Patience

12, James chapter 5, reading again at verse 7.

James 5 · chapter mention

Be patient, therefore, brother Shanda, 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.

Are you a patient person?

I guess that's the obvious question.

When we look at these words, are you a patient person?

Or do you find at times your patience tested

and you often just want to hurry things along

and get things done in your own time?

I'm sure there's always situations where we find our patience put to the test.

For example, you might get a phone call that says,

I'll just take two or three minutes of your time

and 15 minutes later you're still on the phone

just trying to get out of this conversation

and your patience is waiting out.

Or patience when you're driving.

Maybe you're stuck behind a car that's just not going above 30 miles an hour

and you're just in a rush and you're like,

come on, get a move on.

Your patience is running out.

There's so many situations where our patience can be tested

and we see ourselves in a new light sometimes.

But what about when it comes to waiting patiently upon the Lord?

Can you sing Psalm 40 and have these words as your words

that you're waiting patiently on the Lord?

You're waiting for him in prayer.

You're waiting on him for something that's going on in your life

or just your desires for people around you or the church

and you're able just to wait patiently on the Lord.

It's a hard thing to do at times

because we all want things done in our own time.

But God's work is in his time

and his purposes work out in his ways.

His plans are not hurried

in the same way that maybe we want things hurried along.

There was a famous preacher in America called Philip Brooks

and he was noted for patience

and just his calm demeanor so often.

He was a very gentle man in so many ways

and yet at times he too suffered that frustration

of wanting things done quickly.

And there was one day when a friend was watching him

and he had started pacing back and forth on the floor

and his friend was wondering what was going on.

And so he asked him,

what troubles you, Mr. Brooks?

And Philip Brooks replied by saying,

the trouble is that I'm in a hurry but God isn't.

He was wanting things done in his time.

And so our patience is often tested

even when it comes to the things of the Lord.

We want things done.

We want things to happen.

We want people to be saved that we've been praying for.

We want to see the church grow.

We want to see things in our community changing.

But much of it has this idea of just patiently waiting on God

and waiting for him to work out his will and his purposes.

And as James is writing here to the people,

he's writing to them in a world and in a time

when their patience was being tested.

You see the heading in the ESV Bible is patience and suffering.

They were suffering for their faith.

They were seeing so many things going on around them

in their community and their patience,

their faith was being tested.

But James is writing to them

to be patiently waiting on God.

And they were being tested in so many different ways.

As you read through the book of James,

you see there was a lot of people around them

who were rich and prosperous

and seeming to get on well in life.

And this was testing the patience of God's people.

And yet as James writes,

he writes in this wisdom, in his wise ways,

and he's warning people

who are living their lives in that way,

boasting about tomorrow.

You see that at the end of chapter four,

where we read that they're going to do this,

that they're going to do that.

And the next thing,

they've got all their plans laid out

instead of waiting patiently on the Lord.

You see at the beginning of chapter five,

that warning to the rich,

where the Lord is saying to them,

look at what you have.

You've gathered up this wealth,

but it's all going to waste away.

You're putting your trust in the wrong things

because the day of the Lord is coming.

And that's going to be of no help to you.

And so after saying these things

to the people around them

who are not trusting in God,

he turns back to those who are.

When you see him,

they're calling them brothers.

In verse seven,

he's saying,

be patient,

therefore,

brothers.

He's saying,

as you look around you,

as you are Christians,

as you are trusting in the Lord,

and you're becoming impatient,

and you're wondering

why all these things are happening,

he's saying to them,

brothers,

be patient.

Be patient until the coming of the Lord.

Don't lose sight of the Lord himself.

And so this patience

is highlighted for us here

by James in verse seven to 12.

And I want us to see this patience

in three different ways.

He says,

first of all,

why patience is required,

why it's such a necessary thing.

Then we see him showing

the examples of patience.

He speaks about the prophets and Job.

So he gives us examples of patience.

