The Third Sunday in Advent
\nDecember 11, 2016
\nJames 5:7-11<\/p>\n
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming.\u00a0 See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.\u00a0 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.\u00a0 Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged.\u00a0 The Judge is standing at the door!\u00a0 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.\u00a0 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered.\u00a0 You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.\u00a0 The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.\u00a0 (NIV1984)<\/p>\n
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,<\/p>\n
Picture this:\u00a0 I am traveling along a two lane road when I come to an intersection where the light has turned red.\u00a0 There is one car in front of me and a number of cars coming in the opposite direction.\u00a0 As soon as the light turns green the one car in front of me turns on their left turn signal.\u00a0 I grip the steering wheel a little tighter, groan and then start checking my mirrors to see if there is any way I can get around that one car before the light turns red again.\u00a0 Why do I react that way?\u00a0 I am at the store.\u00a0 I have two items to purchase.\u00a0 The regular checkout lines are at least two miles long so I go to the express lane\u2014 the one for 12 items or less.\u00a0 All the people in front of me have shopping carts.\u00a0 I have to consciously tell myself:\u00a0 Do not <\/strong>count how many items they have in those carts!\u00a0 Why do I need to do that?<\/p>\n Out of all the idiosyncrasies I have, one of the things I know I need to work very<\/u> hard<\/u> to keep in check is my impatience.\u00a0 I battle with my impatience on an all too regular basis!<\/p>\n Perhaps my impatience played a part in this, but as I studied our sermon text for today there was one overriding imperative that just jumped out at me!\u00a0 Therefore the Advent Imperative<\/em><\/strong> that we will study on the basis of this portion of Scripture is:\u00a0 Be Patient!<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 As you and I strive to be patient James tells us that three other imperatives will also come into play.\u00a0 #1\u2014 Strengthen your heart!\u00a0 #2\u2014 Don\u2019t grumble!\u00a0 #3\u2014 Take hold of the example of others!<\/p>\n Our text for today was written by James, the brother of our Lord Jesus Christ.\u00a0 (See Matthew 13:55; John 7:2-5; Acts 15:13; Galatians 1:19)\u00a0 While Paul\u2019s letter to the Romans emphasizes the subject of justification<\/em>, that is, how we become<\/strong> \u201cDeclared Not Guilty!\u201d in God\u2019s eyes, James\u2019 letter emphasizes the subject of sanctification<\/em>, that is, how we live<\/strong> the faith which God has graciously created in our hearts.\u00a0 James impressed on his readers over and over again that living as a saved child of God was not simply an \u201cintellectual exercise.\u201d\u00a0 In other words, the Christian faith is not just knowing<\/strong> the Truth but also living<\/strong> the Truth\u2014 even in the face of hardship and persecution.\u00a0 We get the impression from this letter that the persecution which the people of God were enduring at this time was tempting them to give in to things such as depression, bitterness and impatience.\u00a0 James\u2019 readers were in very real danger of losing the gift of faith that they had been given!<\/p>\n Because of the very difficult circumstances that James\u2019 readers were experiencing, here at the end of this letter James says to them, \u201cBe patient, then, brothers, until the Lord\u2019s coming.\u00a0 See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Whenever I read these words I can see and hear James encouraging his readers to be like the farmer\u2014 the farmer who is both patient and focused!\u00a0 Once the farmer plants his crops he patiently waits for the \u201cautumn and spring rains\u201d<\/em> to cause his crops to grow.\u00a0 Then he stays focused on the joy he will experience when the time finally comes for him to harvest his crops.\u00a0 So also with us, my friends.\u00a0 The good Lord has \u201cplanted\u201d the precious gift of saving faith in our hearts.\u00a0 As that faith grows and matures, as that faith becomes more and more evident in our lives we can expect all kinds of difficulties and hardships to come our way from the unbelieving world around us.\u00a0 People may laugh at us for actually believing what the Bible says.\u00a0 People may label us as being \u201cintolerant\u201d because we are not willing to constantly conform our beliefs to whatever the prevailing winds of society say is acceptable and right.\u00a0 Let them laugh at us!\u00a0 Let them label us!\u00a0 As surely as the farmer waits patiently for the autumn and spring rains, as surely as the farmer stays focused on the joy he will experience when the time comes to harvest his crops, so also we wait patiently\u2014 knowing that our Lord is<\/strong> returning to this earth as<\/strong> the Judge of the living and the dead!