Sermons
Gentleness And Patience
Series: The Way Of SalvationGENTLENESS AND PATIENCE
Sermon By Terry Siverd
Cortland Church of Christ / November 17, 2019
W.B.J. Martin wrote a small book back in 1968 titled, Little Foxes That Spoil The Vine.
That title derives from an Old Testament text found in King Solomon's “Song Of Songs” (2:15).
This Old Testament book, aka Song of Solomon, is rather unique among the literature of the Bible.
It is a love song between a young groom and his bride - - a piece of poetry that might make you blush.
The groom sings to the bride; the bride sings to the groom; both the bride and groom sing to others.
In Song of Solomon 2:15, Solomon exhorts:
Catch the foxes for us - - the little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, while our vineyards are in blossom.
This was Solomon's ancient rendition of Barney Fife's admonition to Andy, “we've got to nip it in the bud.”
This verse warns of little things can creep into our relationships that can have a big effect if they are not addressed.
This applies to the absence of good little things as well as the presence of bad little things.
In the preface to his book, Martin conveys a story from the life of William Temple, who later on became the
Archbishop of Canterbury. When William was an undergraduate at Oxford, he went to hear a famous American evangelist who lectured the students on the forgiveness of God, emphasizing words from Isaiah 1:18 - -
Though your sins be as scarlet, they will be as white as snow...
William Temple noted that although he went to the lecture hall with a serious, inquiring spirit,
he came away unmoved, for, alas “my sins were not scarlet, they were gray - - all gray.”
Temple's candor underscores the need that we preachers have to preach the whole gospel of Christ.
There is an ongoing temptation to speak about the big things (the grander themes)
while overlooking the lesser things (the practical lessons that we also all need to hear).
The reality is that these “lesser things” can have a huge impact on the quality of our Christianity.
Over the last few weeks we have turned our attention to some of these lesser things,
which are really not lesser things, but rather indispensable qualities, attributes and
characteristics that are vital to our blossoming forth with the scent of our Savior.
In 2Cor.2:14-15, Paul writes - - Thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ, and manifests
through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ
to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
This was a subject that the prophets in Old Testament times harped upon.
Hosea 6:6 / For I delight in mercy, rather than sacrifice and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
Micah 6:8 / He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require
of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.
Generally speaking, ancient Israel was prone to the accentuation of SACRIFICE
to the neglect of small things, like MERCY, JUSTICE, KINDNESS AND HUMILITY.
Recently we have been preaching about the fruit of the Spirit and Christian virtues like:
love … compassion & kindness … humility … moral purity … courage & selflessness …
Today we want to speak about gentleness & patience and then next Sunday about gratefulness.
We must not underestimate or marginalize the importance of the cultivation of these virtues.
These Christ-like attributes are the kindling that fuels the flame of our witness for Christ.
Mt.5:16 records the words of Jesus which direct us - - Let your light so shine before men
in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Are we gentle and patient with others?
Not just the “others” on the periphery of life but also with others who are at the center of our orbit:
our wife or husband … our parents … our children … our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Our behavior is not “just for show” - - our actions when we are being observed by outsiders.
Gentleness and patience needs to permeate our entire existence, fully integrated into all
of our relationships: family life … friendships … workmates … playmates … church life.
Here's the rub: we are sometimes/oft-times impatient and rough with those closest to us.
There is something about a gentle patience that is very attractive.
These dual qualities have a magnetism to them that works to draw others in.
Henry Martyn has written, “The power of gentleness is irresistible.”
Another has stated, “Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.”
In 2Cor.10:1 Paul tells the church at Corinth - - I urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ...
I'm currently leading a study of the Apostles in our Wednesday PM weekly Bible class and I think I
can speak on behalf of all of us who have been engaged in that study in saying that one thing
we see over and over again in our study related to the apostles is the patience of Christ.
When we spoke a few Sundays ago about moral purity, we studied from John chapter eight.
There we saw the kindness and compassion of Christ.
A woman was caught in the very act of adultery and Jesus deflected their harshness and judgment:
let the one without sin...be the first to throw a stone (Jn.8:7).
John's gospel records another encounter that Jesus had with a Samaritan woman at the well.
Read from Jn.4:7-19.
This story is a powerful illustration of the gentleness and patience of Jesus.
Jesus offered her water by which she would never thirst again; a well of water springing up to eternal life (vs.14)
This woman said to Jesus, Give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty... (vs.15).
Jesus said to her, Go call your husband, and come here (vs.16), to which she responded, I have no husband (vs.17a).
Jesus said back to her, You have well said, 'I have no husband; for you have had five husbands,
and the one you now have is not your husband; This you have truthfully stated' (vss.17b-18).
The woman said to Jesus, Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet (vs.19).
Jesus was so GENTLE with this woman.
The typical Jewish male of His day would not have even conversed with her in public.
She was a woman and she was a Samaritan woman (Samaritans were viewed by the Jews as compromisers).
Jesus could have run roughshod over her - - she was living immorally - - but He was gentle.
Have you ever thought about how gentleness and patience are actually extensions of GRACE?
There were times when Jesus expressed righteous indignation, but they were few and far between.
Most of the time these strong words were directed at those who were haughty and high-minded.
So much of Jesus' teaching was directed towards individuals and groups who were hurting and searching.
Prov.15:4 states, A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit.
This is the approach that Jesus took with most of those he encountered - - a soothing tongue.
The apostle Paul was occasionally stern, but more often than not he was gentle and longsuffering with others.
He extols both of these virtues as fruit of the Spirit:
love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal.5:22).
Paul also urges Christians to cloth themselves with the garb of a true disciple:
a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Col.3:12).
Gentleness and Patience work in tandem.
Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to be patient without being gentle?
Similarly, it is almost impossible to be gentle without being patient.
In Philp.4:5, Paul writes:
let your forbearing spirit be known to all men.
Can others readily see in us gentleness and patience?
As Christians we must determine to follow after Jesus.
The apostle John writes (1Jn.2:6) - -
The one who says he abides in HIM ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
Here is the great invitation given by Jesus Himself to others (Mt.11:28-30) - -
Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am GENTLE and humble in heart;
and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My load is light.
In pointing to the qualities of Gentleness and Patience as seen in Jesus,
some have observed that we seldom ever see Jesus in a hurry.
And not only is He not in a hurry, He is gentle as He goes.
Someone has coined the phrase, “the gait of Galilee”.
Not the GATE of Galilee. We're not talking about an entryway.
It is the GAIT of Galilee - - the manner in which we travel, our pace and practice, the kind of life we live.
Jesus does speak about a gate - - a narrow gate that leads to life (Mt.7:14).
But the best way to lead others to this gate, is with our gait.
That gait of Galilee, as modeled for us by Jesus Himself,
requires that we treat others with gentleness and patience.
If we are to possess the mind of Christ and the aroma of Christ, we must be gentle and patience with others.
