2019-10-06 James 5:7-11 WHEN IT’S NOT FAIR (1): FORBEAR

WHEN IT’S NOT FAIR (1): FORBEAR (James 5:7-11) October 6, 2019 Read James 5:7-9 – “It’s just not fair.” How often have we heard that complaint? How often have we offered that complaint? Life is filled with big and little injustices. Like the guy who got 2 sweaters from his mother-in-law for Christmas. He had one on when she came to visit, but she glared at him and said, “What’s wrong? Didn’t you like the other one?” Sometimes you just can’t win, right? Whether perceived or real, injustices hurt. Yet they are inevitable, a universal experience resulting from a fallen, cursed world. Thus Job 5:6-7 declares, “For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground, 7) but man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.” Trouble just comes with the territory of being human. Interestingly, when we come to faith in Christ, it often gets worse – something we don’t like to admit but which the Bible is clear about. Jesus says in John 16:33; “In the world you have tribulation.” Paul reminds us in II Tim 1:8, “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Sometimes evey by other believers. We can add to difficulties rather than help thru them. So how do we handle it when we’ve been treated unfairly? How do we deal with the injustice and unfairness life hands to us? How should we respond when we get the short end of the stick? Set offenders straight? Give them a piece of our mind? Defend our rights? All very human – and all very wrong! Jas goes a different direction. He saw the unfairness. He knew the abuse. But rather than urge justice, he urges something else. So we’ll see I. The Exhortation: II. The Encouragement and III. The Examples. It’s another lesson in how different kingdom living is from worldly living – how to bear the image of God, by faith. So, this 2-part series “When It’s Not Fair.” We’ll look at the instruction today, the encouragement and examples next week. I. The Exhortation The context. Jas just had very hard words for the miserable rich – those whose love of money brought their profession of faith into question. Hear the challenge as he addresses them in v. 1: “Come now, you rich.” But it’s a whole different tone in v. 7 when he urges those who have been offended, “Be patient, therefore, brothers.” You hear his compassion as he says not, “Seek justice,” but, “Be patient.” Be patient – not the natural human response. But 1 the kingdom response. Jas’ instruction consists of two parts – one inward and one outward. Get it right inside, and it will be reflected in outward behavior. A. Inwardly – Be patient Jas hammers home this concept: V.7: “Be patient.” V. 8: “You also, be patient.” In v. 10 he gives an “example of suffering and patience.” That let’s us know there could be an element of suffering in being patient. In v. 10 he speaks of reward for those “who remained steadfast.” And in v. 11 he uses Job as an example of “steadfastness.” Jas is a realist. He knows the natural reaction is come out with all guns blazing when we’ve been wronged. It will hurt to be patient. But that’s the clear instruction. Patience! The word is μακροθυμέω which is comprised to two words, “long” (μακρος) and “temper” (θυμος). Have a long fuse. Mom would’ve said, “Don’t fly off the handle.” One writer captured it this way: “Set the timer of your temper for the long run.” Wait! We don’t have to right every perceived wrong instantaneously. Patience is the art of enduring someone whose conduct is offensive or oppressive – the only exceptions being a clear, blatant moral issue – or false teaching on core issues. Otherwise, control your temper, manage your anger and wait. Give God room to operate. Practice wisdom – like Prov 15:18: “A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.” Be a quiet-downer rather than a stirrer-upper. God commends it. Prov 16:32: “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” “Steadfast” has much the same idea. ὑπομένω, comprised of “under” (υπο( and “remain” (μενω) – to remain under. Not to straighten out, but to remain under. It means to endure something you consider unfair for the sake of harmony and unity – giving God opportunity. We’ll see next week that great reward attaches to be patient, to enduring. Whatever pain is involved will be worth it – but you have to wait a while. We people who will be patient with each other. Beloved – we’ve got different backgrounds, different levels of maturity, different perspectives, different lifestyles. The beauty of the church and a sign that the HS is active is the ability to be patient with those who are different and endure when it’s not fair. I didn’t say that. God did! These scattered Jews that Jas is addressing were being kicked around the Mediterranean like a soccer ball – by people outside and inside