The Bitter Fruit of Long Patience

Before the main message today, I have a title. The title is, The Bitter Fruit of Long Patience. The Bitter Fruit of Long Patience. And I invite you to open your Bibles today, and let's turn together to Galatians 5, verses 22 and 23. Galatians 5, verses 22 and 23. I hope this message today is going to be one where we will rejoice in knowing more about God, and also be convicted today, so that we might honor and take in that character of His. We turn to Galatians 5, and of course this is where we find altogether the gift of the spirit, the fruit of the spirit, I should say. The fruit of the spirit, this is the fourth quality that we're going to look at today. Of that fruit, this fourth aspect is going to be a requirement, just like all of the parts, for us to one day receive the gift of eternity. The requirement to grow in these four spiritual aspects of this fruit is asked of us. And here they are. Galatians 5, verse 22. But the fruit of the spirit, Paul writes, is love, joy, peace, and here it is, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Let's stop there. And as we've said from our studies, the fruit of the spirit comes as a result of God placing his spirit in a man or woman to whom he calls so as to use that spirit to create the fullness of this one perfect fruit with all of its nine beautiful qualities. These are qualities of God's character. And with that, perhaps there's no other part of the fruit which stands out like this fourth one. Did you think of the Sesame Street song? When you think of long suffering? When you think of this part of the fruit? One of these things is not like the other. One of these things just doesn't belong. Can you tell which is not like the other? By the time I finish this song. That's the last time I'm going to sing to you.

I know you're thinking, no please, I've perished the thoughts. But do you agree that this song, that song seemingly applies directly to this part of the fruit? Love, joy, peace, long suffering? I didn't have time, but I was going to ask the sound crew to do that record screech. You know, you've seen that when we come to that part, long suffering there.

But while it may initially seem contrary to our natural thinking here, long suffering is part of this lovely spiritual fruit. And anything, we know this, anything that's counter to our natural thinking, you know, we have to avoid the desire to just reject it or move on. We need to wrestle with it, lean into it. Because what we know, we definitely know this, the road to the gift of eternity requires long suffering. So let's wrestle with this today. And right from the start, we want to first identify and amplify what we're talking about. When you look at this Greek word here translated long suffering, it is the word mock-roth-emayo. I guess I'll spell it for those who who would be interested. Mock-roth-emayo. M-A-K-R-O-T-H-Y-M-E-O. Rock, mock, excuse me, rock-roth-emayo. Very important word, very deep word, and suffering is part of this word.

But it may not be the type of suffering in which you may initially think. Think, because at its essence, Mach-Roth-Emayo, it is—let me give you the definition—to patiently and bravely endure the offenses and injuries from others. Did you know that that's the essence of this part of the fruit? I'll repeat that. To patiently and bravely endure the offenses and injuries from others. Okay? Long suffering with others. A phrase you could attach to this word would be, to be mild and slow in avenging yourself when enduring offenses from others. Long suffering. Slow to anger. Slow to retaliate. Slow to punish those who have offended us. So, so important. We wanted right from the beginning here to establish what exactly is this part of this fruit, to suffer long with others. So essentially, I think it is the bitter but beautiful fruit of long patience. Mach-Roth-Emayo. Some of the word studies you can perform will produce this quote for this word. If in English, we understand what it is to be short-tempered, Mach-Roth-Emayo could be called the quality of being long-tempered. Okay? And when it is applied in the New Testament, it's often applied whereby we do not give way to a short, quick temper with those who fail us. In order to maintain harmony with others, Mach-Roth-Emayo is the ability to, at times, suffer long with each other. The ability to patiently endure in and through our dealings with one another. It's an amazing part of the fruit. And when you begin to kind of contemplate this, I've been thinking about this part of the fruit. I've got to tell you, it is quite convicting. And perhaps you'll relate to that. Quite convicting when you think of your own impatience with others, right? Those moments of impatience. And I believe I can confidently say that for the true Christian to engage in this type of self-reflection, often what you will find is God will reveal to you that in moments of impatience, it usually has to do more with our selfishness and our pride rather than the failure of the other individual. At least, that's what was revealed to me. I think it will be revealed to you. It's more about us. Those moments of impatience. Would you consider that it's more about you than the other individual? For example, in our moments of being short-tempered with others, we can find ourselves thinking in terms of, well, I'm impatient because they're wasting my time, right? And upon further reflection of that thought, you will find that in that is a short-tempered sentiment. That somehow my schedule matters more than their issues. My agenda outranks compassion in that moment. So again, when we find ourselves in moments of impatience, usually can deal more with our selfishness or our pride. When we think of ourselves in thinking of terms like, why can't they just get it? Or why can't they just get over it? Have you had those thoughts? Well, there is a short-tempered sentiment in those moments, perhaps, that says, I expect others to grow at my pace with my understanding. You see, more about us. You may find yourself saying, well, I wouldn't have done it that way. Underneath, my way is the right way. Or, they should know better by now. Underneath, perhaps it could be that we have forgotten how patient God has dealt with us. They should be better by now, you know.

