Cork Free Presbyterian Church, 10 Briarscourt
(Annex) Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland
Pastor: Colin Maxwell. Email: colin.maxwell@fpcmission.org
JAMES 5:1-20 TEXT: v10-11 [SUFFERING, PATIENCE, ENDURANCE]
James is still addressing these Christian brethren who were suffering
under the greedy and unscrupulous hands of rich men in this section
which starts from 4:13ff
He starts off by launching a blistering attack against the rich men
He proceeds then to exhort the wronged brethren to patience, giving
them continued reason to hope in a forthcoming event i.e. the coming
again of the Lord Jesus (v7-9)
This event is comparatively near at hand (v8)
We should always live in the expectation of it, setting our affections on the things that are above and leave nothing undone
When the summons comes to rise up and go, let us be sure that we can leave this earth with no regrets
By keeping a hopeful eye (Bible sense) we may patiently endure all
these things, knowing that in a short time, they will be gone for ever
In our passage, still on the same theme, James does not just look forward, but he also looks back also
He is not asking these Christian brethren to do anything that has not
been done before and by doing so, he is not merely utilising hope but
employing also experience
While being the first to place the footsteps in the path has its own
excitement and benefits, yet it certainly is a lot more comforting to
be walking in a well warn and well known path where others have walked
and got to their desired haven
In this part of his comfort to the afflicted brethren, James takes them
down the well worn and well known path, using the same link word again
(i.e. patience) as in his previous advice re: Christ's return
The exhortation remains the same…the proofs differ and yet
dovetail together, with one looking forward and the other looking back
What is James telling the afflicted brethren here?
1) YOU ARE NOT UNIQUE IN YOUR TRIALS:
A/ Man's inhumanity to man is nothing new and from earliest days
From Cain murdering Abel to be precise and in every generation since
A fine body of men have been so afflicted i.e. the Prophets
Not merely one or two, but in effect them all:
Which of the prophets have not your
fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the
coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and
murderers: (Acts 7:52)
The faithful prophet who served God went forth into a life, beset with
many problems - they are the people to refer to/this pastoral
application
B/ It is sometimes the trait of people in affliction that they feel that they alone are undertaking their particular affliction
Without minimising their struggle, yet they need to be fortified
against such thinking - and it does help to know that we are not alone
Already emphasised: Others have been here and done that and they
survived to bring glory/God who sustained in them in their darkest hour
Peter makes use of a similar argument and to the same end:
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions
are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (1 Peter 5:9)
And that's not only the past, but the present - but the same idea of "You are not alone in your grief…"
C/ It is the Devil's ploy to isolate you in this matter
He did so with Job - mentioned in this passage (v11)
He will certainly try and at least make you feel alone:
Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off. (Lamentations 3:54)
This feeling of isolation is to make you doubt God and implies that He
is not interested in you as an individual - That God is only interested
in the Big Picture - the significant events and that you don't register
This is not so:
Can a woman forget her sucking child,
that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they
may forget, yet will I not forget thee. (Isaiah 49:15)
D/ Let this encourage you in whatever case you find yourself:
You are not alone: I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon. (Lamentations 3:55)
2) THE PROPHETS COULD HAVE STEPPED OUT OF THE CAULDRON AT ANY GIVEN TIME BUT WILLINGLY ENDURED AFFLCITION:
A/ I mention this for a good reason, because there is in this thought
an immediate difference between the prophets and the afflicted workers
[i] The difference: The Afflicted workers can hardly walk away from
their trouble. Don't get the impression that we are talking here about
1 bad employer in the barrel and that a little career change would help
Get the impression that this was the norm in these days
That worker's rights were a thing belonging to a better age
[ii] Could the prophets walk away from their trouble?
