WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.080 --> 00:00:09.599 In our hard driving, ego driven, market driven culture, you 2 00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:14.679 don't hear a whole lot about gentleness. And the reason 3 00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:18.559 why is we don't understand what it really means to 4 00:00:18.600 --> 00:00:25.079 be gentle. We think gentleness means weakness, and God says 5 00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:30.760 absolutely not. The gentle are the strongest people on the planet, 6 00:00:31.280 --> 00:00:34.560 and the earth will be theirs. It's the weak people 7 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:37.759 who are arrogant. It's the weak people who are prideful. 8 00:00:37.960 --> 00:00:40.960 It's the weak people who are pushy and rude and 9 00:00:41.119 --> 00:00:45.159 mean and gossip. Those are weak people, he said. The 10 00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:50.079 truly strong people in life are the gentle, and the 11 00:00:50.119 --> 00:00:53.880 world will be theirs. Now, I want you to write 12 00:00:53.960 --> 00:00:56.240 down a definition. This is not the first fill in, 13 00:00:56.479 --> 00:00:59.320 so don't put it on that line. He's gonna have 14 00:00:59.320 --> 00:01:01.240 to write at some paint or else on the outline. 15 00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:04.079 Let me give you a true definition of gentleness. It's 16 00:01:04.120 --> 00:01:10.719 here on the screen. Gentleness is strength under control. Gentleness, 17 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:15.400 the Bible teaches real gentleness is not weakness, but rather 18 00:01:15.519 --> 00:01:21.319 it's strength under control. A gentle person does not over react. 19 00:01:21.879 --> 00:01:25.159 A gentle person is not driven by their own emotions. 20 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:29.200 A gentle person is not someone who just is so 21 00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:32.519 moody and anything can let them fly off the handle. 22 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:39.959 Gentleman person is strength under control. The Greek word in 23 00:01:40.040 --> 00:01:44.640 the Bible for gentleness is the word pratase pratase in 24 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:47.519 the old translations of the Bible. In English, it is 25 00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:52.159 translated as the word meek meek. Now nobody uses that 26 00:01:52.200 --> 00:01:55.599 word anymore because meek has become a synonym for weak, 27 00:01:56.040 --> 00:02:01.359 and gentleness or pratase is anything but weak. In fact, 28 00:02:01.400 --> 00:02:04.519 the word pradase or gentleness in the Bible was actually 29 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:07.719 used to refer to a wild stallion that had been tamed. 30 00:02:08.400 --> 00:02:10.680 If you go out into the fields or in the 31 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:16.199 hills and you find a wild stallion who's strong and unbridled, 32 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:18.560 and they have enormous strength, and they could kick you 33 00:02:18.599 --> 00:02:21.159 and kill you pretty quickly. But if you bring that 34 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:25.120 stallion back and you tame it, then the strength is 35 00:02:25.159 --> 00:02:28.680 brought under control. The strength is bottled up for the 36 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:33.919 master's use, and now it's useful. A tamed horse is 37 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:37.639 no less strong than a wild horse. It has just 38 00:02:37.680 --> 00:02:40.680 as much strength, it can go just as fast. But 39 00:02:40.759 --> 00:02:44.039 a tamed horse, a proud taste horse, a meek horse, 40 00:02:44.120 --> 00:02:49.080 a gentle horse is one that it is strength under control. 41 00:02:49.479 --> 00:02:53.960 It is bottled up for the Master's use. And when 42 00:02:53.960 --> 00:02:57.319 you learn true gentleness as a man of God, when 43 00:02:57.360 --> 00:03:00.120 you learn true gentleness as a woman of God God, 44 00:03:00.360 --> 00:03:03.000 it doesn't mean you're weak. It doesn't mean you're a doormat. 45 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:06.080 It doesn't mean you're any of those things that you 46 00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:11.479 might think meekness or gentleness means. It means you're not overreacting, 47 00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:16.080 you're in control of your emotions and you have strength 48 00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:21.039 under control. When people look at you, and non believers 49 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:24.840 are watching you all the time, and they're watching to see, 50 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:27.560 are you any different than they are when you're understressed? 