Be Patient. Sermon.

23 JUL 17

Be Patient and Establish Your Hearts, on the Lord’s Return

James 5:7-13

 ^{7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, 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. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.}

^{12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.}

Introduction

A wrong doing has occurred to you, this is not just a skinned knee. Your heart is broken and thoughts of compassion have left long ago. You want action. You want justice. As a matter fact, you want the return of Christ this very hour. You are not necessarily longing for just redemption and glory, but the vindication of all that you have been wronged. Of course, you would also enjoy being rescued from this miry situation, but you would much rather see the destruction of the wicked.

Is that a wrong desire of your soul? You long for justice, but also understand that mercy also must coexist somewhere. The people that James are speaking to right now, have been wronged financially. They have been exploited and robbed by the rich scoundrels of 5:1-6. And now its PAY BACK! There prayer is that Jesus would return immediately…and James says,… “BE PATIENT,…ESTABLISH YOUR HEARTS…”! How can I do that? I want your Justice! I want these wrongs to be paid back in full. James says, “BE PATIENT, THE LORD IS AT THE DOOR.”

Christian, how do you establish your hearts in the midst of this suffering and wrong doing? How do you cry out to the Lord in the midst of this?

II. Get a long-suffering Love for your enemies.

How can you remain patient and establish your hearts first in regards to the Lords return, find a passion for your enemies. This is not a short term, say a short prayer, but followed by action. James shows that this enduring is from the EARLY RAINS till the LATE RAINS. This is not a short endurance, but is LONG-SUFFERING. This sounds so bizarre to the persecuted or broken person, and sounds even more complicated to a congregation of people, who trained to implement God’s justice in this world by wielding the sword. However, Jesus says,

                “Love your enemies. Pray for them that persecute your.

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons fo your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.” MATTHEW 5:43-48

But John, this a lot. Hear you are saying that I should pray for these guys,…I am not Jesus is.

Following Jesus is not easy.

Paul, even writes in Romans 12: 19-21, BUT Listen, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink;…”

This continually loving and serving them, may turn your prayers for GOD’s VINDICATION into a prayer of intercession on their behalf.

How else can you BE PATIENT and ESTABLISH YOUR HEARTs for Christ Return to vindicate you,

II. BY Getting a biblical view of eternal destinations.

Sure its easy to talk or sing songs about the MIDNIGHT CRY, when Jesus calls his children home to glory. Its easy to sing songs and have romanticized views entering into to heaven and meeting all your passed loved ones and walking the streets of gold. Etc. etc.  All of this is good and wholesome things to meditate, but we may be missing something…

As just as much as Heavens/New Earth will be the CREATED eternal residing place for the redeemed, there is also a created eternal place for those who will experience a eternal justice for their wrongs.

Oh but is for evil people John, it is true. I do not deny that, however:

Verses: on Hell:

2 Thess 1:9, They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might

 

Matthew 13:50, angels will separate the righteous and evil, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

Mark 9:43, if your hand causes you to stumble,…better to cut it off, than go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.

Jude 1:7, punishment by ETERNAL FIRE.

Countless more:

The creative of mind of Michangelo’s The Last Judgement is a COMICBOOK illustration in comparsion to the coming judgement of those who do not know Christ.

Great and terrible day.

OS GUINESS: After detailing a long list of human atrocities, Os Guinness asks the painful question, “What does it say of us as human beings that the people who do these things are the same species as we are?”[1]

To see the face of evil, we need only look in the mirror. If we don’t see evil’s reality in our lives, it’s no surprise. Evil people typically don’t.

Had it not been for the Cross of Jesus Christ to say us from our sins, we will be destined for the same eternal Justice. Jesus Christ paid our ETERNAL JUSTICE on the cross, so that we would not be punished in Hell.

When we get a Biblical view of hell and heaven, we should turn to 2 Peter 3:9 and pray that this our heart to. Do we long for ALL people, even those who are not our buddies…go to heaven. Or are we like JONAH,…who is reluctant to go share to people because they are not his people.

Oh how a better view of Hell, and Heaven…will draw us to BE PATIENT and ESTABLISH OUR HEARTS for those on the DAY OF LORD

 

III. Get a Good attitude and a Godly Example to follow, (v. 9-10)

So, James points us to a Godly Example for us to follow by pointing us to the Prophets and to Job.

1. They were righteous and were persecuted.
2. They were long suffering through it all.
3. Although they complained, they did not give up. Job probably not the stellar example, however.
4. Douglas moo writes about Job: “Job is no goveling, passive, unquestioning submission; Job struggled and questioned, and sometimes even defied, but the flame of faith was never extinguished in his heart.”

How can I be patient and long suffering in the midst of these trials of wrong upon me, not only do I look at Job/Prophets….BUT I GO TO THE LIBRARY.

Corrie Ten Boon, Elizabeth Elliot, William Tyndale, Here I stand MARTIN LUTHER, Saint Thomas Aquinas by GK Chesteron…and many more. John Piper’s Sermon series on Biographies. These will stir your heart to BE PATIENT, AND ESTABLISH YOUR HEART.

Groveling and Complaining

As we wait for anything, especially as we long suffer…we love to complain. Resist this temptation, God will deliver you in his timing.

  CONCLUSION:
In revelation it speaks of the MARTYRS before the throne of God crying out, “HOW LONG HOW LONG! WILL YOU NOT VINDICATE US.” Revelation 6:10;

Be Patient. Rest a little while.