James 5:7-11: Christian, Be Patient and Persevere In Suffering

James 5:7-11 says, “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. 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. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.”

Did you know that this little letter contains fifty-five imperative verbs- commands?

• These are commands that no unbeliever can obey unless they first confess their sins and turn to the LORD. Obedience to these commands are the fruit of grace.

• These are not commands that any double-minded believer will have much victory in obeying either. (James 1:6-8) When someone speaks the Word of God to a double-minded man during times of suffering they will grumble against their brother in Christ and about the word that was spoken. (5:9-11a) Because of their lack of faith they will argue with the Word of God and His wisdom (1:19) and not be inclined to receive it or obey it (1:22-25).

• However, any born-again believer (1:18) who has been adopted into God’s family will be able to obey these commands by God’s grace as they humbly submit to the LORD and wait for Him to exalt them, while they are in their situation, and one day they will be completely exalted out of this sinful world and these circumstances that continually make us groan. (James 4:6-10)

Our text this morning begins with an imperative verb that definitely requires the grace of God for us to obey. We are commanded to, “Be patient”. Patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit that every believer has received and is able to access by faith. (Galatians 5:22-23) When I do not access this grace I am not a patient person even under the best of circumstances. The context of this command in our text is asking us to be the patient when we are suffering unjustly. (James 6:1-6; 1 Peter 3:1, 17; Colossians 3:23-25)

In our text James speaks of patience 4x, waiting 1x, and persevering 2x. Therefore, the exhortation that James is giving us in this passage is, “A believer is to patiently endure hardships until the LORD returns, knowing that he or she will receive blessings from their compassionate and merciful God.”

While considering our text I thought about when I become impatient with a problem on my computer. When this happens my wife will always graciously offer to help me. I may continue to work on it for a brief time but I grow impatient and angry until I give it to her.

At this point, you would think I could just wait there patiently, or even walk away, while she takes it upon herself to fix the computer. And yet, when I give her the computer, before she even gets to look at it, I discover that I have become even more impatient about this situation. Almost immediately I want to take my computer back from her so I can throw it through the window.

Doesn’t this seem odd? Am I the only one that this happens to? If we experience this anger and impatience over trivial things, how much more do we experience this with God? The LORD is willing and capable of helping us in the most desperate of situations and yet we get impatient. We are commanded to cast our burdens upon the LORD because He cares for us but then we often take that burden back and make things worse. (Philippians 4:4-7; 1 Peter 5:7)

In moments like these all the LORD needs me to do is patiently let him fix my problem as He sees fit. That’s it. And yet, patience, endurance, steadfastness, and waiting upon the LORD is so hard to do. I think this is the reason why in James 4:7-10, where James gave us 10 commands, begins with submit to God and ends with humbling ourselves before Him. We begin with submission and end with humility and obey and persevere in everything in between!

Because this is a difficult command James knows that Christians will require some encouragement (teaching, instruction, and examples) to do this. Therefore, after James gives this command he provides us with three examples to consider:

1. We should consider the farmer who patiently trusts in the Providence of God while he waits for the precious and valuable crop to be ready to harvest. (7)

2. We should consider the prophets who spoke the Word of God and persevered under difficult situations. (10-11a; Jeremiah 15:10,16, 18:18, 20:2, 32:2, 38:6)

3. And we should consider the example of Job’s life which helps to reveal the purposes of God through trials. In the end we see that God is compassionate and merciful to His suffering saints and these trials mature our faith which allows us to see and know Him more fully. (11). After Job’s trial he testified, “I had heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you…”. (Job 42:1-6)

May I ask you if this teaching on patience and perseverance is something that most believers want to hear about when they are in the middle of a difficult trial?

Usually not. Most of us want quick fixes and immediate relief from our trials. We struggle to depend upon the grace of God. (2 Corinthians 12:1-10) Most of the time it is not the person with biblical wisdom that we listen to in these moments. Instead, we surround ourselves with people who suit our own passions and we turn away from the truth. (2 Timothy 4:1-5; Mark 10:27)

In an environment such as this Paul tells pastor Timothy these words, “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (4:5) James, is obeying that verse with his teaching in this text which will be very difficult for some to hear. Some may prefer that James would use his apostolic authority to give them permission to protest, fight back, revolt, riot, quarrel, and rebel. Instead, James preaches patience, steadfastness, perseverance, and waiting for the LORD.

