James 5:7-20
“Christians Under Pressure”
INTRODUCTION
It wasn’t long after his birth that Jesus first experienced hostility (i.e. Herod in Matthew 2:13-23).
In our generation we are seeing Christians experiencing hostility around the globe (e.g. Churches in Indonesia). There is an element to the current wave of terrorism which is aimed at a false perception of Christianity (i.e. Western=Christian/immoral TV).
But by in large the nearest threat of hostility faced by western Believers is closer to home – impatience; boredom with the faith; infighting in the church and in some cases cynicism and disillusionment. These are the terrorists within that many western Believers fight against.
The bottom line is that this world is a hostile place for followers of Jesus Christ. And that battle rages on the outside and on the inside.
We shouldn’t be surprised by this. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). And Paul said, "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).
But my question this morning is “How should Believers live in a world hostile to God?”
We find some answers in the closing verses of James.
1. WAIT FOR THE LORD (v 7-12)
And James begins by pointing out that while living in a hostile world Believers need to wait for the Lord.
a. The Lord’s coming is near (v8)
James’ message here is for those who experience difficulty in life simply because they call themselves Christian. His advice to Believers is, be patient and wait for the Lord because, “The Lord’s coming is near” (v8).
JAS 5:7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.
JAS 5:8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. JAS 5:9 Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
Believers suffer various types of pain simply because they are Christians. For some it means physical suffering (e.g. Indonesia). For many it means ridicule from others. For most it means some level of sadness over habitual sin. For others it means sadness as we wait to be reunited with loved ones who have passed on. And for a large number it means heartache over the lost. Especially heartache over sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, husbands and wives that are yet to come to Christ. If we had not come to Christ, these things simply wouldn’t concern us. But in many ways the life of a Believer is a life of deep sorrow.
Yet at the same time there is immense hope and happiness isn’t there? This is because we can be sure that Christ is coming back. And Christ’s return is the solution to all of life’s problems.
But some times it’s just plain hard to sustain this hope isn’t it? But there is some help for us here in this passage. One secret of endurance that we find here is the purpose of our waiting. When we understand the reason why we have to wait, it can make the waiting easier.
You see, God is producing a harvest in your life. He wants the fruit of the Spirit to grow (Gal 5:22-23). He wants to produce characteristics in you such as…
…. love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self- control.
And the only way he can do this is through trials and troubles.
In v7 James encourages us to be like farmers waiting for a “valuable crop.” You see, these are not just any characteristics, these are fruits of the Spirit, the most valuable of all personal distinctives.
So instead of growing impatient with God and with ourselves, we should instead have fertile lives that surrender to the Him and allow these fruits to grow. Believers are spiritual farmers looking for a harvest of Christ-like qualities in their lives (Weirsbe p155).
b. The patience of the Prophets an example (vv10-11)
And then James points to the OT prophets as a good example of patient waiting.
JAS 5:10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. JAS 5:11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
James’ point here is that not one of these OT prophets knew what we now know about God’s plan of a global rescue through Jesus Christ – yet they faithfully waited – not knowing how – but believing that God would do exactly what he had said he would do.
An end will come to all pain and suffering, trials and troubles. We know it will, but we just don’t know when – we need to patiently wait on the Lord.
Some timber producers have to wait up to 180 years to produce a harvest! That means the planter will never know the great grandchild who reaps the harvest, and the harvester will never know the forefather who planted the seed. The future depends on the foresight and patience of each generation.
The Believer should live like that. We don’t know when the Lord will return, but it’s a sure thing and we can live like it. When we focus on the certainty of Christ’s return, and the hope that brings, we can wait for the Lord and endure hostility.
2. DEPEND ON THE LORD (vv13-18)
And as we go on living in a world that is hostile to us, Believers can also depend on the Lord.
Having to wait for Christ to return to clean up this mess may seem to suggest that immediate satisfaction is not available to us. But this isn’t true. In one sense we have to wait, but in another we can meet with Jesus anytime as we depend on him through prayer.
a. The place of prayer
Believers can find contentment in this life as they practice the presence of God in their daily life. And this is the place of prayer.
We need to remember that an intimate relationship with the Almighty Creator is the privilege of Christian Believers alone. We don’t have to connect with our God – we get to! There are many who don’t! But God in his mercy gives Believers this privilege.
Now of course the Lord hears the prayers of all people. But we are reminded here that “the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective” (v16).
JAS 5:13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. JAS 5:14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. JAS 5:15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. JAS 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
When they depend on the Lord in prayer, Believers have at their disposal the greatest source of happiness. If they’re in trouble, their relationship with God can more than compensate for any felt need.
If sickness strikes God has provided us with the whole of the natural world to turn to for medicine. But through prayer the whole of the supernatural world is available to us also.
Prayer’s place in the life of the Believer is central. It’s importance is seen when we realize that it puts us into contact with the God who made us, loves us and provides for us.
