WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.980 Well, good morning. I hope you have a copy of God's word with you this morning. If you do, please join me in James chapter 5. 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:22.480 While you're getting there, let me thank you for dealing with the frenetic nature of parking and getting in here and finding a seat. 00:00:23.379 --> 00:00:25.480 Glad you've parked and I'm glad you're seated. 00:00:25.480 --> 00:00:38.880 The mistake of our often unpreparedness can be noted, but I don't believe that it's a mistake that any of you are here this morning. 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:40.600 We're glad to have you. 00:00:41.900 --> 00:00:54.100 Now, if you have turned to James chapter 5 and you are astute, you may be glancing across these 11 verses and see no explicit mention of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:00:54.100 --> 00:00:56.880 And you're wondering why. 00:00:57.740 --> 00:01:05.379 I think it's a fair thing on Easter Sunday to open up a text that very explicitly speaks of the resurrection. 00:01:05.379 --> 00:01:09.839 However, we're a resurrection people. 00:01:10.839 --> 00:01:19.259 Speak of the resurrection of Jesus Christ each and every Sunday, whether implicitly or more explicitly. 00:01:19.260 --> 00:01:27.100 In a lot of churches this morning, and I think for very good reason, many pastors are making an apologetic case for the resurrection. 00:01:27.400 --> 00:01:31.740 They're founding the Christian faith on the resurrection as they should. 00:01:32.740 --> 00:01:39.960 Their large concern is for those who have come maybe to church that one day out of the year. 00:01:40.820 --> 00:01:43.340 And they're concerned for their souls. 00:01:43.340 --> 00:01:49.840 I once heard a pastor who entitled an Easter sermon, Where Have You Been Since Christmas? 00:01:52.960 --> 00:01:56.719 So why the beginning of James chapter 5? 00:01:56.820 --> 00:02:03.620 Well, you see, this book has been our text for some months now as our habit is to verse by verse preach through a book of the scripture. 00:02:03.620 --> 00:02:21.080 And I want you to see that James is concerned with the resurrection and more specifically how we ought to live in light of the resurrection, which I think makes this altogether an appropriate Easter Sunday text. 00:02:21.080 --> 00:02:27.760 So before I read the text, our text for today will be James chapter 5, verses 1 through 11. 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:35.640 I just want to help you see how it is that James is concerned about the resurrection and how we live in response to it. 00:02:36.340 --> 00:02:41.820 First, you will note in James chapter 1 and verse 1, his salutation says, 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:46.660 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:02:46.659 --> 00:02:56.539 Jesus could not reign and be called Lord had he not been resurrected to the 12 tribes in the dispersion. 00:02:57.479 --> 00:02:58.039 Greetings. 00:02:58.979 --> 00:03:07.759 So he begins his letter with an understanding of who he is and who he is in relation to a risen Lord Jesus Christ. 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:19.479 And as we continued our study in James, we have seen a number of exhortations to not be deceived, particularly in chapter 1, James 1, 16. 00:03:20.259 --> 00:03:24.620 James writes, do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 00:03:24.939 --> 00:03:33.639 And in verse 22, he says, but be doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving yourselves. 00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:48.439 And then verse 26 of chapter 1, he says, if anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 00:03:48.979 --> 00:03:59.739 So he uses a particularly troubling example of how these professing Christians were not living in accordance with that profession of faith. 00:03:59.740 --> 00:04:00.120 Right. 00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:10.659 Being those who make some assent to the knowledge of Jesus, but don't give their lives over to have him. 00:04:11.620 --> 00:04:21.660 James knows that it is altogether possible to profess faith in Jesus Christ and for that faith to not be saving faith. 00:04:21.660 --> 00:04:33.240 In chapter 2, he writes, beginning in verse 14 and following, what good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? 00:04:33.760 --> 00:04:36.040 Can that faith save him? 