The Long Game

Context

James denounced the wicked rich in the first 6 verses of this chapter

The rich can be understood as outside the covenant community of faith

Verse 7 connects back to this section with the word therefore

Those who are part of the covenant community are suffering, so James issues some pastoral care to encourage and strengthen them in the faith

There are 3 primary commands that comprise James’ counsel:

Be Patient (7-11)

Question: What is patience?

The example of the farmer (7)

Until the coming of the Lord (7,8)

Question: What does the example of the farmer teach us about being patient?

our experience will include not possessing what we want or even need

the provision of those things are not within our ability to achieve. We have a role to play, but it is not all up to us

Question: If we are to be like the farmer who needs to be patient for the “precious fruit of the earth”, what is the precious fruit for which we are waiting?

The coming of the Lord. In other words, Jesus is the who we are waiting for and not the ceasing of our suffering. When Christ returns, our suffering will end, but what is meant to sustain us in our suffering and fuel our patience now is the reality that Jesus is coming back. He is our precious fruit

Question: Why is it hard for us to make the coming of the Lord the substance of our patience in our day-to-day struggles?

We may have difficulty believing that it will actually come (think of those who were waiting for the Messiah come as was promised in the OT)

His return may seem so far off, that is, so disconnected from the here and now.

We may question whether God actually is aware or even cares that we suffer

establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand (8)

Question: What does this mean?

make firm, be resolute, possess a firm determination

Question: What does the call to “establish our hearts” make clear about being patient?

Patience is not passivity

Waiting in the line at the grocery store patiently, is not just a willingness to wait in line. It is to do so without complaining, even internally, that waiting is required.

Patience is not waiting it is remaining hopeful in the promises of God in the midst of that which necessitates our patient response.

2 examples of patience (10,11)

The prophets

They were doing the right thing: who spoke in the name of the Lord

Often their suffering was a result of doing the right thing

They embodied Paul’s words

Philippians 1:29 ESV

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

Question: To say the least, it is counter-intuitive for us to connect our suffering to the idea of privilege, but

how do we get there?

how does this idea help us be patient?

Job (11)

Question: Why do you think James holds Job forth as an example of patience?

He didn’t remain quiet

He didn’t hesitate to lament

He did move toward God in His suffering and not away from. Patience, in many ways, is endurance.

The motivation for patience (11)

you have seen the purpose of the Lord

purpose = telos

God always has a purpose for our suffering

The purposes of God in our suffering are characterized by His compassion and mercy

Do Not Grumble (9)

Question: What the connection between being patient and not grumbling?

suffering can lead to impatience and impatience can lead to complaining

Question: Complaining is not the only sinful behavior to which impatience can lead. All sufferers are sinners, so what should our efforts to help one another in our suffering look like?

there is suffering and the way we suffer

we must express compassion to one another in our suffering, but we can also admonish one another to suffer the right way, and not be guilty of being insensitive.

Remaining faithful to God in the midst of our suffering is what will provide the most relief and endurance, and we must help one another to do this

against one another

We know that those outside the covenant community were causing much of their suffering, so why does James exhort them not to complain against one another?

We tend to take out our frustrations on those closest to us

so that you may not be judged , behold the judge is standing at the door

Question: This is the rationale James offers for not grumbling against one another. Explain this rationale.

Don’t behave as if God is not aware of our actions, our thoughts or our motivations

Don’t be like bickering children when your judge is right outside the door

Do Not Swear (12)

Question: Suffering can lead to impatience. Impatience can lead to grumbling. How does the command to not swear (promise making, commitment) connect to this argument?

Complaining may reflect a compromise in integrity, and a compromised integrity will lay us vulnerable to making empty commitments

Consider Jesus’ words

Matthew 5:33–37 ESV

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

The problem was not oath-making itself. (see Lev. 19:20, Num 30:2, Psalm 15:4)

The problem was the emptiness of the oath

Some were swearing by heaven and earth and not regarding that a binding commitment

Jesus and James cut through all of this: let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no.

Making oaths, then, should not be necessary, if we are people of our word

Seeing Jesus in These Commands

1 Peter 2:22–23 ESV

He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.