Introduction

How many of you play pickleball? I started playing about two years ago. Ken Barnes invited me to play and I’ve learned a lot from him about playing the game. I knew that Ken had been playing for a number of years but in the back of my mind I think there was a negative connotation with any game called pickleball!

I think the same is true with the word meekness. Our culture’s understanding of the word is one of great weakness. One dictionary definition of it is being quiet, gentle, and unwilling to argue or express your opinions.

Well as we will see the biblical meaning of this word is one of strength under control. Moses was described in Numbers as

Numbers 12:3 (ESV) — Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.

But Moses was not a weak man. Meekness does not equal weakness. He needed strength under control as he was leading more than a million people out of Egypt into the Promised Land. He had to deal with them, lead them.

God has called us to live our lives in meekness and regardless of what your life is like right now God wants you to lead a humble and yielded life and out of that serve and lead others in some capacity.

As men we are all called to be servant leaders who imitate our Lord Jesus. Let’s pray and ask God to make us men who are meek/humble/yielded to God/strong and who lead.

I. Meekness Defined:

It’s somewhat intimidating to compare our life with Moses. He is one of the greatest men of the Bible, especially those who lived under the Old Covenant. There are certain men in scripture (Joseph, David, Daniel, Moses) whose lives are so much higher than ours it’s silly to compare ourselves. We can however take great encouragement from their lives and that’s what we want to do this morning as we look at Moses and his leadership.

• We want to imitate them as they imitate Christ.
• They did it imperfectly but they did it.

It is important though to remember that Moses was a man “just like us”. Scripture says that about Elijah in James 5. When we consider Moses' beginnings he certainly was a “sinner just like us”. In his zeal for God he kills a man and then spends the next 40 years in the wilderness as a shepherd in the land of Midian. During that time and afterwards God was at work making him into the man who would lead his people out of Egypt.

And even after his initial call when he encounters God at the burning bush, Moses showed a lack of leadership and resisted the call of God. He says in 3:11 Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt? In 4:1 he replies to the Lord

Exodus 4:1 (ESV) — Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’”

And later in chapter 4 he complains “Oh my Lord I am not eloquent either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”

So take heart, the same God who was at work in Moses’ life to make him a godly leader is at work in your life and mine.

Matthew 11:11 (ESV) — Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

God calls men to lead because it’s part of his plan for his people and also because it’s a way of working godliness in our lives.

So regardless of where you are at in life you can cooperate with God’s work in your own life so that he can use you to serve his people and others in good and godly ways.

So what does it mean to be a meek man? If we look at the passage in Numbers 12 many translations actually use the word humble instead of meek. And what you find in the ten passages in Scripture that the ESV uses this word that other translations besides using meek also use humble, lowly, poor and afflicted.

Meekness does seem to be one expression of humility, one in which the attitude of submission to the will of God is expressed. Meekness and humility both share this quality. They are rooted in a submission to God as their basic essence.

Kevin DeYoung defines meekness as:

Meekness is a combination of patience, gentleness and a complete submission to the will of God. Meekness is learning to be self-controlled instead of needing to be in control.

• Kevin DeYoung

That’s a pretty good description of godly leadership. Even when you are in a position of being in control or in charge (of your family, work, organization) you are to be under God’s authority. You may be the head of your family…Answer to him.

One commentary describes Biblical meekness is not weakness but rather refers to exercising God's strength under His control – i.e. demonstrating power without undue harshness. Gentleness is another word that is used to describe this word meekness.

1 Corinthians 10:1 (ESV) — For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,

Do we entreat people that way?

Gentle is on a lot of New Testament “lists”. Fruit of the Spirit, qualifications for eldership, pursue these things.

Don’t have a false idea of gentleness or meekness.

Moses was meek but not weak. He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it.

Numbers 16:28–30 (ESV) — And Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord. If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then the LORD has not sent me. But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD.”

Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites - Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. Numbers 31:

In Matthew 5 Jesus declares that the meek will inherit the earth. His reference for that was Psalm 37: 11 which reads but the meek shall inherit the land. Psalm 37 is a psalm that encourages us to submit to God and trust him even when the wicked seem to be prospering. It has phrases like:

Trust in the Lord and do good.

Commit your way to the Lord, trust in him

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently before him.

Those who wait for the Lord will inherit the land.

• Psalm 37

Capture the spirit or essence of meekness. A meek man is one who is humble, who is submitted to God and trusting in him. John Piper has stated that:

I think the point is that meekness means committing your cause to God and not needing to defend yourself.

• John Piper

There are times when a man or a leader needs to defend himself. But in general he must lead as he trusts God despite opposition to his leadership. Moses is a great example of this. Here he is leading 2 million plus Hebrews out of Egypt. Along the way he encounters complaining, unbelief, accusations and outright sinful behavior from some of the people. Hopefully those we lead are not as difficult but the call of meekness is required to lead well in whatever situation we find ourselves in.

II. Leading With Meekness:

Here are some characteristics of leading with meekness/humility.

