Pt.4 Learning Gentleness

First Baptist Church New Haven

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Pt.4 Learning Gentleness

The Art of Learning Gentleness…Jesus Way

January 21, 2024 • Pastor Dave Trimble • Matthew 5:5, Numbers 12:3, Matthew 11:28–30

Give

Involves Insight - We must Understand what Meekness is …

Of all the Beatitudes… this is the most Misunderstood.

Definitions… MEEKNESS

Ø Is Not WEAKNESS

o It takes strength and power to be meek… as we'll see in a minute

o Jesus is not calling on us to be wimps.

Ø It’s STRENGTH Under CONTROL

o The word translated Meek … is the same word was used in NT times

to describe a wild animal that had been tamed or domesticated.

o Imagine a wild stallion never been ridden by anyone.

- He’s never worn a bridle and bit - he's as wild as them come.

- He’s full of energy & strength & spirit.

- Take that horse over time… you tame him… you domesticate him.

- He becomes meek.

- You can put a saddle on him - his master can ride him - you can put a

bit in his mouth and reins over his neck and he's meek.

o Now what have you done to that horse?

- Have you taken away any of that horse's strength? None at all.

- Have you taken away any of that horse's spirit or his power?

None at all.

- Have you taken away any of that horse's energy? No.

- The only difference between the domesticated horse and the wild

one is that now, that horse's strength & energy are being controlled

by his master for a useful purpose.

- While the stallion is wild he is controlled by himself, his wants,

his passions.

- But the domesticated, saddled horse is controlled by his master

and he has learned to obey his master's touch on his reins.

o When Jesus says, "Blessed are the meek", He's not saying…

"Blessed is the person that has no strength, that has no spirit, that has

no personality, that has no energy."

- He's not saying "Blessed is the wimp, or the timid, or the coward.

- He is saying, "Blessed is the person who has all of his strength,

and all of his spirit, his personality or energy, but they've allowed

someone else to control them.

- For the Christ follower this means we have placed ourselves under

the control of God.

Pt.8 Making Peace in the Midst of Harassment

February 18, 2024 • Pastor Dave Trimble • Matthew 5:9–10

God tells us about both the blessings and the blastings that will be in store for us if we follow His way. - He tells us about both the gifts and the demands of His kind of lifestyle. - He tells us about both the rewards and the responsibilities of being His children. - He tells us about the sweet and the bitter side of life in Christ. God wants us to become Christ followers with our eyes wide open to all the possible consequences. - He fully intends for us to count the cost of discipleship as well as the dividends. - In fact, as we’ve studied the Beatitudes we’ve found that the Blessing only comes to those who are willing to pay the price. - And the last 2 Beatitudes that we’ll look at today is no exception: And yet, despite all that, the idea of peace dominates the Bible. - In fact, God the Father is referred to over and over as the “God of Peace”. - Jesus is referred to as the “Prince of Peace”. - And today, we find in our Beatitude that we are expected to be Peacemakers.

Pt.7 Seeing GOD

February 11, 2024 • Pastor Dave Trimble • Matthew 5:8, Psalm 24:3–6

The Greeks called the heart the “cardia”; the freewill center where life makes up its mind. o The heart is the pilot of the airplane, the quarterback of the huddle, the engineer of the locomotive. o The heart calls the plays; the heart pilots the ship. o If my heart is filled (controlled and empowered by) His Holy Spirit, my heart will be absolutely pure, my thoughts will be pure, my eyes will be pure, my words will be kind, my magazines, my movies, my music, my television will be pleasing to Him, and not conflict with my spiritual growth. (Joe White, Promise Keepers newsletter, Feb. 2004)

Pt.6 Showing MERCY

February 4, 2024 • Pastor Dave Trimble • Matthew 5:7, Psalm 145:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:14, Romans 15:7

What is mercy? a number of definitions that could be used. - But if we consider all that the Bible has to say about mercy, it boils down to this definition you can write on your outline: o Mercy is love in action. - It's more than just an attitude – It’s more than just feeling sorry for people – - It's doing something. - The Bible says God is a merciful God. - Psalm 145:8 The LORD is kind and merciful, slow to get angry, full of unfailing love. - Perhaps one reason we receive mercy when we ourselves are merciful is because we are, in fact, becoming more like Him. - As we adopt God’s character traits as our own, we more readily understand and experience His blessings in our lives.