Advent Mid-week #3
James 5:7-10
Patience in waiting for the Lord’s return
Introduction: Do we possess the virtue of patience during these days before Christmas? We have grown so accustomed to getting what we want, when we want it; instant information, instant coffee, instant TV pictures, instant service. We sometimes might expect God to respond in kind. We tend to forget that God has eternity while we have only time. God is never in a hurry as we are. He does not need to be in a hurry with eternity at His disposal. Our Epistle for this evening deals with the problem of Christ’s return.
Why does He not come now? It helps to be patient – if we agree that He will be worth the wait. The coming of the Lord often appears to be tardy. But James urges us to be patient and reminds us that the Lord’s coming is indeed near—if we can only perceive the Lord’s timing.
1. Know that He surely is coming – V. 8 – “You to, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.”
For James, “patience” means not despairing over the return of Christ, which is “near” or “at hand” (NRSV footnote). When Jesus comes, these other problems are solved. Meanwhile, hang in there! Personal thoughts on patience will vary. “Be patient . . . (says James,) until the coming of the Lord." Patience is not something we seem to value anymore. We value speed and efficiency. When have you had to be patient? When has patience brought you something better than what you could have gotten right away? See how many times James uses the word patience? He mentions a farmer - what happens when crops are harvested too soon? I remember pulling up onions to look at them, and carrots, way too early in the season, 'just to check'. It usually meant bad news even when they were ready to be picked, that I could be patient...
2. Follow the example of the patient ones – Vv. 7, 10 – “Be patient, then brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains…As an example of patience in the face of suffering take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.”
Since believers are suffering at the hands of the wicked rich, they are to look forward patiently to the Lord’s return. In two “Come now” paragraphs, James attacks the self-centered arrogance and the aggressions of the rich. Imagine both of these as enemies of his readers, who are tempted to put God aside and who are under the thumbs of the rich. Therefore, he says, be patient: the End is near and the arrogance of our pride and of the haughty rich will end. Those in verse 4:13-17 are probably within the community, as verse 15 suggests. But the rich in 5:1-6 seem to be outsiders. The “righteous one” probably refers to the poor ones who suffer from the rich oppressors. (The Old Testament tends to identify the “poor” and the “righteous.”)
In Israel the autumn rain comes in October and November soon after the grain is sown, the spring rain comes in March and April just prior to the harvest. Early rains came in autumn, latter rains in spring. Planting was in autumn, after the first rains had softened the ground.
James’ letter is deeply concerned with proper use of speech, as 3:1-12 shows. Probably a lot of grumbling stems from our impatience with life and with people. Patience is a core element in the serenity and peace sought by Christian mystics. In verse 9, the Judge is the coming Jesus, now on your doorstep! Hebrews 11:32-34 gives examples of prophets who patiently endured.
3. Accept the fact that He is coming to judge – V. 9 “Don’t grumble against each other, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door.” In discussing patience, why does James insert a seeming incongruous thought about grumbling against one another in Verse 5:9?
When things don’t come to pass as you hope or expect, it’s tempting to blame someone else. Blaming others is easier than taking responsibility. Furthermore, when we are grumbling against one another, our focus is not on God’s reality and work in our lives but on the inequalities we see as we focus on those around us. James doesn’t qualify this. He doesn’t say, “don’t grumble unless you have a good reason to.” When we are grumbling, we are unable to receive God’s peace and we are unable to give (or receive) a blessing from another person. When we grumble we are not content with God’s work in our lives and in those around us.
“Grumbling” is not specifically prohibited in the ten Commandments. What does James say will happen if you grumble against a brother? (Genesis 3:11-19, Matthew 7:1-5, 25:31-46). By “grumbling” James means blaming someone else and not taking responsibility for your actions (or lack of action). And in this case, lack of action in forwarding the kingdom of God is probably the major factor. Remember, Christ the judge will come -- no ifs, ands, or buts about it -- and will judge each or us. And he will not let us get away with shifting the blame to others.
Conclusion: We sometimes forget that God has eternity while we have only time. God is never in a hurry as we are. He does not need to be in a hurry with eternity at his disposal. In your preparations for the coming Christmas celebration recall that your Father is making all things new and has your destiny planed. With the Psalmist we can say, “My times are in Thy hands.”
+Soli Deo Gloria+
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