Gentleness Is A Way Of Winning Others To Christ

The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – GENTLENESS #3

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

Peter Heals Aeneas And Raises Dorcas

In Acts 9:32-43 NLT says, “32 Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydda. 33 There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly. 35 Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord. 36 There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. 37 About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room. 38 But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, “Please come as soon as possible!” 39 So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them. 40 But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, “Get up, Tabitha.” And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up! 41 He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive. 42 The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And Peter stayed a long time in Joppa, living with Simon, a tanner of hides.”

In Verse 32, Peter, the leader of the apostles, was last mentioned in Acts 8:25 returning from Samaria to Jerusalem with John. He came to Lydda, a predominantly Gentile community about twenty-five miles west of Jerusalem. Lydda was a fairly large town and commercial center at the intersection of highways connecting Egypt to Syria and Joppa (on the Mediterranean coast) to Jerusalem. The Gospel likely came to Lydda as a direct result of the mass conversion at Pentecost (Acts chapter 2) or from those who had fled the Jerusalem persecution (Acts 8:1).

In Verses 33-35, nothing more is known about Aeneas other than this fact of his miraculous healing from an eight-year crippling illness. The healing was done by our Lord Jesus Christ, and it was immediate. This miracle was not an end in itself but a confirming sign of the truth of the Gospel. The phrase, the whole population, was probably not meant to be taken literally; rather, it was Luke’s way of reporting that a vast number of people turned to the Lord and were saved, including not only those in Lydda but in the whole area of Sharon, a coastal plain about ten miles wide and fifty miles long stretching north from Lydda toward Carmel.

In Verses 36-37, describes the important harbor city of Joppa sits 125 feet above sea level, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Joppa was the town into which the cedars of Lebanon had been floated to be shipped to Jerusalem and used in the temple construction (2 Chronicles 2:16; Ezra 3:7). The prophet Jonah had left the port of Joppa on his ill-fated trip (Jonah 1:3).

It was customary to bury corpses before sundown. The believers had only prepared her for burial and laid her in an upstairs room, suggesting that they believed that she could be raised. The church had not previously experienced miracles of this nature, though such signs had occurred during the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. Perhaps word about the healing of Aeneas had reached Joppa from Lydda, because the believers dispatched two men to find and bring Peter (Acts 9:38).

In Verses 38-39 describes Joppa was only about ten miles northwest of Lydda. To go and find Peter and bring him back would have taken these two men six to eight hours. Once located and presented with the need in Joppa, Peter returned with them. The text indicates the haste with which all this was accomplished. Arriving, Peter was immediately ushered to the upstairs room. There he met a group of mourning widows. Clearly, this woman’s death was a major blow to the church in Joppa.

In Verses 40-43 describes after getting down on his knees to pray, Peter told Tabitha to get up. Then she opened her eyes. Peter presented this back-from-the-dead saint to her overjoyed friends. As a result of this startling miracle, many citizens of Joppa believed in our Lord Lord Jesus Christ. Peter stayed a long time in Joppa, at the home of Simon, probably in order to teach the people more thoroughly the full implications of the Gospel.

It is significant that Peter stayed with a man who was, by vocation, a leather worker who made animal hides into leather. This occupation involved contact with dead animals, and Jewish law considered it an “unclean” job. Peter was already beginning to break down his prejudice against people who were not of his kind and customs that did not adhere to Jewish religious traditions. This would set the stage for what is reported in the next chapter.

The Lord Speaks To Elijah

In 1 Kings 19:9-14 NLT says, “9 But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” 11 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He replied again, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

In Verses 11-12 describes an awesome exhibition of divine power (cf. Exodus 19:16, 18), Elijah was made aware of the divine speaker; his petulance was silenced, and his heart was touched. Then he was ordered to return north and carry forward the Lord’s work there. A still small voice – After several powerful phenomena occurred in which God did not speak, He did communicate in a quiet, intelligible manner. Perhaps this was to show the prophet that he should not be looking for spectacular encounters with God, but should instead listen for the voice of God in the more mundane (Gray). Our Lord Jesus Christ, God’s ultimate word of God, came not in a sensational way, but in a humble way.

In Verse 13 describes that Elijah wrapped his face in his mantle – A man dared not look directly at the Lord, lest he die (Exodus 3:6). Gentle is the Almighty – almighty gentle – almighty silent.

In Exodus 3:6-8 NLT says, “6 I am the God of your father – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God. 7 Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.

