WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.660 We're going to read together from James chapter 5, verses 1 to 12. 00:00:04.780 --> 00:00:07.000 That's our scripture reading this morning. 00:00:07.520 --> 00:00:11.000 And one of our members, Douglas, is going to come and read for us. 00:00:11.000 --> 00:00:11.200 Douglas. 00:00:12.919 --> 00:00:18.120 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:21.879 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 00:00:22.420 --> 00:00:24.600 Your gold and silver have corroded, 00:00:24.600 --> 00:00:27.440 and their corrosion will be evidence against you 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:29.519 and will eat your flesh like fire. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:32.700 You have laid up treasure in the last days. 00:00:33.320 --> 00:00:36.780 Behold, the wages of the labourers who mowed your fields, 00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:40.780 which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, 00:00:41.140 --> 00:00:44.719 and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 00:00:45.719 --> 00:00:49.359 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. 00:00:49.799 --> 00:00:52.240 You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 00:00:52.480 --> 00:00:55.539 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. 00:00:56.120 --> 00:00:57.460 He does not resist you. 00:00:57.460 --> 00:01:03.140 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. 00:01:03.740 --> 00:01:06.659 See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, 00:01:07.060 --> 00:01:11.200 being patient about it until it receives the early and the late rains. 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:13.579 You also be patient. 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:18.260 Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 00:01:18.340 --> 00:01:21.219 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, 00:01:21.219 --> 00:01:23.280 so that you may not be judged. 00:01:23.620 --> 00:01:26.480 Behold, the judge is standing at the door. 00:01:27.179 --> 00:01:30.120 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, 00:01:30.420 --> 00:01:33.159 take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 00:01:33.819 --> 00:01:37.519 Behold, we consider those blessed who remain steadfast. 00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:40.439 You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, 00:01:40.439 --> 00:01:42.799 and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:45.480 how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. 00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:47.719 But above all, my brothers, 00:01:48.120 --> 00:01:52.920 do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath. 00:01:53.319 --> 00:01:57.400 But let your yes be yes and your no be no, 00:01:57.780 --> 00:02:00.500 so that you may not fall under condemnation. 00:02:00.500 --> 00:02:01.219 Amen. 00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:02.920 Thanks. 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:06.939 We're working our way through the epistle of James, 00:02:07.260 --> 00:02:09.500 and we are in James chapter 5, 00:02:09.740 --> 00:02:12.319 nearly the end, penultimate week in the book of James together. 00:02:12.979 --> 00:02:15.419 James is the biological brother of Jesus Christ, 00:02:15.699 --> 00:02:18.819 and he is writing to Jewish Christians, 00:02:18.920 --> 00:02:20.300 which is very important for today. 00:02:20.840 --> 00:02:24.099 Jewish Christians that have been dispersed from Jerusalem 00:02:24.099 --> 00:02:25.719 all around the Mediterranean. 00:02:26.580 --> 00:02:28.759 And James has the habit in this letter 00:02:28.759 --> 00:02:31.599 of grabbing you by the scruff of the collar 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:33.179 and shaking you a little bit. 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:35.219 And so he does that in this passage 00:02:35.219 --> 00:02:36.579 just like he did it last week. 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:39.819 And in James chapter 4, verse 13, last week's text, 00:02:40.280 --> 00:02:41.639 he says at the very beginning, 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:42.639 come now. 00:02:43.139 --> 00:02:47.019 And that little English word, two words, 00:02:47.099 --> 00:02:48.719 is translated from a Greek word 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:50.879 that appears nowhere else in the New Testament 00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:52.579 but right there in the letter of James. 00:02:52.680 --> 00:02:54.539 And it's sort of a little bit, 00:02:54.620 --> 00:02:57.280 slightly more aggressive way of calling on somebody to think. 00:02:57.280 --> 00:02:59.439 And so it's like grabbing you by the scruff of the collar 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:01.659 and saying, think with me, think carefully. 00:03:02.199 --> 00:03:04.099 And last week he said, think carefully. 00:03:04.599 --> 00:03:07.680 Are you forgetting God in the way you make your daily plans, 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:09.199 in the way you plan your life? 00:03:09.300 --> 00:03:11.420 Have you forgotten God in all things 00:03:11.420 --> 00:03:12.120 in your day-to-day life? 00:03:12.180 --> 00:03:15.240 So is the chorus of your life, the song of your life, 00:03:15.699 --> 00:03:18.199 thy will be done, Lord, or my will be done, 00:03:18.439 --> 00:03:20.120 in the way that you organize your day even? 00:03:20.860 --> 00:03:23.500 Now, today, chapter 5, verse 1, 00:03:23.500 --> 00:03:25.819 if you look at it, you'll see two little words, 00:03:26.580 --> 00:03:29.740 come now, the same two words in English, 00:03:29.819 --> 00:03:30.460 one word in Greek, 00:03:30.900 --> 00:03:33.740 that shows up in no other place in the New Testament. 00:03:33.879 --> 00:03:36.520 So this is James doing the same thing again. 00:03:36.759 --> 00:03:37.659 He does it twice. 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:39.560 He grabs us by the scruff of the neck 00:03:39.560 --> 00:03:41.500 and he shakes us a little bit 00:03:41.500 --> 00:03:43.219 and he says, think with me. 00:03:43.719 --> 00:03:47.639 And the issue today is that the tone changes completely, 00:03:48.259 --> 00:03:51.039 whereas last week he grabbed us and he said, 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:53.799 come now, Christian brothers and sisters, church, 00:03:54.239 --> 00:03:55.560 are you forgetting about God 00:03:55.560 --> 00:03:57.680 in the way you make your plans in your day-to-day life? 00:03:58.299 --> 00:04:00.219 But this week, the tone is very different 00:04:00.219 --> 00:04:02.259 and you might have noticed, as Douglas read for us, 00:04:02.500 --> 00:04:04.419 that that was not an easy passage to read. 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:07.560 And as soon as the text opens, he says, 00:04:07.659 --> 00:04:09.780 come now, you rich, weep and howl 00:04:09.780 --> 00:04:12.039 for the miseries that are about to come upon you. 00:04:12.340 --> 00:04:13.780 So this is a judgment passage 00:04:13.780 --> 00:04:15.620 and it's very different in tone 00:04:15.620 --> 00:04:17.519 and the way it feels to last week's passage, 00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:20.879 even though it's introduced with the same first word, 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:21.740 the same first heading, 00:04:21.860 --> 00:04:23.560 so it's part of the parallel idea. 00:04:23.639 --> 00:04:25.360 So there's some similar ideas there, 00:04:25.560 --> 00:04:26.219 James is telling us, 00:04:26.339 --> 00:04:27.860 but also something that's very different. 00:04:29.139 --> 00:04:32.519 And this passage has been controversial 00:04:32.519 --> 00:04:34.800 because it's troubling, 00:04:35.639 --> 00:04:37.060 because it opens by saying, 00:04:37.719 --> 00:04:40.579 come now, you rich, you wealthy, 00:04:41.360 --> 00:04:43.680 weep and howl at the miseries that are coming to you. 00:04:44.100 --> 00:04:44.980 And it's controversial 00:04:44.980 --> 00:04:46.180 because it's been interpreted 00:04:46.180 --> 00:04:47.680 in a lot of different ways. 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:52.000 And the big question today for interpretation 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:54.220 to really see what is God saying to us 00:04:54.220 --> 00:04:54.920 through James here, 00:04:55.379 --> 00:04:56.400 that you have to ask is, 00:04:56.740 --> 00:04:57.699 who are the rich? 00:04:58.480 --> 00:04:59.939 Who are the rich here? 00:05:00.980 --> 00:05:02.500 So that's the question we have to answer 00:05:02.500 --> 00:05:04.920 if we're gonna be able to understand verse seven, 00:05:05.699 --> 00:05:06.960 be patient, brothers and sisters. 00:05:07.040 --> 00:05:08.079 If you don't know who the rich are, 00:05:08.180 --> 00:05:09.399 you don't know what he means even 00:05:09.399 --> 00:05:12.139 by the command to be patient in your life, 00:05:12.199 --> 00:05:13.060 in the Christian life. 00:05:13.740 --> 00:05:14.839 So let's think about that. 00:05:14.899 --> 00:05:16.720 That means that we can just do two 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:18.199 instead of three points today. 00:05:18.759 --> 00:05:22.560 Verses one to six tell us about the world of the rich. 00:05:22.600 --> 00:05:23.220 Who are the rich? 00:05:23.319 --> 00:05:24.600 What's the world they're living in? 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:26.399 And then secondly, verses seven to 12 00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:28.220 turn to the people of the church 00:05:28.220 --> 00:05:31.420 and says, teaches us really about our mission 00:05:31.420 --> 00:05:32.959 in the world of the rich. 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:35.379 Okay, so first let's look at verses one to six 00:05:35.379 --> 00:05:36.840 and think about the rich. 00:05:36.920 --> 00:05:37.459 Who are they? 00:05:37.519 --> 00:05:39.759 And what kind of world is James talking about 00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:40.379 that they live in? 00:05:40.379 --> 00:05:44.779 Now, the instinct we have is to look at the word rich. 00:05:44.980 --> 00:05:48.560 Come now, wail, weep, howl, you rich. 00:05:48.779 --> 00:05:51.620 And think of merely the materially wealthy. 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:53.500 So just apply it universally. 