When I was young, I grew up with the movie titled “Superman” and its episodes. This character was one of my favorite heroes during my childhood. I used to dream of becoming Superman in my dreams to save human beings, including my girlfriend, from danger. In case some of you may not be familiar with the story of the movie, I would like to explain it a bit. Superman’s story begins with the father of Superman. His family lived on the planet called Krypton, and they knew that their planet would soon explode. In order to save his son, the family decided to send him to Earth in a rocket ship. Three years later, the ship landed near an American farming town. At that time, the baby was found by a couple. They named him Clark Kent and raised him as their own son. Later, Clark pursued a career with a newspaper company. He usually wore thick glasses and acted as if he were unremarkable. In his daily life, he tried to hide his true identity and pretended to be a mild-mannered reporter. However, when he witnessed something evil or wrongdoing, he would suddenly disappear and transform into Superman. Clark, as Superman, had incredible abilities, such as the power to see through walls, melt solid steel with his heat vision, and hear things from afar. He used all of his amazing powers to fight for truth and justice. In the case of the young reporter, Clark Kent, meekness did not mean weakness. In that movie, Superman was the most powerful person on this planet Earth, even though he had a very gentle character. In my mind, this Superman story may illustrate one of the important Christian virtues.

We have been in our sermon series called “The Keys to Be a Blessed Life.” Over the past few Sundays, we have explored the first two Beatitudes. According to Jesus Christ, those of us who are poor in spirit and mourn over things that matter to God can enjoy the Kingdom of Heaven in our hearts at present and receive godly comfort in the future. Today, we will look at the third critical attitude toward God: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). Based on this sacred principle, we can learn that those of us who possess meekness in spirit can be given the Kingdom of God. This morning, I want us to explore this divine promise, learn lessons, and apply them to our spiritual journey.

Before we proceed further, I would like to share a brief comment on the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount. Christ’s initial preaching on the mountainside, known as the Beatitudes, can be considered His first official instruction to His disciples. He delivered this message after completing His three main ministries in the region of Galilee: preaching the Word of God, teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven, and healing the sick. For those who want to be true disciples of Jesus Christ, this message is essential for them to keep in mind because it reflects the principles of God’s Kingdom. These sacred foundations are not optional for us as Christ’s followers; they are mandatory for us to embrace in our hearts.

Before I present some ways to cultivate a meek spirit, I would like to share the definition of the word “meek,” as used in this scripture. According to The Free Dictionary, it means “humble, gentle, submissive.” In a spiritual context, “meek” conveys the idea of “strength under control.” An illustration can be found in the Bible of a wild horse tamed by its master (James 3:3). Even though horses are powerful, they can be controlled with the use of bits in their mouths. We can ride on a horse and direct this powerful animal wherever we wish because of these tamed devices.

Now, I want us to explore three ways of growing in humility from the Scriptures Faye read this morning.

Firstly, we need to seek guidance from the Holy Spirit regarding this goldy virtue. In our epistle reading for today, the Apostle Paul introduces two kinds of products that result from our life journey: the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. Interestingly enough, we can identify two different groups related to the third beatitude in the Sermon on the Mount. The first group symbolizes characteristics opposite to meekness, such as jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, and dissension. Paul warned his readers, as he often did when teaching important matters, that those who lived with these evil traits would “not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:21). The second group represents spiritual meekness, including gentleness and self-control. Paul emphasized that those who lived with these sacred characteristics would be considered Christ’s disciples. To bear the fruit of the Spirit in our faith journey, we, as Christ’s followers, need to walk in step with the Spirit. Please pay close attention to the phrase “keep in step” in this scripture. Walking with the Spirit is not a one-time or one-day event. Our salvation was secured once and for all by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins. There won’t be any more sacrificial offerings from Jesus because that was perfect in God’s eyes. However, due to our imperfect reality, we need to continually seek guidance from the Holy Spirit, our Wonderful Counselor, to help us bear His fruit. When we desire to maintain an intimate fellowship with the Spirit, we can bear these divine fruits, including meekness.

Secondly, in today’s Gospel, our Lord Christ invites us to come to Him as we are and learn from Him about His meekness. In this invitation, Jesus uses the metaphor of a yoke. When we hear the word “yoke,” we might initially associate it with negative images. We may fear that coming under Jesus’ control or following Him as our Leader means sacrificing certain things we enjoy. Taking Jesus’ yoke can sometimes be mistakenly interpreted as submitting to slavery, as if we subject ourselves to the authority of a master in spirit. However, in Jesus’ time, people were familiar with the symbolism of a “yoke.” It was a substantial wooden crossbar, carefully designed to fit over the necks of oxen. Its purpose was to untie two animals, enabling them to share a burden and work as one. It was also an instrument that allowed the oxen to come under the master’s guidance. Typically, a mature and robust ox would be paired with a younger, inexperienced one to plow together with a yoke of oxen. As they worked together, the younger ox learned how to work and grew in strength. In this holy text, I believe that the yoke symbolizes our relationship with Jesus. Placing Jesus’ yoke is, in fact, an act of surrendering our will to Him and submitting to His Lordship. Jesus, being an excellent carpenter, has crafted a gentle and light yoke for us. While taking His yoke on our faith journey, Jesus encourages us to think, speak, and act with humility and gentleness, following His example.

