December 11, 2016 Text: James 5:7-11
Dear Friends in Christ,
How about a little test to begin the Lord’s message this day? How patient are you on a 1-10 scale? Those of you who want the sermon to be over already, you are a 10. Those of you Key West laid back on the beach and nothing bothers you people we will assign you a 1. Now I need those 10’s to move to the pulpit side because I have to pay closer attention to you and your fidgeting. One’s you can go the lectern side because I know you can patiently listen to a 9-minute sermon. Those in the middle, well you’ve got the center aisle!
All kidding aside, most of us are somewhere in the middle. Many of you are like me, patient with certain things and impatient with others. Our impatience can lead us to a wide variety of sins. James says in our text, “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.” (v. 7) James will tell us this morning where we can turn to find the patience we need.
“WAIT FOR IT…WAIT FOR IT……..PATIENCE”
If patience is a virtue then our impatience is a sin. It may take an honest self-examination for us to admit that…but eventually we must. Do you find yourselves more impatient with situations or with others? And you sit in the pew and answer, “yes.” Both can be a problem. When comes to others James reminds us, “do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.”
How about that person you had to wait behind this week because they couldn’t find their checkbook? Or that driver being careful in the snow that you thought you had to get around? Or the Lord not answering your prayer that you needed a yes or no to right away?
What is the bigger problem? The annoying behavior of people and God or your grumbling about them? Furthermore, which problem can you, ought you, do something about? Through this Epistle of James he urges Christians to live out their faith by doing good works and caring for others. It continues in this passage. We are to do good works particularly by having an attitude of forgiveness, patience, and long-suffering with those who God has given us.
Patience ought to be our way of life. God has made us great promises. Trust them. He has promised the resurrection of the body, “I will raise you up on the last day.” (Jn. 6:40) He has promised heaven, face-to-face with God forever. That is our hope. But it is not here yet so we trust the promises while waiting patiently “until the coming of the Lord.”
You can’t dig down inside yourself and be more virtuously patient. In fact, if you dig deeper inside yourself, you’ll likely find more troubles, more annoyances, and more reasons to be impatient.
Patience is a fruit of the Spirit. Since your Baptism the Spirit of God dwells inside of you. You have been brought into the kingdom of grace and forgiveness and you have been given so much that you can spread it around to others.
James encourages us this way, “As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.” (v. 10) Didn’t some of these guys have things to be stressed and impatient about? They were rejected, chased out, beaten, and killed. Forty years for Moses in Sinai. He was patient. Noah patiently building an ark and then enjoying constant rain for 40 days. We become impatient with two straight days of rain. Jonah, who told the Lord he’d rather not wait around so the Lord provided an all expense paid three-day vacation in the belly of the big fish. Oh, I’m sure he was patient after that. And then there is Job. Patient with God even as everything in his life fell apart. He remained steadfast and unshaken. James says, “You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (v. 8)
James then add this, “You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” (v. 11) God is not telling us to straighten up and be more like Job. Instead He is reminding us of his compassion and mercy.
All along He is there for his people. In his mercy He never gives them more than they can bear. In his compassion He provides complete salvation. And it’s all part of the plan, laid out and carried out patiently over thousands of years, to come into our world and patiently take our place. Christ was patient for us. Patient with our faithless questions. Patient with the false charges against Him. Patiently bearing the cross and agonizing for hours before He died. Now your impatience is forgiven – and you have something worth waiting for, however long it takes.
The Lord’s purpose in all of this, in all that he’s been doing, is to get you to know His compassion and mercy. His purpose is that you would look to Him constantly, that you would tear your gaze away from all those annoyances, all that taxes your patience, and look to His cross, where his mercy forgives you and his compassion saves you for eternity in heaven.
You number 10’s you made it. Wait for it. . . wait for it. . . . . .Amen!