Peace and Longsuffering
Fruit of the Spirit • Sermon • Submitted
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The Priority of the Heart
The Priority of the Heart
A filled and blessed life awaits us if we have the right mindset. (Mt 15:18-20; Gal 5:16-17, 24)
The heart we have built can be the reason we are today filled with guilt, in deep despair, or dominated by anger. (Mt 15:18-20)
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
God is the only One who can show us how to put direction and purpose in our hearts.
To plant, the field has to be cleared.
Pioneer preacher “Raccoon” John Smith was once asked, “If the gospel is so plain, as you say it is, why do you have to labor so hard to get people to understand it?” Smith replied, “I have often prepared ground in the wilderness for a turnip patch, and though I had the kindest soil and the best seed, and the sowing was easy, I never got top nor root until I first took my ax and hoe and briar knife and went in and hacked and grubbed and cleared the ground. The Lord knows I do not esteem it hard to preach the simple gospel to those who are prepared to receive it, but it is labor indeed to root out prejudice, and cut down the systems, and clear away the sectarian trash that cumbers the minds and hearts of the people.” (Adapted from "The Life of Elder John Smith") (per Jonathan Perz, http://moodychurchofchrist.com/index.php/bible-study/articles/8-preparing-the-soil)
To plant and grow the fruit of the Spirit means we must clear our minds.
No negotiation, no compromise. We must completely clear our minds and start over. This is repentance. (Gal 5:16-17, 24)
The fruit of the Spirit is a great blessing to us. (Gal 5:22-23; 1 Pt 1:7-8)
This passage says “fruit” and not “fruits!” We must have all nine.
We have examined love, joy, and self control. All of these come from knowing Jesus and letting that love be tested by standing for Him. (1 Pt 1:7-8)
that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
Going against the world and paying a price produces joy! (Ps 5:11)
But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;
Let those also who love Your name
Be joyful in You.
He defends us! Do you believe that? It will help us as we seek to cultivate His fruit in our hearts.
Peace
Peace
Jesus is the “Lord of peace”. (2 Thess 3:16)
eivrh,nh eirene ¤ AV -peace 89, one 1, rest 1, quietness 1; 92 - 1) a state of national tranquillity 1a) exemption from the rage and havoc of war 2) peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord 3) security, safety, prosperity, felicity, (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous).
Jesus is described as “the Lord of peace.” What does He want for us? (2 Thess 3:16)
Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.
We must diligently seek peace with God. (Rom 5:1; Col. 1:20; Eph 2:1-3)
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Do you remember the price Jesus paid for your sins?
When God speaks of “justification” do you understand what an enormous gift this is? (Col 1:20)
and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
Every day we should remember what life was like before we found our new life in Christ. (Eph 2:1-3)
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
When I have peace with God then I can deal with men.
Peace with God puts us at war with the world! (James 4:4-6; Gal 1:10; Jer 6:14-15)
We must always ask ourselves the question: “Whose peace do we want?” (James 4:4-6)
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
We will even find the war coming within the church against those who wish to please men. (Gal 1:10)
For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
Some who cry for peace the loudest want peace with the world! (Jer 6:14-15)
They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly,
Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’
When there is no peace.
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?
No! They were not at all ashamed;
Nor did they know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
At the time I punish them,
They shall be cast down,” says the Lord.
Peace with fellow Christians is not always easy to find. (Heb 12:14; 1 Pt 3:10-11; 2 Tim 2:22)
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
We must seek and pursue it. A casual profession is not enough. (1 Pt 3:10-11)
For
“He who would love life
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
As we flee sin we must pursue peace. (2 Tim 2:22)
Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Peace with brethren can be very difficult. (Rom 15:1; 2 Cor 13:11)
Because we tend to look out for our interests and not our brethren. (Rom 15:1)
We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
This is very easy for us to forget, as we get tied up in “our own business”.
Our relationship with God depends on our seeking peace. (2 Cor 13:11)
Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
One of the worst things that could happen to a church is for the membership to become overconfident and lazy. Satan will take advantage of this.
Longsuffering
Longsuffering
God is longsuffering. (Romans 2:4; Eccl 8:11)
makroqumi,a, aj, h` as a state of emotional quietness in the face of unfavorable circumstances patience, long-suffering; (1) as patience under trial endurance, steadfastness (HE 6.12); (2) as constraint exercised toward others forbearance, patience (2C 6.6); (3) as God's constraint of his wrath long-suffering, forbearance (RO 2.4)
Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
Even in His longsuffering, He is swift to carry out judgment against the wicked. Eccl 8:11
Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
His standard does not change; thus His longsuffering must concern his own forbearance concerning our own weakness. He allows time for us to meet that standard, and delays punishment until the last possible moment.
God desires that we know this about Him. (Num 14:17-19; 2 Pt 3:9-14; Luke 9:41-56)
And now, I pray, let the power of my Lord be great, just as You have spoken, saying, ‘The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.’ Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, according to the greatness of Your mercy, just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”
Before you begin to complain about why the world continues as it is without the day of judgement coming, you need to think about God waiting for you. (2 Pt 3:9-14)
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
During the ministry of Christ consider His longsuffering with the apostles!
Notice the reaction of "..how long shall I be with you?" (Lk 9:40-41)
They were unwilling to hear (Lk 9:44-45)
They competed with one another. (Lk 9:46-48)
They showed competitiveness with the disciples of John. (Lk 9:49-50)
Some even wanted to call down fire from heaven! (Lk 9:54-56)
We choose to suffer long - we put it on! (Col 3:8-12)
But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
This will eliminate the “short fuse,” hasty accusations, unrighteous judgment of motives, and gossip.
Longsuffering is not ignoring the person or harboring hate in silence!
The growth of disciples and the church as a collective depends upon suffering long. (Eph 4:1-2)
How can true unity be possible? (Eph 4:1-2)
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,
The atmosphere of a church can be that of optimistic growth and encouragement or that of distrust, suspicion and revenge. Which will it be?
Those who teach are required to suffer long! (2 Tim 4:1-2)
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
Will I let God’s word do its work?
Many refuse to give the seed time to work. (Ex. germinating seeds.)
Our Knowledge of God helps us to suffer long and to have peace.
Our Knowledge of God helps us to suffer long and to have peace.
Harm done by others looks small and insignificant when you are at peace with God. (Mt 6:14-15; Acts 2:21; 22:16; Rom 10:13)
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
This is why I will contend for the faith. Men cannot be allowed to take away God’s conditional promises for salvation. (Acts 2:21; 22:16; Rom 10:13)
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.’
And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
I must never put the peace of men above peace with God. (Jn 12:42-43)
Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
My remembrance of God’s longsuffering toward me helps to keep pride out of my heart. (1 Tim 1:15-16)
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
Please understand that there are spiritual people in this church that you can talk to! Our God has been longsuffering with our weaknesses to.