SERMON: PURSUING HOLINESS: GOODNESS

 

12 August 2012

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to 1 Samuel 12

1 Samuel 12:1-5 (NIV)
1 Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you.
2 Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day.
3 Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these, I will make it right."
4 "You have not cheated or oppressed us," they replied. "You have not taken anything from anyone's hand."
5 Samuel said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." "He is witness," they said.

-- In an issue of Moody Monthly, George Sweeting wrote an article about the desperate need for honesty in our culture today -- He told the story of Dr. Madison Sarratt, a math teacher at Vanderbilt University many years ago

-- before Dr. Sarratt would pass out a test, he would give this instruction to the class -- "Today I am giving two examinations - one in trigonometry and the other in honesty -- I hope you will pass them both -- If you must fail one, fail trigonometry

-- There are many good people in the world who can't pass trig, but there are no good people in the world who cannot pass the examination of honesty."

[Source: The Sermon Illustrator, http://www.sermonillustrator.org/illustrator/sermon1a/passing.htm]

-- it goes by many names -- honesty -- integrity -- character -- goodness -- no matter what you call it, it is a trait sorely missing in our world today -- everywhere we look today we see examples of a lack of integrity, even among Christians

-- not long ago we saw in the news the story of how 44 civic leaders in New Jersey were indicted on corruption charges, including three mayors -- two state assemblymen -- several city councilmen -- and even five rabbis -- these leaders were accused of violating the public trust -- of violating the integrity of their offices by taking bribes and laundering money [Geraldine Baum -- LA Times -- 24 July 2009]

-- we’ve reached the point in our nation where the term “politician” is synonymous with “liar” and “cheater” -- but, the problem isn’t just with politicians

-- in a recent survey of our school kids, two-thirds of all high school students have admitted to cheating on tests -- 30% of the students admitted to having stolen something from a store -- 36% admit to having plagiarized assignments from the internet -- and 42% admit to lying if it will save them money

-- and we all know that with today's technological advances such as mp3 players and i-pods, the percentage of people who illegally download music and movies and software from the internet is astronomical -- three months before Mel Gibson’s movie, “The Passion of the Christ” came out in theaters, I was offered a copy on DVD from a friend at work -- illegally downloaded from the internet -- think about that for a moment -- not only has the illegal downloading of movies become normal practice in our country, they are even stealing Christian movies and have no qualms about it

-- and this is not just a phenomenon that we are seeing among non-Christians -- I was at the Potter’s House not long ago buying a Bible for my niece -- if you’ve bought a Bible there, you know that they come in boxes -- and the store clerk made a point of opening the box and comparing the Bible inside to the Bible that was listed on the box -- when I asked him what he was doing, he said that they have problems with people coming in and putting expensive Bibles in the boxes for less-expensive Bibles -- in other words, they are trying to cheat a Christian bookstore while buying a Bible

-- unethical, immoral, and downright illegal behavior have become the norm in our society -- let me give you one more example and then we'll dive right into what the Bible has to say about this subject

-- when I pastored in the Methodist Church I attended what they call "Course of Study" at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University -- one of the seminaries for the United Methodist Church

-- on the cover sheet for all of the precourse work we had to complete, there was a statement at the bottom giving us the definition of plagiarism -- and we were required to sign a statement indicating the work we were turning in was our own and had not been copied or plagiarized from someone else

-- and, honestly, it made me a little mad and a little sad to have to sign that form because the implication was that students at the Candler School of Theology and the United Methodist Church Course of Study were dishonest and would cheat by copying another person’s work and turning it in as their own

-- have we reached the point in our society where lying and cheating is so common-place that we can’t even trust seminary students -- those men and women called by God to be our spiritual leaders?

II. Biblical Goodness

-- this morning, we are continuing our sermon series on pursuing holiness through the fruit of the Spirit -- and today finds us looking at the characteristic of goodness

-- we’ve already kind of talked about the concept of goodness in a negative sense by pointing out how far our society has fallen, but let me give you a clear definition of goodness as the Bible defines it

-- The Greek word for goodness in Galatians 5:22 is agathosune -- it occurs about 20 times in the New Testament and about 12 times in the Septaguint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament that Jesus used

-- William Barclay defined agathosune as "virtue equipped at every point” -- in other words, it is defined as moral excellence -- as worthy and ethical behavior -- as honesty -- as integrity

-- it carries with it the concept of wholeness or completeness in character as compared to the standard of Christ -- agathosune -- “goodness” -- is generally what we would define as “holy”

-- to be good in this sense means that your character is spotless -- undefiled -- unassailable -- perfect as Christ is perfect

-- we see a very good sense of this type of moral perfection in the life of the prophet Samuel as we just read in this passage from 1 Samuel

-- at this time, the people of Israel had been clamoring for a king so that they could be like all the nations around them -- they were, in essence, rejecting the theocracy -- the leadership and governance of God -- through their demand for an earthly king

-- for many years, God had ruled the nation directly through His prophet Samuel -- from the time Samuel was a young boy, he had heard the word of God and followed God’s commands -- leading the nation of Israel in accordance with God’s word

-- as this passage opens Saul has been appointed as king over Israel and Samuel’s leadership role is drawing to a close -- as he prepares to transfer power to Saul, Samuel reminds the people of how he had acted among them as their leader and as God’s representative and how God expected them to act

-- look back at verse 1-3

1 Samuel 12:1-3 (NIV)

1 Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you.

