Well, I invite you to turn this morning to Matthew chapter 5. We're continuing our study in the Beatitudes, and this morning we come to, should I say it's my favorite? That doesn't mean anything anymore, does it? But it kind of is right now, so I'm going to read again the first 11 verses, and our text is verse 5. Let's give our attention, page 962, if you're visiting, to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, particularly the Beatitudes this morning. Matthew 5, verse 1, this is the word of the Lord. Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him, and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. In our text, blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see god blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of god blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you and there will end the reading of god's word our study in the beatitudes this morning brings us to this great beatitude of our lord in verse verse 5 blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth this is a very fascinating beatitude maybe for us this concept of meekness is a little bit confusing that's what we're going to look at today in the goal of this sermon but maybe it's confusing for what in light of what jesus ties the beatitude to the blessing of meekness to inheriting the earth that's a concept i don't think that we've maybe given as much attention to as we should for we have always been told that we belong to the kingdom of heaven and what does the earth have to do with anything isn't the earth to be burned up and done away with what does this mean and what is jesus saying to us and why would jesus give us then an entire beatitude about inheriting the earth there's an important it's got to be an important context to that right jesus doesn't do anything just willy-nilly jesus is often challenging very the conventional wisdom of the day and you know with the beatitudes what we've been learning he's he's turning everything upside down and on its head how we think so this is such an important beatitude for our moment because it seems to me that we are living through, at the moment, a great fight for the earth. Look at what the wicked in the world, look at what they're in pursuit of to keep the earth forever. All the agendas often we see in political causes have this as its great aim, to save the earth, to keep the earth, to hold on to the earth, as if they own it. everything seems that way, of course. That's the confusing nature of things, is that it seems to us that the wicked do own the earth right now. They lay their global claims to it. They impose their reckless agendas by force and by violence and their ungodly ideals. They act like the earth and everything in it belongs to them, or at least they own it. And Christians are confused, I think, a little bit about our place on the earth. Sure, we would say we're looking to go to heaven. We're looking to get to heaven, to the heavenly inheritance. But what about the earth? Does the earth matter? That's an important question. There is at this moment a big issue for Christians in light of our cultural challenges. Great confusion as to what our responsibility is with the earth. Aren't we to take dominion of the earth? are we to take dominion over the earth since we know and what we say every square inch belongs to the lord so if every square inch belongs to the lord it seems like our agenda should be to take back the earth from the wicked take it back for christ and so right now we're in and christians have fallen into a huge culture war listen over the earth over the earth i raise this because there's so much confusion for us about this concept of inheriting the earth and what the earth is and and the earth that we live on what is our responsibility in the earth since we seem to have only talked about heaven what of the earth what of the earth well jesus provides us this morning with a fascinating beatitude in which he is turning sort of common idea on its head about who it is that inherits the earth and about how the earth is inherited. Who is it that inherits the earth? And how does that come? Think of these little stories that Jesus gave along the way about people who lived for the earth. And he told this story. The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. And he thought to himself, what shall I do? I have no place to store my crops. And he said, this is what I'll do. I'll tear down my barns and I'll build bigger ones. And then I'll store my surplus grain. And I'll say to myself, you have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take your life. Eat and drink and be merry. God said to him, you fool, this night your life will be demanded of you. Then who will get what you've prepared for yourself? That's how it will be. whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God, at the heart of that pursuit is this idea that I will live forever on the earth. And through my gain, I will get the earth. Well, that's why this beatitude is important today. This is a very special beatitude. And I have two points. I failed Dr. Godfrey's model. He always has three, and you know he does not break from that. So I break from it today with two, which means the sermon will be longer, of course. My point is simply this. Those who seek to inherit the earth and those who actually inherit the earth. So it's a very simple sort of outline today. I find this to be one of the most fascinating Beatitudes to study because it so powerfully conveys how Jesus is turning everything upside down in his kingdom in the ways that we would never naturally think and appreciate. I think that's what we've seen in the Beatitudes when we talk about blessing. These blessings are surprising. And remember, let me say up front, these are not kingdom entrances to get into the kingdom. These are what God has blessed you with to be in this life as salt and light. This is your character. This is God's blessing from you to you. But I think a little bit we have to appreciate the Jewish mindset in this regard. To mention inheriting the earth would have triggered a lot of things. That was promised to Abraham. Who are these Romans to inherit the earth? Who are these Romans to be on our land? We are to inherit this. They had a pretty good understanding of that. But