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:47.620 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food and one of you says to them, go in peace, be warmed and filled without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 00:04:47.620 --> 00:04:55.439 So also, faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 00:04:56.379 --> 00:05:00.340 But someone will say, you have faith and I have works. 00:05:01.100 --> 00:05:07.259 Show me your faith apart from your works and I will show you my faith by my works. 00:05:08.060 --> 00:05:12.139 You believe that God is one, you do well. 00:05:12.139 --> 00:05:16.659 Even the demons believe and shudder. 00:05:17.659 --> 00:05:20.699 So it's possible to gather with the church on Easter Sunday. 00:05:21.259 --> 00:05:28.000 It's possible to say, yes, I believe that Jesus Christ is resurrected from the dead and not be found in him. 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:32.099 And a lot of the New Testament authors are concerned about this. 00:05:32.219 --> 00:05:38.659 This is the major concern of James's letters to these professing Christians. 00:05:38.660 --> 00:05:51.920 So in these 11 verses, James juxtaposes two categories of people, the most important categories of people, the faithless and the faithful. 00:05:53.060 --> 00:06:07.240 This morning, once again, he is showing us some measure of what will characterize the one who has truly believed in the saving power of the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:06:07.240 --> 00:06:14.800 So James chapter five verses one through 11 is our Easter Sunday text for today. 00:06:14.960 --> 00:06:21.540 Before I read it, let me remind you, beloved, that this is God's word to us, that it was written for his glory and our good. 00:06:22.379 --> 00:06:28.540 And so we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and to obey its commands. 00:06:29.019 --> 00:06:31.220 James five, beginning in verse one and following. 00:06:31.220 --> 00:06:38.060 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 00:06:38.880 --> 00:06:41.640 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth eaten. 00:06:42.220 --> 00:06:49.200 Your gold and silver have corroded and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. 00:06:49.960 --> 00:06:52.980 You have laid up treasure in the last days. 00:06:52.980 --> 00:06:59.900 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your field, which you kept back by fraud or crying out against you. 00:07:00.140 --> 00:07:04.040 And the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 00:07:04.900 --> 00:07:09.280 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. 00:07:10.120 --> 00:07:12.939 You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:16.319 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. 00:07:16.520 --> 00:07:18.000 He does not resist you. 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:22.519 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:29.839 See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it until it receives the early and the late rains. 00:07:30.699 --> 00:07:32.879 You also be patient. 00:07:33.860 --> 00:07:36.639 Establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 00:07:37.579 --> 00:07:40.759 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged. 00:07:40.939 --> 00:07:43.540 Behold, the judge is standing at the door. 00:07:43.540 --> 00:07:50.160 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:53.860 Behold, we consider those blessed who remain steadfast. 00:07:54.540 --> 00:07:59.500 You have heard of the steadfastness of Job and you have seen the purpose of the Lord. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:03.180 How the Lord is compassionate and merciful. 00:08:03.180 --> 00:08:11.680 So we will first consider in brief the first six verses of chapter five. 00:08:11.740 --> 00:08:15.180 And if you were here with us last Sunday, you know that that was our planned text for last week. 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:18.360 And I said for a number of reasons we were going to put it off. 00:08:18.400 --> 00:08:24.420 And so I will admit that I'm kind of cramming it into the beginning of our consideration of the last five verses. 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:30.980 But nonetheless, I want you to see this juxtaposition that James is setting up for us. 00:08:30.980 --> 00:08:35.920 And we find these six verses summary in the very first verse. 