And today we turn once again into our Bibles
to the book of Ephesians, chapter 4, verses 1
through 3. The third part of the message entitled,
A Character You'll Never Forget. We must never
underestimate the power of one personality to
stamp its influence on another. For example,
no parent dares overlook that truth. forming
force on one another. That's why it's so important
how we speak to one another in the home. I'm
talking to some boys and girls here this morning,
teenagers. It's very important how you speak
to one another, to your brothers, to your sisters,
because you see, you are helping to form that
other person's personality, how that other person
thinks about himself, about the family, about
the world that he lives in. It's formed in part
by your words, just as their words have an influence
on you in the way that you're thinking. So please,
let's all redouble our efforts. Be careful how
we speak to one another, how we influence one
another. Because you see, the impress of another
person upon us is just tremendous in life. No
two persons can come into a meaningful relationship.
and leave each other unmarked. A definite impression
is left. The human personality is at the same
time both remarkably resilient and deeply impressionable.
For good or for ill, we are all impacted by the
meaningful people who surround us. Now because
of this dynamic, which inevitably occurs in relationships,
Because of the power that we have to mar or to
mark other people, this text that we're looking
at is so potently instructive. I, therefore,
the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk
in a manner worthy of the calling with which
you have been called, with all humility and gentleness,
with patience, showing forbearance to one another.
in love. A lifestyle worthy of our calling in
Jesus Christ will do eternal good. You may feel
that there are times when you are seeking to
live for Christ and there's no benefit in it.
But I want you to know that as you are seeking
to live a lifestyle that is worthy of your calling
as a child of God, you are doing good. More good
than you can possibly know about, so don't get
discouraged in it. Be encouraged. The contrary
is true as well, of course, that a lifestyle
unworthy of our calling inflicts damage on others
that's impossible to calculate. The damage that
has been done in the last few weeks to the cause
of Jesus Christ is very difficult for us to know
at this point, but it's frightening. An encounter
with a Spirit -filled child of God is a refreshing
experience. Such a person can leave an indelible
impression that may literally change the course
of our lives. As I look back over my life, I
can identify certain men and women who were living
as Ephesians 4, verses 1 through 3 instructs
us. And because of the work of the Spirit of
God in them and through them, my life was changed.
I think of when I was a young boy, when I was
first saved, the man who baptized me, and the
impression that that pastor made on my life as
a nine -year -old, ten -year -old boy who was
without a father. But the kindliness, the thoughtfulness,
the gentleness. of that man of God. It changed
me. And all of you have similar people. And as
a matter of fact, I hope that all of us are that
kind of person. The kind of lifestyle that characterizes
the child of God is described in simple qualities
that are pointed out to us in our text. The first
quality is that of humility. Walk in humility.
That is a distinctively Christian virtue. It
means thinking of ourselves properly and putting
others before us as being more important. And
then he tells us that we're to walk in gentleness,
gentleness which is restrained strength. It is
power that is harnessed and channeled in the
right direction to help others. It is also translated
at times meekness, which means we are slow to
insist on our own rights. And now we come to
a third quality in our list. It is that of patience.
Certainly another quality which should mark the
character of one who is God's royal child is
that of patience. It, too, helps preserve the
unity of a local church. and marks a life indelibly
as belonging to Jesus Christ. But what is patience?
How can we explain that word? Literally, the
word means long -tempered. It refers to a holding
out, a long holding out of the mind before giving
room to action or passion. The Bible Knowledge
Commentary says this, Patience is the spirit
which never gives up, for it endures to the end
even in times of adversity. It is the self -restraint
which does not hastily retaliate a wrong. The
word patience is elaborated upon in our text,
for it says we are to walk with patience showing
forbearance to one another in love. Forbearance.
