Patiently Suffering

Please open your Bibles to James 5:7-11

Read James 5:7-11.

In the previous passage, James addressed those who oppress the poor.

He addressed the persecutors.

In our next passage he addresses the persecuted.

He addresses those who suffer.

Before we jump too quickly into the passage, let’s set some ground rules, some starting points.

There is suffering.

There is suffering in this world.

There are Christians who suffer.

Christian’s do and will suffer.

I’m surprised by how many Christians there are, who think they are immune to suffering because they are Christians.

They think that Christianity spares them from suffering.

You come to Christ and nothing bad will ever happen to you.

Suffering is inevitable in a fallen world.

We live in a world that is cursed.

One of the curses of sin is that there is suffering.

Work is hard.

Childbirth is painful.

There is death.

The theory of evolution is a lie, and it continues to lie.

We are not living in a system that goes from disorganized to organized.

Things are not getting progressively better.

It is going from organized to disorganized.

When God created everything, it was very good.

Then sin entered the world.

And with that sin there is death.

There is disorganization.

Things are breaking down.

You may have Christ, and you have eternal life ahead of you, but your body will still break down.

It will get older.

It will get stiffer.

It won’t function as well as it did when it was younger.

It’s just the system that we live in.

Romans 8:22 says, “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.”

In a sense, all of creation, everything that exists, is in a state of agony.

Everything is getting older.

Systems are breaking down.

Things are less reliable.

Think about when you buy a new car.

When you first buy it, it’s great.

And what happens over time?

It starts to break down.

Christianity does not remove suffering.

In fact, it’s something that is coming.

Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation.” - John 16:33.

That’s just a fact.

And it will become increasingly harder to live as a Christian in this fallen world.

We will find ourselves at odds with the culture around us.

This too is something that Jesus said is coming.

John 15:20 - “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”

So, if you identify with Christ, expect there to be suffering.

My point here, isn’t persecution, it’s that there is suffering.

This is one of our ground rules for life.

You will suffer.

I don’t want you to be mislead, deceived or caught off guard by this.

I don’t want you to be one of those Christians who believes the lie that if you are a believer you will never suffer.

I Peter 4:12-13, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”

It’s coming.

Suffering will come.

Difficult times will come.

The question is how will you respond in these times?

Paul, an apostle, sent by Christ, was frequently slandered and attacked by those he served.

How did He respond?

I Corinthians 4:12 says, “… When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;”

When reviled - he blessed.

Under persecution - he endured.

His instructions in Romans 12:12 are more pointed.

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.”

Then skipping down to Romans 12:17-21, “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

These are probably known truths.

You have heard these before.

Jesus also said to turn the other cheek.

Yet, we know these things, we’ve heard these things, when tough times come, it becomes increasingly harder:

To turn the other cheek.

To bless those who persecute you.

To live peaceably with all.

In today’s text, James says to be patient.

It’s a different word from endurance.

Earlier, James called for endurance, hypomone.

That’s not what he uses here.

This word is a compound word.

A combination of 2 words.

Long

And anger.

It’s to have a long fuse before you get angry.

You persevere.

The problem with suffering, and the challenge with suffering is that you don’t know how long it’s going to go.

You think, “I can only be patient for so long.”

You may be able to turn the other cheek once, but how do you turn the other cheek twice?

You may be able to forgive someone once, but how do you forgive them twice?

Suffering can wear on your patience.

And that’s really what we are getting at today.

Christianity provides a way to be patient through the hard times of life.

That’s what you need.

You need patience through hard times..

First, James says we are to be Patiently Waiting for Christ to return.

You see this in verse 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.”

Your patience is to be tied to an eschatological hope.

Eschatology is end times.

It’s things at the end.

The reason why so many people are so impatient is because they have forgotten that there will be an end.

Jesus hasn’t said that you will suffer forever and ever.

He has promised an end to suffering.

It will come.

The end of suffering is connected to the promise of Christ to return.

The reason why some’s patience is so short is because their hope is only for today.

They are living their lives on their own strength.

Perhaps you’ve fallen into this trap.

The pressures of life collapse upon you.

It seems as if you are being hammered from every single direction.

You are at your wits end.

You cannot handle one more thing.

You’ve forgotten, the promise of Christ.

For many Christians, the return of Christ has become a weird branch of theology.

We love to talk about:

Marriage

Emotions

Parenting

The Bible.

But we aren’t so quick to talk about Christ returning, because we don’t think it’s practical.

And the result … is we’ve lost our patience.

We’ve lost perspective.

We think only about the here and now.