00:05:54.279 --> 00:05:56.019 That's what makes the passage so scary 00:05:56.019 --> 00:06:00.219 because every person in this room probably 00:06:00.219 --> 00:06:04.180 compared to the first century upper class person 00:06:04.180 --> 00:06:04.959 is wealthier. 00:06:05.800 --> 00:06:07.800 We are all wealthier in our possessions. 00:06:08.139 --> 00:06:10.000 If you have a savings account, you are wealthier. 00:06:10.379 --> 00:06:11.659 Then the first century wealthy. 00:06:12.439 --> 00:06:13.819 And so that means that when you read, 00:06:13.939 --> 00:06:16.040 come now, you rich, weep and howl, 00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:18.180 James would most certainly be including 00:06:18.180 --> 00:06:19.959 probably all of us in that. 00:06:20.199 --> 00:06:22.659 And saying to us, prepare for the miseries 00:06:22.659 --> 00:06:23.659 that are coming upon you. 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:27.139 So is he saying, for being rich, 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:28.480 you are going to be judged? 00:06:28.500 --> 00:06:30.459 And sometimes it has been read like that 00:06:30.459 --> 00:06:32.399 as if he's talking even to Christians 00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:34.139 who have a savings account, who have money, 00:06:34.540 --> 00:06:35.959 and bringing a word of judgment. 00:06:35.959 --> 00:06:39.459 So I want to say today that that's not who he's talking about. 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:43.539 He's talking about something far more specific than that. 00:06:43.779 --> 00:06:45.759 And the way that you can get at this, 00:06:45.939 --> 00:06:48.319 we can't, I won't spend the time to do this this morning, 00:06:48.319 --> 00:06:51.560 but if you went through every little word, 00:06:51.699 --> 00:06:54.299 every little phrase in verses one to six, 00:06:54.459 --> 00:06:56.439 you would go back to the Old Testament 00:06:56.439 --> 00:07:00.039 and find that James is quoting or alluding 00:07:00.040 --> 00:07:03.300 to one of the prophets in every single clause 00:07:03.300 --> 00:07:05.400 that he uses in verse one to six. 00:07:05.520 --> 00:07:07.020 So just a couple examples of that. 00:07:07.500 --> 00:07:09.260 In verses one to six, verse one, he says, 00:07:09.439 --> 00:07:10.260 weep and howl. 00:07:11.180 --> 00:07:14.060 That's a phrase that comes from the Septuagint, 00:07:14.140 --> 00:07:16.040 the Greek translation of the Old Testament. 00:07:16.640 --> 00:07:18.960 And we find that exact phrase in the Old Testament 00:07:18.960 --> 00:07:20.420 21 times in the prophets. 00:07:21.160 --> 00:07:22.680 And it's nowhere else in the New Testament, 00:07:22.680 --> 00:07:23.420 but right here. 00:07:24.100 --> 00:07:26.320 Or a host of examples here. 00:07:27.080 --> 00:07:28.939 The day of slaughter, he says. 00:07:28.939 --> 00:07:30.439 He talks about the day of slaughter. 00:07:30.920 --> 00:07:33.019 And that language shows up only in the Bible 00:07:33.019 --> 00:07:36.079 in Obadiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah. 00:07:36.439 --> 00:07:40.259 So clearly James has the Old Testament open before him. 00:07:40.699 --> 00:07:43.399 And he's reading the prophets and quoting from them 00:07:43.399 --> 00:07:45.000 in order to write this passage. 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:47.740 He talks about the Lord of hosts or the Lord of armies. 00:07:48.659 --> 00:07:51.319 Isaiah quotes the Lord of hosts, that language, 00:07:51.480 --> 00:07:53.860 18 times in just the prophecy of Isaiah alone, right? 00:07:54.199 --> 00:07:56.860 And so you've got this real prophetic register 00:07:56.860 --> 00:07:59.379 coming out here in James. 00:07:59.480 --> 00:08:02.240 And he's clearly trying to basically take the language 00:08:02.240 --> 00:08:05.199 of the prophets and preach it to the first century. 00:08:05.340 --> 00:08:06.600 And so he sounds like Amos. 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:07.560 He sounds like Micah. 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:09.800 He sounds like Isaiah. 00:08:10.680 --> 00:08:13.939 And that helps us to understand who he's talking to 00:08:13.939 --> 00:08:17.800 because he's speaking into a context that's very similar, 00:08:17.939 --> 00:08:19.360 using language that's very similar 00:08:19.360 --> 00:08:20.660 as the Old Testament prophets. 00:08:20.660 --> 00:08:24.020 And the Old Testament prophets also condemn the rich, 00:08:24.620 --> 00:08:25.680 the wealthy. 00:08:26.360 --> 00:08:28.200 But who were they talking about most of the time? 00:08:28.260 --> 00:08:29.780 And who they were talking about most of the time 00:08:29.780 --> 00:08:32.639 were people within the covenant community of Israel 00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:35.920 who had gotten wealthy and had gotten rich. 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:36.259 How? 00:08:37.100 --> 00:08:40.720 By making all their money through the religious system 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:43.040 that God had provided in the Levitical code. 00:08:43.480 --> 00:08:46.519 By inciting a temple tax against the people. 00:08:46.519 --> 00:08:50.319 The priests are who the prophets are talking about. 00:08:50.860 --> 00:08:53.240 The priests of the Old Covenant system 00:08:53.240 --> 00:08:56.079 and saying you better weep and howl you rich 00:08:56.079 --> 00:08:58.799 because you have been given a job by God 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:00.240 to represent the people to God 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:02.120 and bring God to the people. 00:09:02.639 --> 00:09:04.259 And yet you have turned the temple 00:09:04.259 --> 00:09:06.159 and just into a money-making system. 00:09:06.980 --> 00:09:09.740 And you have oppressed the righteous, 00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:10.639 the people of God. 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:13.659 That's who I think James is talking to here. 00:09:13.659 --> 00:09:14.659 Why? 00:09:15.379 --> 00:09:15.919 Because remember, 00:09:16.659 --> 00:09:20.500 James is talking to Jewish exiles from Jerusalem, 00:09:20.620 --> 00:09:22.079 Jewish Christians who have been dispersed. 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:23.459 And how are they dispersed? 00:09:23.559 --> 00:09:25.459 They were dispersed by the persecutions 00:09:25.459 --> 00:09:28.279 of the Pharisees and the scribes and the priests 00:09:28.279 --> 00:09:30.799 right after the crucifixion and the resurrection. 00:09:31.319 --> 00:09:33.459 And so now he's turning at the end of this book 00:09:33.459 --> 00:09:35.139 to those persecutors 00:09:35.139 --> 00:09:38.240 who had pushed the Jewish Christians out of Jerusalem 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:39.379 and saying to them, 00:09:39.559 --> 00:09:41.539 you have turned what God has given you, 00:09:41.539 --> 00:09:43.419 to a religion of grace, 00:09:43.480 --> 00:09:45.199 into a religion of legalism. 00:09:45.639 --> 00:09:48.039 And you've used it to create systems of injustice 00:09:48.039 --> 00:09:50.579 where you're oppressing God's people 00:09:50.579 --> 00:09:52.959 and stealing from them and hoarding wealth 00:09:52.959 --> 00:09:55.019 and doing all sorts of things like that. 00:09:55.639 --> 00:09:57.139 Now here's the diagnosis, 00:09:57.419 --> 00:09:58.659 the charges I should say. 00:09:59.000 --> 00:10:00.079 Let me just point out to you 00:10:00.079 --> 00:10:01.639 a few of the charges that he gives. 00:10:02.019 --> 00:10:03.159 Look at the one in verse 3. 00:10:03.559 --> 00:10:04.219 In verse 3, 00:10:04.539 --> 00:10:05.120 the charge is, 00:10:05.259 --> 00:10:06.919 your gold and silver have corroded. 00:10:07.639 --> 00:10:09.079 And that will be evidence against you 00:10:09.080 --> 00:10:09.680 in the last day. 00:10:10.220 --> 00:10:11.280 Now the problem with that 00:10:11.280 --> 00:10:12.780 is that gold cannot corrode. 00:10:13.740 --> 00:10:14.780 Gold does not rust. 00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:16.200 Gold cannot be tarnished. 00:10:16.300 --> 00:10:16.980 That's why it's gold. 00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:18.200 It's the best, you know, 00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:19.500 because it doesn't corrode. 00:10:19.560 --> 00:10:20.220 So what does he mean? 00:10:20.540 --> 00:10:21.980 Well, what does he mean? 00:10:22.020 --> 00:10:22.379 It's a metaphor. 00:10:23.580 --> 00:10:25.480 Whenever you take your wealth, 00:10:25.580 --> 00:10:26.580 your money, your stuff, 00:10:26.600 --> 00:10:27.820 and you put it in a treasury, 00:10:27.940 --> 00:10:28.400 in a bank, 00:10:28.520 --> 00:10:30.120 in a cave in the first century, 00:10:30.259 --> 00:10:31.180 and you hide it, 00:10:31.240 --> 00:10:32.379 and it just sits there, 00:10:33.060 --> 00:10:33.820 and you accumulate, 00:10:34.020 --> 00:10:34.660 and you accumulate, 00:10:34.900 --> 00:10:35.580 and you accumulate, 00:10:35.580 --> 00:10:37.560 and you don't use the gold 00:10:37.560 --> 00:10:40.080 to do good by anybody, 00:10:40.340 --> 00:10:43.220 to restore acts of injustice with justice. 00:10:43.340 --> 00:10:44.540 You don't care about the poor. 00:10:44.740 --> 00:10:44.960 You don't, 00:10:45.360 --> 00:10:46.379 he's talking to priests 00:10:46.379 --> 00:10:47.620 and to people who have hoarded 00:10:47.620 --> 00:10:48.860 all this money and saying, 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:50.360 your gold is corroding, 00:10:50.440 --> 00:10:51.980 meaning you're not moving it. 00:10:52.920 --> 00:10:54.139 You're not using it for anything. 00:10:54.360 --> 00:10:55.639 You're not doing good 00:10:55.639 --> 00:10:57.160 by the people of God with it. 00:10:57.379 --> 00:10:58.840 So it's just sitting there. 00:10:59.280 --> 00:11:00.920 So the first charge is that of hoarding. 00:11:00.919 --> 00:11:04.339 The second charge he gives them is veiled, 00:11:04.519 --> 00:11:05.459 and it's in verse four, 00:11:05.620 --> 00:11:07.299 and it's hard to see at first, 00:11:07.379 --> 00:11:08.819 and I think this is why this passage 00:11:08.819 --> 00:11:09.799 is usually preached, 00:11:10.199 --> 00:11:11.699 what I would suggest is the wrong way, 00:11:11.819 --> 00:11:12.399 which is to say, 00:11:12.500 --> 00:11:13.699 this is just about being rich. 00:11:14.339 --> 00:11:15.279 No, verse four, 00:11:16.259 --> 00:11:17.699 look down at verse four with me. 00:11:17.819 --> 00:11:19.839 Behold, the wages of the laborers 00:11:19.839 --> 00:11:20.779 who mowed your fields, 00:11:21.139 --> 00:11:22.339 which you kept back by fraud, 00:11:22.379 --> 00:11:23.819 are crying out against you. 00:11:24.139 --> 00:11:26.939 The cries of the harvesters 00:11:26.939 --> 00:11:28.519 have reached the ears 00:11:28.519 --> 00:11:29.399 of the Lord of hosts. 