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:38.980 James says, come now, you rich. 00:08:39.159 --> 00:08:42.879 Weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 00:08:43.500 --> 00:08:47.659 Now, I don't think that James means to say simply those with things. 00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:50.100 He's characterizing a people. 00:08:50.680 --> 00:08:56.340 A people who profess to follow Christ and yet live for themselves. 00:08:56.340 --> 00:09:00.279 And it's evidencing itself in this particular way. 00:09:00.980 --> 00:09:07.399 And this is not the first time that someone wealthy sitting under the reading of this letter has been specifically addressed. 00:09:08.500 --> 00:09:16.920 James back in chapter one and verse nine and following says, let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation and the rich in his humiliation. 00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:21.039 Because like a flower of the grass, he will pass away. 00:09:21.899 --> 00:09:25.240 But the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass. 00:09:25.659 --> 00:09:29.299 Its flower falls and its beauty perishes. 00:09:30.039 --> 00:09:32.059 Here's the key sentence here. 00:09:32.059 --> 00:09:38.079 So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. 00:09:38.659 --> 00:09:47.939 His life is set toward his own personal gain, his own luxury, his own self indulgence. 00:09:47.940 --> 00:09:55.800 So James is saying that what a person pursues evidences where his heart is. 00:09:56.520 --> 00:10:00.300 And he's, of course, not the only one to say this. 00:10:00.460 --> 00:10:00.560 Right. 00:10:01.020 --> 00:10:05.020 His half brother, the Lord Jesus, said this in a number of places. 00:10:05.019 --> 00:10:10.419 Let me take you on a fast tour through the book of Matthew chapter six and verse 19. 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:18.240 Jesus said, do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 00:10:18.659 --> 00:10:25.220 But lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 00:10:25.220 --> 00:10:25.639 Right. 00:10:25.740 --> 00:10:35.360 He's saying it's foolish to store all of your pursuit, all of your energy into things that will go away that are not lasting. 00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:41.899 And then in verse 21, he says, for where your treasure is there, your heart will be also. 00:10:42.960 --> 00:10:50.960 And then at verse 24 of Matthew six, Jesus says, no one can serve two masters for either. 00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:57.720 He will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:02.519 You cannot serve God and money. 00:11:02.780 --> 00:11:16.440 And I think here this is the type of person that James is writing to this person who thinks I'm going to say the phrase correctly, that they can have their cake and eat it, too. 00:11:16.440 --> 00:11:17.040 Right. 00:11:17.040 --> 00:11:17.360 Right. 00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:22.980 Who thinks that they can have God, but not on his terms, but on theirs. 00:11:23.560 --> 00:11:32.220 They can have all of the pleasure, all of the joy, all of the comfort of the world and add a little God to the midst of that. 00:11:32.700 --> 00:11:36.820 They think they can have two masters. 00:11:36.820 --> 00:11:47.100 Jesus goes on in the book of Matthew to give an example, a real example of a person who thought they could do both. 00:11:47.100 --> 00:11:50.000 And you may know this person as the rich young ruler. 00:11:50.560 --> 00:11:53.820 We can read in Matthew chapter 19, verse 16 and following. 00:11:53.940 --> 00:12:01.080 And behold, a man came up to him saying, teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life? 00:12:01.080 --> 00:12:04.600 And he said to him, why do you ask me about what is good? 00:12:05.080 --> 00:12:06.900 There is only one who is good. 00:12:07.400 --> 00:12:10.420 If you would enter life, keep the commandments. 00:12:11.620 --> 00:12:13.639 He said to him, which ones? 00:12:14.280 --> 00:12:15.980 And Jesus said, you shall not murder. 00:12:16.060 --> 00:12:17.160 You shall not commit adultery. 00:12:17.240 --> 00:12:18.100 You shall not steal. 00:12:18.180 --> 00:12:20.000 You shall not bear false witness. 00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:24.600 Honor your father and mother and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. 