We will be dealing with the CHRISTIAN AND HIS STEADFASTNESS.
Look at verses 7-8. We read, “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”
Today we live in an age of impatience.
Illus: Reminds me of the a lady who called American Airlines and asked the reservation clerk, “How long does it take to get from Dallas-Fort Worth to Frankfort, Germany?”
• The clerk had to wait a moment for the information to come up on her computer screen, so she said, “Just a minute.”
• The caller responded, “Thanks very much,” and hung up!
Most of the things that really matter in life do not happen in “just a minute.”
The Christian life requires a lot of patience. God’s Word says, “Be patient.”
Illus: Most of us recognize the need for patience, and we are like the man who prayed, “God give me patience….NOW!”
The patience that James is talking about is STEADFASTNESS.
We can never grow spiritually until we learn how to be STEADFAST in the Lord.
Why?
Because impatient people when things start getting rough they go AWOL in the heat of the battle.
There are two situations where we are most prone to be impatient.
1) One is when we’re experiencing a good thing and we really do not want it to END.
2) The second is when we are experiencing bad things that we want it to END.
Illus: A great preacher by the name of PHILLIP BROOKS who was KNOWN for his CALMNESS and his POISE.
But his very CLOSE FRIENDS knew there was a DIFFERENT SIDE to the PASTOR that some had never seen.
Often he SUFFERED MOMENTS of FRUSTRATION and IRRITABILITY.
One day a FRIEND saw him PACING the floor like a LION CONFINED to his CAGE.
He asked, “Pastor Brooks, “WHAT is WRONG?”
He replied; “The TROUBLE is I am in HURRY and GOD is NOT.”
We all have experienced this same situation God wants us all to learn to be PATIENT AND WAIT ON HIM IN ALL SITUATIONS IN OUR LIFE.
Why?
Because God uses Christians who are STEADFAST.
Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
In every great church in the world that has ever been established, God used Christians that were steadfast because they knew how to stand in the good times and the bad times.
Impatience is not only a problem with the church members it is also a big problem with pastors.
Illus: The downfall of many ministers has been their impatience.
They preach to their congregation that they are to be steadfast in the Lord but when problems arise in their church they are the first to bail out.
I was shocked recently when I did some research to find out that 1,500 ministers leave the ministry each month …
The church today needs men like the apostle Paul who faced all kinds of difficulties but he was steadfast in the Lord.
EVERYWHERE PAUL WENT HE FOUND OPPOSITION.
Illus: Someone said that when the apostle Paul was here on earth serving the Lord, he did not wire ahead to find out what kind of motels they had for him to spend the night in; he checked to see what kind of jails they had.
We today act like we are surprise when trouble come but Paul expected it.
But look at what Paul said about that.
Look at Acts 20:22-24, “And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. BUT NONE OF THESE THINGS MOVE ME, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”
In every church you will find basically two kinds of Christians. You will find:
• The ROLLER-COASTER CHRISTIANS, who are on fire for God one week, and cannot do enough for the Lord, and the next week they do not want to be bothered to do anything for Him.
They are up and down, and sad to say, they are often down more than they are up.
But there is another group thank God…
• The SPIRITUALLY MATURE Christians that God is using because of their steadfastness year after year.
One of the reasons this church (First Baptist of Lykesland) is so successful in the Lord is because of the many steadfast Christians we are bless to have.
GOD WANTS TO TEACH US THAT IT IS NOT THE SIZE OF THE DOG THAT COUNTS; IT IS THE FIGHT INSIDE OF THE DOG THAT COUNTS.
One of the reasons that Paul was so greatly used of God was that he was steadfast, regardless of what he faced.
He said, “NONE, OF THESE THING MOVED ME.”
Illus: I like that song I SHALL NOT BE MOVED!!!
If that song had been written when Paul was alive I am sure it would have been his favorite.
Listen to the words of this great song.
Bill & Gloria Gaither - I Shall Not Be Moved [Live] ft. The Statler Brothers
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HOW LONG ARE WE TO BE STEADFAST?
Look at verse 7 again, "Be patient therefore. brethren, UNTO THE COMING OF THE LORD..."
How long are we to be patient?
The Bible says, "...UNTO THE COMING OF THE LORD..."
One of the great needs of the church is for Christians to learn:
• Day after day,
• Week after Week,
• Month after Month,
• Year after Year
BE STEADFAST!
Why?
This is how God builds his church - through STEADFAST CHRISTIANS.
HOW DOES THE DEVIL TRY TO KEEP US FROM BEING STEADFAST?
By trying to get us to be discouraged with the difficulties of life.
Illus: James was talking to Christians who were being greatly oppressed by the rich.
In fact, they were being so abused by the rich that many of them were getting discouraged and drifting from the Lord.
