Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

THE GENTLENESS OF CHRIST

1. We adore Him as the embodiment of perfection:
   1. In Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily - Col. 2:9
   2. He is the express image of the Father's person - Heb. 1:3; Col. 1:15
2. Our opening text gives us still another object lesson to learn:
   1. Gentleness, which expresses those virtues in man that are acceptable to men, and are a mark of nobility.
   2. The gentleness of Christ is a revelation of His royal relation to God the Father.

1. "A bruised reed shall he not break":
   1. His rebuke of the disciples, "What manner of spirit are ye" (Luke 9:55) gives clear indication of the gentleness of our Lord.
   2. He ever recognized human limitation and dealt with man accordingly - Ps. 103:13-17; John 16:12
   3. He always had a deep concern for men, "Have ye anything to eat?" "Give them to eat" - John 21:5; Matt. 14:16
   4. He used the endearing expression, "children" when speaking to his disciples - John 13:33
2. Our Lord was very gentle to all men:
   1. Think of His bigheartedness in His invitation, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" - Matt. 11:28
   2. He healed the ear of the servant of the high priest who had come to arrest him - Luke 22:51
   3. Here is food for serious thinking on our part. Would we have done that to our enemy?
   4. Note how gentle the Master was in His conversation with the woman that came to the well to draw water.
   5. He knew her life and could have spoken severely to her, but not so, He was gentle - John 4:9-26
   6. Think of how gentle He was with Peter on the night he betrayed Him - Mark 14:72; Luke 22:61

1. Our Lord's motive for dealing gently with sinful humanity:
   1. He loved the people, and that is the very essence of true and lasting gentleness.
   2. "Behold how he loved him!" - John 11:36
   3. "Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end" - John 13:1
   4. "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you" - John 13:34
2. He saw great potentials in every person, and for that reason He was unto men as the dew is unto the tender plant: Hos. 14:1-6
   1. He died for all because he saw what His redeeming grace could accomplish in their lives.
   2. He will have many trophies of His grace, among whom you and I will be.
   3. Said someone, "Where there is room to hope for anything, there is room to save all things."
3. Experience shows that:
   1. Gentleness is the only sure way of rekindling the spark of hope of lost souls - EXAMPLES -
      1. The penitent thief on the cross - Luke 23:42- 44
      2. Mary Magdalene, out of whom the Lord had cast out seven devils, was among the first at the tomb of our Lord - Mark 16:9
   2. The Good Samaritan applied this gentleness to the wounds of the man that had fallen among the bandits - Luke 10:32-36
4. Prayerful reflections:
   1. Gentleness in our words is a must for us as Christians - Eph. 4:32
   2. "A soft answer turneth away wrath" - Prov. 15:1
   3. "Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great." - 2 Sam. 22:36
   4. Most of all our actions must express gentleness - Phil. 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:1; Tit. 3:2