Main Idea: Jesus cultivated patience in his disciples by redefining and resetting their expectations. God is . Exodus 34:6 Who should I be? Be patient. Patience is a path to . Patience is spiritual . James 1:19-20 Impatience is the to easily sparked & unrighteous anger. Impatience is mainly a failure to , confront & control expectations of both people & circumstances. Jesus redefined & reset His disciples' expectations using language in His parables. Jesus is our prime of patience. 1 Timothy 1:15-16 (NLT) 15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. How then should we live as His image bearers? Be patient with even the worst , just as He is. Start confronting & your expectations. Slow yourself down with & . CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION: Why do you think most people in our American culture are impatient? God’s timing is illustrated with harvest language ( seasons, trees, fruit, vineyards, mustard seed ) and He works slowly over centuries and generations. Is there (or has there been) anything He might be SLOWLY doing in your life that needs(ed) your patience? The Apostle Paul said that Jesus’s patience with him (the “worst [sinner] of them all” ) was to serve as a “prime example” of God’s patience with “even the worst sinners”. How or why do you think His patience is powerful enough to win over “pagans”? Which of these “action steps” hits home the most for you personally? Be patient with even the worst pagans, just as He Is. Start confronting and recalculating your expectations of your people or circumstances. Slow yourself down with silence & solitude.