44.820 --> 00:10:46.840 He says, 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:51.120 the intercession of Christ is his heart, 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:55.740 connecting our heart to the Father's heart. 00:10:57.520 --> 00:10:59.800 See, right here, I think that this is something 00:10:59.800 --> 00:11:01.580 that you can kind of grasp in your head, 00:11:01.800 --> 00:11:03.400 but I honestly think a word picture 00:11:03.400 --> 00:11:05.280 and even just a picture up here would be even better. 00:11:05.520 --> 00:11:07.100 So I've asked a few friends to come help me. 00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:08.180 Lucy, will you come up here? 00:11:08.220 --> 00:11:09.620 And Anderson, will you come up here? 00:11:09.700 --> 00:11:11.740 Lucy, go ahead and stand on this side. 00:11:11.820 --> 00:11:14.340 And Anderson, stand on this side. 00:11:14.340 --> 00:11:16.720 So we're going to, 00:11:16.840 --> 00:11:18.000 Lucy right here, Anderson there, 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:20.759 we're going to call Lucy God in this instance. 00:11:21.280 --> 00:11:22.379 Don't let it go to your head. 00:11:23.500 --> 00:11:25.420 We're going to call Anderson here. 00:11:25.860 --> 00:11:26.759 Anderson is man. 00:11:27.379 --> 00:11:28.340 And so at one point, 00:11:28.460 --> 00:11:30.820 this relationship was perfect, right? 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:32.660 It's the very beginning of our Bibles. 00:11:33.040 --> 00:11:34.200 But as I said earlier, 00:11:34.500 --> 00:11:35.820 men, all of us, 00:11:36.139 --> 00:11:38.560 we have decided to sin at one point in time 00:11:38.560 --> 00:11:40.540 and it ruined this relationship. 00:11:41.539 --> 00:11:44.500 So Jesus, as our justifier, 00:11:44.959 --> 00:11:49.159 he comes in and justifies this relationship, right? 00:11:49.959 --> 00:11:51.279 He says, no, no, no, 00:11:51.319 --> 00:11:53.179 the wrath that he rightly deserves 00:11:53.179 --> 00:11:54.919 because he's chosen to be his own God, 00:11:55.039 --> 00:11:56.879 it doesn't go to him anymore. 00:11:57.000 --> 00:11:58.059 It comes to me 00:11:58.059 --> 00:12:00.219 and the grace that I earned 00:12:00.219 --> 00:12:01.419 because I lived a perfect life, 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:02.980 me being Jesus in this moment, 00:12:03.559 --> 00:12:06.819 goes to Anderson, to man, right? 00:12:07.580 --> 00:12:09.240 That's what justification is. 00:12:10.360 --> 00:12:12.680 Intercession is almost as if Jesus 00:12:12.680 --> 00:12:15.080 is making this relationship right, 00:12:15.160 --> 00:12:16.280 but just almost think of him 00:12:16.280 --> 00:12:20.420 as turning and looking at God now 00:12:20.420 --> 00:12:22.660 and he is saying, hey, hang on. 00:12:23.140 --> 00:12:25.320 Not only did I make this relationship right, 00:12:25.500 --> 00:12:27.020 but almost as a lawyer, 00:12:27.960 --> 00:12:29.700 they would have their client here 00:12:29.700 --> 00:12:32.560 say on behalf of this guy here, 00:12:32.700 --> 00:12:34.480 I'm actually making intercession 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:36.500 saying that no, no, no, he is right. 00:12:36.980 --> 00:12:38.879 I'm interceding for anything 00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:40.200 on this guy's behalf. 00:12:42.700 --> 00:12:44.639 So that's fantastic, right? 00:12:44.920 --> 00:12:46.539 Jesus has got to be the best lawyer around. 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:49.779 But there's one more thing here 00:12:49.779 --> 00:12:51.680 that when I was researching 00:12:51.680 --> 00:12:53.240 and reading Day Northland's book, 00:12:53.920 --> 00:12:56.180 this part kind of blew me away. 00:12:56.179 --> 00:12:59.159 See, in this moment right here, 00:12:59.859 --> 00:13:02.939 Jesus says that he's not only 00:13:02.939 --> 00:13:04.899 our justifier, 00:13:05.439 --> 00:13:07.719 he's not only our interceder, 00:13:08.759 --> 00:13:12.659 but he is also our advocate. 00:13:13.419 --> 00:13:15.079 So not only does he sit here 00:13:15.079 --> 00:13:16.459 as the lawyer that says, 00:13:16.579 --> 00:13:18.839 hey, this guy is innocent, 00:13:19.839 --> 00:13:22.859 he comes and joins this team 00:13:22.860 --> 00:13:26.940 and says, we're on the same team, 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:28.440 you can't punish him. 00:13:28.980 --> 00:13:30.300 And in fact, it would actually be 00:13:30.300 --> 00:13:31.840 unlawful for you to punish him 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:34.240 because the wrath that you had 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:35.340 was actually taken out of time. 00:13:36.300 --> 00:13:36.940 Thank you, guys. 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:37.440 Thanks for your help. 00:13:40.100 --> 00:13:41.419 We've lost our slides, but that's okay. 00:13:42.820 --> 00:13:46.259 So Jesus is our advocate. 00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:47.920 He's not only our justifier, 00:13:47.920 --> 00:13:49.100 he's not only our intercessor, 00:13:49.240 --> 00:13:50.860 but he is indeed our advocate. 