Title: Be patient, the Lord’s Coming

Text: James 5:7-11

Date: 9-05-04.am

Thesis Statement: In the face of trials and persecution, James admonishes believers to be patient and steadfast because of the imminence of the Lord’s return which will bring both blessing and judgement.

James 5:7-12

7       Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains.

8       You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

9       Do not complain, brethren, against one another, that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.

10     As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

11     Behold, we count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and {is} merciful. (NAS)

I know it’s been several weeks now, but you might recall that in verses 1-6 James focus was condemnation for those we referred to as the wicked rich or the abusive rich. Those who misused their wealth and who abused others to maintain what they had and obtain more.

While James’ focus was condemnation of those who abused their wealth and position, it was served as a warning to others who were wealthy and might be tempted, because of the seeming impunity of those misguided individuals to join them in their wickedness. It also served as a warning to those who were being abused by those kind of people but at the same time found themselves tempted as well to use the same kind of tactics to gain wealth. James emphasized the futility of wealth and its ultimate uselessness and failure. While these persons may seem to be on top of the world they are actually bankrupt spiritually and will ultimately suffer the consequences of their actions.

His focus changes in verse 7 to those who are being oppressed, his brethren or fellow believers who have been the recipients of abuse by the wealthy and exhorts them to be patient. The word translated patient here means literally to be long tempered as opposed to what many of us are and that is short tempered. It refers to the ability to absorb difficulties much the same way a sponge absorbs water.

The Bible makes it clear that we will face difficulties, trials and troubles are an inescapable part of life. Our own experience reflects the reality of life in a fallen world. Job said in 5:7, “man is born for trouble, and in 14:1 he is short lived and full of turmoil. Paul talked about the certainty of trouble in Rom 8:18. Added to the fact of the normal trials of life, the Christian face persecution for the cause of Christ. Paul wrote Timothy in 2 Tim 3:12

all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Jesus told His disciples in John 15:20 they could be sure if he was persecuted they would be also. The fact of tribulations and persecutions is certain. It’s how we handle them that’s important.

James realized believers might be tempted to react wrongly to persecution so he exhorted them rather than being short tempered and lashing out to respond by being long tempered. This is another characteristic of a genuine faith we find in James. Not that genuine believers don’t lash out sometimes Paul certainly did in Acts 23:3 when he called the High Priest a white-washed wall. Peter denied Jesus when he was facing persecution after Jesus’ arrest. But the expected pattern of conduct for believers is patience.

Obviously patience in the face of trials isn’t an easy task. Of course we have the Spirit of God resident within us to enable us to have patience in the face of trials, but here James emphasizes another reason for the believe to be patient and that is the certain hope we have. The realization that things will not always be like they are now. When the disciples looked at Jesus ascending into heaven in Acts 1:10 the Scripture describes them as gazing intently into the sky, they likely had a forlorn look on their faces as they watched Jesus move upward and out of their sight when two angles appeared to them and gave them the words of hope found in verse 11: “. . .Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." NASB

This truth of the Lord’s return appears in more than 500 verses throughout the Bible. His return, however, refers to more than just His coming again, it also includes the idea of His presence. Dr. John MacArthur says perhaps the best English translation would be arrival. The great hope of the church is the arrival of Jesus Christ when He comes to bless His people with His presence. (MNTC; James, p. 253)

This means every Christian should live every day in the hope of the certainty of Christ’s return. Christians should be strengthened by the certainty, they should be motivated by that certainty to live godly lives in the face of whatever trials, whatever hardships, whatever persecution might come thier way.

James reinforces his point by using an illustration which should hit home in Nebraska that of the farmer. I’m so thankful for farmers, God bless them and so glad God didn’t call me to be one. You know farmers are so blessed in this country. They have access to improved seeds, fertilizers and weed control chemicals, and you go by these implement dealers and see the marvelous machinery available to track care of the fields to plant and harvest the crops. And those crops are precious and valuable to him, they’re not like out back yard gardens. They are his life. Yet with all the modern technology and all the modern science at his dispose the farmer depends most on something completely outside of his control for his crops

the elements. In Palestine it was the early and the late rain. The early rain arrived at the time of the fall planting season in October and November. He plants his crop and then patiently waits for the later rain just before harvest time around March and April.

