Our text for this morning will be Matthew chapter 5 and verse 5.
! Just a couple of weeks ago, we began looking together at the Sermon on the Mount,
this most famous of Jesus' teaching.
And we have discussed so far the first four verses,
where we noted first in verses 1 and 2,
who it was that Jesus was teaching.
Matthew records,
For seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain,
and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him,
and He opened His mouth and taught them, saying...
So we see that Jesus was teaching His disciples.
There's a larger crowd gathering around,
and certainly the teaching spills out and beyond.
And as we get through His Sermon and on into chapter 7,
there's great warning that's issued.
And so it seems maybe even the audience's attention of Jesus
shifts a little as it goes on.
But we know, at very least,
His primary core audience
are those who were already following Him and His ways.
He was speaking to those who were citizens of His kingdom.
Back in chapter 4, verse 17,
Matthew records the very beginning of Jesus' ministry,
where He writes,
from that time Jesus began to preach,
saying,
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
The Sermon on the Mount is a declaration of the kingdom of God
with Jesus as its king.
And because the king has come,
the kingdom has come.
And Jesus here is teaching
what those who are citizens of His kingdom will look like.
So He begins teaching them,
verse 3,
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
We are, apart from Christ,
spiritually bankrupt.
You have no good thing to offer God.
And if you are to be saved from the wrath to come,
you will have to throw yourself
upon the mercy of God
found in Jesus Christ.
It is those who see their spiritual poverty
who possess the kingdom of heaven.
And therefore,
Jesus declares them blessed.
In verse 4, Jesus says,
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
Having recognized our spiritual poverty
and the spiritual poverty of the world
in which we live,
citizens of the kingdom of God
will be mourners
over the brokenness that we see,
both ours and others.
And it is those who mourn over sin
who will be comforted.
And therefore,
Jesus calls them blessed.
Now, I have said to you,
this word,
blessed,
is a very difficult one
for us to understand in English.
The original Greek word
is so layered and textured.
And so,
we've been doing our best
kind of week to week
to give some feel
to what the word means.
I don't have anything astounding
to add to what I've said already,
but just let me remind you
that there's not a direct single word
for this Greek word,
makarios.
We try with blessed,
happy,
joyful,
we could say doing well,
thriving.
I've posited to you
my favorite,
flourishing from
Jonathan Pennington's book.
Jesus' teaching on the kingdom of heaven
enters into a world
that has been turned upside down
by sin.
And His teaching seeks
to turn it right side up.
It's about the kingdom coming.
This kingdom that lives in contradiction
to the kingdom of the world.
And because the teaching
has this intention to it,
the carnal mind
has a very difficult time
understanding it.
It seems backwards.
It is the humble,
sad,
meek,
merciful,
peacemaking,
persecuted pursuers
of righteousness
that are well
and will do well
forever.
These are the kinds
of citizens
that flourish.
We have before us this morning
the third of Jesus' declarations
of blessing.
blessing.
So join me in a careful consideration
of Matthew 5,
verse 5.
Before I read it
for our benefit,
let me remind you,
beloved,
that this is God's
word to us.
It was written for His glory
and our good.
And we would all do well
to listen to it
in order to believe
its promises
and obey
its commands.
Matthew 5,
verse 5.
Jesus said,
blessed are the meek
for they shall inherit
the earth.
So,
what does it mean
to be meek?
It's another one of those
words that can have
some difficulty
for us
trying to wrap
our minds
around exactly
what Jesus means here
by meekness.
and those who are meek
are blessed.
Let me start by saying
that meekness
is not a natural
inclination.
Those who belong
to the kingdom of God
gain a recognition
of their spiritual poverty,
a deep sadness
over their sin
and the sin of the world,
and meekness
by a work
of the Spirit of God
upon them.
The natural inclination
of man
is not toward
a small view of self,
but a large view of self.
The natural way
of a person
is to exalt themselves,
not humble themselves.
Left alone,
we are self-aggrandizing,
self-protecting,
self-justifying.
The largely Jewish audience
that Matthew wrote
this letter for
would have been
absolutely dumbfounded
by such teaching,
especially from a man
who claimed to be
the Messiah.
They were looking
to the Messiah
for deliverance
from their oppressor,
Rome.
They wanted the Messiah
to come as a military conqueror,
mighty and vanquishing.