when Jesus looked at the religious community, there were all kinds of problems, which I think the Sermon on the Mount is exposing on this very point. He looked at the Pharisees. He looked at the religious leaders. He looked at the community that supported all of this. He looked at their phylacteries. He looked at their robes that they prodded around for everyone to see them. They made for pretense long prayers so that people would marvel at their religion and their words. The Sermon on the Mount is really a kind of diatribe against all this. At the heart of it. and they of course expected that jesus the messiah would well not jesus they didn't believe in him as the messiah but they expected that their messiah would come and with force and with coercion take back the kingdom of god for them and give the land to them there was something his kingdom servants didn't understand about the coming of the kingdom him. Jesus turns everything on its head with this beatitude. And I think you can see how upside down this all is. Jesus is looking at human ambition. Jesus is considering human ambition. He's thinking about human ambition and what's behind it all. Jesus knows what's behind the robes jesus knows what's driving things jesus knows the heart and what is the natural propensity of everyone in this life the natural propensity for everyone here is to achieve greatness all of us want to be built into us because of the fall on top we naturally just naturally do this is why we have all the problems in the church so we do we lord things over each other we love the best seats we love notoriety this is a challenge you know this you guys all sit in your same seat every week i know it and you won't give it up well what drives jesus to address this where does blessedness come from it mean to be blessed or better how does it come how does blessedness come and in whom does it come where does success come from what is success and whom do we see as the most success who do you think are the most successful in life who has you might say truly made it you know and notice how you value that on those terms those who have made it the goal of their life to make it and to achieve some measure of independence to be on top so that they'll never have a care through the world through their riches. We've been studying. We try to achieve this in areas of anything in life, by strength and position, whether it be riches, whether it be health, whether it be fame, fortune, recognition. In whatever capacity we can achieve, the area of our strength to be on top, that's what we do. We give all of our earthly ambitions to greatness. Maybe this is a good example of what Jesus is describing here. One of my direct relatives, and I'm really curious if any of you know this name, is Alan Newhart. He was known yesterday across this country. He was raised in the German Reformed Church. He was my grandma's cousin. And he built a huge empire. founding USA Today. He was on top of the world in the 80s. You know, he made millions, and this is the 80s, he made millions a day in the 80s. Company jets, limousines. He would meet with foreign heads of states. Alan Newhart. He defined himself, and I quote, as someone who uses every tactics it takes to get the job done. to rise to the top. By the way, it sounds like another book, another figure who wrote a book called The Art of the Deal. He wrote a book called Confessions of an SOB. I didn't know if I should say that. If anyone's mad, I don't know what else to do. It's like what the book title is. Class act. The book cover says a maverick CEO who reveals how you can outfox your enemies, out-charm your friends, and outdo yourself and have a hell of a lot of fun. That's on the book title cover. This whole book is how Newharth trampled everyone in his way to achieve success. And this is, beloved, the pursuit of the wicked. Anyone who looked at Al Newharth would have said, he inherited the earth in his lifetime. From rags to riches, from a little German Reformed church in South Dakota to becoming that. He affords us a little picture of what we're all hoping and kind of wanting to achieve, if we could. Recklessly through ungodly ambition, attempting to inherit the earth. As one pastor said, Our own experiences prove that this victory and success goes to the boldest and the most aggressive. The poor, of course, don't have this opportunity. By way of contrast, think of a little house cleaner who has nothing but shares with those in need. You know that contrast. Her honesty may have cost her a lot along the way. For the wicked, in whatever form it comes, they have as their pursuit being on top of the world. And I think it's important to say, we're not just, Jesus in this context is not just reacting to the world. The same sort of ungodly ambition is just as alive in the church. We have seen figures rise up in Christianity who are just as reckless. They are all about building a name and they are all about building a kingdom for themselves and with pretense, the idea, here comes the pious presentation of their pursuit. We are taking the earth back for the Lord. Every square inch for God in this life from the wicked. And how do we judge these things today in the church? By the success of it all, the success. how great is the kingdom that we have built on the earth there are figureheads be wise there are figureheads of major movements today even in the reform world who recklessly are working on top to be on the top of the world a way of piously with the claim of taking back the kingdom of god for earthly glory now and look at the size of our churches they say and look at the institutions that we've built and and look at the name that we've created, the communities that have come with it, and the books that we have written, and we worship figures like this. Why? Because God must be in that. God must be in that. Look at the success of it all. How could it be wrong? All of this is a claim bringing in the kingdom of God on the earth to reclaim it from the wicked. And what are the characteristics that mark such success? It is boldness. It is aggressivity. It is boundary pushing. It is controversy loving. All in the name of taking the kingdom of God by storm on the earth now jesus in this particular beatitude gives us a key to how to understand