Patience in the face of Suffering - James 5:7-12

Any of the talks from any of the speakers, we've had a variety of speakers taking us through James.

You can look up the church website and you can follow along from any of the talks.

Sam's passing out notes and pens. If you want one, just put your hand up and one can be brought to you.

Thank you, Sam.

So let's read God's Word, James chapter 5, starting at verse 7.

James 5 · chapter mention

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 a simple yes or no.

Otherwise, you will be condemned.

Well, as we look at God's Word together, let's pray and ask for his help.

Father, thank you for your word.

Thank you that it speaks truth and grace into our lives.

Amen.

We need to hear from you and we need your help in understanding.

So please, by your Holy Spirit, be at work and make your word effective in our life, we pray.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Amen.

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Amen.

You experience opposition because of what you believe.

Do you give up?

You receive news that you have an incurable illness.

Are you bitter?

Your loved one suddenly dies.

Are you angry?

Perhaps in those moments of trial and suffering,

you pray more, you believe more,

in the hope that God is going to make it all stop

and that it's all going to go away.

Well, those that James is writing to

are facing all kinds of suffering.

Remember how he started the letter.

James chapter 1 verse 2.

James 1:2

If you go back to James chapter 1 verse 2.

James 1:2

Here's how he started the whole letter.

James 1 verse 2.

James 1:2

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,

whenever you face trials of many kinds.

He doesn't say if you face trials,

but look carefully whenever you face trials.

We don't go through life suffering free.

In fact, James is highlighting at the beginning

that we are to expect it.

We are to prepare for it.

And those that he's been writing to

have suffered all different kinds of trials.

Some of them opposition.

Some of them discrimination.

Others, injustice.

So have a look at chapter 5 verse 4.

You'll remember this from last week.

Chapter 5 verse 4.

Look, the wages you failed to pay the workers

who mowed your fields are crying out against you.

The cries of the harvesters have reached

the ears of the Lord Almighty.

You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgent.

You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.

So here's the situation that people find themselves in.

The rich are getting richer.

The poor are getting poorer.

The most vulnerable, those who are widows,

the orphans, the sick,

they're all suffering.

And instead of equality and fairness,

for some, things seem to be getting worse.

Injustice is all around them.

So the message is clear throughout James.

Suffering is the normal experience of life.

And we need to know how we are to respond

when we face our particular sufferings.

So how do you respond?

How do you respond when trials come?

Well, here's the surprise.

Rather than pray for our suffering to stop,

we are encouraged to be patient.

Rather than pray for it to stop,

we are encouraged, first of all, to be patient.

Look at verse 7.

Chapter 5, verse 7.

Be patient then.

In the light of all these trials and all these struggles,

as he comes to his conclusion of his letter,

be patient then, brothers and sisters.

Verse 8.

You too, be patient and stand firm.

Well, it's easy to say, be patient.

But have you any idea what it's like

to be constantly accused

for something you never did?

Do you know what it's like to wait for months,

perhaps years,

to see a consultant?

Have you experienced what it's like

to live with ongoing, unending pain?

What planet are you on, James?

What do you mean to say, be patient?

I'm suffering here.

And I want all these trials to end.

Patience.

Is that the best that you can offer me?

But true faith, genuine faith,

is demonstrated in patience.

You see, patience doesn't mean

just put up with it and get on with it,

grin and bear it.

In this context, patience means,

and you can read it on the screen,

resting in the absolute certainty

that God will not forget you or fail you,

but will ensure that justice is done

and all suffering will end.

that encapsulates the theme of these verses,

resting in the absolute certainty

that God will not forget you or fail you,

but will ensure that justice is done

and that all suffering will end.

So you see, when you face or receive bad news

from your doctor,

be patient.

If you lose your job

and you're struggling financially,

be patient.

When you experience an injustice,

be patient.

When you face opposition

because you follow the Lord Jesus,

be patient.

And in the face of suffering,

James gives us two reasons

why we can be patient.

Two reasons why we can be patient

in the face of suffering.

Number one,

the Lord is coming.

The Lord is coming.

Look at verse 7 again.

Be patient then, brothers and sisters,

until the Lord's coming.

He tells us the same in verse 8.

You too be patient and stand firm

because the Lord's coming is near.

The coming of the Lord

will ensure that justice will be done

and that suffering will end

for the believer.

When the Lord Jesus returns again,

wrongs will be put to right

and our heartaches will be healed.

For the Christian,

and I want us all to hear this this morning,

your struggles and the trials

that you may be facing today

or that you will face in the future

are not forever.

Look closely at verse 7.

He says,

Be patient until the Lord's coming.

Injustice will not last forever.