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:31.699 He's talking about priests 00:11:31.699 --> 00:11:33.299 and scribes and Sadducees 00:11:33.299 --> 00:11:34.279 who have done what? 00:11:34.360 --> 00:11:36.139 Yeah, it probably is the case 00:11:36.139 --> 00:11:37.039 that they're not paying 00:11:37.039 --> 00:11:38.459 their day labors enough money. 00:11:39.039 --> 00:11:40.360 That's probably involved, 00:11:40.500 --> 00:11:42.000 but this is spiritual language. 00:11:42.579 --> 00:11:43.819 You know, this sounds so much 00:11:43.819 --> 00:11:46.000 like Jesus saying, 00:11:46.319 --> 00:11:47.179 you have suppressed 00:11:47.179 --> 00:11:49.059 the harvesters of my field. 00:11:49.299 --> 00:11:50.100 What is that harvest? 00:11:50.179 --> 00:11:51.419 That's a spiritual harvest, 00:11:51.899 --> 00:11:52.740 meaning he's talking 00:11:52.740 --> 00:11:53.799 to the religious elite, 00:11:53.899 --> 00:11:55.379 the religious establishment of the day, 00:11:55.379 --> 00:11:57.159 who have stood directly 00:11:57.159 --> 00:11:58.559 against the Jesus movement. 00:11:59.399 --> 00:12:00.559 And they are suppressing 00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:01.500 the work of ministry, 00:12:01.620 --> 00:12:02.399 the work of the gospel 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:03.860 all around the Mediterranean. 00:12:04.059 --> 00:12:05.079 That's who he's speaking against. 00:12:05.199 --> 00:12:07.139 And so this sounds so much 00:12:07.139 --> 00:12:10.100 like Jesus in Matthew 23. 00:12:11.980 --> 00:12:14.259 Matthew 23 is a whole chapter 00:12:14.259 --> 00:12:15.240 of Jesus turning 00:12:15.240 --> 00:12:16.480 to the religious establishment, 00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:17.799 the elite of the day, 00:12:18.059 --> 00:12:18.699 and saying, 00:12:19.179 --> 00:12:20.459 you have turned the temple 00:12:20.459 --> 00:12:22.360 into a place of hoarding wealth. 00:12:23.159 --> 00:12:24.399 Just listen to some of the language 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:24.939 from Jesus 00:12:24.940 --> 00:12:27.800 and how much James echoes 00:12:27.800 --> 00:12:29.060 this exact same thing here. 00:12:29.160 --> 00:12:29.780 Jesus says, 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:30.880 woe to you, 00:12:30.980 --> 00:12:32.040 scribes and Pharisees, 00:12:32.360 --> 00:12:32.860 hypocrites. 00:12:33.340 --> 00:12:34.440 You clean the outside 00:12:34.440 --> 00:12:35.460 of the cup and the plate, 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:37.040 but inside you are full 00:12:37.040 --> 00:12:38.400 of greed and self-indulgence. 00:12:38.740 --> 00:12:39.500 And in verse five, 00:12:40.120 --> 00:12:41.100 James comes and says, 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:43.180 you are full of self-indulgence. 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:44.740 It's almost as if he's quoting 00:12:44.740 --> 00:12:45.920 directly from Jesus 00:12:45.920 --> 00:12:47.160 as he talks to the scribes 00:12:47.160 --> 00:12:47.820 and the Pharisees. 00:12:48.340 --> 00:12:48.980 Woe to you, 00:12:49.180 --> 00:12:50.060 Jesus writes, 00:12:50.220 --> 00:12:50.820 says, 00:12:50.980 --> 00:12:51.960 blind guides who say, 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:53.340 if anyone swears by the temple, 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:54.460 it is nothing. 00:12:54.680 --> 00:12:55.660 But if anyone swears 00:12:55.660 --> 00:12:57.080 by the gold of the temple, 00:12:57.320 --> 00:12:58.860 he is bound by his oath. 00:13:00.019 --> 00:13:00.960 Verse 12 says, 00:13:01.680 --> 00:13:02.360 brothers and sisters, 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:03.540 do not make oaths. 00:13:03.900 --> 00:13:05.040 And I don't have time 00:13:05.040 --> 00:13:05.400 this morning 00:13:05.400 --> 00:13:06.680 to explain that whole system, 00:13:06.820 --> 00:13:08.000 but the scribes 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:08.680 and the Pharisees 00:13:08.680 --> 00:13:11.139 would require Israelites 00:13:11.139 --> 00:13:13.019 to make oaths before them 00:13:13.019 --> 00:13:13.800 to give them 00:13:13.800 --> 00:13:14.720 a certain amount of money 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:15.280 over time. 00:13:15.379 --> 00:13:16.220 And so sometimes people 00:13:16.220 --> 00:13:16.920 look at this passage 00:13:16.920 --> 00:13:17.240 and say, 00:13:17.700 --> 00:13:18.360 verse 12, 00:13:18.500 --> 00:13:20.040 why is he all of a sudden 00:13:20.040 --> 00:13:21.139 talking about oaths 00:13:21.139 --> 00:13:22.240 and how you use your words? 00:13:22.519 --> 00:13:24.179 It's because in the system 00:13:24.179 --> 00:13:24.879 of oppression 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:26.580 by the religious establishment, 00:13:26.840 --> 00:13:27.600 they would get you 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:28.639 to make an oath 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:30.299 that would put you into debt, 00:13:30.819 --> 00:13:31.439 ultimately putting you 00:13:31.439 --> 00:13:32.199 in prison one day 00:13:32.199 --> 00:13:32.899 if you didn't pay it. 00:13:32.919 --> 00:13:33.199 And he's saying, 00:13:33.299 --> 00:13:34.519 don't ever make an oath 00:13:34.519 --> 00:13:36.080 because these oaths 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:36.879 that are being used 00:13:36.879 --> 00:13:37.819 are being used 00:13:37.819 --> 00:13:38.600 against the church, 00:13:38.699 --> 00:13:39.439 against ministry. 00:13:39.600 --> 00:13:41.419 That's why verse 12 is there 00:13:41.419 --> 00:13:42.100 and we could say 00:13:42.100 --> 00:13:42.980 so much more about that. 00:13:43.019 --> 00:13:43.799 But you get the picture 00:13:43.799 --> 00:13:46.179 and the ultimate indictment 00:13:46.179 --> 00:13:47.580 in this passage 00:13:47.580 --> 00:13:48.399 is verse 6. 00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:51.480 Verse 6, 00:13:51.579 --> 00:13:53.899 it's a devastating pronouncement 00:13:53.899 --> 00:13:54.959 against the scribes 00:13:54.959 --> 00:13:55.639 and the Sadducees 00:13:55.639 --> 00:13:56.319 and the Pharisees 00:13:56.319 --> 00:13:57.220 and the religious elite. 00:13:57.879 --> 00:13:58.659 And you look down 00:13:58.659 --> 00:13:59.179 at verse 6, 00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:00.059 you have condemned 00:14:00.059 --> 00:14:00.860 and murdered 00:14:00.860 --> 00:14:02.059 the righteous person. 00:14:03.019 --> 00:14:04.459 Now the translator 00:14:04.459 --> 00:14:06.360 smooth over the Greek here 00:14:06.360 --> 00:14:08.039 a little bit. 00:14:08.279 --> 00:14:09.579 He doesn't say 00:14:09.579 --> 00:14:11.019 you have condemned 00:14:11.019 --> 00:14:12.679 the righteous person exactly. 00:14:13.439 --> 00:14:14.779 That does work, 00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:16.579 but it very literally says 00:14:16.580 --> 00:14:18.180 you have condemned 00:14:18.180 --> 00:14:19.560 the righteous one. 00:14:20.820 --> 00:14:22.300 And the righteous one 00:14:22.300 --> 00:14:23.379 is a title 00:14:23.379 --> 00:14:24.500 that was being used 00:14:24.500 --> 00:14:25.780 already in the first century 00:14:25.780 --> 00:14:26.300 for who? 00:14:27.040 --> 00:14:28.259 For Jesus Christ. 00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:30.100 You condemned 00:14:30.100 --> 00:14:31.200 and you murdered 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:32.240 the righteous one. 00:14:32.500 --> 00:14:33.220 What is he saying? 00:14:33.259 --> 00:14:34.360 He's talking about the cross 00:14:34.360 --> 00:14:35.379 and he's saying 00:14:35.379 --> 00:14:36.300 you scribes, 00:14:36.360 --> 00:14:37.040 you Pharisees, 00:14:37.139 --> 00:14:37.879 you Sadducees, 00:14:37.980 --> 00:14:38.600 you priests, 00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:40.420 you condemned 00:14:40.420 --> 00:14:41.840 Jesus himself 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:42.540 and brought him 00:14:42.540 --> 00:14:43.680 before the Roman tribunal 00:14:43.680 --> 00:14:44.520 and had him murdered. 00:14:44.900 --> 00:14:45.500 You see how much 00:14:45.500 --> 00:14:46.259 who he's talking to, 00:14:46.259 --> 00:14:47.319 how clear it is 00:14:47.319 --> 00:14:48.159 and what he's doing 00:14:48.159 --> 00:14:49.179 is he's associating 00:14:49.179 --> 00:14:50.360 the first century church 00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:51.819 with Jesus himself 00:14:51.819 --> 00:14:52.340 and saying 00:14:52.340 --> 00:14:54.419 now as you follow Jesus 00:14:54.419 --> 00:14:55.319 and are oppressed 00:14:55.319 --> 00:14:56.480 by the religious elite, 00:14:56.919 --> 00:14:57.899 turning the system 00:14:57.899 --> 00:14:59.360 of grace God has given 00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:00.360 into a system 00:15:00.360 --> 00:15:01.319 of hoarding wealth, 00:15:01.740 --> 00:15:02.939 you too are like Jesus, 00:15:03.059 --> 00:15:03.879 like the righteous one, 00:15:03.939 --> 00:15:05.019 receiving that oppression 00:15:05.019 --> 00:15:06.519 as you're scattered 00:15:06.519 --> 00:15:06.939 all throughout 00:15:06.939 --> 00:15:07.559 the Mediterranean 00:15:07.559 --> 00:15:09.019 still trying to do ministry. 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:10.460 All right, 00:15:10.480 --> 00:15:10.860 you say 00:15:10.860 --> 00:15:13.200 I'm not a first century scribe, 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:14.439 I'm not a first century priest, 00:15:14.440 --> 00:15:15.440 I'm not a first century 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:17.220 member of the religious establishment, 00:15:17.380 --> 00:15:17.800 how in the world 00:15:17.800 --> 00:15:18.580 does this matter to me? 00:15:19.860 --> 00:15:20.600 And here's how, 00:15:20.760 --> 00:15:22.540 this passage is a warning 00:15:22.540 --> 00:15:23.500 to everybody, 00:15:23.660 --> 00:15:24.620 really a call to everybody 00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:27.580 because the human heart, 00:15:27.820 --> 00:15:28.840 the human heart 00:15:28.840 --> 00:15:30.180 always drifts 00:15:30.180 --> 00:15:31.040 towards legalism. 