Pastor’s Page | August 21st, 2025
Sermon Prep (Read James 5:7-12)
There are plenty of jokes about asking God for patience. “God, give me patience and give it to me now!” I’ve heard messages preached about how we live in a fast food culture where we want everything resolved in one minute or less. When the bible says “Be patient”, is it really just telling us to wait? Is the biblical command to be patient simply like waiting our turn in line to check out at Walmart?
We often think of patience as just the ability to wait but the word in the greek actually means “long-suffering” or “long-tempered”. It has less to do with waiting and more to do with our ability to extend grace and restrain our anger when we feel wronged. It connects to our ability to remain faithful even while things are not going our way. In our text, there are actually two words that James uses to mean patience. The first is makrothumeō in vs 7, 8, and 10. Then in vs 11, the word changes to hupomenō which means to stand your ground and not allow things to move you. It is often translated either as patience, or perseverance. Here in the NIV it is perseverance. Let me give you an example. Let’s say you have a father in law who is very opinionated. He is a good man, just has no problem sharing his views with you and doing so very loudly. His views may contradict yours and when you disagree with him, he is dismissive and shocked that you may think differently than he does. How do you respond to him? Do you get into a shouting match? Do you kick his walker out from under him and say, “Take that, gramps!” Or do you take a deep breath and choose not to respond in anger (makrothumeō), remembering that this is a man you love dearly, and then without allowing him to change you (hupomenō), you continue to love and pray for him?
When you read this passage, think about what it means to be long tempered with people and with circumstances. How do you respond to your brothers and sisters in Christ when they are not living into how you think they ought to live? How much grace do we show to the people around us? When you read verses 7-8, think of how they connect to verse 9 and the idea of grumbling. When do we tend to grumble the most? Isn’t it when we lose our patience when people or circumstances aren’t doing what we think they ought to be doing? What does it look like in a church where people are NOT long-tempered and the second things don’t go there way, they start to grumble?
As you think on this, connect it to how we deal with our circumstances in the world and God’s involvement (or our perception of His lack of involvement). Remember, when James wrote this the Christian believers in Jerusalem were experiencing all kinds of persecution and unjust treatment and yet it seemed like God wasn’t doing anything. How do we respond when we feel like things are not fair. Do we dare grumble against God? What does it mean for us to wait upon the Lord?
As we get ready for Sunday, I want you to think of how patience connects to perseverence. What does that look like in our relationships, in our faithfulness, and in our obedience to love others (even our enemies)? Also, read the verses that speak of God being patient with us. Think about how God is “long-tempered” with us. What would it look like if God responded to us the way we respond to others? Also, think about how God’s patience with us connects to our patience with others.
Galatians 5:22, Luke 8:15, 1 Thessalonians 1:3, Psalm 27:14, Romans 12:12, Galatians 6:9, Ephesians 4:2, Romans 8:25, Psalm 37:7-9, 1 Corinthians 13:4-5, 2 Peter 3:9, Isaiah 30:18, 1 Timothy 1:16, Joel 2:13.
Updates, Thoughts and More
I am so excited about our church wide prayer service on September 3 rd at 5 pm. This will include times of praying together, times of praise and worship, communion, and a time for those who desire to be prayed over for healing and blessing. We do believe in the power of prayer and prayer is a priority in our church. Make plans to come and invite those who need prayer to come with you.
Looking ahead, our new Table Talk series will begin on September 10 th at 5 pm. We will be studying World religions, new American religious groups, and cults. We will be respectful in how we approach these other belief systems (remember, do unto others as you would have them do unto you), but we will be honest in where they differ from historic and orthodox Christianity. Schedules for the classes are posted throughout the church.
It is the time of year for us to start thinking about the leadership for 2026. The Church Nominating Committee is about to begin selecting nominees for the 2026 Church Leadership. They will be nominating at-large members of the Church Council, Trustees, and members of the following committees: Finance, Staff Pastor Relations (SPR), Missions, Education, and Nominations. We have a form located in the Narthex for you to write in the names of members you would like to suggest to the Nominating Committee. There is a form attached to this week’s update. You can return these to the Welcome Desk or the office.
We will have a new member luncheon on September 7 th after the 2 nd service. This will be for those members who have recently joined and those who are considering joining. The format for the luncheon will be different from the previous ones we have done. Instead of having each class and ministry making a presentation, we are just going to have the information included in the folders. The reasoning for this is that we want to keep the lunch to about an hour. If you have recently joined or are considering the possibility of joining the church, make plans to come and be a part of the lunch.
