1185-The Fruit of the Spirit-Gentleness#
1185-The Fruit of the Spirit-Gentleness
(JP Text Group - Embroidery Organization)
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise you for giving us such a wonderful time to worship you together. Through your words, we find rest. You are the gentle and humble Lord, your burden is light, and your yoke is easy. Today, at this moment, I am willing to lay all my burdens in the hands of Jesus, drawing strength from you. I am willing to open the door of my heart to receive your words. May the Holy Spirit guide each one of us. Thank you and praise the Lord. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen!
We continue to share the series on the fruit of the Spirit, and today we share about gentleness.
Gentleness, in the original Greek, has three aspects: the first is mildness, the second is softness, and the third is humility.
Gentleness does not represent weakness, nor is it a sign of cowardice; it is about being submissive. It is like a horse that, once tamed, possesses immense strength within.
Let’s take a few examples. Before Peter was renewed by the Holy Spirit, he was a very hot-tempered person, speaking whatever came to his mind, often rebuked by Jesus. However, Jesus did not harbor hatred towards him; He merely pointed out his issues. But after Peter was renewed by the Holy Spirit, he completely changed and was used by God throughout his life. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in him.
Moses can be called the most humble man in the world. His life can be divided into three stages.
The first stage was forty years ago, living as a prince in Egypt, with no worries about food and clothing. However, at that time, he was filled with pride. When he learned that his fellow countrymen were suffering in Egypt, he tried to use his own strength to save the people, but he failed.
In the next forty years, he lived in the wilderness, speaking very little, mostly accompanied by his sheep. So when he reached eighty years old, entering the third stage of his life, God found him and said, "Moses, I am sending you to Egypt to bring my people out." Moses replied, "Lord, I am slow of speech and tongue. I have no eloquence, and I am very old, already an eighty-year-old man. I have nothing to boast about." God meant that now was the right time.
The last forty years were the most meaningful years of Moses' life, also the years remembered by God. It was during these forty years that Moses became the most respected leader of the Israelites.
Numbers 12:6-7
The Lord said, "Listen to my words: When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house."
Moses truly displayed great gentleness. The Israelites at that time were difficult to manage and very disobedient. They complained at the slightest difficulty and even attempted to stone Moses to death on several occasions. Every time they complained, Moses turned to God in prayer, which is a characteristic of Moses' service. Moses was exceedingly humble, surpassing all others on earth.
Gentle people are very well-liked in this world, and they have many friends. Everyone enjoys communicating with gentle people. Gentleness is a tranquil strength, but it is absolutely not weakness; it can empathize with others and think of their benefit.
Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Our Lord Jesus is gentle, and when people see Him, they will rejoice greatly. He is the righteous Lord and our Savior. Everything is for our benefit.
The scripture we just read says that all who are weary and burdened can come to Jesus, and He will give us rest because His heart is gentle and humble. He wants us to take His yoke. Brothers and sisters, do you know what a yoke is? It is a tool used for plowing. Generally, it involves an old ox and a young one sharing the yoke. Why is this done? Because the old ox is very obedient and knows not to move around too much; the more it moves, the heavier the burden becomes. It is better to stay still and walk quietly forward, listening to the master. So the old ox is more obedient. Typically, it is an old ox leading a young one, as the young one tends to struggle and the more it struggles, the heavier the burden becomes. Here it tells us that when does the young ox's burden become light? It is when the young ox is as obedient as the old ox, walking in step with it.
Jesus came not to add a heavier burden to you, but to give you rest. When you come to church, perhaps you have encountered great pressure and many worries in your life over the past day. When you come before Jesus, He will give you rest and relieve your burdens. He is willing to help you. Many people preach condemnation, and after listening, people feel even more troubled. This is not the heart of Jesus. You see, those who seek Jesus sincerely leave with joy. Jesus Christ gives people rest, which is an important reason why people seek Him.
You are here today to seek Jesus because He can give you rest. He is the gentle Lord who never rejects anyone.
We see such a gentle Jesus, like a lamb; how powerful is He? In the Garden of Gethsemane, something happened when the chief priests brought soldiers with torches to arrest Jesus.
John 18:3-6
So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns, and weapons. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?" "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I am he," Jesus said. And Judas the traitor was standing there with them. When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground.
The words of Jesus have authority and immense power. But He willingly offered His life to save us! He knew we needed salvation from the cross, and we needed redemption through His precious blood. Therefore, He willingly allowed Himself to be captured, willingly suffered scourging for your healing, and willingly bore punishment for your peace. He gave His life for you. He is the gentle Lord, but not weak.
