We Must Endure...
Book of James • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewBe patient brothers and sisters in the midst of temporary persecution for it does not compare to the eternal glory that awaits.
Notes
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Introduction
James’ audience, those he is writing this letter to, have found themselves in a season of persecution. This is an apparent truth from the beginning of this letter, when he writes, Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials (Jam. 1:2). As we come to our text, he is addressing the specifics of the persecuting them through the courts and death, the wealthy and powerful of there time (James 5:1-6). As he begins this portion of our text, Therefore, referring to the previous six verses of chapter five. So, what does he say? Not what one would expect. He says very directly, be patient and watch your tongue.
Focus Passage: James 5:7-12
Opening Passage: James 5:7, 10
James 5:7, 10 (NASB 2020)
7 Therefore be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains...10 As an example, brothers and sisters, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Outline
Let Us be Patient (vv. 7, 10)
James’ words are not one that we would expect. Be patient? Really?...
James notes two examples of patience
The patience of the farmer (v. 7)
James’ first example of patience is the farmer. He writes, the farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil being patient about it. Look, the farmer can plant, water, provide fertilizer, and use pestisides to fight off insects and fungus, but none of this guarantees growth and a full harvest. None of this guarantees success. They are still dependent upon the Lord for His work in the midst of their efforts. They must be patient about it, until it gets the early (Autumn) rains that came during October and would soften the soil, and the late (Spring) rains that would come in April or May, that would bring about the maturation of the crops. What a great picture of kingdom work. As Paul wrote to the church at Corinth...
5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.
This was true for those who were being persecuted for the sake of the Gospel. What good would it do for them to react in anger, frustration, or pride? Would it change anything? The answer is no. They needed to wait and let God do His thing. Do what He does best. It is God that would judge. As James would later write within the text, the Judge is standing right at the door (v. 9b).
Not only was the farmer an example of patient, but there was another example that James referred to. As James wrote to a Jewish audience, he knew they could relate the prophets of old.
The patience of the prophet (v. 10)
James mentioned two prophets of old as example of patience. He first mentioned the prophet Job. Job, if you remember, was tried by fire at the hand of the devil by the will of providential (God provides) and sovereign (God is in control) hand of God. After he lost everything and everyone, outside of a wife who told him to curse God and die, and friends that told him that he was guilty and lying, and had a debate with God, responded with these words with bitter tears.
5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; 6 Therefore I retract, And I repent, sitting on dust and ashes.”
Despite facing the fire of the devil and the loss of all, the nagging of a wife, the abandonment of friends, and the judgment of God, he still respond in faith and love to God. That is a genuine picture of faith and patience in the season of storms.
Another example of prophet was the prophet Jeremiah. As he stood falsely imprisoned and left to rot by King Zedekiah, he had words for the king when he finally came asking him to pray on Israel’s behalf. Not words that you and I would typically respond with, but a Word from God due to his faith in God...
20 But Jeremiah said, “They will not turn you over. Please obey the Lord in what I am saying to you, so that it may go well for you and you may live.
Not only does James give examples of patience, but he also gives us a place to find the strength and encouragement to be patient. So...
Let Us Find Encouragement to be Patient (v. 8 )
in the heat, in the moment, no one wants to count it joy to face trials and persecution. No one wants to just remain in that season for as long as they are going to be there. They want out and they wanted out yesterday. However, God says endure. So, where does this encouragement to endure come. We find James writes...
8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.
He further edifies what he already wrote in (v.7), Therefore be patient brothers and sisters until the coming of the Lord. Our hope, our blessed hope is not in the here and now, but is in the promised return of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ. For James, the return of the Lord was near. It was certain. For us, and especially for the first century believer, that return could not come fast enough, nor can it come quick enough today. However, while in the moment, we find struggles to move forward and endure, let us realize that this is but a momentary thing. Just because the Lord has not returned, does not mean that He will not return. Remember, for the Lord a day is as a thousand years. God is outside of time, space, and matter. So, yes, the Lord’s return to is near and certain, even if it is still a lifetime away for us. This is what faith is.
1 Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.
Not only do we see that James writes for us to find encouragement, he always says do not hinder your patience.
Let Us not Hinder Our Patience (vv. 9, 11-12)
We hinder our patience through grumbling (v. 9)
I was not allowed to wine or complain as a child. It was unheard of in my home. You dealt with the cards before you and played them as is. I feel that too many within the church were allowed to grumble when they were a kid. The one thing that I noticed while growing up, playing on the ball field with friends, doing chores, or even as an adult in the work force, is that grumbling does not change anything. Truly, grumbling causes delays in the completion of the job. James knows this, which is why he writes...
9 Do not complain, brothers and sisters, against one another, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.
He writes, do not complain…against one another. He writes then with a warning or a reason not to. He writes, so that you may not be judged. Now, James is not writing about others judging you. It really doesn’t matter what others thing, but he writing of a judge far greater than another brother or sister in the Lord. He is speaking of the Judge that all will stand before, King Jesus, behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. Paul makes this clearer when he writes to the church at Rome...
10 But as for you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you as well, why do you regard your brother or sister with contempt? For we will all appear before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, to me every knee will bow, And every tongue will give praise to God.” 12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let’s not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this: not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s or sister’s way.
Not only does grumbling hinder our patience, but...
We hinder our patience through carless words (vv. 12)
James writes...
12 But above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you do not fall under judgment.
What is he stating? Of course we could instantly state this is speaking of taking God’s name in vain or profanities. However, the meaning goes deeper than that. It is a reminder that our words have power. Our words free us and imprison us. Often, we place ourselves under bondage and requirement which gives demand over and above that which we should be dealing with because of our idle tongues. We place ourselves into bondage. May we understand that God tells us that we will give account for our words.
36 But I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment.
Conclusion
Life is hard. Life is difficult. In life we will face seasons of fire. However, we must remain patient. We must remain faithful. We must remain faithful to God. We must endure. When we need examples of endurance, let us be reminded of the farmer and prophet. When we need encouragement, let us be reminded that the pains we face in this life time are pail in comparison to the glories to come. Finally, let us not hinder our suffrage due to back biting, grumbling, and careless words.