Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

The Kind, Gentle, And Humble Jesus

MATTHEW 11:28-30 – Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

 

THEME OF THE DAY:  THE KIND, GENTLE, AND HUMBLE JESUS. Do we have a reputation among people, and especially God’s people, of being kind, gentle, humble, and approachable?  You know who I am describing.  The type of Christian whose presence alone encourages others.  The type of Christian people love to be around because they won’t be bombarded with a lot of self-centered talk and focus. The type of Christian who is quicker to give a listening ear than an advice-giving tongue.  Basically, the type of Christian modeling Jesus with the approachability of love who said, “Come to me for I am gentle and lowly in heart.”

 

Don’t underestimate the power of such a reputation.  It affirms the gospel we proclaim.  It puts “feet” on Jesus, making Him real through us to people interacting with us.  But it does something else.  It reveals our individual spiritual condition and closeness to the Lord Jesus.  The great instrument God used in 19th century Scotland for the furtherance of the Gospel and the building up of God’s people was Robert Murray Mc’Cheyne.  He once said, “What a man (woman) is on his knees before God, that he is, and nothing more.”  The point this man of God was making is the private life matters.  In fact, the private life of a Christian is what determines the public reputation of the Christian.  Our walks with the Lord are cultivated in the private times of seeking Him in Word and prayer.  Observe and engage with a Christian who is all about themselves, worldly in their outlook and speech, critical of others, talks the language of Christian without the humble Fruit of the Spirit life as a Christian, and though they may be faithful in church attendance and service in the church, their private life with the Lord is non-existent.

 

The Apostle Paul outlines what is to be the passion and pursuit of the Christian. It is this passion and pursuit that define the Christian life leading to the goal of the Christian life – conformity to Christ. And this is only developed in the sacred closets of private prayer and the Word. He writes, But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death (Philippians 3:7-10).

 

To be like Jesus demands we spend much time with Jesus.  As we do so in His Word and prayer, He really does “rub off” on us and we build that Christ-like reputation that impacts the people in our lives in significant ways.

 

PRAYER: “Father, draw me near to the heart of Your Son that I may not only find His rest but become gentle like Him.”

 

QUOTE: “Every Christian is to strive to be gentle and approachable with all people. It is a door to the Gospel being shared.”

 

In the affection of Christ Jesus,

 

Pastor Jim