What does that mean? The word is fairly self
-explanatory. It means to bear up. It means to
hold up another. Commentator Eady says it is
to have patience with someone till the provocation
is over. It means to endure injury. and to pay
no attention to it. You and I talk about putting
up with others or with circumstances, and yet
down inside we're boiling and churning with emotion,
often with anger. That is not what this word
means. It's not merely an outward putting up
with a situation. It is a forbearance that is
described in love. which means that love is the
root of it. It flows out of love in our hearts,
love which is patient, according to 1 Corinthians
13. That love enables us to bear with other people,
to bear with circumstances, and to do it with
a calmness of spirit, a settledness within, not
a churning. Skevington Woods says it is to put
up with another's faults and idiosyncrasies,
knowing that we have our own. That last little
clause there helps all of us. If we just remember
that we have our own little habits that irritate
others. This word long -suffering needs to be
branded upon our lives and our marriages. We
need to be long -tempered with each other as
we learn to live together. And let's face it,
marriage is a learning process. I had two weddings
yesterday. And as I looked at those young couples
uniting their lives together, I was filled with
joy for them. But I also recognized in my own
heart, as being down the road a little ways,
that they've got some lessons to learn. On that
wedding day, everything is so emotional and joyful,
but there are rough times ahead. That is always
true in any marriage. Any husband, any wife has
little habits that don't come to the surface
until down the road, right? You didn't see them
before. As they say, love is blind. Marriage
is an eye -opener. And you've got your eyes open.
And suddenly you're able to see some of those
habits, some of those patterns that just grate
you slightly the first time. And then it begins
to grate a little more until it begins to grind.
Well, that's when communication is so important,
to be able to talk together openly about those
things. But all of that takes long suffering.
We need it in our marriages. We need to be long
-tempered with each other, forbearing with one
another, letting love produce that fruit in us.
Not only is it true in marriages where both are
Christians, but perhaps it's even more true in
those situations where one of the spouses has
become a Christian and the other is not. You
can understand the kind of tension that arises
because suddenly this unconverted one says, This
isn't the same person I married. And it's absolutely
true. That person is new in his or her ideals
and motivations and desires. A new person in
Jesus Christ. That brings all kinds of stress
to a marriage. That saved one, that one who knows
Christ, needs to express long -suffering, patience.
Toward that one who does not know the Lord Jesus
Christ. Not only those who are married, but those
who are in college dorms. Or who are career people
living with other singles. You need patience
there too. Because inevitably there are those
irritations that come up. That roommate who never
picks up after himself. Whose clothes are always
filed. On the floor instead of hung in the closet.
Patience. It's true of parents with children.
And children with parents. You teenagers need
to be patient with your parents. They're learning
as fast as they can. Give them a chance. Be patient
with them. And we parents, we need to be long
-suffering with our children. It's not easy growing
up. It never has been. Never will be. But I tell
you, in the age today, we need patience. It's
true with fellow workers. You know, that person
who sits next to you at work in the office, who
has that way of talking maybe, that voice that
just cuts you, just the sound of it. It's not
what the person says. It's the sound of the voice.
And this goes through you every time he or she
answers the telephone. Maybe it's the fact that
you're sitting in an office next to a smoker
where there's nothing to get to you faster than
that. Go into a restaurant to enjoy a meal and
find yourself in a fog all the time, your nose
starting to run and be congested because someone
next to you has acquired that habit. Patience.
It is that quality of mind that holds out and
is slow to bring charge, slow to accuse, retaliates.
We have a perfect example of this, of course,
in our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the perfect example
in all of these qualities, isn't he? When we
talk about walking worthy, and specifically we
mention humility and gentleness, patience with
forbearance. We're talking about Jesus' life.
I mean, the way that he lived, the quality of
life that was his. I'd like for you to turn with
me back into the Gospels, and since today is
the day it is, Palm Sunday, let's take a look
at that event that we remember on this occasion
by turning to Matthew 21. You can go back into
the life of Jesus and find these qualities at
so many points expressed, including this one.
Matthew 21, beginning in verse 1. It says that
when they had approached Jerusalem and had come
to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus
sent two disciples saying to them, go into the
village opposite you and immediately you will
find a donkey tied there and a colt with her.
Untie them and bring them to me. And if anyone
says something to you, you shall say, The Lord
has need of them, and immediately he will send
them. Then Matthew says, Now this took place
that what was spoken through the prophet might
be fulfilled. And here he begins to quote from
Zechariah. Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold,
your king is coming to you. Now in Matthew, remember,
Jesus Christ is presented as the king. And now
he is officially presenting himself to the people
of Israel in what's about to take place. So what
Zechariah wrote hundreds of years before this
is literally coming to pass. He is coming to
you, and notice how he is coming. Gentle. You've
seen that word before in Ephesians 4? Not only
gentle, but it says mounted on a donkey, even
a colt. the foal of a beast of burden. Our Lord
set upon an unbroken young colt. The mother was
brought along so that the colt would follow her.
But he set upon that unbroken beast of burden.
That was an act of humility on his part. One
day he is going to come as the sovereign from
heaven. He's going to come in a white charger.