00:13:50.860 --> 00:13:53.000 1 John 2, 1 says, 00:13:53.259 --> 00:13:54.159 my dear children, 00:13:54.379 --> 00:13:55.379 I write this to you 00:13:55.379 --> 00:13:57.240 so that you will not sin. 00:13:57.740 --> 00:13:59.019 But if anybody does sin, 00:13:59.139 --> 00:14:01.300 we have an advocate with the Father, 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:03.360 Jesus Christ, the righteous one. 00:14:04.460 --> 00:14:05.440 See, this whole goal, 00:14:05.539 --> 00:14:06.320 once you become a Christian, 00:14:06.440 --> 00:14:07.080 you live this life 00:14:07.080 --> 00:14:08.100 and you're supposed to become 00:14:08.100 --> 00:14:09.419 more and more like Christ. 00:14:09.800 --> 00:14:11.139 This is called sanctification. 00:14:12.200 --> 00:14:13.659 This is our goal, 00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:14.940 is to become more and more like Christ, 00:14:14.980 --> 00:14:16.220 but we will never hit it. 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:20.220 In fact, if you are a new Christian 00:14:20.220 --> 00:14:21.899 in the room and you think 00:14:21.899 --> 00:14:23.519 or somebody has ever told you 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:25.500 that once you become a Christian 00:14:25.500 --> 00:14:27.680 that your sins will, 00:14:27.960 --> 00:14:29.440 you will no longer be tempted to sin, 00:14:29.639 --> 00:14:31.300 that is a lie. 00:14:32.440 --> 00:14:33.960 In fact, there's a lot of older saints 00:14:33.960 --> 00:14:34.620 around here today 00:14:34.620 --> 00:14:35.940 that I bet you could go and ask 00:14:35.940 --> 00:14:36.940 and ask them, 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:38.060 and they would tell you 00:14:38.060 --> 00:14:39.360 that when they became a Christian, 00:14:40.139 --> 00:14:42.680 it actually got a lot worse, 00:14:42.899 --> 00:14:43.639 the temptation did. 00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:47.919 See, we need to become 00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:48.899 more and more like Christ, 00:14:49.100 --> 00:14:50.580 but because we are sinful, 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:51.399 we fail. 00:14:51.699 --> 00:14:53.120 But 1 John 2, 1, 00:14:53.379 --> 00:14:54.379 it says, 00:14:54.860 --> 00:14:55.360 don't worry, 00:14:55.439 --> 00:14:56.240 yes, you will sin, 00:14:56.299 --> 00:14:56.879 but do not worry 00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:58.279 because you have an advocate. 00:14:58.779 --> 00:15:00.620 This guy that stands right here 00:15:00.620 --> 00:15:01.819 beside you. 00:15:03.860 --> 00:15:05.120 And see, he's not just an advocate 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:05.559 that says, 00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:08.419 like a lackadaisical advocate, right? 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:10.460 So he doesn't go before God 00:15:10.460 --> 00:15:10.720 and he's like, 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:11.639 all right, listen, God, 00:15:11.860 --> 00:15:12.879 Anderson, yeah, 00:15:13.540 --> 00:15:15.080 he talked back to his parents, 00:15:15.920 --> 00:15:16.379 which I never know 00:15:16.379 --> 00:15:17.519 never happens right now. 00:15:19.100 --> 00:15:20.660 And, but listen, 00:15:20.759 --> 00:15:22.639 that's 35 minutes 00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:23.840 since his last sin, 00:15:23.960 --> 00:15:25.840 and if we do like a year over year, 00:15:25.940 --> 00:15:27.700 that's a 27% decrease 00:15:27.700 --> 00:15:28.639 over last year 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:30.019 in sin per minute. 00:15:30.200 --> 00:15:31.960 And so, honestly, 00:15:32.100 --> 00:15:32.879 pretty good investment. 00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:34.100 I think you should still keep going. 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:37.160 That's not what God is like at all. 00:15:37.159 --> 00:15:40.259 See, instead, 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:42.539 he advocates for us 00:15:42.539 --> 00:15:45.379 with a fervor. 00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:47.719 I want you to grasp this, 00:15:47.939 --> 00:15:49.299 that the angels 00:15:49.299 --> 00:15:52.639 who constantly spend time with God, 00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:53.959 he advocates for us, 00:15:54.019 --> 00:15:54.679 with us so much 00:15:54.679 --> 00:15:55.939 that the angels long 00:15:55.939 --> 00:15:58.000 to look into this relationship. 00:15:58.620 --> 00:16:00.480 They cannot grasp the kind of grace 00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:02.439 that God has for us. 00:16:02.959 --> 00:16:03.799 The kind of gentleness 00:16:03.799 --> 00:16:06.059 that Jesus shows towards us. 00:16:06.059 --> 00:16:10.019 Again, Dane Ortlund, 00:16:10.099 --> 00:16:10.659 he would say, 00:16:10.819 --> 00:16:11.659 we are called 00:16:11.659 --> 00:16:13.379 to mature into deeper levels 00:16:13.379 --> 00:16:14.279 of personal holiness 00:16:14.279 --> 00:16:16.019 as we walk with the Lord. 00:16:16.359 --> 00:16:17.319 Truer consecration, 00:16:17.479 --> 00:16:18.699 new vistas of obedience, 00:16:19.019 --> 00:16:20.259 what we would call sanctification. 