2 Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day.

3 Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these, I will make it right."

-- Samuel is saying, “I have acted honestly and ethically and with integrity as your leader -- I haven’t stolen from you -- not even an ox or a donkey -- I haven’t cheated -- I haven’t lied -- I haven’t oppressed others or sought illegal gain for myself -- in all my ways I have been upright and honest”

-- Samuel says, “If you know otherwise, speak now and I will make it right”

-- verse 4-5

4 "You have not cheated or oppressed us," they replied. "You have not taken anything from anyone's hand."

5 Samuel said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." "He is witness," they said.

-- the people of Israel agreed and testified in the presence of God and His anointed king that Samuel was a man of integrity -- that his behavior and actions and motives -- his whole being -- was characterized by agathosune -- by goodness

-- can we say the same in our lives?

-- one night I was lying in bed and I kept hearing a strange sound coming from the kitchen -- it sounded like someone was opening and closing the cabinet doors -- and I knew Brooke was in her room and Kim was there beside me and there shouldn’t have been anybody else in the house -- so, I lied there and listened for a few moments and then got up to see what was going on
-- I peeked around the corner and looked in the kitchen, and there was Brooke’s cat, Josh -- he was opening the cabinet under the sink and peeking in before the door closed -- and then when the door closed, he’d do it again -- when Josh saw me, he ran off and I stood there looking and listening for a moment to see what was going on
-- the kitchen was spotless -- Kim had cleaned it before she went to bed -- everything was in its place -- nothing was not as it should have been -- but then I heard a strange noise -- under the sink, there was a rustling -- and I realized what was going on and why our cat was acting the way he had been acting
-- apparently, we had gotten an unexpected visitor -- we had a mouse that had decided to take up residence under our sink -- and our cat heard him and was trying to get to him
-- and as I was standing there I realized, this is a great analogy about goodness -- about agathosune -- in our lives
-- goodness is more than just looking right on the outside -- it’s more than just behaving and acting morally and ethically when others are watching - it’s more than just presenting ourselves as clean and spotless to the world
-- goodness is about being totally clean -- totally pure -- totally honest -- inside and out -- not just on the surface -- but also in the dark places -- in the cabinets and closets of our lives
-- agathosune asks the question, “How do I live when no one’s looking?”
-- as Ken Boa said, “It’s easy to look like a person of integrity when people are watching, but do I live my private life with the same level of consistency as I live my public life?”

-- I have a college-aged friend that I meet with occasionally who is a good, solid Christian -- he loves the Lord -- he serves in his church -- he participates in other ministries -- he’s always sharing his faith and witnessing to others -- he’s the epitome of what we want our sons and daughters to be as Christians

-- he shared with us one day that he had a problem -- that he had a dark place behind a cabinet door in his life that wasn’t what it should be -- that even though he looked like he had it all together -- even though he looked like his life was spotless and clean and morally pure -- when he was alone -- when no one was watching -- he would look at pornography on the internet

-- but the Holy Spirit spoke to him -- He showed my friend that what he was doing was wrong -- and finally, my friend went to his father and told him what was going on -- and I’ll never forget what his father told him as they worked through this issue -- as he challenged him to open that cabinet of pornography and let God cleanse it from his life -- his father said, “that’s not who you are”

-- that’s not who you are -- that’s not who Christ called you to be -- that’s not what you are capable of doing in your life -- God expects you to live a life of integrity -- to live a life of goodness and cleanness and moral purity inside and out

-- let me ask you this morning -- what secrets do you have closed up in cabinets in your life? -- when you look at yourself in the mirror, who looks back? -- are you happy with who you are when no one else is looking?

-- if you would, turn over to Titus 2 and we’ll close there -- in this pastoral epistle, Paul is giving his protégé Titus instructions on how to serve as the spiritual leader of the Christians in Crete and how to live as a man of God

-- in Chapter 1, Paul gave instructions on how to select leaders in the church -- what leaders in the church should look like -- and here in Chapter 2, Paul is telling Titus how should teach others in the church how to live through his actions and behavior

-- look down at verse 7a

Titus 2:7 (NIV)

7a. In everything set them an example by doing what is good.