We forget that there is a hope.

Hope to be redeemed from these bodies.

Hope to be redeemed from this fallen world.

Think of the things that the world scares us with:

Global warming.

Coronavirus.

Racial inequities.

What is our hope?

It better be more than electric cars, vaccines, and statues being torn down.

Christ is returning.

James points out here, that your understanding of that promise will affect whether or not you are patient, and able to endure the trials of life.

So how do we deal with the pressures of life?

We remember the reality of Christ returning.

Having this hope will affect you.

I John 3:2-3 says, “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”.

What you believe about end times will affect how you live now.

That’s why John says, “everyone who thus hopes in him” - that’s the return of Christ - “purifies himself as he is pure.”

It is sanctifying to know that Christ is returning.

You will be changed as you view this.

This is one of the most practical promises in Scripture.

Look forward to the return of Christ.

Look forward to His reign.

And you will be purified.

You will become more Christlike.

This patience is an expecting patience.

It’s not fatalistic.

It’s not pointless.

It’s looking forward to something.

It’s anticipating something.

James gives an illustration of this in verse 7 that his audience would have easily understood.

He talks about farmers.

“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.”

He’s spoken about the rich, but now he’s speaking to the humble farmer.

The farmer prepares the soil..

Plants the seed.

Protects the field.

Pulls the weeds.

And waits.

He has a confidence that the seed will grow.

He has a confidence that the harvest will come.

He cannot speed up this harvest.

He can’t make the crops grow any faster.

There are things outside his control.

He can’t bring the rains that the seed needs.

He waits.

He knows its coming.

He waits.

He lives expectantly.

He spends his time preparing for the harvest to come.

And in the same way we wait.

We cannot speed up the return of Christ.

But we know its coming.

So we wait.

We live expectantly.

We live each day in preparation for Christ to return.

We endure, knowing that at any moment Christ can appear.

And as we wait for the return of Christ it gives us confidence.

Even in a world filled with suffering.

Even in a world where we have no guarantee for tomorrow.

We have confidence.

Our confidence is found in the return of Christ.

James says, “Establish your hearts”

To establish your hearts is to have a foundation.

This word was used to describe the construction of a building.

The foundation that the structure was built on, established the building.

Your life is established on the promises of God, which we have found in the Word of God.

The truth that God has given us.

The promises of Christ must be your foundation, that your life is built upon them.

This goes beyond having Bible knowledge.

Many people have Bible knowledge.

They get the answers right on Jeopardy.

But they don’t believe what they know.

The Bible must be your foundation.

II Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Many times we quote the first 7 words of that verse, then we stop.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God ...”

But we forget what it means that it is breathed out by God.

It’s for teaching.

Scripture is supposed to be our foundation for life.

The Word of God, and the Promises of God, are the foundation of our lives.

Expect to be taught from Scripture.

If you come to me asking a question about life, you better expect an answer from Scripture.

If you have a question about marriage.

You better get a Bible verse from me to support whatever I say.

Be established on truth.

And stand firm on that truth.

Because life will buffet you with trials.

There will be times of suffering.

There will be difficulty.

Verse 8 is a command, it’s not wishful thinking - “Establish your hearts ...”

This is a command, and it’s for your own good.

Back in James 1:6 we learned what happens if you are not established.

“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.”

If you are not established on truth.

Fully convinced of truth, living in expectation of the promises of God, you will be rocked when patience is required.

You must stand tall upon the pedestal of truth.

That pedestal of truth - what is revealed in the canon of Scripture - is where you find your patience in life.

Verse 9, says that we are Patiently Enduring Others.

This is our second point, Patiently Enduring Others.

Verse 9, “Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.”

Have you ever noticed that the more difficult or stressful life gets, the more irritated we get with others.

Back in James 4:11, James told us not to speak evil against one another.

That was talking about the external response to others.

So someone bugs you, don’t cuss them out.

Now James addresses the internal response.

He says, “Do not grumble ...”

This is an internal response.

It’s not necessarily even vocalized.

There’s a person who gets under your skin.

You bite your lip.

You are careful not to say anything.

But your heart isn’t so happy to see that person.

So you grumble.

You give a deep sigh.

That’s what James is talking about here.

Many times, we think, “What’s the big deal? I didn’t say anything bad.”

Well, I’ll give you 2 reasons why grumbling is a big deal.

It affects your heart.

Grumbling within your heart towards others affects your attitude towards them.

Turn in your Bibles to Hebrews 12:14-15, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;”

Strive for peace.

Notice what happens if you allow grumbling, and hatred to exist within your heart.

