From Roots to Fruits (Week 4 - Patience)

Icebreaker:

Make some microwave popcorn.

For the average bag of microwave popcorn, cook time is usually 2-2.15 minutes.

Have each person take a handful of popcorn.

For every five pieces of popcorn in their hand, each person must name one time when they were impatient for something.

Questions To Tie It In:

Q. Has anyone here ever had non-microwave popcorn?

Q. What’s different about it?

Q. Why was microwave popcorn invented?

So we don’t have to wait as long

Q. What are other things that have been invented so that we don’t have to wait as long?

Fast food restaurants

High speed internet

Smart phones

Q. How has this changed our society?

Sociology term: The McDonaldization of society.

This week = patience

Don’t say anything for at least 30 seconds.

Waiting = hard,

Q. Why is it so hard to wait for stuff?

Our culture

Examples: fast internet, smart phones, streaming services, fast food, etc.

All of this = we’re impatient

Start off by looking back at fruit of the Spirit:

Galatians 5:22–23 NLT

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Q. Why would God include “patience” as one of the fruits of the Spirit?

Patience builds character.

Godliness is worth the wait.

Patience = Longsuffering

Q. What does “longsuffering” mean?

Longsuffering = to suffer long, put up with

Being patient makes it feel like you are suffering for a long time!

We all need patience/longsuffering.

Ask these questions to yourself:

Is there an area of your life where you’ve had to “put up with” something?

Have you needed patience in school?

Have you needed patience with friends?

Have you needed patience with parents?

Who is someone you know that is very patient?

Who is someone you know that is very impatient?

Q. Where does patience come from?

The Holy Spirit

Experience

Shifting perspective

Ecclesiastes 7:8 (NLT)

8 Finishing is better than starting.

Patience is better than pride.

Q. Can someone put that verse in your own words?

Q. What does this verse mean?

1. Keep the big picture in mind.

Similar to recent sermon

“Live with a long-term view.” -David Platt

Q. Is this verse saying that pride is the opposite of patience?

In short; yes!

2. The opposite of patience is pride.

Q.When we’re impatient, how are we showing pride?

Feeling like we deserve to skip in line

Making what we want most important

Q. How can we live out this verse?

3. Pursue patience.

Q. What does impatience lead to?

Anger, rash decisions, hastiness, accidents, tempers & consequences, etc.

Q. Have you ever seen an impatient driver on the road? What were they doing?

Not being patient/causing problems

We need patience in our world

Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

Challenge each person in the group to make this verse their memory verse for the week, and when you meet again next time, see who has committed it to memory and can say it! (Think of a fun reward for anyone who can do it!)

Introduce the Patience Jar.

Each time you find yourself being patient this week, I want you to write down what happened on a slip of paper and drop it in the jar.

Next week, we’ll take a look at some of these examples and celebrate how we’re growing in patience together.

Remember, it can be something small like waiting in line without getting annoyed or something bigger like being patient with a friend or family member.

Let’s see how full we can get this jar and encourage each other to grow in this important fruit of the Spirit!"

PRAY

Small Group Questions:

Can you think of a recent time when you were really impatient? How did it make you feel and how did you handle it?

How do you think living in a fast-paced society has affected our ability to be patient? Can you give some examples?

In what area of your life do you find it hardest to be patient? What can you do to practice more patience in that area?

How does the story of Jesus (or another biblical character) show us the importance of patience? What can we learn from their example?

What are some practical ways you can remind yourself to be patient in your daily life?

How can we rely on the Holy Spirit to help us be more patient? Have you experienced this in your own life?

Can you share a time when being patient led to a positive outcome? How did it strengthen your character or your faith?