Fruits of the Spirit: Patience (Linton Hall Sermon)
June 1, 2025
Understanding Patience
James 5:7 CSB – Therefore, brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord’s coming.
Psalm 27:14 CSB –
Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart be courageous.
Wait for the Lord.
James 5:7 CSB – Therefore, brothers and sisters, be patient
James 1:2-4 CSB – Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials,3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
Patience = macrothumia
macro = long/large
thumia = heated up, boiling over
Proverbs 14:29 CSB –
A patient person shows great understanding,
but a quick-tempered one promotes foolishness.
1 Corinthians 13:4 CSB – Love is patient.
James 5:7 CSB – Therefore, brothers and sisters, be patient
James 1:19 CSB – “[be] slow to anger, (thumos) 20 for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.
Pictures of Patience
The Farmer Learns to Live on God’s Schedule
James 5:7 CSB – Therefore, brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains.8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.
Galatians 6:9 CSB – Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all….
The Prophets
James 5:10-11 CSB – Brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience. 11 See, we count as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and have seen the outcome that the Lord brought about—the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
Patience is not passivity. It is God-controlled passion
Hebrews 12:6 CSB – for the Lord disciplines the one he loves
and punishes every son he receives.
James 5:10 CSB – …take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience. See, we count as blessed those who have endured.
Hebrews 11:35-39 CSB – Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about…,destitute, afflicted, and mistreated.
38 The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
39 All these were approved through their faith
Hebrews 11:16 CSB – Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God….
Job
Job 13:15 CSB – Even if he kills me, I will hope in him.
Practical Application: The Opposite of Patience: Grumbling
James 5:9 CSB – Brothers and sisters, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door!
James 4:1 CSB – What is the source of wars and fights among you?
How God Develops Patience in Us
When Patience Tested, Don’t Grumble
Remember God’s Patience with You
Matthew 18:21 CSB – Then Peter approached him and asked, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?”
Matthew 18:22-26 CSB – “I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven.”
“For this reason, the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle accounts, one who owed ten thousand talents was brought before him.
25 Since he did not have the money to pay it back, his master commanded that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt.
“At this, the servant fell facedown before him and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything.’
Matthew 18:27-29 CSB – Then the master of that servant had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan.
“That servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’
29 “At this, his fellow servant fell down and began begging him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
Matthew 18:30-34 CSB – But he wasn’t willing. Instead, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed. 31 When the other servants saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened.
32 Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And because he was angry, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay everything that was owed.
Matthew 18:35 CSB – So also my heavenly Father will do to you unless every one of you forgives his brother or sister from your heart.”
2 Peter 3:9 CSB – [God] …is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.
Romans 12:19-21 CSB – Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord. 20 But
If your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink….
21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.
Trust God’s Timing
“Everything is necessary that He sends. Nothing can be necessary that God withholds.” – John Newton
James 5:11 CSB – See, we count as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and have seen the outcome that the Lord brought about—the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
