Advent 3- Be Patient

Isaiah 35: 1-10; Luke 1: 46-55; James 5: 7-10; Matthew 11: 2-11

Misunderstanding who Jesus is, is a running theme in the Gospels. Jesus asks his disciples at one point “Who do people say that I am?” (Matt 16:13). And a variety of answers are given. We might even say that is the point of the Gospels- clearing up misunderstandings and helping us to know who Jesus really is.

In our Gospel reading today, John the Baptist asks Jesus a question through his disciples- “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”

At the time of Jesus there were a variety of theories about the arrival of the Messiah. The people were trying to piece together a number of clues from the prophets to put together a kind of timeline for the Messianic Age, but there were a few different theories. The Dead Sea Scrolls indicated a belief in there being two Messiahs- a Davidic Kingly Messiah and a Priestly Messiah. There was also an understanding that Elijah was to come first, but it wasn’t really clear what that meant. Was it actually Elijah who was going to come? Or, was it someone coming who was ‘like’ Elijah in some way?[1]

Some think that John the Baptist became impatient and was getting confused about how the Messianic age was rolling out. At this point in the story, John is in prison. The Messianic age is supposed to be arriving on the earth. Justice is supposed to be pouring over the land like a flooding river. Among many other acts of justice that would come to pass when the Messiah comes, those who are unjustly imprisoned are supposed to be released. But John is in prison. Something doesn’t seem right here, so John is asking Jesus for clarification.

Jesus tells John’s disciples to consider the fruit of his ministry- 

“the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them” (Matt 11:5). 

These are the first fruit of the Messianic Age. We see these spoken about In various places in Isaiah- 

“On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a scroll, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see.”; 

“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. …“; 

“Your dead shall live, their corpses shall rise. …”. 

And we read, “… he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed …” (Is 29:18; 35:5-6; 26:19; 61:1-2; 42:7).

But how exactly the Messianic age was gong to arrive wasn’t completely clear. It seems to be easier to see looking back. We are constantly reminded throughout the Gospels that Jesus doesn’t fit expectations. Jesus seemed to be involved in the arrival of the Messianic age, but what was his role and how exactly was the Messianic age going to arrive? … As an answer to the disciples of John the Baptist, Jesus points to what Isaiah is saying to show that he isn’t just bringing a part- he is embodying the fullness of the Messianic hope.

Many people expected the Messianic age to come all at once. God’s obvious presence would flood across the earth, righting every wrong, wiping away evil doers, and setting the oppressed back on their feet. … but this was going to be progressive. We don’t live in the fullness of the Messianic age yet. But it has arrived, and it is growing in ways we can’t really comprehend, and someday it will arrive in its fullness, … but it hasn’t arrived in its fullness yet.

There are various kinds of “prisons” that can leave us feeling trapped and wondering, and it is easy to become impatient or confused about what Jesus is doing- what is the plan? … Christ’s response to John is to ask him to trust him. He is at work. Some of it can be seen, but maybe it is not according to human expectations or timelines.

We live between the first coming of Jesus and his second coming. This is what Advent is about, and one of the virtues of Advent is patience. James’ letter advises us to wait patiently for the coming of Christ. It is a waiting on faithfulness, knowing God is at work.

It has been said that patience is something we admire in the driver behind us, but not in the driver in front of us. … Patience is self-restraint in the midst of frustration. It is the opposite of anger when faced with difficulty. It is not losing your temper.

Patience is an essential part of mature Christian character. Patience is mentioned as one of the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22- 

“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” 

Patience is also mentioned as a characteristic of love in 1 Cor 13- 

“Love is patient; love is kind…” 

Over and over again when the Bible describes the character of someone who is living a faithful life, we read that patience is a part of their character.

God has been trying to teach his people patience for a very long time. Abraham and Sarah were called to learn patience as they waited for God’s promise that they would have a child in their old age.

Their decedents, the Hebrews, would have to be patient as they awaited release from slavery in Egypt. Then as they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Then as they were taken into exile in Babylon. … And as they awaited the revealing of the Messiah.

We read James say today, 

“Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord”.  

Jesus’ disciples continued to be patient as they awaited the day when Jesus would come again. The early Christian community would endure numerous hardships and persecutions. It is patience that allowed the martyrs to endure to the end.

Patience is an important part of a mature character. James says, 

“The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near” (James 5:7-8). 

I once read a story about a little girl who was part of a farming family. She was very excited to see the seeds the just planted start to grow. She would go out into the fields every day looking for green shoots. Day after day she would ask her father when the seeds would grow, and her father just told her to be patient. One days she did see little shoots spring up out of the soil all over the field. She was very excited, but she grew impatient again as she watched the young plants. They didn’t seem to grow at all. So, one night she snuck out of bed and went through the field and pulled each plant up just a little to help it grow a bit quicker. Well, we know how that story ends. If you don’t have patience, you won’t be a very good farmer. … James is saying that we need to cultivate that kind of patience. It is a kind of waiting where you know something is happening, even if you can’t see it.

The way we generally learn patience is by enduring the circumstances of our lives that test out patience. Waiting in line at the grocery store can be an opportunity to learn patience. James says, 

“Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors!” (James 5:9). 

Rather than grumble and complain and get snarky with one another (something we will be judged for), instead, use it as an opportunity to learn patience. … Difficult people will teach us patience.

Use these circumstances as a gift from God to train your character in patience. We grow spiritually not only as we do “religious” stuff like reading our Bible, going to church, and spending time in prayer. … These everyday circumstances are important opportunities for spiritual growth. If we learn patience in the small annoyances of life, then we will be more prepared to be patient when we face a serious illness, or when we have to endure some evil situation.

It is important that we develop patience because it is a part of being like Christ. Jesus was able to love those that were beating and torturing him on the cross partly because of his profound patience. … God is very patient. He works slowly and incrementally throughout history. … Even in my own life I’m amazed at God’s patience to watch me take two steps forward and then three back. God’s goal is transformation over a lifetime, not a moment. If we are to become more like Christ, then it is essential that we learn patience- to wait in faithfulness.

Patience is not passive waiting, but active trust in God’s faithfulness. God is not finished with this world. He is working in history to bring about his promises. But we will have to be patient because this is on his timeline, not ours. We might want all the jerks in our lives to be made into nice people, but God usually works through small changes over a long period of time, and often in unpredictable ways. God is patient, but a time will come when God’s world will become what He always wanted it to be. AMEN

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[1] See Fr. Stephen De Young’s comments on Luke 7 in his podcast “Whole Counsel of God”