00:16:21.299 --> 00:16:22.619 But when we don't, 00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:24.299 when we choose to sin 00:16:24.299 --> 00:16:24.599 through, 00:16:25.599 --> 00:16:26.639 though, sorry, 00:16:27.119 --> 00:16:27.919 though we forsake 00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:28.759 our true identity, 00:16:29.699 --> 00:16:30.559 our Savior 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:32.699 does not forsake us. 00:16:34.579 --> 00:16:35.459 So why? 00:16:35.460 --> 00:16:37.620 Why should we be gentle? 00:16:39.560 --> 00:16:41.060 Because we are mimicking 00:16:41.060 --> 00:16:43.300 the Savior 00:16:43.300 --> 00:16:44.680 who gave up everything 00:16:44.680 --> 00:16:46.460 to save us. 00:16:48.840 --> 00:16:49.320 See, 00:16:49.580 --> 00:16:50.240 the Savior's heart 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:51.460 just overflows 00:16:52.139 --> 00:16:53.259 with gentleness 00:16:53.259 --> 00:16:54.300 for his creation. 00:16:56.379 --> 00:16:57.759 So that's the why question. 00:16:57.860 --> 00:16:58.560 We've answered it, 00:16:58.639 --> 00:16:59.180 and I promise 00:16:59.180 --> 00:17:00.480 that the next few parts 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:01.340 of this how section 00:17:01.340 --> 00:17:02.200 will go faster. 00:17:02.340 --> 00:17:03.080 I promise we won't spend 00:17:03.080 --> 00:17:03.600 that much time 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:04.299 on all of these. 00:17:04.299 --> 00:17:05.899 So now we get 00:17:05.899 --> 00:17:06.759 to the point. 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:07.220 How? 00:17:07.339 --> 00:17:09.659 How can we be gentle? 00:17:11.659 --> 00:17:12.720 Well, we have to have 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:13.399 patience 00:17:13.399 --> 00:17:14.940 and humility. 00:17:17.139 --> 00:17:18.059 See, there's a reason 00:17:18.059 --> 00:17:19.099 why patience is listed 00:17:19.099 --> 00:17:20.039 as one of the fruits 00:17:20.039 --> 00:17:20.480 of the Spirit 00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:21.639 in Galatians 5. 00:17:22.759 --> 00:17:23.319 Paul is saying 00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:24.399 that without gentleness, 00:17:24.980 --> 00:17:25.859 or there is no gentleness 00:17:25.859 --> 00:17:26.639 without patience. 00:17:28.099 --> 00:17:29.180 There's also a reason 00:17:29.180 --> 00:17:29.819 why patience 00:17:29.819 --> 00:17:30.639 and humility 00:17:30.639 --> 00:17:31.799 are also listed together 00:17:31.799 --> 00:17:32.519 with gentleness 00:17:32.519 --> 00:17:33.339 in Ephesians 4. 00:17:34.839 --> 00:17:35.460 Paul says 00:17:35.460 --> 00:17:36.119 in Ephesians 4, 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:36.639 1 and 2, 00:17:36.740 --> 00:17:37.400 as a prisoner 00:17:37.400 --> 00:17:38.460 for the Lord then, 00:17:39.799 --> 00:17:40.859 I urge you 00:17:40.859 --> 00:17:41.680 to live a life 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:42.779 worthy of the calling 00:17:42.779 --> 00:17:43.500 you have received. 00:17:44.500 --> 00:17:45.559 Be completely humble 00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:46.019 and gentle. 00:17:46.440 --> 00:17:47.299 Be patient, 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:48.539 bearing with one another 00:17:48.539 --> 00:17:49.319 in love. 00:17:50.900 --> 00:17:51.400 So then, okay, 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:52.259 Seth, great. 00:17:52.379 --> 00:17:53.559 You've told me things. 00:17:53.619 --> 00:17:54.440 You're supposed to tell me 00:17:54.440 --> 00:17:55.220 how I'm supposed 00:17:55.220 --> 00:17:55.700 to be gentle, 00:17:55.879 --> 00:17:56.579 and you've told me 00:17:56.579 --> 00:17:57.240 to be patient, 00:17:57.720 --> 00:17:58.240 and you've told me 00:17:58.240 --> 00:17:58.680 to be humble. 00:17:58.680 --> 00:17:59.640 It's not really 00:17:59.640 --> 00:18:01.940 a great how-to guide yet. 00:18:02.320 --> 00:18:03.000 I'd agree. 00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:06.240 So how? 00:18:06.299 --> 00:18:07.299 How do we be patient? 00:18:07.660 --> 00:18:08.480 How do we be humble? 00:18:08.680 --> 00:18:09.680 How do we be gentle? 00:18:11.720 --> 00:18:13.019 You have to remember 00:18:13.019 --> 00:18:14.620 where you came from. 00:18:15.980 --> 00:18:16.680 In about 2016, 00:18:17.720 --> 00:18:18.240 Powerade, 00:18:18.340 --> 00:18:19.560 which is a sports drink company 00:18:19.560 --> 00:18:20.840 owned by the Coca-Cola company, 00:18:21.480 --> 00:18:22.320 they started running 00:18:22.320 --> 00:18:22.680 these advertisements 00:18:23.400 --> 00:18:24.160 called 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:26.880 Just a Kid from Blank. 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:29.480 So it was a call 00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:30.840 for these famous athletes 00:18:30.840 --> 00:18:31.640 to remember 00:18:31.640 --> 00:18:32.920 where they came from. 00:18:34.460 --> 00:18:35.240 This one here 00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:36.080 is a basketball player. 