They loved texts
like Isaiah chapter 35,
verse 3 and 4,
which reads,
Strengthen the weak hands
and make firm
the feeble knees.
Say to those
who have anxious heart,
Be strong.
Fear not.
Behold,
your God will come
with vengeance,
with the recompense
of God.
He will come
and save you.
They loved texts
like this,
but did not want
to read them
in the greater context
of the Old Testament
prophecy.
For example,
that was Isaiah 35,
3 and 4.
Let me read to you
Isaiah 53,
3 and 4.
Speaking of Christ,
the Messiah,
He was despised
and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows
and acquainted with grief.
And as one from whom
men hide their faces,
He was despised,
and we esteemed Him not.
Surely,
He has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows,
yet we esteemed Him stricken,
smitten by God
and afflicted.
This was a strange teaching.
Meekness is not the way
of the world.
Meekness is certainly
a spirit-worked character quality.
It is also not a character quality
that we possess with perfection
on this side of heaven,
but it is a quality
in which we grow
as God graciously works
in us.
I pray this morning
that He will work in you
and in me
as we learn together
more about this meekness.
So,
let's take a look
at some examples
of meekness from the Scripture
to attempt to wrap our mind
about what is really
meant by the Word.
So I want to walk you through
some characters.
I'm going to invite you
to turn with me
to these passages.
You'll keep your head
more in the game
if you're looking as well
at the text
that I'm going to read to you.
And let's start with Abraham.
Called Abram
in the text I'll read to you
this morning.
His name had yet to be changed
in Genesis chapter 13.
So please join me there.
Genesis chapter 13
and verse 8.
So God has made a covenant
with Abram.
Part of which included
the giving to him
of land.
And you remember
that Abram's nephew Lot
tagged along with him.
The promise was not given to Lot.
The promise was given to Abram.
He is Lot's elder.
He is his uncle.
And he has a promise.
And some contention arose
amongst the herdsmen
because there wasn't enough land
where they were camped
to keep the herds fed.
Right?
So they're starting
to have conflict
over who gets to graze
animals where.
And then verse 8
and following
records for us.
Then Abram said to Lot,
Let there be no strife
between you and me
and between your herdsmen
and my herdsmen
for we are kinsmen.
Is not the whole land
before you?
Separate yourself from me.
If you take the left hand
then I will go to the right.
Or if you take the right hand
then I will go to the left.
Here we find Abram
had every right over the land.
Right?
The covenant promise
had been given to him.
He's Lot's elder.
And his uncle.
And he could have simply said,
Hey Lot, you go there
because I want this
choicest of property.
But rather,
we find Abram
as an expression of meekness
saying instead,
Let's not have conflict
amongst us.
Right?
You pick where you would like to go
and I'll go to the other place.
I'll take what's left over.
Turn over to Genesis chapter 45
and we read here
of the story of Joseph.
Remember Joseph,
the youngest of his brothers
received dreams
that he'd be great amongst them
and his brothers
did not like him for this
so they threw him in a well
and rather than killing him
pulled him out of a well
and sold him into slavery.
And he finds himself in Egypt
and through a number of astounding
and sad circumstances,
he finds himself ruling over
the provision of grain,
putting it away
and delving it back out.
And a famine grows up in the land
and his brothers come to Egypt
to bring grain back home.
And when Joseph reveals himself
to his brothers,
we read this in chapter 45
verses 1 and following.
Then Joseph could not control himself
before all those who stood by him.
He cried,
Make everyone go out for me.
So no one stayed with him
when Joseph made himself known
to his brothers.
And he wept aloud
so that the Egyptians heard it
and the household of Pharaoh heard it.
Now just picture,
this is the man of power.
This is the younger brother,
but he has been placed
in a position of power
and his brothers have come to him
as beggars.
And what does he do?
He sends out the Egyptians
and reveals himself to his brothers
and he weeps over this.
And Joseph said to his brothers,
verse 3,
I am Joseph.
Is my father still alive?
But his brothers could not answer him
for they were dismayed
at his presence.
So Joseph said to his brothers,
Come near to me, please.
And they came near and he said,
I am your brother, Joseph,
whom you sold into Egypt.
And now do not be distressed
or angry with yourselves
because you sold me here.
For God sent me before you
to preserve life.