the beatitude and the way that we understand the beatitude is from where he took it in the scriptures it's one of the clearest places he took it in the scriptures you're welcome to turn there i encourage you to turn there and in psalm 37 i just want to read a portion of it for a minute so you see what jesus is doing and you see the connection to this attitude and why jesus is responding the way that he is responding it's psalm 37 and psalm 37 is a fascinating song but it's describing the sort of backward nature of everything the confusing things in the earth and i'll read a bit of this think about it for a minute fret not yourself because of evildoers do not be envious of wrongdoers for they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb trust in the Lord and do good dwell in the land and the earth and befriend faithfulness delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart commit your way to the Lord trust in him and he will act he will bring forth your righteousness is the light and your justice is the noonday be still before the lord and wait patiently for him fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way see think about what i've been saying here over the man who carries out evil devices refrain from anger and forsake wrath see that fret not yourself it tends only to evil for the evildoers shall be cut off but those who wait for the lord shall inherit the earth there's he's starting you see he's gonna say this numerous times here in just a little while the wicked will be no more though you look carefully at his place he will not be there but the meek shall inherit the earth the land and delight themselves in abundant peace the wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him but the lord laughs at the wicked for he sees his day coming the wicked draws the sword and bend their bows They bring down the poor and the needy to slay those whose way is upright. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bow shall be broken. Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and his heritage will remain forever. they are not put to shame in evil times in the days of famine they have abundance but the wicked will perish the enemies of the lord are like the glory of the pastures they vanish like smoke they vanish away the wicked borrows and doesn't pay back but the righteous is generous and gives those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the earth but those cursed by him shall be cut off the steps of a man are established by the Lord and he delights in his way though he fall he shall not be cast headlong for the Lord upholds his hand I've been young and now I'm old yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread he is ever lending generously and his children become a blessing turn away from evil and do good so you shall dwell forever for the Lord loves justice he will not forsake his saints they are preserved forever but the wicked shall be cut off the righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever the mouth of the righteous utters wisdom and his tongue speaks justice the law of God is in his heart his steps do not slip the wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death the Lord will not abandon him to his power or let and be condemned when he's brought to trial wait for the lord and keep his way and he will exalt you to inherit the earth you will look on when the wicked are cut off i've seen a wicked ruthless man spending himself like a green laurel tree but he passed away and behold he was no more though i sought him he could not be found mark the blameless and behold the upright listen for there is a future for the man of peace did you hear that that last verse stands out there's a future for the land of peace for the man of peace for they that man the blessed man shall inherit the earth it's an interesting tie that jesus is looking at psalm 37 when he gives this beatitude and he says beloved in this life you're going to often be trampled underfoot by who by the impatient by the assertive by the overbearing when you consider the psalm what he's saying he says i've witnessed my whole life the wicked prosper they achieve their greatness with cruelty in underhanded ways but there's something surprising in all of this is that the righteous stand out in ways the world would never notice they don't have that pursuit as their goal that's not their goal in life to be on top the psalmist says I see them notice you want to know how you notice it Notice, they open their hands and they give generously and they lend freely and they don't expect anything back. The wicked, they take, they flourish, they claw, and they piously in the kingdom of God use it to say, we're taking it back for the Lord. It seems that the wicked are inheriting the earth. right now but the psalm is saying something very important to us today you have to look deeper beloved you have to look with wisdom's eyes the alan newhars of his life of this life for all evidences grew up in the reformed church sold his soul to gain the earth all of my family said about that guy you know what his witness was he was an absolute jerk he never gave a dime to his poor family over in South Dakota to help them and you see there's a judgment on this Calvin says those who live to be on top who plow forward and are the most bold and aggressive who claw and cut everyone down along the way here's what he says they they are the most alone in this life they have enemies everywhere they have no peace they are as calvin said without peace of mind and they are beset on every side with anxiety because of this pursuit in possessing much they will finally possess nothing and he says totally incapable of enjoying even what they have That's the curse on all this. And this leads us to the shocking beatitude this morning. What does Jesus say? Who inherit the earth? The meek. Consider the upside down way of this. The earth and greatness is not taken by our ambitions. It's not taken to become an ambitious culture warrior. Here's the shocking beatitude. It's taken by the meek. How backward is that? How much does that make no sense to us? Meekness is that quality of humility that doesn't push oneself to the top to gain the world. It gladly takes the lower seat. Meekness is that servant quality. It's