00:18:36.180 --> 00:18:37.060 His name's Derek Rose, 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:38.380 and he's just a kid 00:18:38.380 --> 00:18:39.020 from Chicago. 00:18:39.380 --> 00:18:40.920 And part of the whole 00:18:40.920 --> 00:18:43.040 emotion behind this campaign 00:18:43.040 --> 00:18:44.680 was it doesn't matter 00:18:44.680 --> 00:18:47.320 or what's really kept 00:18:47.320 --> 00:18:48.280 these guys going, 00:18:49.180 --> 00:18:50.080 despite Derek Rose 00:18:50.080 --> 00:18:51.000 being an all-star, 00:18:51.120 --> 00:18:51.680 despite him making 00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:52.620 millions and millions 00:18:52.620 --> 00:18:53.320 of pounds, 00:18:53.880 --> 00:18:54.820 is the fact 00:18:54.819 --> 00:18:57.159 that he remembers 00:18:57.159 --> 00:18:58.000 where he came from. 00:18:58.059 --> 00:18:58.659 See, he grew up 00:18:58.659 --> 00:18:59.859 in the slums of Chicago 00:18:59.859 --> 00:19:00.579 on the south side. 00:19:02.039 --> 00:19:02.980 He at one point 00:19:02.980 --> 00:19:03.919 had nothing, 00:19:04.059 --> 00:19:04.799 and now 00:19:04.799 --> 00:19:06.019 he has everything, 00:19:06.159 --> 00:19:06.899 but he doesn't just 00:19:06.899 --> 00:19:07.619 get complacent 00:19:07.619 --> 00:19:08.339 with having everything. 00:19:08.639 --> 00:19:09.240 The thing that keeps 00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:09.759 pushing him, 00:19:09.799 --> 00:19:10.419 the thing that keeps 00:19:10.419 --> 00:19:11.720 driving him forward 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:13.399 is that he remembers 00:19:13.399 --> 00:19:15.319 back when he used 00:19:15.319 --> 00:19:15.779 to be a kid 00:19:15.779 --> 00:19:16.240 with nothing, 00:19:16.740 --> 00:19:18.019 and he wants to make 00:19:18.019 --> 00:19:18.659 a better life 00:19:18.659 --> 00:19:19.119 for himself 00:19:19.119 --> 00:19:19.659 in the future. 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:21.559 Now, obviously, 00:19:21.679 --> 00:19:22.279 Powerade is trying 00:19:22.279 --> 00:19:23.399 to evoke some emotions 00:19:23.400 --> 00:19:24.259 inside of us 00:19:24.259 --> 00:19:25.040 to monetize 00:19:25.040 --> 00:19:25.660 and make money, 00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:27.800 but the sentiment, 00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:29.420 the premise, 00:19:30.120 --> 00:19:30.540 remains. 00:19:32.940 --> 00:19:34.060 How do we, 00:19:34.180 --> 00:19:34.780 as Christians, 00:19:34.980 --> 00:19:36.120 be gentle, 00:19:36.500 --> 00:19:36.920 patient, 00:19:37.340 --> 00:19:37.700 humble 00:19:37.700 --> 00:19:39.100 to those around us, 00:19:39.240 --> 00:19:40.940 to an undeserving boss, 00:19:41.340 --> 00:19:42.880 to impatient parents? 00:19:44.560 --> 00:19:45.840 We remember 00:19:45.840 --> 00:19:47.660 who we were 00:19:47.660 --> 00:19:49.000 before Christ 00:19:49.000 --> 00:19:49.759 saved us. 00:19:50.759 --> 00:19:51.240 Remember, 00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:52.299 Paul describes us 00:19:52.299 --> 00:19:53.319 as enemies 00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:54.120 of God. 00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:55.140 We weren't neutral 00:19:55.140 --> 00:19:55.480 to God. 00:19:55.539 --> 00:19:56.240 We were actively 00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:57.500 fighting against him, 00:19:57.620 --> 00:19:58.900 and when we remember 00:19:58.900 --> 00:19:59.420 that, 00:20:00.620 --> 00:20:01.740 remember how much 00:20:01.740 --> 00:20:02.720 God loves us, 00:20:02.759 --> 00:20:03.339 how much Jesus' 00:20:03.500 --> 00:20:03.740 gentleness 00:20:03.740 --> 00:20:05.019 overflows to us, 00:20:05.259 --> 00:20:05.819 we remember that 00:20:05.819 --> 00:20:06.559 that changes 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:08.980 how we respond 00:20:08.980 --> 00:20:10.039 to other people, 00:20:10.200 --> 00:20:10.440 right? 00:20:14.779 --> 00:20:15.599 It's point one. 00:20:15.700 --> 00:20:16.259 Point two, 00:20:16.359 --> 00:20:17.319 how can we be gentle? 00:20:17.460 --> 00:20:18.319 We need to remember 00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:19.460 our inheritance. 00:20:19.460 --> 00:20:24.880 See, 00:20:24.940 --> 00:20:25.900 we can be gentle 00:20:25.900 --> 00:20:27.519 and should be encouraged 00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:28.120 to be gentle 00:20:28.120 --> 00:20:29.400 because it's actually 00:20:29.400 --> 00:20:30.039 strength. 00:20:33.460 --> 00:20:33.880 Again, 00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:35.019 we can be gentle 00:20:35.019 --> 00:20:36.360 because it's actually 00:20:36.360 --> 00:20:37.180 strength. 