PRACTICING PATIENCE
(All me sermon use illustrations found at www.sermoncentral.com and all scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted)
Many times I pray for Wisdom - to understand my teenagers; Love - to forgive them; Patience - for their mood swings; Because, Lord if I pray for Strength, I’ll beat them to death. Amen.
Don’t we all need to pray for the same? I was always warned that we should never pray for patience because if you did, God would give it to you and you would have to wait. BUT, the truth is all of us need to learn how to practice patience more in our lives. We all want, what we want, and we want it yesterday. We are not a people who like to wait for the things we want. But the Bible is full of instructions on being patient. From waiting on God to answer our prayers, to standing firm, holding on to the courage and hope we boast of, the scripture is clear about patience. Even waiting for the return of Jesus takes patience on our part.
I think this morning we will look at one particular passage of scripture that deals with practicing patience and glean whatever wisdom we can. If you have your Bibles this morning turn with me to James, chapter one and we will read verses 2-4, these are words of wisdom that every Christian should know by heart.
James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
PRAYER
This morning let us look at practicing patience through the wisdom found in this scripture. I am going to discuss three things we must be aware of and things we must do in order to be better at practicing patience.
The first:
PREPARATION - the scripture we read this morning says WHENEVER you face trials, in other words this is not a IF situation, we WILL face trials. If we are going to be able to practice patience we must be prepared for the trails that are GOING to come. Also we must understand that God is preparing us for the trial and work that needs to be done in the future. Look at your life as a series of stepping stones preparing you for the long road ahead. I have always looked at my ministry this way. I honestly believe that God has used the past to prepare me for the future.
Gene Getz once said of God’s plan for Joseph that: At age thirty, Joseph could never have handled this world - class task without an intensive and experience oriented course in management. It began in Potiphar’s house, where he managed all of his affairs. It continued in prison where he was eventually responsible for all the prisoners. And thirteen years later, he was “put. . .in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” “God’s plan for Joseph was on schedule. His preparation was tailor-made for the task God had for him. And because Joseph passed each test, learned from each experience, and learned to trust God more, he was ready when God opened the door of opportunity. He handled prestige and power without succumbing to pride. He persevered with patience and performed his duties faithfully and successfully. He was well prepared.”
Are you well prepared for the trials that will come. Most of us get very impatient with God and our loved ones because we are not well prepared, and not well equipped, to deal with the trials that come our way.
Perhaps the greatest thing we must be prepared for is the return of Christ. Jesus told us Matt 24:42 "So be prepared, for you don't know what day your Lord is coming. (Living Version) Being prepared helps us with our patience, it allows us to understand so many more things. Jesus wants us to wait for his return, but not by sitting around and getting soft. We are to get as many people as we can, to prepare themselves for the return of Christ, while we are waiting for His return.
Recently there was a television show on The History Channel titled, “The Man Who Predicted 911.” The focus of the show was on one man by the name of Rick Rescorla. Long before September 11th, Rick Rescorla, the 62-year-old head of security at the Morgan Stanley Bank, developed an evacuation plan for the bank. The bank’s offices were situated high up in the South Tower at the World Trade Center. Rescorla was convinced that Osama Bin Laden would use jet planes to try and destroy the World Trade Center. The plan and its preparation were hugely unpopular with the Morgan Stanley staff, many of whom thought Rescorla was mad.
On September 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 11 hit World Trade Center Tower 1 at 8:46 am. Rick Rescorla ignored building officials’ advice to stay put and began the orderly evacuation of Morgan Stanley’s 2,800 employees on 20 floors of World Trade Center Tower 2, and 1,000 employees in WTC 5. Rescorla reminded everyone to "be proud to be an American ... everyone will be talking about you tomorrow", and sang God Bless America and other songs over his bullhorn to help evacuees stay calm as they left the building. Rescorla had most of Morgan Stanley’s 2800 employees as well as people working on other floors of WTC 2 safely out of the buildings by the time United Airlines Flight 175 hit WTC 2 at 9:07 a.m.
After having reached safety, Rescorla returned to the building to rescue others still inside. He was last seen heading up the stairs of the tenth floor of the collapsing WTC 2. His remains were not recovered. As a result of Rescorla’s actions, only 6 of Morgan Stanley’s 2800 WTC employees were killed on September 11th, 2001, including Rick and three of his deputies who followed him back into the building.
The remainder of this very moving broadcast focused on Morgan Stanley Bank employees who now in tears were praising and acknowledging Rick Rescorla for saving their lives from total destruction that day. Many felt so guilty and apologetic they had thought Rick foolish to keep preaching and standing for what he believed would happen if they were not ready. Those interviewed said they would never forget Rick Rescorla. He was their hero.
As sinners saved by grace, we must have a “Rick Rescorla Attitude.” He was convinced people entrusted to his care would perish if his plan of escape were ignored. Rick Rescorla stayed the course even when unpopular and ridiculed because he believed what he was doing would save lives.
Sadly, many Christians today have a “Cain Attitude” when it comes to rescuing the perishing and having a consistent witness. Unlike Rick Rescorla, they say by their actions: “I am not my brother’s keeper.” The question is what are we doing to prepare people for the return of Christ, are we practicing patience by sitting around and watching as SO MANY people live there lives totally unprepared for the reutrn of Christ.
