“LONGSUFFERING” (GAL. 5:22)

INTRODUCTION:

1. During WWI, a young couple was engaged.

2. The young man, a soldier, was from Brooklyn.

3. The young lady he planned to marry was from New England.

4. Due to the war the marriage of these two was delayed.

A. The young man made it through battle after battle without injury.

B. Near the end of the war came the Battle of the Wilderness.

C. During this conflict the young man was injured.

D. His contact with his fiancée abruptly ended.

E. One day a letter arrived in New England … the writing was strange.

F. The young lady opened up the envelope and read the following words:

G. “I lost both arms and can no longer write.

H. A friend is writing this for me.

I. You are as dear and precious to me as ever but from now on I will be dependent on other people.

J. I am having this written to release you from our engagement.”

I. UPON READING THIS THE YOUNG LADY WENT TO THE YOUNG MAN. SHE PUT HER ARMS AROUND HIS NECK AND SAID, “I WILL NEVER GIVE YOU UP. THESE HANDS WILL NEVER GIVE YOU UP. I AM ABLE TO SUPPORT YOU.”

A. In Gal. 5 we have the word “longsuffering”.

B. The young lady I described was longsuffering.

C. “Longsuffering” means “to not lose heart”.

D. It means “to be of a long spirit; to forbear”.

E. It can also carry the idea of being slow to avenge wrongs.

F. We sometimes say that a person has a short temper.

G. “Longsuffering” means that a person has a long temper.

(1) In Matt. 18 two servants owed money they could not repay.

(2) Both of these servants said, “have patience with me.”

(3) They used the word that is found in Gal. 5.

(4) They wanted someone to be “long tempered” with them.

H. The ideas expressed by “longsuffering” are old ideas.

I. In the OT the nation of Israel did many foolish things.

J. Many times God could have justly wiped out the nation.

K. One of the things that kept Israel intact was God’s promise.

L. Another thing that kept them alive was God’s long temper.

M. God excels in longsuffering.

(1) Whereas we may not be very patient;

(2) A supervisor at work may not be very patient;

(3) Maybe our mate has a short fuse;

(4) God is not that way.

N. In fact, it can be said that love obligates people to have a long fuse.

O. Having a short temper is inconsistent with Biblical teaching.

P. Let’s look at 1 Cor. 13:4 for a moment.

Q. Paul said that love is expressed many ways.

R. Those who love are kind; they do not boast. Envy is avoided.

S. Love also expresses the quality stated in 13:4A – READ.

T. Love is “longsuffering”.

U. Since God is love, He Himself must be longsuffering. The two go together.

V. Most of us are familiar with a statement from 1 Pet. 3 about God.

W. Peter uses the same word found in Gal. 5 and 1 Cor. 13.

X. Though we have probably heard and read this verse many times, let’s consider it again … I want to call your attention to the exact words that are used. I Pet. 3:20 – READ.

(1) We have the word “longsuffering” in the text.

(2) We know who is longsuffering – God.

(3) Close to the word “longsuffering” is the word “waited”.

(4) Longsuffering means people wait.

(5) The young lady waited for her future husband.

(6) Even when he lost both arms she did not lose heart … she stayed the course.

Y. The ability to be longsuffering can be difficult.

(1) I have seen parents and children getting ready to go somewhere.

(2) The adults were ready to go; the children were not.

(3) Mom and/or Dad were not very longsuffering.

(4) Something like this was said, “Why aren’t you ready? Get those shoes on; turn off the TV and let’s go.”

Z. Have you ever said those things? We all have.

A. At times it is very difficult to be longsuffering. Yet this is a duty we have.

II. IN TALKING ABOUT WHERE THIS WORD IS USED, I MUST OFFER EPH. 4:2 AS A REFERENCE.

A. At the end of this verse Paul refers to “one another”.

B. What was written describes the relationship between Christians.

C. Several things are to be done as we interact with each other.

D. There is to be forbearing, lowliness and meekness.

E. Verse 2 adds this: READ 2A.

F. We are to be “longsuffering” towards one another.

(1) If Christians are around each other long enough, and we practice the meaning of

fellowship, we will know some things about each other.

(2) We will find out some good things about each other.