51 00:03:27.840 --> 00:03:30.039 Are you any different than they are when you are 52 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:36.840 under pressure? When you respond to pressure with gentleness, that 53 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:40.560 is an incredible testimony to the world. Here's what the 54 00:03:40.560 --> 00:03:48.560 Bible says Titus three to two. Believers should never speak 55 00:03:48.680 --> 00:03:54.560 evil of anyone. Circle that. If you're a believer, not 56 00:03:54.599 --> 00:03:56.360 only am I as a pastor not to do that. 57 00:03:56.680 --> 00:04:01.000 You're not to do that. Believers should never speak evil 58 00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:03.919 of anyone. That means you can't disagree with them. No, 59 00:04:03.960 --> 00:04:06.039 of course, you can disagree with people, you just can't 60 00:04:06.120 --> 00:04:09.319 speak evil of them. You can't malign them, you can't 61 00:04:09.400 --> 00:04:12.400 slander them. You can't do personal attacks against them. Not 62 00:04:12.439 --> 00:04:14.599 if you claim to be a follower of Jesus, you can't. 63 00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:20.519 Believers should never speak evil of anyone, even the people 64 00:04:20.519 --> 00:04:23.240 who hurt you, even the people who hurt you, Nor 65 00:04:23.399 --> 00:04:27.480 be quarrelsome. You're not allowed to be quarrelsome. Instead, they 66 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:33.839 should be gentle and show courtesy to everyone. Circle be 67 00:04:33.959 --> 00:04:36.720 gentle and show courtesy you. If you claim to be 68 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:39.399 a follower of Jesus, you are not allowed to speak 69 00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:44.360 evil of anyone. You are not allowed to be quarrelsome. Instead, 70 00:04:44.519 --> 00:04:47.600 you must be gentle with everybody, and you must show 71 00:04:47.720 --> 00:04:51.360 courtesy to everybody. That means even people of a different 72 00:04:51.399 --> 00:04:58.639 political party. Yes, you know, God gave me the gift 73 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:01.480 of evangelism, which means I spend most of my time 74 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:04.480 when I'm not at saddleback speaking to people I totally 75 00:05:04.519 --> 00:05:08.839 disagree with. I disagree with what they believe, or I 76 00:05:08.839 --> 00:05:11.959 disagree with their lifestyle, or I disagree with their concept 77 00:05:12.120 --> 00:05:17.319 or whatever. But my definition of evangelism is you cannot 78 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:20.279 win your enemies to Christ. You can only win your 79 00:05:20.279 --> 00:05:23.759 friends and to me, evangelism as you build a bridge 80 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:28.120 of love between your heart and theirs and Jesus walks across. Now, 81 00:05:28.480 --> 00:05:32.959 people aren't going to trust Jesus till first they trust you. 82 00:05:33.079 --> 00:05:35.759 People don't ask me is the Bible credible? They want 83 00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:39.000 to know. Are you credible? Rick Warren? Are you credible? 84 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:41.839 Are you exactly what you appear to be? Are you 85 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:45.720 the real deal? Do you live with integrity? Are you gentle? 86 00:05:45.839 --> 00:05:50.319 Are you loving? Are you compassionate? If people like what 87 00:05:50.399 --> 00:05:54.160 they see, they will listen to what you say the 88 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:56.879 first they got to like what they see. Gentleness is 89 00:05:56.879 --> 00:05:59.680 a witness to unbeliever. We are to be gentle and 90 00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:05.319 show courtesy to everyone. Now, let me just tell you something. 91 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:09.680 I know this from experience. If you actually obey this verse, 92 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:15.480 you're going to be criticized by other Christians because they're 93 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:18.040 going to tell you. They're going to say you're compromising. 