Love Suffereth Long

Title: Love suffereth long

Text: I Corinthians 13:4

Introduction: Over the years of my married life, when things were not going as well as they should have been, which was not too often but more often than necessary, I would pick up my Bible and read I Corinthians 13. It always helped! The problem was usually with me and my lack of love. Oh, it takes two to have problems but the solution always begins by not fixing the other person but fixing yourself.   Proverbs 10:12 says, “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” Focusing on the qualities of true love as defined in I Corinthians 13 always got me headed in the right direction of working on the areas of my own life that needed to be changed so that I could truly love my wife. Last Sunday Night’s message on Love sparked my interest in this passage again, and reminded me of a long held desire to preach a series of messages on each quality of love as given in verses 4-7, Let’s read all of the qualities again! Now let’s focus on the first:

Question: If love suffereth long, what does it mean to be longsuffering?

I. Longsuffering’s definition: “Bearing injuries or provocation for a long time; patient; not easily provoked” (1828). This NT “word group suggest self-restraint in the face of unsatisfied desire”(BDT).

Transition: We understand words best when used in context.

II. Longsuffering’s use in Scripture:

The word longsuffering is found 4 times in the Old Testament, and 13 times in the New.

A. Longsuffering is an attribute of God:

1. Numbers 14:18 context with Exodus 34:6 – Moses reminds God of His own Word

2. Psalm 86:15 “But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.”

3. 2 Peter 3:9

B. Longsuffering is a quality in spiritual Christians:

1. A fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22

2. Paul prayed for the Colossian believers to have longsuffering – Colossians 1:11

C. Longsuffering is necessary for a minister of God:

1. Paul listed it as a quality of a minister of God – 2 Corinthians 6:6

2. Paul listed longsuffering as part of his own testimony – 3 Timothy 3:10

3. Paul instructed Timothy to be longsuffering as he ministered the Word – 2 Tim. 4:2

III. Longsuffering’s example in the Old Testament:

A. God toward the wicked in the days of Noah (I Peter 3:20)

B. Joseph with his brothers

C. Hosea with his wife.

D. Abigail’s longsuffering toward Nabal contrasted with David’s impatience – 1Sam. 25:3-38

IV. Longsuffering’s example in the New Testament:

A. Steven – no, because he did not have to bear injury for a long time.

B. Apostle John on the Isle of Patmus

C. Jesus Christ dealing with Paul – I Timothy 1:16

Conclusion: May God help us to be longsuffering like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Next Study – Love Is Kind