There is a set period of time

in which we will go through it,

but when the Lord returns,

it will end.

Verse 8.

Be patient because the Lord's coming is near.

Suffering will soon end

because the Lord Jesus is soon to return.

Because the Lord is coming,

because His coming is certain,

because His coming is close,

I can be patient.

He provides us with a helpful little illustration

in verse 7.

See how the farmer waits

for the land to yield its valuable crop,

patiently waiting

for the autumn and spring rains.

Well, we don't have to wait for rain,

do we, in this country?

Unfortunately, it rains all the time.

But in other countries

and in the context that James is writing,

well, rains came just twice a year,

autumn and spring.

And without the rains falling,

there was no fruit,

there was no produce.

So the farmer does what he can.

He plants his seed,

he tends to his crop,

and then he must patiently wait.

There's nothing he can do

to alter or change the seasons or nature.

He patiently waits.

And although the dry season lasts a long time,

months go by,

the rains do come.

And in the same way,

the injustice and the sufferings

that we may endure

may seem to never end.

The season just goes on

and on and on.

But the rains will come.

The rains will come.

The prophets used the rain

as a symbol of God's promise coming

to restore and renew all things.

If you want,

you can have a look.

It's on page 914.

Keep your finger in James

and you can look at Joel chapter 2.

Joel 2 · chapter mention

Joel chapter 2.

Joel 2 · chapter mention

Here's an example of the prophets

speaking of the coming rains

as a symbol

of God's promise coming

to restore and renew all things.

Joel chapter 2.

Joel 2 · chapter mention

It's on page 914.

Joel chapter 2.

Joel 2 · chapter mention

Verse 23.

God through the prophets

speaking to his people.

Verse 23.

Be glad, people of Zion.

Rejoice in the Lord your God

for he has given you

the autumn rains

because he is faithful.

He sends you abundant showers

both autumn and spring rains

as before.

The threshing floors

will be filled with grain.

There's going to be

a great harvest.

The vats will overflow

with new wine and oil.

Verse 27.

Then you will know

that I am in Israel,

that I am the Lord your God

and that there is no other.

Never again will my people

be shamed.

As Joel was speaking to the people

in the circumstances,

he looked forward

to the time of the Lord's coming.

The rains of renewal

and restoration

are on the way.

So let me encourage you.

Rest in the absolute certainty

that God will not forget you,

God will not fail you,

but will ensure that justice

is done

and all suffering

will end.

And because the Lord is coming,

it means then

that I can

stand firm.

Look at verse 8 again

of James chapter 5.

James 5 · chapter mention

Go back to James chapter 5.

James 5 · chapter mention

Verse 8.

He says,

You too,

be patient

and stand firm

because the Lord's coming

is near.

I don't need to worry

when the storms come.

When suffering

crashes into me

like a tsunami,

I can stand strong.

The promised coming

of the Lord

is my anchor.

It's my harbor.

It's my safety.

It's my refuge.

God has not abandoned me.

He's not going to forget me

or fail me.

The fact that the Lord

is coming

and it's absolutely certain

and it's getting closer

with every day,

I can stand firm

in my trials

and in my difficulties.

The Lord is coming.

Stand firm.

It also means

that I don't have to grumble.

Verse 9.

Don't grumble

against one another,

brothers and sisters,

or you will be judged.

The judge is standing

at the door.

You see,

when I experience

an injustice,

I don't need

to seek revenge.

When somebody wrongs me,

I don't need

to get bitter

or angry.

When I face

discrimination

or opposition,

I don't need

to hold a grudge

against that person.

The fact

that the judge

is coming,

the judge

who is going

to know all things,

is going to put

every wrong right.

So,

I don't need

to grumble.

I don't need

to give off.

God will not

forget you.

God will not

fail you.

God will ensure

that justice

is done

and suffering

will end.

So,

reason number

one,

to be patient.

The Lord

is coming.

Stand firm

and don't grumble.

Reason number

two,

to be patient.

The Lord

is faithful.

The Lord

is faithful.

Verse

10.

Brothers

and sisters,

as an example

of patience

in the face

of our suffering,

take the prophets

who spoke

in the name

of the Lord.

So,

he's saying,

look,

stand back

from your suffering.

Stand back

from your trials

and let's look

at some examples.

Look at the prophets.

The people

in the past

who spoke

on behalf

of God.

Look at

their lives.

they faced

all kinds

of suffering.

And the fact

that they served

God

and were faithful

to God

didn't lessen

their suffering.

It actually

increased

because they

stood with God.

Jeremiah

was beaten,

imprisoned

and faced

constant threats

to his life.

