Waiting: Part 3 - SERMON NOTES

Below are Pastor Ben's sermon notes from this past Sunday, in case they may be helpful for further study. To listen to the sermon, click the link above.

Intro: (1) recap (2) speed of info (p.28) (3) learning to wait by not being surprised by it (4) book of James

Examples of Waiting

1. Biblical: (1) biblical norm (2) OT -- Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David (3) NT -- Jesus,
disciples, Paul (4) James 5:7-8 (5) patience commanded, connected to Christ’s return -- (6)
farmer -- focusing on what he can control, waiting on what he can’t (7) warning against
grumbling

2. Practical: (1) physical -- sleeping, healing (2) emotional -- grief, disappointment, depression, weariness (3) relational -- spouse, child, struggling marriage, strained friendship, wayward child (4) financial -- unexpected expense, poor past decisions, budgeting skill (5) Scott G share

Errors in Waiting

1. Anger: (1) waiting can create anger -- James 4:1-3 (2) deadly sins series (3) different versions of anger -- hot vs. cold, irritable vs. resentful (4) how we respond when something we care about is threatened -- what do you care most about? (5) anger in waiting can reveal idols (6) Jonah (7) gospel produces the fruit of gentleness

2. Anxiety: (1) waiting can create anxiety (cf. Mt. 5:25-34) -- “will God take care of me?” (2)
perspective from James (3) 1:2-4 -- joy in the trial of waiting, knowing the Lord is working (4)
1:5-8 -- waiting exposes where we doubt God, teaching us how to grow in prayer (5) blind skier (6) gospel produces the fruit of peace

3. Apathy: (1) waiting can create apathy -- no longer caring, “quiet quitting” (2) examples from James (3) 1:22-24 -- zombie Zac (4) 2:14-17 -- sluggard Sam (5) 4:13-16 -- busy Betty
(6) diagnostic question -- where do you feel bored with God? (7) David and Bathsheba (8)
gospel produces the fruit of self-control

Conclusion: Howard 103-104