Studies in James

1. Studies in James Presentation 19

2. The Structure of the Book Introduction and Trials in the Christian Life (1: 1-8) Happiness in our Circumstances(1: 9-11) Trial, Temptation and Gift (1: 12-18) Hindrances to Fruitfulness(1: 19-21) Doers and Hearers (1: 22-25) True Religion (1: 26-27) Favouritism (2: 1-7) The Royal Law (2: 8-12a) Showing Mercy (2.12b-13] Faith and Works (2:14-26) Teachers and the Tongue (3: 1-12) True and False Wisdom, (3: 13-17) Peacemakers (3: 18) Defeat Through Lack of Submission(4: 1-6) Victory Through Submission(4: 7—10) Judging One Another (4: 11-12) Boasting of Tomorrow (4: 13-17) The Misuse of Wealth(5: 1-6) The Need of Patience (5: 7-12) Appropriate Responses (5:13-16) Restoring the Wanderer (5:17-20) Presentation 19

3. The Need of Patience Chap 5v7-12 Presentation 19

4. Introduction It is no exaggeration to say that one of the hardest issues to come to terms with in our lives is the problem of suffering. Suffering lights the fuse that produces an explosion of questions: “Why does God permit this?” “What kind of God would do this to me?” “What have I done to deserve this?” At sometime we will all ask these questions in our hearts if not speak them with our mouths? James deals with the problem of suffering, not only at the beginning of his epistle but also at its conclusion. Presentation 19

5. Introduction In both cases James’ concern is the same. He doesn’t want our experience of suffering to corrode our minds and hearts. He doesn’t want it to perversely colour our view of God. What grotesque caricatures of God we often permit our suffering to paint on the walls of our minds. In this environment cynicism and bitterness grows. James wants us to replace this unholy graffiti with a statement of fact: "The Lord is full of compassion and mercy"v11. Presentation 19

6. Introduction But how do we deal with the growth of cynicism and bitterness that suffering can produce? James’ answer may strike you as strange and inadequate? He calls upon us to exercise patience! He sees true patience as the only adequate remedy to the perversions which suffering can produce. But he is too much of a caring pastor to say tersely to the sufferer, "Be patient!". He promotes patience by [1] providing valuable examples, [2] by pointing out the dangers of impatience [3] by providing us with incentives towards patience. Presentation 19

7. Examples of Patience The first example of patience is the farmer "who waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, how patient he is." v7 He waits patiently for his crop to be watered and grow. What is this example meant to teach? First, if the farmer is prepared to wait for his grain-crop, then the Christian should be prepared to wait for his crown of glory. Why? Because, in the plan of God, the seed of suffering produces a harvest of glory. This is supremely true in the life of Jesus cf. Heb.12.1-3. Presentation 19

8. Examples of Patience The writer is encouraging his readership to persevere to exercise patience in the midst of suffering because v11 "it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained in it.” But only the attitude, of patient perseverance towards suffering will bear fruit. This is why Christians of a former age talked of, "improving upon their sufferings". Many Christians are hurting deeply, their emotions may be shredded inside despite their external appearance. God can produce a harvest of righteousness and peace if they trust him to do so. Presentation 19

9. Examples of Patience It takes a considerable period of time for the farmer to see the result of his labour. Only in fairy stories like "Jack in the Bean-stalk" can you can scatter the seed one night and the next morning discover a plant that stretches into the sky. Cultivation is a long process. It cannot be hurried. Similarly, the fruit of suffering and trial in the Christian life is not something we become conscious of overnight. We may not see the results in this life, though many do, but we will see them in glory. It was for this reason that Paul could write 2 Cor.4.17..." Presentation 19

10. Examples of Patience Secondly, look at v10 "Brothers as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord". What's the significance of this example? Stephen asks his accusers in Acts 7.52 , "was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute?" All God's servants experience suffering. None are immune! Suffering and opposition can have a disheartening effect. We are tempted to think that our suffering is uniquely severe and so wallow in self-pity. Think of Elijah in 1Kings 19.14 "I am the only one left and now they are trying to kill me too". God's reply was that he had a further 7000 faithful followers in Israel who, unknown to Elijah, also had their particular crosses to bear. Presentation 19

11. Examples of Patience When we think of the sufferings of others we are less likely to indulge in self-pity? A Nepalese man was forced to work each day in a 2 metre tank of human excrement Because he was a Christian. He rejoiced in his situation because, the guards didn't come near him and he could sing praises to God. When we hear of others in Iran and elsewhere who have suffered courageously, are we not encouraged to bear our burdens with resolute faith? Jesus said, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets that were before you.“ Matt. 5.11-12 Presentation 19

