PATIENCE WITH JUSTICE
In these verses we find that God is a righteous God; and because He is a righteous God, He cannot do anything else but punish sinners.
GOD’S PATIENCE ILLUSTRATED
- Isaiah 5:1-7 – God has planted a vineyard and done everything possible for it so that it will produce good fruit but instead all He gets is would grapes. Because of the wild grapes, the vineyard will be destroyed. God’s people are the vineyard, and the fruit that they brought forth is not pleasing to Him.
b. Luke 13:6-9 – God has planted a fig tree (church of God) and He comes and seeks fruit from it –a heart turned to God—the fruits of righteousness. He as a right to it, and will require it. Three years is a long enough trial for a fig tree and also denotes probably sufficient time for spiritual fruit. He asks the dresser (Christ the Intercessor) to cut it down. However, Christ intercedes for us asking that we be given more times to bear fruit.
c. 2 Chronicles 33:10-13 – Manasseh did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. He also caused his people to sin. The Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people but they would not listen, therefore, Manasseh is taken captive. While in captivity he humbles himself and seeks the Lord. The Lord in His patience delivers him and returns him to Jerusalem. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord, He is God.
d. Psalm 78:38 – God is merciful and longsuffering and continues to forgive and not destroy. He has held back His anger many times.
e. Isaiah 30:18 – The Lord continues to wait for you so that He might show you His love and bless you.
f. Jeremiah 7:13, 23-24 – These verses tell how God has spoken to His people over and over again through His prophets but they have not listened. Only a longsuffering God would continue to do this for us. Is this a picture of today?
g. Ezekiel 20:17 – this is a picture of God’s patience with His people in the wilderness. Discuss some of the specific incidents that happened in the wilderness and how God demonstrated His patience.
h. Matthew 23:37-38 –In this verse, Jerusalem does not mean the mere city only, but refers to the whole family of God. This name was dear to every Jew reminding him of all that was precious in his religion. The Lord reveals His intense feeling by repeating Jerusalem twice. He reminds them of how they have spurned His messages of mercy, even killing the messengers He has sent them. In spite of this, He would have gathered together this truth-hating, mercy-spurning, prophet-killing Jerusalem. In His long-suffering, He would have gathered them even as a hen gathered her chicks under her wings. What a beautiful picture. A mother hen will give her very own life to protect her young.
i. 1 Timothy 1:16 –In this verse, Paul reminds us of the Lord’s patience with him—bearing so long with him while he persecuted the Christians. - Jesus is our perfect example.
PATIENCE EVIDENCED
- In all of these incidents, we see a picture of an impetuous Peter and a patient Christ who sometimes has to chide Peter but never gives up on Peter. Is this a picture of our relationship with Christ? How very grateful we should be for His patience toward us.
- In verse 15 Jesus asks Peter if he loves Jesus more than His other disciples do, referring lovingly to those sad words of Peter which he spoke a short time before denying his Lord (Matthew 26:33), “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Certainly, these words brought the whole scene back to Peter’s mind and put him to shame. As Peter answers Jesus, he says, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He does not add “more than these,” thus making it a truly different answer than the boasting reply in Matthew 26:33. Jesus says, “Feed my lambs,” referring to Christians young in age or Christian standing. Jesus again asks Peter, “Do you love me?” Jesus is a tender, as well as a skillful Physician, and in repeating the question the wound is reopened. However, the words, “more than these,” are not repeated because Peter’s silence on that point was confession enough of his sin. Jesus tells Peter, “Tend my sheep,” imploring more than just feeding the sheep but taking on the responsibility of a shepherd and all that it would involve. A third time Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?” It is not until after the third question that Peter realizes what Jesus is doing. It brings back so vividly and painful his three denials of Jesus. Now that this painful episode is over Jesus again tells Peter, “Feed my sheep,” suggesting that all is forgiven and forgotten. Jesus goes on to tell by what death he should die and that it should be to the glory of God. He then says to Peter, “Follow me,” thus inviting Peter not to merely go along with Him at the moment, but to take up his cross and be counted worthy to die for Him.
LOVING PATIENCE
Matthew 27:38-44 In these verses Christ is being ridiculed by the thieves and the crowd, also the chief priests and scribes. In Isaiah 53:7 and 1 Peter 2:23 we read that Christ opened not His mouth. When they insulted him He didn’t retaliate, but rather bore their abuse with loving patience.
UNIFIED PATIENCE
- Ephesians 4:1-2, Colossians 1:10-11 Paul exhorts us to walk worthy of our calling with all lowliness, meekness, longsuffering and patience.
- Colossians 1:11b – We are also admonished to do it with JOYFUL endurance. For an example of this read Acts 16:22-25.
- This is possible only as a result of a Spirit-filled life.