Patiently Endure Until The Return

INTRODUCTION

The time is quickly approaching.

Yes, the time to be done with this study in James is quickly approaching.

Yes, lunch time is quickly approaching, as well.

Even more important, the time of the Lord’s return is quickly approaching.

It has been about 2,000 years since the expected return of Jesus was first announced. That is a good long time! And what is crazy is that we are almost 2,000 years closer to the return of Jesus than the first Christians who began announcing it. After all these years, the time is almost upon us.

That is the big issue that James points to in our passage this morning, as he encourages his readers to Patiently Endure Until The Return.

James just got done dealing with the rich who use their wealth in ways that dishonor God and dishonor others. How should we react to the fact that the rich are powerful and influential in our society? James says…

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.

James started his letter with a statement concerning the reality of trials: count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, (James 1:2).

There was no humming or hawing about whether or not trials would be the reality for his readers.

Job 5:6-7

For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground, but man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.

Job makes quite clear that the mere fact that man is even born is the guarantee that he will face trials.

These people that James is writing to were born and raised as Jews and have now come to confess Jesus as the Christ (Messiah). They have been dispersed throughout the Roman Empire due to the first major persecution against the church.

Jesus promised in his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 that those who seek to live righteously will be persecuted:

Matthew 5:10-12

Matthew 5:10–12 (ESV)

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

So what is James’ answer to trials and persecution? How are the believers that he is writing to supposed to deal with the hardships they are facing? How are they supposed to deal with the oppressive rich?

Be patient...until the coming of our Lord.

There is no calling for a coup. There are to be no demonstrations of the harsh mistreatment of Christians.

There is only to be patience (lit. long-suffering) until Jesus returns.

Based on what we are used to seeing here in the United States, beginning with the Revolutionary War, the idea of patiently enduring mistreatment and hardship is a foreign concept. HOWEVER, it is anything but a foreign idea in our world.

Just over 70 years ago, Richard Wurmbrand was arrested in communist Romania for preaching the gospel and speaking out against the evils of communism. He would be released and re-arrested several more times before finally being allowed to leave Romania in 1965, after a couple of organizations paid the Romanian government a $10,000 ransom.

When it was all said and done, Richard was imprisoned and tortured for 14 years. Yet, he did not waver in his commitment to proclaim Christ and to make the world aware of the persecution that exists against Christians.

It would be great if the work that Richard and his wife, Sabina, did in letting people know about the unfortunate realities many Christians face in communist and muslim controlled countries led to a great deal less of persecution...but it has not.

Example: I am N video (0:00-1:11)

Example:

An estimated 3,462 Christians were killed in Nigeria in the first 200 days of 2021 (17 per day)

Persecution is real. Christians are really losing their lives for the sake of the gospel. And the Christians who have the most imminent danger are the ones who are most longing for the coming of Christ.

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.

Just as a farmer waits patiently through the entire growing season for his crop, so also are believers to wait patiently for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 6:9-10

Galatians 6:9–10 ESV

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

We need to “fix” and “strengthen” our hearts in the fact that the Lord can come at any moment. And when he comes, it’s judgment time!

It is just as true now as it was 2,000 years ago, but it seems that many people have difficulty accepting it. They are making statements like, “if he was going to come, he would have returned already.”

The problem with that thinking is that God does not operate on our time. He has his own time table.

Acts 1:7-8

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.”

When you realize and when you live in the light of the fact that Jesus could come at any moment, you want to be sure that when He comes you’re found doing something that you want to be found doing.

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

Grumbling against those who are close to us is particularly likely to occur when we are under pressure or facing difficult circumstances.

We vent the pressure from a stressful work environment or from ill health on our close friends and family. So it would be quite natural if James’s readers, under the pressure of poverty and persecution, would turn their frustrations on one another.

But it is important to remember that our reputation is our most priceless worldly asset… whether it is our reputation with unbelievers or fellow saints.

Philippians 2:14-16

Philippians 2:14–16 ESV

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast.

The prophets serve as fitting examples of people who obediently spoke and believed the revelation of God and endured harsh punishment for it. .

Daniel was plotted against and cast in the lion’s den

Isaiah is believed to have been sawn in two

Jeremiah is believed to have been stoned to death by his own exasperated countrymen while in Egypt.

Hebrews 13:32-40

You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Job’s example of patiently enduring through trials has long been the standard to live up to. But as can be observed through reading the accounting of his life, it was no easy feat.

In the end, God’s mercy and compassion were extended toward Job.

But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

When James says do not swear, it is not coarse or vulgar speech he prohibits but invoking God’s name to guarantee the reliability of what a person says.

The integrity of our lives ought to be so settled… our truthfulness should be so consistent and dependable… that we need no oath to support it: a simple “yes” or “no” should suffice

Part of establishing our hearts is through establishing consistency in the lives we live.

CONCLUSION

I am N video (1:39-2:05)

There is no reason that these people in heavily persecuted countries should be full of joy except that they are living for the sake of the gospel, knowing that persecution ought to be expected.

We need to get out of our comfort zones and start living unashamedly for the sake of the gospel. We need to live in such a way that we are not surprised by persecution that comes upon us.

We need to Patiently Endure Until The Return.