I am the God . . . of Abraham . . . I have surely seen the affliction of my people . . . I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver – God had not been deaf to the cries of His people during their four hundred years of enslavement; He was simply waiting for the appointed and predicted time to release them (cf. Genesis 15:13-16). The expression “I am God (or king) . . .” as seen here and in Exodus 6:2, is a formula that is well established in ancient Near Eastern literature as “an elevated style of address which asserts the authority of the speaker of the name” (Childs). The God who had appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was cognizant of Israel’s present dilemma and was about to act. When the Lord “comes down,” as in Genesis 11:7 and 18:21, it precedes an act of judgment. In this case, the Egyptians were going to be visited by God’s justice. Our Lord Jesus Christ considered the statement “God of Abraham,” etc. as evidence for the resurrection in the OT (Luke 20:37, 38).

God’s whisper defines both our calling and our own gentle manner of living it out. When we quiet ourselves to hear God’s whispers, we find that our purpose in life becomes clearer.

Wives

In 1 Peter 3:1-6 NLT says, “1 In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over 2 by observing your pure and reverent lives. 3 Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. 4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. 5 This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands. 6 For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do.

In Verses 1-2 describes the phrase in the same way (or “likewise,” homoios) most likely referred to 1 Peter 2:13, “Accept all authority.” The word homoios has a slightly different slant than the word kathos, another word that is translated “in the same way.” If Peter had used the word kathos, he would have meant that wives should serve their husbands in the same way that slaves serve their masters. However, the word homoios focuses the comparison in other areas. While wives are to serve their husbands “in the same way” as slaves serve their masters, Peter was not saying that wives were slaves. Instead, the wives’ service should have positive motives (“for the Lord’s sake,”1 Peter 2:13) and should be consistent no matter what the attitude of the one in authority (“even if they are harsh,” 1 Peter 2:18). Born-Again Christian wives were to accept the authority of their husbands in obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ to keep harmony in the family and to encourage unbelieving husbands to believe.

Submission of the wife to the husband is an often misunderstood concept, although it is taught in several places in the New Testament (see, for example, Ephesians 5:24; Colossians 3:18; 1 Peter 3:1, 5). It may be the least popular Christian teaching in society. These texts do not teach the general subjugation of all women under all men. The principle of submission does not require a woman to become a doormat. When a Christian wife interacted with an unbelieving husband, she needed to be submissive according to cultural norms in order to save her marriage and sometimes even her life. But she ought not participate in her husband’s pagan religion or submit to actions that dishonored God. However, when both wife and husband were Christians, the woman should respect the God – given authority of her husband, while the husband exercised his authority in a loving and gentle manner. For marriage and family relationships to run smoothly, there must be one appointed leader – and God has appointed the husband and father. The wife should willingly follow her husband’s leadership in our Lord Jesus Christ, acknowledging that this is his responsibility. Submission does not mean blind obedience, nor does it mean inferiority. A wife who accepts her husband’s authority is accepting the relationship that God has designed and giving her husband leadership and responsibility.

In the first century, when a man became a Christian, he usually would bring his whole family into the church with him (see, for example, the story of the conversion of the Philippian jailer, Acts 16:29-34). By contrast, a woman who became a Christian usually came into the church alone. Under Roman law, the husband and father had absolute authority over all members of his household, including his wife. A wife who demanded her rights as a free woman in our Lord Jesus Christ could endanger her marriage and her life if her husband disapproved. Instead, she should live her new faith through pure, godly behavior. Peter reassured Christian women who were married to unbelievers that they need not preach to their husbands; their husbands would see their godly lives. At the very least, the men would then allow these wives to continue practicing their faith. At best, their husbands would become Christians, too.

In Verses 3-4 indicates as of today, society’s focus was on outward beauty. Such beauty was achieved in fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, and beautiful clothes. But Peter contrasted putting beautiful “things” on the outside to make oneself beautiful, versus revealing the natural inner beauty that a Christian woman should have because of our Lord Jesus Christ (see 1 Peter 3:4).

This passage is teaching that women should not count on their beauty coming from outward adornments, not that women can’t braid their hair or wear gold jewelry or nice clothes. (Paul wrote almost the exact words to the women in the Ephesian church; see 1 Timothy 2:9-10.) Christian women should not be obsessed by fashion or overly concerned with their outward appearance. On the other hand, neither should they be so unconcerned that they do not bother to care for themselves. Beauty and adornments have their place, but they must be kept in proper perspective. Christian women should let their beauty come from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. Their beauty should come from their personality, and the attitudes, thoughts, and motivations that are revealed in words and actions.

For Born-Again Christian believers, this inner self has been transformed by the Holy Spirit. To be “gentle” means showing humility, consideration of others, not insisting on one’s own rights, not being pushy or overly assertive (see also Galatians 5:23). To be “quiet” refers to the same attitude as that described by “gentle,” also focusing on not causing dissensions with inappropriate words or gossip.

The holy women of the past were both holy and beautiful, not because they lived perfect lives and had perfect looks, but because they trusted God. Another ancient writer understood this: “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised” (Proverbs 31:30). These women trusted in God and knew how to submit to the authority God had established, by accepting the authority of their husbands (as described in 1 Peter 3:1-2 above).

