Sermon for 2/10/2008
“Lord I need patience and I need it now!”
Introduction:
“Lord I need patience and I need it now!”
WBTU:
A. Begin by reading 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
C. Let’s first get the sponge wet. Cannot use a sponge until it gets wet. Let’s get our hearts wet with God’s love before we dive into how we are to be patient.
1. Those times we used God’s name only when we cursed? God could have blown up at us. But he didn’t. He was patient.
3. Those Sundays we strutted into church to show off the new dress? It’s a wonder he didn’t strike us naked. But he didn’t. He was patient.
3. And those promises we make: Count on me to stand up for you from now on. I’ve learned my lesson, I’ll never do that again, Lord. Goodness gracious. If broken promises were lumber, we could build a subdivision. Doesn’t God have ample reason to walk out on us? But he doesn’t. Why? Because God is patient.
5. CEV Version Romans 2:4- God’s patience and willingness to put up with you.
6. (Psa 103:8 NIV) The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
7. Think of Jesus Christ with those 12 disciples. Think of Christ dying for us!
8. (Psa 103:10 NIV) he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
E. Paul puts patience at the top of the list.
Thesis: This morning let’s note 4 things about how we need to show patience using some other phrases from this section.
For instances:
1. Love is not easily angered. 1 Cor. 13:5
A. A figurative definition of patience here is “taking a long time to boil.” Patience keeps the burner down.
B. Patience isn’t naïve. It doesn’t ignore misbehavior. It just keeps the flame low. It waits. It listens. It’s slow to boil. This is how God treats us. And, according to Jesus, this is how we should treat others.
C. Patience means anger control. It means having a long fuse and a short memory where irritants are concerned. Patient people are hard to provoke. Their temper can absorb a lot before they “lose it.”
D. The word for patience here, suggests having a large capacity for absorbing irritants without letting them paralyze us. Here’s a way to think about it: patience is like good motor oil. It doesn’t remove all the contaminants. It just puts them into suspension. Patient people have a well lubricated crankcase.
E. But what is our motor oil? Where do we put our contaminants? Complain to God and he will help us to deal with it. (1 Pet 5:7 NIV) Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. God is our motor oil.
F. Does this mean that we should do nothing with our anger? Oh no! Much like a car if it never gets an oil change, it will mess up the engine. If we never do anything with our anger, it will mess us up as well. After we have prayed about a situation, some of our annoyances or contaminates will just go away. Not worth dealing with. (Prov 19:11 NIV) A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.
G. However, there are some things that must be dealt with. After all, Jesus got good and angry. Put it into the motor oil, put it in suspension, until it is a good time to deal with it.
H. Patient people put their anger into suspension where it belongs until they figure out what to do with it. Figure out a good way to deal with the situation.
I. (Prov 16:32 NIV) Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.
I. This is what the Lord did with our sins. Our sins made him angry. This is why he sent Jesus. He could have just wiped us out but he put his anger into suspension and expressed his anger when it was the right time to deal with it on the cross.
2. Love is kind (Vs. 4); Love is not rude (Vs. 5)
A. Our world is rude. We don’t have the time or the patience for simple pleasantries or common courtesy anymore. For a Christian this should not be. Need to be kind.
B. What about the people who are rude? (Mat 5:46 NIV) If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Most are kind to those who are kind to them.
D. need to be like one who works at a complaint department. Kill them with kindness.
F. Think about Jesus. Jesus poured out love, and man rejected it. He helped people and they turned around and joined his enemies. He came to love His nation, and they nailed him on a cross. Yet amid all this rejections of his love, the heart of Jesus never lost a trace of his gentleness and compassion. Even on the cross he forgave those who nailed him there.
G. (Luke 6:27) "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,(Luke 6:28) bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
3. Love keeps no record of wrongs (vs. 5)
A. (Heb 8:12 NIV) For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
B. If God kept a list of the things that we did?! What a horrible list! (Psa 130:3 NIV) If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
D. Man is an accountant. We have a good memory of wrongs against us. Evil that others have done to us is often written in bold ink.
E. Two little boys had quarreled. But next morning Johnny took his cap and headed for Bobby’s again. Surprised, an older member of the family said teasingly, “What! Going to play with him again? I thought you quarreled only last evening and were never going to have anything more to do with each other. Funny memory you have.” Johnny dug his toe into the carpet, then flashed a smile as he hurried away. “Oh! Bobby and me’s good forgetters!”
F. On another note here, how many of us have kept a record of the things we felt like we did not deserve, the trials and sufferings of life. Some people keep a record of the things they have against God. "God is in control and since that is the case He did not stop this tragedy." They take it out on God and lose faith in Him.
G. Trails should make us more patient not less. After we have gone through these things, we can look on the other side and see how the Lord has gotten us through. Darby Translation- Love has long patience.
H. We are better off for these things (wouldn‘t want to go through them again), but some take this out on God. Remember how much the Lord has forgotten! Shouldn’t we do the same!
J. Song by Amy Grant- In a little while, We’ll be with the father; Can’t you see him smile? (ooooooh....)
In a little while, We’ll be home forever, In a while.... We’re just here to learn to love him;
We’ll be home in just a little while.
4. Love always perseveres (vs. 7)
A. Over time patience becomes perseverance.
B. It’s like a runner in training. First few times patient and keep going. Go further each time until complete the distance.
C. (James 5:11 NIV) As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
D. Nina Cameron met a woman in a nursing home who was known as hard to get along with. Most of the time she spent complaining about the nurses, food, roommates, just about anything she could think of. “She didn’t like anything about us,” Nina said, “right down to my name. For some reason she decided to call me Luke.” Trying to find some way to reach her, Nina finally asked, “Isn’t there anything you like?” The lady looked up and mumbled, “I like butterscotch candy and I like to draw.” So every time Nina went to the nursing home she gave this lady supplies to draw with. Nina asked her if she would like for her to bring the Bible and read to her. But she replied, “Luke, I don’t like that religious stuff, and I don’t want to hear anything about it again.” Eventually this woman contracted cancer, and Nina could see she was dying. She hadn’t spoken with her son in years, so Nina called him. Nina breathed a prayer to penetrate through all the past pain, and this son finally broke down. “Lady,” he said, “I don’t know who you are, but I love my mother.” This son didn’t have the money to come to see her, so Nina purchased a plane ticket for him. Over the next few days, Nina had the pleasure of seeing a mother reconcile with her son. And the next time Nina came to the nursing home, this lady had a peaceful look on her face. She looked up and said, “Luke, I love you. I want you to bring that Bible when you come back, and read it to me.”
Conclusion and invitation:
A. (2 Pet 3:9 NIV) The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Pet 3:15 NIV) Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation.
