April 28, 2024 | Will Murphy
Passage: James 5:7-11
"Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains." James 5:7
- Rooted in Christ: Christ-centered patience isn’t about our ability to will ourselves to patience, it is about resting in God’s patience toward us.
"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life." 1 Timothy 1:15-16
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9
"And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him." 2 Peter 3:15
The opposite of Patience isn’t impatience. The opposite of patience is hurry.
- Grows Gradually: Growing in Christ-centered patience requires slowing down and being uncomfortable…no, like, really uncomfortable.
"You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand." James 5:8
"As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord." James 5:10
- Grows Together: Christ Centered patience grows in community and grows the whole body of Christ
"Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door." James 5:9
Series Information
Have you ever seen an apple tree grow lemons? Of course not! In fact, one of the ways we identify plants and trees is by the kind of fruit it produces. Being a follower of Jesus is a lot like growing a certain kind of tree. Too often the world sees Christians and feel like we claim to be one kind of tree but our fruit looks totally different. So what does the fruit of a Christian look like? Join us as we peel back what it looks like to cultivate a fruit that not only changes our lives but our communities and our world for the better in our new teaching series PEELED: Cultivating What’s Underneath”