And then thirdly,

we'll see just how this shows itself

in our lives,

how we should apply

this patience in our lives.

So the first thing is

the call to patience.

Be patient,

therefore,

brothers,

until the coming of the Lord.

As I said,

this is in light of the warnings

that he's given to those

who are boasting

in their plans

and their purposes,

those who are boasting

in their riches

and what they have materially.

In that,

he turns back

to God's people

and focus on

how they should live

and why.

And that phrase,

brothers,

he shows there

who he is speaking to.

He's reminding them

that they belong,

that they have a belonging

and that their belonging

is in Christ.

That they are brothers

and sisters

in Christ.

That they are the ones

who are looking

to the Lord

and are waiting

until the coming

of the Lord.

And what kind of people

are they?

Well,

they're just like us.

As we put our trust

in the Lord,

they are people

who could say,

just like Psalm 73,

that confidence in God,

the God who is patient

towards them,

they could say,

whom have I in the heaven

but you?

Nobody else but you.

And earth has nothing

I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart

may fail,

but God is the strength

of my heart

and my portion

forever.

Isn't it a blessing

and a privilege

to be able to sing

these words ourselves

and to sing them

in a way

where we know

that is our portion too.

Who do we have

in the heaven

but you,

oh Lord?

And in the earth

there's no one

I desire besides you.

We have God

with us.

God who is

patient

with us

and God

who gives

us

patience too.

For it is to him

we are to look

to

and to put our

trust in.

In the beginning

of this book

we see James

in chapter 1.

He's already made

the point

of calling the people

to be patient

under trial.

In chapter 1

verse 12

he says this

blessed is the man

who perseveres

under trial

because when he

has stood the test

he will receive

the crown of life

that God has promised

to those

who love him.

To be patient

under trial

and that there is

this reward.

He will receive

the crown of life

that God has promised

to those

who love him.

So again

he's reminding them

there

of the Lord's

great patience

towards them

and for them

to wait patiently

and for us

to wait patiently

on him

in that knowledge

of receiving

the crown of life

that God has promised

to those

who love him.

So he's reminding them

again

of this great need.

A need that's seen

throughout scripture

and throughout history.

when you think

of God's people

throughout the scriptures

as we'll see

in a few moments

examples of it

we think of just

that need

for patience

among God's people

down through

every generation

these words

have spoken

be patient

therefore brothers

until the coming

of the Lord.

So often you see

people in scripture

their patience

has gone

if it was ever there

when they're saying

where is this God

of yours?

You know if he was

going to come

he'd have come

by now.

Their patience

either was never there

or they've lost it.

The coming of the Lord

means absolutely nothing

and we see that

today

there's no interest

in God

there's no thought

that God

is coming again

that has gone

but we are told

to be different

to wait patiently

on the Lord.

John Piper

in his book

The Roots of Endurance

in that book

he highlights

the endurance

of Christians

in the past

such as

John Newton

Charles Simeon

William Wilberforce

he speaks about them

and their patience

and their waiting

on the Lord

their endurance

and he says this

the aim of all

our endurance

is that Christ

be seen

and savoured

in the world

as our glorious

God.

Isn't that a great way

of thinking of

our patience?

The aim of our endurance

our patience

is that Christ

may be seen

and savoured

in the world

as our glorious

God.

But there is

something different

in the Lord's

people.