00:15:32.640 --> 00:15:34.480 And the way that this has happened 00:15:34.480 --> 00:15:35.260 in the first century 00:15:35.260 --> 00:15:36.480 and throughout the time 00:15:36.480 --> 00:15:37.400 between the Old Testament 00:15:37.400 --> 00:15:38.140 and the New Testament 00:15:38.140 --> 00:15:39.960 is that the priest 00:15:39.960 --> 00:15:40.500 and the scribes 00:15:40.500 --> 00:15:41.419 and the Sadducees 00:15:41.419 --> 00:15:42.500 have drifted 00:15:42.500 --> 00:15:43.659 towards legalism. 00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:44.620 And so this is a warning 00:15:44.620 --> 00:15:45.000 for us all. 00:15:45.059 --> 00:15:45.759 Here's how it works. 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:46.539 First, 00:15:47.159 --> 00:15:48.500 it starts with hypocrisy 00:15:48.500 --> 00:15:49.179 in our lives. 00:15:50.059 --> 00:15:51.379 And hypocrisy is when 00:15:51.379 --> 00:15:52.980 you are devoted to God 00:15:52.980 --> 00:15:53.820 on the outside, 00:15:54.240 --> 00:15:55.100 but your heart 00:15:55.100 --> 00:15:56.059 is very far away 00:15:56.059 --> 00:15:56.480 from the Lord 00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:57.139 on the inside. 00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:00.500 And then hypocrisy 00:16:00.500 --> 00:16:01.580 becomes legalism. 00:16:01.659 --> 00:16:02.440 And what is legalism? 00:16:02.539 --> 00:16:03.779 Legalism is when 00:16:03.779 --> 00:16:05.700 you use God's laws 00:16:05.700 --> 00:16:07.299 to earn God's favor. 00:16:07.299 --> 00:16:10.419 And you say to God, 00:16:10.519 --> 00:16:11.319 you stop believing 00:16:11.319 --> 00:16:12.539 really in a God of love 00:16:12.539 --> 00:16:13.859 and instead you take 00:16:13.859 --> 00:16:14.279 His laws 00:16:14.279 --> 00:16:15.519 and try to earn 00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:16.500 merit His favor. 00:16:17.359 --> 00:16:18.259 And then here's where 00:16:18.259 --> 00:16:19.559 it really becomes insidious 00:16:19.559 --> 00:16:20.539 and this is what happened 00:16:20.539 --> 00:16:21.299 in the first century 00:16:21.299 --> 00:16:22.939 in the intertestamental period 00:16:22.939 --> 00:16:23.459 and this is what 00:16:23.459 --> 00:16:24.319 he's talking about here. 00:16:25.079 --> 00:16:25.899 When you create 00:16:25.899 --> 00:16:27.059 a system of legalism, 00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:28.359 a management system, 00:16:28.500 --> 00:16:29.259 you have now 00:16:29.259 --> 00:16:30.479 a management system 00:16:30.479 --> 00:16:31.959 to commit acts 00:16:31.959 --> 00:16:32.599 of injustice, 00:16:33.599 --> 00:16:35.759 to hoard wealth, 00:16:36.299 --> 00:16:37.259 to not pay your day 00:16:37.259 --> 00:16:37.899 laborers, 00:16:38.299 --> 00:16:39.580 but you justify 00:16:39.580 --> 00:16:40.700 those actions 00:16:40.700 --> 00:16:41.980 by your religious behavior. 00:16:42.899 --> 00:16:43.559 So in other words, 00:16:44.139 --> 00:16:44.720 if your standing 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:45.379 before God 00:16:45.379 --> 00:16:46.179 is based entirely 00:16:46.179 --> 00:16:46.960 on your performance, 00:16:47.460 --> 00:16:48.500 you can always find 00:16:48.500 --> 00:16:49.120 a ritual 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:50.360 to balance the ledger. 00:16:51.319 --> 00:16:54.019 So you can commit 00:16:54.019 --> 00:16:54.919 acts of injustice 00:16:54.919 --> 00:16:55.559 against the poor 00:16:55.559 --> 00:16:56.059 on a Monday, 00:16:56.379 --> 00:16:57.819 but you can tithe 00:16:57.819 --> 00:16:59.240 mint and dill 00:16:59.240 --> 00:16:59.659 and cumin 00:16:59.659 --> 00:17:00.279 on a Tuesday 00:17:00.279 --> 00:17:01.360 and balance the ledger. 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:03.960 You can not pay 00:17:03.960 --> 00:17:04.759 your day laborers 00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:05.220 on a Wednesday 00:17:05.220 --> 00:17:06.099 and you can come 00:17:06.099 --> 00:17:06.480 on Thursday 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:07.360 to the right feast 00:17:07.360 --> 00:17:08.319 and sit at the right spot 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:09.759 and balance the ledger. 00:17:10.440 --> 00:17:11.559 You see what legalism does? 00:17:12.299 --> 00:17:13.700 Legalism allows 00:17:13.700 --> 00:17:14.480 for injustice 00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:15.680 because it creates 00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:17.200 a system of mere religion 00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:18.160 that allows you 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:19.120 to really just 00:17:19.120 --> 00:17:19.559 to get away 00:17:19.559 --> 00:17:20.220 with anything. 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:21.259 And that's why 00:17:21.259 --> 00:17:21.920 in the Old Testament 00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:22.620 the Lord said, 00:17:22.740 --> 00:17:23.259 God said, 00:17:23.700 --> 00:17:25.299 I don't even desire 00:17:25.299 --> 00:17:26.279 your sacrifices. 00:17:26.519 --> 00:17:26.660 No, 00:17:26.700 --> 00:17:27.620 I don't even desire 00:17:27.620 --> 00:17:28.579 the Levitical system. 00:17:28.940 --> 00:17:29.599 What do I desire? 00:17:29.799 --> 00:17:31.240 That you would walk humbly, 00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:33.400 that you would show mercy. 00:17:35.480 --> 00:17:36.400 And that's exactly 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:36.819 the issue. 00:17:36.940 --> 00:17:37.559 It's so dangerous. 00:17:37.559 --> 00:17:38.019 It's so dangerous 00:17:38.019 --> 00:17:38.599 for anybody 00:17:38.599 --> 00:17:39.559 because the human heart 00:17:39.559 --> 00:17:40.339 always drifts 00:17:40.339 --> 00:17:42.019 towards legalism 00:17:42.019 --> 00:17:42.839 and legalism 00:17:42.839 --> 00:17:43.799 can create a system 00:17:43.799 --> 00:17:45.519 of great injustice. 00:17:45.740 --> 00:17:46.799 And so the real diagnosis 00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:48.700 here in the first six verses 00:17:48.700 --> 00:17:50.759 is what's the same 00:17:50.759 --> 00:17:51.400 as last week. 00:17:51.740 --> 00:17:52.839 That's why the passages 00:17:52.839 --> 00:17:53.400 are connected. 00:17:53.559 --> 00:17:54.019 Last week, 00:17:55.279 --> 00:17:55.759 Christians, 00:17:55.900 --> 00:17:57.240 we can forget about God 00:17:57.240 --> 00:17:58.240 in our day-to-day lives 00:17:58.240 --> 00:17:59.539 and start making our plans 00:17:59.539 --> 00:18:00.879 and drift away from the Lord. 00:18:01.099 --> 00:18:01.899 But what is he saying here? 00:18:01.940 --> 00:18:02.279 He's saying, 00:18:02.659 --> 00:18:04.200 you religious person, 00:18:04.700 --> 00:18:05.539 you will be tempted 00:18:05.539 --> 00:18:06.420 towards legalism 00:18:06.420 --> 00:18:07.519 the more you forget 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:09.059 that God is a God of love, 00:18:09.940 --> 00:18:10.940 a God of mercy. 00:18:11.879 --> 00:18:12.980 And the more you forget 00:18:12.980 --> 00:18:13.379 about that, 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:14.180 the more you forget 00:18:14.180 --> 00:18:14.940 verse three, 00:18:15.379 --> 00:18:16.639 verse three he mentions, 00:18:16.779 --> 00:18:17.579 you have stored up 00:18:17.579 --> 00:18:18.099 your treasures 00:18:18.099 --> 00:18:19.240 in the last days. 00:18:19.379 --> 00:18:20.279 What is he doing there? 00:18:20.359 --> 00:18:21.099 He's bringing 00:18:21.099 --> 00:18:22.240 the religious elite 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:22.680 of his day, 00:18:22.839 --> 00:18:23.779 the legalist, 00:18:23.980 --> 00:18:25.339 the person of mere religion 00:18:25.339 --> 00:18:25.960 and performance, 00:18:26.180 --> 00:18:26.980 to remember 00:18:26.980 --> 00:18:29.259 that Christ is coming again. 00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:30.519 And he's saying, 00:18:30.579 --> 00:18:31.559 you've forgotten about that. 00:18:31.619 --> 00:18:32.039 You've forgotten 00:18:32.039 --> 00:18:33.339 that Christ is coming again. 00:18:33.420 --> 00:18:33.879 In other words, 00:18:34.379 --> 00:18:34.940 you've forgotten 00:18:34.940 --> 00:18:36.119 that there's more 00:18:36.119 --> 00:18:37.339 to life than this life. 00:18:37.420 --> 00:18:38.700 And so you're hoarding up wealth 00:18:38.700 --> 00:18:39.700 and you're creating 00:18:39.700 --> 00:18:40.720 a system of injustice 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:41.799 just to get rich. 00:18:42.200 --> 00:18:42.740 And it's because 00:18:42.740 --> 00:18:43.759 you're not thinking 00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:44.720 about the fact 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:45.399 that this life 00:18:45.399 --> 00:18:46.379 is so short 00:18:46.379 --> 00:18:47.619 and eternity is coming. 00:18:47.940 --> 00:18:48.859 So don't store up 00:18:48.859 --> 00:18:50.379 treasures for today. 00:18:50.500 --> 00:18:50.759 Instead, 00:18:50.940 --> 00:18:51.859 just like Jesus said, 00:18:52.159 --> 00:18:53.039 store up treasures 00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:54.399 for eternity. 00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:55.480 See, 00:18:55.559 --> 00:18:56.619 you're making this life 00:18:56.619 --> 00:18:57.639 all about this life. 00:18:57.640 --> 00:18:59.120 And that's what 00:18:59.120 --> 00:19:00.360 the legalist forgets 00:19:00.360 --> 00:19:01.220 and that's the real warning 00:19:01.220 --> 00:19:01.820 to the rich. 00:19:02.800 --> 00:19:03.540 Now that means, 00:19:03.700 --> 00:19:04.440 secondly and finally, 00:19:05.560 --> 00:19:07.080 that when he turns 00:19:07.080 --> 00:19:08.660 in verses 7 to 12 00:19:08.660 --> 00:19:09.960 to write to Christians, 00:19:10.080 --> 00:19:11.500 to write to the church, 00:19:11.940 --> 00:19:13.740 he's talking to us 00:19:13.740 --> 00:19:14.800 about a very particular 00:19:14.800 --> 00:19:15.759 type of context. 00:19:16.220 --> 00:19:16.960 And so secondly, 00:19:17.420 --> 00:19:18.759 what is our mission 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:20.360 as Christians 00:19:20.360 --> 00:19:21.800 according to verse 7 and 12 00:19:21.800 --> 00:19:22.560 in the context, 00:19:22.700 --> 00:19:23.540 the world of the rich? 00:19:23.539 --> 00:19:24.920 And here's what it is. 00:19:25.559 --> 00:19:27.059 The world of the rich, 00:19:27.500 --> 00:19:28.339 which will be different 00:19:28.339 --> 00:19:29.200 for us than it was 00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:30.019 for the first century 00:19:30.019 --> 00:19:30.759 in this idea, 00:19:30.899 --> 00:19:32.139 this idea of the rich, 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:33.519 is really just to say 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:34.539 that all Christians 00:19:34.539 --> 00:19:35.599 at all times 00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:37.700 live in a time 00:19:37.700 --> 00:19:38.859 where ministry 00:19:38.859 --> 00:19:40.539 will often involve losing. 