Seek Meekness

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Zephaniah 2:3
Psalters: 48, 208, 312, 366
  1. Its identity
    1. Meekness is not:
    2. Literally meekness is to see oneself as lowly and base, to be broken, in the light of three truths.
      1. First, meekness arises from a correct understanding of oneself in light of God and His character.
      2. Second, meekness constantly arises from a correct understanding of one?s depravity: sins and sinfulness (Canons V-2).
      3. Third, meekness arises from a clear understanding of grace and its undeservedness.
  2. Its incentives.
    1. God resists (hates) the proud (Prov. 6;16; 8:13; 16:15).
      1. God sets Himself in battle array against self-centeredness; which opposition is immediate and constant.
      2. God hates it because nothing makes us more like Satan than to think of ourselves more highly than we ought.
      3. And God hates anything which destroys the unity of His Son?s body.
    2. Meekness makes us look like (reflect) Jesus more than anything else (Phil. 2:5ff).
    3. God promises grace to the humble (Ps. 34:18; 51:17; 147:3; James 4:6) and to the contrite (Isa. 57:15).
    4. God promises blessings to the meek.
  3. Let us cultivate meekness in ourselves. Things to consider:
    1. Consider God, His majestic greatness seen in His incommunicable attributes, in His creative works, in His redemptive work.
    2. Consider Jesus who led the way to humility (Isa. 53:7; Phil. 2:5; Matt. 11:29; 21:5; II Cor. 10:1)
    3. Consider that our sins and sinfulness brought the Prince of glory to the cross.