that's why

James is here

showing them

this great need

of patience

because it is

such a powerful

witness

it is such a

powerful

example

and he's talking

here

about this

patience

this call

to patience

in a twofold

way

it's both

a patience

in the midst

of suffering

and adversity

but it's also

patience

knowing

that the Lord

is going

to deal

with all

things

again

Psalm 73

speaks about

that

and the Psalms

that we've sung

remind us

of the

greatness

of God

that he will

take all

things

in charge

that he's

in control

of all

things

that the Lord

is going

to return

and that

the blessing

of God's

people

will be

finally

fulfilled

you see

there how

he says

in verse 7

see how

the farmer

waits

for the

precious

fruit

of the

earth

being

patient

about it

until he

receives

the early

and the

late

rains

the temptation

would be

after the

early rains

to think

that's it

it's done

we can

take our

harvest up

now

but

it needs

patience

to wait

for the

late rains

to come

and again

that's the

way we

are to

live

to

waiting

patiently

on the

harvest

waiting

patiently

on the

Lord

of the

harvest

remembering

the

Lord

will

come

until

the

coming

of

the

Lord

and so

we need

patience

that's what

he was

teaching

here

that's

what we

see for

ourselves

today

we need

patience

we need

patience

in our

lives

whether it's

individually

or collectively

in our

community

in our

world

everything's

so rushed

everything needs

to be done

instantly

everything's

demands

demands

demands

but as we

look to

God he

teaches us

to be more

patient

to stand

firm

here as he

says to

establish

these things

in your

heart

he's talking

there about

standing

firm

on the

truth

standing

firm

on the

truth

of

God

to be

patient

in verse

8 there

to establish

your hearts

for the

coming of

the Lord

is at

hand

to stand

firm

on the

truth

of

God

so we

have

this

word

to us

our need

for

patience

patience

the second

thing we

see here

is how

he gives

examples

of

patience

and he

looks

examples

that are

found

in scripture

of what

endurance

means

for the

Lord's

people

and in

verse 10

he says

there

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

remain

steadfast

you

have

heard

of the

steadfastness

of

Job

and

how

you

have

seen

the

purpose

of

the

Lord

how

the

Lord

is

compassionate

and

merciful

wonderful

examples

there

for us

of

patience

what you

notice in

the New

Testament

is

the

Old

Testament

is

never

forgotten

constantly

you see

looking back

to the

Old

Testament

to the

prophets

to the

fathers

Abraham

Isaac

and Jacob

you see

looking back

always

the book

of

Hebrews

is full

of

looking

back

to the

Old

Testament

Jesus

himself

taught

so much

looking

back

to the

Old

Testament

and we

should

never

forget

the

Old

Testament

and here's

another

reminder

to us

of the

great

examples

the great

teaching

that we

have

in the

Old

Testament

as an

example

of

suffering

and

patience

consider

the

prophets

who

spoke

in

the

name

of

the

Lord

he

doesn't

mention

any

other

specific

prophets

by name

there

but you

can look

back to

them and

you can

see for

yourself

their

patience

and

suffering

you can

take for

example

Jeremiah

one of

the

prophets

you look

at him

and you

see just

how patient

he was

in the

midst

of

suffering

he

was

rejected

by his

own

people

he

suffered

at the

hands

of

foreign

kings

but

he

stood

for

the

Lord

and

he

knew

the

coming

of

the

Lord

was

in

his

own

mind

and

his

own

heart

not

knowing

exactly

when

it

would

be

but

that

this

was

going

to

come

you

look

at

Isaiah

and

the

way

that

he

was

able

to

have

this

vision

of

God

the

coming

of

Christ

the

suffering

of

Christ

as

you

see

it

in

chapter

53

and

he

stood

up

against

all

those

who

were

outspoken

against

him

who

would

not

listen

you

think

of

Habakkuk

as

we've

looked

at

Habakkuk

recently

you

think

of

the

situation

the

circumstances

that he

was

writing

into

it

would

have

been

so

easy

to

back

off

and

back

down

and

yet

consider

the

example

of

suffering

and

patience

and

prayer

in the

midst

of it

