James Ch5v7-12 - Patience In Suffering

Look forward to catching up with you over tea and coffee.

Amelia is going to come and read for us from James.

So if you want to look up there.

Moving from James 5 verse 7 to 12.

James 5:7–12

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.

You too be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.

Don't grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged.

The judge is standing at the door.

Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering,

take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

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.

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 simple yes or no, otherwise you will be condemned.

Thank you very much, Amelia.

We're just taking a break this week from our studies in Genesis.

We're going to be looking at James 5, so let's keep our Bibles open there.

And we're going to pray and ask for God's help.

Let's pray.

Father, we thank you that you are the God who meets us in our need

and holds us by your right hand,

your strong, caring and protective hand.

And we ask now that you would speak to us

so that you might help us

in our lives individually and corporately together as your people.

For we need you.

We need your blessing.

So help us now, we pray in Jesus' name.

Amen.

So how do you cope with trials and struggles?

When you face a particular suffering,

how do you deal with it?

How do you respond to it?

If you're treated unjustly and accused falsely,

do you seek revenge?

Or if you experience a fallout in a relationship,

do you simply just give up?

Or you receive news of an unwanted diagnosis,

are you bitter?

Or your closest friend suddenly dies,

are you angry?

Perhaps like me, when things come that we don't want,

we just hope and pray that God will make it all stop

and all go away.

Well, James is writing to Christians

who are facing all kinds of suffering.

Just look how he started his letter.

Go back to chapter 1 with me for a minute.

Chapter 1, verse 2.

This is how he started out.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,

whenever you face trials of many kinds.

He doesn't say if you face trials,

but whenever you face trials.

In other words, we're not going to go through

a suffering-free life.

In fact, we're to expect it.

We're to prepare for it.

We will face trials, verse 2,

of many kinds.

So I wonder, what is your trial today?

Maybe it's physical health concerns.

Maybe it's a relational issue.

Could be spiritual.

Maybe a combination of all of them.

But the message is very clear.

Suffering is the normal experience of life.

And we need to know how to respond

when we come across it.

So how do we respond?

Well, let's go back to chapter 5.

Because surprisingly,

we're encouraged to be patient.

Look at verse 7.

Be patient then, brothers and sisters.

Verse 8.

You too be patient.

Well, patient in what?

Well, look at verse 10.

Brothers and sisters,

as an example of patience

in the face of suffering.

Be patient.

I mean, have you any idea

what it's constantly like

to be in trouble?

To wait for years

for a consultant?

To experience heartache and hardship?

What planet are you on, James?

What do you mean,

be patient?

I'm suffering here.

I want it to end

and I want it to stop right now.

Patience?

Is that the best you can offer me?

Well, patience doesn't mean

just put up and shut up.

Patience is a demonstration

of faith.

Patience means

resting in the absolute certainty

that God will not forget you

or fail you,

but will ensure that

all suffering will end.

That's our big theme.

Resting in the absolute certainty

that God will not forget you

or fail you,

but will ensure that

all suffering will end.

So when you receive

bad news from your doctor,

be patient.

When you find the job

that you're in a struggle,

be patient.

When you experience

an injustice,

be patient.

When we face trials

of many kinds,

be patient.

patient.

In the face of suffering,

James gives us

two reasons

why we can be patient.

Here's the first one.

The Lord is coming.

Verse 7.

Be patient then,

brothers and sisters,

until the Lord's coming.

We see the same in verse 8.

You too,

be patient

and stand firm

because the Lord

is coming near.

When the Lord Jesus returns,

all wrongs will be put right,

all hurts are going to be healed,

and every storm

will be stilled.

For the Christian,

the message is clear.

Your trials

are not forever.

Did you notice

what it said in verse 7?

Be patient

until

the Lord's coming.

So there will come a time

when we don't need patience anymore.

Verse 8.

You too,

be patient

and stand firm

because the Lord's coming

is near.

Suffering will one day

end.

Because the Lord is coming,

because it is certain,

I can be patient.

He gives us an example

of what that patience is

in the rest of verse 7.

Think about the farmers.

See how the farmer waits

for the land

to yield its valuable crop,

patiently waiting

for the autumn

and spring rains.

Well, we get rain

all the time,

don't we?

Maybe too much of it

and if you're a farmer,

you're probably

complaining a lot.

In other countries,

rains come just

twice a year,

autumn

and spring.