94 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:23.120 You see when I say I have friends who are Muslims, 95 00:06:23.959 --> 00:06:27.040 and I have friends who are atheists, and I have 96 00:06:27.160 --> 00:06:31.120 friends who are gay, and I have friends who are secularists, 97 00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:33.759 and I have friends who are Mormon, and I have 98 00:06:33.879 --> 00:06:38.480 friends who are you can name it, Democrats, Republicans and 99 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:42.279 in between. How could you do that? And they accuse 100 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:47.360 you of being compromising? No, you don't compromise what you believe. 101 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:52.600 You just treat everybody with respect. You treat everybody with courtesy, 102 00:06:53.519 --> 00:06:55.480 whether you agree with them or not. Does that make sense? 103 00:06:56.120 --> 00:06:59.040 And you are to do that. If you do, there 104 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:01.480 will be people say, hey, hey, you can't be nice 105 00:07:01.480 --> 00:07:05.040 to those liberal people. Well why not because then you're 106 00:07:05.079 --> 00:07:09.360 a liberal. Or you can't be nice to those conservatives. 107 00:07:09.399 --> 00:07:12.600 Why because then you're a conservative. You've heard me say 108 00:07:12.639 --> 00:07:14.639 this many times before. People ask me, are you left wing? 109 00:07:14.639 --> 00:07:19.480 A right wing? I say, I'm for the whole bird? Okay, 110 00:07:19.639 --> 00:07:22.839 I'm actually for America. Have you ever seen a bird 111 00:07:22.839 --> 00:07:26.319 fly with one wing? If you only have one wing, 112 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:30.319 you fly around in the circle. It actually takes both wings. 113 00:07:30.519 --> 00:07:33.560 Nobody gets it right all the time. Independence don't get 114 00:07:33.560 --> 00:07:35.519 it right all the time. Democrats don't get it right 115 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:37.560 all the time. Republicans don't get it right all the time. 116 00:07:37.800 --> 00:07:40.600 I have friends who are Republicans, I have friends who 117 00:07:40.600 --> 00:07:44.959 are Democrats. I'm for my friends. Why, That's what Jesus 118 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:49.439 would do, Because there's something more than politics that's important, 119 00:07:49.560 --> 00:07:53.439 and it is do they know Jesus? And that's what 120 00:07:53.439 --> 00:07:56.800 we are to do. Gentleness is a witness to believe unbelievers. 121 00:07:56.920 --> 00:08:01.079 Look at this verse one Peter three point fifteen. Always 122 00:08:01.160 --> 00:08:05.160 be prepared to give he's talking about witnessing to an unbeliever. 123 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:09.680 Always be prepared to give an answer to everybody who 124 00:08:09.720 --> 00:08:13.680 asks you to give the reason for the hope that 125 00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:18.519 you have. But he says, do this with gentleness and 126 00:08:18.600 --> 00:08:22.199 what respect. No matter what they believe, and no matter 127 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:24.720 how they act, and no matter how ungodly they are, 128 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:27.800 you are to do it with gentleness and respect. In 129 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:30.959 other words, you don't go out thumping bibles on people 130 00:08:31.040 --> 00:08:33.679 saying turn or burn, you're gonna die and fry while 131 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:39.679 we go to the sky. That doesn't work. That doesn't work. 132 00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:46.679 Gentleness witnesses to unbelievers. Number eight. Gentleness makes me like Jesus. 133 00:08:47.639 --> 00:08:51.360 Gentleness makes me like Jesus. And this is the biggest 134 00:08:51.360 --> 00:08:53.399 one of all. That's why I saved it for last. 135 00:08:54.200 --> 00:08:56.960 In Matthew chapter eleven, verse twenty eight, twenty nine, it says, 136 00:08:57.120 --> 00:09:00.320 if you want to be like Jesus, you want to 137 00:09:00.360 --> 00:09:02.320 be a godly woman, a godly man, you're going to 138 00:09:02.440 --> 00:09:07.039 have to learn gentleness. Jesus says in Matthew eleven, come 139 00:09:07.080 --> 00:09:11.159 to me. Come to me, all you who are weary, 140 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:17.240 and you're burdened, you're stressed out. And he says, I 141 00:09:17.399 --> 00:09:21.759 will give you more work to do now, and then 142 00:09:21.840 --> 00:09:25.360 say I will give you what rest? Yeah, Then he says, 143 00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:29.000 take my yoke on you and learn from me, for 144 00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:35.600 I am gentle, circle that God says. Jesus says, I 145 00:09:35.639 --> 00:09:41.000 