-- in everything -- in all your ways -- inside and out -- not just in the areas where others can see -- not just in the areas where you are being watched -- but inside as well -- in everything -- in every way -- set an example for others by being good

-- now, remember that this call to agathosune -- to goodness -- to integrity -- is not something that we can do on our own -- it is a fruit of the Spirit -- it can only be realized through the power of the Holy Spirit working within us to make us men and women of integrity

-- as my friend’s father implied, as Christians, we are called to be more than what we are -- we are called to reflect the image and nature of Christ in this place -- but we can only do so if we let the Holy Spirit clean out our cabinets and make us holy in the dark places and recesses of our lives

-- look at the second part of verse 7

7b. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness

8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

-- that phrase, “in your teaching” or “in your doctrine” -- refers to how you live -- how you demonstrate purity and honesty and goodness and integrity to others

-- Paul isn’t just talking about teaching others from the pulpit or during Bible studies -- he’s talking about teaching others through our lives

-- he says our lives should reflect “integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech” -- the KJV says “uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity” -- these lists both refer to agathosune -- to wholeness and completeness of character -- of goodness in and out

-- live this way, Paul says -- show people through your life what a man and a woman of God is to look like -- live in such a way that others will see your example and will follow you

-- just like Samuel, if you live your life in this way, no one will be able to condemn you -- no one will be able to say anything bad about you -- not even the man in the mirror -- the person that lives inside of you and that only you see and know

-- Socrates wrote, “The first key to greatness is to be in reality what we appear to be” -- that is what we are striving for as we seek to acquire goodness in our lives -- we are striving to be complete and whole people -- men and women of integrity -- men and women who demonstrate truly ethical and moral behavior inside and out

III. Closing
-- in the best western movie that was ever made -- “Lonesome Dove” -- there is a great example of integrity and of a man who is determined to keep his word above all
-- the movie revolves around two main characters, Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call -- friends who had served in the Texas Rangers together and who were now partners in bringing a herd of cattle north to Montana
-- as the movie draws to a close, Gus gets shot in the leg and acquires a fatal infection -- as he’s laying on his death bed, he makes Call promise to carry his body back to Texas and to bury it in a grove of pecan trees where he and his sweetheart used to walk -- and then he dies
-- the trip from Texas to Montana was hard -- it was extremely difficult -- many men had lost their lives along the way -- it took months to get from Texas to Montana -- no one would have faulted Call for not carrying Gus back to Texas -- Gus, for sure, wouldn’t know where his body was buried -- but Call was a man of integrity -- he was a man who kept his word -- and when spring rolled around, he did what he had promised to do -- he took months out of his life to make the long trip back to Texas to bury his friend, demonstrating not only his friendship but also his integrity

-- throughout the whole movie, Call never wavered once but remained steadfast in his behavior and his word, even though it cost him quite a lot along the way -- it is this type of devotion and integrity that God is calling us to demonstrate in our own lives

-- Billy Graham once wrote, “Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. We must constantly strive to keep our integrity intact. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.”
-- as I close in prayer, I want to invite you to reflect on your character -- not on the person that the world sees -- but the person that you see in the mirror -- the person that you know that lives within you
-- look inside the cabinets of your heart and see what lurks in the darkness, and ask God to cleanse you and to make you a person of integrity -- a person of character -- a person who reflects His goodness in all that we do as we seek to become holy in His eyes
-- let’s pray

SERMON: PURSUING HOLINESS: KINDNESS

 

5 August 2012

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Matthew 7:7-12

Matthew 7:7-12 (NIV)
7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

-- Bob didn't go to church -- in fact, Bob hadn't gone to church in a long time -- he used to be an active member -- he used to be involved -- but, then, something happened -- and he just didn't go anymore
-- it wasn't that he didn't want to go -- he just couldn't – you see, ever since the stroke, Bob was unable to go to church -- or to go much of anywhere, for that matter -- he couldn't dress himself -- he couldn't feed himself -- he couldn't bathe himself -- he was, what the church bulletin called, home-bound -- stuck -- stuck within the walls of his home in his bed -- stuck within his own memories as he watched life pass by through the windows of his suburban home
-- but then three men in Bob's old church started reading a book together called "The Three Simple Rules : A Wesleyan Way of Living" based on the rules that John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, applied in his life: Do No Harm -- Do Good -- Stay in Love with God
-- and as they read and studied this book together, they learned how these three simple rules could be lived out in our day and in our times
-- and it inspired them to do something more than just go to church -- it inspired them to do something more than just get together once a week to talk -- they wanted to do more -- and as they searched for some way to live out this biblical mandate in their life, they remembered Bob
-- one day – not long ago – Bob was at home, just looking out the window as he always did, when he heard a knock on the door -- his wife answered the door and these three men from their old church stood there, asking if Bob could come outside and play
-- Bob's wife explained to them that Bob hadn't bathed that day -- that he wasn't dressed to go out -- that she just couldn't handle taking care of him fully by herself every day
-- no problem, they said -- and they went to talk with Bob -- and, with his permission, they bathed him -- they dressed him – they put him in a wheelchair -- and, for the first time in many years, they carried Bob outside where the sun could shine on his face -- where the wind could blow in his hair -- where he could meet and talk with his neighbors again
-- and every day after that, at least one of those men dropped by to see Bob -- to help him bathe – to help him get dressed -- to take him outside or to the mall or to a restaurant or to church

-- in fact, Bob's probably at a worship service in Covington this morning -- all because three men decided to quit playing church and to start being the church

