As we’ve done each week, we’ll begin with a quick review of several important characteristics of the…
THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
1) Is demonstrated by being not doing
2) Is developed as Christ followers cooperate with the Holy Spirit
3) Is to be delightful to an unbelieving world
The way we do that as a body is reflected in two aspects of our life together in the body:
• The way we treat each other
• Our corporate worship
Today we’ll be focusing on patience as one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. This morning’s story from Home Town Tales is called “Patience. Patience Patience!!!”.
[Read story]
THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS…PATIENCE
Like we have experienced with the first three elements of the fruit – love, joy and peace – it is essential that we begin by defining what Paul had in mind when he wrote that the fruit of the Spirit is patience. There are two different Greek words that can be translated as “patience” in English:
The first is the Greek word “hupomone”. It is a compound word:
“hupo” [under] + “mone” [to abide] = “to abide under”
It is used in the New Testament to describe bearing up under difficult circumstances. We saw that word used several times in our study of the book of Revelation, where it was translated “patient endurance”. In other places, it is translated “endurance” or “steadfastness”.
But the word that Paul uses to describe the patience as an element of the fruit of the Spirit is a different Greek word – “makrothumia”. It is also a compound word:
“makro” [long] + “thumia” [temper] = “long tempered”
In the New Testament, this word is used in two distinct ways:
1) It describes a spirit that will never give in and which will endure to the end in order to reap the reward.
2) It is used more frequently to describe having patience with other people. When used in that way, it describes a person who has the opportunity to take revenge, but refuses to do so. I really like the way that William Barclay describes this kind of patience:
It is the spirit which can suffer unpleasant people with graciousness and fools without irritation.
Not surprisingly, it is this Greek word – makrothumia – that is used to describe the patience that God has toward us. We’ll see that in some detail a bit later.
Perhaps the best way to illustrate the difference between these two words is to look at a passage where the writer uses both words. In some cases in this passage the words are actually the verb from of the two Greek words.
7 Be patient [makrothumiaI], therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient [makrothumia] about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient [makrothumia]. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience [makrothumia], brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast [hupomone]. You have heard of the steadfastness [hupomone] of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
James 5:7-11 (ESV)
Job is described as having hupomone, but not necessarily makrothumia, because James is focusing here on Job’s ability to abide under or bear up under difficult circumstances.
On the other hand James uses the word makrothumia to describe the patience of the farmer who waits for fruit to be produced and the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord but never saw much of what they spoke come to pass. Here the first aspect of makrothumia – the idea of enduring to the end in order to receive the reward – is primarily in view. But there is also a hint of the concept of forgoing the opportunity for revenge when James commands his audience not to grumble against each other so that they are not judged.
Let’s look at one more passage that focuses more on this second aspect of makrothumia and then we’ll be ready to build some principles that will help us to develop this kind of patience within our body.
8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient [makrothumia] toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience [makrotumia] of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,
2 Peter 3:8-15 (ESV)
Here we clearly see that God exercises patience with us by refusing to take revenge even when He has the opportunity to do so. In fact, we undoubtedly deserve God’s wrath but God withholds that wrath to give every person an opportunity to repent and commit their lives to Him.
We certainly saw God’s patience being exercised throughout our journey through Revelation. God repeatedly held back the full extent of His wrath to give people an opportunity to repent and come to Him.
From both of these passages, we can clearly see that Biblical patience is certainly not characterized by passivity or inactivity, which is often how we think of it. We can also begin to see how when that kind of patience is exercised within the body of Christ, it is appealing and alluring to the world around us where that kind of patience is rarely carried out.
• Developing patience in the way we treat each other
1) Recognize the value of the process
We see this most clearly in the example of the farmer in James 5. I’ve never been a farmer, but if there is one thing I do know about farming is that it is hard work. So the patience of the farmer, as we have already noted, is clearly not a matter of inactivity or passivity. The farmer has to cultivate the soil, sow the seed, water, fertilize, protect the crop against weeds and insects, and then finally at some point, he gets to harvest the crop.
Much of that process is out of the farmer’s control. In particular, he is at the mercy of the weather. And the farmer never really knows how much fruit his work will bear until the final harvest comes. But he must still be faithful to engage in the process or there will certainly not be any fruit at all.
Our spiritual growth, both individually and as a body, is a lot like that. We don’t all mature at the same rate. So we’re all at different points in the process. For some, the ground is still being cultivated and for others the harvest is getting closer. But the one thing that we all share in common is that none of us will ever finish the process while we are here on this earth. Listen to the words of Paul:
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14 (ESV)
If there was ever anyone who could have claimed to complete the process, it was Paul. But Paul recognized the value of the process itself and he embraced that process.