I don’t know anything at all about farming except what I hear on the news but I know the farmers in Nebraska have to have the same kind of patience. They depend on the winter moisture and the spring rains and they patiently wait on their crops worried about too little or too much rain and either way they continue to patiently plant and harvest.

James further encourages his readers to strengthen their hearts. The greek word means to set, to establish or to make firm. It denotes a resolute determination. It is an attitude of commitment to stay the course no matter how severe the trial they face. Sometimes Christians simply want to give up and give in. We get tired of fighting the battles of this world. We get discouraged because things never seem to change the enemy seems to always have the upper hand. This time last year I was I was one of those Christians James was writing to. I can look back now that I’m better and see there are lots of people who were facing trials far worse than mine, but while I was going through the pain and suffering after a while it was hard for me to believe things were going to get better. You endured with me, you saw how it affected my preaching and my ministry and that period when I couldn’t hardly walk and I couldn’t drive, I couldn’t lay down and I couldn’t hardly sit up. I could hear Job’s wife shouting in my ear curse God and die. You might have been there. You might be there now. Maybe not because of a physical problem, but problems at work, financial problems, marital problems, family problems, it seems like the weight of the world are on your shoulders and about to crush you. You constantly hear the still small voice, but it’s the voice of the devil saying “what’s the use.”

To all of us James says be patient and strengthen your heart the Lord’s coming is near and He’ll set things right. James says as Christians we are not hopeless we have the greatest hope of all the living hope in a living Savior who’s return is near. It’s been near ever since that day in Jerusalem when the disciples watched His ascension back into heaven and it’s nearer today. James says, hang in there, be courageous, take hope Jesus is coming again.

James gives us two examples to reinforce his message. First he directs our attention to the prophets in verse 10 and 11: As an example, he says of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we count those blessed who endured.

James calls our attention to those who had walked the same road before us and serve as examples for us. The prophets, as a whole, were a persecuted race of men. James wants us to understand that if God’s prophets were persecuted and tried, we can expect no less as we seek to live for the Lord. Yet the patience and steadfastness they demonstrated in facing and handling trials and persecution serve as an example for us. They showed us how trials, affliction, and persecution are to be faced and handled.

He then calls our attention to Job. Job without a doubt is the ultimate human example of living above circumstances. Job lost his wealth, his children and his health.

Job 1:1-3

1       There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil.

2       And seven sons and three daughters were born to him.

3       His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

Job 1:13-16

13     Now it happened on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,

14     that a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,

15     and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

16     While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

17     While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you."

18     While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,

19     and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died; and I alone have escaped to tell you."

20     Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. (NAS)

We read later in chapter 2:7-8 that he also lost his health and he was covered with boils from the sole of his foot to the top of his head. And yet Job held fast to his faith. He was long tempered and steadfast in his heart.

Did Job serve God for nothing? Do we serve God for nothing? The answer of course is no. Job didn’t serve God for nothing and neither do we. What Job discovered and what James points out to us is that the real benefit of a relationship with God is not found in our health or wealth or even our families but in God Himself. If we lose all we have we still have God. We have His Spirit resident within us now in the present, and the hope of his imminent presence at His return.

Don’t give in to those other voices that say give up it’s no use to continue your struggle, curse God and forget all that silly mythical Christian stuff and get with the worlds program, get a real life. Sometimes we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders and those voices grow louder. Sometimes we see the so called “success” of those who have no interest in spiritual matters and our own personal desire temps us to give in. But Instead James says hold on, hang in there, patiently continue to live godly lives in this fallen world, face those hardships and those trials with the patience of a farmer and the steadfastness of Job because the Lord is coming back and that return is very near. Stay the course, keep looking up because that same Jesus those disciples watched ascend to heaven will come again in just the same way as they watched Him go. (Acts 1:11, NAS)

How are you facing trials in your life? Do the phrases long tempered and steadfast describe you? James says they should. Those things should characterize your life if you’re a Christian, and for James they are the responsibility of an active faith. How is your faith? Not just are you saved, but are you living for Jesus Christ, patiently steadfastly waiting expectantly and anticipating His coming? You can if you will give heart and your life to Him receiving His gracious gift of salvation. Placing your hand in His nail scarred hand.