Online Sermons
Lesson #3 - Showing Forbearance To One Another
Series: The One-Another WayLESSON #3 – SHOWING FORBEARANCE TO ONE ANOTHER
THE FATHER’S WAY
1. What is a very common description of God found in the Old Testament?
L-O-N-G-S-U-F-F-E-R-I-N-G
Do you think lightly of the riches of HIS kindness and forbearance and patience...?. cf. Rom.2:1-4
~ As with the Father so, too, with the Son.
Think of all the forbearance Jesus displayed when mentoring His disciples (Lk.22:24f & 31:f)
Think also of the forbearance Jesus often showed His critics and enemies (e.g., Mt.12:1f; 15:1f and 16:1f).
SELECT NEW TESTAMENT CITATIONS
1Cor.13:7 / love bears all things
Eph.4:2 / with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love
Philp.4:5 / let your forbearing spirit be known to all men…
Col.3:13 / bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint…
2Tim.2:24 / the Lord’s bond-servant must be patient when wronged
2. What are some words or phrases that can help us better understand the concept of “forbearance"?
enduring … tolerant … putting up with ... suffering … holding back … showing self-restraint …
HIS MERCIES NEVER COME TO AN END
3. How often do we need to exemplify forbearance?
~ Surely this virtuous concept of forbearance has limitations!
Is it “one and one”? … Is it “three strikes and you’re out!”? … Might “seven times” suffice?
cf. Mt.18:21-22
THE HIGH COST OF PEACE
4. Can we sustain peace without a vigorous pursuit and will such a pursuit demand patience?
cf. Rom.12:18 & 14:19; 2Tim.2:24-25; Heb.12:14 and 1LPet.3:11
Peace will elude us if we fail to be patient with one another!
~ In 1Cor.6:6, Paul addresses the shameful practice of a brother going to court against a brother.
Paul admonishes saying: why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? (1Cor.6:7).
And to make matters worse it is done in the sight of a watching world.
5. What does it mean to cultivate “a disposition to take wrong”?
cf. 1Pet.2:21-23
LIFE IN THE FAMILY
~ Forbearance needs to be practiced in our home and in our church.
- Dr. Harry Ironside, a well-known Bible teacher from days gone by, told how he reprimanded his wife rather
sharply one Sunday night. “You should not have spoken so abruptly to me. Do you realize that I preached
six times today?” She replied, “Do you realize I had to listen to you six times today?” cf. Prov.16:32
P On deck" Admonishing one another...