James was telling them to, “Be patient..." God, would take care of those who were afflicting them in due time.
Look at what God said about the rich who was abusing them…
Look at verses 1-4, we read, “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.”
Illus: The rich people of that day abused the poor by taking advantage of their poverty.
Illus: The rich knew if they could keep the people poor that a poor man will work almost for nothing to feed his family.
• This is the reason that many politicians want the citizens of this nation under welfare so that they are totally dependent upon them for survival to keep them in office.
• This is the reason today that the rich want poor immigrants to enter this country because they are willing to work for almost nothing.
But James told them, “…Ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.”
In other words, their day of sorrow was coming.
Their money could buy them almost anything, but God told them their money would not keep them from receiving their just dues for the way they were treating the poor.
• It is a known fact that there is a DOUBLE STANDARD for the RICH and the POOR.
• It is also a known fact that often the rich person got rich by cheating poor people out of what rightfully belonged to them.
This same thing is happening today.
Illus: Doesn't it strike you as being a bit awkward, that if you go to Washington, D. C., and you look at members of the U. S. Senate and Congress, you do not find the average people serving our country?
Where are the Schoolteachers, Plumbers, Carpenters and Electricians?
These snobs look at the poor like the Pharisee looked at the publican in the temple, and they think, "Lord, I am so thankful I am not like those dumb taxpayers."
So often they increase our taxes and we have to pay them, while they build in SAFEGUARDS to exclude themselves from sharing in the load they place on the average citizen.
Illus: Congress is the only job where you can work for two years and have lifetime retirement with benefits.
lllus: Dr. J. Vernon McGee said, "You cannot look to mankind, to men who are grasping for power and money, and expect them to act righteously. It does not matter what they promise, they are NOT going to take care of the poor."
Only God knows how we are USED and ABUSED every day by ungodly rich people.
But James said to the poor, "Be patient..." (Steadfast).
Their day is coming, and they will give account to God for the way they have treated the poor.
After telling us that we should remain STEADFAST, James tells us how we are to be steadfast.
First, he tells us it should be like...
I. THE FARMER’S STEADFASTNESS
It takes a lot of knowledge and patience to be a farmer.
Illus: Makes me think of a life-long city man, tired of the rat race, decided he was going to give up the city life, move to the country, and raise some chickens and become a chicken farmer.
He found a nice farm that use to be a chicken farm which he bought.
Turns out that his next door neighbor was also a chicken farmer.
• The neighbor came for a visit one day and said, "Chicken farming isn't easy. Tell you what. To help you get started, I'll give you 100 chickens."
The new chicken farmer was thrilled.
• Two weeks later the new neighbor stopped by to see how things were going. The new farmer said, "Not too good. All 100 chickens died."
• The neighbor said, "Oh, I can't believe that. I've never had any trouble with my chickens. I'll give you 100 more."
• Another two weeks went by, and the neighbor stops in again.
• The new farmer says, "You're not going to believe this, but the second 100 chickens died too."
• Astounded, the neighbor asked, "What went wrong?
• What did you do to them?"
• Well, says the new farmer, "I'm not sure whether I'm planting the chickens too deep or not far apart enough."
It takes a lot of knowledge and patience to be a farmer.
Look at verses 7-8, we read, “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”
In the first part of verse 7, James told us to be patient as the farmer.
• It takes a lot of patience to be a farmer.
• How does the farmer live?
Illus: The farmer plants his seeds one day, and he usually does not get discouraged if he goes out the next day and cannot see any sprouts.
• In fact, he may not get discouraged if he does not see any results for several days.
• He does not go out and say, "That is all I can take. I do not plan to sow another seed as long as I live. I give up!"
Illus: This is exactly what some Christians have done when they went out to win souls to the Lord. Perhaps not one soul got save and they said “I do not plan to go soul saving again!!!”
Illus: This is exactly what has happen to some pastors. They started into the ministry they were going to be the next Billy Graham but it did not happen and they decided to leave the ministry and do something else with their life.
We are to be patient like the farmer and patiently wait for the early rain and the warmth of the sun to cause the seeds to germinate.
• The good farmer knows he must be STEADFAST.
• The MATURE CHRISTIAN knows he must be STEADFAST.
These two verses about the farmer teach us two important things.
We see:
A. WHO DOES THE HARVESTING
Look at Luke 3:17, "Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner: but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.”
We often refer to the Christian who wins lost souls to Christ as being the “reaper of the harvest.” But this is not the case!
We Christians are not the ones who do the harvesting. This has always been, and always will be the Lord Jesus Christ who does the harvesting.
Is it important that we recognize that the Lord does the harvesting?
Yes, it is very important because some folks act like they are the reason that people have gotten saved in their church.