Peter used one woman in particular as an example: Sarah, who obeyed her husband, Abraham, when she called him her master. Peter commended her attitude of obedience, hanging his argument on Sarah’s use of “master.” Sarah’s submission certainly wasn’t slavish. She insisted that Hagar and Ishmael (Abraham’s other wife and first son) be sent away. Abraham didn’t like it, but went along with her request. Apparently God approved of Sarah’s request as supported by his answer to Abraham, “Do just as Sarah says” (Genesis 21:10, 12).

Why did Peter use Sarah as an example? Sarah was considered the mother of God’s people (as Abraham was the father, according to God’s covenant promises, Genesis 12:1-3). Not only was Sarah an example to be followed because of her faithfulness to God and to her husband (she did submit to Abraham to have the child), but also because she was the mother of all believers – under the old covenant, the mother of the Jewish nation; under the new covenant, the mother of all who believe (see Galatians 4:22-26). Peter saw Christian women as true daughters of Sarah, and thus true daughters of God. So they should do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do. A Christian woman’s faith in God would help her not to be afraid. In context, this could refer to them not fearing the physical harm that might come to them from their husbands, not fearing the result of submitting to their husbands, or not fearing what might happen if they had to disobey their husbands because their husbands asked them to do wrong or evil acts. It could also refer to the theme of persecution throughout this letter, recommending that these women not be afraid of anything that might come upon them or their families. But in this context, their fear and hope in God (1 Peter 3:5) allowed them both to reverence (1 Peter 3:2) and not fear (1 Peter 3:6) their husbands.

Caring for The Lord’s Workers

In 3 John Verses 5-11 says, “5 Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. 7 For they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers. 8 So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth. 9 I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us. 10 When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church. 11 Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.”

In Verse 5 describes Gaius had been willing to open his home and take care of the traveling teachers who were passing through. He lovingly cared for these men who served the Lord, even when they were strangers to him. These teachers were partners in the truth (3 John 1:8) and deserved to be helped. John called this a good work.

Hospitality is a lost art in many churches today. Christians would do well to invite more people for meals – fellow church members, young people, traveling missionaries, visitors, and the needy. This is an active and much-appreciated way to show Christian love.

In Verses 6-7 describe the traveling Christian workers whom Gaius had helped had mentioned his friendship and loving deeds in the church where John was present. Gaius’s selfless kindness was held up as an example for others. John affirmed Gaius in his willingness to send the teachers on their way in a manner that pleases God, meaning that he helped them according to the custom of the times, which included providing rest, encouragement, and needed supplies as they continued their travels.

The reason these teachers deserved help from believers was that they are traveling for our Lord Jesus Christ. These were not merely Christian tourists; these people were traveling with a purpose – to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. That they would accept nothing from those who are not Christians means that they did not ask for support from nonbelievers because they didn’t want anyone questioning their motives for preaching.

In Verse 8 describes that when Christians support someone who is spreading the Gospel, they are in a very real way partners with them for the truth. This is the other side of the principle in 2 John 1:10. Not everyone should go to the mission field; those who work for our Lord Jesus Christ at home are vital to the ministries of those who go and who need support. Believers can support missionaries by praying for them and by giving them money, hospitality, and time.

In Verse 9 describes the brief letter referred to here was probably neither 1 or 2 John, but another letter that no longer exists. Apparently, John had previously sent a letter to the church (of which Gaius was a member), encouraging them to welcome and help the traveling teachers whom John was sending their way, and perhaps to give support to help them along their journey. But a man named Diotrephes had refused to acknowledge the apostle’s authority. Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, apparently refused to support these traveling preachers, thus snubbing John in the process. Diotrephes had an important position in the church but was blinded with pride and self-importance. He ignored the letter, perhaps even destroying it. This necessitated John’s writing this letter to Gaius so his words would be heard.

In Verse 10 describes John would deal with Diotrephes personally if he were able to go to Gaius’s church. This verse explains some of what Diotrephes was doing. He apparently wanted to control the church. John denounced four errors of Diotrephes. First, he did not acknowledge the authority of other spiritual leaders (3 John 1:9). Second, he was saying wicked things about those leaders. The Greek word literally means “to talk nonsense.” Third, he refused to welcome the traveling teachers. He regularly refused to give hospitality to the brothers sent from John. Fourth, he was putting out of the church those who disagreed with him.

Diotrephes was trying to dominate the church and lord it over all the members – telling them who to receive and who not to receive. Gaius had apparently not listened to Diotrephes but had continued to be hospitable. For this, John commended him. Not only was Gaius doing what was right, he was doing it in the face of persecution from those in his own church.

Sins such as pride, jealousy, and slander are still present in the church; thus when a leader makes a habit of encouraging sin and discouraging right actions, he or she must be stopped. If no one speaks up, great harm can come to the church. John was prepared to publicly expose Diotrephes before the whole church.