00:20:37.980 --> 00:20:38.620 In one of his most 00:20:38.620 --> 00:20:40.000 famous discourses, 00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:41.940 Jesus goes on top 00:20:41.940 --> 00:20:42.740 of the Sermon on, 00:20:42.740 --> 00:20:43.960 what we call 00:20:43.960 --> 00:20:44.559 the Sermon on the Mountain, 00:20:44.600 --> 00:20:45.019 he goes on top 00:20:45.019 --> 00:20:45.440 of the mountain, 00:20:45.940 --> 00:20:46.559 and he basically 00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:47.420 reframes 00:20:47.420 --> 00:20:48.779 all of Jewish thinking 00:20:48.779 --> 00:20:49.480 at this time. 00:20:49.980 --> 00:20:50.340 He says, 00:20:50.420 --> 00:20:51.320 you have heard it said, 00:20:51.420 --> 00:20:52.480 but I say to you. 00:20:55.920 --> 00:20:56.960 And in this 00:20:56.960 --> 00:20:57.980 famous discourse, 00:20:58.039 --> 00:20:58.800 at the very beginning, 00:20:58.940 --> 00:20:59.800 he says, 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:03.500 blessed are the meek, 00:21:03.600 --> 00:21:04.420 for they shall 00:21:04.420 --> 00:21:05.480 inherit the earth. 00:21:06.680 --> 00:21:07.140 Meek here 00:21:07.140 --> 00:21:08.200 is just another translation 00:21:08.200 --> 00:21:08.680 for the word 00:21:08.680 --> 00:21:09.279 gentleness. 00:21:10.279 --> 00:21:12.000 Blessed are the gentle, 00:21:12.360 --> 00:21:13.160 for they shall 00:21:13.160 --> 00:21:13.759 inherit the earth. 00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:18.059 See, 00:21:18.099 --> 00:21:18.599 this may have been 00:21:18.599 --> 00:21:19.099 opposite, 00:21:19.420 --> 00:21:20.180 and was opposite, 00:21:20.259 --> 00:21:21.039 to what the people 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:21.700 around him 00:21:21.700 --> 00:21:22.259 were seeing, 00:21:22.359 --> 00:21:22.559 right? 00:21:24.180 --> 00:21:24.879 But Jesus 00:21:24.879 --> 00:21:26.079 is redefining 00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:26.779 success 00:21:26.779 --> 00:21:27.420 for the people 00:21:27.420 --> 00:21:28.099 around him. 00:21:28.819 --> 00:21:29.440 So you may have 00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:29.819 heard it said 00:21:29.819 --> 00:21:30.859 that this Roman rule 00:21:30.859 --> 00:21:31.660 that we are under 00:21:31.660 --> 00:21:33.099 will never end. 00:21:34.359 --> 00:21:34.779 You may have heard 00:21:34.779 --> 00:21:35.240 it said that 00:21:35.240 --> 00:21:36.220 this empire 00:21:36.220 --> 00:21:37.119 will keep expanding 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:37.900 and expanding 00:21:37.900 --> 00:21:38.640 through war, 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:39.539 through terror, 00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:41.640 through slavery. 00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:45.280 But Jesus 00:21:45.280 --> 00:21:45.740 says, 00:21:46.259 --> 00:21:47.560 not yet. 00:21:48.520 --> 00:21:48.980 Let me actually 00:21:48.980 --> 00:21:49.940 redefine what 00:21:49.940 --> 00:21:50.240 is going to 00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:50.680 happen here. 00:21:51.400 --> 00:21:51.800 And for his 00:21:51.800 --> 00:21:53.140 Jewish audience, 00:21:53.300 --> 00:21:54.220 Matthew 5 here 00:21:54.220 --> 00:21:54.740 would have 00:21:54.740 --> 00:21:56.360 actually taken 00:21:56.360 --> 00:21:57.100 them to a 00:21:57.100 --> 00:21:58.580 passage in 00:21:58.580 --> 00:21:58.940 the Old 00:21:58.940 --> 00:21:59.380 Testament, 00:21:59.980 --> 00:22:00.640 which was a 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:01.340 Psalm of David, 00:22:01.480 --> 00:22:02.100 Psalm 37, 00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:03.300 which says, 00:22:03.420 --> 00:22:04.020 in just a little 00:22:04.020 --> 00:22:04.320 while, 00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:04.720 the wicked 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:05.240 will be no 00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:05.600 more, 00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:07.220 but the meek 00:22:07.220 --> 00:22:08.240 shall inherit 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:08.940 the land. 00:22:09.860 --> 00:22:10.520 The wicked 00:22:10.520 --> 00:22:11.259 plots against 00:22:11.259 --> 00:22:11.779 the righteous 00:22:11.779 --> 00:22:12.500 and gnashes 00:22:12.500 --> 00:22:13.019 his teeth 00:22:13.019 --> 00:22:13.359 at him, 00:22:13.720 --> 00:22:14.400 but the Lord 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:15.119 laughs at 00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:15.500 the wicked, 00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:16.519 for he sees 00:22:16.519 --> 00:22:16.920 that his 00:22:16.920 --> 00:22:17.579 day is coming. 00:22:18.779 --> 00:22:19.119 Have you ever 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:19.940 shared something 00:22:19.940 --> 00:22:20.579 you're passionate 00:22:20.579 --> 00:22:21.619 about with 00:22:21.619 --> 00:22:22.259 someone and 00:22:22.259 --> 00:22:22.539 they have 00:22:22.539 --> 00:22:23.240 laughed in 00:22:23.240 --> 00:22:23.900 your face? 00:22:24.980 --> 00:22:26.019 Whether it's 00:22:26.019 --> 00:22:27.019 Star Wars 00:22:27.019 --> 00:22:28.039 or knitting 00:22:28.039 --> 00:22:29.099 or football 00:22:29.099 --> 00:22:29.680 or whatever, 00:22:29.960 --> 00:22:30.339 have you ever 00:22:30.339 --> 00:22:30.960 shared something 00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:31.519 you're passionate 00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:32.299 about and the 00:22:32.299 --> 00:22:32.619 person that 00:22:32.619 --> 00:22:32.960 you're sharing 00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:33.319 with looks 00:22:33.319 --> 00:22:33.960 back at you 00:22:33.960 --> 00:22:34.940 and laughs? 