Some translations render the eighth fruit of the spirit as “gentleness”, while others as “meekness”.  With Jesus, we see both manifested, with meekness as the most outstanding. Meekness is receptivity to God and the things of God. His words in the garden, “Not my will, but Yours be done”, are the bravest words ever spoken, the most loving human act ever performed, the ultimate expression of meekness.

The Greek word prautes encompasses two distinct meanings and can be translated as either “gentleness” or “meekness”.

Mark 14:32-34 He was very distressed, troubled, and deeply grieved to the point of death.

Matthew 26:39 “Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Isaiah 50:4-9 God will help him endure the physical abuse, the suffering, and humiliation.

Isaiah 52:13-15

ESV Isaiah 52:14 As many were astonished at you–his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind–

REV Isaiah 52:14 Just as many were appalled at you (his appearance was marred beyond human resemblance, and his form beyond that of human beings).

Isaiah 53:1-12 Jesus knew what the “cup” meant.

Psalm 22:7-8, 16-19; 69:20-21

John 5:19 and 30 Jesus was always meek to the Father’s will.

Philippians 2:5-8 Be humble and meek like Jesus.

James 1:21; 3:13

Ephesians 4:1-3 Meek to others with boundaries

Galatians 6:1-11 Help others with gentleness

2 Timothy 2:22-26

1 Peter 3:15

How do humans define kindness?

How does humanism define kindness?

What is kindness in Hinduism?

What is kindness in Islam?

How does the Bible define kindness?

Kindness in the scriptures is acting in benevolence with no obligation to do so.

God does not define kindness as just being nice.

The kindness of Christ culminated on the cross.

In the Bible, “good/goodness” is more than just describing someone or something as being helpful, nice, or pleasant. Rather, being “good” (i.e., having “goodness”) deals with having moral excellence, righteousness, and integrity.

“Goodness” is a quality that we are to seek to exhibit in our lives in abundance.

Jesus was said to be heavily invested in doing “good”.

So then why did Jesus deny being “good”?

God is the only one who is truly good. All goodness points to God and reflects His character.

Moses wanted to see God’s glory, and so God said He would have all His goodness pass in front of Him.

What does it mean for us to be “good”?

Even from childhood, Jesus was about his Father’s business (Luke 2:41-52). He always did the Father’s will (John 5:30; 6:38; 8:28-29; 14:31). Humility is the key to his faithfulness. The Christian life isn’t about you. It’s about God and the work God is doing. When we humbly join God in his work, we discover a life of adventure, just as the life of Christ was filled with great adventure. Faithfulness to God isn’t easy. It requires sacrifice, and sometimes suffering. However, when we suffer for our faithfulness to God, there’s joy in the suffering, because we know it’s not in vain, and we have great hope for the future. God invites us to join him in his work because he loves us and wants a relationship with us. Will we be faithful to do the work God calls us to do? The choice is ours.

“Faithful” is defined as “loyal and steadfast in allegiance”, “reliable”, “constant and unwavering.”

The sun, moon, and stars always move as God ordained (Psalm 8:3-4; 19:1-2). Faithfulness to God produces peace, order, and harmony. Disobedience produces chaos, disorder, and strife.

Hebrews 4:15 – Jesus was tempted as we are, yet he never sinned.

Luke 2:41-52 – Even from childhood, Jesus was always about his Father’s business.

Jesus always did the Father’s will, glorifying the Father, not himself (John 5:30; 6:38; 8:28-29; 14:31). Humility is the key to faithfulness.

The Christian life isn’t about you. It’s about God and the work God is doing. God is at work in the world. He invites us to join him in his work.

Luke 4:1-8 – Satan offered Jesus the kingdom without the cross, but Jesus remained faithful to God’s plan.

The life of Christ was full of adventure. There is no greater adventure than joining God in his work.

Luke 22:39-46 – “Not my will but yours be done.” Jesus was faithful even to death on a cross.

Faithfulness to God isn’t easy. It requires sacrifice, and sometimes suffering. But there’s joy in the suffering. See Philippians 1:29, 1 Peter 5:8-9, John 16:33, James 1:2-4, 2 Corinthians 4:17, Romans 8:18, and 1 Peter 4:12-16.

Hebrews 12:1-2 – For the joy set before him, Jesus endured the cross.

God invites us to join him in his work because he loves us and wants a relationship with us. Like a gentle and loving father with a little child – that’s how God is with us.

Jesus embodied patience through his gentle teaching, forgiveness, and endurance of human weakness. He corrected his disciples with kindness, bore their misunderstandings without frustration, and showed mercy even when betrayed or denied. His patience was demonstrated as he willingly suffered for humanity while waiting for them to fully understand and follow him.

Matthew 14:23-33 When the disciples struggle against strong winds on the sea, Jesus walks on water to them. Instead of immediately calming the storm, he patiently reassures them.

Mark 9:33-37 Jesus patiently corrects his disciples when they argue about who is the greatest. He does not rebuke them harshly. Instead, he waits until they arrive at their destination and asks what it was they were discussing. Knowing their pride, he takes the opportunity to teach them an important lesson, patiently explaining that true greatness comes from humility and service.

Matthew 26:36-46 Jesus asks Peter, James, and John to stay awake and pray with him in the Garden at Gethsemane because he is very troubled. Instead, they fall asleep on him not once, not twice, but three times. He doesn’t react with anger or frustration, but rather patiently corrects them. Jesus’ patience in the face of extreme distress and disappointment is an inspiration for all of us.