00:12:24.600 --> 00:12:28.500 The young man said to him, all these I have kept. 00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:31.460 What do I still lack? 00:12:32.500 --> 00:12:43.180 Jesus said to him, if you would be perfect, go sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven and come follow me. 00:12:43.879 --> 00:12:47.060 What Jesus is saying to him is not you must do a certain number of things. 00:12:47.139 --> 00:12:48.399 You must be good enough. 00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:57.600 What Jesus is saying to him is you must evidence in your heart with your very being that you love God more than this world. 00:12:59.480 --> 00:13:01.480 And the response of the young man is this. 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:02.240 Verse 22. 00:13:03.139 --> 00:13:11.039 When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions. 00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:17.500 He loved what the world had offered him and he was not willing to give it up. 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:19.279 To follow Christ. 00:13:20.319 --> 00:13:28.139 The person with a credible, saving profession of faith in Jesus Christ will hold very loosely to the things of the world. 00:13:28.759 --> 00:13:31.539 It does not mean that we don't own things. 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:34.059 We will hold loosely to them. 00:13:34.959 --> 00:13:42.259 These people, credible professions of faith, will not live for this world, but rather for the world to come. 00:13:42.259 --> 00:13:49.500 We will ask the question, the things that we have, how do these get used for future glory? 00:13:50.159 --> 00:13:53.720 How am I meant to use my home and my car and my retirement? 00:13:54.100 --> 00:13:55.899 What am I supposed to do with this? 00:13:55.899 --> 00:14:05.279 For the glory of God, that one day I might find I have more heavenly treasure than I could have ever possessed here on earth. 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:08.959 A lasting treasure, a treasure that never fades. 00:14:09.319 --> 00:14:09.439 Right? 00:14:09.860 --> 00:14:12.579 That will not be destroyed. 00:14:12.580 --> 00:14:23.060 James deals very harshly with the people that were professing faith in Christ, but living in contradiction to that profession. 00:14:23.860 --> 00:14:30.660 These are our people who want the promises of the cross without the suffering of it. 00:14:30.659 --> 00:14:39.120 And beloved, those who place their faith in Christ are going to be a suffering people. 00:14:40.299 --> 00:14:43.100 James indicts these people for four things. 00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:45.539 Number one, and it's super fast. 00:14:45.620 --> 00:14:46.959 We're going to kind of glance over these. 00:14:47.399 --> 00:14:48.740 Number one, for hoarding. 00:14:49.459 --> 00:14:50.759 Verses two and three. 00:14:51.659 --> 00:14:54.259 They've amassed it and amassed it and amassed it. 00:14:54.459 --> 00:14:54.559 Right? 00:14:54.679 --> 00:14:58.679 In the last days, they've laid up treasure on earth. 00:14:58.679 --> 00:15:00.799 He indicts them for fraud. 00:15:01.359 --> 00:15:04.299 They haven't paid what was owed to others. 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:07.639 He indicts them for self-indulgence. 00:15:07.859 --> 00:15:09.059 Verse five. 00:15:09.500 --> 00:15:13.899 Living on the earth in luxury and self-indulgence. 00:15:14.019 --> 00:15:17.919 You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:21.139 And fourthly, for murder. 00:15:21.179 --> 00:15:23.240 And we talked about the beginning of chapter four. 00:15:23.559 --> 00:15:25.899 Perhaps a murder had actually taken place. 00:15:25.899 --> 00:15:26.120 Right? 00:15:26.120 --> 00:15:29.080 There's quarrel and division amongst them. 00:15:29.399 --> 00:15:38.960 But we can know for sure, as Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount, that if we have hatred in our hearts towards others, then we have murdered them in our hearts. 00:15:39.639 --> 00:15:43.419 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. 00:15:43.419 --> 00:15:49.139 So they're being indicted in a way that should not be true of the Christ follower. 00:15:49.699 --> 00:15:49.839 Right? 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:57.539 Because Christ followers ought to be generous and honest and hospitable and kind. 00:15:58.919 --> 00:16:05.059 These are the types of characteristics that express our faith. 00:16:05.059 --> 00:16:10.179 And I would assume that they were genuine Christ followers. 00:16:10.179 --> 00:16:10.559 Right? 