And then we read later,
I think it's chapter 51,
if I'm remembering correctly.
We famously hear Joseph say,
What you meant for evil,
God meant for good.
And so here we see
that Joseph entrusts himself to God
and God's providence,
his good purpose in the situation.
And he doesn't seek retribution.
He doesn't seek to defend his right.
He has been wronged
as the younger brother,
but rather offers forgiveness
to his brothers.
It's another expression of meekness.
Okay.
Flip back to the New Testament.
Hebrews chapter 11.
Let's look a little at the life of Moses.
It's the writer of Hebrews.
Very brief summary of Moses' life
found in chapter 11.
You remember Moses has become
the adopted son of Pharaoh.
Pharaoh held the power of Egypt
as the new Pharaoh's adopted brother,
but chose rather
to stand up for his kinsmen
to kill an Egyptian
and fled off into the wilderness.
So in verse 24 and following,
By faith Moses,
when he was grown up,
refused to be called
the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
choosing rather
to be mistreated
with the people of God
than to enjoy
the fleeting pleasures of sin.
He considered,
I love this, right?
Moses considered,
so the writer of Hebrews
is telling us,
he considered
the reproach of Christ
greater wealth
than the treasures of Egypt,
for he was looking
to the reward.
So rather than receiving
what was due him,
which he could have laid claim to,
he instead chose
to go and be with God's people
and to be mistreated
as God's people
because he was looking
to something greater
and beyond.
Numbers chapter 12,
verse 3 records for us
that Moses was very meek,
more than all people
who were on the face
of the earth.
Okay, back to the Old Testament.
1 Samuel chapter 18.
You don't need to be ashamed
for not being able
to find these books
quickly in your Bible,
but you'll do well
to learn how to find books
quickly in your Bible.
Become familiar
with this book.
Hopefully this helps you
in doing that.
1 Samuel chapter 18,
beginning in verse 20.
Now, David at this point
in 1 Samuel
has already been anointed
king over Israel.
Saul is still reigning,
king,
but Samuel has anointed
David king.
David has already
killed Goliath.
He's become the champion
of Israel as well.
The middle of,
I think it's chapter 16,
records for us
that the Spirit of God
left Saul
and the Spirit of God
rested on David.
So he's got God's Spirit
resting on him,
which was a more unique thing
in this day
than it is in ours.
So David already had
a significant place
and yet he found himself
serving under Saul
with a great deal
of meekness.
Saul didn't want him
in the temple any longer,
so he put him in charge
of a legion of men.
He had hoped that he would be killed
by the Philistines,
but David,
because of God's favor,
was triumphing
and triumphing greatly
over them.
So, Saul offered
his oldest daughter
to David.
David said,
Who am I
that I would become
the son-in-law of a king?
This is the beginning
of chapter 18.
Saul instead gives
his oldest daughter away
to somebody else.
So he had promised,
then he went back
on his promise
and gave his older daughter away.
And then verse 20 says,
Now Saul's daughter,
Michael,
loved David.
And they told Saul,
and the thing pleased him.
Saul thought,
Let me give her to him
that she may be a snare for him
and that the hand
of the Philistines
may be against him.
Therefore,
Saul said to David
a second time,
You shall now be
my son-in-law.
Right?
So it's being set up
as a trap.
Saul commanded his servants,
speak to David in private
and say,
Behold,
the king has delighted in you
and all his servants
love you.
Now then become
the king's son-in-law.
And Saul's servants
spoke these words
in the ears of David.
And David said,
Listen to what David says.
Remember where he is,
who he is at this point.
Does it seem to you
a little thing
to become the king's son-in-law?
Since I am a poor man
and have no reputation.
See what David thought of himself.
Right?
He had a reputation
by this point.
I have no reputation.
And the servants of Saul
told him,
Thus and so
did David speak.
Then Saul said,
I'm reading this to you
just for closure
on the story.
Thus shall you say to David,
The king desires
no bride price
except a hundred foreskins
of the Philistines
that he may be avenged
of the king's enemies.
Now Saul thought
to make David fall
by the hand
of the Philistines.
And if you read on,
he delivers twice,
twice as many
of the price
that Saul
demanded of him.
So here again,
this expression
of meekness.
Why would the king
want to make me
his son-in-law?