00:19:41.879 --> 00:19:43.539 Where there will always be 00:19:43.539 --> 00:19:44.779 oppression against 00:19:44.779 --> 00:19:45.940 the Christian ministry. 00:19:46.779 --> 00:19:48.159 At different levels, 00:19:48.279 --> 00:19:49.019 at different times, 00:19:49.059 --> 00:19:49.920 to different degrees. 00:19:50.420 --> 00:19:52.019 Whether it's the religious elite 00:19:52.019 --> 00:19:53.319 in a time of Christendom 00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:54.019 or establishment, 00:19:54.700 --> 00:19:55.859 or whether it's something 00:19:55.859 --> 00:19:56.879 entirely different from that, 00:19:56.960 --> 00:19:57.559 far away from that 00:19:57.559 --> 00:19:58.879 in the time that we live in now, 00:19:59.079 --> 00:20:00.019 there will always be 00:20:00.019 --> 00:20:01.059 struggle in ministry 00:20:01.059 --> 00:20:02.339 and you will always feel like 00:20:02.339 --> 00:20:04.359 you are losing quite often. 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:05.359 And so we look up today 00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:05.839 and we say, 00:20:06.259 --> 00:20:06.460 you know, 00:20:06.879 --> 00:20:07.859 I've wanted to see 00:20:07.859 --> 00:20:09.180 this relationship healed 00:20:09.180 --> 00:20:10.900 and it hasn't healed. 00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:12.299 I've wanted to see 00:20:12.299 --> 00:20:13.519 the church grow 00:20:13.519 --> 00:20:15.220 and it hasn't grown, 00:20:15.299 --> 00:20:15.720 we might say. 00:20:15.779 --> 00:20:16.879 I've wanted to see this 00:20:16.879 --> 00:20:17.519 and that in ministry 00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:18.460 and it's just not happened. 00:20:19.059 --> 00:20:20.339 The time of the rich, 00:20:20.440 --> 00:20:20.960 quote unquote, 00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:21.620 in this passage, 00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:22.680 it's just the sense 00:20:22.680 --> 00:20:23.980 that there is, 00:20:24.340 --> 00:20:25.660 we're never going to live 00:20:25.660 --> 00:20:26.140 in a time 00:20:26.140 --> 00:20:27.519 where we don't feel like 00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:28.120 to some degree 00:20:28.120 --> 00:20:28.860 we're losing 00:20:28.860 --> 00:20:30.279 in the midst of ministry. 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:31.759 Therefore, 00:20:31.940 --> 00:20:32.440 verse 7, 00:20:33.299 --> 00:20:34.660 what does James, 00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:35.819 what does God tell us 00:20:35.819 --> 00:20:36.700 to do here through James? 00:20:37.380 --> 00:20:38.420 Now here's what he tells us. 00:20:38.940 --> 00:20:39.920 Here's what he doesn't tell us. 00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:41.059 He doesn't tell us, 00:20:41.660 --> 00:20:42.000 therefore, 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:43.920 go and organize a protest 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:44.900 against the establishment. 00:20:45.819 --> 00:20:47.000 He doesn't tell us 00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:48.059 to say, 00:20:48.180 --> 00:20:48.299 well, 00:20:48.340 --> 00:20:48.880 you need to read 00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:50.080 more critical theorists 00:20:50.080 --> 00:20:51.000 and understand 00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:51.960 that you're just a victim. 00:20:53.260 --> 00:20:54.340 He doesn't tell us that. 00:20:54.420 --> 00:20:54.620 Instead, 00:20:54.680 --> 00:20:55.160 what does he tell us? 00:20:55.180 --> 00:20:55.640 He says, 00:20:55.880 --> 00:20:57.440 something so simple, 00:20:57.980 --> 00:20:58.980 so much harder 00:20:58.980 --> 00:21:00.760 than protest. 00:21:01.420 --> 00:21:01.940 And that's, 00:21:02.660 --> 00:21:03.260 be patient 00:21:03.260 --> 00:21:05.100 and wait 00:21:05.100 --> 00:21:05.660 for the coming 00:21:05.660 --> 00:21:06.140 of the Lord. 00:21:07.420 --> 00:21:07.980 Be patient. 00:21:08.120 --> 00:21:08.700 The more you feel 00:21:08.700 --> 00:21:10.380 like you are engaged 00:21:10.380 --> 00:21:10.960 in ministry 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:11.700 in this life 00:21:11.700 --> 00:21:13.080 and it's not going well, 00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:14.940 be patient 00:21:14.940 --> 00:21:16.160 and wait 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:16.500 for the day 00:21:16.500 --> 00:21:16.839 of the Lord. 00:21:16.920 --> 00:21:18.220 So just like he pointed 00:21:18.220 --> 00:21:19.480 to eschatology 00:21:19.480 --> 00:21:20.079 to the rich 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:20.539 and said, 00:21:21.099 --> 00:21:22.059 what is eschatology? 00:21:22.180 --> 00:21:22.799 Eschatology is 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:23.680 just remembering 00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:24.380 that the Lord 00:21:24.380 --> 00:21:25.180 is coming again, 00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:25.779 that this life 00:21:25.779 --> 00:21:26.660 is not all there is. 00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:28.019 And he said 00:21:28.019 --> 00:21:28.539 to the rich, 00:21:28.599 --> 00:21:29.359 to the religious elite, 00:21:29.400 --> 00:21:29.880 to the priest, 00:21:29.940 --> 00:21:30.539 you've forgotten 00:21:30.539 --> 00:21:31.539 that you are living 00:21:31.539 --> 00:21:32.599 in the latter days 00:21:32.599 --> 00:21:33.619 and that there's 00:21:33.619 --> 00:21:34.759 a next life coming 00:21:34.759 --> 00:21:35.640 when Jesus returns. 00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:36.940 So he turns to us 00:21:36.940 --> 00:21:37.380 and says, 00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:38.240 be patient 00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:39.200 and the way you do that 00:21:39.200 --> 00:21:40.200 is by remembering 00:21:40.200 --> 00:21:41.400 Jesus Christ 00:21:41.400 --> 00:21:42.779 really is coming again. 00:21:43.740 --> 00:21:44.599 And that's the way 00:21:44.599 --> 00:21:45.359 you can actually grow 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:45.799 in patience 00:21:45.799 --> 00:21:46.319 in this life. 00:21:46.359 --> 00:21:46.960 Now he gives you 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:48.119 three pictures 00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:49.180 to understand that 00:21:49.180 --> 00:21:49.759 very quickly, 00:21:49.899 --> 00:21:51.319 three brief pictures 00:21:51.319 --> 00:21:52.259 and that's always helpful 00:21:52.259 --> 00:21:53.599 when the Bible 00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:55.099 provides the illustrations 00:21:55.099 --> 00:21:55.899 so the preacher 00:21:55.899 --> 00:21:56.579 doesn't have to 00:21:56.579 --> 00:21:57.599 come up with any. 00:21:58.659 --> 00:21:59.440 What does he say? 00:21:59.519 --> 00:22:00.059 He points you 00:22:00.059 --> 00:22:00.659 to the farmer 00:22:00.659 --> 00:22:01.619 in verse 7b. 00:22:02.759 --> 00:22:03.200 He says, 00:22:03.319 --> 00:22:03.839 see how the farmer 00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:04.740 waits for the precious 00:22:04.740 --> 00:22:05.440 fruit of the earth 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:06.960 being patient about it 00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:08.980 until the land 00:22:08.980 --> 00:22:09.940 receives the early 00:22:09.940 --> 00:22:11.180 and the late rains. 00:22:12.259 --> 00:22:12.899 Now what is he saying? 00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:13.180 He's saying 00:22:13.180 --> 00:22:14.619 the farmer goes out, 00:22:14.639 --> 00:22:15.200 it's very simple, 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:16.200 and sows the seed 00:22:16.200 --> 00:22:17.160 but then the farmer 00:22:17.160 --> 00:22:17.880 has to sit back 00:22:17.880 --> 00:22:18.240 and say, 00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:19.100 I can't make 00:22:19.100 --> 00:22:20.340 the rains come. 00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:23.039 And so what's his point 00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:23.819 about what it looks like 00:22:23.819 --> 00:22:24.640 in the Christian life 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:25.580 to be patient here 00:22:25.580 --> 00:22:26.940 is that patient endurance 00:22:26.940 --> 00:22:28.100 is the discipline 00:22:28.100 --> 00:22:29.440 of doing 00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:30.360 your 00:22:30.360 --> 00:22:32.360 faithful work, 00:22:33.019 --> 00:22:33.940 your ministry, 00:22:34.080 --> 00:22:34.700 whatever ministry 00:22:34.700 --> 00:22:35.660 God has given you 00:22:35.660 --> 00:22:36.980 and saying, 00:22:37.460 --> 00:22:38.240 I don't have the power 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:39.240 to control the outcomes. 00:22:39.980 --> 00:22:40.960 I can sow 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:42.220 but God has to bring 00:22:42.220 --> 00:22:42.779 in the harvest. 00:22:43.799 --> 00:22:44.960 And only God 00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:45.500 can decide 00:22:45.500 --> 00:22:46.220 if he will. 00:22:47.500 --> 00:22:48.660 And so we can sow 00:22:48.660 --> 00:22:49.480 in our city 00:22:49.480 --> 00:22:50.680 and see that the city 00:22:50.680 --> 00:22:52.640 is not experiencing 00:22:52.640 --> 00:22:53.120 revival. 00:22:54.120 --> 00:22:54.740 And what do we do? 00:22:54.819 --> 00:22:55.460 Like the farmer, 00:22:55.559 --> 00:22:56.180 we have to say, 00:22:56.620 --> 00:22:58.079 I've sowed the seed 00:22:58.079 --> 00:22:59.019 and I have to be patient 00:22:59.019 --> 00:22:59.380 and wait. 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:00.100 Only the Lord 00:23:00.100 --> 00:23:00.880 can bring the harvest. 