00:16:10.579 --> 00:16:14.599 He's also writing to who were being generous, honest, and hospitable and kind. 00:16:14.699 --> 00:16:20.219 And they were being taken advantage of by these indicted people of verses one through six. 00:16:21.019 --> 00:16:25.979 Which perhaps is why James says in verse seven, be patient. 00:16:26.659 --> 00:16:30.879 Therefore, he's turning his attention to a different group. 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:31.139 Right? 00:16:31.220 --> 00:16:36.340 The group that has received the oppression of these others that are indicted. 00:16:37.559 --> 00:16:41.600 And so we'll spend the rest of our time in the last five verses. 00:16:42.340 --> 00:16:45.580 And as I do generally give you a simple outline. 00:16:45.720 --> 00:16:46.360 Here it is. 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:49.659 For these last five verses, it's a three-point outline. 00:16:49.779 --> 00:16:51.399 Number one, be patient. 00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:55.700 Number two, be patient. 00:16:55.700 --> 00:17:00.720 And number three, be expectant. 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:03.420 Number one, be patient. 00:17:03.640 --> 00:17:10.240 Verse seven, he says, be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. 00:17:10.420 --> 00:17:18.700 See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it until it receives the early and the late rains. 00:17:18.700 --> 00:17:21.700 That means for a full season, he is patient. 00:17:21.700 --> 00:17:22.319 Patient. 00:17:23.220 --> 00:17:31.660 As a people who are not living for this world, but rather for the world to come, we will have to be patient. 00:17:32.779 --> 00:17:37.059 I mean, our temporal lives are very brief in the scope of eternity. 00:17:37.819 --> 00:17:42.360 James recognizes this in the previous chapter, chapter four and verse 14. 00:17:42.480 --> 00:17:43.840 He says, what is your life? 00:17:44.519 --> 00:17:50.200 For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 00:17:50.200 --> 00:17:53.779 That's how we ought to think of our lives. 00:17:53.880 --> 00:18:01.259 But even though our lives are that very brief in the scope of eternity, they don't always feel that way. 00:18:02.100 --> 00:18:04.500 And James recognizes this. 00:18:05.299 --> 00:18:08.700 Life feels so long. 00:18:08.700 --> 00:18:21.059 And so he exhorts us to be patient, to wait, to hold fast to the promises of God as we set ourselves toward his coming. 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:25.480 A coming that would not be possible apart from the resurrection. 00:18:26.500 --> 00:18:29.880 And he illustrates this in the example of the farmer. 00:18:29.880 --> 00:18:33.460 And I don't think we need to overcomplicate this point. 00:18:33.780 --> 00:18:37.780 He simply says, look, look at the way the farmer, right? 00:18:38.280 --> 00:18:44.200 Tills the soil, puts the seed into the soil, and then he waits. 00:18:44.620 --> 00:18:44.740 Right? 00:18:45.320 --> 00:18:46.000 There's a promise. 00:18:46.140 --> 00:18:47.440 It will come to pass. 00:18:47.560 --> 00:18:47.680 Right? 00:18:47.760 --> 00:18:48.900 Year after year after year. 00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:51.260 He's seen the harvest come forth. 00:18:51.259 --> 00:18:53.940 And so he is patient. 00:18:54.599 --> 00:18:54.680 Right? 00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:59.700 As it receives the early, receives the late, and then the harvest comes. 00:19:00.579 --> 00:19:02.099 So be patient. 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:05.460 Secondly, be patient. 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:11.240 I find it very striking that he repeats the exhortation. 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:16.940 He gives the example of the farmer, and then he says, you also be patient. 00:19:16.940 --> 00:19:22.640 It goes on to say, establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 00:19:22.740 --> 00:19:31.320 And then down in verse 10, he gives an example of suffering and patience in the prophets and in Job. 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:38.900 So as the second point, you may think, be patient and particularly be patient in suffering. 00:19:38.900 --> 00:19:46.900 James has this in mind as he's writing this letter to those who have been dispersed all over the known world. 00:19:48.060 --> 00:19:51.920 Right after his greeting, which I read to you previously, James 1, 1. 00:19:52.300 --> 00:19:53.120 He says, greetings. 00:19:53.340 --> 00:19:54.920 And then he says this in verse 2. 