Sun AM, 2-5-12 - Gentleness, The Kind of Kindness We Need

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SERIES: STOP DOING AND START GROWING

TITLE: GENTLENESS: THE KIND OF KINDNESS WE NEED

TEXT: GALATIANS 5:22

INTRO:

·       Love (Agape – God’s love in us)…joy (In Jesus, despite circumstances)…peace (inner, outer, eternal)…longsuffering (patience)

·       Gentleness – modern translations update this for us into our language of KINDNESS.

I.                  KINDNESS AND GENTLENESS SPEAKS TO OUR MODERATION TOWARDS OTHERS

a.   Philippians 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

b.   It is good to be passionate about many things, but there is a need for moderation and balance.

c.    We do not need to be extreme in issues that do not warrant it.

d.   Especially to those who are outside of the faith.

                                                            i.      EX: This is often how people develop caricatures about others.

e.   Don’t make mountains out of molehills.

f.      Rom 14 teaches about kindness and moderation. It deals with helping those who are young and weak in the faith – esp. in issues of the celebrating certain days and eating certain food.

g.    Moderation also reminds us that there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

                                                            i.      EX: Churches/Christians who get off track following certain issues – politics, church history…etc.

                                                         ii.      EX: Believers who cause trouble and division in a church because decisions that are made that go against their personal preferences.

h.   Why? Because the Lord is at hand – His return is near.

i.      God will not ask whether we had all our desires and preferences filled – but how many we tried to reach, and what we did to make it happen.

II.               KINDNESS AND GENTLENESS SPEAKS TO OUR MEEKNESS TOWARDS OTHERS

a.   Titus 3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

                                                            i.      Here, Paul is writing a letter to Titus, who was setting up the leadership of the church in Crete. After laying down some qualifications for leaders, he now exhorts him to speak to all the believers on how to live and interact with the world around them.

                                                         ii.      In 3:2, Titus is to remind them to be gentle, and doing so by exercising meekness to all those they come in contact with.

                                                      iii.      Meekness is having your power in control and deferring it.

                                                       iv.      Meekness is the inner attitude that is shown in our outward gentleness and kindness to others.

                                                          v.      Meekness is having your emotions and actions under control.

                                                       vi.      When others do you wrong – how do you react?

                                                    vii.      Meekness is deferring your wants and preferences for the growth of others.

b.   Jesus as our example of meekness – Matthew 11:28–29 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

III.            KINDNESS AND GENTLENESS SPEAKS TO OUR MISSION TOWARDS OTHERS

a.   1 Thessalonians 2:7–8 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: 8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

b.   Matthew Henry define Gentleness as, such a sweetness of temper, and especially towards our inferiors,^[1]

c.    We see that aspect of gentleness and kindness here in Paul’s first letter to the church of the Thessalonians. The Apostle is reminding them of how he and Timothy did everything within their power to not be a burden to them and not make themselves to be the focus (2:5-6).

d.   Instead, they were gentle and kind with these believers because they were young in the faith and their mission was to build up their faith and their church, not to be a burden and tear it down.

e.   One of our missions today is to be a builder of people’s faith – not a tearer-downer of their faith.

f.      If our mission is to help people, then we must:

                                                            i.      Sacrifice for them (vs. 8-9) – give time, effort, and money to areas of ministry that may not benefit us…may not be our personal preference…but will help us reach the lost and disciple new believers.

                                                         ii.      We must be kind and gentle in all aspects, treating new believers and members with respect and love and breaking down the “cliques” that develop in a church.

                                                      iii.      There is nothing worse than “fake friendliness.”

CLOSE:

·       This is the kind of kindness we need today in our churches:

o  Moderation – not making mountains out of molehills. Putting personal preferences aside to reach others.

o  Meekness – are you willing to defer in non-essential areas to the weaker for their growth and benefit?

o  Mission – are you willing to sacrifice your time, money, and efforts for those who growing in their faith? Are you willing to be a true friend and break down the wall that you have developed around the circle of your friends?

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^[1] Henry, M. (1996). Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Ga 5:13–26). Peabody: Hendrickson.