Illus: Reminds me of a story about some scientists who decided that people no longer needed God. So they walked up to God and said, “God, we’ve decided that we no longer need you. We can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don’t you just get lost.”
God listened very patiently and kindly to the scientists. After they were done talking…
• God said, “Very well, then— how about this? Let’s say we have a man-making contest.” The scientists happily agreed.
• God added, “Now, we’re going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam.”
• The scientists said, “Sure, no problem,” and one of them bent down and grabbed a handful of dirt.
• God looked at him and said, “No, no, no— you get your own dirt!”
Even if we give the farmers all the credit due for the work they do, we all have to admit that all the stuff they produce came from God’s hand.
We cannot save anyone; it is God who does the harvesting.
But also it is important that we know…
B. WE DO THE SOWING
God tells us, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature..."
The only thing He requires of us is that we be STEADFAST in "sowing" the Word - "the gospel"
If we see LITTLE RESULTS or even NO RESULTS, we have to still be steadfast and continue to sow the Word of God. One day there will be a great harvest.
Illus: A man was applying for a job on a construction crew, but before the boss would hire him, he wanted to see if the man would work.
He was given the task of pounding on a rock with a sledgehammer for eight hours. Eight hours later the boss came back.
• The man had a very discouraged look on his face. His boss asked, “What is wrong?"
• The man said “I have pounded on that rock all day and there is not one crack in it."
• The boss said, "You have pounded all day, like I asked you to. Do not be discouraged. I did not ask you to crack the rock. I asked you to pound on it, and you have done what I asked you to do. You are hired!”
God has not asked us to HARVEST THE CROP.
He has asked us TO SOW THE SEED.
If we are doing that, we are doing what He asked us to do.
We are to be like the farmer who plants the seed, and day after day waits for it to sprout.
We have looked at THE FARMER’S STEADFASTNESS.
Now let us look at-
II. THE FAITHFUL SERVANT STEADFASTNESS
Let me ask you a question, WHAT KIND OF PERSECUTION WOULD IT TAKE TO MAKE YOU RENOUNCE YOUR FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS?
Illus: Paul talks about a man by the name of Demas II Timothy 4:10 “For Demas hath forsaken me, having love this present world”.
This once faithful companion of St. Paul had been with him during the first imprisonment of the Apostle at Rome ( Colossians 4:14; Philemon 1:24 ); but now, terrified by the greater severity and the threatened fatal ending of the second imprisonment, had forsaken his old master. Having loved this present world.
In this age we live it is not that difficult for us to serve the Lord. That is compared to what others have had to deal with in their life time.
We assume it will always be this way. But there may be a time that we will have to face persecutions like we have never had to face before.
If those difficult days come God want to teach us to be!!!
Illus: AUGUST 11, 2019 THE DAILY DEVOTIONALS WROTE AND ARTICLE DEALING WITH PSALM 119: 157 WHICH READ “Many are the foes who persecute me, but I have not turned from your statutes.”
The speakers were sharing about being persecuted because of their faith in Jesus Christ.
In graphic detail, each steadfast Christian described what they had endured.
• A Nigerian woman shared that she was forced to witness her husband and children being beheaded.
• Another woman, with tears running down her face, spoke about being forced into sexual slavery.
• A young man, with his voice cracking with emotion, spoke about how some of his relatives had blinded him because he would not promise to stop reading the Bible.
• The last person to share was an eighteen-year-old girl whose father had poured acid on her face, strangled her, and then threw her into a canal to die.
After each shared, there was a question-and-answer time.
One of the questions asked was, “Have you ever wanted to give up your faith in Christ?”
The response from the Nigerian Christian said. “Through all the pain I have gone through, I could not turn away from Christ . . . and I have not turned away from him. . . . I will never turn my back on him. He will always be my Savior. And one day I know I will once again see my husband and children. Christ is my hope for eternal life!”
Let me ask you a question, DO YOU HAVE SUCH FAITH IN GOD THAT YOU COULD WITHSTAND SUCH PERSECUTION.
Illus: Judas sold out for thirty pieces of silver.
God is looking for men and women that will be steadfast in the Lord under any circumstances.
Pray that Christians will remain steadfast when they are persecuted.
Conclusion:
The writer of Hebrews 11:36-37 talked about some steadfast Christians, we read, “And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;”
James talk about some steadfast Christians.
Look at James 5:10-11, we read, “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.”
James also talks about a man of God by the name of Job who suffered greatly, still was steadfast through all of his suffering.
He lost all of his children, his wealth, his health, and his respect, but Job was so steadfast in the Lord that not anything moved him he said, “Though He slays me yet will I serve him.”
When it comes to STEDFASTNESS we have looked at:
I. THE FARMER'S STEADFASTNESS
II. THE SERVANT'S FAITHFULNESS
