WEEK 3 SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

Living with patience

Introduction:

We live in an impatient world created by a patient God. Webster’s dictionary defines patience as: “bearing pains for trials calmly or without complaint; not hasty or impetuous; steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity; able or willing to bear.” A cursory glance at the last days of Jesus’ life will give you the perfect picture of patience. But how do we remain patient with all the drama around us?

Bottom-Line: How does a patient heart reflect the love of Jesus?

Something To Talk About:

Be consistently intentional: Intentionality. We hear this word often enough. Does its meaning impact us, or does its meaning escape our everyday lives? To be intentional means to do something on purpose. We can do intentional wrong or intentional good…We can be intentional daily about choices that lead to a changed life….which means we can think and choose a higher calling rather than live on autopilot in our ways. What in your life needs to practice that word intentional today? Is it patience or maybe something else? The goal is to be more intentional in our movement toward Christ. He invites us to come to Him daily. He invites us to die in self-made ways in favor of life in His power and under His influence. He invited us to lean into His direction and guidance.
Create margin in your life: You need margin in your life because it’s inevitable that you’ll have problems—and margin gives you the space you need to address them. Margin is the breathing room we build or try to build in our lives. It is the space between what we take on and the limit of what we can take on. Specifically, the margin is the space to regroup, get your mind in the right spot, daydream, and the time to pick up a good book or take your kids on a bike ride. It’s a deliberate time creating more balance and deeper engagement in everyday life. Jesus had a full day. Mark records that early in the morning, before it was daylight, Jesus went out on the mountainside, and there, alone by himself, He prayed (Mark 1:36). Jesus modeled for us how to stay spiritually fresh. It doesn’t happen by chance. Jesus did it by taking the initiative to connect with the heart of the Father through prayer regularly. Imagine what your life would be like if you set aside time daily, creating margin by keeping first things first. That’s the type of life Jesus modeled and calls us to emulate.
Look at people the way God looks at you: It can be a real challenge to see others how God sees each of us…with loving compassion no matter what. When we become followers of Jesus Christ, we see things differently. We begin to see ourselves with a little more clarity. We see our problems, our past, present, and future. We look at other people differently as well. Basically, everything gets a little clearer the closer we get to God and the more.”Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a musty cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!” (Matthew 6:22 MSG). Jesus’ whole life was a declaration of His impartiality. Do we look at people who are hurting and helpless the same way Jesus does? Are we full of His love and compassion, willing to do whatever we can to help stop their pain and help them according to the gifts and talents we’ve been given? Even if inconvenienced?

Discussion Questions:

What does our culture teach us about patience?
How and in what ways did Jesus model patience for us and practice patience with others? In what ways have you experienced Jesus’ redemptive patience?
What does it mean to be intentional when it comes to patience?
To what extent are you patient with yourself? How might you practice patience with yourself as Jesus’ does?
Why is margin so important when it comes to patience?
How has the patience and forbearance of Jesus impacted and changed you?
Where are you most in need of patience right now? In what ways is it most difficult for you to be patient?
How can we better look at people as God looks at people?
What changes might you need to make in the way you act and think to be more patient?
For whom and for what are you willing to wait a long time, and why?
What is your takeaway from the message?

Take One Thing Home with You:

On any given day, we may encounter frustrating people and situations, such as a mischievous child, an uncooperative coworker, or a slow commute. We might feel like lashing out, but God wants us to stay calm and be patient with everyone (1 Thessalonians 5:14). Scripture has a number of things to say about believers developing this important attribute.

First, it is our calling. God urges us to be tolerant and kind and bear each other’s burdens (Ephesians 4:1-3). Second, the Lord has set an example for us: He demonstrated patience toward Peter’s actions, the crowd’s demands, and the leaders’ false accusations. We should aspire to such composure. And third, we should recognize how damaging impatience is. It can hurt others and close off dialogue. Responding calmly gives people room to confess wrongdoing, explain their attitude, and make changes. A calm demeanor in times of delay or adversity can be a powerful witness to the transforming work of God.