So, all of these thoughts may reflect a spiritual failure with regards to this part of the fruit here. The fruit of the Spirit, when others have failed or offended us, long-suffering then becomes the quality that needs to be expressed in those moments. When our thoughts drift to me, I'm not getting what I deserve from others. You know, in those moments, we're moving away from the thoughts of grace to self-entitlement. So, because this part of the fruit of the Spirit deals with matters of grace and deals with matters of self, it is very deep and very spiritually significant.

So, we can't just consider this part of the fruit lightly or just with a cursory glance. This kind of suffering is deep. So, I want us to think about this part of the fruit in this way. So, you know, initially entering into this study, I thought, I was thinking more in terms of my impatience, which arises at the grocery store, let's say. Have you found yourself in moments of impatience at the grocery store?

If you're like me, it's this whole to-do when I approach the lines with the cashier. All of a sudden, I become like a rocket scientist with my calculator. I'm calculating the ratio of products to people, you know, and trying to determine which line will go faster than the other. I'm even discerning the training capabilities of the cashiers, you know. All these numbers are going through. I'm sure it would be above my head if you could get a view of that. And by the way, no matter how skilled you are, the other line always goes faster.

It's just, maybe that's God, I don't know. That's not this, in essence, right? Or you're in patience that emerges when you're in the right-hand lane at a red light, right? You can turn right on red, and she just won't turn. I didn't mean to say she. And they just won't turn. Forgive me for that.

Please turn so we can go on with our lives, you know. Those times are special. But that's not, in essence, this. Although we could say, even in those moments, there is a requirement to live out long patience, of course. In all moments. In all moments, we should be thinking in aspects of the gospel of the coming kingdom of God, in my purposes in that must display this fruit of long suffering. It must be revealed in me, at all times, of course. So let's take an initial pulse check. How are we doing in this part of the fruit, as it's expressed in all aspects of our life, with those who offend, or those to whom we have conflict with?

You see. So, no matter where you fall in that analysis, this is our purpose today. We want to try and help ourselves really grab on with this part of the fruit and its fundamental qualities. And again, I think once we dig in here, you're going to find incredible encouragement and reason to rejoice.

And you're also going to find incredible conviction as we consider displaying this part of the fruit. So let's get started. Let's just go through, in the time we have left, three qualities of long patience. Okay? Three qualities of long patience. Perhaps we could have many more. I broke them down to organize our thoughts into three ways. The first quality of long patience that I thought we would consider today is, number one, that long patience is a primary and significant part of God's character.

Okay? Think of all the qualities of God. I propose that, number one, the quality of long suffering, long patience, is a primary and significant part of God's character. In other words, this patience, this suffering, to which Paul is writing about in Galatians 5, it is a divine attribute of God as He is long patient with us. This is who God is. This is what He's like. Let's look at a few examples, just a few, of God's patient enduring with us. Perhaps we could start at Exodus 34.

If you want to turn over there with me, Exodus 34 verses 5 through 7. Let's look at God's patient enduring with just a few moments in Scripture. Here's one at Exodus 34 verses 5 through 7.

