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        | THE CHRISTIAN GRACES - PATIENCEText: 2 Peter 1:5-11
I. The fourth quality to be added to our faith is
patience.
II. Word "patience" has come to mean "ability to control
one's temper." - Not the meaning in Scripture -
carries the idea of perseverance, steadfastness,
endurance, that which enables one to keep on keeping
on.
III. It is this quality that we shall be studying in this
lesson.Body:
I. Importance of patience.
A. Patience is important because success in any realm
depends upon it.
A. Patience is important because success in any
realm depends upon it.
B. Consider physical realms.
1. All of us have seen people whose lives are
nothing but a succession of uncompleted
projects.
2. They never finish anything - Bright ideas -
plunge in with enthusiasm - but they never
seem to finish a project.
3. Every project in life is a failure.
C. So it is with many in the spiritual realm.
1. They hear the gospel, believe and obey.
2. They plunge in with enthusiasm, but they soon
drop out. They are unsuccessful as
Christians, and the thing they lack is
patience or perseverance
II. Threats to patience - (What causes people to drop out
rather than to complete their service to the Lord?) -
The threats are the same as in any realm - What causes
people in any project to give up rather than complete
the task?
A. Obstacles arise - unexpected difficulties.
1. Person plunges into some project - For a while
everything goes well - no problems - but then
runs into a snag, and he gives up. Might have
been right on the verge of completion.
2. So it is in the spiritual realm.
a. We talk about the patience of Job - Job's
patience stands out because it could endure
obstacles, trials - Job "had it made" (1:2-3)
Satan had a plan: "Place a few obstacles
before him and he will turn his back on you
(1:8-12). Job tested, but his attitude
(1:20-22). Further tested, but… (2:9-10).
b. So many serve the Lord until it demands some
sacrifice or suffering on their part; then
they drop out. Matthew 13:20-21
c. Christ had prepared apostles. Matthew 10:16-
18, 22. Early Christians realized this and
sought to prepare new converts. Acts 14:22.
d. We do not suffer bodily persecution (at
least in the USA), 2 Timothy 3:12, but we
face trials, sever trials on occasion -
isolation from family friends, ridicule,
temptation, discrimination on jobs, children
ridiculed & made a spectacle - it hurts.
Can you stand the test?
3. But the interesting thing is that while trials
test our patience, they also produce patience -
much like a severe break in a leg - somewhere
along the line has to be tested - might break -
but if not, exercise is good for it. So with
our patience when tried. Romans 5:3-5; James
1:2-4.
B. Attention diverted.
1. My problems in filing, etc. - plunge into task,
but I see an article of interest, get to looking
at outlines - my attention is diverted from my
real purpose, and I don't persevere.
2. What a problem this is in spiritual realms.
a. One of the devil's best tricks - always
holding enticements before us. Matthew 13:22;
2 Timothy 4:10
b. Hebrews 12:1-2. Here is the solution. Keep
your eyes focused on Jesus and His example of
perseverance.
C. Weariness.
1. People will plunge into a project - the new
wears off - they get bored with it - and the
project just gets finished. Probably cause of
more uncompleted projects than any other.
(example: my trying to learn to play the guitar
& Dobro)
2. That problem exists in the spiritual realms.
a. Galatians 6:9.
b. People just get tired of going to services,
studying, resisting temptation, giving, and
they quit.
c. John 17:4; 2 Timothy 4:6-8
d. Matthew 20:1-14. They started at different
times, but they had to all work until the day
was finished to receive the reward.
e. Exhortation to keep going.
D. Over-Confidence.
1. All have heard the story of the rabbit and the
turtle.
2. So with many in the Christian life. They run
well. Make more progress than some others, and
they let up, quit trying and so they fail to
persevere.III. The incentives to patience.
A. May be some in this audience who are slowing down -
not trying as hard as at one time - in danger of
quitting.
B. There is every incentive to keep on keeping on:
1. In short, heaven awaits those who are steadfast,
who persevere.
2. Many things come to mind when I think of heaven.
a. Victory - Like competition, like to win, but
sweetest victory of all will be our victory
over Satan through the help of the Lord - "To
him that overcometh" Revelation 17:14.
b. Home. Where God is, our Lord, the Holy
Spirit and all of God's faithful.
c. Happiness - Nothing to mar it. Revelation
21:4.
d. Beauty - unsurpassed.
e. Holiness. No crime there, never hear
profanity again, no more murder, broken
homes, lying.
f. All of this for eternity.
3. Romans 2:6-7; 2 Timothy 4:7-8.Conclusion: I. 1 Corinthians 15:58 II. Are we growing in patience? III. What about these other traits. Top of the page
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