the church. But Jas says, “Be patient, be steadfast, endure.” Don’t think it’s your calling to right every wrong the moment it occurs. Put patience and steadfastness 2 together and you have another great biblical word – forbearance. This is such a challenge to us Americans who have been taught that justice is our Godgiven right, to be pursued at all cost. But that didn’t come from the Bible. Paul challenges in Eph 4:1-3: “I therefore, a prisoner [unfairly charged] for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all [justice and fairness? No. With all] humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with (forbearing) one another in love, 3 eager [not reluctantly, but eager] to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” In other words – take it on the chin for Jesus’ sake! Did you know Jonathan Edwards – the greatest theologian and pastor in American history – was kicked out of his church? He was. He succeeded his grandfather as pastor of Northampton Congregational in 1729. It was all good for many years – until he began to insist those who took Communion had to be professing Xns. This was new to that time and place, and many took offense. In 1744 they voted him out by 230-29! Then they found he was not so easy to replace, so they asked if he would stay until the found a replacement! Which he did for many months. Amazing forbearance. One eyewitness said, “I never saw Jonathan Edwards display the least symptoms of displeasure in his countenance the whole time. He appeared like a man of God whose happiness was out of reach of his enemies.” He would not compromise the truth – but neither would he compromise love! Isn’t that the kind of Spiritfilled people we’d like to be? It’s the kind God wants us to be. If Edwards could do that, can’t I quit bickering about being left off that committee or not getting recognized for my contributions, or not getting my way on the organization or whatever my complaint? A lot of us are going to have a lot of pettiness to answer for – and a lot of loss of eternal reward. How do we develop patience? Jas tells us that, too. V. 8: “You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord.” “Establish” = “make fast, confirm, be resolute.” Have a heart that’s committed. Patience is an inside job. It starts with the heart. Impatience is the result of a wavering heart – a heart that is not trusting God, but trusting self to right all wrongs. Trust God. The double-minded person is not sure God is up to the job. Jas warned about that. In 1:6 he says, “the one who doubts (that God is able) is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” He says of that person in 1:8, “he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” No wonder we want to straighten everyone out. We fear if we don’t do it, it won’t get done. But Jas 4:8, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. 3 Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you doubleminded.” You’ll never be patient if God is not established as Lord of your heart. Patience comes with trusting a big God. An established heart is firmly fixed on God, and that’s the key for patience, endurance, and forbearance. I Pet 1:6-7: “Humble yourselves, [not impose yourselves; Humble yourselves] therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” An established heart trusts God fully and completely as the HS enables it. If anyone had reason to take the law into their own hands, it was David. He’d already been anointed king, though Saul was still ruling. Saul got so jealous that David had to leave court, being aggressively pursued by Saul. But on one occasion, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself – same cave David and his men were hiding in! The men urged in I Sam 24:4, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.” He could have killed him then and there. But he got conscience-stricken that he had even ruined Saul’s robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.” That’s forbearance with a capital F, isn’t it? If anyone ever had a case, it was David. Saul wasn’t just keeping him off a committee, he wanted to kill him. But David refused to touch God’s anointed. I wonder how it would change our behavior if we saw other believers for who they really are – God’s anointed. Brothers and sisters in Christ. Beloved by God just as we are, with a Father who can handle discipline issues. So, “Be patient, brothers and sisters. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” Patience! B. Outwardly – Don’t grumble Okay, so you get your heart right – an attitude of forbearance is growing – then here’s the behavioral change that’ll show it. 9) Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold the Judge is standing at the door.” We love the coming of the Lord so others will get theirs. Great. But Jas tells us: You’re subject to judgment. So keep your mouth shut. What seems so urgent now, you may be sorry for then. Jesus gave the same warning: Mt 12:36) I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.” This has been a theme of Jas throughout, hasn’t it? Think twice before you speak; in fact, think three times. That piece of your mind you are about to give away may prove costly later. Don’t 4 grumble. Just bc someone disagrees with you – don’t make it personal. We call it defending our rights; God calls it a violation of who He is. The present tense of this command indicates that it is going on even as Jas writes this. They are grumbling against each other, holding grudges, judging each other, letting bitterness grow. And even if they are right; they are wrong! This is not forbearance; this is disobedience. We think we’re doing pretty well if we don’t punch someone out, right? Held our temper. Didn’t take revenge. But that’s not what Jas says, is it? He says, “Don’t grumble.” Grumbling is so easy to do – feels so good! Grumbling is complaining. Grumbling is scorning; grumbling is zinging people, griping, finding fault, nitpicking. Jas doesn’t say, “Grumbling – well, that’s not so bad as long as you keep it so yourself.” No, he says, “Don’t grumble – bc, the Judge, who knows every careless word – that Judge is at the door; He’s listening; He’s coming soon; and you’ll certainly be sorry then. So don’t do it. Ask the HS to help you clean up your heart and clean up your act.” Do you know what grumbling is? Let me give you another take on this. In John Milton’s Paradise Lost he says, “A vote for Satan is a vote for hell; and a vote for hell is endless biography.” Endless biography – me, without end! Milton is saying there is nothing more miserable or more deadly than not being able to get out of your own needs. That’s all grumbling is. Ever see a happy grumbler? No – you never will. And you won’t be the first! Grumbling is hell on earth – endless biography, absolute self-absorption, concentration on nothing but me and my opinions. When Jas says, “Don’t grumble” he is saying, “Get over yourself. Quit thinking of your own needs and desires and think about someone else’s. Life treat you unfairly? It treats everyone unfairly – just in different ways. Get over it. Get God in your life.” Jas reminds us if we don’t get this area of our life under control, we will answer for it. He doesn’t say, “The Lord is at the door.” He says “the Judge is standing at the door.” You say, “I thought Xns would not be judged,” and they will not be judged to determine heaven or hell. But believers will be judged. II Cor 5:10: “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.” Among other things, every careless word will be exposed there and will result of loss of reward that could have been ours. If grumblers are not happy here – and they are not in spite of their grumbling – they will be decidedly unhappy then. 5 I know I’ve shared this before, but I love what was said of Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of the Church of England during the reign of Henry VIII. It was said of him: “To do him any wrong was to beget a kindness from him.” Isn’t that good? Let’s make that our goal. Let’s ask the HS to make that true of us. Rather than setting someone straight, let’s see how much kindness we can impose. Isn’t that a worthy goal? Isn’t that what Jas is asking? Conc – Alexander Strauch is a pastor who was approached after Sunday service by a man who informed him in no uncertain terms that the special music that week had been too loud. The longer he talked, the more red-faced he became – eventually informing Strauch that he would face the judgment of Christ for allowing the young people to ruin his worship. Strauch says, “For several minutes he gave me a good, old-fashioned tongue-lashing. He held nothing back. Then he took a deep breath, rested a few seconds, and said calmly, ‘Well, at least you are an open-minded person.’” He turned, walked away, and there has been no problem between us since. I never said a word. I knew that if I started to argue, the situation would have escalated. Surely the HS controlled my emotions, allowing me to stay calm and to overlook his threatening talk and ungracious behavior.” He put into practice exactly what Jas is urging here. How we need that kind of believer. How do you handle trouble? Be patient, be steadfast, establish your heart on Christ and do not grumble. Tough assignment? You bet – but nothing like the One who, despite all the ways we disappointment and disobey every day went to the cross for us – bearing the penalty for our impatience and complaining so we don’t have to. Now he asks in Eph 4:32: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” There’s your instruction and there’s your example. Now – do it! Let’s pray. 6