INTRODUCTION #27
1. Open your bibles to James 5:7-9.
2. In this passage James gives the exhortation to be patient until the Lord returns.
3. James also gives the example of farmers being patient.
4. James also tells Christians that they must be patient with one another and not start blaming one another when problems show up.
5. Let’s begin to read and discuss these things that James teaches us about patience.
DISCUSSION
I. FIRST, JAMES 5:7a TEACHES US THAT PATIENCE IS NOT A ONE TIME EFFORT, BUT THAT WE MUST BE PATIENT FROM TODAY UNTIL THE LORD COMES BACK.
1. Let’s read James 5:7a, “Therefore be patient, brethren until the coming of the Lord.”
(1) “Therefore” always refers us back to what was said before.
(2) “Therefore” is a signal to let our mind go back up into the six verses right ahead of this statement. There James teaches that often times the rich will hold back the wages of the laborers – the selfish and abusive rich will sometimes condemn and even murder the just and righteous.
(3) James is exhorting the mistreated to never cease to be Christ like, even under the worst of physical and verbal abuse, but patiently continue to be a faithful Christian, even if it is waiting until the Lord’s comes again, before the abusive receive their punishment.
(4) In the first six verses of James 5, James assures Christians that God will eventually punish the wicked. In the short-run, the abusive rich would seem to win, but in the long-run, only the faithful saint or Christian would be victorious. The N. T. uses the words saint and Christian interchangeably in reference to the same people.
2. From verse 7, “Be patient” has to do with our normal view of patience. It means to “hold the mind in check.” This same word is used to describe God in 2 Pet 3:9 as “longsuffering.” Rom 6:23 teaches us that the payment for sin is “spiritual death.” “Spiritual death” refers to being separated from God. Due to God being “patient or longsuffering” God does not bring physical death upon us at the exact second or moment that we commit our first sin and then keep us “spiritually separated from Him for all eternity”. 2 Pet. 3:9 teaches that God is “longsuffering, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
(1) God’s example of patience with each one of us is an example that should motivate us to patiently wait for the 2nd return of Christ and allow Christ to be the one that brings punishment upon those who have mistreated us, instead of taking vengeance into our on hands.
(2) The saints or Christians who patiently endure, and will not give up their faith, will be richly rewarded by the Lord, according to the Lord’s time table and schedule.
(3) According to Thayer (the author of a Greek dictionary), the words "be patient," from the Greek verb [@makrothumesate] (from [@makrothumeo]), mean "to be of a long spirit, not to lose heart ... to persevere patiently and bravely ... in enduring misfortunes and troubles" (Thayer, p. 387).
3. The phrase from James 5:7a: “Until the coming of the Lord” reminds us of many passages in the bible that teach the certainty of the second coming of Christ!
(1) Turn to Matt. 24:36-44. In this passage Jesus teaches that it is uncertain just when he will return. Jesus also teaches that it is certain that He will return and that we must stay ready and prepared for his second coming! Let’s read Matt. 24:36-44, 36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
4. James and Jesus teach us that the Second Coming of Jesus is certain to happen and that Christians must remain patient and prepared every second of every day!
II. SECOND, JAMES 5:7b EXHORTS CHRISTIANS TO LEARN A LESSON ABOUT BEING PATIENT FROM THE FARMERS.
1. Let’s read James 5:7b, “See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.”
(1) In Israel “the early rain” came in October, which loosened the ground and watered it so they could plant. “The latter rain” came in March and April, which helped make the crop to grow on out, like it needed to.
(2) “The farmer”, plants the seed in the earth, and patiently awaits the early and latter rain, which would eventually bring the crop to fruition. The harvest is had at the end of the growing season, not at the point the crop is planted.
2. The farmer has, through the ages, been somewhat at the mercy of the elements (the rain, the sun, the soil, etc.); but he knows that there is a time when the rain will fall and a time when the sun will shine; both are needed for the crop to come to harvest.
3. The farmer has learned he must be patient through the whole growing and harvesting season; and the Christian must learn to be patient, until the time when God will bring about his perfect justice.
4. The only one who would represent a farmer of this congregation is Marcus Deming. Marcus is in the hay bailing business and does a lot of depending on the rain for the grass to grow. Marcus, also has to pray that it doesn’t rain too much once he has cut the grass and before he gets to put it in bales.
4. Look now at James 5:8. Here, James is restating what he has already emphasized about the importance of patience due to the certainty of the second coming of Christ. Let’s read v. 8, “8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
(1) The phrase “the Lord is at hand” is similar to statements by John the Baptist and by Jesus as they preached about the soon to be established church.
1) Turn to Matt. 3:1&2. Here, John taught that the church was soon to be established and it was established about three years later in Jerusalem according to Acts 2. Let’s read Matt. 3:1&2, “ 1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
2) On other occasions Jesus uses this same phrase to also teach that the church was going to be established soon and Acts 2 and other passages prove that the church was established soon after Jesus and John used the “is at hand” phrase.