-- that’s what this passage from Matthew is all about – it’s about more than just coming to church on a Sunday morning and going home – it’s about more than catchy slogans or bumper stickers or little Jesus fish on the back of your car – it’s about being real – it’s about being like Jesus – it’s about being the church

II. Kindness
-- this morning, we are continuing in our sermon series on pursuing holiness through the fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5:22-23
-- so far, we have covered love, joy, peace, and patience -- this morning we are covering the next of these on the list – kindness

-- what is kindness? -- what do we mean when we call somebody kind?
-- in our culture, this word has gotten somewhat of a bad rap -- the last thing most of us -- especially us men -- like to be called is“kind” -- kindness is something that describes little old ladies -- kindness is something that we use to describe our mothers and our grandmothers -- it’s not something that most men and, for that matter, most women want to be called
-- in our day, we view kindness as being just nice and meek and mild -- we look at kindness as a synonym for “sweet” -- and people who are kind as being weak -- but that’s not the biblical view of kindness
-- the Greek word for kindness that we see in the New Testament means more than just having a sweet and caring character -- it also means “being useful” to others -- it implies action along with character
-- so, to be kind in the biblical sense means you put your faith into motion -- kindness is “salvation in action” [Source: Debbie Pruden]

-- just like in the true story that I opened this message with -- those men showed kindness to their friend Bob -- not only by caring for him and loving him but by taking action to make a difference in his life -- that is kindness personified -- that is what we’re looking at developing in our lives as we pursue holiness through this fruit of the Spirit
-- to be truly kind to another person, then, involves some form of self-sacrifice -- it means giving ourselves to another person -- serving them through our actions, just as those three men served Bob by taking care of him and inviting him into their lives -- and speaking the truth in love to help those around us turn and follow our Lord

-- that’s the point that Jesus was trying to make in this passage from the Sermon on the Mount -- just to refresh your memory over this passage, at this time in Jesus’ ministry, many people had started to follow Him -- to hear His teachings and to experience His miracles of healing and deliverance in their lives
-- Matthew tells us that when Jesus looked around at the crowd of people who was following Him, that He went up on a mountainside -- most likely a large hill that rises near Capernaum west of the Jordan River -- and once He made it to the top and sat down, the people gathered around Him to hear His teachings
-- this passage that we are looking at this morning is in the latter half of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount as He’s finishing up His instructions on how to live as citizens of the kingdom of God

-- look back at verse 7 again

Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)
7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

-- Jesus is giving an insight into the character and nature of God -- that same character and nature that we are seeking to imitate and replicate in our own lives

-- what Jesus is saying here is that God wants to bless us -- God wants to give us what we need -- we just need to turn to Him -- ask Him -- seek Him -- and He will show His kindness to us

-- in the same way, if we are to be like Him -- if we are to be holy as He is holy -- then we need to be people who seek to bless others -- people who meet the needs of others -- people that others can turn to and trust in their times of need -- people who are kind

-- verse 9 again

9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

-- Jesus is saying here that it shouldn’t come as a surprise that God wants to bless us -- that God wants to show His kindness to us -- after all, if one of our kids came to us and asked us for something that they needed, wouldn’t we give it to them? -- if they came and asked us to help them, would we give them something that would hurt them?
-- no, we wouldn’t do that -- we wouldn’t think of doing that -- and God is so much more kind and so much more generous and merciful and holy than us -- if we ask Him to show His kindness to us in this way, then He will surely respond
-- and then Jesus -- just like He does throughout this Sermon on the Mount -- ramps it up and takes it a whole ‘nother level
-- instead of just being kind to those who love us -- instead of just being kind to those in our family -- Jesus gives us a command here that is greater than ourselves

-- verse 12

12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

-- this is a verse that we all know -- even if didn’t grow up in church -- we all know this verse -- the “Golden Rule” -- do unto others as you would have them do unto you
-- now a lot of people get this verse wrong -- they take it out of context -- they divorce it from the overall teaching that Jesus has been giving and make it all about themselves -- for instance, when I started grade school, I got the sage advice from my parents, “If you want to get a Valentine’s card from someone, you have to give them one first” -- in other words, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” -- and that’s exactly the way it worked -- you made sure that every kid that gave you a Valentine card got one in return the next year
-- we do that with presents, too, don’t we? -- while we might not say it, when we give a gift, we kind of expect to get something in return -- and if we get a gift, we kind of feel obligated to respond in kind
-- just last week, I got an unexpected gift from a coworker -- believe it or not, we just found out we share the same birthday -- and that morning, he came in and gave me a birthday present -- I was surprised and blessed by this, but I felt like I should do something for him -- I should go out and get him a gift too -- after all, this verse says, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” -- if somebody gives you a gift, then you're supposed to get them a gift, right?
-- when you approach this verse in this manner, you’re going against the heart of what Jesus was teaching -- we’re making this verse all about us and not about the other person
-- that’s what happens when you take a verse out of context -- that’s what happens when you do things -- even Godly things -- with a wrong motive