But on this occasion, as he presents himself
as the king to Israel, he comes riding upon this
beast of burden, evidencing his lowliness of
mind, his humility. And it says the disciples
went and did just as Jesus had directed them,
and brought the donkey and the colt and laid
on them their garments on which he sat. And most
of the multitude spread their garments in the
road, and others were cutting branches from the
trees and spreading them in the road. This was
customary in association with the Feast of Tabernacles,
associated with the Jews. They observed that
feast annually, and part of it was the cutting
off of fronds from palm trees and the waving
of them. That was part of the ceremony. And so
on this occasion, as Jesus came into the city,
They broke off those branches and began to wave
them. Some of them tossed them onto the street.
Others took off their outer garments and laid
them down to make a paved way, a highway, as
it were, for this king. And the multitudes going
before him and those followed after him were
crying out, saying, Hosanna to the son of David.
Notice his kingly name, son of David. The word
Hosanna originally meant Lord save. Or save now.
It was a plea. But it came to be used as a word
of praise. And so they were praising their king
as well as asking him to save the nation. Hosanna
to the son of David. Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
So this was quite an emotional scene. Can you
put yourself back there and walk with them? as
they came down the side of the Mount of Olives
and entered into the city of Jerusalem. Jesus
Christ is presenting himself as the king of the
Jews. They are welcoming him into the city, waving
their palms, joyous, shouting, excitement filled
the air. It says when he had entered Jerusalem,
all the city was stirred, saying, Who is this?
And the multitudes were saying, this is the prophet
Jesus from Nazareth and Galilee. Now the people
who came with Jesus into the city shouting were
mostly Galileans. They were the country bumpkins
of the day. They came into the sophisticated
city of Jerusalem shouting as they did, and these
cosmopolitan slickers said, who is this? And
notice how they responded, this is Jesus from
Nazareth in Galilee. He's one of us. Isn't it
amazing that as our Savior came to present himself
as the king, the people in Jerusalem said, who
is this? Who is this? The Pharisees rebuked his
disciples and the multitude on that occasion,
according to Luke. They said, do you see what
these people are doing? Do you hear what they
are saying? And are you going to allow them to
do this? And Jesus, with great patience, said
to those people who knew who he was and rejected
him, he said to them on that occasion, if they
don't say what they're saying, the very stones
themselves will cry out. As our Lord was... coming
into Jerusalem. He came over the crest of the
Mount of Olives, and the city of Jerusalem was
laid before him. Some of you have been there,
to Jerusalem. You have seen that. Would you like
to go sometime? It is one of the most beautiful
sights in the world to stand on the Mount of
Olives and to look upon the city of Jerusalem,
the Temple Mount, right there. And then the city
spread out behind it. Jesus saw that sight as
it was in that day, as he was coming into the
city, just coming over the crest of the mount.
He looked and saw it, and he burst into tears.
He began to weep. And he said, Oh, Jerusalem,
if only you had known. If only you had received
me. He began to speak to the city then, as it
were, and to warn them of judgment that was to
come. He warned them that their population would
be slain and that there would not be one stone
left on top of another. He was speaking of the
work of Vespasian and Titus when in 70 AD the
city, after two years of siege, was finally destroyed
and burned and the stones were pulled down. And
today there are just those parts of the buildings
that were left buried in those days. that still
remained from that part of Jerusalem. It was
destroyed. That tells us that there is an end
to the patience of God. But oh, the patience
of Jesus that we see as he comes into the city,
knowing that within a few days these very people
would assist in putting him on the cross. And
it's to us who follow him. That the word of God
says, be patient. In 1 Thessalonians 5 .14 it
says, be patient with all men. And you women
like that verse. Because it says men, but I want
you to know it's generic. It's be patient with
all people. Not just those who are saved, but
those who are unsaved as well. Be patient with
all. We are in such a hurry, aren't we? We are
used to having instant results. We would not
even think of buying a TV or a radio or even
a calculator these days that has to wait to come
on. Man, when you turn that on, you want the
picture there. You want that sound there. We
who are such hurried people need to gain God's
perspective. God says to us, be patient. In James
chapter 5, I'd like you to turn there. There
is perhaps the most full statement about patience
that can be found anywhere in the New Testament.