00:22:36.299 --> 00:22:37.180 Makes you feel 00:22:37.180 --> 00:22:38.279 small, doesn't it? 00:22:38.900 --> 00:22:39.400 Makes you feel 00:22:39.400 --> 00:22:40.299 insignificant when 00:22:40.299 --> 00:22:40.899 it has happened 00:22:40.899 --> 00:22:41.559 to me, 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:42.659 I just want 00:22:42.659 --> 00:22:43.299 to crawl up 00:22:43.299 --> 00:22:43.839 into a little 00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:44.519 ball and just 00:22:44.519 --> 00:22:45.139 dissolve into 00:22:45.139 --> 00:22:45.500 the carpet. 00:22:46.099 --> 00:22:46.919 Just pray that 00:22:46.919 --> 00:22:47.399 the Lord would 00:22:47.399 --> 00:22:47.940 take me in that 00:22:47.940 --> 00:22:48.619 moment, actually. 00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:51.759 But see, 00:22:51.899 --> 00:22:52.419 here in this 00:22:52.419 --> 00:22:53.099 moment right here, 00:22:53.339 --> 00:22:53.980 wickedness is 00:22:53.980 --> 00:22:54.720 gathering its 00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:55.500 greatest army. 00:22:56.680 --> 00:22:57.680 He's gathering 00:22:57.680 --> 00:22:58.659 his best men 00:22:58.659 --> 00:22:59.839 all together 00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:00.159 and saying, 00:23:00.259 --> 00:23:00.619 hey, if we 00:23:00.619 --> 00:23:01.240 play our cards 00:23:01.240 --> 00:23:01.559 right, we 00:23:01.559 --> 00:23:01.919 might just 00:23:01.919 --> 00:23:02.559 have a chance. 00:23:03.259 --> 00:23:03.839 And then in 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:04.359 that moment 00:23:04.359 --> 00:23:04.899 when they've 00:23:04.899 --> 00:23:05.599 all gathered 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:06.079 for war, 00:23:06.339 --> 00:23:06.659 and in the 00:23:06.659 --> 00:23:07.119 moment when you 00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:07.859 would say it 00:23:07.859 --> 00:23:08.180 would be the 00:23:08.180 --> 00:23:08.880 climax of a 00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:10.420 movie, swords 00:23:10.420 --> 00:23:11.400 drawn, armies 00:23:11.400 --> 00:23:12.000 are about to 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:13.759 meet, everybody's 00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:14.940 looking, everybody's 00:23:14.940 --> 00:23:16.420 excited, Jesus 00:23:16.420 --> 00:23:17.400 stops the battle. 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:25.920 How ridiculous, 00:23:26.880 --> 00:23:27.180 right? 00:23:27.980 --> 00:23:30.100 Jesus laughs at 00:23:30.100 --> 00:23:33.240 wickedness, laughs in 00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:35.240 its face, and says, 00:23:35.240 --> 00:23:36.599 is this all you 00:23:36.599 --> 00:23:37.160 have? 00:23:37.380 --> 00:23:37.720 Really? 00:23:40.299 --> 00:23:41.099 This is all you 00:23:41.099 --> 00:23:42.720 can muster. 00:23:45.259 --> 00:23:47.180 See, I created 00:23:47.180 --> 00:23:47.559 you. 00:23:48.920 --> 00:23:50.579 I own you. 00:23:51.859 --> 00:23:53.359 And you, who 00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:54.000 think you have 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:55.880 amassed a great 00:23:55.880 --> 00:23:57.740 army and own 00:23:57.740 --> 00:23:58.700 this world, you 00:23:58.700 --> 00:23:59.400 will inherit 00:23:59.400 --> 00:24:00.019 nothing. 00:24:00.620 --> 00:24:03.259 But instead, I 00:24:03.259 --> 00:24:03.740 will give your 00:24:03.740 --> 00:24:05.299 inheritance to the 00:24:05.299 --> 00:24:06.380 gentle that you 00:24:06.380 --> 00:24:08.039 trampled over for 00:24:08.039 --> 00:24:08.339 all of your 00:24:08.339 --> 00:24:08.640 life. 00:24:10.920 --> 00:24:11.980 So the reward for 00:24:11.980 --> 00:24:13.019 gentleness is an 00:24:13.019 --> 00:24:14.519 inheritance greater 00:24:14.519 --> 00:24:15.799 than anything we can 00:24:15.799 --> 00:24:16.359 ever imagine. 00:24:17.099 --> 00:24:17.839 And that is how we 00:24:17.839 --> 00:24:19.019 fight brutality, 00:24:19.579 --> 00:24:19.960 hatred, 00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:21.279 impatience, 00:24:21.420 --> 00:24:22.640 force in our own 00:24:22.640 --> 00:24:23.099 lives and people 00:24:23.099 --> 00:24:24.839 against us, is that 00:24:24.839 --> 00:24:27.579 we remember the 00:24:27.579 --> 00:24:29.000 inheritance that we 00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:29.620 will have. 00:24:30.220 --> 00:24:30.980 We don't live for 00:24:30.980 --> 00:24:32.259 this life, but the 00:24:32.259 --> 00:24:32.779 life to come. 00:24:33.740 --> 00:24:34.559 All right, last one 00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:35.079 here, and then we'll 00:24:35.079 --> 00:24:35.640 wrap up. 00:24:36.299 --> 00:24:36.960 You should, oh, 00:24:37.079 --> 00:24:37.640 sorry, that was 00:24:37.640 --> 00:24:38.099 Psalm 37. 