Humanly speaking, Yes! Their trouble stemmed solely from the fact that
they were prophets - who "spoke in the name of the Lord" (v10)
Always been the Devil's line of attack, if he cannot bully the prophet
into silence through threats/affliction, to offer him peace for silence
Jeremiah succumbed to it, although only on a temporary basis:
O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I
was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in
derision daily, every one mocketh me. For since I spake, I cried out, I
cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a
reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Then I said, I will not make
mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in
mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with
forbearing, and I could not stay (Jeremiah 20:7-9)
B/ Here's the point: Although the prophets could have walked away from
their deep troubles, yet they chose to remain at their posts and enjoy
the great comfort of God
Paul takes up this idea of no departing in silence from God as well:
Women received their dead raised to
life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that
they might obtain a better resurrection: (Hebrews 11:35)
A reference to the sufferings of seven brethren (as
faithfully recorded in 2 Maccabees) who were offered deliverance and
indeed riches for apostasy, but who refused the offer
C/ What afflictions they endured
Already (Hebrews 11:35) seen torture mentioned - anything imaginable
that justifies the use/words like: suffering/affliction/endure
may be brought into play here
Greek word for endure is hupomeno
Meno = to abide/wait while hupo = Above i.e. a super waiting period
Nothing could move the one waiting from his position
He endured to the end, unmoved by his plight
D/ Now if these folk can do it, then can we not also/
They are an example to us…not a one off accident/history
We are to read the biographies of these men and copy them in their
patience and apply their virtues to our lives in this present evil world
Even in the days/Prophets, there was greed etc.,
The prophets rightly denounced it, but they also bore it with patience
No uprising - no embracing of anti-god teaching etc.,
What an example
3) THEY DID NOT LOSE OUT IN THEIR STAND:
A/ What is the end of the Lord? i.e. the purpose?
Greek word for end is telos (from which we get telescope)
Answer: Proof that God is very pitiful and of tender mercy
Don't lose those adjectives and qualifiers: Very p. and tender mercy
I might not be able to explain all that at the moment and how it
relates to your situation that could well be breaking your heart
again/again
You say; Preacher, does the Bible have all the answers?
I say: No…but God does (and therefore hasn't revealed them all yet)
As much as we think we would like to know now, yet we must abide until
God's time of revelation: Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do
thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. (John 13:7)
But know this…that you will see that the end of the Lord in all these things will be very pitiful and of tender mercy
We must take that on faith, but it is not a blind faith because we are able to see what happened in the life/Job and others:
Job went through the furnace/affliction and even there in his lowest hour, he had this assurance:
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. (Job 23:10)
And Job propsered well out of his affliction, as pictured by (although
not refined to) his earthly prosperity: And the LORD turned
the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD
gave Job twice as much as he had before. (42:10)
B/ One immediate benefit gained from suffering in this world is that we
can taste of the rich consolations of God, even on this earth
Just as pure water tastes even nicer on the parched tongue, so too the
solace/God: Are the consolations of God small with thee? (Job 15:11)
The greater the trial, then the sweeter the consolation/God
C/ Another immediate benefit is that we can share the consolations wherewith we ourselves have been consoled:
Argument of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
D/ Another benefit is that they will have a great reward/Heaven
God has a special place for all who willingly lay down their lives for Him
He honours them who honour Him (1 Samuel 2:30)
4) WE COUNT THEM HAPPY THAT ENDURE - WE SHOULD BE LIKEWISE:
A/ Not merely looking here at patience and endurance, but also joy
Joy would really be the cream on the top - the ultimate evidence that we believe that we are the better off for our position
Certainly a lot better off than the rich bosses in the opening verses
Look at all the horrible words of those opening verses: Weep…howl etc.,
They are not counted blessed, unless by short-sighted and foolish folk
B/ But we count the persecuted Christians who endure a happy people
We admire the steadfastness of their faith in impossible situations
We know they enjoy the special comforts of God (as said a minute ago)
Again…they will enjoy the bliss of Heaven for their sufferings on earth
(Not in any atoning way or by making void God's grace.
It is not their suffering that gets them to Heaven)
C/ We should therefore endure ourselves when we seek to apply these
truths to our situation. If we walk by sight rather than
faith…then be prepared to put up with all kinds/discouragement
but not if we walk by faith rather than sight - We will be the happiest
people on God's earth
THE END