Verse 15 says that a “root of bitterness” will spring up.

The root of bitterness is poisonous plant.

It’s a poisonous root.

You may think that your internal grumbling only affects you, but it ends up poisoning your soul.

And it becomes hatred.

Those feelings that you internalize, that you withhold, thinking that you are such a good person because you don’t say them out loud.

Those feelings, end up becoming a poisonous root, a root of bitterness.

They poison your soul.

They poison your love for the other person.

That grumbling, even if internalized, will affect you.

Believe it or not, you may that internal grumbling will turn into a bigger sin.

The second reason why we cannot grumble is because of something we have already seen in this passage, the Judge is standing at the door.

The return of Christ is imminent.

It’s as if He’s at the door right now.

But He’s not like that picture of Jesus standing at a door like a beggar in the rain.

He is standing at the door with authority.

He stands at the door as a Judge.

As a King.

Ready to break down the door.

He doesn’t even need a search warrant, because He knows what’s going on within the heart.

He’s at the door.

He’s near.

He’s present.

He’s a Judge.

He cares about how we speak, earlier it was don’t speak evil about one another.

But He also cares how we feel about each other.

My mom used to say, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”

But this goes much deeper than simply not saying anything.

God cares about your heart.

He is a good judge.

Much better than an earthly judge.

Earthly judges are limited by the evidence and the arguments that are presented in a trial.

God can judge not only the evidence presented in the trial, but the very heart of a man.

So when you see that person and you think you’ll just brew some hatred on the inside, but you’ll bite your tongue and be quiet, remember, the judge is at the door.

I John 3:15 says, “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”

God can judge your very heart.

The desire for Christ and His church is not just that we don’t grumble, but it’s that we love.

And this love requires patience.

It’s easy to love those who require no patience.

The love that we are called to have is patient.

Because this love isn’t for people who are easy to love.

The love that we have isn’t for good people, perfect people or even deserving people.

It’s a love like Christ had for us.

I John 3:16 says, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”

We often talk about the need for love, but we forget about the model of love given for us.

The model of love is that Christ laid down His life for us.

He died for us while we were yet sinners.

He died when we were enemies.

We forget that if there is anyone who could grumble about us, it’s Christ.

God in His kindness is an intimate God, who communicated with His creation.

He gave us His Law.

He gave us His expectations.

He gave us His love.

And how did we respond?

In sin.

He gave us everything we wanted, and we still turned on Him.

Romans 1:21 says, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

Even you, Christians, have sinned.

Some of you grew up in the church.

It’s not just Adam who sinned.

He sinned first, then we added to his sin.

We followed in his example.

In the process, we became enemies of God.

Rebellious.

Deserving of His justice.

Deserving of His wrath.

And God loved us in this condition.

He was patient with us in this condition.

He gave His life for us.

He laid down His life, for you the sinner who He had every right to grumble against.

So there are people who are irritating.

There are people who get under your skin.

How do you respond?

By not grumbling.

By being patient.

By loving them as Christ loved you.

God’s love for you is not based on your performance.

And praise God for that.

Because if it was, none of us would stand before Him.

Not one of us.

His love for you was a decision, by grace and full of mercy.

And your love for others cannot be based on their performance.

It must be a decision, by grace and full of mercy.

The third thing we do is we patiently are obedient.

Look at verse 10.

“As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.”

James uses the prophets of the Old Testament as examples of patience in the Lord.

He says they are an example of patience and suffering.

Suffering is not just a hardship, or a rough stretch.

The word kaka-patheia.

It means evil suffering.

This is a bad time.

And what do we do?

We are patient.

We endure.

James tells us to identify with the prophets.

He says that they spoke in the name of the Lord.

The prophets were sent by God, and through the Holy Spirit, given a direct message from the Lord.

And they were to communicate that message.

Though they suffered, they were faithful in their work.

When you encounter suffering, be careful that you don’t let the suffering dominate your life.

Don’t let suffering cause you to compromise.

Don’t let suffering cause you to rethink what is important.

Don’t let suffering or trouble give you reason to be disobedient.

For example, Assyria conquered the Northern Kingdom in 722ad.

When they conquered Israel, they were wicked and cruel.

They were hated.

They were the bad guys.

God then called Jonah to go to the Assyrian capital, Nineveh, and warn them of His coming wrath.

But Israel had suffered.

Israel was the victim.

And Jonah allowed that suffering to blind his eyes to obedience.

And you know what happens next.

Instead of going on dry land to Nineveh, he chartered a boat, and went to Tarshish.