This letter has two bookends regarding being patient, persevering, and remaining steadfast during these difficult trials. In James 1:2-4 James said, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

• Trials and tribulations are not random chaotic moments that are out of God’s control. Peter writes, “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” (1 Peter 3:17) No, God uses these things to strengthen, mature, perfect, and complete our faith.

• To understand these things and receive biblical instruction regarding these things we must be willing to pray. After saying these things in James1:2-4 he writes, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let Him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” (1:5-6)

• If you find yourself recoiling at James’ teaching today you may need to spend some time in prayer and ask in faith for wisdom.

In the opening verses of James 1 James did not get specific about what these trials might look like. He simply gave a general statement that could cover a lot of different things, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when (not if) you meet trials of various kinds”.

However, as we come to the end of this book James applies these words to a very specific situation. These believers have been wronged and hurt through fraud and injustice. These conditions have resulted in some fatalities. James has accused the rich of injustice, fraud, and murder. (James 5:1-6) None of this is being reported on the news or addressed by those with any power to help.

Sadly, these poor people have no practical means available to them by which they can help themselves. They do not have the ability to resist. (6) These poor people have sought justice and righteousness but have not found any help. Their cries to others have gone unanswered and ignored. However, they are to be commended in the fact that they have prayed. (4:2)

Therefore, pastor James comes to them in this situation and gives them good news. James says that their cries, groaning, and prayers have “...reached the ears of the Lord of hosts”. (4) Many times God will send a prophet or a preacher to us long before He will deliver us from our circumstances. We should not despise the Word of God that precedes His deliverance. (Judges 6:7-10)

I think that James’ words are crucial when considering our text today. It is upon these words that these Christians will be able to persevere, endure, and remain steadfast as they wait upon the LORD. They know that the LORD has heard their prayer and that He will respond. The LORD of Hosts has heard their cries!

You might ask, “What about those who have already died?” (6) Long after those rich people have forgotten their sin against these poor people their voices are heard in heaven saying, “O sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:10) Consider: Even saints in heaven are waiting, persevering, and continuing to be patient. The LORD responds to these words, “They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.” (6:11)

In James 5:4 when James uses the name, ‘LORD of hosts’, it reminds me of Psalm 84 where the psalmist finds himself in a difficult situation that has separated him from God and the congregation. Throughout that Psalm the name, ‘LORD of hosts’ is used three times as the psalmist focuses his attention on the blessings of his covenant relationship with God.

The psalmist begins with these words, “How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!...My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God”. (84:1-2; James 1:2) I appreciate verse 2 because it shows the tension that we have seen in the Book of James. Christians live in a world where we experience longings and fainting; and yet, our fellowship with God allows our heart, even under difficult circumstances, to sing for joy to the living God.

• The psalmist, like James is doing with us, is turning his attention to the LORD which will strengthen his heart. (5:8).

• The psalmist considers God and longs to be reunited with Him and His people. Similarly, James stresses these things by using the word ‘brother and sisters’ 3x. And James calls for us to be unified with the body in peace and not grumbling because of our circumstances. (5:9) He even uses the term ‘one another’ which in the Greek speaks of ‘another of the same kind’. When the stress is on we are not to grumble with other brothers and sisters. Rather, we are to encourage one another daily. (5:7-8, 10-11; Hebrews 3:13)

As you continue to read Psalm 84 the psalmist uses the phrase ‘LORD of hosts’ two more times. (8, 12) By referring to God in this way the psalmist meditates upon the sovereignty and power of God over all things. He is the LORD and King of angelic armies who is able to deliver His people and bestow upon them great blessings!

We read in verses 8-12, “O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob!” You can imagine that James is reflecting on a verse like this when he writes to these believers and says that the LORD of hosts has heard their cries. (5:4) The LORD of hosts has heard and He will respond. He will act decisively to save and bless His people.

Then the psalmist says, “Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you.” (9-12)

A moment ago I told you that James probably reflected upon these types of Old Testament verses as he wrote these things to these suffering Christians. Because James knew the Word he is able to give suffering Christians godly wisdom. Application: Is our goal to learn the Word of God well enough that we can help ourselves and others in all sorts of situations with biblical truths? (2 Timothy 2:15)

• All to often when we struggle we stop going to the means of grace. We stop our devotions, we stop going to church and grumble against Christian fellowship (9), we may stop praying, we may stop taking communion with the congregation. I often ask myself, “If I stop today doing these good things is there any guarantee that I take them up again?”

