Thunderstorms and Scripture

The path of faith always leads to Jesus

So on Thursday evening July 14th, about 50 or so folks met over on the courthouse lawn to read the Bible.

I’m not sure what the international organization’s name is that makes this happen.

Maybe I should be more concerned about that, but I’m not.

We’re reading the Bible - hard to go wrong with that.

Debra Hall and her team make this happen every year.

It’s 7:14 on 7/14.

Someone’s kind of clever.

2 Chronicles 7:14 “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

So someone, somewhere said, "2 Chronicles 7:14 is the answer, so let’s meet at 7:14 on 7/14, and read the Bible.”

So, all across Georgia, the United States and multiple foreign countries, Christians met at 7:14 on 7/14 and read scripture out loud.

And by the end of the day, the entire Bible had been read out loud from cover to cover in every participating state or country.

Our portion to read was Leviticus 20 - 25.

Leviticus isn’t an easy read.

It’s full of rules and regulations - which I guess is kind of fitting to read on the courthouse lawn.

But then there is this:

In Leviticus, the Lord says over and over, “I am the Lord,” or “I am the Lord your God.”

He says it a lot - it makes you think.

I got there early.

I sat my chair against the fence in the grass - being a good baptist that was as back row as I could get.

George Sheffield played and led music for about 30 minutes before we started reading.

Ya’ll know how much it has been raining lately - it is after all, summer in Georgia.

And as I sat there, in the distance I heard a rumble of thunder.

I’d prayed for no rain as other people did too.

But thunder.

While George sang, I checked weather radar.

South us there were thunderstorms and future view said they were going to stay south of us.

But thunder.

And for a minute I kind of tensed up - I’m the guy that likes to have a plan.

What will we do if a storm blows up?

The wind kicked up a little bit.

George kept singing.

And in my mind, I heard myself say, “It either will or it won’t and there’s not much you can do about it.”

So I quit thinking about it.

George finished with the music.

And we began to read.

And over and over again, the Lord reminded me - and all of Jones County - “I am the Lord your God.”

And there was no thunderstorm.

We’ve been in James for 13 weeks.

Like I’ve said with everything we’ve preached, I hope you’ve gotten at least half as much out of this as I have.

I’ve fallen in love with the book of James.

James is so practical.

“This is how to live,” James says to us.

“Are you a brother or sister in Christ? Then this is the path of faith.”

This is what it looks like to be a Christian.

THIS is what it looks like to be a Christian living in the year 2022.

Open your Bibles to James chapter 5, verses 7 - 20.

Hear the Word of the Lord.

James 5:7–20 ESV

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. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 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. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. 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. Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

If you were an expert - and let’s call James an expert - he was the brother of Jesus.

If you were an expert on a topic and you were writing a letter to some friends explaining how to do what you are an expert in

How would you end your letter?

Well, if it were me, I’d recap the most important things I want you to remember.

And that’s what James did.

Recap number 1

Be patient until the Lord comes

James 5:7 “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.

And then James uses this illustration of patience: “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.”

There are some things in life that I am certain of.

I live in Georgia.

I’ve lived here all of my life.

I don’t need experts to tell me about the weather - I’ve lived it - I know.

In July and August, it’s always hot as the dickens.

People who say it’s never been this hot before have never been a little boy playing sandlot baseball in July.

It’s hot.

It’s always been hot.

And every summer, because of the heat, we have pop up thunderstorms.

Every year I patiently wait on those summer time thunderstorms.

Patience is knowing something is going to happen and so you wait on it.

James says Jesus is coming back.

Just like I know we have thunderstorms in Georgia in July and August, James knows Jesus is coming back.

And that has to affect everything.

And that has to affect everything about everything as far as we are concerned.

The teacher left the room - but she is coming back.

Mom and dad did go somewhere - but they are coming back.

Jesus ascended into heaven - but He’s coming back.

Living life patiently shows we are sure He is coming back.

We know that we know that we know that Jesus is in charge of all that is.

And that He’s not asleep or unconcerned or slow.

But just like the rains will come and gardens will grow, Jesus will come and do what He said He was going to do.

So we are to live patiently waiting on the Lord.

How will we know we are living patiently? James tell us.

We’ll be patient with one another

James 5:9 “Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.”

When we take our eyes off of Jesus - what does that mean?

That’s kind of churchy, isn’t it - keep your eyes on Jesus.

Maybe we should say it this way - when we remember Jesus, we’ll be patient with each other.

We’ll treat each other as we want to be treated.

And we’ll realize that whatever mess I’m going through, you might be going through the same kind of thing too.

Or maybe worse.

So when I have Jesus on my mind, I can cut you a little more slack too.

How will we know we are living patiently?

We will suffer better

Folks - we’re going to suffer.

It’s not a matter of if, it is a matter of when.

And then it’s a matter of, how.

Then it’s a matter of how bad.

How will we suffer when hard times come?

And here is a question for you, how do you want people to see you suffering?

James 5:11 “Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.”

Everybody loves the underdog right?

The Rudy’s of the world who want to play football so badly - but they are too small or too something.

But they never give up and they work and work and try and try until one day they do.

We admire those folks don’t we?

We “Consider those blessed who remain steadfast.”

With all of the hardships Ms. Janelle Bridges faced, she never stopped encouraging me.