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
Gentleness is a manifestation of love, able to restrain oneself and not act arbitrarily, filled with energy within. This energy does not seize from others but rather supplies to others.
Let us share the first point, The Power of Gentleness Comes from the Lord.
I am gentle and humble in heart; you will find rest for your souls.
When you share a yoke with Jesus Christ, you see Him, and you find rest. He has overcome the world, so there is no need to worry. When danger and fear come, He is never afraid. In the face of sickness and accidents, Jesus Christ has also triumphed. So when you work together with the Lord Jesus, you enjoy His rest.
This is the power of gentleness. He seems to have no temper, but inside He is full of strength. The God of the Old Testament and the New Testament is the same. In the Old Testament, God displayed righteousness and judgment, like a raging fire. But in the New Testament, God shows love, mercy, and acceptance. Why? Because Jesus Christ reveals another side of God to us. This is one of God's attributes; He wants us to see the gentleness and tenderness of the Father. In other words, when you see Jesus, you see that the Father also accepts us in this way. Amen!
The Lord Jesus is humble and gentle. Reading the four Gospels in the New Testament, we see that Jesus is such a person. His words are gentle, and His actions are also humble and gentle. He never despises anyone, whether they are noble kings or servants. Jesus never looks down on them; instead, He accepts those on the margins of society, those whom no one cares for, and He gives them more of His love.
For example, in the Bible, Jesus accepted tax collectors, fishermen, and others who had low social status and were looked down upon by others. But Jesus often extended His love and gentleness to these people. According to the law, tax collectors had no right to worship God because they were sinners. But the gentleness of Jesus includes an infinite acceptance of people. He came into the world not to condemn the world but to save the world through Him.
In the Old Testament, lepers had no right to approach the crowd. When they were a hundred meters away, they would shout, "Do not come near me, I am a leper; I am unclean." They were unworthy to be with others. In the New Testament, Jesus is gentle. When lepers came to Him, He did not reject them; instead, He reached out His hand and touched the lepers, healing them.
He accepts us in the same way. Thank the Lord, the gentleness of the Lord Jesus is not cowardice; it does not mean He has no temper. Once, during a festival, Jesus went into the temple and saw people doing business in the temple courtyard, selling doves and exchanging money, and various transactions were going on vigorously. Jesus became angry and overturned the tables of these people. Although He is gentle, it does not mean He compromises on everything. Amen! We are the same; there are some things we will not do, even if it offends people, we will not do things that go against God's word.
Ephesians 4:1-3
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
What is the message Paul wrote in this passage? He urges those who have already believed in Jesus Christ. So I urge you, since you have been called, to live a life worthy of that calling. This passage can be interpreted in two ways. The first interpretation under the law is that since you have been saved, you should show good behavior, love one another, and treat others well. You should do this and that, or you should not sin. However, people find it difficult to do that. Under grace, how would this passage be interpreted? Paul would tell us that today, since you have been called, your life should match the grace you received when you were called. Amen!
When you accept Jesus, you are a child of God. You can say, "I am a child of the Most High God." That is the grace you received when you were called, and that identity is freely given to you by God. Amen! So Paul says, since you have been called, remember the grace you received when you were called; all of it is freely given to you, received freely. Amen!
You need to match that grace. Gentleness is the fruit of the Spirit. This means that today, whether under grace or under the law, good behavior is needed. How does good behavior come about? Under grace, it tells you that you are a prince or a princess, so you do not need to live like a beggar; you should live out your identity as a prince. That is to be completely humble, gentle, patient, bearing with one another in love, and making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. These include humility, gentleness, patience, love, and peace; these are all fruits of the Spirit.
If you want to bear these fruits, you need to use the power of the Holy Spirit, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit. When the Holy Spirit gives you gentleness, you will have it. A gentle person will not provoke disputes; instead, they will use God's wisdom to calm disputes. Amen. Because this is the work of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit brings peace and gentleness.
Philippians 2:6-11
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
This passage is very important. The gentleness of Jesus Christ tells us that He humbled Himself, became obedient, and in the end, He received the highest glory from God. Amen! In other words, a gentle person is humble.
What is the difference between the devil and Jesus? Jesus humbles Himself, while the devil seeks to elevate himself to the highest place.
Isaiah 14:12-15
How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, "I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.
The devil was once an archangel, leading praise and worship before God. Suddenly one day, he said, "Why should I worship you? I want this group of angels to worship me. I want to be equal with God. I want to ascend to heaven. I want to sit on the mount of assembly. I want to ascend above the clouds. I want to be equal with the Most High." Pride arose within him. There was no gentleness or humility at all. As a result, God cast him down to the realm of the dead, to the bottomless pit.