00:23:01.360 --> 00:23:01.819 I have to wait 00:23:01.819 --> 00:23:02.559 for the coming of the Lord. 00:23:02.940 --> 00:23:04.079 That's the first way 00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:04.720 that we can be patient. 00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:05.380 The second way 00:23:05.380 --> 00:23:06.519 he points us to 00:23:06.519 --> 00:23:07.360 is in verse 10, 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:09.180 the prophets there. 00:23:09.640 --> 00:23:10.140 He says that 00:23:10.140 --> 00:23:10.759 as an example 00:23:10.759 --> 00:23:11.519 of suffering 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:12.120 and patience, 00:23:12.259 --> 00:23:12.980 brothers and sisters, 00:23:13.460 --> 00:23:14.180 take the prophets 00:23:14.180 --> 00:23:14.860 who spoke 00:23:14.860 --> 00:23:15.660 in the name of the Lord. 00:23:15.980 --> 00:23:17.120 Now we really know 00:23:17.120 --> 00:23:17.840 that he was bringing 00:23:17.840 --> 00:23:18.600 the prophets in 00:23:18.600 --> 00:23:19.480 in verses 1 to 6 00:23:19.480 --> 00:23:20.740 because he literally says 00:23:20.740 --> 00:23:21.539 look at the prophets 00:23:21.539 --> 00:23:22.360 as an example. 00:23:22.519 --> 00:23:23.840 That only helps us 00:23:23.840 --> 00:23:25.080 see how verse 1 and 6 00:23:25.080 --> 00:23:26.400 really is a prophetic 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:27.019 indictment 00:23:27.019 --> 00:23:27.779 against the rich. 00:23:28.660 --> 00:23:29.299 But what is he saying 00:23:29.299 --> 00:23:30.799 to us about patience here? 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:31.400 He's saying, 00:23:32.180 --> 00:23:32.299 well, 00:23:32.700 --> 00:23:33.759 it's hard to know 00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:34.539 because he doesn't 00:23:34.539 --> 00:23:35.120 really say 00:23:35.120 --> 00:23:35.880 that they did anything. 00:23:36.080 --> 00:23:36.259 He says, 00:23:36.360 --> 00:23:37.240 look at the prophets. 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:38.500 They were so patient 00:23:38.500 --> 00:23:39.339 they spoke in the name 00:23:39.339 --> 00:23:39.740 of the Lord. 00:23:39.819 --> 00:23:40.099 And you say, 00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:40.279 well, 00:23:40.440 --> 00:23:41.500 what made them patient? 00:23:41.619 --> 00:23:42.619 What made them steadfast? 00:23:42.819 --> 00:23:43.640 And that's it. 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:45.460 They spoke in the name 00:23:45.460 --> 00:23:45.900 of the Lord. 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:48.839 So it was nothing special 00:23:48.839 --> 00:23:49.579 about them. 00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:51.019 It was that they 00:23:51.019 --> 00:23:52.079 simply understood 00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:53.099 that they had been given 00:23:53.099 --> 00:23:53.680 a message 00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:54.700 in the name of the Lord. 00:23:54.839 --> 00:23:55.119 And so, 00:23:55.579 --> 00:23:56.059 in other words, 00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:56.359 he's saying, 00:23:56.559 --> 00:23:57.099 the more and more 00:23:57.099 --> 00:23:57.900 you realize 00:23:57.900 --> 00:23:59.119 that you have something 00:23:59.119 --> 00:24:00.059 better than gold, 00:24:00.240 --> 00:24:00.359 more, 00:24:00.460 --> 00:24:01.160 what does the Bible say, 00:24:01.220 --> 00:24:02.500 more precious than gold, 00:24:02.900 --> 00:24:04.460 the gospel itself, 00:24:04.900 --> 00:24:05.660 you can go out 00:24:05.660 --> 00:24:06.500 in the name of the Lord 00:24:06.500 --> 00:24:07.559 and sow the gospel 00:24:07.559 --> 00:24:08.419 and say, 00:24:08.819 --> 00:24:09.440 I have the ability 00:24:09.440 --> 00:24:10.419 to simply wait. 00:24:10.500 --> 00:24:11.700 I believe in the gospel. 00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:13.279 I believe in the power 00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:13.720 of the gospel. 00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:14.919 I don't need anything else. 00:24:15.079 --> 00:24:16.079 I can be patient 00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:17.259 as I sow the gospel, 00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:18.099 just like the prophets 00:24:18.099 --> 00:24:19.339 were when they didn't see 00:24:19.339 --> 00:24:20.460 any ministry fruit 00:24:20.460 --> 00:24:22.299 for almost their entire ministries 00:24:22.299 --> 00:24:23.359 in the Old Testament. 00:24:24.259 --> 00:24:24.759 And then the third 00:24:24.759 --> 00:24:25.179 and final 00:24:25.179 --> 00:24:26.279 when he gives us 00:24:26.279 --> 00:24:27.460 is from Job. 00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:28.019 He says, 00:24:28.339 --> 00:24:28.940 look at Job 00:24:28.940 --> 00:24:30.179 and you say, 00:24:30.220 --> 00:24:30.299 well, 00:24:30.299 --> 00:24:30.960 what about Job? 00:24:31.220 --> 00:24:32.579 You've heard the steadfastness 00:24:32.579 --> 00:24:33.079 of Job. 00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:33.919 You've seen the purpose 00:24:33.919 --> 00:24:34.460 of the Lord. 00:24:34.460 --> 00:24:36.860 Like the prophets, 00:24:36.980 --> 00:24:37.460 you look at Job 00:24:37.460 --> 00:24:37.840 and you say, 00:24:37.960 --> 00:24:38.480 how in the world 00:24:38.480 --> 00:24:39.660 was Job patient? 00:24:40.860 --> 00:24:41.200 Job, 00:24:41.500 --> 00:24:42.539 so ministry for us 00:24:42.539 --> 00:24:43.720 often feels like this. 00:24:44.740 --> 00:24:45.460 And if you have 00:24:45.460 --> 00:24:46.640 an active ministry today, 00:24:47.559 --> 00:24:48.380 I would imagine 00:24:48.380 --> 00:24:49.440 you may feel like this, 00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:50.779 that you take 00:24:50.779 --> 00:24:52.620 two steps forward, 00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:54.559 three steps backwards. 00:24:55.900 --> 00:24:56.720 You feel like 00:24:56.720 --> 00:24:57.539 you've made progress 00:24:57.539 --> 00:24:58.279 in sharing the gospel 00:24:58.279 --> 00:24:58.759 with a friend. 00:24:58.840 --> 00:24:59.420 You feel like 00:24:59.420 --> 00:25:00.940 you've opened up 00:25:00.940 --> 00:25:01.480 a pathway 00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:02.360 to a new ministry 00:25:02.360 --> 00:25:03.299 and then nobody comes. 00:25:03.299 --> 00:25:03.680 You know, 00:25:03.779 --> 00:25:05.619 you take two steps forward, 00:25:05.700 --> 00:25:06.419 three steps backwards. 00:25:06.519 --> 00:25:07.259 It feels like that 00:25:07.259 --> 00:25:07.759 all the time. 00:25:07.799 --> 00:25:08.079 And he says, 00:25:08.119 --> 00:25:08.220 well, 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:08.859 look at Job. 00:25:09.460 --> 00:25:10.639 Job had a big step 00:25:10.639 --> 00:25:11.279 forward in life. 00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:12.059 He was so blessed, 00:25:12.180 --> 00:25:13.619 but then ten steps backwards, 00:25:14.559 --> 00:25:16.359 absolute miserable life. 00:25:16.639 --> 00:25:17.700 He lost everything. 00:25:18.259 --> 00:25:18.779 But then you say, 00:25:18.839 --> 00:25:19.799 how was he patient? 00:25:20.839 --> 00:25:21.059 Well, 00:25:21.299 --> 00:25:22.359 remember how Job 00:25:22.359 --> 00:25:22.779 was patient? 00:25:22.879 --> 00:25:22.980 Well, 00:25:23.019 --> 00:25:24.039 he cried out to God 00:25:24.039 --> 00:25:25.019 and when I read Job, 00:25:25.079 --> 00:25:25.419 I think, 00:25:25.619 --> 00:25:26.299 I don't think you're 00:25:26.299 --> 00:25:27.139 allowed to say that. 00:25:28.019 --> 00:25:28.379 Job, 00:25:28.419 --> 00:25:28.879 I don't think you're 00:25:28.879 --> 00:25:29.599 allowed to say 00:25:29.599 --> 00:25:30.539 those kinds of things 00:25:30.539 --> 00:25:30.960 to God. 00:25:31.159 --> 00:25:31.720 He poured out 00:25:31.720 --> 00:25:32.460 his heart to God 00:25:32.460 --> 00:25:33.680 in ways that feels 00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:35.000 pretty irreverent 00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:36.059 quite often. 00:25:36.600 --> 00:25:37.079 And you see 00:25:37.079 --> 00:25:38.200 what patience is? 00:25:39.600 --> 00:25:40.259 It's all about 00:25:40.259 --> 00:25:40.920 the direction. 00:25:41.460 --> 00:25:42.539 So you might feel 00:25:42.539 --> 00:25:43.720 ministry frustration 00:25:43.720 --> 00:25:44.860 in the context 00:25:44.860 --> 00:25:45.539 of opposition. 00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:46.880 And he's saying, 00:25:46.980 --> 00:25:47.559 look at Job. 00:25:47.779 --> 00:25:49.440 Job was frustrated, 00:25:49.640 --> 00:25:50.299 but what did he do? 00:25:50.680 --> 00:25:51.720 He poured it out 00:25:51.720 --> 00:25:52.160 to God. 00:25:52.279 --> 00:25:52.960 He went Godward 00:25:52.960 --> 00:25:53.340 with it. 00:25:53.740 --> 00:25:54.380 Honest prayer. 00:25:55.500 --> 00:25:56.480 Patience is expressed 00:25:56.480 --> 00:25:57.720 in three ways 00:25:57.720 --> 00:25:58.440 in this passage. 00:25:58.559 --> 00:25:59.180 How is it expressed 00:25:59.180 --> 00:25:59.620 in three ways? 00:25:59.619 --> 00:26:00.119 Number one, 00:26:00.619 --> 00:26:01.719 seeing the gospel 00:26:01.719 --> 00:26:03.419 as more precious 00:26:03.419 --> 00:26:04.559 than gold material 00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:05.659 possessions in this life. 00:26:06.179 --> 00:26:06.839 Number two, 00:26:07.339 --> 00:26:08.819 sowing the gospel 00:26:08.819 --> 00:26:09.899 like seeds 00:26:09.899 --> 00:26:11.059 into the city 00:26:11.059 --> 00:26:11.679 and saying, 00:26:11.919 --> 00:26:12.819 I cannot bring about 00:26:12.819 --> 00:26:13.279 the harvest, 00:26:13.399 --> 00:26:14.099 only God can. 00:26:14.199 --> 00:26:14.939 I have to be patient. 00:26:15.019 --> 00:26:15.579 I have to wait. 00:26:15.979 --> 00:26:16.599 And number three, 00:26:17.059 --> 00:26:18.059 taking your ministry 00:26:18.059 --> 00:26:19.000 frustrations 00:26:19.000 --> 00:26:20.219 to God 00:26:20.219 --> 00:26:21.359 in utter honesty 00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:22.979 and saying, 00:26:23.079 --> 00:26:23.199 Lord, 00:26:23.259 --> 00:26:24.799 I wish more was happening. 00:26:24.879 --> 00:26:25.639 I wish more 00:26:25.639 --> 00:26:26.479 was going on here. 00:26:26.539 --> 00:26:27.619 I wish revival 00:26:27.619 --> 00:26:28.259 would bring about, 00:26:28.339 --> 00:26:29.019 but it's just not. 00:26:29.019 --> 00:26:30.200 And that's what it means 00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:32.160 to be patient. 