-- look back at verse 12 again

12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

-- did you notice that little word in there at the start of the verse? -- some Bibles say, “Therefore” -- some say, “So” -- others say, “Because”
-- so let me ask you my favorite Bible study question on verses like this -- what is “therefore” there for? -- why does this verse include that word? -- because that little qualifier -- whether it’s therefore or so or because ties this verse to the teachings that went before it
-- what this means is that Jesus didn’t just give us the Golden Rule in passing -- He gave it to us in the context of God blessing us and showing His kindness to us -- and now He’s telling us, in essence, “go and do likewise” -- therefore, because God has blessed you and answered your requests, you go and meet the needs of others in every way -- in everything

-- not just your family -- not just those you love and care about -- but everyone you meet -- do for them what you would have God do for you -- be for them the hands and feet of God -- be for them the voice of God -- serve them and show God’s kindness to them

-- notice that I said this was God’s kindness -- it’s not ours -- it’s not something that we can do -- that’s why it’s a fruit of the Spirit -- being kind to others -- doing unto others as we would have them do unto us -- is not something that we can do in our own strength

-- we can’t love someone like God loves, unless we allow Him to love through us -- in the same way, we can’t show kindness to someone like God would, unless we let Him direct our actions and our thoughts and our attitudes

-- “doing unto others” is amplified kindness -- it’s faith with feet -- it’s hope with hands -- it’s salvation in action
-- this ain’t your grandma’s kindness -- this isn’t what we normally think about when we hear that word -- what we are talking about are intentional acts of loving kindness -- and what this looks like in our lives today is getting your hands dirty by going out and being the church to someone else
-- just like those three men taking care of their friend Bob -- this is what Jesus is talking about -- this is what we should be striving for in our life as we pursue holiness and seek to become more like Jesus in every way

III. Closing
-- so, how do we do this? -- how do we get past the point of being selfish and self-centered and move to the place where we are doing unto others from the heart?
-- well, first, we have to be open to the Holy Spirit within us -- we have to let Him lead -- we have to let Him work through us -- we have to let Him control our eyes and our ears and our hands and our hearts so that we might see the needs of those around us -- we might hear the cries of their hearts -- we might love them as Jesus loves them
-- and, second, we need to try -- there’s a bumper sticker that you might have seen that says, “Do Random Acts of Kindness” -- that’s not what Jesus wants us to do -- He wants us to be intentional -- to do intentional acts of kindness -- to serve others in His name
-- and, in order to do that, we’ve got to try and try and try again -- this means doing more than just coming church on Sunday mornings -- it means that we get outside these walls and into the world around us and we touch lives where ever we are and by whatever means are required

-- let me close by sharing with you a story from a friend of mine -- he is a bivocational pastor and, of course, is always short on time -- always running here and there -- he made arrangements to eat lunch with his wife and daughter at a McDonalds near his job
-- when he got done eating, he didn’t even have enough time to wait on his wife and daughter to get finished with their meal -- so he ran on out the door while they were still eating
-- as he went out the door, there was this guy sitting on the curb of the restaurant, obviously homeless, and the guy asked him if he could help get him something to eat -- my friend reached in his pocket and pulled out a dollar and handed it to the guy -- and without another thought, he ran out to his car and left
-- that night when he got home, his daughter was waiting for him -- she was so excited to tell him what had happened -- you see, as his wife and daughter left that restaurant, they saw that same homeless guy -- and he made the same request to them
-- but rather than just throwing money at the man and hurrying along, they carried him inside, and bought him a meal and sat with him while he ate -- feeding his body and his soul at the same time -- showing the kindness of Christ to another person simply because that was what Jesus had done for them
-- my friend -- as good a man as he is -- as good a pastor he is -- thought more about himself and his busy schedule that day than the person that God had placed in his path
-- his family, on the other hand, lived out the message that Jesus is giving us in these verses
-- do unto others as you would have them do unto you -- show kindness to others because of the kindness that God has shown to you

-- as I said, the kindness that we are being called to show is not of this world -- it is a supernatural kindness that only comes as we yield ourselves to the power of God and seek to become more like Him in all our ways
-- this type of kindness is a fruit of the Spirit -- and it is a quality we must develop if we want to be holy as God is holy -- if we want to be the people that He has called us to be
-- let’s pray

SERMON: PURSUING HOLINESS: PATIENCE

29 July 2012

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to James 5:7-11

James 5:7-11 (NIV)
7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.
8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.
9 Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

-- this morning, we are continuing our sermon series on pursuing holiness through the fruit of the Spirit -- so far, we have covered the first three attributes of God listed in Galatians 5:22-23 -- love, joy, and peace -- this morning, we're going to look at the next attribute of God that is listed there -- patience
-- of all the attributes of God -- of all the Godly characteristics that we are trying to acquire in our lives -- I don't think there's any as hard as patience -- there's just something about patience -- about waiting -- about persevering -- that is difficult for us in this modern age

