Partiality, Patience, Presence Series

On the night before Jesus was crucified, He told his disciples

John 14:3 ESV

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Jesus went to the cross, leaving them hope beyond the cross, hinting at the resurrection and eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

But elsewhere in his ministry, Jesus gave his followers a bit of insight into what some have called “The Day of the Lord” or as Jesus says, “the coming of the Son of Man.” In Matthew 24:36-44, Jesus said…

Matthew 24:36–44 ESV

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

From the time of Jesus ascension in Acts 1, His followers have lived with the great anticipation of His return. We saw that a bit in our study of Thessalonians last year. Today, as we continue our study in the book of James, the imminent return of Jesus becomes a motivating point for James’ instruction to his first century hearers and to us.

Open your Bibles to James 5. We’ll be looking at verses 1-11 today.

In the passage that we’re looking at today, James is addressing two groups of people - the rich who are acting unjustly and the righteous who are experiencing injustice.

His overall message seems to be that since Jesus could return at any time, we should be just in our dealings and patiently endure injustice.

Let’s think about those individually.

First of all

Jesus could return (presence) at any time (4, 7-9)

Several new testament writers, including James, use the Greek word “parousia” to describe Jesus coming. This word can be translated “presence, advent, or coming.” This is the same word that would be used of a dignitary who is making a visit to a town or country. Jesus return is what believers have been looking forward to.

Upon His return, Jesus will do several things like setting up his Kingdom, bringing what some people have called the final consummation. But in this process, James provides for us a couple of motivating points.

To the rich, who are acting unjustly

he notes:

James 5:4 ESV

Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.

These rich people are acting with partiality toward themselves, toward their own bottom line. They are not living up to their agreements and are not acting with fairness. Their actions have reached the ears of God.

In Genesis 4, we read about when Cain killed his brother Abel out of jealousy. When God confronted Cain, He said…

Genesis 4:10 (ESV)

…“What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.

James seems to be noting a very similar call here when he says that the cries of the harvesters who have been treated unjustly have reached the ears of “the Lord of hosts.”

It’s not that their cries have reached 911, City Hall, Congress, the halls of the Supreme Court, or even the occupant of the Oval Office - their cries have reached to the highest authority in the Universe - the Lord of Sabaoth - or the Lord of heavens armies. He is the one who will provide justice for the disadvantaged. He is the one who has the power to dole out an eternal judgment. He is the one they will have to answer to and they will have no advocate - because the advocate, Jesus Christ, is their judge!

But the motivation of Jesus return, his parousia, is not only for those who are acting unjustly, but also for those who are being treated unjustly.