The Book of James: Part 14 - Patience in Suffering
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
James 5:7-11 “7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as 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.
12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.”
INTRODUCTION
James is continuing his letter to the twelve tribes, as leader of the Jerusalem council; he is giving this letter as a teaching and instructional guide to those Jews who wish to be followers of Jesus Christ.
James told us in last week’s scripture, that injustices will come, sometimes by the hand of the rich to those who are innocent.
This week, James wants us to understand why we must be patient for justice, and the Lord’s coming.
Are you being patient, and standing firm in your faith during the trials and test that are going to come in your life?
I. PATIENCE UNTIL THE LORDS COMING
a. Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming.
i. James 5:1-6 Just spoke of the injustices that can take place in this world, and the suffering that is caused by those who have riches, and how the innocent is condemned and murdered by them. James is now telling us through the Holy Spirit, we are to be patient for justice IS COMING!
ii. Romans 12:19 “19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.”
iii. The cure to all injustice in this world is the coming of the Lord!
b. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.
i. James reveals the plan of God through the Holy Spirit in this verse, and gives the answer to why the Lord waits to return. If you wonder WHY God is waiting to return, and why justice is taking so long to come, this is the reason.
1. The farmer awaiting his land to yield its valuable crop is God waiting for humanity to receive salvation.
a. 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
2. This valuable crop God awaits is you and me.
3. The rain from heaven is the Lord, who came the first time as a lamb, to be sacrificed for our iniquities, and make those who turn to Him, in a right relationship with God again. This was the early rain.
4. The latter rain is the second coming of the Lord, when all the injustices will be made right.
ii. We see in scripture, the Holy Spirit reveals that the second coming of the Lord is to happen late in the year, the year of all time. This is going to take place during the feast of the Lord called Rosh Hashanah.
iii. The second coming, this late rain, is very near, and the sounding of the trumpets, Rosh Hashanah, the rapture, is right at the door!
c. You too, be patient...
i. We should be patient for our justice, knowing that others have to come to the Lord as we did.
d. and Stand Firm
i. Matthew 10:22 “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
ii. Matthew 24:13 “but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
iii. Luke 21:19 “Stand firm, and you will win life.”
iv. I Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
v. I Peter 5:9 “Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
vi. Ephesians 6:14 “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,”
e. Stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near...we should be constantly thinking about the rapture, and what we are doing to serve the Lord.
f. Do not grumble against one another...
i. The Lord is coming to avenge injustice...
ii. Even if that injustice is caused by another believer...grumble against a brother or sister, and you will be judged...for the Judge is standing at the door!
II. PROPHETS ARE OUR EXAMPLE OF PATIENCE
a. The prophets (and Apostles) are to be our examples of patience in times of suffering, and affliction.
i. Even though they stood in a high and holy office, they were not exempt from affliction...and neither are we.
b. Blessed are those who persevere!
i. James began this letter blessing those who persevere.
ii. Persevere (lit used: enduring), implies that trials and tests may last for some time!
c. You have heard of the patience of Job and seen what the lord brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
i. What is Job’s example???
ii. Trials and tests came by the hand of Satan, but they were allowed by God.
1. They were for Job’s good.
iii. Job’s children were killed...how is this for Job’s good?
1. Job 1:13 - the only thing said about his children were they were all eating and drinking wine...they were partiers, showing no regard for the Lord, or for their father’s faith.
2. Zachariah 7:6 “And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves?”
3. Luke 17:27 “People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.”
4. Luke 17:28 ““It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.”
5. Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,”
iv. They were living their lives for themselves...eating and drinking, with no regard for the Lord, they were not living faithful lives.
v. Job was also stricken by Satan, which God allowed...but because Job was faithful to the Lord, Satan could NOT kill him!
vi. Job’s wife was killed as well by Satan, but she too was not faithful to the Lord...in Job 2:9 she tells Job to let go of his faith in the Lord and curse God and die...but Job stood firm.
vii. Job was attacked with disease, attacked by his faithless family, attacked by his friends, lost all his children and his wife and land and livestock, YET HE STOOD FIRM.
viii. God was merciful and restored to Job, his land, his livestock and even his family...and he lived to be old and full of days, which is another way to say he lives a happy and full live after this experience.
ix. What the Lord allows in our lives is only for our good, even if we don’t understand it. We need to accept it, submit and repent and allow God to do His work in our lives. When trials and tests come, seek God to learn what the lesson is He is trying to teach you.
III. TRUTH - YOUR YES AND NO
a. Above all...do not swear oaths, simply say “yes” or “no”.
b. We are not to be double minded
i. We represent the Lord, and the Body of Christ here on earth...we need to rightly represent Him, and His steadfast honesty, integrity and trustworthiness.
ii. When God says “Yes”, He means Yes...and when God says “No”, He means no.
iii. We too should live this way, not being double minded, flip-flopping all the time on what we say, and how we feel, being unstable in all our ways.
iv. James 1:6-8 “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”
v. Double-mindedness comes from a lack of faith...and those who lack faith should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. We receive from the Lord BECAUSE of faith...
CONCLUSION
We are to be patient in life when tests and trials come our way, and when we are suffering or an injustice has befallen us, we are to be patient in the Lord’s coming and the judging He brings with Him.
There was a time we ourselves were not saved, and what a terrible thing if God had not been patient with us.
When we are suffering, or going through trials and tests, we need to STAND FIRM in our faith.
When we do, we will be blessed beyond anything we could ever imagine.
Look to the Prophets, and the Apostles for inspiration and example.
Above all, do not turn on one another, because the coming of the Lord is near, and the Judge is at the door, and all injustices will be made right...even if those injustices come by the hand of a believer.
