Patiently Waiting for Jesus- James 5

Intro:

James 5:1–6 CSB

1 Come now, you rich people, weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted and your clothes are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days. 4 Look! The pay that you withheld from the workers who mowed your fields cries out, and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord of Armies. 5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and have indulged yourselves. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous, who does not resist you.

Point #1: Our Hope Must Be in Jesus and Not Money!

James calls the rich, who people assume have no problems because they have money, to weep and wail over the miseries that are coming to them...

James says their wealth have rotted and their clothes are eaten by moths...

Their gold and silver have corroded…their lust for money will consume some...

Some save up money thinking it gives them security instead of spending it upon what matters most!

Some had been unjust with their money...

People had worked for them and they had not paid their workers...

Then the workers have cried out to the Lord for help...

They spent their money on luxurious living and indulging themselves...

James told them they had fattened themselves for the day of slaughter...

Some had condemned and murdered the righteous who were not opposing them...

Why did they do this? To get more money!

CONTINUING IN JAMES 5:7

James 5:7–11 CSB

7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Brothers and sisters, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door! 10 Brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience. 11 See, we count as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and have seen the outcome that the Lord brought about—the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Point #2: We Must Be Patient While We Wait for Jesus to Return from Heaven.

James shows us how to patient by thinking about the farmer.

The farmer is patient when he puts seed in the ground...

The farmer is patient as he waits for rain...

The farmer is patent as he waits for the corp to grow...

Then when the harvest is ripe, he picks the crop!

2. What should we be doing as we wait?

a. We should be strengthening our heart because Jesus is coming again.

i. We pray...

ii. We read our bible.

iii. We worship together.

iv. We serve and take care of each other

a. These things strengthens our heart...

3. We do not judge, because Jesus is the judge and Jesus will return to judge.

4. James tells us to consider the prophets...

a. 10 Brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience.

1. 11 See, we count as blessed those who have endured.[a] You have heard of Job’s endurance and have seen the outcome that the Lord brought about—the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

CONTINUING IN JAMES 5:12

James 5:12 CSB

12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “yes” mean “yes,” and your “no” mean “no,” so that you won’t fall under judgment.

Point #3: Be Honest When You Answer!

When someone asks if they can trust us, do not swear by anything that they can trust us!

This called taking an oath...

When people are witnesses in court they have them raise their hand and put their other hand on a Bible that they would tells the truth.

Now a days we can just affirm our promise to tell the truth...

James says don’t sear by heaven or earth or by any oath.

Instead we should let our yes be yes and our no be no.

We want people to know we are Christians, so they know we do not lie, and we will do what we say we will do!

Adults call that having integrity. Integrity is doing what we say we are going to do!

JAMES 5:13

James 5:13–18 CSB

13 Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. 17 Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.

Point #4: James Shows Us How to Pray!

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CONTINUING IN JAMES 5:19

James 5:19–20 CSB

19 My brothers and sisters, if any among you strays from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let that person know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

Point #5: We Are to Hold Each Other Accountable!

If you know some one is a Christian and they stop living for Jesus, what should we do?

How do we know is someone is a Christian?

We saw their baptism...

We heard them confess that Jesus is their Lord and Savior!

We need to lovingly correct when they get off track with Jesus!

James tells is that when we do, we save their soul from death and cover a lot of sins!

As Christians we are called to help other be faithful to Jesus!