am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find 146 00:09:41.080 --> 00:09:47.000 rest for your souls now. Question number one. Doesn't this 147 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:50.559 mean that if I want to be like Jesus, I've 148 00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:54.000 got to learn to be gentle? Yes? Question number two. 149 00:09:54.679 --> 00:09:58.840 Is it possible that the stress you're feeling in your 150 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:04.240 life and the pressure you're feeling in your life is 151 00:10:04.279 --> 00:10:11.519 because you are not gentle? Yes? Because the Bible says 152 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:15.519 the more gentle you become, the more christ Like you become, 153 00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:18.240 and the more at peace you become, and the more 154 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:22.000 at rest you become. The reason why you're stressed out 155 00:10:22.039 --> 00:10:25.360 all the time, why you're tired all the time, while 156 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:28.159 you feel pressured all the time, is because you are 157 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:33.559 not gentle. He says, I'm gentle, and if you come 158 00:10:33.639 --> 00:10:38.120 get with me, I'm gonna give you rest and peace, 159 00:10:39.799 --> 00:10:44.720 not stress and pressure. He said, Oh man, I want that. 160 00:10:45.879 --> 00:10:47.519 I want to be at peace. I want to be 161 00:10:47.600 --> 00:10:50.399 like Jesus. I don't be stressed out all the time. 162 00:10:50.759 --> 00:10:54.039 So I'm just gonna go out and tomorrow I'm gonna 163 00:10:54.200 --> 00:10:58.600 force myself to be gentle. So you get up in 164 00:10:58.600 --> 00:11:01.519 the morning, you go and how are you today? And 165 00:11:01.559 --> 00:11:03.679 you oh, just fine? Thank you? And you how are 166 00:11:03.720 --> 00:11:07.559 you to No, no, no, that you can't fake gentleness. 167 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:14.039 You can't manipulate gentleness. You can't manufacture gentleness. It's got 168 00:11:14.039 --> 00:11:18.240 to be an inside job. God has to produce it 169 00:11:18.360 --> 00:11:21.519 inside you. Look of the next verse. The fruit of 170 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:27.440 the spirit is what gentleness. It is God's spirit producing 171 00:11:27.480 --> 00:11:32.240 it in you. You can't fake gentleness because inside you're 172 00:11:32.279 --> 00:11:37.759 gonna still be understress. It is something that God does 173 00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:40.879 to you. There is a prayer that I've prayed now 174 00:11:40.919 --> 00:11:43.639 for over thirty years. I've prayed it almost every day. 175 00:11:43.799 --> 00:11:45.559 And as I walk out and I see people, and 176 00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:47.759 I saw walk down on the patterer and say, Lord, help 177 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:53.200 me to treat people the way Jesus would. Why Because 178 00:11:53.279 --> 00:11:56.679 I am not by nature a gentle person. I'm not. 179 00:11:57.399 --> 00:12:00.799 And you know what, neither are you? You are not 180 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:03.759 by nature a gentle person. You have to learn it, 181 00:12:04.200 --> 00:12:06.559 and you have to let God produce it in your life. 182 00:12:06.679 --> 00:12:09.679 God help me to treat everybody I meet with like 183 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:15.480 Jesus today, not rude, not crude, not in civil in 184 00:12:15.559 --> 00:12:24.200 all of those ways. Hi, everybody, I'm Pastor Rick Warren. 185 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:27.240 You know, when I started Saddleback Church over forty years ago, 186 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:30.279 just a handful of people in our living room. I 187 00:12:30.360 --> 00:12:34.879 also began writing a simple devotional just for the people 188 00:12:34.879 --> 00:12:37.879 in our church to help them start each day with 189 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:41.799 hope and with truth and with peace that comes from 190 00:12:41.879 --> 00:12:44.759 Jesus Christ. Well, you know that little devotional grew and 191 00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:47.759 grew and grew in Today, Daily Hope is one of 192 00:12:47.799 --> 00:12:51.879 the largest email devotions in the whole world, and each 193 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:55.120 day people all around the globe are reconnecting with God's 194 00:12:55.200 --> 00:12:59.840 promises and finding fresh strength in his word to face 195 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:04.679 