What to do when you're expecting
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Intro and Tension
Intro and Tension
*dismiss kids | Build tension | sit there*
How come still here? No one left? Patient. Why?
Because you expected someone to get up and preach . That expectation informed your behaviour.
End of James - What going to learn today - Decisions you make directly depend on your expectations of future.
James 4 and 5, hold tension - regarding future.
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.
Wait, Plan, Be patient.
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
A tension here - let’s have a look - and how our expectations for future informs how we live today.
Title: What to do, when you’re expecting
My Hope: Radical shift of mindset today | Priorities today | Power today
*pray*
Pic of Alexis | Emma pregnant - this was announcemenat | Everything changed when going to have 2nd child.
Bed situations | Sleep | You know, another person coming = different.
Labour story - 3 false labours - Had to be ready - Emma made coffeee (Tell story).
Point: We knew it was coming - Didn’t expect it at that time - Had to make sure everything was ready that it could happen, at any occasion - This is the point James is making today.
Coming end of James - Statement that stands out - james saiyng - This is why everything I’ve written about, is so important and this one point should guide your decisions.
Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
Judge = Jesus - Standing at the door.
Do you understand today Church - Judge is standing at the door (Go through each diff type)
If this is case = What are the implications for us?
the whole message of the book is “A true encounter changes everything” and “True Faith, Works itself out”
First implication - Start of Ch 5
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.
Important = People not Christians | But we can take warning about love of money | I’ve banged on a lot - so 1 thought here;
He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.
“Longing” for money = problem = idol = one thought;
If your idea of “Wealthy” is beyond where you are right now - You have issue with longing of Money.
First implication = Our perspective changes around where our riches are stored.
This just before told to be patient - Not accident - James saying- don’t look at their possessions - instead, focus on establishing your heart.
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. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
If you’re expecting - Be patient - Perservere - Don’t give up - Don’t stop pressing in - Judge is at the door.
However, grumbling - Taking cheap shots - Check you’re heart.
Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
Don’t let enemy use you to chop down people / tear down church | Told through james = Fights and Quarrals = Slander = Now = Grumble - Why?
Judge is at the door | Work to do | Only 1 man can do it by himself = Jesus.
Kanye Salvation - Psych Ward - Felt to start church - saved 6 months later -
They said “What does the church say” - why? Because most likely to doubt = those that are changed by christ themselves.
Kanye said - lonley place when Jesus saves you - Christians don’t think it’s real | old friends think you crazy.
Judge at door - Expecting to open | When it does | Aint gonna point at no one - gonna fall to my knees.
Man judge aint here = I’ll judge | no - When opened - you’ll fall to your knees.
Not saying “Don’t bring people truth” but we are saying;
Let the Judge, judge, and let us love.
The ground is even at the foot of Cross | When you give someone truth, is it to lead them to life?
2nd Implication; There is power in obedience
Have mindset = On other side of door = is King of Kings | James talks about praying - Alot - Suffering = Pray = Cheerful = Praise - Sick? Pray
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
Don’t do this enough | Call elders, annoint with oil = Weird | Oil = symbolic - it’s handing over to Lord | I have oil, nothing special from Woolies - I’ve annointed with oil. Why? Cause i’m weird, no, because I’m commanded.
Prayer of Faith = It means that we believe, He is ABLE - I hope you know, God is able | do I believe that God can heal them? Yes - Does it mean God is going to heal? I don’t know - It’s up to God.
The prayer of Faith then is faith in the God whose Will is supreme and best - this is what John 14:14
If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
Not uttering Jesus name - It’s saying, if that’s in My WILL - I will do it.
Story - This pastor - Guy in wheelchair - guy got up, walked out - kids said “We jsut wanted you to pray for his cold”
Lords timing - Interesting, next week - Same issues, Pastor prayed - nothing happened - Why?
Could write a sermon but there is physical and spiritual element to this;
This is what I want you to take away from this today;
1. We pray because we expect God to move in accordance with His Will.
2. Your obedience is more important than you’re understanding
James uses illustration of Elijah - to you = OT Character. To early Church = Lebron JAmes, Michael Jordan into one.
James says - Man with nature like ours.
Called down fire on Mount Carmal - Believed rain when drought - Told Servant to check 7 times, seventh time - Small cloud = Big God.
James is saying - He no different - Broken Person - Same God.
He Had choices;
Bold or Timid
Step into Will, Step away from Will
Pray, or don’t pray
Be obedient, or just try and understand
So what are we learning today?
There is power in obedience because of who is at the door.
Implications if we are expecting the King of Kings;
Our perspective changes around where are riches are stored.
We let the Judge Judge, and let us love
There is power in obedience
Next thing that we have to do is
Learn to plan, with open hands
Can we dig into tension then go home?
You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
If you are “Jesus is coming” person, thisis your verse | What happens in 60AD - Can’t imagine hard hard to be chirstian then - If Spirit said this = Great hope
Then someone walks in from 2022 | We still here | Mind blown | Then sad = Tension.
Crazy = Church 242 in 3040 - Nope.
Not out of realm of possibility - Lord is at Hand = May be relative | God Sovereign - not wearing watch - outside time.
2 Peter says = 1000 years is like day, day is 1000 years - he been there 2 days. no one knows when | Door could swing open tomorrow - could not.
Message today not “We’ll never know when Jesus is coming back so who cares” Message today is “Live like God is always faithful”
Live in tension = Being ready today BUT learn to plan with open hands.
Ok Lord, nothing I have is mine | all yours | I’ll plan | with open hands
Put in them what you like / take away / use them lay on people / give to others / ima leave them open
Some of us, not ready to have K o K on other side of door.
Today = Opportunity to know, the one standing on the other side of door is full of Mercy, Compassion -
but don’t get wrong - Eyes are like the blazing Sun - So don’t open that door with putting your salvation in the hope of Jesus.
but if you have: Open door and say; I stand here covered in the rightousness of Jesus - I will give account - but as loved son/daughter.
K o K on other side of Door - but He is here with us now - Finish this the way that we started;
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.
If any of this sounds crazy -Time for an enounter with Jesus
Paul = Jailes Cell - if I stay - more christ for you - If I leave, more christ for me - Win / Win.
Let your faith work out - Don’t tear down my church.
C’mon Church - Day of the Lord is at hand - Judge is at the door - While we are still here - We have work to do | Big Work ,for a BIG GOD.
let His word go Forth | Let souls be saved | Let us be obedient beyond our understanding;
*prayer*