In 3 John Verse 11 describes John encouraged Gaius to not be influenced by Diotrephes’s bad example, but to instead follow only what is good – that is, to continue showing support and hospitality. Human beings are imitators by nature, but they must choose whom they will imitate. John encouraged Gaius to continue to follow what is good, for those who do good prove that they are God’s children. To give in to Diotrephes would be giving in to evil, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God. True Christians are known by their actions. John wrote at length in his first letter about how believers must show love for one another. Those who do not love do not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:8, 16).

We can imitate the gentle life by working for our Lord Jesus Christ and His kingdom.

Naomi And Ruth’s Memorable Statement

In Ruth 1:16-17 NLT says, “16 thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God – Ruth’s memorable statement indicates that she embraced the God of Israel. And for this, she has her place in the Davidic-messianic line. Faith in God, not race or ethnicity, makes one acceptable to God (Hebrews 11:6). The book of Ruth, in a Hebrew context, teaches the same lesson as Acts 10:34, 35: “In every nation he that feareth Him . . . is acceptable with Him” and Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek.”

In Verse 16 – But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”

In Verse 17 indicates the LORD DO SO TO ME, AND MORE ALSO . . . – For the oath formula, see also 1 Samuel 14:44; 20:13. Ruth uses the Hebrew proper name for God, Yahweh, not the general word, indicating that she has transferred her allegiance to Naomi’s Lord. Her conversion counted importantly with Boaz (Ruth 2:12).

There is no relationship stronger than the fellowship of suffering. Ruth and Naomi had gone through the pain of widowhood together and had clung to each other when all light seemed to have been shut out by the black mantle of death. Their tears watered their common trust, and it grew. Their love flourished in their brokenness, proving that we can never really know someone until we’ve wept with them.

God is a balm for the pain of the gentle. His touch in a life can inspire worship through the difficult experience. If we would know gentleness as a way of winning others and thrilling in personal worship, then observe a hopeless old woman become an ancestor of the Son of God. And see Ruth, a Gentile woman, contributing her bit of DNA to the makeup of Mary’s baby a thousand years before His time. Gentleness is a part of the life of Ruth, and can be a part of our lives and worship is the life lived for God.

Sunday by Sunday as we come to worship, we may have confidence that the Bible is true. In the book of John, John and the other witnesses have certified it. May we be as gentle in our ministry of certainty as John is in his reporting it.

Gentleness is a great evangelist. It is the best witness of the gentle living and the best witness of the gentle dead. Gentleness is God’s demeanor in all of the tender ways He relates to us. He is gentle in His relationships to all His children. It is God’s purpose to counter the heinous crimes of tyrants with gentleness. The world is all too often a brutal and ugly place, but God steps into the world’s terror and horror and gently reminds us of His purpose.

Let me encourage our brothers- and sisters-in-Christ, and I want my readers and listeners to be both strong in the faith and sensitive to others’ needs. Because all, we as Born-Again Christian believers are strong in certain areas and weak in others, we constantly need to monitor the effects of our behavior on others.

In these GENTLENESS Series of Podcast, we will learn the following PURPOSES of this fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT:

1. Learn To Humble Ourselves Like A Child – Podcast Gentleness #1
2. How To Receive Healing Touch Of God – Podcast Gentleness #2
3. Know A Way Of Winning Others To Our Lord Jesus Christ – Podcast Gentleness #3
4. Helps Us To Speak Of Friendliness And Cheerfulness – Podcast Gentleness #4
5. Learn The Art Of Ego Displacement – Podcast Gentleness #5

Observation: What do these passages say to you?

Interpretation: What do these passages mean to you?

Application: How do the meaning of these passages apply to you or to your situation?

If you are not sure that you are Born-Again Christian believer, please take a look of one of our ministries, “An Invitation To Meet Our Lord Jesus Christ” at https://homefellowshipchurches.org/an-invitation-to-meet-our-lord-jesus-christ/

Suggested Prayer: Father God, we come into your presence in our Lord Jesus Christ name, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for Your agape love and forgiveness. Thank you Holy Spirit as our Helper and Comforter. Thank you for the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, courage and strength. We cling, yield, plug-in and tune-in to you Holy Spirit to help us understand God’s Words and obey them, receive Your divine revelation, know the Truth that sets us free, and apply them in our lives, in Jesus name, Amen!

God bless you all and our families!

In Malachi 3:10-12 AMPC says, “10 Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it”, says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” [Malachi 2:2.] 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer (insects and plagues) for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruits before the time in the field,” says the Lord of hosts. 12 “And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight”, says the Lord of hosts.

If the people would obey God, giving as they should, God would flood His people with blessings. There would be an overabundance of God’s blessing if He was given what He requested.