whatever comes their way. Here's the best part. It's absolutely free. Okay, 196 00:13:04.840 --> 00:13:07.480 we don't have any charge for this. Every day you'll 197 00:13:07.480 --> 00:13:11.840 get a quick devotional read and a podcast that you 198 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:16.039 can listen to on the go. Now, you know, in 199 00:13:16.080 --> 00:13:19.679 a world it's more distracted and uncertain than ever, I 200 00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:24.279 want to help you start your day centered on what 201 00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:28.120 never changes, and what never changes is a God's love 202 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:33.320 is unconditional love for you and his promises to you. 203 00:13:33.320 --> 00:13:35.080 You know, if you'll just spend just a few minutes 204 00:13:35.080 --> 00:13:38.120 a day in the morning with the Lord, it can 205 00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:43.480 bring so much more clarity, more purpose, more peace to 206 00:13:43.799 --> 00:13:48.519 everything that happens in your day. Particularly, a psychologist has 207 00:13:48.519 --> 00:13:50.399 said that what you do with the first five minutes 208 00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:54.480 of your day pretty much sets the tone. So, friend, 209 00:13:54.679 --> 00:13:57.960 you were never meant to go through life alone. I 210 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:01.159 want to personally invite you to just sign up for 211 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:04.879 the Daily Hope devotional. Do it today. I think it's 212 00:14:04.919 --> 00:14:09.600 going to bring fresh encouragement to your walk in God, 213 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:14.080 God bless you. Would you like to sign up for 214 00:14:14.200 --> 00:14:18.240 Pastor Rick's email devotional. I know you'll love it. You 215 00:14:18.279 --> 00:14:22.320 can just scan the QR code or go to dailyhopetv 216 00:14:22.480 --> 00:14:28.639 dot com. Now let me wrap this up. Who could 217 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:32.399 you practice gentleness with this week? A let's just get 218 00:14:32.440 --> 00:14:35.799 down and dirty, really practical. I'm going to give you 219 00:14:35.879 --> 00:14:38.639 three statements. Just write these down. They're not on your outline. 220 00:14:38.840 --> 00:14:42.440 Here's three things I want you to practice gentleness this 221 00:14:42.519 --> 00:14:45.480 week with three different kinds of people. Okay, so write 222 00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:50.240 these down. Number one. This next week, here's the first 223 00:14:50.279 --> 00:14:57.960 sentence when someone serves me, be understanding, not demanding. When 224 00:14:58.120 --> 00:15:05.960 someone serves me, be understanding, not demanding. That's what gentleness is, 225 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:08.519 strength under control. Why aren't you talking about Rick. I'm 226 00:15:08.519 --> 00:15:14.480 talking about waitresses when they serve you, clerks and stores 227 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:19.919 when they serve you, a secretary or a government official 228 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:23.960 or a clerk or employees. If you work, people work 229 00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:28.879 for you. Are people in fast food? You know? A 230 00:15:28.879 --> 00:15:33.120 while back, I went into McDonald's ordering my Daniel Plan, 231 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:40.759 just seeing if you'd catch that or not. And I'm 232 00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:45.720 standing in line, and there was this young girl, very flustered. 233 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:48.320 As obvious she was a trainee at McDonald's. She was 234 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:50.600 just like in her first day or first couple of days, 235 00:15:51.080 --> 00:15:53.720 and she was pressured, and there was a long line, 236 00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:56.200 and she was making a lot of mistakes. And the 237 00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:59.080 more she made mistakes, the more people got upset and 238 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:02.639 they were not understand they were demanding, and the more demanding, 239 00:16:02.679 --> 00:16:05.240 the more pressure she felt. And I thought she was 240 00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:08.159 going to burst into tears. And when I came up 241 00:16:08.200 --> 00:16:14.759 to get my Daniel Plan meal, I looked at her 242 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:18.799 and I said, it's okay, it's not that big a deal. 243 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:21.879 Don't worry about it. It's not anything for people to 244 00:16:21.879 --> 00:16:24.159 have to wait a few extra seconds and tomorrow will 245 00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:27.039 be a whole new day. You're just learning. It's okay. 246 00:16:28.919 --> 00:16:34.399 She looked up at me and she goes, aren't you 247 00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:44.360 that guy from Saddleback? I'm glad I was understanding, not demanding. 