PRAYER
Heavenly Father,
We come before You today with humble and contrite hearts, seeking Your wisdom and guidance as we strive to cultivate the virtue of gentleness in our lives, following the example of Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Lord Jesus, You displayed gentleness in every aspect of Your earthly ministry. You showed kindness to the marginalized, compassion to the broken-hearted, and patience to those who were slow to understand. Please teach us to imitate Your gentleness and to extend grace to others, just as You have extended grace to us.
Holy Spirit, we ask that You dwell within us and empower us to respond with gentleness in all situations. Please help us temper our words, thoughts, and actions with love and tenderness. Fill our hearts with compassion for those hurting and give us the strength to offer a gentle touch and a listening ear to those in need.
As we embark on this journey to cultivate gentleness, may Your Holy Spirit continue to shape us, refine us, and draw us closer to the image of Your Son. Enable us to reflect Your truth, grace, and gentleness to a world desperate for Your soothing touch. In Jesus’ precious name, we pray. Amen.
SERMON
Galatians 5:22-25 NRSV
By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
POINT: Being another angry voice in a sea of anger helps
Matthew 11:29 NRSV - Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Philippians 4:5 NRSV - Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.
1 Timothy 6:10-11 NRSV - For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness.
POINT: Gentleness is not synonymous with passivity or
POINT: True strength
“Maybe God was trying to tell me that gentleness begins with strength, quietness with security. A great tree is both moved and unmoved, for it changes with the seasons, but its roots keep it anchored in the ground. Mastering a gentle and quiet spirit didn’t mean changing my personality, just regaining control of it, growing strong enough to hold back and secure enough to soften.” —Rachel Held Evans, A Year of Biblical Womanhood
POINT: Gentleness is a force of
Ephesians 4:1-6 NRSV
I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.