INTRO.- ILL.- More and more doctors are running their practices like an assembly lines. One fella walked into a doctor's office and the receptionist asked him what he had. He said, "Shingles." So she took down his name, address, medical insurance number and told him to have a seat.
Fifteen minutes later a nurse's aid came out and asked him what he had. He said, "Shingles."
So she took down his height, weight, a complete medical history and told him to wait in the examining room. A half-hour later a nurse came in and asked him what he had. He said, "Shingles."
So she gave him a blood test, a blood pressure test, an electrocardiogram, told him to take off all his clothes and wait for the doctor. An hour later the doctor came in and asked him what he had.
He said, "Shingles." The doctor said, "Where?" He said, "Outside in the truck. Where do you want them?"
There may be two ways to look at this. First, that delivery man’s patience was certainly tested. Second, he wasn’t very smart or else he would have explained what kind of shingles he had.
Life is full of situations that test our patience. How about traffic? How about waiting at long traffic lights? How about people who drive through stop lights? How about waiting in a doctor’s office or a dentist office for hours? How about waiting in line to checked out on a busy day in the grocery store? How about making a long distance to call some company to get some information and they keep you on the phone, waiting for 30 minutes or more?
Life itself tests our patience. Don’t you get tired of being tired? Don’t you tired of this world? Don’t you get upset and angry at all the horrendous crimes that take place in our world and in America? Don’t you wish these things could come to an end? Don’t you wish at times that the Lord would come back and call an end to this sin-filled world? And do you know what is the last prayer recorded in the Bible?
Revelation 22:20 “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
Can you pray that prayer and mean it? I have often felt that way but God knows best and does best. And apparently, the only reason He hasn’t sent Jesus back yet is because He is patiently waiting for more people to come to Christ and be saved. HE IS PATIENT BUT WE ARE NOT!
And doesn’t His patience tell us something about life? It tells me once again there is more to life than this life and God will set all things straight, He will correct all errors, He will make everything right in the next life. We may suffer for a season but there is a greater and better and longer season coming!
PROP.- This text tells us what it takes to be patient in this life.
1- Consider the farmer
2- Don’t grumble
3- Remember Job
I. CONSIDER THE FARMER
7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. See how the farmer waits.
ILL.- Some years ago, a study was done by an agricultural school in Iowa. It reported that production of a hundred bushels of corn from one acre of land required 4,000,000 lbs. of water, 6,800 lbs. of oxygen, 5,200 lbs. of carbon, 160 lbs. of nitrogen, 125 lbs. of potassium, 75 lbs. of yellow sulphur, and other elements too numerous to list.
In addition to these ingredients are required rain and sunshine at the right times. Although many hours of the farmer’s labor are also needed, it was estimated that only 5 percent of the produce of a farm can be attributed to the efforts of man.
It could be. If this is true then it’s a matter of a farmer waiting on rain and sunshine to produce the crop. IT’S A MATTER OF WAITING! If a farmer can wait patiently for a good crop why can’t we do the same?
Even though this world is not always a nice place to live and there are many evil things going on, we must wait on the Lord. We may well want the Lord to come back, stop sin and evil, end of all suffering, and take us to heaven BUT WE MUST WAIT!
ILL. - During his 1960 presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy often closed his speeches with the story of Colonel Davenport, the Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives: “On May 19th, 1780 the sky of Hartford darkened ominously, and some of the representatives, glancing out the windows, feared the end was at hand. Stopping a clamor for immediate adjournment, Davenport rose and said, ‘The Day of Judgment is either approaching or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for adjournment. If it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. Therefore, I wish that candles be brought.’”
One person said, “Rather than fearing what is to come, we are to be faithful till Christ returns. Instead of fearing the dark, we're to be lights as we watch and wait.”
Yes, it’s a matter of waiting on the Lord and working.
I realize that there are many things that happen that cause us to want answers from the Lord, but we must wait. All will be revealed in His good time. Questions will be answered. People will be saved. And the Lord will be glorified, BUT WE MUST PATIENTLY WAIT!
II Peter 3:10-18 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
II. DON’T GRUMBLE AND SWEAR
9 Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
ILL.- In some parts of Mexico hot springs and cold springs are found side by side. The woman often boil their clothes in the hot springs and rinse them in the cold springs.