One of the ways that we put this principle into practice right here at TFC is in the way that our elders operate. We do not merely make decisions based on majority rule but rather operate by consensus. And I can tell you from experience that operating in that manner is not always the most efficient way to make decisions. Frankly, it would be a lot easier for me to just make all the decisions or to just make those decisions based on a vote of the majority of the elders. But I’m convinced that we make much better decisions and are much more effective as a body by being patient and allowing God to work through that process of bringing all of us to a place of mutual agreement. And much of the value of the process comes in knowing that when we do make a decision and go forward all of our elders are 100% behind that decision and that they will pray and do all they can to see those decisions bear fruit for the kingdom.
2) Bear with the weaknesses of others
This is certainly consistent with God’s patience toward us. God has every right to take action against us because of the sin in our lives, yet He withholds that wrath in order to give us the opportunity to experience the fullness of our salvation in Him. As Peter writes, it is God’s patience that is our salvation.
We are to treat others in the same manner. We are to refrain from taking punitive action when someone in the body demonstrates some area of weakness.
In both Ephesians and Colossians, Paul gives us a further commentary on this aspect of patience within the body of Christ:
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:1-3 (ESV)
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Colossians 3:12, 13 (ESV)
In both passages, Paul describes patience as bearing with one another. And in his letter to the church in Rome, Paul provides us with some further insight into how we are to do that:
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”
Romans 15:1-3 (ESV)
The reason that we are to bear with the failings of the weak is for the ultimate good of the other person, just as Jesus has done for each of us.
What this does not mean is that we are just o ignore the sins of those who are part of the body. God certainly doesn’t ignore our sin. In fact, He often brings some form of discipline into our lives in order to get us to recognize and deal with our sin. And there are numerous passages, particularly in Paul’s writings where we are commanded to deal with open, continuous sin within the body. But again, the idea there is not to punish those sins, but rather to bring that person to repentance and to restore their relationship with God and with the body.
3) Be slow to anger and quick to forgive
This is certainly not the norm in the world around us. In fact, people are even making money by helping others get revenge. There is actually a website I found this week that offers to help people get revenge on those who have offended them. I’m not going to give you the name of the website just in case I’ve done something to offend some of you, but I will tell you that their slogan is “Revenge at its best.” And then there is an author named George Hayduke who has written a number of books with titles like The Big Book of Revenge: 200 Dirty Tricks for Those Who Are Serious About Getting Even, Getting Even: The Complete Book of Dirty Tricks and Spite, Malice and Revenge: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Even.
But as Christ followers, we are not to behave like that. Instead, we are to be like God and be slow to anger:
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
James 1:19, 20 (ESV)
We’ve seen this principle a couple of times in the passages that we’ve looked at already this morning. First of all, once again we see this principle demonstrated in God’s patience towards us. Because God desires that no one should perish, He chooses to restrain his anger and wrath. He is the ultimate example of being “long-tempered”. And when a person does come to that point of repentance, God’s forgiveness is immediate and permanent.
We also saw this connection between patience and forgiveness in the passage from Colossians 3 where Paul follows his admonition to bear with one another with these words:
…if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
This is obviously not the only place in the Scriptures were we are commanded to forgive those who may have wronged us or even those we just think have wronged us. And as I looked through many of those passages this week, I couldn’t find even one that indicated that we are to wait to forgive until someone asks for forgiveness.
Obviously that would be the best situation for everyone involved. The offending person realizes that he or she has done something to offend another and then goes to that person to seek forgiveness and then that person chooses to forgive. But you know what, none of us can afford to wait for the other person to ask forgiveness before we forgive. Because the only person I’m hurting when I refuse to forgive is me. I may think that somehow I’m exacting some kind of vengeance on the other person, but all I’m really doing is putting myself into bondage.
Just recently, I needed to talk with another person who had done something to offend me so that we could both deal with that issue and move on. And during that conversation the other person said, “I’m not going to apologize for that.” To be real honest, my first reaction was to think, “Well then I won’t forgive you.” But I realized pretty quickly that was wrong. So I chose to be “long-tempered” and forgive that other person anyway.
I’m certainly not sharing that example because I’ve got this all figured out. If there is one element of the fruit of the Sprit that I struggle with the most, it is certainly patience. In fact this is one of those weeks, where I feel like I’m preaching to myself more than to anyone else.