248 00:16:45.720 --> 00:16:48.039 And then I got to thinking, I wonder what is 249 00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:51.840 the reputation of our church family in Orange County when 250 00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:56.399 we go out for fast food? Are we understanding or 251 00:16:56.440 --> 00:17:00.799 are we demanding? The Bible says in Philippians two, do this. 252 00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:04.759 Don't just think about your own affairs, but be interested 253 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:08.720 in others too and what they're doing. Your attitude should 254 00:17:08.759 --> 00:17:11.640 be the same as that of Jesus Christ. So when 255 00:17:11.720 --> 00:17:16.240 people serve you this week, be understanding, not demanding. And 256 00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:20.039 if you don't get your burger right and it didn't 257 00:17:20.039 --> 00:17:24.519 come back animal style, that's also on the Daniel plan. 258 00:17:26.599 --> 00:17:29.799 Don't sweat it all right, Okay, number two write this 259 00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:35.720 one down. When somebody disagrees with me this week, when 260 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:41.240 somebody disagrees with me, be tender without surrender. Be tender 261 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:45.599 without surrender. I'm not saying gentalist means you have to 262 00:17:45.640 --> 00:17:48.519 cave in on your convictions. And if somebody tells you 263 00:17:48.599 --> 00:17:52.160 something is wrong when you know it's right, or somebody 264 00:17:52.200 --> 00:17:55.240 tells you that something is right when you know that's 265 00:17:55.279 --> 00:17:58.480 not wrong. That's not right, it's wrong. According to the scripture, 266 00:17:58.839 --> 00:18:02.000 you don't back down, you don't become wimpy, you don't 267 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:06.119 become a chameleon, and say, well, ever, teach his own 268 00:18:06.119 --> 00:18:10.240 ways and that's your interpretation. Woww No, No, that's a 269 00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:16.920 cop out. But you can be tender without surrender. Some 270 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:21.039 of my best friends are people who violently would disagree 271 00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:25.039 with me on what I believe about certain things. I 272 00:18:25.720 --> 00:18:27.640 don't compromise on what I believe. I know what the 273 00:18:27.640 --> 00:18:30.519 Bible says, and I'm not afraid, and I'm not ashamed, 274 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:32.759 and I fear God's disapprove of them more than theirs. 275 00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:36.640 But I treat them with gentleness and respect, and that's 276 00:18:36.680 --> 00:18:38.359 why we can have a friendship. Let me show you 277 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:42.559 Verse Romans fourteen to one in the paraphrase of the message, 278 00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:47.279 I love this, welcome with open arms fellow believers who 279 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:50.039 don't see things the way you do. In other words, 280 00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:53.680 they may be another brand of Christian. They may be 281 00:18:53.880 --> 00:18:59.559 Pentecostal or Catholic, or Presbyterian or Lutheran or Baptist or 282 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:02.640 Calvary Chapel or Vineyard or ye, I don't really care. 283 00:19:02.839 --> 00:19:05.519 Just maybe they don't even agree with you on certain difference. 