the man who one day, when no one else would, got up and washed the very feet of the disciples. The man from heaven. You might ask the question this way. How are the meek viewed? Almost universally in our day. Anyone who is meek, that's an equivalent to being weak. They are the ones insulted and attacked for never being ambitious enough to take the kingdom by force. They are considered weak. They are considered compromised. They are considered today as labeled as having an effeminate Christianity but nothing effeminate about it. They are little lambs among the wolves who do what? You want to know where strength is shown? Not in the ways you think. Strength is shown in persevering in affliction. Strength is shown in being good citizens who lead a quiet and gentle life in all godliness praying for the government. Strength is shown in those who in all affliction patiently wait for the Lord because they trust in His sovereignty. Strength is shown as even though they suffer many wrongs in this life and even though, again as Calvin says, they own not one foot of ground nor meadows nor field nor vineyard nor house in this life they trust the lord that's strength that's strength they are peace-loving they are kind they are merciful they are forgiving they work in their lives quietly and peaceably into godliness all qualities that are viewed by the ambitious warriors as compromised and weak in their ambitions to take back the earth. They are gracious. They are long-suffering. They are lending. And they are ridiculed and despised for it. And the psalm describes they are assaulted by the wicked who do nothing but seek to cut them down. Isn't that just evident everywhere? The ones who get ahead and the ones who live honest lives, the difference. Demonstrating a kind of character in this world that the world would say that will get nobody ahead. But there's a particular blessing in this, and that's the encouragement. What is the blessing? What is the promise in this? What did the psalm say? They enjoy peace. What's that worth? Do the wicked have it? Turn on the news. This is the blessing and promise of God in this beatitude. This is what He has blessed you to be in this life. Listen, the earth is taken by meekness. What a radical beatitude. what a radical beatitude you know that's so against the grain of everything that's in us because you know i think i'm tough and can do it we're not tough all of which is characterized as cowardly and compromised by the supposed sheepdogs They're not strong. See it. They're not strong. They've just put on the show. Those who fight their way to the top give the impression that they're bringing in the kingdom of God now for power and strength. See, this should encourage you today. I want you to end this message by encouraging you with this. Imagine this one day. God says to Abraham, After Abraham, after Lot left, the Lord said to Abram, Look all around you. to the north and the south and the east and the west all this land all this earth that you see i will give to you and to your descendants forever i give it to you i will make your descendants as many as the dust of the earth maybe you should go do that today you know has any problem driving on the sabbath to the beach and looking to the north and east and south and the west. Go ahead. Well, you're going to see ocean. You've got to look at land. I'm sorry. That didn't make any sense. Did you hear what the Lord said? It's all yours. It's all yours. Do you think all they're clawing ahead is going to get them the earth? What do you think's happening on the last day, beloved? Then I looked and I saw a new heavens and what? A new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and there was no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem coming, what? Down from heaven from God prepared as a bride dressed for her husband heaven and earth in the resurrected state is brought together brand new you receive that it's yours and it's taken by meekness now isn't that freeing? Isn't that freeing? You know, I think it's the most freeing beatitude because it takes the burden off of you that by human strength and human ambition as a cloak for claiming every square inch for Christ that you will fulfill the promise made to Abraham. You do not fulfill the promise made to Abraham. Christ does for you. And how did Christ obtain that for you? Through meekness. Well, what did he do? When he was reviled. When he was spit upon. When the king was struck in the face. He won the promise for you. Through a way of a cross. Despising the shame. And he never asserted his own greatness. And here's the one that had the true right to it. At the cost of the call that was given to him to become a servant for you. Let them call us weak. Let them call us compromised. But may we never join with that pride who seek to trample everyone else underfoot by bringing in the kingdom of God in pretense and in cloak as a righteous agenda. That's what the Pharisees were doing. The psalm reminds us they're going to all pass away and whatever they have is going to be taken from them. Let us be like our Lord who in meekness and for the joy before him endured a what? A cross. And today, which is our future, he sat down at the right hand of God as the Lord of all. And He calls us blessed because we are His meek. It might seem like a little thing in this life, meekness, and no one naturally has it. We shouldn't push ourselves aggressively ahead to achieve the inheritance. We wait patiently. We trust the Lord in all of our afflictions and all of the unrighteous things that happen. Because very soon, very soon, He's going to make good on that promise to give us the earth and all of its glory in the resurrected bodies that He's promised us. All of which, beloved, has been won by Christ Himself who is meek for us. What a blessing. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank You for encouraging us today. And help us, O Lord, to appreciate the character of your kingdom servants and not become confused in the midst of the wars of our times as to who we are and to who the victor is. Thank you, O Lord, for encouraging us today in this. And thank you for blessing us by grace to be your meek with the added promise that the earth is ours. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.