Luke 22:56-62 After Jesus was arrested, a servant girl and others recognize Peter as one of his followers, but he denies knowing Jesus three times. Jesus does not rebuke or reject Peter, even after his repeated denial. Instead, he patiently allows Peter to come to his own realization of his actions, later restoring him with love and grace.

The fruit of the spirit, peace, as seen in the ministry of Jesus is viewed with practical suggestions on how to maintain peace throughout life’s complexities. The Prince of Peace gives us peace via the holy spirit.

Isaiah 9:6 Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Despite facing continuous immense temptations and challenges, including persecution and crucifixion, Jesus maintained inner peace and faith in God’s plan. He also brought peace to humanity, peace with God and each other. He is the perfect example.

Mark 3:1-6 Jesus had a long nose.

ESV Mark 3:21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

31-35

Matthew 11:21-30 To maintain peace, Jesus prayed and focused on those that did believe. He was thankful for what he had rather than continuing to lament what did not have. He rallied in the relationship with God his Father.

Matthew 26:36-46 When faced with torture and death, he prayed, and God sent an angel.

62-64 Jesus kept his eyes on his hope.

John 14:26-31; 16:32-33 We have peace as a fruit of the spirit.

Philippians 4:5-9 1) Remember the Lord is always with you; 2) pray; 3) focus on what you have, not what you do not have; 4) rally in your relationship with Yahweh and Christ; 5) be thankful; and 6) focus on the hope.

Jesus’ joy was found in being an obedient servant to Almighty God. He expressed joy in sharing, serving, and suffering. Perhaps Jesus’ most significant example of living with joy is how he focused on God’s promises during his darkest hours and used God’s truth and faithfulness as a way to endure through unimaginable suffering.

Luke 10:21-22

Perhaps the most exultant description of Jesus in all of Scripture.

This is the best saying of Jesus not recorded in the Gospels. There is something about giving that results in more joy than receiving does.

Acts 20:35

Jesus taught that there was joy in service. His life and ministry are a testimony to this. He served others rather than being served himself.

John 15:11

John 17:13

Mark 10:45

John 4:34

No one was more acquainted with suffering than Jesus. But he faced all the pain with an outlook that was focused on joy.

Mattew 5:10-12

Hebrews 12:1-2

Galatians 5:19-25 The fruit of the spirit are nine behaviors or virtues that we should pursue. Thankfully, Christ exemplified each of these.

Mark 12:28-31 Jesus clearly taught us to love God and love our neighbors. However, what he said about each was different. He set the bar much higher for the kind of love we should have for God compared to how he expects us to treat our neighbors.

1 John 4:9-10 We love God because He first loved us. Love always needs an initiator. Until you experience God’s love, it’s hard to love Him. But once you do, it’s easy.

1 John 4:11 Because God has loved us, we should love our neighbors. This is a pleasure and joy for us when loving easy people and a real challenge for those who are difficult, mean, or annoying.

Matthew 18:21-22 Jesus told Peter that he had to continue to love someone who had wronged him. Although this isn’t exclusive to spouses and children, for many of us, they are the ones we interact with most.

1 John 4:19-21 When it comes to loving brothers and sisters, this does not necessarily mean whipping up emotions of affection for them. It may simply mean acting for that person’s well-being.

Jesus showed us how to do this over and over. (1) He loved the rich young ruler when he told him what was keeping him from eternal life. (2) He allowed himself to be inconvenienced because of the crowds that wanted his attention. (3) He even healed Malchus’ ear when he was being arrested.

The Apostle Paul’s love for God’s people shines brightly in his communication with Philemon, offering us an exemplary model of Christian love and leadership to emulate. This letter, penned towards the end of Paul’s life, exemplifies his unwavering love and faithfulness to the very end.

Luke 10:25-37 A powerful story illustrating compassion to completeness

The epistle of Philemon is not merely a parable, but a true account showcasing profound compassion in its fullest form.

Philemon 1:1 Philemon was a church leader in Colossae. Onesimus was his runaway slave who had become a believer under Paul’s guidance. This letter, penned towards the end of Paul’s life, exemplifies his unwavering love and faithfulness to the very end.

2 Apphia is thought to be Philemon’s wife, and Archippus is either Philemon’s son or a fellow leader in the church.

3-4 Paul prayed often – Romans 1:8-9; 1 Corinthians 1:4; Ephesians 1:16; Philippians; 1:3-4; Colossians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; 2 Timothy 1:3

7 Epaphras, likely the founder and influential leader of this church, was in Rome with Paul and must have informed Paul about Philemon whose leadership was vital.

9 Paul demonstrates the importance of voluntary, heartfelt actions.

11 Paul may be engaging in a clever play on words by contrasting “useless” and “useful,” as the name Onesimus actually means “useful”.

16 Paul’s loving intercession for Onesimus as communicated was designed to touch the core of Philemon’s heart, evoking his love, mercy, and spiritual understanding.

19 Paul asks Philemon to accept Onesimus as he would accept Paul and not as he was before his conversion. He offers to take on any debt that Onesimus may have incurred.

21 Paul conveys his confidence in Philemon’s obedience and willingness to go above and beyond what is being asked.

25 Paul’s personal involvement in this situation is a great example of true compassion.

At the end of 2024, we want to take a moment and review what has happened over the past year. Additionally, we’d like to look forward to 2025 with you and share what God is putting on our hearts.

1. People

2. Events

3. Leadership

4. Online Reach

5. Publishing

6. Beyond New York

7. Building Improvements and Future