David was very clearly
a mighty man
and had done mighty things
and had a great reputation.
Okay,
a couple of New Testament characters.
Stephen,
Acts chapter 7.
Amen.
I hope that you don't mind this.
This seems better to me
than reading you
the definition
out of a theology book.
Stephen is
the first Christian martyr.
He's on trial
before the Sanhedrin.
He speaks boldly out.
They get furious with him
because of the indictment
of the speech
that he brings to them.
Verse 58,
we read in following,
Then they cast him
out of the city
and stoned him.
And the witnesses
laid down their garments
at the feet
of a young man
named Saul.
And as they were
stoning Stephen,
this is what I want you
to see from the text,
as they were stoning Stephen,
he called out,
Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit.
And falling to his knees,
he cried out
with a loud voice,
Would any of us,
like when you're thinking,
think about being stoned,
right,
for simply following Christ
and proclaiming his truth.
And as you're being stoned,
this is the affection you have
towards those stoning you.
He says,
Lord,
do not hold this sin
against them.
He seeks forgiveness,
much like our Lord did
on the cross
for those who were stoning him.
And when he had said this,
he fell asleep.
Paul is a great man
of meekness,
a man with a great deal
of Jewish pedigree,
certainly as an apostle,
arguably,
but I would suggest,
the smartest of the lot,
the most influential of the lot.
His ministry was further reaching
than any of the other apostles.
And yet we can see
and we pick up letter
after letter after letter
this great deal of humility
in the way that he writes.
He gives all glory and honor
to Christ for working in
and through him.
Just a quick example,
Philippians 3,
verses 3 and 4.
He says,
For we are the circumcision
who worship by the Spirit of God
and glory in Christ Jesus
and put no confidence
in the flesh.
He says,
Though I myself have reason
for confidence in the flesh,
if anyone else thinks
he has reason for confidence
in the flesh,
I have more.
But he says,
I have none.
I have no confidence
in my flesh whatsoever.
And then we know
in Philippians 4,
13,
a verse not about football games.
He says,
I can do all things
through him
who strengthens me.
Right?
I can serve
the goodness of God
and the glory of Christ
to all peoples everywhere
because I'm strengthened
by him.
But of course,
we would not do well
if we didn't look to
our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ,
as the ultimate
and highest example
of what it means
to be meek.
Jesus said this of himself
that he was meek.
Matthew 11, 29,
he said,
Take my yoke upon you
and learn from me,
for I am gentle,
same Greek word,
for meek.
I am meek
and lowly in heart
and you will find rest
for your souls.
And then Paul,
in his letter
to the Philippians,
chapter 2,
sets Christ up
as our example
in this,
verses 5 through 8.
Have this mind
among yourself,
which is yours
in Christ Jesus,
who though he was
in the form of God,
did not count
equality with God
a thing
to be grasped,
but he emptied himself
by taking the form
of a servant,
being born
in the likeness
of men
and being found
in human form,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient
to the point of death,
even death
on a cross.
So God himself
incarnate,
is what Paul is saying.
God here
in human form,
creator
of the universe,
here
emptied himself
and became a servant
and served
to the point
of death
on a cross.
This is
meekness.
The meek
do not seek
their own good,
but the good
of others.
The meek
do not seek
retribution,
but trust
in the providence
and justice
of God.
The meek
do not seek
to defend
their rights,
knowing
what they truly
deserve.
The meek
do not think
too much
of themselves,
but make much
of God.
Now,
meekness,
and I hope
in all of those
references
and characters,
you got this.
Meekness should not
be equated
with weakness.
The two are not
the same.
Meekness often,
as I said earlier,
is translated
as gentleness.
Meekness
is strength
bridled
and steered
for the glory
of God.
It's strength
aimed
in the right
direction.
Meekness
is Jesus
welcoming
little children
to himself
in Matthew
chapter 19.
And then
two chapters
later in 21,
making a whip
and driving
the extortioners
out of the temple.
And then
another two chapters
later in chapter 23,
indiving the scribes
and Pharisees
and declares woes
over them.
And then another
two chapters
later in chapter 25,
surrendering
to his accusers
in the garden
of Gethsemane.
All of Jesus'
strength
is aimed
at defending
and magnifying
the fame
of his father.
He yields
his strength
to the will
of God.
