Fruit of the Spirit: Patience

Summary

Tonight, I had a wonderful time leading an interactive sermon with our middle school students. We focused on the concept of patience, a fruit of the Spirit, which we explored through team activities like puzzle solving and watermelon deseeding contests. These games were designed to illustrate how patience can lead to better outcomes and the importance of teamwork. I used the example of Abraham Lincoln’s perseverance and the challenges he overcame to inspire the students to understand that failure is not permanent but a step towards success. Throughout the sermon, we reinforced the scriptural lesson that, like God shows us, practicing patience is crucial to spiritual growth and understanding His timing in our lives, as emphasized in Philippians 1:6. We concluded with discussions on personal experiences with patience, helping each student relate the lesson to their own lives. I am grateful for the opportunity to engage with such a vibrant group and help them grow in their spiritual and personal journeys.

• Dinner Table Discussion Guide

  Here are five dinner table discussion guides you can use throughout this week to get your teens talking through what they’re learning.

  1. Understanding Patience:

     • Discussion Prompt: What are some situations at school or home where you find it hard to be patient? How do you think practicing patience in those moments could change the outcome?

  2. Teamwork and Challenges:

     • Discussion Prompt: Can you share a time when you had to work in a team, like in the puzzle activity on Friday evening? What role did patience play in working with others?

  3. Learning from Failures:

     • Discussion Prompt: Pastor Amanda talked about Abraham Lincoln's perseverance through failures in Friday’s lesson. Can you think of a personal failure and what you learned from it? How did it help you grow?

  4. The Role of Patience in Faith:

     • Discussion Prompt: How do you think patience helps us understand God’s plan for us better, based on the lessons discussed about Philippians 1:6?

  5. Applying Biblical Lessons:

     • Discussion Prompt: Pastor Amanda used the Bible to teach about patience. What are other areas in your life where you think applying biblical teachings could help you improve or feel better supported?

• Sermon Outline

  Starter

  • Introduction and division into teams using popsicle sticks (blue and red teams).

  • Explanation of the night's theme: patience and interactive activities.

  Message

  • Interactive games begin with a puzzle assembly contest, emphasizing teamwork and the initial exploration of patience.

  • Transition into the main message with a direct introduction to the concept of patience, highlighting its biblical importance and everyday challenges.

  Dig Deeper

  • Further engagement with the concept of patience through a watermelon deseeding contest, showing how patience affects the quality of results.

  • Introduce historical examples, specifically Abraham Lincoln’s story, to illustrate how overcoming adversity and maintaining patience can lead to significant achievements.

  • Exploration of biblical patience through verses like Philippians 1:6, Joel 2:12-13 and James 1:2-4, discussing how these scriptures encourage us to view challenges as opportunities for growth and to rely on God's unfailing love and timing.

  Application

  • Practical exercises where students reflect on their own experiences with patience in daily activities.

  • Encouragement to identify personal situations where they could apply patience to see beneficial outcomes.

  • Group discussions to foster community support and share strategies for developing patience.

  Conclusion

  • Recap of the activities and lessons learned during the sermon.

  • Final prayer focusing on the application of patience in life and trusting in God's plan.

  • An invitation for students to continue practicing the lessons learned in their daily lives and an acknowledgment of their efforts during the interactive sermon.