Well if being prepared is the first step, let us see the second step as:
PERSECUTION - WHENEVER, - TRIALS OF MANY KINDS
Being prepared because the word WHENEVER means trials are coming, and according to James this morning, these are trials of many kinds, and they will test our faith. So if we want to have patience, we must be prepared for PERSECUTION. Things are not going to always be easy as we follow Christ. Trials are difficult, and they will test our faith. How will respond?
Can you imagine what it was like for the church in Smyrna as they watched their beloved and aged pastor burn at the stake? Polycarp was his name, he was a disciple of Jesus’ disciple, the Apostle John. One could tell it immediately because he possessed the same tenderness and compassion as his mentor. Polycarp was Bishop of the church at Smyrna (present day Turkey). Persecution broke out in Smyrna and many Christians were fed to the wild beasts in the arena. The godless and bloodthirsty crowd called for the carcass of the leader – Polycarp.
The authorities sent a search party to find him. He had been taken into hiding for some Christians but the Romans tortured two young believers until they finally disclosed his location. When the authorities arrival was announced there was still time to whisk Polycarp away but he refused to go saying, “God’s will be done.”
In one of the most touching instances of Christian grace imaginable Polycarp welcome his captors as if they were friends. He talked with them and insisted they eat a meal. He made only one request before being taken away – he asked for one hour to pray. The Roman soldiers listened to his prayer. Their hearts melted and they gave him 2 hours to pray. They had second thoughts as well and were overheard asking each other why they were sent to arrest him?
Other authorities also experienced a warmed heart when Polycarp arrived. The Proconsul tried to find a way to release him too. “curse God and I will let you go!” he pleaded. Polycarp’s reply was: “For eighty-six years I have served him. He has never done me wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who has saved me?”
The Proconsul again looked for a way out. “Then do this old man, just swear by the spirit of the emperor and that will be sufficient.’ Polycarp’s reply was: “If you imagine for a moment that I would do that, then I think you pretend that you don’t know who I am. Hear it plainly. I am a Christian.” More deals by the Proconsul but
Polycarp stood firm. The proconsul threatened with the wild beasts. Polycarp’s reply was: “Bring them forth. I would change my mind if it meant going from worst to best, but not to change from right to wrong.” The Proconsul threatened, “I will burn you alive! Polycarp’s reply was: “You threaten with fire that burns for an hour and is over but the judgment on the ungodly is forever.” The fires engulfed him. The witnesses noticed his faith and joy. He was finished off with a dagger. He was buried for the cause of Christ on February 22, 155 A.D. It was as much a day of victory as it was a day of tragedy.
Polycarp illustrated the power of knowing Jesus intimately. Intimately enough to follow Him into the flames. As Jesus said, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” This demonstrates preparedness as well as persecution. Polycarp was prepared to die for the name of JESUS. Are you? When we are marked in the waters of baptism as Christians, we will endure persecution of some sort. There is religious tolerance of sorts here in America, but if we are truly walking in the steps our Lord and Savior directs us in, we will suffer persecution.
Matt 10:22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
In the early days of the church. . . , baptism was a declaration that the believer was definitely identifying himself with that group of people who were called Christians and were despised and hated. To be a Christian meant something. To identify yourself with those who were called Christians meant persecution, maybe death; it meant being ostracized from your family, shunned by friends. And the one act which was the final declaration of this identification was BAPTISM. As long as a man gathered with Christians, he was tolerated, but when once he submitted to baptism, he declared to all the world, I BELONG TO THIS DESPISED GROUP, and immediately he was persecuted, hated, and despised. In baptism, therefore, the believer entered into the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ. A person might be a believer and keep it strictly a secret and thus avoid unpleasantness and suffering, but once he submitted to public baptism he had burned his bridges behind him. We are marked a people distinct from the rest of the world.
A good illustration of this comes from an old parable of the end time judgment with all the people who have ever lived being brought before God. Not submitting to God they come with a complaint. One group made the claim that they suffered persecution. They had died in gas chambers and concentration camps. They wanted to know how God could judge them. What would he know about their suffering? Another group were ones who had been slaves and suffered. They had no homes and no place to lie down to sleep. They had been poor and just had made enough to pay for their needs. There were others who had been sick most of their lives. How could God judge them? God lived in heaven where there is only goodness and light, no tears, no worries, no fears, no hungers, no mistreatment. These groups appointed a committee to draw up a case before God. They stated that before God could Judge them he must first endure what they went through. They said He would have to live on earth and be subject to all they had gone through. They cried out, “Let him be born a Jew! Let Him be poor! Let him be rejected by his people! Let him have friends who betray him! Let him have false charges brought on him! Tried before a jury! Convicted by a judge! Abandoned by his friend! Let him be lonely! Let him be tortured! Let him die at the hands of enemies!” The crowd stood back and gave approval to each sentence. Then there was hush to be heard all over the room, for they then realized God already had served that sentence. For Jesus in His coming as a man identified with us, in his sufferings, in struggles and temptations, in his pain of body, mind and spirit. He felt it all completely, totally and personally just as we have. So we ask WHY? It was so we could know the depth of God’s love for us. So we could know how far God was willing to go to prove He loved us. So that in all that we go through we can turn to God and see one who has proven his love for us in His Son Jesus Christ. 1 JN 4:10 “This is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the payment for our sins.” BE PATIENT - WAIT ON GOD
Be PREPARED, GRASP PERSECUTION &
PERSEVERE- “perseverance must finish its’ work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking in anything.”