Ezekiel

endured

daily opposition

and rejection

and in the

middle of it

all,

his one

companion,

his wife,

his wife

dies.

Daniel,

a young man

captured and

brought to a

foreign land,

a refugee,

ends up

in the den

of lions.

Each of these

prophets

and all of them

besides,

they all

suffered

were

but they

kept on

going.

They were

patient

in their

trials.

Look at

verse 11.

As you

know,

we count as

blessed

those who

have

persevered.

persevered,

the word there,

it's the same

word for

patient.

We count as

blessed those

who have

persevered,

those who

have been

patient

in their

trials.

Despite

all their

struggles,

they were

patient

and they

received

their reward.

James talked

about that,

didn't he?

Do you remember

chapter 1?

James chapter

James 1:12

1 verse

12.

James chapter

James 1:12

1 verse

12.

Blessed

is the

one who

perseveres,

the one who

is patient

under trial

because having

stood the

test,

having gone

through all

the difficulties

and struggles,

that person

will receive

the crown

of life

that the

Lord has

promised to

those who

love him.

Rest in

the absolute

certainty

that God

will not

forget you

and God

will not

fail you

but will

ensure that

justice is

done and

suffering will

end.

The Lord

is faithful.

Of course,

the best

example from

the prophets

is Job,

isn't it?

Look at the

end of

verse 11,

chapter 5,

verse 11.

You have

heard of

Job's

perseverance

or Job's

patience

and have

seen what

the Lord

finally brought

about.

The Lord

is full

of compassion

and mercy.

Let's go

and have

a look

at Job.

His story

is recorded

for us

in Scripture.

We'll

come back

to James

but go

to Job.

It's on

page 509.

Page

509

if you're

using the

church

Bible.

Job

or

sorry,

Job.

So James

is saying

I want us

to consider

the life

of Job.

Job,

we're told

right at the

beginning,

was a

blameless,

upright,

a man who

feared God

and shunned

evil.

So if there

was anyone

who deserved

a suffering

free life,

it was Job.

But if you

know the

story,

Job suffered

greatly.

He lost

his crops

and his

herds to

raiding

thieves.

All his

financial

security is

gone in a

moment.

His

children

all die

in a

tornado.

Left

heartbroken.

And then

if that

isn't bad

enough,

on top

of all

of that,

we're

told that

he lost

his health

to a

crippling

painful

skin

disease.

Job

was a

man who

understood

and

experienced

suffering.

How did

he respond?

Well,

look at

chapter 2

verses 9

and 10.

His wife

said to

him,

are you

still

maintaining

your

integrity?

Curse God

and die.

God isn't

here to

help you,

Job.

God isn't

going to

do anything

for you.

Curse God

and die.

He replied,

you are

talking like

a foolish

woman.

Shall we

accept good

from God

and not

trouble?

In all

this,

Job did

not sin

in what

he said.

As time

passed,

his

suffering

increased.

Job's

so-called

comforting

friends who

come to

support him

actually

actually only

added to

the pain

as they

blamed

Job

for his

suffering,

saying you

must have

sinned,

you must

have done

things wrong,

God's punishing

you,

Job.

It was

adding insult

to injury.

How did

Job respond

to that?

We'll have

a look at

Job chapter

Job 19:25

19,

verse 25.

Job 19,

Job 19:25

verse 25.

In the

midst

of his

heartache,

in the

midst of

his

pain,

listen to

the words

of Job,

verse 25.

I know

that my

Redeemer

lives,

and that

in the

end he

will stand

on the

earth,

God will

rule.

And after

my skin

has been

destroyed,

after I

die,

yet in

my flesh

I will

see

God.

I

myself

will see

him with

my own

eyes,

I and

not another.

how my

heart

yearns

within

me.

And when

everyone

had left

Job,

and Job

was left

to himself,

and all

Job had

was the

cries of

his own

pain and

heartache,

God

speaks

into

Job's

life.

Have a

look at

Job

Job 38:4

chapter

38,

verse

4.

Job

38,

the last

few

chapters

of

Job

is a

big

speech

from

God

speaking

to

Job.

Job

Job 38:4

38,

verse 4,

God

speaks to

him and

he says,

where were

you when

I laid

the earth's

foundation?

Tell me

if you

understand.

Who

marked off

its

dimensions?

Surely

you know.

Who

stretched a

measuring line

across it?

Or what

were its

footing set?

Or who

laid its

cornerstone

while the

morning stars

sang together

and all the

angels shouted

for joy?

Job,

who created

and who

sustained the

universe?

Were you

there when I

put the

universe into

existence?

Job,

who rules

and controls

the stars

and the

planets

and the

tides?

Job,

who's

over your

life?

How does

Job respond?