284 00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:09.279 Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things 285 00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:12.279 the way you do, and don't jump all over them 286 00:19:12.680 --> 00:19:16.839 every time they do or say something you don't agree with. 287 00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:18.880 That's the exact obs what people are doing on the 288 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:22.880 internet right now. They jump over everybody anything. Then, he says, 289 00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:26.559 even when it seems that they're strong on their opinions 290 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:30.599 but weak in the faith department, remember they have their 291 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:36.119 own history to deal with, treat them gently. That's being 292 00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:39.720 like Jesus. That's what God wants you to do. To 293 00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:45.680 treat everybody gently. You be tender without surrender when somebody 294 00:19:45.880 --> 00:19:49.319 disagrees with you. Would you write this down on your outline. 295 00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:54.680 I never get my point across by being cross. You 296 00:19:54.680 --> 00:19:58.319 can tweet that one too. This is a really tweetable sermon. 297 00:19:59.160 --> 00:20:05.000 I never get my point across by being cross. You 298 00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:08.039 don't have to devastate those you disagree with. A lot 299 00:20:08.039 --> 00:20:11.279 of people make verbal overkill to make a point, and 300 00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:14.839 they turn everything into win lose. You have to decide 301 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:16.240 do I want to make a point, or do I 302 00:20:16.279 --> 00:20:20.720 want to make a friend with that unbeliever or even 303 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:24.720 another fellow Christian? All right, and then one more, let 304 00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:27.599 me give you this one. When somebody disappoints you, and 305 00:20:27.640 --> 00:20:30.960 you're going to be disappointed this week. When someone disappoints me, 306 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:37.839 be gentle, not judgmental. When somebody disappoints you this week, 307 00:20:38.039 --> 00:20:45.160 be gentle, not judgmental. Galatian six to one says this, 308 00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:51.440 if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual, 309 00:20:51.880 --> 00:20:55.920 should restore him gently. That maybe somebody in your small group, 310 00:20:57.759 --> 00:21:02.640 you who are spiritual, should restore him gently. But it 311 00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:05.519 says watch yourself, or you may be tempted too. In 312 00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:09.359 other words, given the right situation, we're all potential sinners 313 00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:13.440 in any potential area. We don't surprise ourselves. If somebody's 314 00:21:13.480 --> 00:21:17.880 caught us in, restore them gently. And Ephesians chapter four, 315 00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:22.160 verse thirty two says this, be gentle with one another 316 00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:29.119 and sensitive with one another. Forgive one another as quickly 317 00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:33.200 and as thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. We're 318 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:35.880 going to come back this verse in another week. That's 319 00:21:35.920 --> 00:21:40.400 say this, God cut you a lot of slack. You 320 00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:43.839 better cut everybody else a lot of slack. God has 321 00:21:43.880 --> 00:21:47.119 shown you grace. You better show everybody else a lot 322 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:50.119 of grace. God has forgiven you a whole lot more 323 00:21:50.440 --> 00:21:52.880 than you're going to have to ever forgive anybody else. 324 00:21:54.119 --> 00:21:58.559 That is gentleness. So how do you react when somebody 325 00:21:58.640 --> 00:22:01.880 really screws up their life? They really mess it up? 326 00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:06.559 You go, I told you so, I could see it coming. 327 00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:10.440 Serves your right. I would never be that dumb. And 328 00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:13.759 you actually get a secret satisfaction when you see somebody fall, 329 00:22:15.240 --> 00:22:19.240 particularly if they criticized you. Do you know what angered 330 00:22:19.319 --> 00:22:24.240 Jesus the most. It wasn't sin that angered Jesus the most. 331 00:22:24.440 --> 00:22:28.480 What angered Jesus the most were self righteous people who 332 00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:33.160 thought they spent all their time being God's appointed judge 333 00:22:33.160 --> 00:22:38.240 on earth of everybody else. And Jesus got really ticked 334 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:43.279 off at those people. They were called the Pharisees. Happiness 335 00:22:43.319 --> 00:22:46.160 is when you can accept people who haven't attained your 336 00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:52.680 level of perfection. That was sarcasm. If you didn't get it, 337 00:22:57.079 --> 00:22:59.759 this is what it means. All right, it's time to close. 