We must ENDURE much suffering to develop patience. It is endurance that shows how OBEDIENT we are. Will we endure the testing of our faith? Will we crack at some point? PATIENCE is knowing that good times will come, but there will be bad ones as well. How obedient are you? The testing of your faith will show.
Rev 14:12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.
Arabian horses go through rigorous training in the deserts of the Middle East. The trainers require absolute obedience from the horses, and test them to see if they are completely trained. The final test is almost beyond the endurance of any living thing. The trainers force the horses to do without water for many days. Then he turns them loose and of course they start running toward the water, but just as they get to the edge, ready to plunge in and drink, the trainer blows his whistle. The horses who have been completely trained and who have learned perfect obedience, stop. They turn around and come pacing back to the trainer. They stand there quivering, wanting water, but they wait in perfect obedience. When the trainer is sure that he has their obedience he gives them a signal to go back to drink.
Heb 3:6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
If we believe that God is faithful it will show in our patience. It will show as we wait for God and hold on to the courage and hope we often speak of. It is not enough to give our faith lip service, we must display that faith by waiting on God. We must consent to God’s training and obey Him. By showing patient endurance, By having the perseverance that allows our faith to grow.
A&E produced a made-for-TV movie entitled Shackleton: The Greatest Survival Story of All Time. It is the account of the British explorer Ernest Shackleton and the 27 men with him who attempted to cross the continent of Antarctica. Temperatures around the South Pole can reach as low as 100 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. Shackleton advertized for men to join him on the expedition with these words: “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success.” But one problem after another plagued them. Their ship , the Endurance, was caught in the pack ice of the Weddell Sea for ten months. With extraordinary endurance and great suffering from the cold and hunger, they left the ship and finally reached Elephant Island. With all hope gone of accomplishing their goal, Shackleton set his mind to the greater challenge before him — bringing his men home alive. Shackleton and two other men endured a hazardous journey in an open boat across the world’s worst seas, and a hazardous three day climb over an arctic mountain range in order to reach a whaling camp and find help to rescue his men. In his absence, the men had made a crude hut of rocks with the life boats on top as a roof. For months they waited in that squalid hovel waiting for their leader to rescue them. One day a man who ventured outside spotted the rescue boat, and ran toward the others shouting, “Ship! Ship!” The men emerged like those who were coming out of a grave.
This is the way it will be when our Savior comes to rescue us from the grave and take us to our eternal home. As we emerge, the suffering of the past will not be remembered. We will say, “All is well. We are all well,” for our Savior has come for us.
Problems appear on the horizon everyday. We are faced with bad news on a daily basis, and often things we could not possibly change. BUT God can change things.
But back to our story! We all know what happens, Jesus takes what food is there and turns it into enough to feed the multitude of people. You might say, God makes a way when there seemed to be now way.
God will make a way Where there seems to be no way He works in ways we cannot see He will make a way for me He will be my guide Hold me closely to His side With love and strength For each new day He will make a way He will make a way. A very favorite song of mine.
Folks I am here to tell you this morning that these are things we must practice to have the kind of patience that God wants us, as Christians, as light houses in a very dark world to have. We must show the world that we will first prepare ourselves. Troubled times will come, are we well versed in Scripture to do battle with the enemy. Are we well versed enough to share our faith with the lost.
1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
Secondly , we will understand that persecution will come when we give our lives to Jesus. Trials are a part of the testing of our faith and they help us to grow. MATT 13:21 says that those who are not rooted in Christ will quickly fall away when persecution comes, we need to be prepared, WELL ROOTED, so that when trials come, and they will, we will stay the course. AND, perseverance must finish its’ work so that we may become mature and complete not lacking in anything.
Patience comes for those who KNOW JESUS. He is the First and Last, the Beginning and the End! He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all! He is the Architect of the universe and The Manager of all times. He always was, He always is, and He always will be... Unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone! He is light, love, longevity, and Lord. He is goodness, kindness, gentleness, and God.
He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and pure. His ways are right, His word is eternal, His will is unchanging, and His mind is on me. He is my Redeemer, He is my Savior, He is my guide, and He is my peace! He is my Joy, He is my comfort, He is my Lord, and He rules my life! I serve Him because His bond is love, His burden is light, and His goal for me is abundant life. He will never leave me, Never forsake me,
Never mislead me, Never forget me, Never overlook me, and Never cancel my appointment in His appointment book! He said it and that settles it. God is in control, I am on His side, and That means all is well with my soul.
Practice patience - if you are here this morning and you don’t know Jesus and Lord and Savior of your life, please come forward this morning. As the ladies come forward.
INVITATION
