Introductory Considerations
1. It is not part of my nature. I wish I could be that way but it just isn’t me. If there is one thing I struggle with - it is being patient. I’m the type of person who will ask God for patience but only on one condition - I WANT IT NOW.
2. Would you say that you are patient? Perhaps in some things but not in others.
3. This evening we consider the fruit of patience - a fruit that reflects the character of God.
4. And yet what I often see - in myself and in others - that the more zealous and sincere we become in our faith - the less patience we have with those who do not share our zeal. Who or what is it that tests your patience? Unbelievers, circumstances, God’s inaction, other believers?
Teaching
1. This evening we consider this fruit of the Holy Spirit, why we struggle with it and how we are able to cultivate it.
2. As with all of fruit, since it represents the character of God, we first consider God’s patience.
a. Over and over again in OT we see God’s patience with His people. They turn from Him and He patiently brings them back. He places them into situations in which they must call on Him for help.
b. If it were you or me we would probably have turned away from them. "If that’s the way you want to be, fine, go your way, I give up on you".
3. Why is God patient?
a. It is His nature, a result of His compassion and love. When servant pleaded with king for patience in Mat 18 he was moved with compassion to forgive the servant’s debt. His patience with mankind reflects His love for us.
b. 2Pet 3:9-10 says the Lord is patient with us so that we may turn back to Him. He knows that things and people change - thru the Holy Spirit.
c. I have great impatience with those who do confession of faith and seldom show up again. I burn inside. Yet for 5 years that was me and my church was patient. Not once did I get pushed to go back. But God was patient and in time brought me back - He changed me. So I (we) need to be careful and sensitive, knowing that God is at work in them as well.
4. Not mean that we or God just let things go. See 2Pet 3:10. There will be a day when God’s judgement will come, when the opportunity to repent will pass - when we die or when Christ returns.
5. Yet even then God’s patience great, In Rev - destroy only part of world so more would repent - yet none did.
6. But while God is patient, we must not assume that means we can get away with sin etc. (Rom 2:4). There is a day of reckoning, when God’s patience may seem to run out, but really He knows that waiting any longer won’t change us.
7. Easy for me to say see I need only be patient so long. Usually problem is that we consider a week a long time to be patient whereas God looks more at long run - in my case 5 years. I want all nice and fixed up right now - but people take time to deal with things and often life is the best teacher - not my quick easy answer (as OT shows).
8. We now turn to ourselves and the passage in James, who tells us a number of things we are to be patient with.
9. He begins with "now listen " or "then" which ties back to first 6 verses of Jas 5. He has been talking the rich who failed to pay their workers, who had let their workers suffer while they in luxury and self-indulgence.
a. This represents the wickedness and unfairness of this world. We want justice to prevail, especially when we are mistreated ourselves. Why does God not do something about these situations? Look what they get away with? - and they act so self-righteous
b. James says "Be patient". In other words do not trust in your own sense of timing but in God’s timing. The Lord will come and when He judges these things, these people will be taken care of.
c. PATIENCE IS WAITING IN THE LORD. To not be patient is in a sense, as one said, practical atheism. It is leaving God out of our thinking, - forgetting that He is God and is in control.
d. It is trying to take control of the situation ourselves and taking His place, just as Saul did when He could not wait for God’s timetable in 1Sam 13:8ff - not wait for Solomon but made sacrifice himself. He thought "God must have overlooked this, I better take care of it."
e. Patience shows an attitude of self-restraint that does not try to get even for a wrong that has been done.
10. James then tells us to be patient the circumstances and growth within our own lives and ministries. He uses the example of a farmer who waits for autumn and spring rains (KJV - early and later rains).
a. In Palestine the early rains come in Oct or Nov soon after the grain is sown and later rains in Mar/Apr as grain is maturing. Both rainy seasons necessary for a successful crop.
b. I see is some of you - waiting to plant crop - for fields to dry out. See trust in Lord - not have to plan out each day but to trust God to provide. You still work hard when God provides opportunity but to trust Him. I question if I have patience to be farmer.
c. As minister I feel responsibility to see spiritual and numerical growth in church and its people. I may want to make it happen at times but I have learned at our church to be patient.
d. It is exciting to plant and then to see growth come - sometimes surprised by how God works in lives.
e. Patient also means to not be discouraged by crops that don’t seem to be growing. James says to stand firm and not to lose heart. Do not be moved by trouble but remain steadfast in the Lord.
f. As church we may have patience outwardly but inwardly we may show lack thereof by being discouraged. To have fruit of HS of patience again shows we know God will do His work here in His time.
11. Then James tells us to be patient with each other. When another does not see things that seem so simple to us, when they do not share our enthusiasm, when they cannot let go of sin or bitterness, when they seem to think they are better or know more - these all times we can grow impatient .
a. We may not outwardly say anything but inside we struggle. Word for grumble not so much a outer grumbling but a "sighing". Not the loud and bitter putting down of others but the unexpressed feeling of bitterness or the smothering resentment that may express itself in a groan or a sigh.
b. Do you know what I’m talking about? We may look patient on outside but inside we find it so hard to deal with others.
c. James warns that we will be judged for these feelings. I struggle with this - I believe we all do. Lord make us patient with one another Who do you resent or harbour bitterness toward? Give these things over to the judge who will judge both ourselves and the other person
12. James then reminds us of the OT prophets. How hard it must have been to speak God’s word and yet have the people ignore them. How Jeremiah must have felt when he was placed in stocks, put in prison or lowered into a dungeon. It is hard to be persecuted for standing up for the truth.
a. Yet if we persevere we will be blessed. We become examples to one another and to the world and we know that in time the truth of God’s word will be revealed to all.
b. As church today we must not give up in sharing good news. God will touch hearts according to His timing.
c. How blessed to share in the sufferings of Christ (Rom 8:17-18)
13. Then James uses the example of Job. We know how he suffered and yet would not curse God.
a. He persevered and even learned thru his suffering. He came to know God and His ways (Job 42:5)
b. Hard to tell others to be patient in suffering - I’m not going thru what they are. But if we hold on and trust in God we will be blessed - eg. of Job - twice as much as he had before. Also, what we will have in heaven.
14. We have a patient God who call us to be patient in all things. We are to reflect His character. We struggle with this and cannot create fruit of patience but we can cultivate it. How?
15. By waiting upon Lord and becoming familiar with His ways - by trusting in Him. (Prov 3:5)
16. For this we must have knowledge of God, faith and hope.
a. Know God - read word, Christian books.
b. Trust Him - takes steps of faith.
c. Place hope in Him - consider the glorious inheritance.
17. May we grow in patience. As we do, we rely more on God and together we grow in love and beauty and unity.
18. Pss 46 "Be still my soul and now that I am God."