• Developing patience in our worship
1) Keep our focus on God’s ultimate purpose
Ultimately, God is patient with us because He does not want any to perish. We need to make sure that is our focus as we gather together to worship. Later this morning, Pastor Dana will be teaching on the role of the Holy Spirit in our praise and he’ll be looking at the account of Paul and Silas in Acts 16. I don’t want to steal all of his thunder, but one of the things we see in that passage is that the worship that took place in that jail cell pointed people to Jesus and the forgiveness that He offers through His death and resurrection.
Everyone involved in planning and preparing for our corporate worship services each week works hard to make sure that the time we spend together on Sunday mornings doesn’t bring attention to any of us, but rather to Jesus and the great salvation that He has made available to all of us through his patience.
But all of us are susceptible to being distracted from that focus. While we certainly can’t begin to address all the ways we can be distracted from keeping our focus on God’s ultimate purpose as we gather to worship, let me just address two of them briefly.
Some of those distractions are self-imposed because we come into the worship service with our minds on things other than Jesus. If that is the case, then we need to take the time to properly prepare our hearts, heeding this relevant instruction from Paul:
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:1-3 (ESV)
Some of you can’t really focus on Jesus because of some conflict with another brother or sister in Christ. Fortunately for us, Jesus provides us with practical instruction on how we need to deal with that:
So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Matthew 5:23, 24 (ESV)
In effect what Jesus was saying is that if you’re coming to worship and you have an unresolved conflict with another believer, you need to take care of that first before you come worship.
2) Change the way we reckon time
One of the things we saw in the passage from 2 Peter 3 is that God doesn’t reckon time like we do. To Him a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. One day we’ll get to experience that sense of timelessness as we spent eternity in the presence of Jesus.
But in the meantime, we’ve taken time and divided into units of measure like years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds. And one of the primary reasons we do that is in order to measure productivity. For instance we measure the productivity of our time when we’re driving in terms of miles per hour. In business, we measure productivity in terms of how many units that a factory can produce each hour or the number of transactions that a bank teller can process in a day.
And unfortunately that aspect of time often can impact how we view our time together in worship. We instinctively try to measure our time together in terms of productivity. So we begin to evaluate our worship experience with questions like these:
o “What benefit did I receive for my investment of my time today?”
o “What did I learn today that is relevant to me and can be applied in my life?”
o “I’ve got so many other things to do in life. Was today’s worship service a worthwhile use of my time?”
Aren’t you glad that God didn’t ask those same kinds of questions when it comes to our salvation? Aren’t you glad that God is not nearly as concerned about the hours and minutes and seconds as He is with eternity?
Unfortunately, Las Vegas is a lot more effective here than we are. If you’ve ever been in a casino there you’ll notice that they do everything to remove any sense of time. There are no windows so you can’t tell if it’s day or night and there are no clocks anywhere. The goal is to get people to become so caught up in what they are doing that they won’t even think about time, because that equates to more profit for the casino.
I’m convinced that if we really begin to grasp the nature of God’s patience with us, it would revolutionize our worship. Instead of worshipping with one eye on the clock or our watches, we’d get so lost in focusing on God that time would no longer be such a concern.
Although the ultimate focus of our worship is to be on God and not our own benefit, it is also true that genuine worship always does impact how we live our lives and it requires some kind of response to God. So this morning, I want to challenge all of us to respond to God in some way that will help us all to develop patience in our relationships with each other and in our corporate worship.
Perhaps this morning you’ve never responded to God’s patience with you and come to a place of repentance and committed your life to Him. Perhaps you’ve become discouraged with the process of your own spiritual growth or even the spiritual growth of us as a body and you need to recognize the value of the process. Perhaps you’re not very patient with the weaknesses of others and you need to do a better job of bearing with those weaknesses. Perhaps you’ve been quick to anger and slow to forgive and you need to reverse that and become slow to anger and quick to forgive. Perhaps you’ve offended someone else and you need to seek forgiveness or maybe you need to forgive someone else even if they haven’t asked for forgiveness.
Maybe you need to change your focus in our corporate worship and begin to reckon time more like God does and not focus so much on needing our time together to be productive in your personal life. Or maybe you need to take care of things in your own life or in your relationships with others so that you won’t be distracted from focusing on god’s ultimate purpose of drawing people into a relationship with Him.
Here’s the good news. Regardless of how God is calling you to respond to Him today you don’t have to do any of these things alone. This body of full of people who are here to help you make these commitments and work toward carrying them out in your life. So ask someone to help you out. I know that all of the elders would love to do what they can to assist you in these matters. And there are many others in this body who are capable of doing that as well.