Jesus Christ, who was in the very nature of God, was already at the highest place. But He humbled Himself, took on the nature of a servant, and willingly served people. When He came to the world in the form of a servant, He showed us gentleness and humility. He is always supplying and helping others. If a person's heart is filled with pride, they cannot possess the fruit of gentleness. The Lord Jesus is gentle, and He wants us to emulate His gentleness, filled with His power.
Let’s share the second point: Pursue Gentleness.
James 1:19-21
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
Gentleness is opposed to impatience and anger. When a person's heart is filled with anger, there is no gentleness. God does not want our hearts to be filled with anger because anger does not display God's righteousness. He wants us to get rid of all this filth and humbly accept God's word, which is beneficial to us and can build up those around us. The character of gentleness first does not harm oneself, and secondly, it does not harm others. If you want to become a gentle person, you can pray to God and ask the Holy Spirit to give you gentleness.
If you say, "I am just like this for my whole life; who can change me?" then the Holy Spirit cannot change you unless you are willing to change and become a gentle person. The Holy Spirit can renew and change you, and then you can treat others gently, which will reflect the glory of the Lord.
Why should we be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry? Because human anger does not produce the righteousness of God. In other words, when you are angry, you cannot display God's glory. Every good and perfect gift comes down from above, not something you earn through hard work. When you are willing to obey the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit gives these to people.
You are the firstfruits of all creation, as you know. Therefore, you should be quick to listen. Listen to what? Know that you are God's firstfruits. You represent Jesus Christ living on earth. Be quick to listen to God's words, and when you want to speak, think before you speak. Be slow to anger. The Bible does not say you cannot be angry.
The Bible says that when you want to be angry, you should be slow to anger. When you want to scold your husband, give yourself ten seconds to pray in your heart, ten seconds to declare: "I am loved by God; I represent Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit, guide my heart and lead me!"
You need to humbly accept the grace of Jesus Christ; His word can change us and bear the fruit of gentleness. In Jesus Christ, there is a gentle attribute. If you feel you need these, then ask God; He will give them to you.
The Holy Spirit already dwells within you, and the power of Jesus Christ is also within you. You are not trying to pretend to be gentle through your efforts. Such pretense cannot last long. It is only through the life within us being continually renewed by God's word that you know God's power is upon you, and your heart will naturally be calm and stable. The fruit of gentleness will then emerge.
When people live by their own strength, there are many things they cannot do perfectly. People become impatient and lose their gentleness. For example, when parents see their children making mistakes repeatedly, they may become anxious and lash out at their children with harsh words. In that moment, they may feel relieved, but it causes great harm to the child. When a person possesses the fruit of gentleness, no matter what happens, they will not panic or become impatient.
Mark 4:36-39
Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
The disciples encountered a great storm, and they lost their rest and began to fear. After Jesus woke up, He remained calm and peaceful, rebuking the wind and saying to the sea, "Quiet! Be still!" The problem was resolved. If people had such ability, their hearts would naturally not be impatient. This is the fruit of gentleness produced by the Holy Spirit. Because of the fullness of power, there is no need to shout loudly or become angry. It is not the loudness of the voice that solves problems.
When you accept the Lord Jesus as your Savior, the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart, and this Spirit is the same as the Spirit in Jesus' heart, with the same power and authority. When you meditate more on the power of the Holy Spirit, you will bear the fruit of gentleness.
Philippians 2:3: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.
The fruit of gentleness is not something you put on as an act. It is when we see the beauty of Christ and pursue the more substantial blessings from heaven. When people on earth form factions and pursue vain glory, they will lose their gentle hearts. These worldly things will only lead people to become more lost and restless. God shows us the eternal blessings in heaven; He hopes we pursue these permanent, real blessings.
The method to maintain a gentle heart is simple: it is the latter part of this sentence, value others above yourselves. When people see others as better than themselves, it must be through the lens of Christ. We are all members of one body, and each person has gifts and blessings given by God. As long as we see this and learn from each other, helping one another, we can be built up in God's love.
2 Timothy 2:22-26
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
The Bible gives us much wisdom for living. There are some things we need to avoid and some things we should pursue. In this passage, God tells us to flee the evil desires of youth. Anything centered on self-interest is selfish desire. We need to stay away from these things. Also, do not argue with others. The truth of God is correct and does not need to be proven through debate. We only need to treat everyone kindly. When others do not accept it, we wait patiently and still gently instruct those who oppose us, but not through debate. Because arguing does not change people's hearts; we can pray for them, and when the time comes, God may grant them a heart of repentance, and they will understand the truth when they encounter situations. This will better showcase the preciousness of gentleness.