• During these times ought to be like the psalmist who declares boldly, “No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you.” (12) Is there not enough grace in those few words to help a weary Christian remain steadfast and remain expectant during trials?

• During times of suffering we do not know the specifics of God’s plan. (Book of Job) But James says in verse 11 that we ‘can see the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.’ Therefore we can trust in Him and remain patient. (Ps.84:12)

James is calling these suffering Christians to trust in the LORD of Hosts who has heard their prayer. (4) The LORD is coming to their rescue; therefore, they are to establish their hearts regarding the coming of the LORD. They are not to be double-minded and faithless; rather, this conviction is to be an immovable truth and anchor when the storms of life come. They are to be un-waivering and to not doubt that the LORD’s return is a fixed appointment that will not be changed or canceled.

In fact, James says the Lord is near and that He is the judge who is already standing at the door. (9)

Illustration: Not long ago I was in a courtroom. I got there early and waited for the judge to arrive and take his seat. Moments before the time came for the court to be in session the bailiff brought in two court employees and had them take their places. As a result, there were three very serious looking people sitting in the front of the courtroom along with a policeman standing guard. There was also the prosecutor and the defense attorney waiting patiently in front of me. All of these things were reminders that the judge would be coming through that door at any moment.

At first, I kept looking at the door that was right behind the judge’s bench but as the minutes went by I found that I was easily distracted. I could hear conversations going on in the hallway. I could hear people walking and doors opening and closing behind me. As a result, when the judge came in I was distracted.

If I can become distracted when everything in that environment should have helped my attention span, just consider how easily it is for us to get distracted regarding the things that James is speaking about. This morning you have come to church, your here with other believers, we have sang songs and we have looked at a text that reminds us to endure, remain steadfast, persevere, wait, and be patient when we encounter trials. And yet, even here in this place we may be distracted. My friends, how prominent are the thoughts regarding Jesus’ return in your mind? When you encounter trials do you keep your attention on the LORD? (2 Timothy 2:8)

James has worked hard to get the attention of those he was addressing. He has spoken strongly and boldly. He has not been timid, lacking in courage, or displayed weak knees as he has spoken these things to the rich and to the poor.

To the sinner James has said, “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you…You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.” (5:2, 5-6a)

• James addresses these people with the same courage that Nathan confronted King David with regarding his sin with Bathsheeba. He said to the king, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and treated it as if it were his own child...the rich man was unwilling to take one of his own flock to prepare it for dinner, so he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it.” When David heard this his anger burned against such a one who would do this. Then Nathan says to the King, “You are the man!” (2 Samuel 12) The fruit of such boldness is that David repented and received mercy.

• James speaks with the same boldness that is seen in Elijah when he confronted King Ahab and his wife Jezebel because they had killed a man so that they could take possession of desirable vineyard. Elijah came to the king and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Have you killed and also taken possession?...Thus says the LORD, ‘In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood.’” Because of Elijah’s boldness to speak the Word of the LORD Ahab repented. (1 Kings 21:25-29)

• If the Holy Spirit has convicted you regarding your sin, will you not repent as well?

James has also speaken boldly for the comfort and encouragement of these poor suffering believers. He says to them, “Your cries have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts...Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord...be patient. Establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord is at hand...Behold the judge is standing at the door...you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” (4,7,8,9,11)

James is a bold, confident, full of faith as he says all of these things. These promises are real realities that we as Christians need to know, believe, and to focus upon and James is speaking very boldly so that we will do so.

When I was in that courtroom that day I noticed a couple things.

• First, the prosecutor spoke boldly before the judge.

• Secondly, the defense attorney did not seem to be like James and speak with boldness. He seemed timid, unsure, and uncertain as he talked to the judge.

We, have an enemy, Satan- the Accuser, who loves to condemn us with boldness and confidence even before the LORD. (Zechariah 3:1-5) However, have been given a bold defense attorney in Christ Jesus. He is our advocate and we can confidently know that through His life, death, resurrection, and on going intercession we can be confident that they will receive compassion and mercy. This being the case, why would we take our eyes off of that door that the Judge is standing behind?

For all who have obeyed James 4:6-10 this Judge will show mercy and compassion. Therefore, seeing as though we can expect to receive these good things let us look expectantly to Him and to His coming. (Psalm 121, 123)