And if there's no rain,

there's no fruit,

there's no produce,

there's no crops,

the farmer will do

what he can,

he'll plant his seed

and then wait

patiently.

And then wait

patiently.

Although the dry season

may last for weeks

and months,

the rains do come.

Well, in the same way,

he's telling us

that the hardships

and the heartaches

that we endure,

they may seem like

they never end.

They just go on and on.

But the rains are coming.

The end will come.

In the Bible,

the rains,

the rainy season,

is symbol of God's promise

to renew

and to restore all things.

If you keep your finger

in James 5

and go back to Psalm 126,

we'll see an example of this.

Psalm 126.

So we're thinking

of the rainy seasons

as a symbol of God's

restoration and renewal.

And in this psalm,

the writer is looking back

to better days,

to good days.

Verse 2,

he tells us,

our mouths were filled

with laughter,

our tongues with songs

of joy.

That it was said

among the nations,

the Lord has done

great things for them.

Those were good times,

the best of times.

But now it seems

there is a season

of suffering.

And the cry goes out,

verse 4,

restore our fortunes,

Lord,

like streams in the Negev,

waiting for the rains

to come.

Those who sow with tears

will reap

with songs of joy.

You see,

today may be

a season of tears,

longing,

waiting,

hoping,

but a day

is coming

when there will be

songs of joy.

Let's go back

to James 5.

The rains of renewal

and restoration

are coming.

So,

rest in the

absolute certainty

that God will not

forget you

or fail you,

but will ensure

that all suffering

will end.

Now,

because the Lord

is coming,

it shapes

how we live

today,

right now.

Two things here

because of the

Lord's coming.

He tells us

to stand firm,

verse 8.

You too

be patient

and stand

firm

because the

Lord is coming.

When the

storms come

upon us,

when we're

drowning

and struggling

to breathe,

when the waves

crash upon us,

we can

stand

firm.

We stand

firm

on the

promises of

God

that He

is coming.

That is our

anchor.

That is our

rock and refuge.

That is what

will give me

hope.

This is the

confidence

and assurance

we have.

Despite the

trials we may

go through,

God has not

abandoned me.

He has me

in the grip

of His

right hand,

His strong

and mighty

hand.

He will not

forget me

or fail me.

The fact

that the

Lord is

coming

means I

can stand

firm.

But not

just stand

firm.

In our

patience and

in our

waiting,

He also

says to us,

don't grumble.

That's a hard

one, isn't

it?

Verse 9,

don't grumble

against one

another,

brothers and

sisters.

You see,

when we go

through trials,

the danger is

we can look

around us

and begin to

compare ourselves

to others.

Their life

is easy.

Why don't

they ever

struggle?

If only

they knew

what it was

like.

And as

we look at

the lives

of other

people and

we compare

ourselves to

them,

we can

get bitter.

We can

become angry.

At times

we grumble

and complain.

We can

even begin

to take our

hurts out

on others

and in our

pain we can

lash out.

Well,

He says

something to

us here.

Do you see

it at the

end of verse

9?

Don't

grumble

or you

will be

judged.

The judge

is standing

at the

door.

The judge

is coming.

The Lord

Jesus is

coming.

And when

He comes

He will

put everything

right.

We don't

have to do

that.

He will

make it

right.

So don't

grumble.

The Lord

is coming.

Rest in

the absolute

certainty

that God

will not

forget you

or fail

you.

But will

ensure that

all suffering

will end.

Oh,

you say,

Johnny,

that's brilliant.

The Lord's

coming.

When's that?

That could be

another 10 or

20 years.

What about

now?

The heartaches

and the

struggles are

still with

me.

I know

He's

coming.

Well,

here's the

second reason

to be

patient.

The Lord

is faithful.

Look at

verse 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.

Remember

the prophets?

People like

Jeremiah,

Isaiah?

They were

those who

spoke God's

word on

behalf of

God.

Well,

you read

their stories

and they

faced all

kinds of

suffering.

In fact,

it seems to

be that those

who were

prophets and

those who

served God,

it didn't

lessen their

suffering.

It actually

increased it.

And of course,

the best example

of one of the

prophets who

suffered greatly

is Job.

That's what we're

reminded of if you

look at the

middle of verse

11.

You have

heard of

Job's

perseverance

and have

seen what

the Lord

finally brought

about.

He's saying,

do you remember

the story of

Job?

Do you

remember?

Well,

let's go to

chapter 38

of Job.