Let me set the scene here. What a moment that we're breaking into here. This is the event where they created the golden calf in the previous chapters, made a dreadful mess of their worship to God by creating this idol. So here God is speaking to Abraham, and He reveals Himself to Abraham. And look at how He reveals Himself after this incredible violation and offense against God.

Exodus 34 verse 5. Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him, that's Abraham, He stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. By no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and fourth generation. Let's stop there. So fascinating. God in this moment, in this offense by man to God, reveals Himself as the one who's long-suffering here in the midst of their disobedience. They had succumbed to idol worship, making this golden idol. This was a godlike image in their eyes that they were now going to control, you know, and worship, and they could manipulate it into their own thoughts here, bow down to it rather than the one true God. And in the awareness of that, God comes and reveals Himself to Abraham as merciful, gracious, and long-suffering.

He bears long with us, has the ability to patiently endure, bear our offenses against Him, slow to anger. This is a wonderful blessing. This is a part of God's character that we just rejoice in here. I hope you know this part of God's character in a more intimate way from this point forward. But as we think about this and we attempt to take on this part of the character in our own lives, yes, it's a blessing, but it's also a difficulty when we think about this part of God's character. Why is it difficult? Well, Jeremiah said, asked the questions that sometimes we ask either consciously or unconsciously, why do the wicked prosper? That's what Jeremiah asked, where we might ask the same thing. We can look out into the evil of this world and say, why doesn't God do something, right? Why is God so patient? Why doesn't He intervene and do something? Deal with these wicked individuals once and for all. Why didn't He just come down and wipe the Israelites out, golden calf and all? And so it's interesting that not everyone, and even we can have this arise in our hearts, not everyone enjoys or likes God's patience and long suffering with man. Who is the quintessential individual who did not like God's patience with man? I'm sure you know. Of course, it's Jonah. Jonah, let's just turn over there for just a second example of God's long patience with man. Jonah chapter 3 and verse 10. Jonah 3 verse 10, the problem of God's patience. This is what Jonah took issue with. Let me set the scene here before we get to Jonah chapter 3 here. Another example of God's long patience on full display. God commissioned Jonah to go speak to the city of Nineveh. Jonah decides he does not want to do that. Instead, he tries to flee to Tarsus. We know why, because Jonah did not want God to give the people of Nineveh patience. He did not want God to show long suffering towards those individuals, perhaps allowing them to repent. In Jonah's eyes, they didn't deserve God's long suffering. And we know as the events transpired, God gets Jonah back on track. He goes and preaches to Nineveh about the judgment coming. They respond to that message, put themselves in sackcloth and ashes, and repent from their evil ways. And this is what we read now. Jonah 3 verse 10. Look at this. God saw their works and they turned from their evil way. Jonah 3 verse 10. And God relented from the disaster that he had said he would bring upon them. And he did not do it. He exercised patience. Oh, long patience. And then we read Jonah 4 verses 1 and 2. Turn forward there for a moment. Jonah 4 verses 1 and 2. But this long patience, it just displeased Jonah exceedingly. And he became angry. So he prayed to the Lord and said, Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled and previously to Tarsus. For I know you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, one who relents from doing wrong. Let's stop there. Wow! This is who your God is. Loving kindness rather than short-tempered. You see, patient, long-suffering with man. This is who God is. Rejoice in that. Receive that.

Be careful not to look around upon others and resent this part of God's character. The people of Nineveh needed it. Oh, do we need it. We need this part of God's character. God's will is that all would one day repent, that none should perish. Let's read those words. 2 Peter 3, verse 8 and 9. Rather than go by that phrase, let's read that, this part of God's character. 2 Peter 3, verses 8 and 9. Long-suffering toward us, such an important part of who God is and how He reveals Himself of His character, His patience. It's a primary and significant part of who God is.

