Urgent Patience
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Going to Benihana at 5:00 but getting hungry at 4:00 - you can eat the pizza rolls now and they’ll taste good, but you’re sacrificing something way better.
American Revolution - Strategy for victory. There was only one way for them to win the war
Avoid engaging until it was absolutely necessary. It is far from the most glorious method of victory and this was a painful and messy way to win, but it was the only way to win. They could have tried an easier strategy, but it would have led to defeat in the end.
It is the same for a Christian. We must be patient in our lives here. An impatience that causes us to lose sight of ultimate victory in favor of temporary pleasure or glory will lead to disaster at the end.
To Find Fulfillment, Wait For The Lord
To Find Fulfillment, Wait For The Lord
Do not seek to establish a kingdom on Earth
For the last couple of chapters, James has been trying his best to help his readers see that they cannot look to build their kingdom on Earth.
Planning, money, or building up anything here on earth. Treasure here rots away.
(verse 7)The temptation for a Christian is to try to get “the best of both lives” as we want the assurance of the Kingdom of Heaven but we also want the pleasure of the kingdom of this world. It cannot be!
If a farmer picks his crop now, he cannot pick it later. In the case of the Ackee, it would kill him to pick it early. So it is with the Christian.
If we cannot have the best of both, we must pick one or the other.
So what then, I just have to sit on my hands until my Kingdom gets here? Isn’t being lazy a bad thing?
Absolutely, I couldn’t agree more. (verse 8)Seek rather to establish your hearts in God’s coming Kingdom.
Rather than focus on building up your enjoyment of this world, focus on establishing your heart on the firm foundation of Christ’s love.
Look to Job as an example. (verses 10-11)
Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.
Although Job endured much suffering, he received far greater blessing at the end of it.
Or lets look to Paul, who didn’t even think of the suffering that his lifestyle caused him.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Paul did not view himself as someone who has endured much suffering, he considered himself the most fortunate man in history because of the Kingdom that was coming.
Wait With Great Urgency
Wait With Great Urgency
Patience in this case is active, not passive
The Lord is not slow in coming, he is wise in timing.
But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
It is not the same thing as waiting for your mom in the car while she is in the store
It is more like waiting waiting for a big test, or for your future spouse
We must be urgent because the Kingdom of God is imminent (verse 8)
We don’t know the time, but we know that it is coming. Do not be asleep when it does come.
Is at hand can also be translated “has drawn near,” it is meant to be viewed as something that has already happened that is affecting the way we live our lives right now.
Application: If we were really living for God’s Kingdom, wouldn’t our lives look a lot different? Wouldn’t we be far more loving, and grumble far less?
Every moment that Jesus doesn’t come back is an act of mercy towards the sinner. Are you using these moments to reach out to the lost ones around you? Are you utilizing the time that God is giving well?
Waiting Urgently For The Lord Will Bring Salvation
Waiting Urgently For The Lord Will Bring Salvation
The Lord is compassionate and merciful to those who wait for Him. (verse 11)
The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
Jesus has already come once and he gave everything so that we could be saved.
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
When Jesus comes again, he will give us everything that he has, and that is everything.
This world, even if it did give you everything that it had to offer, would not be able to come close to matching the riches that God is going to give to those who love and wait for him.
Have you begun to see the emptiness of this world’s promises? Are you longing to be filled with something that never fails? Abandon your camp in this world, run towards the coming Kingdom of God.
Ackee fruit, symbol of Jamaica, poisonous if not ripe. Do you think those farmers are able to be patient?
v 8 tension of patience and imminence
For the last bit James has been calling people out who have placed their hope in the present life, and he has shown how empty that is.
Now, he calls us all to be patient to receive our joy. Don’t seek for it before it is given to you. (looking for christmas presents?)
Rather than look for how you can establish your kingdom here, look how you can ESTABLISH YOUR HEART. Your heart goes with you.
coming of the Lord HAS DRAWN NEAR and that absolutely brings with it implications for how we ought to be living.
Do we actually believe that only God is able to give us lasting joy? Then why don’t we live like it?
We don’t live like we have somewhere to be, we have made ourselves at home. We grumble and complain because we are frustrated that our joy is being ruined, but we ought not to expect our full joy until Christ comes again.