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.

Nothing

will ever

interfere

with the

plans and

purposes and

the promises

of God.

Job

suffered

all kinds

of injustice

but the

Lord remained

faithful to

Job.

And at

the end

of the

story of

Job,

we read

these words,

chapter 42,

verse 10.

After Job

prayed for

his friends,

the Lord

restored his

fortunes and

gave him twice

as much as

he had

before.

Verse 12,

the Lord

blessed the

latter part of

Job's life

more than

the former

part.

Verse 13,

and he also

had seven

sons and

three daughters.

Verse 16,

after this,

Job lived

140 years.

He saw

his children

and their

children to

the fourth

generation,

and so

Job died,

an old

man and

full of

years.

Consider

and think

about the

life of

Job.

Go back

to James

James 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5.

Job.

The point

of looking

at the

life of

Job

is to

see that

in the

face of

suffering,

we are

to be

patient

like

Job

because

the Lord

is faithful.

Isn't that

what it says

at the end

of verse 11?

The Lord

is full

of compassion

and mercy.

Because the

Lord was

faithful to

the prophets

of the

past,

because the

Lord was

faithful to

Job,

the Lord

is going

to be

faithful to

you.

We may

not experience

healing in

this life.

Our troubles

may last

until we

die.

But the

Lord is

faithful and

he will

bring about

what he

has promised.

how can

I be so

sure that

God is

going to

be faithful

to me?

Well,

consider the

true and

ultimate

prophet,

the Lord

Jesus.

He has

secured

your future

by his

death on

the cross.

He has

forgiven all

your sin

and all

your failure

and that

will never

be held

against you.

He

guarantees

your

eternal

destiny

by rising

again from

the grave.

He defeated

death.

He destroyed

it.

And through

our faith

in him,

we have

the absolute

assurance

of eternal

life.

Consider

your true

prophet,

the Lord

Jesus.

My

brothers and

sisters,

rest in the

absolute

certainty

that God

will not

forget you,

God will

not fail

you.

God will

ensure that

justice is

done and

all suffering

will end.

the message

from James

is clear.

In the

face of

suffering,

be patient.

Look at

verse 12.

It's a

hard verse.

It's hard

to work

out how

it fits

in with

the rest

of what

we've

just

looked at.

But look

carefully.

He says,

verse 12,

above all

my brothers

and sisters,

do not

swear.

Don't

make

promises.

Don't

make promises

not by

heaven or

by earth

or by

anything

else.

When we

face suffering,

we can so

easily make

rash promises.

Lord,

if you get

me through

this difficulty,

I promise

I will read

my Bible

more.

Lord,

if you just

heal me,

I promise

I'm going

to serve

more at

church.

Lord,

if you

just end

this difficulty,

I promise

I'm going

to give

you more.

Have you

ever made

promises like

that in

your struggles?

I have.

I've made

many promises.

Lord,

stop the

suffering and

I promise

that I'm

going to

do better.

look,

the way

to deal

with

suffering

is not

to try

and force

God

with empty

promises.

Such

promises

only have

our own

interests

at heart.

Instead,

look at

the end

of verse

12.

All you

need to

say is

a simple

yes

or no,

otherwise

you will

be condemned.

Don't

make these

promises

you can't

keep,

which are

actually

self-centered

and focused

on your

own

desires

about

trying to

make your

life better,

which has

no interest

in God.

Just say

yes

to God's

will.

Just say

no

to your

own will.

Lord,

I accept

what you

bring into

my life

and I

will not

fight it.

I accept

what you

bring into

my life

and I

will not

fight it.

Yes

to God's

will.

No

to our

own will.

Be

patient.

Be

patient

because

in the

face of

suffering,

remember

the Lord

is

coming.

The

Lord

is

faithful.

Rest

in the

absolute

certainty

that God

will not

forget you

and God

will not

fail you,

but will

ensure that

justice is

done

and all

suffering

will end.

Be

patient.

Let's

pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Father,

you know

the trials

that each

one of us

walk in

and you

know

the

sufferings

that we

will

face

in the

future.

Not

one of

us

will

go

through

life

without

heartache

or

pain.

And in

the midst

of it,

Father,

we pray

that we

will keep

to our

memory

that you

are coming

and that

you are

faithful

and that

all who

trust in

you,

all who

look

to you

have the

absolute

assurance

that you

will not

fail us.

You will

not forget

your people

but you

will ensure

that one

day justice

is done

and suffering

will end.

give us

patience,

give us

grace

until that

day.

We pray

this for

your glory

and for

your honour.

Amen.

We're

going to

sing

together.

It's an

oldie,

old songs.

Old songs

speak great

great