Job chapter

Job 38 · chapter mention

38.

The beginning

of Job,

if you don't

know it,

tells us that

Job was a

blameless

and upright

man, one

who feared

God and

shunned evil.

He was a

good guy.

He was a

good community

person.

He loved

the Lord.

And if

anyone deserved

a suffering

free life,

it was

Job.

But yet

his life

was filled

with all

kinds of

suffering.

He lost

all his

crops and

all his

herds.

All his

financial

security ripped

from beneath

him.

If that

wasn't bad

enough, all

his children

died in a

tornado when

the house

collapsed upon

them.

And then

he lost

his health.

to a

crippling

painful

skin

disease.

And as

time

passed, the

sufferings only

seemed to get

worse.

His so-called

comforting

friends, well

they began to

point the

finger and

blame him.

Well, Job,

you know what?

If you didn't

do this or you

didn't do that,

then these

sufferings wouldn't

be happening

to you.

It was

insult to

injury.

And as the

account of

Job's life

concludes, we

find him

alone in

his pain.

And then

God speaks.

What would

God say?

What does he

say to us

today in our

suffering?

Well, look at

verse 4,

Job chapter

Job 38 · chapter mention

38.

With all our

questions and

wonderings, God

asks us

questions.

Where were

you when I

laid the

earth's

foundation?

Tell me if

you understand.

Who marked

off its

dimensions?

Surely you

must know.

Who stretched

a measuring

line across

it?

on what

were its

footings set?

Or who

laid its

cornerstone

while the

morning stars

sang together

and all the

angels shouted

for joy?

Job, were

you there at

the beginning

of time?

Who created

the universe?

Was it you?

Who rules

and controls

all things?

Job, who

is over

your life?

And the

questions

continue.

And then

finally Job

responds,

chapter 42,

verse 1.

Then Job

replied to

the Lord,

I know

that you

can do

all things.

No purpose

of yours

can be

thwarted.

God's

plan,

plan,

that his

people will

persevere

in the

greatest of

trials and

struggles.

God's

plan to

make sure

his people

make it to

the end

can't be

thwarted.

It can't

be derailed.

God is

faithful.

Remember

what we

sang in

one of

our

songs

earlier?

This is

what it's

calling for.

And I

will trust

the hands

that made

the starry

heavens.

And I

will trust

the wounds

of Calvary.

And I

will trust

and I

will not

be afraid

for all

his ways

are love.

the hands

that made

the universe,

the hands

that were

crucified

for you

and for

me,

the hands

that will

be upon

our life

and will

make sure

that we

get to

the end

will never

ever fail

us.

God is

faithful.

Let's go

back to

James.

You see,

suffering

can knock

us and

crush us.

We can

doubt and

we can

question.

But no

suffering,

no trial

can shake

the steadfast

faithfulness

of God.

He created

you.

He sustains

you.

God is

fully and

faithfully

committed

to you.

His plans

to keep

you cannot

be broken.

Look at

the end

of verse

11.

He says,

you have

heard of

Job's

perseverance

and have

seen what

the Lord

finally brought

about.

Job's

life was

restored.

He was

blessed with

a new

family and

with great

wealth.

But here's

the point

of the text.

Do you

see it

there?

The

Lord

brought

it

about.

The

Lord was

with

Job

and

assured

that he

would

persevere

and not

give up

and that

he would

receive.

Now I'm

sure that

in your

suffering

sometimes we

wonder if I'm

ever going to

make it.

Some days

it's like

we're on a

knife edge

and we

can take

no more.

But the

God of

Job

is our

God too.

He is

faithful

and he

will bring

about what

he promised.

So rest

in the

absolute

certainty

that God

will not

fail you

or forget

you

but will

ensure that

all suffering

will end.

doubt.

And if

we do

doubt

and sometimes

we do

we're given

two great

assurances

of why the

Lord is

faithful.

Here's the

first one.

It comes at

the end of

verse 11.

The Lord

is full

of compassion.

You know

when God

introduced

himself at

the beginning

of the

Bible story

he reveals

who he is

and this is

what he says

about his

name,

about his

character.

He says

the Lord

the Lord

the compassionate

and gracious

God.

That's how

God wants

us to know

him.

He says

I am

compassion.

You see

compassion

expresses that

deep love

and concern

he has for

his people.

It's a

gut reaction

to our

need.

God's

natural

instinct

is to

enter

into our

hurts.

He moves

towards

sufferers

not away

from them.