00:26:33.220 --> 00:26:33.759 This word, 00:26:34.200 --> 00:26:34.480 patience, 00:26:34.639 --> 00:26:35.440 that gets used here, 00:26:36.339 --> 00:26:37.119 Greek word, 00:26:37.299 --> 00:26:38.220 makrothumia, 00:26:38.819 --> 00:26:40.819 and makro means long, 00:26:41.099 --> 00:26:42.960 and thumos means blaze 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:43.519 or fire, 00:26:43.619 --> 00:26:44.379 a burning fire. 00:26:44.839 --> 00:26:45.619 So the word patience 00:26:45.619 --> 00:26:46.059 in Greek 00:26:46.059 --> 00:26:47.720 is literally 00:26:47.720 --> 00:26:49.139 a long fire, 00:26:49.240 --> 00:26:50.400 a long burning fire. 00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:51.220 And the reason 00:26:51.220 --> 00:26:52.519 it's the word patience 00:26:52.519 --> 00:26:53.619 is because it's saying 00:26:53.619 --> 00:26:55.119 that when you're 00:26:55.119 --> 00:26:56.759 a long burning fire, 00:26:56.759 --> 00:26:59.339 you're slowly coming up. 00:26:59.400 --> 00:26:59.900 It means that, 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:00.799 you know, 00:27:00.879 --> 00:27:01.700 you don't fly off 00:27:01.700 --> 00:27:02.500 the handle very easily. 00:27:03.640 --> 00:27:06.299 You're able to receive blows. 00:27:07.480 --> 00:27:07.759 You don't, 00:27:09.140 --> 00:27:10.400 you're getting the weight 00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:10.879 of oppression. 00:27:11.319 --> 00:27:12.400 You're getting ministry 00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:13.539 opposition in your life 00:27:13.539 --> 00:27:14.379 because you are 00:27:14.379 --> 00:27:15.259 doing the work 00:27:15.259 --> 00:27:15.759 of the gospel, 00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:17.140 but it takes you 00:27:17.140 --> 00:27:18.200 a long time 00:27:18.200 --> 00:27:19.000 to really get angry 00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:19.519 about it. 00:27:20.319 --> 00:27:21.099 And he says, 00:27:21.220 --> 00:27:21.799 that's the word 00:27:21.799 --> 00:27:22.859 that he uses for patience. 00:27:22.940 --> 00:27:23.700 So patience is really 00:27:23.700 --> 00:27:24.900 just this ability 00:27:24.900 --> 00:27:25.799 to endure 00:27:25.799 --> 00:27:27.420 when it's not going well 00:27:27.420 --> 00:27:29.160 and to have 00:27:29.160 --> 00:27:30.940 your gratification 00:27:30.940 --> 00:27:31.799 delayed. 00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:34.019 Delayed for when 00:27:34.019 --> 00:27:35.019 as we close? 00:27:35.559 --> 00:27:36.220 Delayed for what? 00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:39.319 Delayed 00:27:39.319 --> 00:27:40.400 for the coming 00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:40.880 of the Lord. 00:27:42.059 --> 00:27:42.580 What does he say? 00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:43.360 Be patient 00:27:43.360 --> 00:27:44.580 until the coming 00:27:44.580 --> 00:27:44.960 of the Lord. 00:27:45.019 --> 00:27:45.980 How do you grow in patience? 00:27:46.640 --> 00:27:47.759 How do you grow in patience, 00:27:47.860 --> 00:27:48.480 not in patience? 00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:49.880 How do you grow in patience? 00:27:50.660 --> 00:27:51.620 And he tells us, 00:27:51.660 --> 00:27:51.900 he says, 00:27:51.960 --> 00:27:53.019 you wait for the coming 00:27:53.019 --> 00:27:53.519 of the Lord. 00:27:53.599 --> 00:27:53.980 In other words, 00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:54.259 he's saying, 00:27:54.339 --> 00:27:54.900 you've got to have 00:27:54.900 --> 00:27:55.700 an eschatology. 00:27:56.559 --> 00:27:57.599 You've got to think 00:27:57.599 --> 00:27:58.819 about the second coming 00:27:58.819 --> 00:27:59.660 of Jesus Christ. 00:28:01.299 --> 00:28:01.960 You've got to think 00:28:01.960 --> 00:28:02.379 about the one 00:28:02.379 --> 00:28:03.079 who is to come 00:28:03.079 --> 00:28:03.379 and say, 00:28:03.599 --> 00:28:04.359 that is what I'm 00:28:04.359 --> 00:28:05.220 working towards. 00:28:06.079 --> 00:28:06.539 And no matter 00:28:06.539 --> 00:28:07.700 what it feels like 00:28:07.700 --> 00:28:08.440 in this life, 00:28:08.920 --> 00:28:10.859 this life is so brief 00:28:10.859 --> 00:28:12.839 relative to, 00:28:13.740 --> 00:28:14.519 teach me to number 00:28:14.519 --> 00:28:15.259 my days, Lord. 00:28:15.779 --> 00:28:17.139 Our days are so brief 00:28:17.139 --> 00:28:18.139 compared to what is 00:28:18.139 --> 00:28:19.420 to come when he returns. 00:28:20.180 --> 00:28:21.079 And so he's calling us 00:28:21.079 --> 00:28:22.579 at the end of this sermon 00:28:22.579 --> 00:28:23.519 and the end of this passage 00:28:23.519 --> 00:28:25.139 to have an eschatology. 00:28:26.179 --> 00:28:26.939 Remember what he said 00:28:26.939 --> 00:28:27.339 to the rich? 00:28:27.379 --> 00:28:27.899 He said, 00:28:28.819 --> 00:28:29.659 you have stored up 00:28:29.659 --> 00:28:30.179 your treasures 00:28:30.179 --> 00:28:31.220 for the last days. 00:28:31.319 --> 00:28:32.279 You've made your life 00:28:32.279 --> 00:28:33.439 all about hoarding gold 00:28:33.439 --> 00:28:34.099 in a cave 00:28:34.099 --> 00:28:36.240 and that is your decision. 00:28:37.379 --> 00:28:38.159 And he turns to you 00:28:38.159 --> 00:28:38.679 and he says, 00:28:39.159 --> 00:28:39.480 instead, 00:28:39.699 --> 00:28:40.539 store up your treasures 00:28:40.539 --> 00:28:41.720 for eternity. 00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:43.319 Think about the days 00:28:43.319 --> 00:28:43.859 that are to come. 00:28:44.179 --> 00:28:44.759 Keep going. 00:28:44.879 --> 00:28:45.419 Be patient. 00:28:45.579 --> 00:28:46.259 Wait for the Lord. 00:28:47.259 --> 00:28:48.379 Work for the good 00:28:48.380 --> 00:28:49.420 of the land 00:28:49.420 --> 00:28:50.840 that is yet to come. 00:28:51.580 --> 00:28:52.420 That's the real call 00:28:52.420 --> 00:28:52.880 and invitation 00:28:52.880 --> 00:28:53.580 of the passage. 00:28:54.580 --> 00:28:55.360 Another preacher 00:28:55.360 --> 00:28:56.580 pointed me 00:28:56.580 --> 00:28:58.840 to an illustration 00:28:58.840 --> 00:28:59.480 this week 00:28:59.480 --> 00:29:00.720 that this preacher 00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:01.940 said was from C.S. Lewis. 00:29:02.580 --> 00:29:03.940 I then desperately 00:29:03.940 --> 00:29:04.940 tried to find this 00:29:04.940 --> 00:29:05.600 in C.S. Lewis 00:29:05.600 --> 00:29:08.980 and used my C.S. Lewis library 00:29:08.980 --> 00:29:09.760 to find it 00:29:09.760 --> 00:29:10.560 and could not find it. 00:29:10.600 --> 00:29:12.180 Then I went to AI 00:29:12.180 --> 00:29:13.120 to say, 00:29:13.240 --> 00:29:13.740 is this anywhere 00:29:13.740 --> 00:29:14.460 in C.S. Lewis? 00:29:14.620 --> 00:29:15.880 And AI seems to say, 00:29:15.880 --> 00:29:16.400 no. 00:29:17.480 --> 00:29:18.440 But it doesn't matter 00:29:18.440 --> 00:29:19.380 because it's a good illustration. 00:29:19.720 --> 00:29:20.940 So it's not C.S. Lewis, 00:29:21.020 --> 00:29:21.520 I don't think, 00:29:21.660 --> 00:29:23.680 but it would come 00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:24.440 with more authority 00:29:24.440 --> 00:29:25.300 if it was him. 00:29:27.660 --> 00:29:29.820 But somebody talks about, 00:29:31.520 --> 00:29:32.160 just imagine 00:29:32.160 --> 00:29:35.700 a man who's 100 years old. 00:29:36.780 --> 00:29:38.020 We recently saw that 00:29:38.020 --> 00:29:38.380 in the news 00:29:38.380 --> 00:29:39.080 with David Attenborough, 00:29:39.160 --> 00:29:40.360 a man who's 100 years old. 00:29:41.600 --> 00:29:43.980 And imagine this man 00:29:43.980 --> 00:29:45.440 thinking about his own death 00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:46.600 and there are really 00:29:46.600 --> 00:29:47.880 two errors you can make 00:29:47.880 --> 00:29:49.240 as you prepare for death 00:29:49.240 --> 00:29:50.200 and think about your own death 00:29:50.200 --> 00:29:50.960 when you're 100 years old. 00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:51.539 The first error 00:29:51.539 --> 00:29:52.860 is you get up in the morning 00:29:52.860 --> 00:29:53.380 and say, 00:29:53.660 --> 00:29:54.960 why should I plan 00:29:54.960 --> 00:29:55.960 for anything today? 00:29:57.799 --> 00:29:58.779 I could die today. 00:29:58.880 --> 00:29:59.980 I'm 100 years old after all. 00:30:00.700 --> 00:30:02.019 Why go see a film? 00:30:02.320 --> 00:30:04.360 Why meet a friend for lunch? 00:30:05.320 --> 00:30:06.340 I might die today. 00:30:06.480 --> 00:30:06.920 I'm 100. 00:30:08.279 --> 00:30:09.320 And so this error 00:30:09.320 --> 00:30:10.700 is that you're so fixated 00:30:10.700 --> 00:30:11.740 on the end of life 00:30:11.740 --> 00:30:12.640 that you cannot live 00:30:12.640 --> 00:30:13.519 in the present at all. 00:30:14.080 --> 00:30:14.880 That would be one error. 00:30:14.880 --> 00:30:16.060 The other error 00:30:16.060 --> 00:30:19.380 is equally serious 00:30:19.380 --> 00:30:20.160 but very different. 00:30:20.320 --> 00:30:20.920 And here's the error. 00:30:21.720 --> 00:30:22.740 The 100-year-old man 00:30:22.740 --> 00:30:26.380 who has not even thought 00:30:26.380 --> 00:30:27.260 about his death one time, 00:30:27.360 --> 00:30:28.520 therefore he has not made a will. 00:30:29.560 --> 00:30:30.740 He has begun, 00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:31.300 finally, 00:30:31.460 --> 00:30:32.820 the book he's always wanted to write, 00:30:32.900 --> 00:30:34.180 he started it at 100 years old 00:30:34.180 --> 00:30:34.640 and it's going to be 00:30:34.640 --> 00:30:35.780 a 10-year writing project. 00:30:37.720 --> 00:30:39.200 He's never seriously reckoned 00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:39.740 with the fact 00:30:39.740 --> 00:30:40.420 that his life 00:30:40.420 --> 00:30:41.740 is so close to the end. 00:30:41.820 --> 00:30:42.460 So he acts 00:30:42.460 --> 00:30:43.100 as though death 00:30:43.100 --> 00:30:43.779 is not coming. 00:30:43.880 --> 00:30:44.360 He plans 00:30:44.360 --> 00:30:45.360 as though time 00:30:45.360 --> 00:30:45.900 is unlimited. 00:30:46.819 --> 00:30:47.680 And the writer, 00:30:47.880 --> 00:30:48.600 maybe C.S. Lewis, 00:30:48.740 --> 00:30:49.039 says, 00:30:49.579 --> 00:30:50.840 perhaps the gravest failure 00:30:50.840 --> 00:30:52.299 is because he will be caught 00:30:52.299 --> 00:30:53.960 completely unprepared 00:30:53.960 --> 00:30:55.000 for the thing 00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:56.160 that is most certain, 00:30:56.860 --> 00:30:57.319 his death. 