338 00:23:01.880 --> 00:23:07.519 Let's bow our heads. You really want to be like Jesus. 339 00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:11.680 If you do, you're going to have to learn the 340 00:23:11.680 --> 00:23:18.920 third beatitude. God blesses those who are gentle. The whole 341 00:23:18.960 --> 00:23:23.319 world will belong to them. Why because they don't overreact 342 00:23:24.440 --> 00:23:28.319 and they're not out of control. It's strength under control. 343 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:32.599 Would you pray this prayer in your heart, Dear Jesus Christ. 344 00:23:33.000 --> 00:23:36.200 I am not by nature a gentle person. I'm just not. 345 00:23:38.279 --> 00:23:40.839 And I need your spirit of power and love and 346 00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:47.200 self control. And this week when people serve me, help 347 00:23:47.240 --> 00:23:53.839 me to be understanding, not demanding. And this week when 348 00:23:53.880 --> 00:23:57.839 people disagree with me, help me to be tender without surrender. 349 00:24:00.200 --> 00:24:04.960 And this week when people disappoint me, help me to 350 00:24:05.000 --> 00:24:12.359 be gentle, not judgmental. Lord, I want to be like you. 351 00:24:14.440 --> 00:24:17.039 I want to have a gentle answer that turns away anger, 352 00:24:17.799 --> 00:24:20.079 not stirs it up. Help me to lower my voice 353 00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:24.799 when everybody else raises theirs. And when evil things are 354 00:24:24.839 --> 00:24:27.400 said about me, help me to respond like Paul, to 355 00:24:27.480 --> 00:24:33.279 respond gently disarm my critics. And when people are headstrong 356 00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:36.599 and I'm trying to persuade him, help me to remember 357 00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:40.440 that I'm never persuasive when I'm abrasive, But the more 358 00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:46.480 pleasant my words, more persuasive, I'll be. Lord. I want 359 00:24:46.519 --> 00:24:51.240 my life to be attractive. I want the beauty that 360 00:24:51.319 --> 00:24:57.200 comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle spirit, 361 00:24:57.279 --> 00:25:02.279 which is so precious to God. And Lord, help me 362 00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:07.559 to use gentleness this week to communicate love to those 363 00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:10.240 that I love in my life. Help me to be 364 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:18.759 gentle with them. You said that gentleness earns respect, that 365 00:25:18.839 --> 00:25:21.119 a woman of gentle grace will be respected, then a 366 00:25:21.160 --> 00:25:26.559 godly man will be gentle. Lord, I want to be 367 00:25:26.599 --> 00:25:31.480 a gentle leader. I want to be meek like Moses 368 00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:37.160 and like Jesus, strength under control. I want my life 369 00:25:37.200 --> 00:25:40.240 to be a witness. And Lord, I ask you to 370 00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:43.720 help me to never speak evil of anyone, to not 371 00:25:43.880 --> 00:25:50.720 be quarrelsome, to show courtesy to everybody, regardless of what 372 00:25:50.759 --> 00:25:54.960 they believe or how they live. Help me to share 373 00:25:55.039 --> 00:26:02.000 my faith with gentleness and respect of all. Jesus, You've 374 00:26:02.039 --> 00:26:05.799 promised that if I would come to you and team 375 00:26:05.880 --> 00:26:09.440 up with you because you're gentle, I would find rest 376 00:26:09.480 --> 00:26:15.960 for my soul. Replace my stress with your gentleness. I 377 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:19.079 want the fruit of the spirit to grow in my life. 378 00:26:21.240 --> 00:26:24.200 If you've never invited Jesus Christ in life, said, Jesus Christ, 379 00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:27.480 put your spirit in me beginning tonight. I want to 380 00:26:27.519 --> 00:26:30.160 follow you and love you and learn to trust you 381 00:26:30.440 --> 00:26:33.559 the rest of my life. I give my life to you, 382 00:26:33.920 --> 00:27:11.880 Jesus Christ. In your name, I pray Amen.