He embraces

the weak.

He doesn't

shun them.

He holds

close the

broken.

He doesn't

rebuke

them.

a friend

of mine

was telling

me just

this week

down at

the GAA

grounds,

Wednesday

night was

a first

night for

mums to

try out

GAA.

And there

was about

90 of them

there on

the pitch.

All the

children were

corralled

into an

enclosed

area

nearby.

And in

the midst

of all

the noise

and all

the games

and activity

there was

just a

silence.

And then

there was

a cry

went out.

Mom!

And they

said in

unison these

90 mums

just turned

around and

just started

walking

towards where

all the

kids were

corralled.

Compassion.

compassion.

Moving

towards

the

suffering.

God

knows your

cry before

a word is

even spoken.

Your

suffering

matters to

God.

Compassion

is his

reaction.

But he's

not just

full of

compassion.

He is

full of

mercy.

Full of

mercy.

God's

mercies are

seen every

day in

the air we

breathe and

the food we

eat.

He doesn't

come looking

for faults.

He doesn't

look for a

reason to

blame.

He doesn't

come and

say come

on get on

with it

try harder.

No he

gives to

us regardless

of what we've

done or

how we

are.

One writer

puts it

like this

God never

ever stops

being God.

He never

stops being

merciful.

Even when

the clouds of

darkness loom

his mercies

never cease.

Every day

we wake up

with a

heartache

God's

mercy meets

us.

every

hardship we

encounter

God's

mercy will

be new.

The Lord

is full of

compassion and

mercy.

And if

ever we

should doubt

it look at

the hands

of Calvary

where Christ

entered with

compassion

into the

mess and

brokenness of

our lives

and in

his mercy

and kindness

took our

sin upon

himself and

died for

us.

If God

gave us the

greatest gift

his son

how much

more

will he

graciously give

to us

all that we

need.

Compassion

and mercy

moment by

moment

day after

day

year after

year.

rest in

the absolute

certainty

that God

will not

forget you

or fail

you but

will ensure

that all

suffering will

end.

So

patience

the message

is clear

in the face

of our

suffering

be patient

verse 12

above all

my brothers

and sisters

do not

swear

he's not

talking here

about bad

language but

he's saying

don't promise

don't make

promises

don't

don't make

promises by

heaven or by

earth or

anything else.

Well what

could he mean

what's he on

about well

when we

face suffering

we can easily

make rash

promises

can't we

Lord if you

if you just

get me through

this difficulty

I promise

I'll read

my Bible

more.

Lord if

you just

heal me

I'm going

to serve

more in

the church.

Lord if

you would

just end

this difficulty

I promise

I will give

more.

You ever

bartered

with God

like that?

I have.

Lord if

you just

stop the

suffering I

promise I

will do

better I'll

be good.

The way

to deal

with suffering

is not to

try and

force God

with empty

promises.

We believe

his promises.

We trust

his promises.

Don't make

rash promises

about ourselves

of things

we can do

which we

will never

keep.

Turn

instead to

God

who is

coming.

The God

who is

faithful.

End of

verse 12

all you need

to say is a

simple yes

or no

otherwise

you will be

condemned.

Just say

yes to

God's

promise

no to

the making

of our

kinds of

promises.

Lord I

trust you.

I don't

understand it

all.

But you

are coming.

Suffering

will end.

And as I

wait

you are

faithful.

You are

full of

compassion and

mercy.

So

together

let us

rest in the

absolute

certainty

that God

will not

forget you

or fail

you but

will ensure

that all

suffering will

end.

Let's

pray.

Father you

know

the struggle

and the

trial

that each

one here

may face.

Father you

know the

ones that

we can

share and

the inner

ones the

deep ones

that we

feel we

can't.

Thank you

that you

understand us.

Thank you

that you

care for

us.

Thank you

that you

move towards

us and

you react

with

compassion

and mercy.

Thank you

father for

the great

and wonderful

promise

that you

are coming

the new

heavens and

the new

creation

will one

day be

ours to

enjoy

and on

that day

it'll

all be

over.

Father

please give

us strength

that we

may trust

your promise

that you

will faithfully

keep us

till that

end.

We praise

you and

thank you

in Jesus

name.

Amen.

Well I

couldn't find

a hymn

about

patience

but I

think it

does say

something

about

patience

and we

can sing

about

the

peace

that we

have

from

the

Lord.

If

you're

able to

stand

and sing