00:24:39.059 --> 00:24:39.980 You should look for 00:24:39.980 --> 00:24:41.940 gentleness in every 00:24:41.940 --> 00:24:42.599 believer. 00:24:43.620 --> 00:24:44.160 So this is not 00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:44.819 necessarily answering 00:24:44.819 --> 00:24:45.799 the question of how, 00:24:45.880 --> 00:24:46.460 but this is just 00:24:46.460 --> 00:24:48.220 helping us understand a 00:24:48.220 --> 00:24:48.779 little bit more of 00:24:48.779 --> 00:24:49.599 what gentleness looks 00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:49.880 like. 00:24:50.319 --> 00:24:51.359 Colossians 3.12 says, 00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:52.220 therefore, as God's 00:24:52.220 --> 00:24:53.299 chosen people, holy 00:24:53.299 --> 00:24:54.279 and dearly loved, 00:24:54.700 --> 00:24:55.759 clothe yourselves with 00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:56.920 compassion, kindness, 00:24:57.259 --> 00:24:58.839 humility, gentleness, 00:24:59.259 --> 00:24:59.740 and patience. 00:25:00.299 --> 00:25:01.059 Again, literally, this 00:25:01.059 --> 00:25:01.779 should remind us of 00:25:01.779 --> 00:25:02.980 putting on clothes, 00:25:02.980 --> 00:25:03.339 right? 00:25:03.839 --> 00:25:04.819 Just how you put your 00:25:04.819 --> 00:25:05.720 shirt and trousers on 00:25:05.720 --> 00:25:06.259 in the morning, you 00:25:06.259 --> 00:25:07.299 need to put on these 00:25:07.299 --> 00:25:07.740 attributes. 00:25:07.940 --> 00:25:08.720 You need to put on 00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:09.140 gentleness. 00:25:09.480 --> 00:25:10.360 You need to put on 00:25:10.360 --> 00:25:11.319 patience. 00:25:11.480 --> 00:25:12.160 You need to put on 00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:12.880 humility. 00:25:14.779 --> 00:25:15.759 And if you look at the 00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:17.240 text right there before, 00:25:17.380 --> 00:25:17.960 at the very beginning, 00:25:18.360 --> 00:25:19.799 Paul says, as God's 00:25:19.799 --> 00:25:20.440 chosen people. 00:25:23.559 --> 00:25:25.960 So this means, if you're 00:25:25.960 --> 00:25:27.980 a Christian, these 00:25:27.980 --> 00:25:29.860 attributes should describe 00:25:29.860 --> 00:25:30.299 you. 00:25:33.299 --> 00:25:34.160 And these aren't just 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:34.819 attributes that you 00:25:34.819 --> 00:25:35.700 show towards other 00:25:35.700 --> 00:25:36.819 Christians either, by 00:25:36.819 --> 00:25:37.180 the way. 00:25:37.860 --> 00:25:39.660 Titus 3.1-2, Paul makes 00:25:39.660 --> 00:25:41.180 sure to let us know that 00:25:41.180 --> 00:25:41.980 these are attributes that 00:25:41.980 --> 00:25:43.000 you show to the world 00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:43.740 out there. 00:25:44.819 --> 00:25:45.839 Remind the people to be 00:25:45.839 --> 00:25:46.880 subject to rulers and 00:25:46.880 --> 00:25:47.559 authorities, to be 00:25:47.559 --> 00:25:49.200 obedient, to be ready to 00:25:49.200 --> 00:25:50.519 do whatever is good, to 00:25:50.519 --> 00:25:53.200 slander no one, to be 00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:54.220 peaceable and considerate, 00:25:54.279 --> 00:25:55.860 and always to be gentle 00:25:55.859 --> 00:25:57.679 towards everyone. 00:25:58.879 --> 00:25:59.859 Everyone means your 00:25:59.859 --> 00:26:00.079 mom. 00:26:01.399 --> 00:26:02.479 Everyone means your 00:26:02.479 --> 00:26:02.839 boss. 00:26:03.779 --> 00:26:04.839 Everyone means the 00:26:04.839 --> 00:26:05.579 doctor that keeps 00:26:05.579 --> 00:26:06.379 overlooking you and 00:26:06.379 --> 00:26:07.000 won't give you your 00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:07.639 results back. 00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:11.199 Everyone means 00:26:11.199 --> 00:26:11.619 everyone. 00:26:13.619 --> 00:26:14.799 And before we go, I 00:26:14.799 --> 00:26:15.359 just want to make a 00:26:15.359 --> 00:26:16.799 second and specific 00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:17.419 point that kind of 00:26:17.419 --> 00:26:18.399 comes off of this one. 00:26:20.639 --> 00:26:22.179 See, gentleness is an 00:26:22.179 --> 00:26:22.899 attribute of every 00:26:22.899 --> 00:26:23.779 Christian, absolutely. 00:26:25.859 --> 00:26:26.659 But as the 00:26:26.659 --> 00:26:27.819 congregation, you need 00:26:27.819 --> 00:26:29.859 to look out and be 00:26:29.859 --> 00:26:30.740 aware that gentleness 00:26:30.740 --> 00:26:33.259 should be apparent in 00:26:33.259 --> 00:26:33.939 leaders as well. 00:26:36.139 --> 00:26:36.740 See, we're going 00:26:36.740 --> 00:26:37.539 through 2 Timothy in 00:26:37.539 --> 00:26:38.659 the morning at church, 00:26:38.740 --> 00:26:38.919 right? 00:26:40.259 --> 00:26:41.699 Timothy is a pastor, and 00:26:41.699 --> 00:26:42.439 2 Timothy is a little 00:26:42.439 --> 00:26:43.199 bit older, and 1 00:26:43.199 --> 00:26:43.819 Timothy is a pretty 00:26:43.819 --> 00:26:44.959 young protege of Paul. 00:26:45.159 --> 00:26:46.359 He's pastoring a church 00:26:46.359 --> 00:26:47.259 in Ephesus. 