(3) As our knowledge of each other increases, we will also be able to say, “There are some things about you that I don’t like.” “There are some things about you that are not very pleasant.”

(4) All of us have shortcomings.

(5) In spite of the shortcomings, we can still enjoy each other.

(6) “Longsuffering” – what is required by love – means that we can and will bear with people.

(7) As a young lady could bear with a man who had no arms, we can bear with one another.

(8) There are brethren who do not understand/apply this principle.

(9) Factions and cliques have formed in various places.

(10) Longsuffering prevents splits.

(11) It allows people to love each other and work together.

(12) Longsuffering means we can bear with one another.

G. This bearing with one another is not mere toleration.

H. When we study the word “longsuffering” we find something else.

I. Longsuffering is connected with another idea. This is found in Col. 1:11 – READ.

J. It is one thing to be longsuffering. There are times when doing this is about all we can muster.

K. God puts an additional responsibility upon His people.

L. According to Col. 1, longsuffering and joy go together.

(1) We are to learn how to bear with people, and as we patiently endure, we are to possess joy.

(2) There are times that even with Christians this can be hard but this is what God says.

M. If our only duty was longsuffering with joy towards believers most of us could probably do pretty

well most of the time.

N. The Bible goes even a little further.

O. Another passage that uses the word longsuffering is I Thess. 5:14.

P. At the end of this book Paul offered some short bullet statements.

(1) Several points were made in a hurry.

(2) One of these points is about longsuffering.

(3) This is what Paul said – READ.

Q. Our “longsuffering” is to be extended to all people.

R. This means being patient with everyone.

S. As God is patient with those who foul up and irritate Him, so we have the same responsibility.

T. This single word has a lot of meaning for Christians. The fruit of the Spirit is not easy.

III. WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS ONE WORD IT SEEMS THAT GOD IS ASKING QUITE A BIT OUT OF HIS PEOPLE.

A. I would say this is a legitimate observation.

B. If we study the entire Bible, we can say that God has often expected this from His people.

C. Let’s take a look at Heb. 6:15 for a moment.

D. At least twice in this chapter the word “longsuffering” is used.

E. This is not readily apparent from most translations.

F. One of the places where longsuffering occurs is v. 15 – READ.

G. Abraham had to “patiently endure” - longsuffering was required.

(1) In this case, longsuffering meant at least 25 years.

(2) God promised a son – Gen. 12:4.

(3) The fulfillment of this promise is in Gen. 21:4-5 – 25 years later.

(4) Longsuffering meant longsuffering.

(5) Abraham had to wait for grandchildren.

(6) The grandchildren didn’t come along for another 60 years.

(7) He only had grandchildren for 15 years and then he died.

H. Abraham never got to see the great nation in his lifetime.

I. Longsuffering for him meant a time even beyond his death.

J. We may think we are longsuffering if we put up with things for a week.

K. Hebrews 6:15 shows that longsuffering may mean a lifetime.

L. If this is what may be required, is it worthwhile?

M. Why be willing to do something for an entire lifetime?

N. Why was Abraham willing to be so patient?

O. Why should we be willing to be patient with our mates; our children; our brethren; and the rest of the world?

P. Hebrews 6 gives us the answer.

Q. Look at the other place where “longsuffering” is found – this is in verse 12. READ.

R. Do we want salvation? Is heaven our eternal goal?

S. We need faith and our faith must be obedient.

T. We also need “patience” (translated “longsuffering” in other verses).

U. I would like to suggest a tool that has helped some people:

V. The next time you want to be impatient with someone; the next time you feel like running someone into the ground – recall these thoughts:

(1) God has been patient with me.

(2) He now wants me to be patient with this person.

(3) I can be and I need to be. How come?

(4) Longsuffering is part of the path to heaven.

W. We can accomplish so much if we will only be longsuffering.

X. We can win the lost; we can keep friends; our children can be raised in the best kind of

environment; we can be Christians who have the fruit of the Spirit.

CONCLUSION:

1. Being longsuffering is one of the most beneficial traits a Christian can have.

2. If we can encourage you to develop this part of the Christian life; if you are interested in Christianity

but have not taken the first step let me encourage you to do so today.