all

just

waiting

on

the

Lord

to

work

they

stood

firm

in

the

Lord

the

great

chapter

of

Hebrews

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

chapter

11

is

a

full

list

of

those

in

the

Old

Testament

were

believers

in

the

Lord

and

those

who

suffered

in

their

faith

and

yet

had

patience

looking

to

the

Lord

so

many

are

named

but

then

later

on

in

Hebrews

11

chapter

verse

36

and

37

they're

not

named

but it

says

this

of

them

others

suffered

mocking

and flogging

and even

chains

and imprisonment

they were

stoned

they were

sawn in

two

they were

killed

with a

sword

they went

about in

skins of

sheep

and goats

destitute

afflicted

mistreated

but they

were all

commended

for their

faith

it says

faith

waiting

patiently

on the

Lord

patience

in the

midst

of

suffering

and what

is so

great

about

this

is it

doesn't

show us

extraordinary

people

it doesn't

show us

people who

we just

look up to

and say we

can never

be like

that

they were

ordinary

people

but they

were ordinary

people

doing

extraordinary

things

through an

extraordinary

God

and it

was God

who had

given them

faith

and vision

and this

looking to

God

and trusting

in him

that's where

their patience

came from

they were

trusting

in the

coming

of the

Lord

now can

we

be spoken

of in

the same

breath

as the

prophets

do you think

you can be

put in that

list of

the prophets

and commended

for patience

well Jesus

in the

Sermon on

the Mount

includes

many people

even ourselves

in that

ceremony

says in

verse 11

and 12

of Matthew

5

blessed are

you when

others revile

you and

persecute

you and

utter all

kinds of

evil against

you falsely

on my

account

rejoice

and be

glad

for your

reward is

great in

heaven

for so

they persecuted

the prophets

who were

before you

so they

shall list

there of

God's people

to this

very day

blessed

are you

when others

revile you

and persecute

you

for they

persecuted

the prophets

who were

before you

in the same

way

and so

there is

that reminder

to us

to be

patient

in these

things

and the

example

is there

for us

we have

the example

of Job

as well

you have

heard of

the steadfastness

of Job

and you have

seen the

purpose

of the

Lord

how the

Lord

is

compassionate

and merciful

and yet

when you

look at

the outset

of Job

and the

beginning

of that

book

you think

well

how could

he possibly

have that

patience

in the midst

of all

his

suffering

and yet

he's able

to say

the Lord

gives

the Lord

takes away

blessed be

the name

of the

Lord

because

he knows

his God

he knows

who God

is

and he

knows

as it

goes on

to say

there

Job

you have

seen

the purpose

of the

Lord

how the

Lord

is

compassionate

and

merciful

in the

midst

of such

great

suffering

God

is still

compassionate

and merciful

and therefore

Job

was patient

the prophets

were patient

they are

examples

to us

of how

we are

to be

patient

too

reminding

ourselves

of chapter

1

verse 12

they will

receive

the crown

of life

as we

look to

the Lord's

return

the reward

for patience

and faith

is there

for us

and so

thirdly

and finally

we just

want to

think of

the outworking

of patience

what is it

to look

like

for the

people

here

that

James

is

writing

to

and for

ourselves

as well

well

what we

see here

is James

speak about

something he

speaks about

throughout

this book

of where

patience

is so

often

seen

and it

works out

for us

in two

ways

it works

out in

how we

deal

with each

other

how we

deal

among

ourselves

as the

Lord's

people

and also

how we

deal

with those

around

us

patience

is being

tested

often

in our

lives

we see

it so

often

but we

see it

among

the

Lord's

people

we can

see it

among

ourselves

at times

when we

can be

impatient

when we

can start

to grumble

it's

natural

because

we're

sinners

and yet

what do

we do

when we

start to

find

ourselves

in

that

well

we're

going back

to that

word

patience

but it

also

says

in

verse

9

do

not

grumble

against

one

another

brothers

so that

you may

not

be

judged

behold

the

judge

is

standing

at

the

door

and what

James is

saying

here

he says

it

too

in