-- for instance, you may remember the story about the man in Waco, Texas, who got tired of waiting -- Kevin Waits -- which, by the way, is his real name -- Kevin Waits called for a cab to come pick him up, but the driver didn't arrive fast enough -- when the cab didn't come as fast as he thought it should, Waits called 911 fifteen consecutive times to express his frustration about having to wait on a cab
-- the dispatcher repeatedly told Waits the police could not help with such issues -- After the fifteenth call, the police realized that Waits really wanted a ride and was tired of waiting, so they came by and gave him a handcuffed ride to the police station -- when they got him there, they found out that Waits didn't even have the $26 required to pay for the cab service he was complaining about
-- his impatience led him to spend a night in jail

-- what is it about patience? -- what is it about waiting that drives us so crazy? -- I consider myself a fairly patient person -- I developed patience on the side of a fish pond -- when I was kid, all I did was fish -- I could sit on the side of pond with a cane pole for hours, even if I wasn't getting a bite -- I could wait forever
-- even today, when I have to wait because of things, it doesn't bother me a whole lot -- I can get stopped by every red light in town, and I'm fine -- I can have to wait on the computer to boot up, and I have no problem -- but, lately, I have noticed that I have been losing patience in other areas -- especially, with people
-- in my opinion, Walmart is the ultimate test of a person's patience, and I have been failing miserably -- the other day, I had to swing by Walmart and pick up something for supper -- I wasn't in any great hurry -- just dropping by on my way home after work -- but it seemed like everyone in that store just tried my patience -- there was this one family that just really got on my last nerve -- they got in the aisle in front of me with a buggy and they spread out -- they acted like they had never been in a store before -- they were just walking along, extremely slow, and looking at everything in sight -- they took up the whole aisle and wouldn't let me pass -- it's like I was invisible -- it's like I didn't matter to them -- and I found myself getting more and more frustrated at having to wait for them to get out of my way so I could get the items I needed
-- and, all the while, as I'm getting more and more impatient, in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, "and I've got to preach a sermon on patience in just a few days"

II. The Three Types of Patience
-- patience is a virtue -- the Bible says "blessed is he who waits" (Daniel 5:12) -- but, honestly, in my opinion patience is one of the hardest characteristics to acquire -- it's one of the hardest things to do
-- patience shows up near the front in the list of attributes of God -- after love, joy, and peace, Paul tells us that patience is the next key characteristic of God -- and if we want to reflect His image -- if we want to be holy as God is holy -- then we must learn to grow this characteristic in our own lives -- we must learn to be patient people

-- now, as I started to study this topic of biblical patience, I came to realize that patience is lived out in three separate areas -- patience with things -- patience with people -- and patience with God
-- as I can so firmly attest to in my own life, you can patient in one area but fail to be patient in another -- I can be as patient as Job waiting at red lights but fail to be a patient person when an employee at work just won't get their job done in time -- I can be patient in persevering through a particular trial in my life but get impatient when God doesn't answer my prayers when I think He should

-- Webster picked up on this multi-faceted dimension to patience in his dictionary, although he didn't specifically mention patience with God in his definition
-- Webster defines patience in three ways -- patience is "perseverance in performing a task" or "endurance without complaining" -- that is patience with things
-- he further defines patience as "bearing suffering and provocation with calmness and self-control" and "refraining from retaliation" -- that is patience with people
-- and, finally, he defines patience as "the ability to wait calmly, tolerating a delay" -- which I contend is most clearly seen in the spiritual realm as patience with God
-- so, in order to be truly patient people -- in order to grow in holiness and reflect the goodness of God -- we have to seek to be wholly patient in all three areas of patience -- wholly patient in all that we do and with all that we come into contact with and with God Himself

III. Scripture Lesson
-- here in this passage in James, we read about being patient in all three of these areas of life -- patience with things -- patience with people -- and patience with God
-- so, let's look at each of these separately and see what we might learn from James on this topic

-- I have always liked the Book of James -- it's a hard book -- it's a convicting book -- it's very much in your face about how you are living and how you should be living -- but that's what we need -- I think it's a shame that James is not taught as much as it should be in our day and age
-- here in the fifth chapter of this epistle, James is summarizing his teaching throughout the book -- he's bringing it all home and making it real
-- in the previous four chapters, James has hammered the church on how they had failed to live out their faith in their lives -- on their lack of works and acts of service -- on their favoritism towards those who were wealthy over those who were poor -- on their divisiveness and their grumbling and complaining towards others, especially others in the church -- and on their lack of faith in waiting on God to come again
-- James is trying to get them to see that true faith is not just lived on the mountaintops, but down in the valleys of life -- that we say more about what we believe by our actions rather than our words -- about how we respond to things and people and God when life isn't going like we expected -- when God isn't doing what we expected
-- so, here, in these verses, James is making the case to his readers and to us that faithfulness is demonstrated through patient endurance in the three areas of life -- with things -- with people -- even with God

-- look back at verse 7

James 5:7a (NIV)
7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming.