00:30:57.400 --> 00:30:57.559 Now, 00:30:58.680 --> 00:30:59.559 in the same way, 00:30:59.720 --> 00:31:00.940 what an individual's death 00:31:00.940 --> 00:31:02.019 is to that individual, 00:31:02.180 --> 00:31:03.079 the second coming 00:31:03.079 --> 00:31:03.960 of Jesus Christ 00:31:03.960 --> 00:31:05.620 is to every human being. 00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:07.480 And this is what that means. 00:31:07.480 --> 00:31:08.339 The second coming 00:31:08.339 --> 00:31:11.039 is the guaranteed certainty 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:13.460 by which you must live today. 00:31:15.400 --> 00:31:16.960 It's more certain than death. 00:31:17.079 --> 00:31:17.700 The second coming 00:31:17.700 --> 00:31:18.460 of Jesus Christ, 00:31:18.579 --> 00:31:20.059 the eschatology of Christianity, 00:31:20.360 --> 00:31:22.240 is that which is most certain 00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:23.759 that has got to organize 00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:25.259 what you do today, 00:31:25.500 --> 00:31:25.799 today. 00:31:26.740 --> 00:31:27.640 And that means 00:31:27.640 --> 00:31:28.599 that on the one hand, 00:31:28.720 --> 00:31:29.660 this has the power 00:31:29.660 --> 00:31:30.960 to be patient 00:31:30.960 --> 00:31:32.900 but not sit around 00:31:32.900 --> 00:31:33.640 and do nothing. 00:31:34.620 --> 00:31:34.720 Right? 00:31:35.660 --> 00:31:36.539 Believing that the Lord 00:31:36.539 --> 00:31:37.039 is coming 00:31:37.039 --> 00:31:37.859 and that you can, 00:31:37.960 --> 00:31:39.740 you can pursue resources 00:31:39.740 --> 00:31:40.619 for eternity 00:31:40.619 --> 00:31:42.079 helps you with this idea 00:31:42.079 --> 00:31:43.299 of a holy recklessness. 00:31:43.500 --> 00:31:44.019 And what is that? 00:31:44.079 --> 00:31:44.279 It's, 00:31:45.019 --> 00:31:46.000 it's to say, 00:31:46.159 --> 00:31:46.500 really, 00:31:47.139 --> 00:31:47.859 money matters 00:31:47.859 --> 00:31:48.619 to some degree 00:31:48.619 --> 00:31:49.200 in this life 00:31:49.200 --> 00:31:49.960 but not ultimately 00:31:49.960 --> 00:31:51.119 and so I can give it away. 00:31:52.139 --> 00:31:53.019 A holy recklessness 00:31:53.019 --> 00:31:53.859 with my stuff. 00:31:54.819 --> 00:31:54.960 You know, 00:31:55.000 --> 00:31:56.059 having an eschatology 00:31:56.059 --> 00:31:57.539 that all that really matters 00:31:57.539 --> 00:31:58.599 is what will happen 00:31:58.599 --> 00:31:59.659 when Christ comes again 00:31:59.659 --> 00:32:01.579 makes today matter so much 00:32:01.579 --> 00:32:02.379 because you can say, 00:32:02.720 --> 00:32:04.059 because I'm living for then, 00:32:04.420 --> 00:32:05.639 I don't need to hoard, 00:32:05.640 --> 00:32:06.640 I don't need to hold on 00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:07.060 to anything, 00:32:07.259 --> 00:32:08.980 I don't need to commit injustice 00:32:08.980 --> 00:32:09.880 against anybody else 00:32:09.880 --> 00:32:10.580 and use them 00:32:10.580 --> 00:32:11.540 like the rich did. 00:32:11.960 --> 00:32:12.259 Instead, 00:32:12.600 --> 00:32:13.620 I can invest 00:32:13.620 --> 00:32:14.360 in what is to come 00:32:14.360 --> 00:32:15.320 because that's what really matters. 00:32:15.400 --> 00:32:16.200 A holy recklessness, 00:32:16.460 --> 00:32:17.780 an ability in ministry 00:32:17.780 --> 00:32:18.800 to take risks. 00:32:19.960 --> 00:32:20.900 Do you take risks 00:32:20.900 --> 00:32:22.040 in your personal ministry 00:32:22.040 --> 00:32:23.620 because you have 00:32:23.620 --> 00:32:24.440 an eschatology 00:32:24.440 --> 00:32:25.900 that says, 00:32:26.080 --> 00:32:26.880 I know what's going to happen 00:32:26.880 --> 00:32:27.960 to me when Jesus comes again. 00:32:28.060 --> 00:32:28.840 I can take risks, 00:32:28.960 --> 00:32:29.400 I'm okay. 00:32:30.980 --> 00:32:31.860 On the other hand, 00:32:31.880 --> 00:32:32.540 and the final thing, 00:32:32.539 --> 00:32:35.339 is that it does not produce 00:32:35.339 --> 00:32:36.619 a carelessness about this life. 00:32:36.700 --> 00:32:37.000 The man, 00:32:37.059 --> 00:32:37.799 the woman who has 00:32:37.799 --> 00:32:39.139 the will made out, 00:32:39.339 --> 00:32:40.539 who knows what is to come, 00:32:41.279 --> 00:32:42.819 therefore still acts, 00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:43.720 still invents, 00:32:43.920 --> 00:32:45.599 still goes out into the world 00:32:45.599 --> 00:32:47.180 with passion 00:32:47.180 --> 00:32:48.980 and longing to do good. 00:32:49.079 --> 00:32:49.220 Why? 00:32:49.319 --> 00:32:49.779 Because they know 00:32:49.779 --> 00:32:50.879 how the story's going to end. 00:32:51.399 --> 00:32:52.299 So patience, 00:32:52.539 --> 00:32:53.799 ministry blaze, 00:32:53.859 --> 00:32:54.339 we might say, 00:32:54.379 --> 00:32:55.000 to use that word 00:32:55.000 --> 00:32:55.420 through me, 00:32:55.480 --> 00:32:56.359 from the word patience, 00:32:56.799 --> 00:32:57.539 is cultivated 00:32:57.539 --> 00:32:58.980 by contemplating 00:32:58.980 --> 00:32:59.539 and beholding 00:32:59.539 --> 00:33:01.180 the second coming 00:33:01.180 --> 00:33:01.879 of Jesus Christ. 00:33:01.980 --> 00:33:02.920 That's what this passage teaches. 00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:04.159 And so, 00:33:04.339 --> 00:33:05.279 I end with this. 00:33:08.359 --> 00:33:09.339 How can you? 00:33:09.539 --> 00:33:10.240 How can you? 00:33:11.799 --> 00:33:13.059 For you know the grace 00:33:13.059 --> 00:33:14.220 of our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:33:14.379 --> 00:33:15.940 that though he was rich, 00:33:16.700 --> 00:33:17.940 though he was rich, 00:33:19.220 --> 00:33:20.759 yet for your sake 00:33:20.759 --> 00:33:21.799 he became poor, 00:33:23.240 --> 00:33:25.700 so that by his poverty 00:33:25.700 --> 00:33:27.119 you might become rich. 00:33:27.119 --> 00:33:29.099 How can you? 00:33:29.179 --> 00:33:30.379 The righteous one 00:33:30.379 --> 00:33:32.279 has gone before you. 00:33:34.179 --> 00:33:35.819 The one who is most rich 00:33:35.819 --> 00:33:36.319 in blessing, 00:33:36.639 --> 00:33:37.619 the one who came down 00:33:37.619 --> 00:33:38.279 from heaven, 00:33:38.519 --> 00:33:39.239 who put away 00:33:39.239 --> 00:33:40.019 his heavenly life, 00:33:40.139 --> 00:33:40.819 his wealth, 00:33:41.279 --> 00:33:42.500 he has gone before you 00:33:42.500 --> 00:33:43.519 with such patience. 00:33:44.939 --> 00:33:46.019 How do you become patient 00:33:46.019 --> 00:33:46.519 in this life? 00:33:46.619 --> 00:33:46.899 How do you, 00:33:47.099 --> 00:33:48.819 how do you really serve 00:33:48.819 --> 00:33:49.839 the Lord with passion, 00:33:50.000 --> 00:33:51.099 looking at the second coming, 00:33:51.519 --> 00:33:52.919 not sitting on your hands 00:33:52.919 --> 00:33:53.979 in the midst 00:33:53.979 --> 00:33:54.759 of ministry opposition? 00:33:55.019 --> 00:33:56.000 You've got to behold him. 00:33:56.000 --> 00:33:56.519 You've got to behold 00:33:56.519 --> 00:33:57.259 the righteous one. 00:33:57.579 --> 00:33:58.140 You've got to look 00:33:58.140 --> 00:33:59.559 at the one who is so patient 00:33:59.559 --> 00:34:00.339 towards you 00:34:00.339 --> 00:34:02.359 at the cross, 00:34:02.559 --> 00:34:05.099 who gave away his wealth 00:34:05.099 --> 00:34:06.420 in every sense of the word 00:34:06.420 --> 00:34:08.119 to embrace utter poverty 00:34:08.119 --> 00:34:09.579 so that you might become rich. 00:34:10.039 --> 00:34:11.440 What is real wealth? 00:34:11.940 --> 00:34:13.380 It is finding your identity 00:34:13.380 --> 00:34:13.820 in him, 00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:14.880 finding your meaning in him, 00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:16.019 living your life for him. 00:34:17.460 --> 00:34:18.340 And so on that basis, 00:34:18.440 --> 00:34:19.739 if you're standing before God 00:34:19.739 --> 00:34:21.219 is not earned, 00:34:21.280 --> 00:34:22.260 it's given by him, 00:34:22.300 --> 00:34:23.079 that means today 00:34:23.079 --> 00:34:24.599 you can know 00:34:24.599 --> 00:34:25.639 that you do not maintain 00:34:25.639 --> 00:34:26.199 your relationship 00:34:26.199 --> 00:34:27.440 with him by performance. 00:34:27.779 --> 00:34:29.039 You can afford to go out 00:34:29.039 --> 00:34:29.960 and to lose things. 00:34:31.000 --> 00:34:32.299 You can afford to go to ministry 00:34:32.299 --> 00:34:33.799 and to lose 00:34:33.799 --> 00:34:36.920 because Christ will come again. 00:34:39.259 --> 00:34:39.860 Let us pray. 00:34:39.960 --> 00:34:40.159 Father, 00:34:40.940 --> 00:34:42.019 we ask that you would give us 00:34:42.019 --> 00:34:42.759 an eschatology, 00:34:42.960 --> 00:34:44.519 a vision of the end 00:34:44.519 --> 00:34:45.299 that would inform 00:34:45.299 --> 00:34:46.500 the way we live today. 00:34:46.619 --> 00:34:47.179 And we pray, 00:34:47.619 --> 00:34:47.739 Lord, 00:34:47.799 --> 00:34:49.019 that we would learn patience, 00:34:49.139 --> 00:34:50.139 the patience of Jesus, 00:34:50.639 --> 00:34:51.460 the righteous one, 00:34:51.859 --> 00:34:53.119 and the patience of the farmer 00:34:53.119 --> 00:34:54.319 and the patience of Job 00:34:54.319 --> 00:34:55.599 and the patience of the prophets. 00:34:56.179 --> 00:34:57.440 And that as we look out and say, 00:34:57.539 --> 00:34:57.639 Lord, 00:34:57.719 --> 00:34:59.079 why haven't you brought revival 00:34:59.079 --> 00:34:59.659 to our city? 00:34:59.759 --> 00:35:01.079 Why haven't our neighbors 00:35:01.079 --> 00:35:01.719 come to faith? 00:35:01.819 --> 00:35:03.299 Why haven't these things happened 00:35:03.299 --> 00:35:04.659 in the way we long for? 00:35:04.739 --> 00:35:05.440 We would know, 00:35:05.759 --> 00:35:07.079 we would know 00:35:07.079 --> 00:35:08.779 that you are the one 00:35:08.779 --> 00:35:10.259 who actually brings in the harvest 00:35:10.259 --> 00:35:11.719 and we would learn. 00:35:12.779 --> 00:35:13.039 Lord, 00:35:13.119 --> 00:35:13.960 so give us a vision 00:35:13.960 --> 00:35:15.440 for the second coming today. 00:35:15.500 --> 00:35:16.359 Even as we sing now, 00:35:16.420 --> 00:35:18.099 help us to contemplate that reality, 00:35:18.099 --> 00:35:19.579 what that means, 00:35:19.779 --> 00:35:21.539 the enormity of the fact 00:35:21.539 --> 00:35:23.279 that life is eternal 00:35:23.279 --> 00:35:24.759 and that Christ will come again 00:35:24.759 --> 00:35:26.559 and help us to be drawn 00:35:26.559 --> 00:35:27.519 towards the gospel 00:35:27.519 --> 00:35:28.000 because of it. 00:35:28.019 --> 00:35:28.860 We pray in Christ's name. 00:35:29.299 --> 00:35:29.539 Amen.