More Than Enough Patience
Associate Pastor Cole Parleir
Warm Up: How do you know if you are patient?
Word: Galatians 5:16-25, James 5:7-12, 2 Peter 3:1-13
Focus: Patience is godly character that when grown produces righteousness and salvation for you and those whom God loves.
Points:
Patience is Fruit of the Spirit
Patience is Profitable
Patience is Necessary For Salvation
Patience Is Fruit
Galatians 5:16-25 ESV
"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,[a] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do[b] such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit."
Patience is a fruit of the Spirit in opposition to the works (passions and desires) of the flesh.
The fruit (singular) of the spirit all compliment and compound each other for one purpose
The works (plural) of the flesh are at odds not only with the spirit but even each other..
Definition: the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset:
The Fruit of The Spirit: Patience, helps us wait for the impossible in a manner that would be impossible without it.
The fruits of the Spirit all compliment and compound each other.
Like an edible fruit that needs to be peeled, opened, washed, etc we cultivate the fruit of patience by crucifying the flesh with is passions and desires.
Crucifixion is a public, slow, and painful death.
“There is scholarly support for several[42] possible causes of death: heart failure or arrhythmia,[44][45]hypovolemic shock,[41] acidosis,[46] dehydration,[36] and pulmonary embolism.[47] Death could result from any combination of those factors, or from other causes, including sepsis following infection due to the wounds caused by the nails or by the scourging that often preceded crucifixion, or from stabbing by the guards”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crucifixion
My father died of bladder cancer, however sepsis almost took him out before the cancer. It caused hallucination in him.
The flesh will fight you. The flesh will “gaslight” you into thinking you need something you don’t.
The Apostle Paul considered himself crucified with Christ. Yet he died daily.
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”
Galatians 2:20-21 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/gal.2.20-21.ESV
This crucifixion of the flesh is what Jesus means when he tells his followers that they must take up their cross and follow him.
“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.”
Matthew 16:24-27 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.16.24-27.ESV
If we crucify the flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit and let the fruit of patience do its work, we can wholeheartedly look forward to Jesus‘s return, and the reward that will be with him.
However if we do not crucify the flesh by the power of the spirit and continue in sin, we will not inherit the kingdom of God but will reap from the flesh a kingdom of our own making.
Spirit produced patience plays a part in overcoming every work of the flesh listed here in verse 19-21
1. Sexual immorality - sex outside of God’s design for marriage of one man and one woman.
2. Impurity - compromise.
3. Sensuality - more than you need.
4. Idolatry - worship of the creation rather than the creator.
5. Sorcery - spiritual manipulation.
6. Enmity - active hostility.
7. Strife - angry or bitter disagreement over fundamental issues.
8. Jealousy
9. Fits of anger
10. Rivalries - selfish ambition.
11. Dissensions - disagreement that leads to discord.
12. Divisions - conflict within your community.
13. Envy
14. Drunkenness
15. Orgies and things like these
Patience, perseverance, suffering, and praying all go together.
Patience is Profitable
“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.”
James 5:7-12 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/jas.5.7-12.ESV
Patience will be needed until Christ returns.
Patience waits for the coming of the Lord in the return of Christ, but also for the presence of Lord to lead us into all righteousness.
James echoes the Psalmist…
“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”
Psalm 27:14 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.27.14.ESV
Patience is waiting, but it is not laziness.
Patience is the posture from which our hearts take courage in the Lord.
A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.
Proverbs 19:11 NIV
https://proverbs.bible/proverbs-19-11
The fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom.
This holy wisdom yields patience. This holy patience gives power to overlook an offense. This patience is glorious.
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant”
1 Corinthians 13:4 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.13.4.ESV
The overarching purpose of life and God’s ultimate command for humanity is to love the Lord our God, with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. This is holy worship.
The fruits of the spirit enable us to the love and worship God in holiness even while we live in the body, this side of heaven.
This beautiful intimate worship is a foretaste of Heaven.
“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
https://bible.com/bible/59/col.3.12-13.ESV
This holy patience empowers us to forgive others in the same way Kreist has forgiven us. This is the kingdom of God advancing.
“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil,”
2 Timothy 2:24 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/2ti.2.24.ESV
Holy Spirit, patience, empowers us to endure evil.
“A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.”
Proverbs 15:18 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/pro.15.18.ESV
Patients breaks up fights. Patience gives more time for truth to enter the equation.
Patience protects us as evil comes to into the light.
“Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”
Proverbs 16:32 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/pro.16.32.ESV
Patience is true might.
“The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”
Psalm 145:8 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.145.8.ESV
Patience is godliness.
"Enthusiasm is very common. Endurance is very rare." (Patience) - Donald Miller via Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast
When have I ever regretted yielding to the holy Spirit by being patient?
Patience is Necessary For Salvation
2 Peter 3:1-13 ESV
“This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 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. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 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. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 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! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”
2 Peter 3:1-13 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/2pe.3.1-13.ESV
God’s patience is for our salvation.
Patience delays judgement and condemnation because people CAN change. Patience creates margin for the Gospel to work.
God has a plan of salvation.
Plans require patience as they work.
God‘s plan of salvation is that through the preaching of the gospel sinners may be saved.
The gospel is the good news that God sent his one unique Son Jesus Christ into the world.
Jesus lived the perfect sinless life that we should have lived.
Though he himself was sinless and not deserving of death, he died the death of a sinner on the cross.
He was buried and three days later, raised from the dead by the power of God proving that his sacrifice for sin was accepted.
All who by faith turn from sin and trust in Jesus for their forgiveness are promised salvation.
You were called to Freedom in Christ, and patience is proof of your freedom and the method in which we stand firm in that freedom awaiting the promises of redemption of our bodies, our prayers for the salvation of others, and Heaven.
And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Hebrews 6:11-12 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/heb.6.11-12.ESV
Illustrations
• Patience is easier when you're focused and on mission. What do you do while waiting in line? You get engaged with something, whether your phone, a book, or a conversation. Being engaged helps you be patient. As followers of Jesus Christ, we can constantly be on the mission he's sent us on to make disciples: jerusalem, then Judea, then Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth. God has provided the mission of discipleship for the salvation of the lost but also for your endurance to the end.
• A dog in the hunt doesn't know it has fleas. (Photo)
Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher