Open your bibles to James Chapter 5.
As we continue our series in the Book of James entitled Faith That Works.
We have been quoting R. Kent Hughes who says “one thing is clear about the book of James—the dominant theme is;
“Faith that is real works practically in one's life. Faith that is true, is a faith that works.” R. Kent Hughes
Last week built on what James said in chapter 4;
"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you." (James 4:10 ESV)
James warned us about our pride is the enemy of humility. Pride causes us to gossip, slander, and judge against one another. While faith that works is humble and not proud. Humble faith begins with the understanding that we are no better than anyone else, rather the Christian should look beyond a person's shortcomings and have a faith in Jesus who is able to save and heal the people we have a tendency to condemn and judge.
We learned our pride will cause us to boast about tomorrow making plans to become wealthy as if we are masters of our own universe. But Faith that works humbly understands nobody is promised tomorrow and we should live humbly in faith in God who is the master of our universe. James says the faithful are to live humbly saying, “If the Lord wills, I will go here and there”
Finally, James warns us that pride can cause the rich to only want to become richer Hoarding our possessions and oppressing the poor for the sake of selfish gain. Rather we should humble ourselves knowing every blessing comes from the Lord and we are using our wealth for the glory of God and be generous toward others.
Today James builds on what we learned last week as he calls those that have fallen victim to the pride to be patient during their suffering.
Will you stand with me if you are able as we open up God’s word.
James 5:7-12
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. (James 5:7-12 ESV)
PRAY
It is helpful to remind ourselves of the context James is writing. James opens his letter telling us that he is writing about the 12 tribes in the dispersion. This is important to understand who he is writing. Jewish Christians were persecuted in Jerusalem after the death of Stephen. In fear of their lives, they fled to communities around the Mediterranean. Tragically these Christians would not find too much relief wherever they went. Many were refused protection by those in Jewish communities in fear that they too would be persecuted. And many who settled into Gentile communities were exploited and enslaved. The people who would read this letter were being persecuted, enslaved, disenfranchised, and marginalized for their faith in Jesus.
James and other first-century Christians would have been an eye witness to the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. After Jesus rose from death to life he stayed around for a while teaching his people. In Acts chapter 1 Jesus promised us that we would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us to be able to share the gospel with the world. It was then Jesus ascended into heaven. Luke records this amazing scene in Acts 1:9 which reads:
...as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:9-11 ESV)
Considering all that the early church was facing the promise that Jesus would return in the same way they saw him go into heaven was good news that they longed for. And it is good news for us. Like the early church, as we live on this earth we will have to go through some tough things. But we go through them knowing Christ will be faithful. With all the suffering and injustice in the world, Christians have the promise of a day when Christ returns for His church and He will set everything straight. It will be a day when death will be swallowed up in victory. A day when Jesus will judge the living and the dead, casting Satan, sin, and death in Hell for good. It will be a day where Jesus says:
He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall their be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore… (Revelation 21:4 ESV)
The early church had lived with this expectancy of Christ return. James calls the faithful to wait patiently for that day to come. Then he gives us a few examples of what it means to be patient. The first is patience that trusts in and waits on the Lord. The second is patience that is courageously steadfast. The third is patience preserves to the end. But first, patients that trusts and waits.
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. (James 5:7 ESV)
The three things a farmer fears are a drought, a freeze, and a flood. In a drought there is not enough rain, the sun dries out your soil and blows it in the neighbors' field, and it doesn’t matter how much work you put in. Without water, nothing will grow. In a freeze, you put in the work anticipating a crop and an unexpected freeze comes in and kills the whole crop. in a flood, too much rain can cause a flood that rots your seed and washes your crops away. These are bad seasons in the life of the farmer. But a responsible and mature farmer prepares for these seasons.
Have you ever have a season in your life where spiritually you are in a drought? You’re doing the work, sowing the seed but everything is dry and nothing is growing. You get discouraged thinking no sense sowing any seeds cause nothing is going to grow anyway. Or maybe you’re experiencing a deep freeze. You were faithfully trusting in the Lord, putting in the work, doing what you God had called you to do, tilling the ground of your spiritual life, sowing the seeds, the crop seems to be growing good, and then all of a sudden, something unexpected happens in your life and kills the whole crop. And then there is the flood.