When you lead you will sometimes have to deal with difficult (challenging) people. (Meekness and difficult people or people in general).

So how did Moses deal with difficult people? Often what you see in the conflicts he had with the people is that his response is immediately to fall on his face.

You see this in Numbers chapter 14 after the spies came back and gave a bad report about going into the promised land:

Numbers 14:1–5 (ESV) — Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel.

You see this same response in Numbers 16 three times when he is confronted by Korah and other men and later the entire congregation. Each time Moses or Moses and Aaron fall on their faces.

I think that Moses’ first impulse was godward, was humbling himself before God; not before the people but before God. He was modeling what James tells us in chapter 4 of his epistle.

James 4:6–8 (ESV) — But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

This doesn’t mean that you allow people just to have their own way. But that in our hearts we are both humbling ourselves first before the Lord and then others. This must be our basic disposition. If it isn’t and we default to defending ourselves or attacking others or dismissing what they have to say we will miss the mark in our serving and leading of others.

James also says this about meekness - he tells us in chapter 3 that it is connected to wisdom.

James 3:13–15 (ESV) — Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

James 3:17–18 (ESV) — But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

What does this tell you about leadership? It tells us how to lead (not what to do). If you want to lead with biblical wisdom you will need to have meekness. It leads us down the path of leadership = he gives grace to the humble/meek.

If we submit ourselves to the Lord and out of that humility submit ourselves to others (Philippians 2 gives us an orientation of humility and meekness: considering others as more important and considering their interest s as well as ours-have this attitude) then we will 1) receive God’s grace and favor and 2) we will have the right disposition to respond and to lead people.

We’re called to straddle the two positions that will make us successful as leaders: One, out of our submission to God and his will, what is it that we think is God’s will/wisdom in this situation? (objective or subjective) 2) Hearing others and wanting to respond and to help them.

Hopefully we will not err and be a “jerk” or authoritarian (God will resist you) or a man-pleaser who fears others, fears their response. Submit to God and lead/serve others.

It’s really hard to be upset with a genuine humble person. (Even when you were wrong in something or have to deliver an unpopular edict-it goes a long way)

Not just leadership but just living as a Christian.

Another aspect of leadership: a leader must be willing to do the things necessary for the good of those they are leading. We all have our own preferences and styles which is okay and part of who God has made us to be. But we also need to be willing to do what’s necessary for the good of those we lead even if it’s not our preference or something we have previously thought about. Two examples of that from Moses:

Deuteronomy 1:15 (ESV) — So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and set them as heads over you, commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, commanders of tens, and officers, throughout your tribes.

Good leaders need to be able to delegate.

Numbers 27:15–18 (ESV) — Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.” So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.

He realized what needed to be done and initiated it.

A good leader demonstrates reasonableness (James 3: open to reason). We must lead people with confidence and strength. But we must watch out that we don’t allow that to keep us from being reasonable when people make certain (out of the ordinary) requests.

Numbers 27:3–7 (ESV) — “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin. And he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brothers.” Moses brought their case before the LORD. And the LORD said to Moses, “The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them.

Reuben and Gad. Livestock. Jordan.

Leaders are those who have a vision and are able to give vision to those they are leading. This happens both initially but in an ongoing way. A big part of (the Christian) life is reminding ourselves and others of the basic truths of life.

Speak here Biblically but this translates to leading others outside of the church and specific Christian ministry.

Moses had a vision for his life.

Hebrews 11:24–26 (ESV) — By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

And he gave the people a vision. Examples:

Deuteronomy 7:6–8 (ESV) — “For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

We don’t have to be rocket scientist to be a good leader. We just need to remind ourselves and others of the truths and blessings of the Christian life. We and others often lose our minds. (John Bunyan sermon) And how to walk them out.

Deuteronomy 4:7–9 (ESV) — For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today? “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children—

Leaders take time to think and to receive from God and his word, wisdom (both natural and spiritual) and illumination of his glorious truth. And then turns around and feed and lead their people.

Have a great day and be proud of what you do. Reminds the advisor of what he’s called to do. Look up! Envision people, encourage them.

• Equitable VP

That’s why the gift of prophecy is so important to church life. I Cor 14. Edification, exhortation, comfort (NASB) NIV: strengthening, encouraging , comfort

Look up! Leadership calls people to look up!

III. Developing Meekness:

Here are some ways to grow and develop meekness and either directly or indirectly grow in leadership. The most specific application is our families and within the church and Christian ministry but hopefully they have very applicable connections for leading outside of those settings.

We must fear the Lord. We must treat him as holy.

There is a high calling on leaders. James says that teachers will be judged with a higher strictness and I think that applies to leaders as well. We must learn from Moses' life who was not able to go into the promised land.

Regardless of the sins of others we are called to treat the Lord (in our behavior) as holy:

Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. 12 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.

Because you broke faith with me in the midst of the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, and because you did not treat me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel. 52 For you shall see the land before you, but you shall not go there, into the land that I am giving to the people of Israel.

As Christians as leaders we must fear the Lord and honor him as holy. We are his representatives. David was a great man in many respects.

Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes?

However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, NKJ

Have a God centered life.

We must know and seek after the Lord.

Hosea 6:3 (ESV) — Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”

Exodus 33:9–11 (ESV) — When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the LORD would speak with Moses. And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door. Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

(But remember he who is least in the kingdom)

Leaders are representatives of the Lord. We must speak out of our relationship with him. Having a vital relationship with him is needed. This is something I appreciate about the men of Cornerstone. Many have walked with God and know him and live their lives out of that relationship. However for all of us we must never rely on past experiences or relational grace. We need to walk with God everyday.

Secondly and very connected to this is a life of prayer. Moses was a man who carried people in prayer.

• Moses became a compassionate and merciful high priest for his people. Interceding for them in prayer when they didn’t deserve it.
• One of the times God passes before him.

Exodus 34:8–9 (ESV) — And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

Deuteronomy 9:25–26 (ESV) — “So I lay prostrate before the LORD for these forty days and forty nights, because the LORD had said he would destroy you. And I prayed to the LORD, ‘O Lord GOD, do not destroy your people and your heritage, whom you have redeemed through your greatness, whom you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

We must carry people that we lead in prayer. God has called you and me to a life of prayer. Fathers, grandfathers hear this. I know this grates against the Western way of life. And I’m not saying you have to become a monk. But you must find ways of being a man who regularly prays and prays for his people. Your family, your homegroup or ministry team or neighborhood.

• Husbands - Do you pray for your wife every day?
• Along with this you must be a person who is dependent on the Lord. This is cultivated in prayer and by faith. If you want to lead people
• There were many times that Moses went to the Lord and said “I can’t do this” I can’t carry this people or lead them, They are wearing me out and either I am going to kill them or they are going to kill me.” He was meek but no perfect!
• Get comfortable with weakness. And get comfortable with hard things. Leaders are called to handle hard things. But not in their own strength. Your prayer life should consist of many things. But two of them for leaders and for all Christian men: One is a devotional time with God. Where you are making yourself happy in his presence, his attributes, his Son, his goodness. This aspect of walking with him and knowing him and out of that leading and serving and doing whatever God has called you to do is required.
• Be a happy man in Christ.
• But secondly drawing strength for the day. For today. You must learn how to call out to God for strength (for leading your own life and whatever responsibilities he has given to you).
• In the Psalms the word strength is listed 49 times. Some of those times it’s talking about the inherent strength that God has but often it’s talking about God being the source of the Psalmist’s strength and power. He says things like
• God strengthens our heart. Or He equips me with strength.
• He is my strength. O my strength. A realization that our strength and power is in the person of God. Source of strength.
• I Sam 30: Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep.
• But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

Psalm 105:3–4 (ESV) — Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!

My strength is dried up. (But his isn’t for he gives strength and power to his people.)

We must learn to draw and receive strength from God daily in prayer. Regardless of what your situation is there is strength for you from God but you must ask him for him and in faith receive it from him. And then go in confidence in that power.

Yes you must be submitted to him - remember that’s the essence of meekness.

It should be a daily (or even throughout the day) habit of grace that you call out to the Lord for his power and grace to do the things he has called you to.

• Do you feel weak and not up for the challenge? You should or you may be in danger of living in your own strength, in your own giftings.
• God is so wonderfully merciful and compassionate towards us and does not despise our weaknesses or the continual coming to him for strength.
• Some of us are really weak people but Paul tells us his power is perfected in weakness.
• And even in areas of giftedness and grace and fruitfulness - do not allow those things to keep you from prayer. For asking and beseeching God for his blessings and his strength for your areas of responsibilities and ministry.

Prayer:

I want to encourage you in the daily habit of asking the Lord for his strength, for the power of the Holy Spirit to be a faithful Christian. Ask and it will be given, seek and it will be found, knock and the door will be open to you. It's a very active pursuit.

Part of the Spirit filled life is receiving his power and strength each day. We need strength for the day. Today! Jesus: don’t worry about tomorrow.

Often Christian leadership involves being faithful in whatever you’re doing. Doing what you should do in this situation as a Christian man. Life is filled with many opportunities to serve others in the little areas of life.

Paul tells the Corinthians:

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.

Learn to draw strength from God. This is not a passive little prayer. It’s an active calling out to God for what you need.

One draws water from a well. Our God is an everlasting fountain. Oh what a joy it is… It also involves going in faith, trusting that he will give it to you.

Maybe you’re a young man. Learning to grow up and actually do life, takes time to learn, wisdom to learn, and strength to do. The grace that saved you..

Maybe you are a middle aged man who has lots of responsibilities and you need strength for each day. Strength and power to be fruitful as a man, as a husband, a father a boss or an employee. As a minister of the gospel. To be present all the time. There is strength for you!

Maybe you’re an older man who realizes you’re not as strong as you used to be (at least physically). You’re very aware of your weakness and your limitations. God wants to strengthen you for the day!

Or maybe you’re none of those but you need the Lord to help in this.