So let's look
at some further
instruction
to gain
a little better
understanding
of this teaching
in Matthew
5.
A couple more
texts for you.
We're going to stay
in the New Testament
now, I think.
Yep, we're going to stay
in the New Testament.
Matthew chapter 26,
verse 50
and following.
we find Jesus
in the garden
of Gethsemane,
having been
betrayed
by Judas
and his
captors
are coming
to take him
and run him
through this
series of trials
and finally
in his
crucifixion.
we ought
not to forget
who this
Jesus is,
right?
Able
to command
legions
of angels.
He'll say this
in our text
in verse 53.
Verse 50,
Jesus said
to him,
this is the
leader of the guard,
friend,
do what you
came to do.
Then they came
up and laid
hands on Jesus
and seized
him.
And behold,
one of those
who were with
him,
this is Peter,
we know from
Luke's account,
stretched out
his hand
and drew
his sword
and struck
the servant
of the high
priest
and cut
off his
ear.
Malthus,
I think,
is that guy's
name,
and Jesus
healed his
ear
in John's
account.
Then Jesus
said to him,
to Peter,
put your
sword back
into its
place,
for all
who take
the sword
will perish
by the sword.
Do you
think that I
cannot appeal
to my
father,
and he
will at
once send
me more
than twelve
legions
of angels?
And the
point that
he's making
to Peter
here is that
there is a
task at hand.
God has
willed that
something would
happen,
and I could
stop it from
happening,
but I submit
my strength
to the will
of the father
for the sake
of his name.
we are
not to
be militant
for our
own
sake
if we
are found
meek.
Now I want
to be really
clear at this
point,
and I cannot
develop this
idea in its
entirety,
so my
apology to
you on
this,
but I
am not a
pacifist,
and you
shouldn't be
either.
I believe
in just war
theory,
Google that,
you can
check out
what that
means,
but we
must think
very carefully
about when
it is
proper
to take
a life,
and when
it is
proper
to lay
down
our
lives
for the
sake
of
others.
Paul
instructs
the Ephesians
in chapter
4,
verses 1
and 2,
and the
word here
translated
gentleness
is the
same as
in our
text this
morning
for meek.
Paul
writes,
I
therefore,
a prisoner
for the
Lord,
urge you
to walk
in a
manner
worthy
of the
calling
to which
you have
been
called
with all
humility
and gentleness
with patience
bearing with
one another
in love.
We are to
lay aside
our
preferences
and our
sensitivities
for the
sake
of love.
We are
to be
willing
to not
stand
our
ground
and demand
what's
ours
in every
circumstance
for the
sake
of
love.
And again,
Colossians 3.12,
Paul writes,
put on then
as God's
chosen ones,
holy and
beloved,
compassionate
hearts,
kindness,
humility,
meekness,
and patience.
Paul writes
to Titus
in chapter 3
verses 1
and 2,
instructions
for how
he should
instruct
the church
in good
works.
The word
here
translated
gentle
is a
different
word
than
in our
text
this
morning,
but I
believe
Paul
is
getting
at
the
whole
idea
of
meekness
in the
following
verses.
So this
is Titus 3
verses 1
and 2.
Remind
them
to be
submissive
to be
submissive
to rulers
and
authorities,
to be
obedient,
to be
ready
for every
good work,
to speak
evil of
no one,
to avoid
quarreling,
to be
gentle,
and to
show
perfect
courtesy
toward all
people.
Beloved,
is this
something that
characterizes
the American
church
today?
I'm
afraid
it's
not,
at least
not in
what we
see
published
for our
consumption.
It seems
so often
that the
church
is
loudly
railing
against
anything
and
everything
that might
come
its way.
Listen to
what the
apostle Peter
says,
1 Peter 3
verse 18.
Here we're
going to see
the word
gentleness
again,
very same
as the
Greek word
for meek
in our
text today.
He says,
in your
hearts,
honor Christ
the Lord
as holy.
Christ the
Lord as
holy.
Always
being prepared
to make
a defense
to anyone
asks you
for a
reason,
for the
hope that
is in
you.
So be
ready to
give an
answer to
those that
would ask,
what is
this hope
that you
have?
Then Peter
says,
yet do it
with
gentleness
and
respect.
It is
generally
true
that the
minority
of any
particular
kind
feels the
need
to be
the
loudest.