The patience of a farmer is a great example of what it means to trust in the Lord that whatever season of life you are going through He will be faithful. A farmer works—from sun up to sun down—eagerly waiting in faith for the early rains to bring life to seed with the promise of the late rains that will produce a harvest. In times of plenty, a responsible and mature farmer prepares for the bad seasons. With the hope for a better tomorrow. The same is true for the church. Early rains are a reference to God’s faithfulness for us presently. As we live for Christ, doing the working hard, tilling the ground, and sowing seeds. It's going to be hard! Things are going to break down. The enemy is going to try to discourage us. Whatever season you are going through God will be faithful and He is hope for a better tomorrow, and no matter what happens in this life He promises the later rains to come. The patients of the farmer trust in and waits on the Lord.
The second is patience that is courageously steadfast.
[8] You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. [9] Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. [10] As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. (James 5:8-10 ESV)
The profits of the Old Testament who spoke in the name of the Lord were typically sent by God to call people out on their sin and warn them of the wrath that was to come to them because of their disobedience. God sent the Prophet Isaiah to speak to a people knowing that they would fully reject his message. Every prophet in the Old Testament (with the exception of Jonah) saw most of the people ignore their prophecies and the leaders rise up in hostility. But each one faced this opposition with patience. These guys endured the rejection and hostility while still being obedient to God. They kept on prophesying the truth—calling people out on their sin—speaking out against the injustices—warning them of the coming wrath of God.
God would also call us to patiently endure in times that are tough. Not passively endure, patiently endure like the prophets who were willing to go against the grain. We are to be people who courageously, speak up and stepping out for God. Loving, serving, and calling the people in our circle of influence to repent and place their faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin. Even if they reject you and the message. At the time Isaiah had no idea what God was up to (humanly speaking). It is hard to understand why God would allow a whole nation to perish. But Isaiah trusted in the Lord and thousands of years later God using these experiences to draw countless sinners to himself. Isaiah’s perspective was limited but God’s perspective is not. He would call us to have the patience that endures the rejection and suffering while remaining steadfast, doing what God has called us to do, trusting God in Him the whole way.
James’ third example is the patience of Job.
Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. (James 5:11)
The first-century church would have been very familiar with the story of Job. In our culture we feel like it is an extreme example but the more you know about the story the more we will see the point James is making. Job was a man who by all earthly appearances was very prosperous. Job is described as a man of good character, a good husband and father, and very wealthy. As the story goes Satan comes on the scene and argues that no one serves the Lord simply for who God is. Satan suggests people only serve only for what they can get out of Him.
So God allowed Satan to take everything away from Job. Job lost his wealth, every one of his children died, his wife tried to get Job to curse God, Job became very ill, his friends argued that God was punishing him for his sin.
Job’s patience was persevering patience. Job knew that an abundance of possessions or the lack thereof was not an accurate description of God’s love.
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. (Job 1:20-22 ESV)
Job knew what he really needed was God. God loved Job and He would eventually restore Job’s health,
God blessed Job with more than he had before and blessed him with a new family. But God’s ultimate purpose was not to prosper Job rather God use Job’s suffering to demonstrate His compassion and mercy, despite tremendous adversity. James uses it here is to comfort and encourage us as we go through difficult times.
We are called to have persevering patience like Job. Whatever you are facing you can trust in the power and the goodness of our God to see you through.
It's important to know that Job’s patience was persevering patience but it was not perfect patience. Job lost it several times. He lamented the day he was born and insisted on his innocence. He complained that he didn’t deserve any of this and he demanded God to explain whats going on.
Our end will even exceed Job’s earthly end. We will grow in spiritual insight in both the sunshine and darkness of life until we see his face and receive
“an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4).
James’ concluding sentence ties the bow perfectly: “The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” We must not allow ourselves to be persuaded to think ill of God—that God is cold. He has a father’s heart, even when he allows darkness to come. God cannot be unkind to his children. He says,
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:15-16 ESV).
James coined a new word to say the Lord is “full of compassion.” Other ways of saying this are, “very, very compassionate.” To this compassion James couples “mercy.” God is full of compassion as he cares for us in our misery, and he is full of mercy as he forgives our sins. All of which says to those who are undergoing hardships: God is good.
Are times hard? Are you feeling alienated from God? If so, consider James’ examples—the perseverance of the prophets and the perseverance of Job. If we persevere we will be “blessed,” for we will draw near to him and we will see him as never before, and our end is sure to be good.
The Lord is good!
PRAY
RESPOND IN WORSHIP