verse

12

but

above

all

brothers

do

not

swear

either

by heaven

or by

earth

he's

talking

there

about

what

we

say

our

speech

and

it's

so

often

something

that

James

highlights

in

this

book

seen

as a

book

of

the

New

Testament

Proverbs

the

wisdom

book

in

the

New

Testament

and

he's

talking

here

about

our

relationship

among

each

other

our

relationship

with

those

around

us

and

how

so

often

boils

down

to

how

we

speak

to

each

other

and

James

he has

a whole

section

on this

in chapter

3

verse 1

to verse

12

I'm sure

you've read

it

I'm sure

we've all

tried to

apply it

to our

lives

taming

the tongue

where he

speaks about

the power

of the tongue

of how

our words

from such

a small

thing

the tongue

of the

damage

that the

tongue

can cause

and so

it

goes on

it

speaks

much

of

the

power

of

the

tongue

and so

as he

speaks

here

of

patience

it so

much

boils

down

to

just

how

we

speak

with

one

another

do we

grumble

against

one

another

do we

speak

ill

against

each

other

or

against

those

around

us

what

are we

saying

about

people

what

are we

saying

to

people

how

are we

dealing

with

them

the

tongue

can

do

a lot

of

damage

but

in our

patience

in our

patience

looking to

God

the tongue

can be

used for

great things

as well

it has a

healing

power

and it's

far better

to use

it

for that

so as we

look at

number

verse 9

do not

grumble

against

one another

be patient

with each

other

be kind

to each

other

encourage

one

another

so we

are to

be

patient

in our

fellowship

we are

also to

be

patient

with

those

around

us

you

think

of

another

example

of

that

from

the

Old

Testament

Daniel

you take

Daniel

as an

example

of

patience

and

dealing

with

those

around

him

who

did

not

trust

God

who

did

not

believe

God

Daniel

Daniel 6 · chapter mention

chapter

6

tells

us

the

story

of

Daniel

being

thrown

into

the

lion's

den

because

he

wouldn't

compromise

his

faith

he

stood

firm

and

God

shielded

him

God

was

patient

towards

him

and

he

was

patient

towards

God

he

didn't

turn

against

God

but

he

trusted

God

and

what

was

the

outcome

King

Darius

declared

that

the

nation

was

to

worship

Daniel's

God

God

his

patience

his

long

suffering

was

seen

by

those

around

him

the

wonder

of

God

protecting

him

was

seen

by

those

around

him

and

King

Darius

declared

that the

nation

should

worship

Daniel's

God

you see

there the

power

of our

Christian

witness

and what

kind of

Christian

witness

do we

have

what do

we say

to those

around

us

how do

we

say

it

there's

so much

we would

maybe

long

to

say

there's

so much

so many

arguments

we might

want to

enter

into

but let

us be

careful

how we

speak

let us

be careful

what we

say

so that

we can

learn the

lessons

that we

see

throughout

scripture

by showing

love

and compassion

and still

being steadfast

in the

word of

God

that we

might heap

burning

coals

on their

head

as it

says

elsewhere

and they

might see

something

in us

of the

wonder

of God

the

patience

of God

towards

us

that we

have come

to know

a saviour

who has

been patient

with us

a people

who are

lost

and helpless

like we

sung in

psalm 103

the wonder

of God's

patience

towards

us

that he

has shown

us

steadfast

love

that he

has shown

us

compassion

and forgiveness

and all

of these

things

let us

learn

above all

from the

example

of Christ

the one

who showed

patience

the one

who showed

mercy

and grace

and long

suffering

the one

who endured

the cross

for our

sakes

that is above

all what

James is

teaching the

people here

to keep

faith

in the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

be

patient

therefore

brothers

until the

coming

of the

Lord

that their

focus

is to be

on the

Lord

and that

they are to

be patient

with him

and with

those

around them

so let us

endeavor to

learn

patience

the patience

that depends

on God

alone

and is secure

in Christ

as our

Lord

and as we

wait

his

return

let us

do so

seeing the

need

for patience

the need

is there

before us

it's such

a powerful

thing

to be

patient

in the

midst