We can
witness this
so often
in our
day.
They're
hoping
that their
volume
will have
them
heard.
But we
are instructed
to be
meek
and
respectful.
As
faithful
Christians
are
continually
pushed
to the
margins
of our
society,
a great
temptation
will rise
within us
and I
believe has
risen within
us and
has been
poorly
dealt
with.
This
temptation
to get
obnoxious,
to complain
about what
picture is on
a Starbucks
cup.
Who cares?
Is this the
thing we want
to be known
for?
May it
not be.
This would
not be
meek.
This would
not be
taking our
mighty dollar
to vote for
how we'd
have such
and such
dealt
with.
Hebrews
10,
34.
I'll give
you a final
example.
meekness
in the
scripture.
This runs
beloved,
counterintuitive.
It runs
against the
grain of
the world.
This to
the world's
thinking,
what I'm
going to
read to
you,
Hebrews
10,
verse 34,
is upside
down.
But what I'm
saying to
you is that
the world's
actually upside
down.
This is
right side
up.
This is
what people
who are
citizens of
God's
kingdom
look like.
This is
how they
behave.
in the
midst of
oppression.
The
writer of
Hebrews
says,
for you
had
compassion
on those
in prison.
So those
who were
thrown into
prison had
no care.
It's not
like the
prison systems
of our
day.
They had
no care
unless
someone
came to
them,
identified
with them,
and provided
for them.
Meals,
water,
medical,
care.
The job
of the
jailer
was just
to keep
them in.
That was
it.
So these
early
Christians
were identifying
themselves as
Christians as
they went to
go care for
those who
were in
prison because
they were
Christians.
And look
what happens,
this strange
thing.
And you
joyfully
accepted the
plundering of
your property.
So they're
being labeled
as, maybe
they're
traveling to
the prison.
People are
coming in,
destroying
their homes,
taking their
property.
But they
joyfully
accepted it.
Why?
How did
they do
this?
Since you
knew that
you yourselves
had a better
possession
and an
abiding
one.
Which brings
us to a
final question
which I'll
answer in
brief.
Why are
the meek
declared
blessed?
Jesus
declares
his proclamation
over them,
blessed are
the meek.
Why?
Because
they
shall
inherit
the earth.
Jesus
is making
an
eschatological
statement,
primarily.
Maybe there's
some temporary
bleed through,
but he's
making
primarily
an
eschatological,
an end
times
statement.
He is
saying
that one
day all
things will
be made
right,
and the
righteous
will have
their
proper
inheritance.
Those of
us who
walk in
this world
as children
of God
will not
receive what
we believe
we ought
to receive.
But we
are looking
to a
greater
possession,
a greater
treasure,
and an
abiding
one,
one that
will last
forever
beyond
this
world.
Jesus
here in
Matthew
5.5
is
quoting
directly
from
Psalm
37
verse
11.
Before I
read
verse 11
to you,
though,
I want
to read
verse
10.
Those
of us
who are
in
Christ,
we're
looking
to
this
day.
If
there's
anyone
here
who
is
not
in
Christ,
maybe
you're
even
asking
yourself
this
question
as
we've
just
skipped
a
rock
off
the
surface
of
what
it
means
to be
!
meek,
you'd
say,
this
doesn't
characterize
my
life
at
all.
I
am
self
aggrandizing,
I
am
self
seeking,
I
do
want
to
stand
up
for
what's
mine.
You
may
find
that
you're
not
a
citizen
of
God's
kingdom.
And
what
you're
awaiting
is
a
final
and
full
and
eternal
destruction.
Psalm
37
10
says
this,
in
just
a
little
while
the
wicked
will
be
no
more.
Though
you
look
carefully
at
his
he
will
not
be
there.
But
verse
11,
Jesus
hears
quoting,
but
the
meek
shall
inherit
the
land
and
delight
themselves
in
abundant
peace.
What a
glorious
promise
this is
to us.
I
pray,
beloved,
that we
would find
ourselves
those
in
the
kingdom
who
Jesus
would
declare
of us
blessed
because
he
finds
us
meek.
Bridling
strength
aiming
it
at
the
glory
of
God.
Blessed
are
the
meek
for
they
shall
inherit
the
earth.
Please
join me
in
prayer.
Amen.