The Fruit of Holy Spirit – 8

The Fruit of Holy Spirit – 8

Subject: Walking in the Fruit of the Spirit - Gentleness

By Rick Welborne

Galatians 5:22-26 (NKJV)
²²  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
²³  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
²⁴  And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
²⁵  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  

²⁶  Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

The Fruit of the Spirit – Gentleness. Gentleness is one of those words that is consistent in every translation.

Gentleness - the quality of being kind, tender, or mild-mannered. Softness of action or effect; lightness.

A courteous or chivalrous quality attributed to noble birth.

--Even though these definitions come from secular sources, we definitely can see them in our walk as Christians. Believers should be kind, tender, and mild mannered.

--Believers should have a softness to their actions and their intentions…a lightness in all their dealings that identify people with Jesus. 

--I particularly like this one. A courteous or chivalrous quality attributed to noble birth. We have been born again…we have been born again by the King of Kings. We should be courteous, chivalrous in Christ.

--There should absolutely be a difference in someone who identifies with Jesus Christ…someone who calls Him Lord and Savior. As far as I am concerned…rude is totally unacceptable in God’s House.

--Now we have all heard statements like…Christians are the rudest people on the planet. They are the only ones who shoot their wounded. Church people are the worst! It is simply not true.

--The issue is not with Christians or church people…the issue is with people. Until I came to Life Church, I always had to work secular jobs to supplement my income. I had to work with people.

--I have played team sports and I have been around people in every kind of setting. People can be extremely difficult no matter where you are. Tennis is a good example.

--A few months ago we were playing doubles and there was a dispute over a call. Three people were in agreement and one man totally disagreed. One of those three was his partner.

--He lost it! He started screaming and cussing like I had never heard on a tennis court! He called me what I have never been called…you may want to cover your ears. He called me a dictator!

--The other two guys were dying laughing which made the man even more angry. He cussed all the way to his car. Is he going to get a gun? He did not come back that day.

--Two weeks later he comes back to play tennis and he comes and apologizes. He said I am so sorry for getting so angry, but just for the record, I was right and you guys were wrong. I just laughed!

--My point here is to say that people are difficult in almost every setting but, Christians have no excuse for being rude and difficult, when we have Holy Spirit to help us. This man did not show gentleness.

1. Gentleness as an Action.

Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary - Gentleness - Sensitivity of disposition and kindness of behavior, founded on strength and prompted by God’s love. 

--The Old Testament. Gentleness is suggested by the waters of a stream or by wine flowing over lips and teeth. It stands in contrast to baseness, harshness, and wildness. 

--The supreme example of gentleness is Israel's God. He cares tenderly for the flock under his care, and "gently leads those that have young". He leads them by still waters. Ps. 23

--He discloses himself not just in wind and earthquake and fire, but in "a gentle whisper". God comes to console us with a gentle whisper. To Elijah, a still small voice. New Testament – Jesus.

Mat. 11:28-30 (NCV) ²⁸  “Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest.
²⁹  Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives.
³⁰  The teaching that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light.“ 

--When I read these verses so much jumped off these pages into my heart and my spirit. Of course we immediately see the gentleness of Jesus wanting us to come to Him. What I saw about us. 

A. What if we so displayed gentleness people would feel they had an invitation to come to us?

B. What if those who are tired of sin or their burdens (the heavy loads of this life) could come to us?

C. What if people truly could feel that having spent time with us brought them rest and peace?

D. What if people could learn from us and accept our wisdom knowing it would bring them hope?

E. What if people knew they could come to us and find humility (gentleness). Their burdens lighter.

--Isn’t this what gentleness should look like from those of us who claim to be followers of Jesus and those who claim to be Christ-like…to be Christian. 

Colossians 3:12-13 (NIV)
¹²  Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
¹³  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

2. Gentleness as an Attitude.

--This is what Paul was saying in Colossians 3. Gentleness is something you should put on whenever you deal with people…family, friends, co-workers, church family.

--We have all heard people say…this is just who I am…like it or lump it! This is the way God made me and I am not going to change. Please do not blame God for your rude behavior. 

--The truth is people who do not operate or flow in gentleness are operating in a spirit of rudeness or intimidation. They try to control people through fear.

--Most people will not stand up to spiritual bullies because they come across with such a spirit of superiority and authority. Just let them have their way and everything will be alright.

--I don’t think so! I think spiritual bullies need to be confronted because of their anti-Christ attitude. Jesus would have never led with that kind of attitude. Listen to Paul:

 2 Corinthians 10:1 (NIV)
¹  By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you--I, Paul, who am "timid" when face to face with you, but "bold" when away!
--Paul is simply saying here that as believers we don’t act like or deal with people the same way the world does. He did not like it but time to time he had to deal with rude worldly people. 

--My point here is this…we should constantly be dealing with everyone with a spirit of gentleness. Yes, it will take Holy Spirit to help us and to bear in us the fruit of the Spirit…gentleness. 

--I talked to our staff the other day about spiritual equity. You earn spiritual equity whenever you display the fruit of Holy Spirit to others over a long period of time. 

--Unfortunately, people try to spend spiritual equity they have not earned…it takes time and it takes consistency. Bearing this kind of fruit with a loving attitude increases your influence.

Warning – You can spend all of the spiritual equity you have built up with one outburst of anger or one display of an attitude that is not Christ like. One untimely mistake can bankrupt you in people’s eyes.

Romans 13:13-14 (NIV) ¹³  Let us behave decently…
¹⁴  Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

3. Gentleness as an Announcement (Our Words).

Proverbs 15:1-2 (NLT2) ¹  A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.
                                                                                                                                                                                    --There is no way to adequately measure the damage that has been done to churches where harsh words have been spewed from one church member to another. 

--What is always so sad to me is that both feel they are right and that they are representatives of Jesus Himself. If we represent Him, it might be good if we acted like Him. 

Isaiah 53:6-7 (NLT2) ⁶  All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.
⁷  He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. 

--Jesus did not open His mouth. Is that the kind of gentleness we show? No matter how hard you work in the church, if you have the disposition of a pit bulldog, all your acts of kindness will be nullified.

--When I think of gentleness being a fruit of the Spirit, I think about people like John Mason. He is the same every time you see him and he is always gentle with his demeanor. 

2 Tim. 2:24 (NKJV) ²⁴  And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient…

4. Gentleness as an Affection (Touch).

--Jesus was such an example to us in this area of gentleness especially in regard to touch. He touched the lepers which was totally against Jewish law. You would be unclean. He touched children:

Mark 10:13&16 (NKJV)
¹³  Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
¹⁶  And He took them up in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them.

--The nurturing touch of a hug builds trust and a sense of safety. Hugs can heal feelings of loneliness, isolation, and anger. Holding a hug for an extended time lifts one's spirit and brings life. 

--Hugs strengthen the immune system. Hugging boosts self-esteem. From the time we're born our family's touch shows us that we're loved and special. 

--Hugs teach us how to give and receive. Hugs educate us how love flows both ways. Hugs are like meditation and laughter. The energy exchange between the people hugging is an investment in the relationship. 

Virginia Satir - a respected family therapist, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth.”

--The fruit of the Spirit – gentleness – brings wonderful healing. This is why I love going around hugging and gently touching all of you. Healing for you and for me!