As people of God, we should pursue God's righteousness, faith, love, and peace. These are all beautiful qualities that benefit us and those around us. Choosing friends is also important. The kind of friends you have around you will greatly influence you. If you want the fruit of gentleness, then be with gentle people!
The Holy Spirit is absolutely gentle, so pray often in the Holy Spirit. Simply put, pray often in tongues, and God can change you, giving you gentleness. In your prayers, the Holy Spirit will renew you, and unconsciously, you will change and live out gentleness.
If a stone has many sharp edges, how does it become smooth? There are two methods. The first is through grinding, which removes the sharp edges. This process is very painful, just like some people go through ups and downs and suddenly change their thoughts. The second method is to place it in a stream, allowing the water to wash over it every day. The sharp edges of the stone will also be removed. This process is not painful; this is how the Holy Spirit changes and renews us. As long as you pray in the Holy Spirit every day, change will come naturally.
David picked up five smooth stones from the stream to kill Goliath. Those five stones were not polished; they were smoothed over many years by the flowing water, becoming smooth stones that could be used by David.
Brothers and sisters, each of us started with sharp edges. If we touch others like this, we will hurt them. But if we are willing to change and pray daily in the Holy Spirit, allowing the anointing of the Holy Spirit to flow within us, we will be renewed daily, and people will become gentle. You will become a vessel useful in God's hands.
Let’s look at a few examples of change. Among the twelve disciples of Jesus, there was one named John, who was previously called the Son of Thunder. Do you know what "Son of Thunder" means? It means thunder. Once, when Jesus took the twelve disciples to Samaria to preach the gospel, the people of that city did not receive Jesus Christ. Look at what John said:
Luke 9:53-56
But the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village.
Young John had quite a temper! He wanted to call down fire from heaven to judge people at the slightest disagreement. Jesus, who possesses the fruit of gentleness, encountered these situations and rebuked the two disciples because they forgot their mission was to save lives, not to destroy them. In Jesus' heart, there is gentleness, so even when others do not accept Him, He is not hurt; He simply moves on to another village to continue preaching the gospel, knowing there will be those who accept Him.
Years later, John was changed by the Holy Spirit, and the fruit of gentleness was borne in his heart. He was transformed by the love of Christ.
1 John 4:7-9
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him; God’s love is revealed in this.
John understood the love of Christ, and gentleness was manifested in him. When a person's heart is filled with the love of Christ, the expression of that is gentleness, no matter what happens. His heart is always calm and stable because he knows the Lord is with him. He is his strength and help.
Matthew 5:5 says, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." When the Lord Jesus spoke of the Beatitudes, He mentioned that the meek are blessed because they treat others with gentleness, and they receive gentleness in return. Gentleness is like water; it seems formless and powerless, yet it is full of life and strength.
With this analogy, you will understand. When a person uses their fist to hit water, their fist will not get hurt, and the water will not be harmed. Conversely, if you use your fist to pound a wall, the wall will be damaged, and your hand will be hurt. This is called mutual destruction because hard meets hard, causing mutual harm. God hopes we live wisely on earth. Let your mouth be filled with gentle words.
Proverbs 15:4 The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
When your heart is filled with the gentleness of Christ, it will come out of your mouth. Speaking the words of Christ is a tree of life, beneficial to us and to those who hear us. The gentle will inherit the earth, referring to blessings in two aspects: one is earthly, and the other is spiritual blessings from heaven.
When you have a gentle heart, your behavior will change, and you will have many sincere friends. Your interpersonal relationships will improve. Whether you are doing business or interacting with others in life, you will be blessed because of it. May we, brothers and sisters, pray more in the Holy Spirit and pursue the fruit of gentleness!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise your grace. Thank you for comforting me through such words. I am willing to possess the fruit of gentleness, which not only benefits me but also reduces harm in my interpersonal relationships. Lead me to focus on your words, renewing me with your words, filling me with your wisdom and gentleness. Help me to view all problems with a gentle heart. I believe you are my Lord, and you will guide me on the path ahead.
Let me live with the gentleness and humility of Christ in my life. No matter where I go or what I encounter, may your gentleness always be in my heart, renewing my mouth, so that my mouth always speaks words that build others up and bring life. In this new week, please lead me to experience your great power and know more of your grace. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen!