The Life of Christ Continues #7 (Studies in Philippians)
Text: Philippians 4:8-23
Real Christian Living #6 (Studies in James)- Windsor, September 26, 2004- a.m.
-Drew Chapados
Text: James 5:1-20
As most of you are aware I am an avid movie buff. There are two reasons,
1) I like the entertainment of movies, I find them very good for mind relaxation
2) Many of them tell us what is going on with some people. Not that Hollywood is the real world, but they can teach those of us who are kind of wrapped up in a Christian culture what is happening in the peoples lives that Jesus died to save.
There are a few shows that no matter how many times I have seen them whenever they come on I get locked into watching them again. Lord of the Rings, Braveheart and Dead Poets Society.
Well Dead Poets Society was on again this past week so I watched it again, and you know, for the amount of times I’ve watched this show, something new strikes me each time.
Anyway, Robin Williams the teacher, who is trying to get these boys to find their own path and to be able to find their own voice.
In one scene he gets up on his desk and he has every boy follow him. The reason he tells them is to see how the world looks different from up on the desk than sitting in it. He goes on to tell them to not be afraid to open their minds and look at things from many different angles.
James has just finished writing to these early Christians the need for godly wisdom, the ability to see how the world can look differently from a different perspective. The ability to yield to others views, the ability to seek peace and mercy above getting things done the way you want them done. In chapter 4 he spoke to these Christians who didn’t have peace that the reason was they were simply living for their own desires and ended up hurting those around them.
James advice to them was to stop speaking against each other and concentrate on doing the law of God and not placing yourself as a judge over it!
Then he spoke about those who simply make plans without thinking God could be involved, you know this isn’t the right thing to do and yet you still do it.
This brings us into chapter 5!
There are two really important biblical themes that James gets at in the final chapter of his book. James really is writing to people who claim one thing with their lips and by their lives do another.
The two themes are really tied together.
One is most prominent in the Old Testament and the other since the time of Jesus.
Something had gone very crooked in Israel’s days of the kings and even after the exile. Israel was supposed to be a fair society, a sharing society a society that gave the disadvantaged a voice!
But for some reason, injustice and lack of mercy seemed to prevail as the rich and powerful of Israel’s days took liberties with the poor and weak.
This is the reason the prophets rose up: they were a voice for justice and goodness.
The prophets would tell their people that if they mistreated or abused a poor man, it didn’t matter how many things they sacrificed to the Lord or how often they said ‘we love you Lord’ or how often they performed religious service!
Amos 5:21-24- But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream!
Here is the important theme: The God of Israel hears the cries of the oppressed! In fact, He is moved by their cries. The confidence then of people of faith is that God will intervene somehow in favour of the mistreated!
Exodus 2:23-25- God heard their groaning, remembered His covenant, saw the people and knew!
For Israel, the God who could not leave His people in slavery in Egypt could also not leave his people to suffer in the halls of injustice.
The second theme that James will hit on is the reason Christians look a little differently at injustice in our lives than the Jews did. This is an important theme for the church to revive today: the theme of the fact that Jesus will return!
You know, as you go closer and closer to the cross, you see a certain theme come from the lips of Jesus: Be Ready!
He says things are going to happen in this life, things may happen to get your minds away from what’s really important, but Be Ready!
Be Ready for what? You must be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
We don’t have this song in our hymnbooks but it is one of the ‘scare you into the baptistery songs’ we used to sing at the close of our services in Sudbury growing up. We don’t want to scare anybody into the baptistery this morning, but we do believe there is a biblical message in this song: are you ready for the judgment day? Let’s stand up and sing all three verses…
Okay, many times we may warn about judgment day for the unprepared James uses the idea of judgment day in an alternative view, one that ties injustice together with the fact Jesus will return one day and all the world will stand before him in judgment!
Vs.1-6- Now in chapter 4, James had written concerning those who were boastful in their life without God and now he is dealing with the unjust & shameful oppression of workers. Remember, injustice will not go unnoticed by God! This is important for us to remember: Micah 6:8- he has shown thee O man what is good, and what does the Lord require of thee? But to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?’
Now, it is important to remember that a lot of the early Christians were going through heavy trials! This is how James began the book: 1:2—count it all joy…
Listen to what James says: You rich people need to start mourning because of the miseries that are coming! There is a message to those who might want to envy such people: don’t! These people are only bringing God’s judgment upon them! James says, your corroded riches are evidence against you! What does he mean? Notice the use of corroded, rotted and rusted! Basically, from their non-use, their riches are evidence of their sin!
The question for us then is why? What is going on?