-- in other words, hold on, brothers -- don't give up -- wait for the Lord's return and everything will be as it should be
-- until then, be patient -- be patient when trials and troubles come your way -- when you get stopped by every red light on the way to work -- when you get sick -- when you lose a loved one
-- be patient when others talk about you and persecute you -- when others put you down because you are not as wealthy or as famous or as well-dressed and mannered as others -- be patient when people don't act like you think they should -- be patient when people try to drive you crazy
-- and be patient when God doesn't answer in your timing -- when God doesn't come and make things right when you think He should -- be patient when you're walking through the fire and demonstrate that patience by trusting and believing that God is with you and He will work in His own time
-- that is what James is trying to get across to us when he tells us here, "be patient"

-- look back at verse 7 again

7b See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.
8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.

-- the first area of life that James tells us to be patient with is with the things around us -- he uses the example of a farmer waiting for the rains and for his crops as an illustration of patience
-- as any farmer can attest, there's just so much you can do with the weather -- I don't care how much you stand up and yell -- how much you beg or plead -- how much you rant and rail against the sky -- you are powerless to make the clouds come and send rain or to make the clouds go away and send sun
-- weather is a thing -- it's something that is external to us -- it's something that we can't control and so we shouldn't get bent out of shape because of it -- the only thing we can do is control how we react to it and the other things in life that cause us concern
-- to paraphrase a famous quote, "Things happen" -- we live in a fallen world -- we live in a world where it seems like the universe conspires against us from time to time -- where things seldom go our way -- where people get sick and die -- where people lose their jobs and their homes -- where people face catastrophes and natural disasters -- where people find themselves having to wait to do what they want to do because a vehicle breaks at the wrong moment -- a tire goes flat -- a light turns red -- a printer runs out of ink
-- things go wrong -- big things and little things -- small irritations and great problems -- but they have one thing in common -- there's just not much we can do about them

-- so, what do we do? -- well, as James says here, "be patient" -- now, that doesn't mean that we do nothing -- the Greek word for "patience" here is not passive -- it implies an active waiting
-- that means that we do what we can in our own power and leave the rest up to God -- for instance, think again about farming -- if the weather's not right, what can we do? -- we can sort of make rain through irrigation, although it's not quite the same as the real thing -- but that's about it -- we can't control the sun or the temperature or the wind
-- so, we do what we can and trust God for the rest -- we make our needs known to Him -- and we wait and trust that everything will turn out just like He wants
-- that doesn't mean it will turn out like we want -- but it does imply that we demonstrate our faith by trusting God will take care of us -- we quit trying to do things on our own -- we quit getting worked up over something that we can't really control -- and we trust God
-- as Andrew Murray wrote, "The waiting is to teach us our absolute dependence upon God’s mighty working, and to make us in perfect patience place ourselves at His disposal"
-- that is what James means here by patience with things -- that is how we can be faithful through waiting

-- verse 9

9 Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

-- as I've already shared, there are times in my life when my patience is really tried by other people -- that's what James is talking about here -- patience with others -- patience with people
-- we all, from time to time, have problems with other people -- who is it that gets on your nerves? -- slow or careless drivers -- rude clerks -- undisciplined children -- unproductive coworkers -- disorganized people -- indecisive people -- inconsiderate people -- people who call attention to themselves -- self-centered people -- people who interrupt while you talk -- people who repeat themselves -- know-it-alls -- habitual latecomers -- habitual complainers -- people who won’t take responsibility -- argumentative and divisive people -- people who argue from ignorance -- people whose opinions differ from yours -- gossips -- hypocrites -- others?
-- did you find someone on that list? -- I guarantee you that there's someone out there who really tries your patience -- someone that just frustrates you by being there in your way or in your life
-- what do we do with these abrasive people? -- how do we respond?
-- James says "don't grumble against them" -- don't rail against them -- don't moan and complain about what they are doing -- think about what you're doing and whether you are reflecting Christ to them in your words and your actions
-- to quote Andrew Murray again, "Look upon every man, woman, or child who tries your patience or angers you as a means of grace to humble you"
-- these people are a means of grace -- in other words, these abrasive people are like sandpaper in your life -- smoothing off the rough edges of your character and helping to make you look more like Jesus
-- how you respond to these people speaks worlds about your faith in God and your desire to be holy as He is holy
-- keep in mind that Paul listed patience as a fruit of the Spirit -- this tells us that we are incapable of being patient with some people on our own -- we just don't have the strength or inner willpower to deal with them, and we have to rely on God's own presence working in us and through us to respond to them
-- we tend to respond to abrasive people with our flesh and not our spirit -- when you find yourself getting irritated or getting angry or getting upset with someone else -- when you find your patience is growing thin -- the answer is to detach yourself from the situation -- to shift your focus off of yourself and what this person is doing to you and to shift it back to God
-- when you find yourself getting annoyed and impatient with another person, take a breath and ask God to calm your soul and your spirit -- ask Him to give you His patience to deal with this situation -- or, if nothing else, to make a way of escape so that you can avoid sinning in your actions or behavior
-- remember that you can't change this other person, but you can change the way you respond to them -- ask God to help you to respond in a more positive way -- ask God to help you reflect His nature and His character in this situation

