Sermon 6: Patience
Rusty Wirt   -   July 6, 2025

Sermon 6: Patience 

Main Passages: Galatians 5:16-22, 6:7-8 

  Main Idea: In Galatians 5, Paul contrasts the difference between life lived by pursuing selfish pleasure (called the flesh) and life lived by walking with the Holy Spirit (called the Spirit). Only one of these paths leads to a flourishing life. And today we will examine these two paths. Also, we will examine one of blessings (or Fruit) of life with the Holy Spirit and that is developing a patient heart.

 

Summary of Paul’s Contrast

  • Acts driven by our flesh lead to destruction
  • Acts driven by the Holy Spirit lead to life

 

Today’s Fruit of the Spirit = Patience

  • NIV, “patience”
  • KJV, “long suffering”
  • The Message, “We develop a willingness to stick with things”

 

Patience (μακροθυμία makrothymía) patience, forbearance, internal and external control in difficult circumstances, which control could exhibit itself by delaying an action. It is the self-restraint which does not hastily retaliate against wrong.

 

Patience is an often-untapped superpower that allows relationships to mature, talents to soar, and mutual respect to take root.

 

  1. Patience helps us understand the people around us (Proverbs 14:29).
    1. “Understanding” – discretion, reason, skillfulness, wisdom
    2. “Folly” – silliness, foolishness, being dumb
    3. The difference is patience
      1. Pause and breath
      2. Say back to the person what you think you heard
  2. Patience helps us calm the arguments between us (Proverbs 15:18).
    1. If you lack patience to share, then you will not lack fights to fight
    2. “patient” – means long of nose. People that are patient can absorb the tension of a situation, process it, and then later produce a wise response.
    3. Try this- “I don’t want to respond out of anger, let me process
  3. Patience helps increase our honor among us (Proverbs 19:11).
    1. Sometimes, you grace it and move on.
  4. Patience helps us influence those above us (Proverbs 25:15)
    1. Leaders need your patience to help us process decisions.

 

Application:

  • What deeds of the flesh do you need to murder?
  • What deeds of the Spirit do you need to walk in?
  • View your life as if you had biblical patience.