Longsuffering

I. Introduction
   A. If there is one virtue that has been entirely lost on the 
      modern age, it is the virtue of longsuffering or patience
      1. We now have drive-thru everything
      2. Waiting in lines is "inexcusable"
      3. We expect everything to be done yesterday!
   B. For the Christian, however, patience is a must
      1. Ephesians 4:1-2
      2. Galatians 5:22: part of the fruit of the Spirit
   C. To whom can we look to understand patience?
   D. Let us consider the Scriptures

II. Longsuffering/Patience
   A. Patience is the commonly used word today, but "longsuffering" 
      has value!
      1. "Longsuffering" requires us to "suffer long"
      2. That's the way it feels many times!
   B. Greek makrothumia
      1. Literally, "long force", or "long spirit"
      2. Reaching "patience" is understandable: one must endure in 
         one's spirit to maintain or obtain patience!
       3. Thus, "longsuffering" or "patience"
   C. Patience, therefore, involves containing one's passions, 
      desires, and intentions-- enduring through time 

III. The Patience of God
   A. Let us first consider the patience of God
   B. God has been patient with all mankind!
   C. 2 Peter 3:15
      1. The patience of the Lord is to be treated as salvation
      2. Why?  2 Peter 3:8-10
      3. If God had been less "patient", the world might have 
         already been destroyed!
      4. You may never have been born
      5. Worse, you may have been alive but separated from God!
      6. There is great value in God's patience!
   D. 1 Timothy 1:16
      1. Jesus' patience is perfect
      2. Paul is the ultimate example of that patience
      3. When Paul was going around persecuting His people, Jesus 
         did not impatiently strike him down (cf. Acts 8:1-2)
      4. Instead, in His good time, He revealed Himself to Paul, 
         and the latter believed (Acts 9:1-10)
   E. Thus it is that He has been patient with us!
      1. He could have easily ended our lives long before this, let 
         alone never have received the opportunity to live!
      2. Our ability to be alive and to come to Christ is all due 
         to the Lord's patience for us
      3. The fact that salvation is still extended to us indicates 
         His patience!
   F. Let us give thanks that even though we have often been 
      impatient, God has been patient with us!

IV. The Patience of the Prophets
   A. We also have the example of the prophets as those being 
      patient
      1. Hebrews 6:12
      2. James 5:10ff
   B. Many prophets proclaimed messages that would not come to 
      fruition until late in their lives or in another generation
      1. Hosea spoke of Israel's downfall for 40 years
      2. Jeremiah suffered all kinds of indignity for his preaching,
         even though it came true
      3. They spoke these things in the midst of people who did not 
         believe and false prophets who contradicted them!
      4. They still showed patience and persevered
   C. James speaks of the example of Job (James 5:11)
      1. Job suffered great loss of loved ones (Job 1)
      2. He himself suffered from illness (Job 2)
      3. Despite his internal wranglings and difficulties, he 
         persevered
      4. Received blessings from God (Job 42)
      5. His example should indicate to us that we can have 
         patience in any circumstance!

V. Exhibiting Patience
   A. We can see, therefore, that we can indeed become patient 
      people!
   B. We ought to be patient since God has been patient with us
      1. It is easy to get impatient with others
      2. They don't do what they need to do, and aren't where 
         they need to be
      3. Many times people get on our nerves!
      4. Yet just as we have received God's patience when we did 
         not deserve it, we ought to be patient with others, 
         even if they don't deserve it!
   C. Patience is often difficult even in terms of our own lives
      1. Many times we want to reach a destination spiritually or 
         otherwise without expending the necessary effort to get 
         there!
      2. Perhaps we "just can't wait" to get to Heaven!
      3. Maybe we wish we already knew more, or had stronger faith
      4. Hebrews 6:12 counsels patience-- that is how we may 
         receive the promise!
   D. We must let things happen in God's good time, since His 
      perspective is greater than ours!  

VI. Conclusion
   A. Patience is perhaps one of the hardest virtues to manifest in 
      our impatient society
   B. Nevertheless, we have seen how important it is to be patient 
      if we desire to be saved
   C. Let us consider the examples of the prophets, and the patience 
      of God, and be thankful that He is more patient with us than 
      we are of Him or others!
   D. Let us strive to be people who suffer long!
   E. Invitation/songbook