A tourist, who had been watching this procedure, remarked to his Mexican friend, “Guess they think old Mother Nature is pretty generous.” “No, senor,” the other replied. “There is much grumbling because she supplies no soap.”
There are many things in life that cause us to grumble, but a lack of soap is not one of them.
ILL.- His wife had just bought a new line of expensive cosmetics absolutely guaranteed to make her looks years younger.
She sat in front of the mirror for what had to be hours applying the "miracle" products. Finally, when she was done, she turned to her husband and said, "Hon, honestly now, what age would you say I am?"
He nodded his head in assessment, and carefully said, "Well, hon, judging from your skin, twenty. Your hair, mmmm, eighteen. Your figure, twenty-five." "Oh, you're so sweet!" "Well, hang on, I'm not done adding it up yet."
That might make a wife swear or say something she shouldn’t. As we all know, there are many things that happen in life that could make us grumble, gripe, complain, and perhaps even cuss.
But grumbling about the world and our negative situation isn’t the answer. And grumbling to one another or against one another sure doesn’t cure anything.
Philippians 2:14-16 “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life....”
When we grumble, gripe and complain to someone or against someone we need to be reminded that the Judge is standing at the door! This means that the Lord is the ultimate judge of all things we have no right to sit in judgment on others! Judge not, lest you be judged.
12 Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.
ILL.- Warren Weirsbe wrote: “What does ‘speaking oaths’ have to do with the problem of suffering? If you have ever suffered, you know the answer: it is easy to say things you do not mean, and even make bargains with God when you are going through difficulties in life.” HAVEN’T WE ALL DONE THIS?
He also wrote: “The person who must use many words (including oaths) to convince others about something has something wrong with his character. If you are a Christian all you have to say is yes or no and people will believe you.”
Could it be that we often say too much when trying to defend ourselves?
Too much grumbling and too much talking doesn’t cure our problems or the problems of the world. Speak simply and let the Lord take care of things. Our faith is in Him, not in us.
III. REMEMBER JOB
ILL.- “Where have you been, Father?” asked the son of Abraham Lincoln. “To the war department,” he answered. “Any news?” “Yes, plenty of news, but no good news. It is dark, dark everywhere.”
He then reached forth one of his long arms and took a small Bible from a stand near the head of the sofa, opened its pages, and was soon absorbed in reading.
Fifteen minutes passed, and on glancing at the sofa his wife observed that the face of the president was more cheerful. His dejected expression was gone, and his countenance was lighted up with new resolution and hope. Wondering at the marked change, and desiring to know what book of the Bible had comforted Mr. Lincoln, she walked gently around the sofa and saw that he was reading the comforting book of Job.
10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 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. Remember Job. If we remember Job how can we say anything negative or talk about how much we suffer in this world?
I like what Warren Weirsbe wrote about Job of old: The book is basically divided into three major thoughts: Chapters 1-3 Job’s distress. Chapters 4-37 Job’s defense. Chapters 38-42 Job’s deliverance. God humbled Job and then in the end of his life He exalts him by giving him twice as much as he had before. It is difficult to find a greater example of suffering than Job.” He lost his wealth and he lost his wealth. And worse yet, he lost all ten of his children.
Job 1:18-22 18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!” 20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” (or blessed be the name of the Lord) 22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
Amazing! Incredible faith! Not many of us would have been praising God at the passing of our children! But apparently, Job trusted God and He trusted God to take care of his children in the next life. How else could he have praised God?
Weirsbe wrote: “Job endured. Satan predicted that Job would get impatient with God and abandon his faith but that didn’t happen. It is true that Job questioned God’s will, but Job did not forsake his faith in the Lord. Job 13:15 “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.” Job was so sure of God’s perfections that he persisted in arguing with Him, even though he did not understand all that God was doing. THAT IS ENDURANCE.”
And when we consider how Job endured such terrible suffering, how can we not endure? How can we not keep on living the life of faith?
CONCLUSION-------------------
Remember the farmer. Don’t grumble. Remember Job. Trust the Lord to do what is right and trust that He is always at work.
As Paul said: AND WE KNOW. What do we know? We have more revelation than Job had.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
Steve Shepherd, Jonesboro Christian Church, AR
jonesborochristianchurch@suddenlink.net