Thirdly, we need to grow in faith to cultivate humility. In our Old Testament reading for today, we find an excellent example of this in the life of Moses. While receiving an education at the Egyptian palace as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, Moses came to realize his true identity as a person chosen by God for a holy purpose, as part of the nation of Israel. By faith, one day, Moses chose to abandon all the privileges he could have enjoyed as a member of the royal family in Egypt and instead became a servant of the Lord (Hebrews 11:24-26). His heart was moved to rescue the suffering people of Israel who were enslaved under King Pharaoh. With unwavering passion, Moses took bold action by killing an Egyptian who was mistreating a Hebrew. However, this aggressive act was not well-received by his fellow citizens, and he was forced to flee when King Pharaoh sought his life. Moses, who was around 40 years old at the time, spent nearly four decades in preparation before he eventually led the people of Israel out of Egypt. At the age of 80, he received a divine call from the Lord.

However, unlike his tough behaviour at the age of 40, Moses humbly asked God for signs to ensure he could properly carry out his tasks in a godly manner (Exodus 4). In today’s passage from the book of Numbers, Moses faced a challenge to his authority from his sister, Miriam and his brother, Aaron (Numbers 12:2). Did you notice Moses’ reaction to their complaint? He could have been angry at them and tried to assert his innocence, but Moses remained silent, likely turning to God for defense. Remarkably, God defended Moses through a tent meeting and gave him a remarkable compliment, stating: “Moses was only one allowed to speak with God face to face (Numbers 12:8). Later, God’s anger caused Miriam to contract a skin disease, and Aaron appealed to Moses for her healing. I was struck by Moses’ response to that request. He cried out to the Lord, saying, “Please, God, heal her!” (Numbers 12:13). Moses not only forgave Miriam and Aaron but also asked God to bless them. This is why the author of the book of Numbers describes Moses as the meekest person on earth (Numbers 12:3).

The reason why Moses has been known as the humblest person except for Jesus does not come from his senior age but rather from his growth in faith. During his time of training in the wilderness, Moses developed an intimate relationship with God. When faced with difficulties, he would kneel before the Lord and seek His guidance. Through this godly wilderness training, he became one of the meekest individuals in the spiritual world. We don’t necessarily need to physically go to a desert or be isolated to cultivate meekness. Finding the wilderness can mean seeking a place where we can have face-to-face encounters with God through prayer and the study of His Word. Being surrounded can involve applying the principles of the Lord that we have learned through daily devotion to God.

Now, some of us may have questions such as, “Why does this beatitude matter to me?” or “Why should I be concerned with Jesus’ meek statement?” Nowadays, many people do not seem to care about what they think, say, or do in their lives. They might argue that such self-reflection would limit the freedom we enjoy as citizens of a democratic country. However, it is important to remember that being meek in spirit is a crucial characteristic for us as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. This leads us to a fundamental question: Do we want to live as God’s people or as people adhering to worldly principles?

Christ’s proclamation, “Blessed are the meek,” may seem contrary to the mindset of our modern competitive society. It is not a natural quality that people often seek. The world does not appear to promote humility; rather, it tends to exalt strength and might. Throughout human history, the world has often seemed to be under the control of power. Nowadays, many people believe that the strong and mighty, unafraid to use force, will rule the world. In our society, humility is not a trait that is highly valued.

In today’s beatitude, Jesus promises that those of us who embrace godly humility in our spiritual journey shall inherit the earth. I believe that the word “the earth” in this beatitude represents the reward that God has given us in the past, offers in the present, and will bestow upon us in the future. This concept of “the earth” can be seen as a symbol of God’s blessings and property. In the Garden of Eden, our spiritual ancestors, Adam and Eve, were entrusted with all of God’s property to use for His glory and happiness. However, when they did not follow God’s spiritual law in the Garden of Eden, when they were not yoked in God’s word, when they were not trained by God, they lost all their privileges. Since then, we, as human beings and their spiritual descendants, have worked to reclaim this “earth” for our own lives. At times, we may be tempted to respond aggressively towards our fellow human beings. It is important for us to reflect and ask ourselves whether we are inheriting the land we desire in the manner of Christ’s Beatitude or not.

To conclude this message, I would like to share one of my favorite stories by Leo Tolstoy. It is about a successful peasant farmer who was never satisfied with his land… The title of this story was “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” Every one of us craves more than just land; we desire satisfaction in life. This longing for happiness is a God‐given desire. The issue is not our desire for pleasure but rather where and how we seek to satisfy our thirst for happiness or satisfaction. In one way or another, we have all kept pursuing something more in life. Along the way, we may grow weary and find ourselves tired by various everyday concerns.

This morning, our Lord Jesus Christ invites all of us to come to Him as we are. He wants us to leave our burdens at the foot of His Cross, take His yoke, and learn about His meekness in our spiritual journey. When we seek the help of the Holy Spirit, walk our journey with Christ, and grow in faith, God will assist us in inheriting His rewards. This inheritance is not limited to those of us who are called to be with the Lord in the future. It also extends to those of us who have been working on our God-given dreams at the present on earth. Yes, we should work diligently toward these visions and pray for them continuously. At the same time, we need to remember that Jesus is the one who grants us all the rewards we have been seeking.

One more final thought relates to the early church believers’ attitude toward the Word of God in the Epistle of Acts. From them, we can learn about another type of meekness. Humility is not only toward our fellow human beings but also toward God’s Word. When people in Jesus’ disciples’ time heard the Word, “they were cut to the heart” and asked the Apostle Peter what they were supposed to do before the Lord. Peter encouraged them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:37-38). In response to this divine guidance, many of them made themselves meek to accept their Master’s Word and received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Like those followers of Christ, we also need to humble ourselves while following the examples of Moses and Jesus’ meekness. When we continuously submit all of ourselves to the Lord, our Christ, and become meek in spirit, God will help us enjoy the Kingdom of Heaven not only here on earth but also forever in heaven with Jesus! Amen!

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).

*In this message, I have used some thoughts from various sermons based on the texts, Numbers 12:1-15; Matthew 11:28-30; Acts 2:36-41; Galatians 5:16-26.