As Mr. Alex Karpinecz lay in a hospital dying, he never stopped encouraging a young pastor.

His wife, Pauline Karpinecz, diagnosed with terminal colon cancer and refused treatment because she didn’t want to live her last days in a medically induced agony.

She never stopped encouraging the people around her.

“We consider those blessed who remain steadfast,” who have assurance of - what?

Three things.

We are assured Jesus is coming.

We are assured Jesus ultimately wants us to experience His mercy.

And we are assured Jesus ultimately wants us to experience His compassion.

That’s what it’s all about.

That’s what Jesus wants for us.

When we remember Jesus, we suffer better.

The third way we know we are living patiently is:

We will be more calm

James 5:12 “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.”

We swear because we aren’t calm.

And we aren’t calm because we aren’t remembering Jesus.

Sometimes I ponder about, “What is man that you are mindful of him?

What are we?

In our of our bombas-ity, our hubris, our preening.

Give any one of us just a taste of the wrong dirt and we die.

Eat a peanut if you have a severe peanut allergy.

In my case, take a big deep breath of the mold that grows on seeds and pine straw.

Inject just a wee bit too much substance in a vein.

Take one too many pills.

You do realize, all of our medicines, all of our foods - they all come from dirt.

I may have mentioned this the other day because it is just so real.

This came from a very recent British documentary, “Despite all of our accomplishments, we owe our existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains.”

Ponder that.

When we remember that Jesus is coming back - which means we know He came a first time.

We’ll be more calm.

I can simply say “Yes” when I mean yes and “No” when I mean no.

I won’t have to get all red-faced and swear at you.

But sometimes we forget.

Peter was in the courtyard of the place where Jesus was being tried.

3 times someone accused Peter of the truth - that he was a disciple.

On the third accusation, Peter swore at the girl who accused him.

The rooster crowed and Peter was crushed.

He forgot Jesus.

But Jesus didn’t forget.

Do you remember the story?

What did Peter eventually get from Jesus?

He got the same thing as Job.

Mercy and compassion.

The same thing He offers to you and me.

We need to work hard to remember Jesus.

That’s one reason why you need to be at church each week and I need to preach Jesus each week.

We need to remember Jesus.

We need to be reminded of what He did for everyone

And what He did for you

And what He did for me.

When we remember Jesus, we’ll live better.

But we’ll still suffer - and James reminds us how to deal with suffering.

When we suffer - pray

On it’s face, that sounds wholly unsatisfying until we realize what it’s saying.

When we suffer - remember Jesus and pray.

And when we are joyful - remember Jesus and pray.

James 5:13 “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.”

It’s all about Jesus - we can’t miss this.

Look at verse 14 James 5:14 “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”

What is this saying?

Remember James knew Jesus and he knew what Jesus taught.

And Jesus taught this: Matthew 18:20

Matthew 18:20 ESV

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Jesus said that - remember.

Now read verse 14 with that in mind.

“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church - elders - plural - more than one.

Suppose two elders show up.

And there is one sick guy.

That’s two or three - right.

So who else shows up?

Well, that would be Jesus.

James is saying when you are sick, remember Jesus.

You are suffering for sure - what do you do?

You call two or three and you gather together and remember Jesus.

The elders anoint with oil - oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

You know how you feel when you get oil on you - it just seems to keep going until you’re covered in it?

That’s the Holy Spirit.

We don’t get a little bit of the Spirit - we get the full dose.

The full reminder - Jesus is with you.

And the full reminder that Jesus’ goal is to show you mercy and compassion.

Now this is a tough verse that is easily misused.

It reads as though if you pray for the person and they and you have enough faith, they are guaranteed to be healed.

But there are some words here that should make your head jerk up.

James 5:15 “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick...

Combine the word save with “...and the Lord will raise him up.”

Add to that , “And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”

This is what I hear.

Their healing may or may not be a restoration to physical health - because that’s not necessarily the Lord’s ultimate goal.

His goal is to what?

Luke 19:10 ESV

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

When Jesus sees us suffer, what does He feel?

Luke 13:34 ESV

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

I want to draw you to Myself so you could experience my mercy and compassion.

Patience and steadfastness means I give the Lord room to be the Lord.

That I realize that my praying for a brother or sister’s physical healing might just be the worst thing they could get.

That Jesus’ mercy and compassion might be best displayed by His bringing them to His Father’s house to the place He prepared for them.

Living patiently means we affirm with Paul Romans 14:8

Romans 14:8 ESV

For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

When we are sick or suffering, we remember Jesus.

There is one last thing James wants us to remember:

Love your brothers and sisters like you love yourself

James 5:19-20 “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

Pastor Randy, that’s going to make them mad.

Yep, probably so at first - and maybe for a long time.

But you know, it made our kids mad when we took the matches away from them.

And it made our kids mad when we took the hairpins away from them when they tried to put them in the electrical sockets.

And it made our kids mad when we took the doors off the hinges and toys out of their rooms when they were being incorrigible.

But the day came when they thanked us for it.

When their souls were saved and their sins were forgiven.

If we love someone, we can’t stand and let them get hurt.

We have to remind them about Jesus.

It’s all about Jesus.

The path of faith leads to Jesus.

Every single time.