3) Because James 5:8 uses “the Lord is at hand” phrase many bible students think that it refers to Christ coming in a representative way through the Roman army to destroy the temple and to destroy Jerusalem.
4) Even though Matt. 24 & Luke 21 teach that Jesus did come in a representative way through the Roman army and destroyed the temple and Jerusalem that does not have to mean that James 5:8 is referring to that event. If someone thinks that it does I won’t be dogmatic about the difference in opinion.
(2) It seems more correct to understand James 5:8 to mean that Christians should realize that their trouble is temporary. It will end when Jesus returns. Though Jesus did not return in the lifetime of the recipients of the epistle of James, nor in the lifetimes of millions of other Christians who have lived and died since—no one knows when He will come. However, all may and should live in the anticipation that He may come at any moment. Christ’s second coming “is at hand” and even though we don’t just know which second or minute of the hour it might be, we are certain that He will be coming.
(3) The certainty of the second coming of Christ provides hope for suffering Christians.
5. Look again at James 5:8. This time look at the phrase “establish your hearts”.
(1) “Establish” is a word referring to an attitude of commitment to stay the course no matter how severe the trial. Stçrizô (the Greek word) derives from a root word meaning “to cause to stand,” or “to prop up.” James urges those about to collapse under the weight of persecution to prop themselves up with the hope of the Savior’s return.
(2) The Lord is in control. The world is full of people who are living out of control. The Lord of Hosts (earlier mentioned in James 5:4) hears and knows all about what each one of us are doing, and He is eventually going render severe judgment.
(3) James is exhorting Christians to literally, ''prop up" our hearts. Strengthen them in your knowledge that God is at hand. God is not off in Heaven some place, oblivious and unaware of your needs. God is right there in your circumstance. So strengthen your heart with the understanding that God and Christ are going make right all wrongs that have come against you!
III. THIRD, JAMES 5:9 EXHORTS CHRISTIANS TO NOT START BLAMING ONE ANOTHER FOR THEIR PROBLEMS.
1. Let’s read James 5:9, “9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!”
(1) “Do not grumble against one another” in the KJV is translated “grudge not”. In the ASV it is translated “murmur not”.
(2) Christians must not murmur one against another. Murmuring is complaining and speaking against. Christians must not blame others for what happens to them. There is no right reason for murmuring. If Christians murmur, they are in danger of being judged. Jesus came first as Savior. He is coming the second time as judge.
2. The phrase in James 5:9, “Behold (look), the Judge is standing at the door!” pictures the Lord Jesus Christ as the Judge about to enter the judgment hall or the court room. [We might illustrate the seriousness of this by saying, “Behold, (look) the policeman is standing at the door to hand cuff Marcus and take him with them.” This phrase in James 5:9 is the flip side of James’ first reason for referring to the second coming of Christ. In James 5:9, James’ reference to the second coming of Christ is spoken of as a warning!
(1) In James 5:8 James taught that the hope of the Second Coming should provide comfort in trials. However, the sobering reality that Christ will return to “judge the living and the dead” (2 Tim. 4:1; 1 Pet. 4:5; cf. Acts 10:42) warns those of us who are tempted to “murmur and complain and grumble” amid our trials and difficulties.
(2) The illustration is like a father returning home and entering the house quickly to find the children forgetful of their duties and beginning to complain and blame one another for chores not getting done. All Christians must remain aware of the fact that Christ’s judgment will take strict account of the Christian’s behavior as well as that of their persecutors.
3. Turn to Luke 12:45-48. This passage deals with the second motivation, relating to what James taught about Christ going to be our Judge at His second coming. Keep in mind that in James 5:9 we are given the picture of “Christ (the Judge) standing at the door”!
(1) “The figure, ‘standing at the door,’ represents Christ as: #1, Christ being near; #2, Christ in a position to enter suddenly and unexpectedly; and #3, Christ ready to accomplish his purpose without delay.
(2) It was therefore vitally important that those to whom James wrote should cease their murmuring and complaining lest the Lord should open the door without advance notice
and discover that instead of waiting patiently and faithfully for him they were fretful, dissatisfied and in bad moods, and engaged in quarrels among themselves.
(3) James had assured his readers that they would be blessed for their patience and longsuffering; and James 5:9 he points out that if murmuring and dissatisfaction have been substituted therefore, they must suffer judgment themselves.
(4) God will not fail to avenge his faithful; but he will judge them if they fall short of his will.
(5) Let’s read Luke 12:45-48: "45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”
CONCLUSION
1. If you are a Christian and do not find comfort in the fact that Christ is going to come again please don’t hesitate to come for prayers.
2. If you are not a Christian and need to express belief, repentance, confess that you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and obey the command to be baptized please come forward as we stand and sing.
Acknowledgments for a lot of thoughts in the development of all the sermons on the book of James are to go to:
(1) Bob Winton CD Commentary on Matthew 27:50-54. 464 Ridgewood Drive Manchester, Tennessee 37355. If interested in CD covering many O. T. & N.T. books call (866) 753-8456.
(2) Miscellaneous commentaries by numerous others.