\u00a0 We stay focused on the fact that when our Lord returns to this earth everyone will be held personally accountable to Him for everything they did, everything they said, everything they believed in their heart.\u00a0 But until He returns we will be patient\u2014 patient like the farmer \u201cwaiting for the land to yield its valuable crop.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The patience that James calls for here in our text, however, is not simply sitting around like patients in a doctor\u2019s office.\u00a0 The patience of a child of God is active<\/strong>\u2014 just as much as the faith of a child of God is active.<\/strong>\u00a0 James highlights three of those activities for us this morning.\u00a0 The first \u201cactivity\u201d of our patience is found in verse 8 of our text.\u00a0 James writes, \u201cYou too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord\u2019s coming is near.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 A very literal translation of this verse would go something like this, \u201cAnd you\u2014 be patient!\u00a0 Strengthen your hearts because the arrival of the Lord is near!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Speaking to people who were indeed going through difficult times, speaking to people who were indeed facing trials and temptations, speaking to people who needed<\/u> to hear the imperative:\u00a0 Be patient!<\/em><\/strong> James now goes on to say: \u201cStrengthen your hearts!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Now what might James have in mind here?\u00a0 How does a child of God \u201cstrengthen their heart\u201d<\/em>?\u00a0 At the risk of appearing quite predictable I am going to say that the only way for you and I to \u201cstrengthen our hearts,\u201d<\/em> my friends, is through regular use of the Means of Grace, the Gospel as it comes to us in both Word and Sacrament.\u00a0 When we are regularly feeding our faith with the spiritual food God Himself has given to us then our hearts will be strengthened, then we will be able to be patient.\u00a0 So whenever you are feeling weak, whenever you are feeling impatient take a deep breath, take the time to gather around God\u2019s Word and Sacrament and take the time to do what James encourages you to do here in our text:\u00a0 \u201cStrengthen your heart!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The second \u201cactivity\u201d that James calls for here in our text is found in verse 9.\u00a0 As we strive to be patient we will also keep in mind this imperative:\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged.\u00a0 The Judge is standing at the door!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Now what could possibly cause a Christian to \u201cgrumble\u201d<\/em> or \u201ccomplain\u201d<\/em> about another Christian?\u00a0 If we look back at the opening portion of James chapter 5 we get a clue as to why James\u2019 readers were \u201cgrumbling against each other.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Included among James\u2019 readers were people to whom the Lord had granted great wealth.\u00a0 Tragically, these people used that God-given gift in ways that were not God-pleasing!\u00a0 Instead of using that money to help out the poor and the needy they actually cheated other people simply so that they would have even more money for themselves!\u00a0 Instead of giving generous offerings to the Lord to show their love and their thankfulness for all that the good Lord has done for them they \u201choarded their wealth\u201d<\/em> so that they could live their life in \u201cluxury and self-indulgence.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 (See James 5:4-5)\u00a0 The oppression of the poor by the rich may indeed have been a major cause of why James\u2019 readers were \u201cgrumbling against each other.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Does anything even remotely similar ever happen among us, my friends?\u00a0 Do we ever \u201cgrumble against each other\u201d<\/em>?\u00a0 Let\u2019s think this through.\u00a0 If we complain about<\/u> someone instead of talking to<\/u> that person then, yes, we are \u201cgrumbling.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 If in our hearts we are wondering why this person at church or why that person at church is not doing what we<\/u> think they should<\/u> be doing then, yes, we are \u201cgrumbling.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 If we look around in our church and \u201csigh\u201d<\/em> about what is or is not happening, but we are not willing to step up to the plate and help then, yes, we are \u201cgrumbling.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 If\u2014 and I emphasize the word if<\/strong>\u2014 we are indeed \u201cgrumbling\u201d<\/em> and \u201ccomplaining\u201d<\/em> then James, the brother of our Lord, says to us today:\u00a0 Stop it!\u00a0 Stop it right now!\u00a0 If all we are going to do is to sit on the sidelines and \u201cgrumble\u201d<\/em> then James has one very powerful message for us to remember.