Vs.4,5- They are performing great injustice! Get a picture here: it is harvest time, the landowners are bringing in their crops and selling and making profits. They are enjoying the fruits of their labor. But, they are also enjoying the fruits of their laborers labor and are not paying them! They are treating others unfairly! Is the Lord concerned about this? Here is the assurance, comfort in the time of hardship.
While the employers were deaf to their cries, the Lord of hosts hears them just fine!
You’re being mistreated today, but those who are living life easily by doing so are going to be judged.
There is that great theme: the Lord will move in accordance with His people’s cries!
Vs.6- here they are enjoying the good life and they end up condemning & destroying their righteous neighbours who do not resist (notice, it’s still going on!)
What is James’ solution? He gets to the second theme with that alternative view! Judgment day is not just about scaring the pants off of unbelievers! Here James shows how the early church used it!
The early church lived in the solid conviction that the Lord Jesus was going to return one day to judge the world. We must remember that as well. They didn’t just live in that conviction however, they prayed for it!
The prayer was a simple, Maranatha: Our Lord come! (1 Corinthians 16:22)
They saw a salvation in the returning of Jesus.
Listen to James explain perhaps one of the reasons they longed for the return of Jesus:
Vs.7-11- Be patient brothers! In light of what is coming on those who mistreat you, hold on! You know, usually when problems come the greatest temptation is the temptation to bolt! (Elijah, the apostles, Jonah) We leave our marriages, work situations even the Christian life because it is difficult. We will justify our bolting. Remember what James says, endure the trial, know it makes you stronger and recognize how the Lord will give you a crown of life. Listen, don’t bolt, hold on why? Because the Lord is coming! Look at the farmer, he doesn’t get his fruit right away but must wait.
The word for patient here isn’t necessarily just endurance but it means be long-tempered instead of quick tempered. Be like God! 2 Peter 3:9- God is longsuffering not willing that any should perish!
Here is the reason you can bear your injustice, bear your pain without bolting:
His coming will right everything!
The Old prayer, ‘Lord deliver us’ was said because of the faith that when God intervened wrongs would be righted. This is why the early church looked forward to the coming of Jesus: all our mistreatment will be righted.
James goes on: Jesus is coming so there is no need to grumble against each other. If you don’t grumble you won’t be judged!
Chapter 1- endure trials receive the crown of life. Chapter 2- if you don’t show mercy to another, you will be shown no mercy in judgment Chapter 3- Teachers will be judged with greater strictness.
Chapter 4- Only the one who is able to save and destroy should judge. If you judge your neighbour you don’t properly love your neighbour. Chapter 5- Don’t grumble, because the judge is standing at the door waiting to judge. Shall we murmur against each other under these circumstances?
You know it is easy to complain against even those closest to us when we experience troubles. It’s the old kick the dog syndrome: we can’t kick our boss so we come home and kick our family around. We dish out our complaints against those who have to put up with us.
If the judge is standing at the door ready to judge. If He is coming to right the wrongs:
Look at the prophets and Job: who were blessed for enduring difficulties. When we consider Job’s story: what a story of tragedy, but the end is what’s important: Job received from the Lord compassion & mercy. That is God’s purpose for you. Endure & the Lord will reward!
James goes on:
Vs.12- don’t let your problems get you into making oaths and then breaking them. Let your word stand.
Vs.13-20- James talks about illness & sin!
Really, Christians while you wait for the Lord recognize the power of prayer. Your cries of injustice do not go up to empty ears.
James begins by simply saying whatever your circumstances lead you to do; do!
Suffer: pray. Cheerful: sing praise. Now, sick: call the elders to pray over you.
Look, prayers are the correct answers to trouble.
Now, many people make a mistake of stopping at vs.15 and not connecting vs.16! Any sins committed, they will be forgiven. How? Confess sins to one another and pray for one another.
This is very helpful, it is a great unburdening of ourselves when we confess our sins to each other.
James assures us that righteous people’s prayers are powerful: we may not at times pray enough or pray properly. There is power in prayer: Elijah—prayed it would not rain and it did not rain.
Vs.19,20- now, the responsibility to the wanderer. It is one thing to get over a sickness that is physical, it might be more difficult healing someone spiritually.
James has a deep earnest for the lost. The Christian who is deliberately sinning. What is the value of a soul? Well, it cost the blood of Jesus.
James says this is big: you convert them, you save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
This is one of the greatest works to be involved with!
Maybe there is someone you know who has deliberately chosen the path of sin, and maybe your phone call, your prayer, your assistance will save his/her soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
Jesus is coming, what a glorious day it will be for those who love him. Are you ready for that day? Maybe, you have grown tired in this life, know that he is coming, and he will make everything all right, let’s stand and sing…
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