00:19:55.019 --> 00:20:02.259 He says, count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds. 00:20:03.259 --> 00:20:05.360 For you know, this is why it's joy. 00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:12.839 For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 00:20:13.539 --> 00:20:13.659 Right? 00:20:14.299 --> 00:20:17.819 Produces a waiting, a patient waiting. 00:20:18.500 --> 00:20:27.500 And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 00:20:27.500 --> 00:20:35.700 He gives this example of the prophets in chapter 5 and verse 10. 00:20:36.180 --> 00:20:36.299 Right? 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:41.220 Look to the prophets, he tells these Jewish Christians dispersed everywhere. 00:20:41.779 --> 00:20:41.940 Right? 00:20:42.200 --> 00:20:46.519 We see an example of this in Hebrews chapter 11, 35 through 38. 00:20:46.519 --> 00:20:55.279 The author of Hebrews records, some were tortured, refusing to accept release so they might rise again to a better life. 00:20:55.819 --> 00:20:59.539 Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment. 00:20:59.819 --> 00:21:00.680 They were stoned. 00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:01.859 They were sawn in two. 00:21:01.960 --> 00:21:03.240 They were killed with the sword. 00:21:03.539 --> 00:21:11.139 They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated, of whom the world was not worthy. 00:21:11.140 --> 00:21:11.259 They were so lucky. 00:21:11.860 --> 00:21:17.860 Wandering about in deserts and mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. 00:21:19.140 --> 00:21:27.840 In the sermon that Stephen preached that led to the very first Christian martyrdom that we can read about in verse 52 of Acts 7. 00:21:28.420 --> 00:21:29.620 He said this. 00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:36.180 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? 00:21:36.180 --> 00:21:42.460 The prophets, those who came and spoke in the name of the Lord. 00:21:42.539 --> 00:21:44.060 Which James is very careful to say. 00:21:44.320 --> 00:21:44.420 Right? 00:21:44.500 --> 00:21:49.660 James is saying that the prophets did not endure suffering for wrongdoing, but for right doing. 00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:49.860 Right? 00:21:49.900 --> 00:21:51.539 For speaking in the name of the Lord. 00:21:51.600 --> 00:21:53.019 And what did they receive for that? 00:21:53.980 --> 00:21:54.420 Persecution. 00:21:55.060 --> 00:21:55.460 Suffering. 00:21:55.980 --> 00:21:58.600 Trials of various kinds. 00:21:58.599 --> 00:22:07.899 We have a strange temptation to believe that we can somehow avoid the suffering of all those who were obedient to our Lord. 00:22:08.279 --> 00:22:16.319 We somehow fit in a special category that we can avoid the suffering of our Lord. 00:22:17.439 --> 00:22:20.980 And beloved, this is simply not true. 00:22:22.179 --> 00:22:26.319 Jesus said this in John chapter 15, verse 18 and following. 00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:31.839 If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 00:22:32.819 --> 00:22:33.779 Which is conditional. 00:22:34.099 --> 00:22:35.539 And you've said, well, this is if. 00:22:36.299 --> 00:22:37.399 But what does he go on to say? 00:22:38.579 --> 00:22:43.259 If you were of the world, the world would have loved you as its own. 00:22:43.939 --> 00:22:51.919 But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:55.220 Remember the word that I said to you. 00:22:55.320 --> 00:22:58.720 A servant is not greater than his master. 00:22:59.720 --> 00:23:04.340 If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. 00:23:04.779 --> 00:23:08.660 If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 00:23:08.660 --> 00:23:14.480 Paul wrote at the end of his life, his last letter to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3.12. 00:23:14.600 --> 00:23:22.920 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:32.980 We will be hated for our testimony that we worship a risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 00:23:32.980 --> 00:23:40.339 We will be a people who conform our lives to his and we will suffer for it. 00:23:42.339 --> 00:23:45.360 Peter writes in 1 Peter 4, verse 12 and 13. 00:23:46.299 --> 00:23:58.599 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange were happening to you. 00:23:58.599 --> 00:24:03.439 Why? Why should we not think it's strange that we suffer for the name of Christ? 00:24:03.919 --> 00:24:05.000 He tells us in verse 13. 