-- verse 10

10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

-- finally, James gets to the hardest area of patience -- waiting on God
-- this is the area where our faith is most sorely tested -- where we truly demonstrate with our life if we believe what our lips say
-- it's one thing to come to church and know the right words -- to understand the Bible and to accept the gospel message -- but, as James points out in this epistle, it's another thing altogether to live it out -- to actually receive the message in our lives
-- we've all experienced times in our lives when it seems like God doesn't hear us -- when we pray and our prayers don't seem to go past the ceiling -- when we pray and God doesn't answer like we expect -- when we pray and He doesn't answer at all or the thing that we prayed wouldn't happen, does
-- we've all experienced times when our faith has been shaken -- when trials and troubles have come our way -- and God doesn't work -- He seems to be absent -- and things just keep getting worse
-- it's in these times that we are forced to wait -- that we are forced to persevere -- that we are forced to endure what we think we can't endure
-- it's in these times that faith is forged

-- when you are forced to wait on God, you are faced with a decision -- you can either choose to believe that God cares for you and rest in His promises and His message and His goodness -- or you can choose to believe that God is either not there or, if He is, that He doesn't care -- how you respond demonstrates your level of faith and spiritual maturity
-- James points us to the example of Job and the prophets in these verses -- these men and women, he writes, suffered in their lives -- they were beset with troubles too great to mention -- with persecution and martyrdom that took their lives and the lives of those around them
-- their faith was sorely tested, but they didn't give up -- they persevered -- they trusted God and His providence in their lives -- they trusted in God's compassion and mercy -- and they knew that God would take care of them
-- they lived out what James Rye wrote about patience -- "True patience is a calm endurance based on the certain knowledge that God is in control."
-- throughout the Bible, we are told to wait on God
-- Psalm 62:1 -- "My soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation." (Psalm 62:1)
-- Psalm 27:14 -- "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart"
-- Psalm 59:9 -- "I will wait for You, O You his Strength; for God is my defense"
-- Isaiah 25:9 -- "We have waited for Him and He will save us."

-- when we wait on God, we are saying that we trust Him -- that even though things may not work out as we hope, we trust and believe that God's will and plan for our lives is better than what we hope for -- we have that "calm endurance" that affirms that "God is in control"
-- James says, "Wait on the Lord -- be patient -- and see what God will do -- see what God will bring about"
-- waiting on God -- trusting in Him -- is the essence of true faith and holiness

IV. Closing
-- The great New England preacher Phillips Brooks was noted for his poise and quiet manner -- At times, however, even he suffered moments of frustration and irritability -- One day a friend saw him feverishly pacing the floor like a caged lion -- “What’s the trouble, Mr. Brooks?” he asked -- “The trouble is that I’m in a hurry, but God isn’t!”

-- patience is one of those characteristics of God that just takes time to develop -- it doesn't happen in a moment, but happens over a lifetime of minor and major irritations
-- but, as Kent Crockett points out, "Once God develops the attitude of patience in you, life becomes easier [because] petty things don't bother you anymore."
-- patience works wonders in the life of a person -- it helps us to deal with the things and the people of life -- it helps us to respond to them as Jesus would -- and, it helps us develop our faith as we learn to trust in God in the waiting

-- I know I've gone on a bit long this morning -- and I appreciate your patience with a wandering preacher -- but, this is an important topic and an important attribute that we must develop in our lives if we are to be like Jesus in all that we do -- if we are to be Holy as He is Holy
-- just to sum up our teaching on this, "patience is the ability to sit back and wait for an expected outcome without experiencing anxiety, tension, or frustration -- it is the ability let go of your need for immediate gratification and be willing to wait -- it is the trait that displays tolerance, compassion, understanding, and acceptance toward those who are slower than you in developing maturity, emotional freedom, and coping abilities -- and patience is the ability to remain calm in the midst of turmoil because you know God is in control."
[Source: Michael McCartney, www.sermoncentral.com]

-- when you find yourself getting impatient -- when you are confronted with the irritations of life -- from things and from people -- remember to turn to God -- remember that you have within you His Spirit who will give you the patience and faith that you need to persevere -- take a moment -- say a prayer -- and ask God to give you His patience so you will respond as Jesus would
-- and, let me warn you, when you start to work on this attribute of patience in your life, you are going to be come face-to-face with every little thing that causes you irritation -- because it's in the testing and the trials that patience is forged
-- so, as you leave here, get ready -- if you get annoyed by things, get ready to be stopped by every red light in town and expect other petty problems to come up -- if you get annoyed by people, get ready for abrasive people to get in your way -- if you have a problem trusting in God, get ready for Him to build your faith in this area
-- regardless of what methods God uses to mold your patience, yield to Him and the Holy Spirit, and persevere, trusting that what the Lord finally brings about will be for your good
-- as James says here, "Be Patient"
-- let's pray