[Editor’s note: These are the preaching notes for Micah’s message and not a manuscript]
Definition: Patience is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean: persevering in the face of delay; provocation without acting on negative annoyance/anger; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties.
Patience is important in the Bible– Job, Joseph, Abraham, Moses in the wilderness, the disciples waiting for Jesus.
What does a world without Patience look like- a lot like it is now
Patience is a pain
- I want it now
- “It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience.” ~ Julius Caesar
- This is the type of world we live in, phones, internet, information highway, amazon.
- Practicing impatient habits… we do all the same stuff- we grab our phones, park in the closest spot, getting in the short line, using your phone, – we are generally rushed without the need to be… you bathe your child and rush it, without anything else on the schedule.
- We live in a world of lists and pride ourselves in getting things done
- What we really need is to slow down, stop and smell the roses,
- Life moves fast and you blink and things are gone
- We are so excited about what’s next (having kids, getting the kids out of the house, grandkids, retirement) we choose the future over the present to our detriment.
- People drive me crazy
- None of us are going to argue that people aren’t annoying.
- They don’t do what we want them to do.
- And they do what we don’t want them to do
- God is patient with us
- God is too slow-
- God’s time is not like our time.
- And he takes his time: 400 years between the last prophet and Jesus, 2000 years we have been waiting for Jesus to come back
- I like being in charge
- Satan uses impatience to frustrate us with God.
- We like it when God moves fast, but we must simply learn to like it when God moves slow as well, and enjoy these moments where we are… moments of solitude, silence, quiet and fasting
- It will amaze you how much you see God when you slow down! You wont take things for granted (your family time, simple prayers, the beauty of nature and a good meal) all of these things are gifts that you can miss.
That’s what it actually means! Long suffering
Sanctification and growth comes from trial… no one needs to be patient when things are good! And no one grows either
– By perseverance the snail reached the ark.- Charles Spurgeon
2 sides of patience
- Explain how the Greek works
Work:
Anechomai (ἀνέχομαι)– stand firm, endure, – Ephesians 4:2 NIV (…bearing with one another in love).
Kartereo (καρτερέω)– Strong and steadfast- Hebrews 11:27 NLT (… He kept right on going…)
Hebrews 12:1 – Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
KJV and several others translate this word directly as patience.
-Paul Running the race patiently but with endurance, perserverance
-This type of patience is not passive, it’s about running!
– not by fast sprints but slowly and surely, waking up every day and saying let’s do this again today. I’m going to walk in patience and endurance again today.
– Do you remember when you were young and were excited for Christmas morning? Or something exciting to happen? I remember laying in my bed staring at the ceiling fan, waiting for the morning to come, checking my alarm clock and watching the minutes pass like hours. When you are waiting the worst thing to do is nothing. If you want the time to go by and enjoy it in the meantime then get busy! The time will fly by and when you turn around heaven will be there
- Growing comes from doing, and doing takes time!
- Too many churches/Christians relied on waiting
Wait:
hypomeno (ὑπομένω)– waiting behind, perseverance- 2 Thess 1:4 NIV ”…we boast about your perseverance”
Macrothymia (μακροθυμέω) – passive, long suffering- James 5:10 (NIV) “ …patience in the face of suffering…”
- We read the verses: “those who wait upon the Lord” but it doesn’t change how hard this part is.
- There are things we can’t change
- Waiting for a kid’s conversion,
- Hard for me, I have given my whole life to ministry and I can’t make a Christian!
- Romans 8:28
- Do we Believe that God has this thing under control?
- Do we believe that God is perfect, faithful, all knowing and all powerful? – than why don’t we trust him and sit patiently with him knowing he has everything under control
- Patience at its core is about faith- This is about trust in God.
- Freedom…
- Surrender vs. Ability (all of my ambitions hopes and plans, I surrender these into your hands, for its only in your will that I am free).
- Proverbs 3:5-6
you don’t drop one to do another.
No pain no gain
- Patience is HARD!
- We grow through hard times and struggles
- Calm seas never made a skillful sailor
- Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4
“Learn the art of patience. Apply discipline to your thoughts when they become anxious over the outcome of a goal. Impatience breeds anxiety, fear, discouragement and failure. Patience creates confidence, decisiveness, and a rational outlook, which eventually leads to success.” ~ Brian Adams
Christ indeed endured pain through patience.
“Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life”.(1 Timothy 1:15-17, NIV).
Patience is dealing with the adversities/pain of life-
After looking at our 4 words of patience and really our two main subjects: waiting and working our application comes into play
- (group of pastors) God gets what he wants
- God’s time is not like our time.
- Running a Marathon takes training
- Waiting for God to help me change the world.
- And by that trusting God with what is in his hands, (what only God can do)
- Believing God is in control.
- Freedom
- Surrender + trust
- Recap
- “Be still and know that I am God”
- Doing everything you can with what is in your hands.
- Recap
Ending with Heaven
Everyone walks towards death with no hope (grandparents)
Yet we have faith, and trust that in patience we will someday arrive in heaven
Upon the day that I walk into heaven and I see God I will not be concerned with getting things done quickly, the frustrating people, or why he was doing what he was doing. Instead I will stand in awe, spending eternity with Him, and there is nothing I can hope for more than that he will look at me and say you did well on earth, and now you’re here.
1st Corinthians 15:58