00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:15.119 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 00:24:16.059 --> 00:24:22.159 If we want Christ's glory, we must have Christ's cross. 00:24:23.079 --> 00:24:26.740 And we must be patient in our suffering. 00:24:26.740 --> 00:24:30.539 This life is temporal, right? 00:24:30.680 --> 00:24:33.180 It is a mist that vanishes. 00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:36.940 And it will be an uncomfortable life for the Christian. 00:24:37.420 --> 00:24:39.980 A world that hated Christ, that put him to death. 00:24:40.660 --> 00:24:45.240 If we want the resurrection, we must also have the cross. 00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:53.559 Thomas Valentine, who's a Puritan preacher, and this is a quotation on your bulletin this morning, said, 00:24:53.559 --> 00:25:04.980 Patience is a quiet, silent temper of soul by which we submit to God in all our crosses. 00:25:04.980 --> 00:25:17.420 So as we are patient, as we're waiting in our suffering, we ought to also be, and this is our third point, expectant. 00:25:17.960 --> 00:25:20.360 Be expectant. 00:25:21.360 --> 00:25:22.759 In verse 7 we see, 00:25:22.920 --> 00:25:30.339 Be patient therefore, brothers, until something, until the coming of the Lord. 00:25:30.339 --> 00:25:32.419 And then again in verse 8, right? 00:25:32.599 --> 00:25:38.220 Establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 00:25:38.879 --> 00:25:40.799 And then the last part of verse 11. 00:25:41.519 --> 00:25:48.359 You have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. 00:25:49.959 --> 00:25:53.679 Jesus, our Lord, has been raised from the dead. 00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:58.759 He appeared to the apostles and many others that they would be a witness to his resurrection power. 00:25:59.600 --> 00:26:08.980 He has ascended to the right hand of God the Father, the place of honor and power, where he rules over all things and from where he is establishing his church. 00:26:09.720 --> 00:26:17.460 And praise be to God, he will one day return to judge the wicked and vindicate those who are righteous in him. 00:26:17.460 --> 00:26:22.420 These things are certain because of the resurrection. 00:26:23.420 --> 00:26:26.480 Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1, verse 20, 00:26:26.559 --> 00:26:31.620 For all the promises of God find their yes in him. 00:26:32.680 --> 00:26:34.120 Jesus had not been raised. 00:26:35.240 --> 00:26:37.340 He just would have been a man named Yeshua. 00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:41.759 But because he is raised, he is the Christ. 00:26:41.860 --> 00:26:45.039 And all the promises of God find their yes in him. 00:26:45.039 --> 00:26:48.139 And he will one day return, right? 00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:50.680 That is what we are waiting for. 00:26:51.899 --> 00:26:52.940 But we are waiting. 00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:56.759 We are longing for that day. 00:26:57.619 --> 00:27:02.740 So let us be patient in our waiting, but let us be also expectant. 00:27:03.319 --> 00:27:06.279 What a glorious thing to wait for. 00:27:06.779 --> 00:27:08.339 To long for. 00:27:08.839 --> 00:27:12.240 That day when all things will be made new. 00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:18.640 When the suffering of this world will be put to an end for those in Christ. 00:27:20.099 --> 00:27:23.000 No one knows the time that the Lord will return. 00:27:23.700 --> 00:27:25.859 Even Jesus himself stated that he doesn't know the hour. 00:27:25.980 --> 00:27:28.940 If anyone claims to know, run from that teacher. 00:27:28.940 --> 00:27:36.519 To us, this may seem to be taking forever. 00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:43.380 I think about every generation has predicted that it would be in their time that the Lord would return. 00:27:43.940 --> 00:27:47.740 And I would just suggest to you, as things in the world seem to be falling apart, 00:27:48.200 --> 00:27:49.580 there's a temptation to do the same. 00:27:49.700 --> 00:27:52.160 And perhaps, but we don't know. 00:27:53.100 --> 00:27:54.420 Let's take a lesson from history. 00:27:54.420 --> 00:27:57.039 Everyone's thought, but we don't know. 00:27:57.700 --> 00:28:01.740 As long as Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father and building his church, 00:28:01.880 --> 00:28:04.560 until that number is complete, he won't return. 00:28:05.640 --> 00:28:09.120 And when that number is complete, it will be a glorious thing. 00:28:09.820 --> 00:28:10.800 What a wonderful thing. 00:28:10.920 --> 00:28:15.200 God's people will praise when Christ comes back. 00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:20.519 But in the meantime, it seems to take so very long. 00:28:21.940 --> 00:28:26.200 Peter again, 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 9 said, 00:28:26.440 --> 00:28:34.900 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promises as some count slowness. 00:28:36.039 --> 00:28:39.600 So perhaps we ought to be more expectant. 00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:44.480 Perhaps we ought to long more for that day. 00:28:45.819 --> 00:28:50.939 Kent Hughes is a contemporary pastor who wrote a commentary on the book of James. 00:28:51.159 --> 00:28:51.899 It's a good one. 00:28:51.980 --> 00:28:53.079 I would commend it to you. 00:28:53.579 --> 00:28:54.559 He wrote this, quote, 00:28:54.959 --> 00:28:58.819 Nature provides an illustration of this kind of impatience. 00:28:59.799 --> 00:29:03.199 The life of a mayfly is exactly one day. 00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:09.660 Suppose a mayfly hovering over a pool of water for the one spring day of its life 00:29:09.660 --> 00:29:14.580 was capable of observing the tadpole offspring of a frog in the water below. 00:29:15.779 --> 00:29:21.360 In the mayfly's aged afternoon, having seen no change in the tadpole, 00:29:21.759 --> 00:29:27.000 it would be impossible for the mayfly to conceive that the tadpole's becoming a frog was very near. 00:29:28.100 --> 00:29:33.039 So it is with us in our mayfly existence in Christ's calendar. 00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:38.720 Our ephemeral day does not negate the nearness of his coming. 00:29:39.880 --> 00:29:43.400 Christ will return. 00:29:44.019 --> 00:29:47.720 It has been guaranteed by his resurrection. 00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:52.600 And in the meantime, we long for that day. 00:29:52.720 --> 00:29:55.740 We are expectant for that day. 00:29:57.319 --> 00:30:02.700 Wes Shelnut, my best friend, one of our founding elders, led our music for a bunch of years. 00:30:02.700 --> 00:30:04.140 Many of you know him, many of you don't. 00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:07.720 That's getting sad that I have to explain who he is to you. 00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:14.059 But when he and Liz were awaiting the arrival of their firstborn, named Evie, 00:30:14.580 --> 00:30:19.160 he shared with the church a thought about expectancy that has always stuck with me. 00:30:19.600 --> 00:30:22.140 I just really appreciated what he said. 00:30:22.860 --> 00:30:30.840 He said that our waiting on the Lord should have the expectancy of being in the last days of waiting on a baby to arrive. 00:30:30.839 --> 00:30:37.959 We don't know exactly the time, but we arrange everything in our lives around this special event. 00:30:38.919 --> 00:30:39.919 Bags are packed. 00:30:40.939 --> 00:30:44.959 Meetings at work are carefully scheduled or sometimes just not scheduled at all. 00:30:45.980 --> 00:30:49.579 Parents lie down thinking, perhaps tonight. 00:30:49.579 --> 00:30:53.279 And they arise in the morning thinking, perhaps today. 00:30:54.379 --> 00:30:55.220 Cars are fueled. 00:30:56.419 --> 00:30:58.119 Calls from your wife are never ignored. 00:31:00.899 --> 00:31:05.299 Everything revolves around the coming of this child. 00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:09.699 Now, as a father of three, I will say it gets less. 00:31:10.259 --> 00:31:13.119 As you have more, you kind of go, yeah, yeah, it'll be okay. 00:31:13.240 --> 00:31:14.000 We'll figure it out. 00:31:14.000 --> 00:31:18.619 But that first one, you don't know what you don't know. 00:31:18.839 --> 00:31:23.900 And everything in your life is arranged around this arrival. 00:31:24.160 --> 00:31:27.119 There's so much expectancy. 00:31:28.539 --> 00:31:33.920 Beloved, our lives ought to be arranged expectantly for the coming of our Lord and King, 00:31:34.460 --> 00:31:36.119 the one Jesus Christ. 00:31:36.119 --> 00:31:39.899 For because he has been raised, he will return. 00:31:40.619 --> 00:31:44.599 And you and I should desire to be found faithful in that day. 00:31:45.319 --> 00:31:47.379 So be patient. 00:31:48.099 --> 00:31:49.139 Be patient. 00:31:50.079 --> 00:31:51.139 Be expectant. 00:31:51.579 --> 00:31:52.419 Let's pray together.