\u00a0 That message is\u201d\u2026you will be judged.\u00a0 The Judge is standing at the door.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0 It is far better for a child of God to stop \u201cgrumbling\u201d<\/em> and start helping than to be judged by the Judge of the living and the dead!<\/p>\n The final \u201cactivity\u201d that James calls for here in our text is found in verses 10-11.\u00a0 The imperative that James proclaims here is:\u00a0 \u201cTake hold of the example of others!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Whether it was God\u2019s people in the days of James or us, God\u2019s people today, we need to remember that faithfulness to the Lord always has always and always will bring suffering and hardship into our lives.\u00a0 James gives us two examples today.<\/p>\n The first example that James gives to us centers on \u201cthe prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Think about it, my friends.\u00a0 Noah undoubtedly suffered a little bit of ridicule as he built a really big boat on some really dry ground.\u00a0 Queen Jezebel swore that she would have Elijah murdered because he proved that her god, Baal, was completely useless and following him was pure foolishness.\u00a0 (See I Kings 18:16-46)\u00a0 Jeremiah was threatened with death for proclaiming to the people of Judah and Jerusalem that their sin of unfaithfulness to the Lord would result in the total and complete destruction of their nation by the Babylonians.\u00a0 (See Jeremiah 26:1-15; 38:1-13)\u00a0 John the Baptist was beheaded for denouncing the adulterous relationship between King Herod and his brother\u2019s wife, Herodias.\u00a0 (See Matthew 14:1-12)\u00a0 Over and over again the prophets who \u201cspoke in the name of the Lord\u201d<\/em> suffered for standing up for God\u2019s Truth.\u00a0 And yet, they patiently remained faithful to their Lord.\u00a0 We need to \u201ctake hold of\u201d<\/em> their example, my friends.\u00a0 No matter what the consequences might be we must remain faithful to God\u2019s Truth while we patiently wait for the Lord to fulfill His promise to us, \u201cBe faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life\u201d <\/em>(Revelation 2:10).<\/p>\n And, of course, James can not encourage us to \u201ctake hold of\u201d<\/em> the example of patience without directing us to Job.\u00a0 To this very day Job is held up as the \u201cepitome of patience.\u201d\u00a0 Even though Job did not understand why the Lord had allowed all those calamities to come into his life, even though Job\u2019s grief-stricken wife said to him, \u201cAre you still holding on to your integrity?\u00a0 Curse God and die!\u201d<\/em> (Job 2:9), even though Job\u2019s three closest friends maintained that Job must<\/strong> have done something really bad in order to make God really mad at him, Job persevered.\u00a0 Job patiently waited for the mercy and the compassion of the Lord his God\u2014 and he did receive it!<\/p>\n So, whether it is the patience of the prophets or the perseverance of Job you and I, my friends, would do well to \u201ctake hold of the example\u201d<\/em> they give to us.\u00a0 Then we will indeed be better equipped to follow James\u2019 imperative:\u00a0 Be patient!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n While I have made great strides when it comes to being a more patient person I still have a ways to go.\u00a0 Thankfully, every time I look up at this cross I am assured of the perfect patience of our God.\u00a0 My prayer then on this Third Sunday in Advent is that as you and I continue to prepare ourselves to once again celebrate our Savior\u2019s birth that we will indeed heed the Advent Imperative<\/em><\/strong> James, the brother of our Lord, gives to us today:\u00a0 Be patient!<\/em>\u00a0 Be patient until the arrival of the Lord Himself and strengthen your heart with His holy Word and Sacrament!\u00a0 Be patient until the arrival of the Lord Himself and don\u2019t grumble against each other!\u00a0 Be patient until the arrival of the Lord Himself and take hold of the examples of others!\u00a0 Be patient!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n To God be the glory!<\/p>\n Amen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Third Sunday in Advent December 11, 2016 James 5:7-11 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming.\u00a0 See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.\u00a0 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.\u00a0 Don’t grumble against each other, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-753","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/753","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=753"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/753\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":754,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/753\/revisions\/754"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=753"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=753"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=753"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}