None of us like to be patient, but it is even harder when we have to be patient during difficult times. In this passage, Pastor Kyle preaches in James and talks about the importance of being patient during suffering and waiting for the return of Jesus.
While you are suffering, James tells us to be kind and honest so that we will not lose our witness.
Sermon Clip
MESSAGE Notes
James 5:7-12 – Patience During Suffering
Pastor Kyle Lewis
James 5:7 – Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.
- None of us like to be patient!
- But James calls us to be patient during suffering.
The WHY: Be patient because Jesus is returning soon (v. 7-8)
- James 5:7-8 – 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. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
- James tells us to be patient!
- For what? Jesus returning.
- One day when Jesus returns, all the suffering we went through will be an afterthought and Jesus will make all things right.
James 5:8 – … for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
- Is James mistaken? That was 2000 years ago!
- 2 Peter 3:3-4, 8-9 – 3 in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”… 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
The HOW: While you are being patient, don’t grumble (v. 9)
- 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.
- Even though we are Christians and we have the hope of heaven, suffering leads us to get a little cranky with each other.
The HOW: While you are being patient, be honest (v. 12)
- 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.
- See Matthew 23
- R. Kent Hughes – “Some rabbis had begun to teach that an oath was not binding if it omitted God’s name or did not imply it. Therefore, if you swore by your own life or someone else’s life or the life of the king (as Abner did in 1 Samuel 17:55) or by your health or by some object, but avoided mentioning or alluding to the name of God, you were not bound. The Mishnah devotes one whole section called Shebuoth (“oaths”) to an elaborate discussion of when oaths are binding and when they are not. In effect, the swearing of oaths had degenerated to a system that indicated when a man could lie and when not. The results were disgraceful. There was an undying epidemic of frivolous swearing. Oaths were continually mingled with everyday speech: “By your life”—“By my beard”…. Evasive swearing became a fine art. The height of accomplishment was, while lying, to convince another you were telling the truth by bringing some person or eminent object into reference. For instance, one rabbi taught that if one swore by Jerusalem one was not bound, but if one swore toward Jerusalem it was binding—evidently because that in some way implied the Divine Name. All of this produced a moral schizophrenia: “I’m really not lying, but I’m also not telling the truth.” The use of oaths was like children’s “I had my fingers crossed!”
- James’ point is not to prohibit oaths but to encourage integrity!
James is basically saying, “While you are suffering, don’t ruin your witness!”
- 1 Peter 2:9 – But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
- If I may state the obvious: You can’t do that if you are a big crank or dishonest.
- While you are suffering, be patient, be honest, and be kind to people.
The EXAMPLES: The prophets and Job (vv. 10-11)
- James 5:10-11 – 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 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.
- James recognizes that what he is saying is hard. But he is saying that people through history have done it, so you can too!
Island Pond Baptist Church is an SBC church in Hampstead, NH, just seconds from Derry, NH. We also have many people at our church from surrounding cities such as Chester, Sandown, Danville, Kingston, Fremont, Plaistow, Atkinson, Derry, Londonderry, Salem, and Haverhill. If you live in Southern New Hampshire, we would love for you to come and visit!