Patience
6th Sunday after Trinity
Some Reflections on the Gospel and Epistle Lessons
In the Gospel lesson today Jesus tells us that our anger uncontrolled is sinful. One commentator says this about it:" If the Christian who harbours thoughts of hatred and gives way to explosive expressions of anger is in a dangerous condition, so too is the Christian against whom a brother has cause for complaint, IF HE DOES NOTHING TO TRY AND CLEAR THE MATTER UP. ..( MY emphasis)" But listen to the next comment which is something we have mentioned before in previous meditations, " Conduct is more important than formal worship. God does not want to receive offerings from Christians who are not at peace with one another." Matthew , R.V.G. Tasker
How are we to approach someone who has something against us? I would say with loving patience is the best way. " ...if thou bring thy gift to the altar , and there remember that thy brother has ought against thee; first, be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." Matthew 5:24 About waiting in expectant love George Matheson, a Scottish minister and hymn writer ( " O Love that will not let me go...") said it this way, " ... the hardest thing is that most of us are called exercise our patience, not in the sickbed , but in the street." The author of the article in the " Daily Bread" then comments, " To wait is hard, to do it with 'good courage' is harder!"
George Matheson wrote the words to " O Love that will not let me go..." in five minutes. He was going blind and his fiance did not wish to marry him. He never married. His sister was getting married and had been taking care of him. This is when he wrote the hymn. His own heartache was deep. " O Love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee; I give thee back the life I owe...."
A little prayer book which I inherited from my grandfather which must have gotten on one of his trips to England says it this way, " O GOD, the Strength of the weak, the Friend of sinners, and the Comfort of the sorrowful; grant thy mighty protection to the tempted; reveal thy grace to the fallen; maintain the faith of those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake; and give the consolation of thy presence to those who are disappointed, lonely , or in despair; for thy mercies' sake. amen." A Free Church Book of Common Prayer, 1929.
It is not easy to be patient with others. It is perhaps even harder to be patient with ourselves. Romans 6 affirms that our old man "is crucified with him....that henceforth we should not serve sin....(BE )alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."
A traditional Hebrew story tells that Abraham was sitting outside his tent one night and he saw an old man ...who he invited into his tent and he gave him food and drink. The man began eating without any prayer or blessing and Abraham asked, " Don't you worship God?" The old man said, I worship fire only ..." Abraham became incensed and threw him out of the tent into the cold night air. After the man left, God called to Abraham and asked him where the man was. Abraham said, " I forced him out because He did not worship you." God answered, " I have suffered him these eighty years although he dishonors me. Could you not endure him one night?" sermonillustrations.com
A couple of verses from Hebrews magnify this idea of patience in the Christian life as well. " ( BE) followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." 6:12 " Let us run with patience the race that is set before us..." 12:1
What exactly is patience? The word in the NT is two words. hupo=under and meno=to abide , so you have to abide under. James 1:3 tells us that patience grows in trials only." the trying of your faith works patience."
James also talks about our attitudes and how we should appreciate trials. God's math is different from ours as we said a few weeks ago. " My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations..."
I cannot think of one person who I speak with, in fact this happened Friday when I told someone I was writing a sermon, and it was on patience, that thinks they have patience.
We are not patient with ourselves or others, are we? But it is one of the parts of the fruit of the Holy Spirit according to Galatians 5:22 , " But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering ( patience), gentleness, goodness, faith...."
No wonder God sends us trials for our faith! He wishes us to be patient. " True patience is waiting without worrying" Charles Swindoll, Growing Strong,p. 124 " Give God time, and even when Pharaoh's host is on Israel's heels, a path through the waters will be suddenly opened." " The Alliance Weekly" Remember Noah-----he was 486 years old before he knew enough to build an ark. moreillustrations.com
Receive this blessing from Romans 15:5, " ...Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Some Reflections on the Gospel and Epistle Lessons
In the Gospel lesson today Jesus tells us that our anger uncontrolled is sinful. One commentator says this about it:" If the Christian who harbours thoughts of hatred and gives way to explosive expressions of anger is in a dangerous condition, so too is the Christian against whom a brother has cause for complaint, IF HE DOES NOTHING TO TRY AND CLEAR THE MATTER UP. ..( MY emphasis)" But listen to the next comment which is something we have mentioned before in previous meditations, " Conduct is more important than formal worship. God does not want to receive offerings from Christians who are not at peace with one another." Matthew , R.V.G. Tasker
How are we to approach someone who has something against us? I would say with loving patience is the best way. " ...if thou bring thy gift to the altar , and there remember that thy brother has ought against thee; first, be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." Matthew 5:24 About waiting in expectant love George Matheson, a Scottish minister and hymn writer ( " O Love that will not let me go...") said it this way, " ... the hardest thing is that most of us are called exercise our patience, not in the sickbed , but in the street." The author of the article in the " Daily Bread" then comments, " To wait is hard, to do it with 'good courage' is harder!"
George Matheson wrote the words to " O Love that will not let me go..." in five minutes. He was going blind and his fiance did not wish to marry him. He never married. His sister was getting married and had been taking care of him. This is when he wrote the hymn. His own heartache was deep. " O Love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee; I give thee back the life I owe...."
A little prayer book which I inherited from my grandfather which must have gotten on one of his trips to England says it this way, " O GOD, the Strength of the weak, the Friend of sinners, and the Comfort of the sorrowful; grant thy mighty protection to the tempted; reveal thy grace to the fallen; maintain the faith of those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake; and give the consolation of thy presence to those who are disappointed, lonely , or in despair; for thy mercies' sake. amen." A Free Church Book of Common Prayer, 1929.
It is not easy to be patient with others. It is perhaps even harder to be patient with ourselves. Romans 6 affirms that our old man "is crucified with him....that henceforth we should not serve sin....(BE )alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."
A traditional Hebrew story tells that Abraham was sitting outside his tent one night and he saw an old man ...who he invited into his tent and he gave him food and drink. The man began eating without any prayer or blessing and Abraham asked, " Don't you worship God?" The old man said, I worship fire only ..." Abraham became incensed and threw him out of the tent into the cold night air. After the man left, God called to Abraham and asked him where the man was. Abraham said, " I forced him out because He did not worship you." God answered, " I have suffered him these eighty years although he dishonors me. Could you not endure him one night?" sermonillustrations.com
A couple of verses from Hebrews magnify this idea of patience in the Christian life as well. " ( BE) followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." 6:12 " Let us run with patience the race that is set before us..." 12:1
What exactly is patience? The word in the NT is two words. hupo=under and meno=to abide , so you have to abide under. James 1:3 tells us that patience grows in trials only." the trying of your faith works patience."
James also talks about our attitudes and how we should appreciate trials. God's math is different from ours as we said a few weeks ago. " My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations..."
I cannot think of one person who I speak with, in fact this happened Friday when I told someone I was writing a sermon, and it was on patience, that thinks they have patience.
We are not patient with ourselves or others, are we? But it is one of the parts of the fruit of the Holy Spirit according to Galatians 5:22 , " But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering ( patience), gentleness, goodness, faith...."
No wonder God sends us trials for our faith! He wishes us to be patient. " True patience is waiting without worrying" Charles Swindoll, Growing Strong,p. 124 " Give God time, and even when Pharaoh's host is on Israel's heels, a path through the waters will be suddenly opened." " The Alliance Weekly" Remember Noah-----he was 486 years old before he knew enough to build an ark. moreillustrations.com
Receive this blessing from Romans 15:5, " ...Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
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