James series – “The Litmus Test for life”

James 5:7-11

⁷ Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. ⁸ You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. ⁹ Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! ¹⁰ Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.¹¹ As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

As we continue in our series “The Litmus Test for Life” we come to the 10th test, “The Patience Test.” It’s here that James transitions from pride to patience. Unfortunately, today patience is something we all want to possess but not something we want to practice. But the purpose behind our patience has to do with faithfully waiting on Christ’s return. Why do we need the patience, because it provides the power to be steadfast in times of uncertainty? Without patient trust instead of waiting we will end up worrying. Many times, instead of waiting on Jesus we end up worrying over the junk. James also reveals that as we patiently wait on Jesus we will live at peace with people. My prayer is that patience will not just be a principle we talk about but a practice we walk out. It’s here that first we see:

1. The Practice of Patience Vs 7

Notice here that we are not just called to possess patience but to put it into practice. But who or what produces the patience we are to put into practice? Patience is a product of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, not a product of our personality. Galatians 5:22 makes it clear that it is a fruit of the Spirit. When we make the mistake of tying patience to a personality trait we end up believing that some people are just more prone to be patient and usually we have determined that we are not one of them! Now while some personalities may be more laid back I want you to notice that James is not calling us to be laid back but to trust Jesus to come back. We don’t need any more laid-back believer we need bold believers whose eyes are firmly fixed on Jesus.  As we submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit he produces patience and we put it into practice. That is why patience is not something we produce but something we practice. It’s critical that we don’t make the mistake of trying to produce patience in our strength, it’s not tied to trying harder its tied to trusting the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately patience is the fruit we are most likely to try and pass on, and one of the reasons we dislike it has to do with the greenhouse in which it is best grown. Patience is best developed through difficulties. Contrary to what we want patience is cultivated in the challenges not in the coddling. Remember James was preaching to persecuted believers and calling them to be patience in the midst of their pain and problems. 

While we want to grow in the good times the truth is that most growth occurs in the groaning times. Here in verse 7 James reveals what putting patience into practice looks like as he uses the perfect analogy, that of a farmer waiting and working for the fruitful harvest. Where in your life do you need to trust Jesus more?

James series – “The Litmus Test for life”

James 5:1-6

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. ² Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. ³ Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. ⁴ Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. ⁵ You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. ⁶ You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

Not only do hoarding treasures and defrauding measures reveal a heart poisoned by greedy pride but lastly, we see the third example of greedy pride in

• Indulging Pleasures – Vs 5-6

Does God want us to live like monks without any possessions or pleasures? Does He want us to live without nice things? No. As a matter of fact, it doesn’t really have much to do with the things in our lives. It really has to do with our attitude toward the things in our lives. Its here in verse 5 that James reveals and deals with our attitude towards assets. James paints a painful picture of what happens when we live for pleasure instead of living to please the Lord. The picture that he paints is of a beef cow filling its face in a feedlot. Why do we put cows in a feedlot, to limit their exercise and feed them so that they get nice and fat. While fat in cows makes for tasty meat it makes for lousy living in Christians. Remember the story of the couple in Piper’s book? The problem wasn’t that they retired and moved to Florida. The problem wasn’t that they bought a nice boat. The problem wasn’t even that they played softball and collected seashells. The problem was that that had become their entire life. It was their whole reason for living. What is your reason for living? Is it to honor and glorify God? Or is it some other pitiful indulgence. What do you spend your time indulging in? Is it in service to God and others or in service to self? Have you made the goal worry free comfort or worshiping Christ with your wealth? Many of us have replaced witnessing with wantonness. We have made the goal getting instead of giving God the glory. We squander treasure when we invest it in earthly pleasures instead of eternal purposes. Instead of touching people with the truth of God’s Word we live for the things of this world. Ironically as Will Rogers once said: “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people that they don’t like.” So let me ask you are you feeding your flesh or your faith? How are you nourishing your heart? Is it with worship and God’s Word or with worldly desires? Are you living for pleasure or to please the Lord? Pride can manifest itself in many different ways. Sometimes it shows itself in our selfishness, when we war and fight to get our way and what we want. Or when we elevate our selfish desires above God’s desire. Sometimes pride shows itself in our presumptive planning when we arrogantly pursue our personal plans above God’s as if we are the ones in control. Pride is not only at the heart of all sin, it is the essence of sin because it is the ultimate rebellion against God. Pride, whether it’s selfish pride, presumptive pride or greedy pride is telling God, I don’t need you. Its trusting in self to sustain instead of the Savior. It’s a slap in the face of a loving Father who longs to care for you. So, if pride is such a part of everything we as sinful people do then how do we get rid of it? The only way deal with it is to put it to death. This is more than just acknowledging pride its choosing to starve sin by refusing to make room for it and not feeding it. It means living for God the Father not the flesh. The only way to die to pride is to have the One who died for you alive within you, as 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” Christ is the only cure, but this is more than just trusting Him for salvation, it is surrendering to His supremacy.  Today we want Him to redeem our lives but not to rule them. So instead of Jesus being in control we let pride take His place. All things can become new for you today if you place your trust in Him. It’s time to put your selfish pride, presumptive pride and your greedy pride to death by nailing them to the cross. It’s time to take yourself off the throne of your life and give the rule and reign to Jesus. When you do old things pass away and all things, not somethings, become new.