We should be like the child who, when his Sunday school teacher asked the class to write a letter to God put, “Dear God, I think about you a lot, even when I’m not praying.”
b. The purpose of prayer
The place of prayer is at all times and for all circumstances. The purpose of prayer is that we might have our needs supplied.
You see, without Christ in our lives we have no-one to turn to who can give us a real and lasting peace in times of trouble. And without Christ we have no one to thank for all the goods times we enjoy. But James says that prayer provides the Believer with peace in times of trouble (v13), and an outlet for praise in times of happiness (v13).
JAS 5:13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.
Happy or sad, the purpose of prayer is to provide a means by which we can express our emotions to the God who supplies all our needs.
c. The practice of prayer
The place of prayer is at all times and for all circumstances. The purpose of prayer is that we might have all our needs met. And the practice of prayer is up to you. God has spoken to you, but you are the one who chooses whether or not to listen and respond. And you choose how you will pray.
James points to Elijah as an example.
JAS 5:17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. JAS 5:18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
He says, Elijah was man just like us. He also points out that when Elijah prayed, there were results (vv17-18).
Well, God has been answering prayer throughout history. He hears us. We can depend on that – we can depend on him. This fact alone is enough to ensure that every Believer can find some contentment when difficulties arise in life.
To neglect the privilege of prayer is an enormous tragedy, especially when you consider who it is you’re praying to.
Elijah had the guts to ask God to change the weather. I think if we really knew who it is we talk to when we pray, we would be much more courageous – we’d take more risks in prayer.
The brother of a Bible college student came to visit him one day. He needed some directions and so he asked the first person he met – “Could you tell me where room 201 is?” Later he discovered he had been talking to a renowned bible teacher …. He had the opportunity to ask him any question, but he settled for directions to room 201! If only he’d known who he was talking to.
Unfortunately we often spend too much time on the smaller insignificant things unaware of the One to whom we are speaking and the importance and magnitude of what he wants to say to us.
In the hostile environment which is our current generation, the Believer is called to patiently wait for the Lord and to prayerfully depend upon the Lord. But living in a world hostile to God also means that Believers must work with the Lord (OHP).
3. work with the lord (VV19-20)
James reminds us of this in verses 19-20.
JAS 5:19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, JAS 5:20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
It’s true that there is a constant strain to living the Christian life, and some survive this better than others. And if we’re honest every Believer goes through rough and dry stages in the faith right throughout life. Some stumble through these times, some seem to breeze through, others slip back and seem to disappear from church life.
There’s no doubt that the Christian walk gets tough. And so James encourages every Christian to cooperate with God in supporting one another, and especially the weaker brother. What he is saying is that the church is God’s gift to his people and we should be able to lean on one another in times of testing and difficulty. In fact we should be active in seeking out those who are struggling, and lovingly discipling them.
Discipling the backslider (weaker brother) is a matter close to the heart and mind of the Lord. And bringing a Christian companion back to the narrow road is impossible for any human to achieve alone. So along with a deeply committed relationship and a faithful personal investment we need prayer. 1 John 5:16 says, “If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life.” We should be encouraged to know that this is the kind of request we can be sure God will answer.
I want to encourage you in this because I believe this is an area in which we do well at NBBC.
The expression “someone should bring him back” (v19), makes it clear that the duty of discipling the backslider is not the sole responsibility of the pastors or elders – this is every Believer’s obligation to each other, and I see this at NBBC.
It is common for Pastors, and Youth pastors in particular, to cop the flack when someone drops away from church. Let me tell you, every Pastor feels it deeply – and personally - when someone drops away for no apparent reason.
But what I have observed ay NBBC is that follow up is a shared responsibility. I see parents following up their own kids, and even going out of their way to nurture each other’s families. You should be encouraged.
It seems to me that many of you understand that support and nurture can only occur within relationship. (It’s hard for me to lob up on someone’s doorstep and ask, “Why haven’t you been to church?”). Home Fellowship Groups have helped here.
Peter’s final concern here in v20, is the “turning of sinners from the errors of their ways.” He points to hope and victory which are held out for the Believer who has slipped back. The Psalmist reminds us that the one who does turn back is truly fortunate. PS 32:1 “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” And further on in the NT Peter reminds us that a genuine and deep love shared between Believers is the road back to recovery in the faith, “Above all love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8).
To make any progress in life we have to work. But the most important work in life is the work against sin – in our own lives, in the lives of those around us in the church, and in our world. Working towards the reconciliation of humanity to God is the highest calling in life – and it is the calling of every Believer. It’s the work that Jesus Christ engaged in, and so it’s the work we should do too.
If we want to survive in a world hostile to God, Believers need to work with God in nurturing his family.
CONCLUSION
And that’s the question we have been asking this morning; “How should Christians live in a hostile world?”
James gives us some clues.
1. “Wait for the Lord” – there is hope for us. Christ’s return is near, so be patient and keep your eye on that goal.
2. In the mean time “depend upon the Lord” to meet your needs through a regular and vibrant prayer life.
3. And “work with the Lord” in looking out for each other.