And let me just say, 2 Peter 3, verse 8 and 9. This part of His character makes salvation possible. I hope you realize that. Listen to these words. 2 Peter 3, 8. But beloved, do not forget this one thing. We could say, do not forget this one part of God's character. The Lord, that with the Lord, one day is as a thousand years, in a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, okay, as some call slackness, but is mock-roth-e-mayo, long-suffering toward us. Why? Not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Let's stop there. So yes, God remembers the sins through the generations, third and fourth generation, but His grace is much greater. A day is like a thousand years to God.

And He's not slack according to His promise here. The promise that He's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He is immensely patient. This is how He views time and generations. His grace extends to a thousand generations. His patience is measured quite differently than we think in our human terms here. He's not slack. He doesn't turn a blind eye to sin. That's true, but we realize that He is long-suffering toward us.

Rejoice in that. You know, if God were to deal with sin and evil at midnight tonight, where He just exhausted, all of a sudden His patience ran out in a moment.

To deal with evil once and for all tonight, how many of us would still be around one second after midnight?

None.

So, there is reason for God's delay.

So that those of us here today, here in these words, who are called to this saving relationship, those who will have this call one day in their lives, that one day we will be called, God will practice long patience with us, so that we may fully come to repentance and faith and not perish but be saved in the end. So you see, how thankful we are for God's long suffering toward us. This part of His character, in particular, makes salvation possible. That's how important it is.

So long patience, then, is revealed in God's character.

All right. Number two. Second quality of this fruit to discover is that this patience, number two, is primarily and ultimately revealed in Jesus Christ. That's number two. Long patience is primarily and ultimately revealed in Jesus Christ.

This part of God's character, one of the reasons He sent His Son is so His Son could reveal this part of God's character, this part of the Father's character. He sent His Son to reveal the long suffering, and He wanted His Son then to walk this earth and show this long patience in full display every moment that He walked on this earth. And when you consider Mach-Rothi-Mao and this fruit in relation to Jesus expressing it and revealing this part of the Father's character, wow! Was this part of the fruit on full display here? Restraint in the face of opposition? That could describe Jesus Christ perhaps most greatly and most accurately. So you understand, this is, you know, I gave some superficial examples of, you know, the grocery store, but, you know, restraining yourself with patience. This is so much deeper than that. When we look at Jesus Christ exercising this fruit, it's just amazing. And it's just, when you begin to look for this fruit all throughout Jesus's ministry and when He walked on this earth, it's just all over the pages of the gospel. You remember Jesus saying, you know, His disciples did not, still did not understand, and He said, particularly to Philip, have I been so long with you and you still don't understand? For your notes, we won't turn there. That's John 14.9. John 14.9. Jesus had to exercise daily patience with His slow-to-learn disciples. They were so earthly-minded.

What about the moment? Jesus, can we have a quick moment with you?

We know you've been speaking about your upcoming suffering and crucifixion, but could we have a quick moment? We were just wondering if this guy and I could sit on either side of you when glory comes, you know? Just wondering if you could make that happen, you know.

That'd be a great place for us to sit. You know, Jesus was so patient with them. I just explained to you how my life is moving toward my sacrifice, and He says, that should not be your concern. He says, what should be your concern is that you are to drink from this same cup. Very patient with them and teaching. For your notes, we won't turn there, but that whole interaction is in Mark 10, verse 35 through 37. Mark 10, verse 35 through 37. Jesus was so patient when they deserted Him. Do you ever feel deserted? Do you ever feel like you're alone? Do you ever feel like someone is just... you're constantly on the receiving end of offenses? Do you ever wonder who will stand with you in the end? Do you find yourself needing to display this part of the fruit of long suffering with others? They all scattered and fled Jesus. So, He appears after His resurrection. He tells the women to go tell the disciples that I'm here. He goes on to encourage them, to bring them back into the fold, those who deserted Him, reminding us that failure does not have to be final. You know, if you need to write something on your bathroom mirror so you can look upon it every morning, you know, God is long suffering with us. And failure doesn't have to be final, you see. It's another day for us to receive this beautiful part of His character. And just to exemplify this part of God's character as revealed in Jesus Christ just a little bit longer, let's turn over to Matthew 26 verses 65 through 68, if you will. Let's just take a little bit longer here to see this part of the fruit revealed in Jesus Christ, Matthew 26. Matthew 26 verses 65 through 68.