12. Examples of Patience What of the suffering we experience which is not as a result of persecution? At this point James introduces as his final example, Job. Despite being a godly man Job lost his wealth, his family, his health, his reputation, and his friends. He was left with two things; breath in his body and faith in his God. What do we think of when we think of Job? We think of his patience! This is what has given him such a prominent place both in history and in in God's Word. Presentation 19

13. Examples of Patience He did not realise that his loyalty and love for God were being tested. He did not understand whay was happening to him but he held on. He cried out in his darkness’ "Thou he slays me yet will I trust him“ Job 13.15 He would not allow the most adverse of circumstances to discredit God in his eyes. Throughout his suffering, Job keeps his unshakeable resolve in the fact that whatever God is doing it is for his good. He declares, "When he has tested me I shall come forth as gold” Job 23.10 Presentation 19

14. Examples of Patience Job's story only makes sense when we see God at work doing something for his glory. Remove this thread and the whole experience collapses into a meaningless heap of pain and sorrow. The book of Job ends with Job receiving great material blessing but more importantly he was blessed spiritually. God’s creative use of our suffering is something we need to grasp. That said Job’s question the ‘why’ of his suffering is not answered. But Job no longer needed that answer. He had found something more important, a God who could minister to him in his deepest need. Presentation 19

15. The Danger of Impatience Have shown the value of patience in the midst of suffering James points out the dangers of impatience. First, the impatient man who suffers is likely to take it out on others, "Don't grumble against each other brothers"v9. How often we begin by grumbling about our circumstances but end up directing our grumbles against others. And the first people to suffer are those dearest to us. We can be very unforgiving on the one hand and yet very demanding on the other. It is irrational to blame those closest to us for all our troubles. Nevertheless that is what we do. Presentation 19

16. The Danger of Impatience When we begin to carefully analyse this behaviour, we discover we can’t excuse ourselves by pleading, "I am under a lot of pressure". The fact of the matter is, we resent these pressures very bitterly. When we are hurting and we find ourselves hurting those nearest to us who are doing their best to help. We are in fact saying, ‘I resent the circumstances in my life, I resent having such a hard time’. We transfer our anger at our circumstances towards those around us. We don't like to admit this of course but if we fail to patiently submit to the circumstances that God surrounds us with then we cause others to suffer. Presentation 19

17. The Danger of Impatience The second danger of impatience is that of irreverence, "Above all my brothers do not swear, not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your yes be yes and your No, no or you will be condemned"v12. The intention of this verse is not to prevent the Christian from taking an oath before a judge but to discourage the use of oaths in the ordinary relationships of life and above all as an expression of impatience. The impatient man when surrounded by sore providences or when under pressure may be tempted to take God's name in vain. But in doing so he is expressing contempt for God's name and authority. Presentation 19

18. The Danger of Impatience James asks why some seek to establish their reliability by the use of oaths eg, "Cross my heart", "On my mother's grave“, instead of a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Complete truthfulness, which can be costly, is only possible where there is a complete trust in God. Now James argues that the impatient man is not trusting God as he ought. He is not as truthful as he ought to be and so resorts to oaths, when he wants to be believed. A failure to trust God under trial has a corrosive effect on our integrity. We cannot compartmentalise our lives saying, ‘I cannot trust God in this one area of my life’ and expect other areas of our lives, which also require trust in God, to be left unimpaired. Presentation 19

19. An Incentive for Patience Finally, notice that all of what James has to say about the exercise of the patience of faith in the midst of suffering is set within the framework of the second coming of Christ cfv7-9. And it is the return of Jesus, to bring down the curtain on this present world order and to establish his kingdom, which James presents as THE great incentive towards the exercise of patience. It is a comfort to know that suffering is not indefinite. This vale of tears does not last forever. Suffering for the believer ends when he goes to be with the Lord or when he returns at the consummation of the age, whichever comes first. Presentation 19

20. Conclusion When Jesus comes he brings his reward with him. Believers will enter into the harvest of their suffering. And justice will be meted out to those who have oppressed his people. All the injustices, mentioned earlier in the chapter, will be dealt with. It is also challenging to think that God’s own people will, among other things, give an account of how they have coped with suffering. Do we improve upon our suffering? Can we say with James, "The Lord is full of compassion and mercy"?Or do we allow our suffering to embitter us and cause us to lash out at men and God. Be patient the Lord is coming! Presentation 19