JAS. 5:7-11
I. INT.
A. Regardless of how broad one’s educational background might be, or the depth of his Biblical knowledge, no one is spiritually complete without one specific fundamental quality Patience-2 Th. 1:3-10; Gal. 5:22-23; 2
Pet. 1:5-11
B. Unlike the worldly life of comfort and ease, the Christian life is filled with man difficult challenges-Lk. 9:23;Acts 14:22; 2 Tim. 3:12
C. Among these challenges are:
1. A world of rigorous toil-Matt. 25:34-40; Mk. 16:15; I Cor. 15:58
2. Many grueling battles-I Tim. 6:12; 2 Tim. 2:3-4
3. Temptations to overcome-Jas. 1:12; I Pet. 2:11
4. Last, but not least, persecution from without as well as within-2 Tim.
3:12; I Pet. 4:12
D. Salvation will not come easily to the child of God-Lk. 13:24
E. This chapter addresses the subject of Patience
II. “BE PATIENT THEREFORE BRETHERN”-JAS. 5:7
A. THOSE ADDRESSED ARE CALLED “BRETHERN”
B. THE INSTRUCTION IS MANDATORY
1. Not an option
2. As are brakes on an automobile, patience is required and necessary
III. WHAT IS PATIENCE?
A. IT IS RENDERED “LONGSUFFERING” IN OTHER PASSAGES-RM. 2:4; EPH. 4:2; COL. 1:11; 3:12
B. THE USE OF THE TERM HERE REFLECTS PATIENCE WITH PEOPLE-I PET. 2:119-20
C. EXAMPLES OF PATIENCE
1. JESUS exemplified patience-I Pet. 3:21
a. He was shamefully treated, violently abused and yet did not retaliate
2. THE HEAVENLY FATHER WAS/IS LIKEWISE PATIENT-RM. 15:5
a. During the days of Noah His patience was exercised-I Pet. 3:20
b. With Saul of Tarsus the persecutor of His people-I Tim. 1:16
c. Peter wrote-2 Pet. 3:9, 15
D. IT IS A FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT-GAL. 5:22-23
E. JAMES WROTE “BE PATIENT”
IV. HOW LONG?”-JAS. 5:7
A. “UNTO THE COMING OF THE LORD”
B. THE “LORD” IS CHRIST
C. “THE COMING”-HIS RETURN ON THE CLOUDS-ACTS 1:11; HEB. 9:28 2 PET. 3:10
V. JAMES ILLUSTRATES THIS BY GIVING THREE EXAMPLES-JAS. 5:7-11
A. “THE HUSBANDMAN WAITETH”-JAS. 5:7
1. “BEHOLD”-“LOOK! SEE! TAKE NOTICE!
2. “HUSBANDMAN”-A FARMER, A TILLER OF THE SOIL
3. “WAITETH”-LOOKS FOR “THE PRECIOUS FRUIT”-THE HARVEST
a. This is ALL that he can do-He must exercise patience and wait for the harvest
b. The harvest is at the end of the effort, not the beginning-Matt. 13:39
B. THE PROPHETS-JAS. 5:10
1. Surely no prophet surpassed Moses in the role of God’s spokesman-Ax. 3:22; Deut. 34:10
a. In Heb. 11:23-29 we are told-Vs. 27 says, “he endured”-he was steadfast or patient through the years as leader of God’s people
1) He was unyielding when he stood before Pharaoh and said “Let my”
2) When his own people opposed him for 40 long years
2. Samuel portrays patience
a. He saw widespread idolatry-I Sam. 7:3-4
b. One of his great disappointments came when his people desired to be like the neighboring nations-I Sam. 8:5-20
c. These were hard times and trying years for Samuel-He endured
3. JEREMIAH patiently endured-Jer. 18:19-20
a. People mocked him-Jer. 20:7
b. Beat him-Jer. 20:2
c. Locked in stocks-Jer. 20:2
d. Imprisoned - Jer. 32:1-2
e. This was the response he received for preaching
f. He patiently endured-Jer. 20:11
C. JOB-JAS. 5:11
1. Live stock taken and servants-Job 1:14-16, 17
2. Sons and daughters-Job 1:18
3. House-Job 1:19
4. His health-Smote with boils-Job 2:7-10
5. How did Job react?-Quit serving God? Many would-Blame God? Some do - Job 1:22,21-His wife-Job 2:9-10
D. NOW, LISTEN TO WHAT JAMES SAYS IN JAS. 5:8 “BE PATIENT”
1. LACK OF PATIENCE HAS BEEN THE DOWNFALL OF MANY
2. WILL IT BE YOUR DOWNFALL?
3. JAMES SAYS IN VS. 11
VI. CONCLUSION:
A. IN GAL. 6:9 WE READ “LET US NOT GROW WEARY IN WELL DOING FOR IN DUE SEASON WE WILL REAP, IF WE FAINT NOT”