Jesus here in this moment proclaimed that He is the Son of God. This caused a frenzy. The high priest charges Him with blasphemy here. Now think about how much Jesus had to patiently endure. Matthew 26 beginning in verse 65. Then the high priest tore His clothes, saying, He has spoken blasphemy. What further need do we have of these witnesses? Look now, you've heard His blasphemy. What do you think? They answered and said, He's deserving of death. So they spat in His face, beat Him. Others struck Him with the palms of their hand, saying, prophecy to us, Christ, who is the one who struck you? Let's stop there. I just, you know, this is by no means to de-emphasize the suffering we go through. We do go through some offenses that are very difficult. I have been through offenses where it's caused a physical reaction in me, like triggers certain physical responses, where I have like vertigo and dizziness in those moments when I'm thinking of conflict issues and stresses. You know, and so what I'm about to compare and contrast Christ's suffering and His ability to apply long suffering to His life, it is, it's not to de-emphasize our struggles with displaying this fruit. It's just to primarily know that we're, we have someone who's an advocate and He understands and He sympathizes with us. And in those moments when we're, we are offended, someone that's offended us and we're needing to display this fruit, look at it as an opportunity. Oh, if you can muster up the prayer, thank you, Father, for this opportunity to display this fruit. Thank you for this offense from another. Thank you for the need to exercise, for your, for this opportunity to exercise my patience with others. See, you're flipping it on its head. These are all opportunities to grow in this part of the fruit. Take advantage of it. Be thankful for it. It doesn't lessen the difficulty of it, but it changes the narrative. It changes your perspective and your view of the one who is the offender. It makes you turn inward. It makes you turn to Jesus Christ. It makes you do self-examination of your own spiritual qualities. And then it puts you in a proper perspective to deal with that other, the other individual. It's a beautiful thing. It's bitter. It's bitter, but it's beautiful. It's a beautiful, bitter, beautiful part of what is revealed through Jesus Christ. Going forward, Matthew 27 verses 27 through 29, you know, think of the high call of suffering that Jesus had to deal with from others. Matthew 27 verses 27 through 29. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the praetorium, gathered the whole garrison around him. Matthew 27 verse 28. Then they stripped him, put on a scarlet robe on him. They had twisted a crown of thorns. They had put it on his head and a reed in his right hand. They bowed, mocking the the knee before him and mocked him, saying, hell king of the Jews. Stop there. What if someone mocks you? What if someone devalues you? You know. In the past, prior to God's Spirit in me, prior to the need for me to be like Jesus Christ, I could do a twisting of words, you know, say the most scathing thing. Just bring that person down to nothing. You know, oh, you're gonna mock me? Well, what about this, this, and this? You know, I'm gonna let you have it right back. That is not mock-Rothy Mayo. No, you catch your tongue, and you bring those words back, and you say, I need to be long patient with this individual. I need to respond like Jesus did here. So, thank, we're so thankful for this example, because, you know, we look at this and we say, wow, I don't even know what patience is, you know, compared to Jesus Christ here. Amazing. Remarkable. We rejoice in the character of God. We rejoice that it was revealed toward us through his son, Jesus Christ.

Now finally, third and final quality of this fruit, number three, perhaps we can consider today, is that, and you knew this was coming, number three, patience, this long patience, is required of his children. That's you and I. So, number three turns to us. It is a beautiful part of God's character. Jesus gave us the example through his life on how to do it, what it looks like. And now we turn to the mandate, the call to us, to begin to grow in this part of the fruit. Patience is a requirement of God's children. It's a requirement to be in God's family.

So, why? Maybe with this third consideration, why? Why do we need to display this fruit? Well, we are to look like our Father, right? We are to resemble our Father. I won't show a raise of hands, but I know there's probably some in this room where you took on the characteristics of your father versus your mother. You know, it's amazing. You can see little babies, and there are some that just so resemble one or the other. And it's so interesting to see and to know and to think about our journey when you see a little baby so resemble their father, you know, here in the physical realm, the cheekbones, you know, or the eyebrows, or you know, the way the eyes are spaced apart there. And it's no surprise.

