Waiting on God: Embracing His Perfect Timing
Notes
Transcript
A. Rapport for the time
Timing is everything. Yet we often are seen as having horrible timing and the Lords timing is perfect in every way.
B. Reading of the text
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.
C. Review of the text
D. Relevance of the text
As we race with James to the finish line of his letter we come upon the discussion once again of patience. He will provide 1 example for us this week and two more in the verses we will tackle next week. My prayer is that as we dive into the waters of being called to be more patient we find a depth to God’s grace and a better understanding of our need for patience in the Christian life we live.
T.S Entering into verse 7 we will find Patience in Waiting.
I. Patience in Waiting
I. Patience in Waiting
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.
Patience is not a new topic for us in James.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Steadfastness was the topic—when it takes its full effect we find ourselves lacking in nothing.
Steadfastness—capacity to continue to bear up under difficult circumstances. Able to endure.
James 1:13-18 speaks of the different kind of trial we endure and last week we saw how the Lord could teach us patience even in the midst of being wronged knowing that God alone stands as judge over that which he has created.
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.
Be patient—Active Imperative. Don’t you love the idea of us as Christians having the ability to actively be patient? This is different from the word for steadfastness. I think it goes even further. To demonstrate patience despite difficulties.
Do you know that your attitude will give you away. We would all agree on the statement that “we will be patient up until the point I don’t want to be patient anymore.” In that moment my attitude changes tremendously in the wrong direction and you know for certain I’m done being patient.
The word is put for long-suffering, and so usually translated, which is a further degree of patience; for patience is a sense of afflictions without murmuring, and of injuries without revenge; now, long-suffering is patience extended, and lengthened out to that which our apostle calleth its perfect work
6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.
4 Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.
Patience waiting for the Lord to return.
23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
Paul put the marker of the Lord constantly before himself and other believers as it encouraged their hearts to understand better that the present moment was passing quickly and the time with the Lord would soon come.
Our first example is the farmer as he waits for the fruit of the earth. A farmer can no more make a crop grow in his own power than you can show patience with the Holy Spirit’s guiding hand. The farmer will only get frustrated with himself if he plans to make the crops grow on his own account. The farmer must be patient as he waits for the crop to receive the rain that the Lord provides.
13 “And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
14 he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil.
15 And he will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you shall eat and be full.
Jesus used farming as an example more than once.
24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,
25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.
26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.
27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’
28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’
29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”
The Letter of James, Second Edition 3. Patient Endurance in Light of the Lord’s Return (5:7–11)
The farmer can do little to affect the outcome but must “wait, being patient with it until it receives the early and late rain.” In Palestine, the farmer was particularly dependent on the rain that came in late autumn and early spring
Actually, three-quarters of the average rainfall in Palestine falls in December–February, but it is the rain at the beginning and end of the growing season that is critical
T.S. James is saying like a farmer waits upon the crops of the field with patience we are to show the same patience. We are to Prepare with Purpose.
II. Prepare with Purpose
II. Prepare with Purpose
8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Just in case we didn’t get the call to be patient in vs. 7 we are given a second chance in verse 8. We commanded once again to be patient. But also told how to do so.
Establish your hearts...
Establish—
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 74.19 στηρίζω; ἐπιστηρίζω; στερεόω
to cause someone to become stronger in the sense of more firm and unchanging in attitude or belief—‘to strengthen, to make more firm.’
31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,
32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you,
12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,
13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
There it is again said by the apostle Paul.
2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith,
10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
“God Strengthens us, but we are also active and responsible......
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Coming of the Lord is at hand.
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.
Perhaps, one could encourage the audience to 'strengthen their hearts,' as James advises, by holding firm in their faith and readiness for Christ's return. This entails an active waiting, where believers engage in prayer, studying God's Word, and embodying Christ-like love, drawing parallels to how Jesus prepared for His mission on earth. This exhortation underscores that strengthening oneself in faith during periods of waiting can lead to spiritual maturity, much like how Christ exemplified readiness for His mission, emphasizing that in waiting, there's growth.
III. Practice Communal Patience
III. Practice Communal Patience
9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
Grumble—to complain in an intensive and excessive manner., complain in a bad-tempered way
11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
James: Wisdom for the Community 2. Examples of Patience (5:7–11)
When we grumble, we are declaring that someone has either not done something that he ought to have done, or that he has done something wrong. When we grumble, therefore, we judge. If, however, we exercise patience and develop Christian stability—with our eyes on the Lord’s return—we appreciate that His return will herald the Day of Judgment. We must, therefore, leave all judgment to Him.
2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.
15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.
OT
23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.
2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.
3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Judgement for Christians
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
Maybe, James warns against grumbling against one another, pointing out the Lord's presence as the Judge at the door. Here, you could emphasize the need for unity and harmony in the body of Christ, reflecting on how Jesus embodied perfect patience and forgiveness even on the cross. This encourages us to foster patience with others, realizing that the Lord's timing includes our interactions and relationships. Reflecting Christ’s example, this patience not only strengthens communal bonds but aligns with God's perfect timing that orchestrates all things for His glory.