No need for the boat.

But suffering gave him cause to sin.

On the other hand, there was Jeremiah.

He experienced suffering.

He knew the Babylonians were coming.

He knew the Babylonians would be cruel.

And as he faithfully delivered God’s message to Judah, they responded by persecuting him.

Starving him.

Imprisoning him in cesspools.

But he was faithful in his ministry.

The prophets were given a job.

And through suffering, they were faithful to the Lord.

We have been given a mission, that is to make disciples.

To serve one another.

We must be obedient to that regardless of our condition.

Acts records the early church exploding onto the scene in desperate conditions.

They couldn’t let the momentary afflictions of this life affect their work.

Because they knew:

People need a Savior.

And Christ is returning.

Even in the church, I’m sad to say there will come times when you will not be treated the way you want to be treated.

I will fail you.

An Elder will fail you.

Another member will fail you.

Let the prophets be an example to continue in love and continue to serve.

Your reason for serving can never be because of how others treat you or your present condition.

It must be because of the Lord that you serve, Jesus Christ.

Lastly, there is a promise, and that is that the Patient are Blessed.

There is a blessing to those who are patient.

There is a blessing to those who endure.

You will want to quit.

Maybe you are there now.

You are in a tough time.

And you want to run away.

Get out of Dodge.

The call is to endure.

James uses the example of Job.

Job lost everything.

He lost his wealth.

He lost his family.

He was surrounded by mean and blaming friends.

Job 34:7 says, “What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water,”

Suffering came easily to him.

He was in a constant state of emotion and physical pain.

It came to him as easily as you picking up a glass of water.

And as awful as things were for Job, he was steadfast.

He never cursed God.

Job 13:15 is something that we have sung before, “Though he slay me, I will hope in him.”

If Job’s suffering resulted in his death, he would endure.

He would remain faithful to the Lord.

At the end of Job, he was restored.

He recieved twice as much as before.

He had more children.

The Lord blessed Him.

He lived a long life.

There is a blessing in your suffering.

James says, “and you have seen the purpose of the Lord”

The blessing is that the Lord has a purpose for you in your suffering.

It’s not aimless.

It’s not wasted.

This calls for endurance.

This calls for patience for the Lord to work.

Back in James 1:4 we read, “And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

God uses suffering to shape you.

Whatever you are going through, is for your benefit.

It’s so that you would be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

As you face hard times, what is your hope?

That the Lord would complete His work in you.

We have a lot to complain about right now.

Masks.

Restrictions.

I check news daily to see what’s been closed or new rules that have been made.

Is it an inconvenience?

You bet.

And what is my prayer?

That the Lord would use this so that I would be complete, lacking in nothing.

You have seen the purpose of the Lord.

We do not know the exact purpose.

But here’s what we know … the Lord has a purpose in what He is doing.

He is not careless.

In fact, dear Christian, the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

The word for compassion a fun word.

It is a combination of two words.

Much

Bowels.

Splagknon

Guts.

His love comes from much guts.

From all of his guts.

He loves you with all of his guts.

So any suffering that comes, is not to be taken lightly.

God is well aware of what you are going through.

But He’s doing it out of His love for you.

And it’s from His guts.

From His abundant love.

How can you believe that?

Only if you know that He has a purpose in it.

And as you look at the events of your life in faith.

As you look at the suffering.

As you look at the inconveniences.

As you look at the people.

As you look at the frustrations.

And you remember the sovereignty of God in them, and His purpose, you get a glimpse at the character of God.

But if you doubt.

If your patience runs thin.

If you desire to throw in the towel, what is it?

It’s faithlessness.

It’s doubting the very character of God.

So in essence, your patience is tied to what you believe about God.

There’s a blessing in knowing that God is using suffering for your benefit.

You know what the real blessing of Job was?

Look in your Bible’s to the last verse of Job, Job 42:17.

“And Job died, an old man, and full of days.”

He didn’t live happily ever after.

He eventually died.

And he went to be with the Lord.

And he experienced compassion and mercy.

And one day your death day will come.

The true blessing isn’t that you road off into the sunset and lived happily ever after.

It’s that you were known by God.

That Christ died for you.

And experiencing compassion and mercy from your God, being with Him for eternity.

As we encounter suffering it will require patience.

Notice, that this patience cannot be accomplished on your own.

Patience comes from knowing:

Christ is returning.

Knowing that Christ will judge.

Serving the Lord even while suffering.

And knowing that it’s ultimately a blessing from the Lord.

You cannot get through this life without Christ as your Lord.

You must know Him.