He, the baby, should look like their father, and sometimes their mother, of course, there. But to look like your father in the spiritual sense, that's what we're to do. You're supposed to, if we're his children, we are to look like our father in this way. And one of the ways we manifest that quality is through displaying his patience and long-suffering with those who offend us. It's that simple. The Apostle Paul wrote about this quite a bit. Again, once you begin to think about this part of the quality, you'll see it on display all throughout Scripture. One prominent place is found, and I invite you to turn there. Colossians 1, verses 9 through 12. This is a prayer by Paul for his congregation at that time. Colossians 1, verses 9 through 12, he prays, Paul does, as the pastor, Pastor Paul, prays that his congregation would have Makrathimayo, that they would have this beautiful character of God. Look at this. Colossians 1, verses 9 through 12. Paul says, for this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom, in all spiritual understanding, that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him, being fruitful, the fruit of the Spirit, in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, for all patience and Makrathimayo, long suffering, with joy, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. Let's stop there. This was Paul's prayer here, that they would be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might and power, so that you may have all patience and long suffering.

Amazing! And all of that leading to joy. You see, I don't know how I would have said this prayer. I think if my mindset would have been Paul's mindset here, and I'm praying for you, the congregation, and let's say you're praying for us, where we might pray, you know, this is Paul's prayer, that you may be strengthened with all power, according to the glorious power, so that you may have... How would you finish that? I might finish it, so that you might have the power to do dramatic things, or the power to speak in powerful ways, or the power to be greatly used by God, you know, whatever it may be. But Paul prays this. He prays for this quality. I pray that God's power, he says, would be unleashed in your life so that you're able to be long-suffering and patient when you feel like quitting, perhaps. That you'll be patient when you feel like just quitting everyone, those who have offended you.

I don't know. I think we need to bring this prayer into our congregation for each other in a greater way this year than ever. Father, I pray for him. I pray for her, that he might have great endurance. I pray that she may be strengthened with all power, so that he, so that she, might have all patience and long-suffering with joy.

And Paul prays this prayer over and over again. Go forward to Colossians 3, verse 12 and 13. Colossians 3, verse 12 and 13. I want to turn here because this is helpful. When you're in moments of impatience, perhaps we could do what Paul's going to ask us to do here. Consider it like putting on a garment of long patience during those times, the Christian wardrobe. Colossians 3, verse 12 and 13. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, mock-rathimao, long-suffering, bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, you also must do. Stop there. So that was the second quality. This is revealed through Christ.

Long-suffering, bearing with one another, forgiving one another. It all falls under this beautiful fruit here. Put on this garment is the symbol that's in here. Put on these things, Paul says. This garment of long-suffering with one another. So perhaps if someone offends you, just say, hold on, and you can symbolically put on the long-suffering garment. Okay, now I'm ready. Maybe that's the 10-second rule. I don't know. Bearing with one another. And really, the primary encouragement and motivation to extend mock-Rothy Mayo with others is because Christ has extended it to us. Just keep reminding yourself that. That puts you in the proper mindset. I don't deserve to be here in this fellowship. You don't deserve to be here as part of God's fellowship. So what a wonderful, beautiful thing we are. And it's because God is long-suffering with us. So then we can extend that to others. That's what Paul is putting forth here. Well, as we begin to conclude here, soon we will say amen. And inevitably soon we will be confronted with the need to display this beautiful, bitter part of fruit. Perhaps even before we leave this room, who knows? So what are you going to do? What are you going to do in those moments? We'll put on the wardrobe that's here. Push aside the garments of anger, retaliation, removing yourself from that person, spite. And put on this beautiful garment of long patience. And as we conclude our thoughts of this part of God's character, just consider all the ways Jesus Christ has revealed this fruit in your life as you turn to reveal this fruit toward others. And may it be that to all those to whom we live, they will see this fruit on full display so that they may know and we may reveal every day until Christ returns this beautiful fruit of long patience.