PATIENCE UNDER AFFLICTION

As we reach the last chapter of this marvelous book, we consider some things that James talked about that are still just as prevalent today as they were when written. Chapter five deals with patience in view of the imminent return of Christ. By imminent we mean impending or something that could happen at any time. Thus, they needed always to be ready. James is going to address several subjects in this final chapter. He is going to address the treatment by the wealthy of people who were poor. He has touched on this in 1:27 and in chapter 2. He will talk about the need for people who were mistreated by the rich to be patient and await God’s judgment upon the people who oppressed them. He will close the book out with a discussion of prayer.

I) The Worldly Rich Denounced (1-6)

A) James sounds like Amos of the O.T. when he denounced the extravagant lifestyle of Israel’s rich and famous (Amos 6:1-8).

B) Why weep and howl?

1) The reason for their lamentation is the coming “miseries.’

2) These miseries must be seen in the light of the Lord’s coming in 5:7-9.

3) Just as the reward of the humble is the future crown of life, so the misery of the rich is the passing away of their wealth on that final day. [Also be said of destruction of Jerusalem].

4) If you only realized what you were doing, he says to the rich, you would weep and wail for the terror of the judgment that is coming upon you.

C) Riches are worthless.

1) James specifies the reasons and nature of their misery.

2) One of which is the perishability of their wealth.

3) Their wealth is rotted, rusted through and eaten up.

4) Barclay states, “In the east there were three main sources of wealth and James had a word for the decay of each of them.”

(a) There was corn and grain—Rotten

(b) There were garments. Food for moths (Matt. 6:19)

(c) Gold and silver. Rusted through. Even the most precious and apparently most indestructible things are doomed to decay.

5) The perishability of riches is the undoing of those who trust in them (I Tim. 6:17-19).

6) The only treasure he will possess is a consuming fire, which will wipe him out.

7) They heaped up—hoarded their wealth.

8) To concentrate on material things are not only to concentrate on a decaying delusion, it is to concentrate on self-produced destruction. (Matt. 6:19-21)

D) Reasons for judgment (5:4-6).

1) Injustice

(a) They had defrauded or robbed their laborers by not paying them their just wages.

(b) They had shortchanged or deliberately held back wages, and cheated the reapers who had harvested the grain.

(c) The poor man had to have his daily wages in order to live (Deut. 24:14,15)

(d) The laborers were not w/o a friend, for the Lord of Sabaoth heard their cries.

(e) Lord of Sabaoth is Lord of hosts. Has reference to the fact that God fought on the side of His people with his hosts of angels to give them victory in battle.

2) Selfishness. (Stole so they could live in luxury and pleasure)

(a) A life style of self-indulgence even in the face of the poverty of others and at the expense of others.

(b) Mark 4:19

3) Murder

(a) Some were murdered so they could take what belonged to them.

(b) To cheat a poor man and take away his living is to murder him.

(c) It is to take away the things that are necessary for him and family to live.

E) How is a Christian supposed to handle oppression?

1) Natural reaction to mistreatment is the desire for vengeance.

2) We must not and cannot get into the retaliation game.

II) The Necessity of Patience (5:7-12)

A) Positive things to do.

1) Illustrated with farming. The farmer has to wait.

2) Farmers know it takes time to grow a harvest. They plow in hope, wait in faith and harvest in thanksgiving.

3) Likewise, Christians must be patient (Longsuffering; not a person with a quick temper).

4) Must make your heart stable (strengthened).

5) Don’t give way to doubt.

6) The Lord could come at any time. Be patient and be ready.

B) Negative (Things not to do)

1) Grumbling is not to be part of the waiting process.

2) Lack of patience reflects itself by the presence of strife.

3) “Don’t let your irritation and soreness at outside oppression vent itself in impatience and grumbling towards one another.”

4) When things don’t go right, we generally take it out on the ones closest to us.

C) Examples of Patience.

1) The Prophets.

(a) Heb. 11:36-37.

(b) They had patience in the midst of their afflictions (Matt. 5:12).

2) Job

(a) His attitude was I’m going to stick with God, not matter the consequences (13:15)

(b) We have to look at the overall picture, the “end” the Lord had in view (Job 42:12).

D) Application of Patience (5:12)

1) What it seems he is forbidding is the use of God’s name in a light, flippant, frivolous manner

2) When we say yes we should mean yes and no mean no! We should not need an oath to back up our statement. Our word should be our bond.

3) James had in mind the habit of using sacred names in ordinary statements rather than in the solemn appeals that are made to God by all faithful people on occasions of serious moment.

III) The Power of Prayer (5:13-20)

A) Our motto today seems to be, “When all else fails, pray!” James was, “Pray before doing anything else!”

B) Care for the sick.

1) Exhorting each one to give expression to his feelings in an appropriate manner.

2) If one is in mental or physical anguish, the natural thing to do is pray.

3) If cheerful, express it through singing.

4) Instead of swearing or engaging in improper use of the tongue, let those who suffer pray; let those who are cheerful sing!

5) Is any among you sick?

(a) Call for the elders.

(b) They would anoint the sick with oil and they pray.

(c) The prayer of faith would lead to the recovery of the afflicted one.

(d) If he had committed sin, they would be forgiven

(e) It would seem to me that this has reference to the miraculous age and the oil would be ceremonial, or symbolic of the healing affect, a token of the power of God.

6) The prayer of faith.

(a) Not prayer and oil, not prayer and medicinal treatment; not prayer and laying on of hands.

(b) This prayer will save (i.e. make well)

7) If he has committed sins.

(a) Repentance is implied.

(b) Sins will be forgiven.

8) It is always right to pray for the sick (by elders, preachers, all of us).

C) Example of Prayer (vss. 16-18).

1) Confess your sins

(a) There is no class of men set up in the Lord’s church to hear confessions.

(b) No priest is appointed to do such. No senior prayer partner.

(c) It is implied that the confession is to be as public as the sin committed.

(d) Forgiveness is dependent on, and may be obtained only by confessions of sins by those who sin (I John 1:9).

2) The supplication of a righteous man.

(a) “The prayers of the righteous have a powerful effect.” [Moffatt]

(b) “Tremendous power is made available through a good man’s earnest prayer” [Philips].

3) The example of Elijah (vss.17-18)

(a) Elijah was a fallible man who had problems just like we do. (I Kings 17,18)

(b) God answered the prayer of Elijah, a human just like the rest of us.

(c) He will answer our prayers as well.

(d) Should encourage us especially in reference to the physically and spiritually sick.

D) Saving the Lost (5:19-20)

1) It is easy, in this sinful world, for people to fall into error.

2) There are so many voices calling them; but the fact that there are people who are lost, gives the faithful in Christ an opportunity to seek their restoration.

3) The idea of wandering has the sense of apostasy, wandering in life-style.

4) The wanderer must do an about-face.

5) We have the responsibility to help turn them back.

(a) Be observant to the needs of our brethren (Phil. 2:4)

(b) Notice indications of weakness

(c) Absence from services… critical spirit… apathy.

6) Pray for such persons.

7) Go to them and appeal for them to come back to the Lord.

8) If we are successful, result will be found in verse 20.

9) Gal. 6:1,2

Con: James again addresses the problem of wealth, the subject of patience, the subject of prayer. And closes with the importance of saving souls.