Okay…. did you know that college football is actually starting a week early this year! There are going to be some games this weekend, so I want to go ahead and give you some of my predictions. First there is the Iowa St vs Kansas St game played in Ireland. (Why they chose two Midwest teams to play in Ireland, I will never know.) Iowa St has a decent offense, but Kansas St has had a good offense recently. Defense travels better than offense. I think Iowa State will win in a boring, low scoring game. Kansas will defeat Fresno St in a closer game than folks think. Western Kentucky (my girl’s alma mater!) will defeat Sam Houston St, and Stanford will defeat Hawaii because football doesn’t really exist in Hawaii.
What’s Going On This Week
Sunday (08/24)
Sunday Service - 9am & 10:30am
Monday (08/25)
Stitching Angels - 1:30pm
Tuesday (08/26)
Men’s Meeting - 7:30am
Media Training - 2:00pm
Wednesday (08/27)
Prayer Warriors - 9am
Sip and Share - 10am
Stitching Angels - 1:30pm
Youth and Kids - 6pm
Bell Choir - 6pm
Choir - 7pm
Open Gym - 7pm
Friday (08/29)
PALS - 11:30am
Learning our Faith
Catechism of the Global Methodist Church (Ecumenical Affirmations)
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?
Yes. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life. (Isa 11:2; 61:1; 2 Cor. 3:17-18.; John 6:63; Rom. 8:11; Gal 6:8.) (John 6:63; Rom. 8:11; Gal 6:8.)
Is the Holy Spirit God?
Yes. The Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. (Matt. 28:19-20; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 2:9-11; 3:16; Gal 4:6)
How does the Holy Spirit lead us to repentance?
How does the Holy Spirit lead us to repentance?
Is salvation possible without the Spirit?
No. The Spirit leads us through faithful response to the gospel into the fellowship of the Church. (John 3:3-6; Rom. 8:9-17; Eph. 2:17-22; Titus 3:4-7.)
How does the Spirit work in the Church?
He comforts, sustains and empowers the faithful and guides us into all truth. (John 14:25-26; 16:12- 15; Rom. 8:2-6, 12-17, 26-27; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Gal. 5:16-25)
Where is the truth about salvation to be found?
We believe the Holy Bible, Old and New Testaments, reveals the Word of God so far as it is necessary for our salvation. (Ps. 119:105, 130; Matt. 4:1-4; 2 Thess. 2:15; 2 Tim. 3:16-17)
How must we receive Scripture?
The Holy Bible is to be received through the Holy Spirit as the true rule and guide for faith and practice. (Prov. 30:5-6; Jas. 1:21-25; 1 Pet. 1:23-25; 2 Tim. 3:16-17)
Joke of the Week
A man observed a woman in the grocery store with a toddler-aged girl in her shopping cart. As they passed the cookie section, the little girl asked for cookies and her mother told her no. The little girl immediately began to whine and fuss, and the mother said quietly: “Now Monica, we just have half of the aisles left to go through – don’t be upset. It won’t be long.”
Soon, they came to the cookie aisle, and the little girl began to shout for chocolate. When told she couldn’t have any, she began to cry.
The mother said softly: “There, there, Monica, don’t cry – only two more aisles to go and then we’ll be checking out.”
When they got to the checkout stand, the little girl immediately began to clamor for lollipops and burst into a terrible tantrum upon discovering there’d be none purchased. The mother patiently said: “Monica, we’ll be through this checkout stand in five minutes and then you can go home and have a nice nap.”
The man was very impressed with the woman’s handling of the situations and followed them out to the parking lot and stopped her to compliment her. “I couldn’t help noticing how patient you were with little Monica,” he began. The mother sighed and replied: “Oh, no. My little girl’s name is Tammy… I’m Monica.”
Memory Verse of the Week
“Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!”
~James 5:9 (NIV)
Quote of the Week
“Longsuffering, forbearing patience is to be the Christian’s reflection of the character of God. It is part of God’s character to be slow to anger and quick to be merciful. Part of the incomprehensibility of God in terms of my own relationship with Him is this: I cannot fathom how a holy God has been able to put up with me marring His creation to the degree I have for three score and five years. For me to live another day requires a continuation of God’s gracious patience with my sin… It becomes even more difficult to fathom when we see a sinless Being being more patient with sinful beings that sinful beings are with each other.”
~R.C. Sproul