00:26:49.079 --> 00:26:50.219 And in both of these 00:26:50.219 --> 00:26:52.699 letters, Paul warns 00:26:52.699 --> 00:26:55.099 Timothy that he has to 00:26:55.099 --> 00:26:55.639 be gentle. 00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:59.179 To Timothy, he says, 00:26:59.619 --> 00:27:00.480 opponents must be 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:02.219 gently instructed in 00:27:02.219 --> 00:27:02.879 the hope that God will 00:27:02.879 --> 00:27:03.339 grant them. 00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:04.679 In his first letter, 00:27:04.799 --> 00:27:05.699 Paul says, but you, 00:27:05.879 --> 00:27:07.219 man of God, flee from 00:27:07.219 --> 00:27:08.879 all of this and pursue 00:27:08.879 --> 00:27:10.399 righteousness, godliness, 00:27:10.959 --> 00:27:12.039 faith, love, endurance, 00:27:12.219 --> 00:27:13.559 and gentleness. 00:27:14.719 --> 00:27:15.559 I don't think it's a 00:27:15.559 --> 00:27:18.679 coincidence that in the 00:27:18.679 --> 00:27:19.879 two letters that we have 00:27:19.879 --> 00:27:20.839 of Paul writing to a 00:27:20.839 --> 00:27:21.599 young leader in the 00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:23.279 church, both of them 00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:25.039 mention gentleness. 00:27:25.099 --> 00:27:30.639 So it doesn't matter if 00:27:30.639 --> 00:27:31.579 you're just the leader of 00:27:31.579 --> 00:27:35.559 the hospitality team, or 00:27:35.559 --> 00:27:36.399 you're just a leader in 00:27:36.399 --> 00:27:40.619 your home, or an elder of 00:27:40.619 --> 00:27:41.219 the church. 00:27:42.579 --> 00:27:45.879 Gentleness must mark our 00:27:45.879 --> 00:27:46.439 lives. 00:27:46.440 --> 00:27:47.039 holiness. 00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:55.400 So in conclusion, how do we 00:27:55.400 --> 00:27:56.460 be gentle? 00:27:57.519 --> 00:28:01.660 How do we go from Byzantine 00:28:01.660 --> 00:28:03.380 Mary, if you go all the way 00:28:03.380 --> 00:28:04.480 back to the beginning of our 00:28:04.480 --> 00:28:05.660 sermon here, how do we go from 00:28:05.660 --> 00:28:08.400 Byzantine Mary on the right to 00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:12.180 Renaissance Mary there on the 00:28:12.180 --> 00:28:12.440 left? 00:28:15.640 --> 00:28:17.380 Well, see, if you're not a 00:28:17.380 --> 00:28:18.860 believer in the room, it won't 00:28:18.860 --> 00:28:19.400 be possible. 00:28:20.740 --> 00:28:22.180 See, you will try and try, but 00:28:22.180 --> 00:28:23.259 you will fail. 00:28:23.380 --> 00:28:24.880 No matter how hard you try, you 00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:26.320 will never get this relationship 00:28:26.320 --> 00:28:26.660 right. 00:28:28.259 --> 00:28:29.420 So stop trying. 00:28:30.580 --> 00:28:32.860 Instead, let Jesus be your 00:28:32.860 --> 00:28:33.660 justifier. 00:28:34.660 --> 00:28:36.360 Let him be your intercessor. 00:28:36.759 --> 00:28:37.900 Let him be your advocate. 00:28:37.900 --> 00:28:39.460 He wants to have relationship 00:28:39.460 --> 00:28:39.960 with you. 00:28:40.340 --> 00:28:42.180 All you have to do is ask. 00:28:43.800 --> 00:28:45.500 But for the Christian, how do we 00:28:45.500 --> 00:28:45.840 do this? 00:28:45.880 --> 00:28:47.220 Well, we just have to model what 00:28:47.220 --> 00:28:48.100 Jesus taught us. 00:28:49.240 --> 00:28:53.620 We have to go back to the 00:28:53.620 --> 00:28:53.920 future. 00:28:54.940 --> 00:28:57.280 We have to remember Christ's love 00:28:57.280 --> 00:28:58.000 for us. 00:28:58.940 --> 00:29:01.060 We have to remember how sinful we 00:29:01.060 --> 00:29:04.900 have been, and then we look to 00:29:04.900 --> 00:29:07.880 the promise of our inheritance in 00:29:07.880 --> 00:29:08.220 the future. 00:29:09.060 --> 00:29:09.600 Let's pray. 00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:15.920 Father, thank you, Lord, for your 00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:17.540 word that is living and active. 00:29:18.360 --> 00:29:21.540 God, we thank you that you loved 00:29:21.540 --> 00:29:21.980 us. 00:29:22.280 --> 00:29:24.160 Lord, that you are indeed our 00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:26.860 justifier, intercessor, and 00:29:26.860 --> 00:29:27.260 advocate. 00:29:28.160 --> 00:29:30.340 God, we thank you that you've done 00:29:30.340 --> 00:29:31.320 these things and that gentleness 00:29:31.320 --> 00:29:32.780 just overflows from you. 00:29:33.120 --> 00:29:35.280 Lord, help us as we try and be 00:29:35.279 --> 00:29:38.399 gentle throughout our next week, 00:29:38.819 --> 00:29:40.059 month, year. 00:29:40.740 --> 00:29:42.279 Lord, help us to remember these 00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:42.759 things. 00:29:45.559 --> 00:29:47.039 Lord, more than anything, help us 00:29:47.039 --> 00:29:49.039 to remember your sacrifice and how 00:29:49.039 --> 00:29:50.579 it should radically change our 00:29:50.579 --> 00:29:51.059 lives. 00:29:52.059 --> 00:29:53.099 Pray all this in your name. 00:29:53.099 --> 00:29:53.980 Amen. 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:53.980 00:29:53.980 --> 00:30:23.960 Thank you.