James 5, beginning in verse 7, it says, Be patient,
therefore, brethren, until the coming of the
Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious
produce of the soil. being patient about it until
it gets the early and late rains. You too, be
patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming
of the Lord is at hand. Do not complain, brethren,
against one another, that you yourselves may
not be judged. Oh, he warns us here, don't be
judgmental and negative in your attitudes. He
says, don't be grumblers and gripers. Do not
complain. that you may not be judged by the same
standard you're setting up for others. He says,
behold, the judge, the one who has the right
to judge, is standing at the door. As an example,
brethren, of suffering and patience, take the
prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Long
-suffering. And why should we be long -suffering?
Because our Lord is. Our Lord was patient in
the days of Noah. A hundred and twenty years
he was long suffering with that generation as
the ark was being prepared. And then the patience
of God ended and the flood came and destroyed
the earth. And God today is patient. There is
an end to this age. Things are not always going
to continue as they are going on now. There is
a day when God's patience will be over, but Peter
tells us that right now God is patient and that
his patience means salvation. God is patient.
He is long -suffering, not willing that any should
perish, but that all should come to repentance.
It is just my opinion, and it's worth only that.
But I believe just as God was patient in that
day and delayed the coming of the flood, so the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ has been delayed
in the purpose of God in this age. James tells
us that the judge stands right at the door. I
spent two and a half weeks of my life in a courtroom
this last winter. I don't regret that. I learned
some things there. One of the things I observed
is what this verse talks about and how it applies
at least to today. In the morning when we got
there and then after every recess, we would be
in the courtroom, we and the jury. Then there
would be the prosecutor here, the witnesses back
here. There was the defense attorney plus the
defendant, the bailiff. The court clerk, everybody
was there except the judge. The court clerk would
wait until we were all assembled, and then he
would pound the gavel, and he would announce
the district court of Ramsey County was now in
session, judge so -and -so presiding. And immediately,
court was in session. Now this is what James
is saying. Right now, everybody's getting in
place. All that is waiting is for the judge to
be announced and for him to come marching in
and to take his seat at his place of judgment.
That's why you and I are exhorted to be long
-suffering. We are not to retaliate. We are not
to take vengeance. The Lord is the judge. We
are to express long -suffering and patience just
as he did in his earthly life. This kind of patience
is the ability to hang in there when it's tough.
And to hang in there with the right heart attitude.
But how do we deal with this? With this command
of God when it's so contrary to the nature of
most of us? For we by nature are impulsive, not
patient. We are reactionary, not long -tempered.
We are unwilling to wait, not long suffering.
I believe there's only one way for us to deal
with it. And that is for us to bring that short
-tempered, reactionary, impulsive human nature
to the cross of Jesus Christ. And there to allow
it to be put to death. It is true that the fruit
of the Spirit is, among other things, patience.
But my friend, the fruit of the Spirit is not
going to be evidenced in our life until first
we have dealt with that carnal nature that is
everything but patient. We need to come to the
cross and there to see our self with a capital
S. put to death so that then the resurrection
life of Jesus, which is patient, may be expressed
in our lives. I am speaking today to some people
who have tempted the patience of God. God has
been dealing with you. Maybe it's that you've
never trusted Christ. God has been wooing you,
but you have been pushing God away. You've said,
God, not today, some other time. Some more convenient
period in my life. Right now, I want to do this.
And the Lord patiently has been wooing you to
himself, calling you. And I was speaking to some
children of God. who have been saying to your
Lord, Lord, I don't want to do that. I want to
do it my way. Jesus is saying today, please,
let's do it my way. My will, not yours. And patiently,
he's been talking with you. Will you today let
him have his way? God's patience does have an
end. But thank God he is long -suffering. Please,
respond to his patience today. As Paul said to
the Romans and to us, do you not know that the
patience of God leads you to repentance? Let's
bow together. With our heads bowed, our eyes
closed, what is that area of life where you're
struggling with God today? Can you not look back
and see the patience which the Lord has had with
you, my friend? Will you let him have his way
today? Will you receive him as your Savior? Will
you on this Palm Sunday, just as he presented
himself to Israel to be their king 2 ,000 years
ago, will you today on this Palm Sunday say,
Lord, I receive you. Hosanna to you. You take
the highest place in my life. Will you put self
with a capital S on the cross and die to it?
Will you die to your impatience? Will you die
to your impulsiveness and ask the Holy Spirit
today to make you a patient man, a patient woman,
a patient child, parent? Lord, I pray that you,
by your Spirit, will work deeply into our lives
this quality. so that we may walk worthy of our
calling. And I pray that we will be able to stand
at the cross today and gladly allow ourself to
be put to death so that the resurrection life
of our Savior may be seen. Amen.