When I was in high school I worked for a small construction company during the summers. One day the boss sent me and one of my friends out to a remote location along the Kankakee River where the foundation of an enormous house had been finished. We got there first thing in the morning, bright and early, just as the boss had asked. But the boss was nowhere to be found. My friend kept asking me, "Are you sure this is the right place?" "Are you sure he meant today?"And then, "What time did he say?"
To my relief, eventually the boss showed up. He pointed to this huge pile of white limestone and told us that the trucks had dumped it in the wrong location. And then he pointed to the foundation that had been poured and said, "I told them that I wanted that gravel dumped where the crawlspace is going to be. I want you guys to grab those wheelbarrows and start moving the gravel. I’ll check back later."
As the boss drove away, we began shoveling the gravel. At first we had confidence that we could finish the work. But the longer we worked, the larger that pile of limestone seemed to growand the larger the crawlspace seemed! After working several hours it was lunchtime. Still no sign of the boss and we were barely making a dent in the pile of gravel. My friend and I began to debate. "What do we do about lunch? Did the boss say he was going to be back before lunch? Do we take the risk of not being here if he returns?"
Finally we decided to take a chance. But as we attempted to drive away, I noticed that the back tires of my van were spinning in pockets of water. It was the strangest thing. The water table along the river was incredibly high, inches deep. We were stranded. After wasting time trying to get the van unstuck, we decided we’d better not leave. The boss would surely come back any moment. We wanted him to find us hard at work. We wanted to please him. Our hope was in getting more work in the future.
Time crawled by. 1 PM. 2 PM. 3 PM. My friend kept asking, "Do you really think the boss will return?" Would it matter if he didn’t find us at work?" "Did he say he wanted all this gravel moved or only some of it?" "Why couldn’t those dump truck drivers have gotten it right in first place?" "How late does the boss expect us to work?" 4 PM. 5 PM. 6 PM. 7 PM. Finally, when it was dark and when we could no longer see anything and we could barely stand up, we called it a day. The boss was pleasedwith how long we had worked and with how much we had accomplished.
How did our beliefs concerning the boss's imminent return impact the way that we worked? What if we didn’t trust his word that he would meet us at the beginning of the day? What if instead of waiting for him, we had just left? Would the work have even begun? What if we didn’t believe the boss would return later the second time? Would we have worked all day until sunset? Would we have persevered throughout the whole day despite the heat, sunburn, our hunger and thirst, and exhaustion? And what if the boss told us the exact hour and minute he would return? Would we have worked as hard throughout the whole day, or only for spurts during the day? Would we have procrastinated up until the last moment? Would we have taken a few more breaks, cut a few more corners, or goofed around?
More than any other, it is our belief concerning the Lord’s return that shapes our lives.
In James 5:7-11 (NIV), the apostle James encourages the believers with these words. "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider 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."
These verses force us to ask what we truly believe concerning the Lord’s return. Do we believe that Jesus came from God the very first time as recorded in the gospels? Do we believe that Jesus was the fulfillment of thousands of years of ancient prophecies in which God foretold exactly what he was about to do in Christ? Do we believe that Jesus came from God, full of wisdom and truth? That he proclaimed the way to God? That he demonstrated power to forgive sin and overthrow death?
Do we believe that God raised Jesus from the dead and that Christ has ascended into heaven and is at God’s right hand? Do we believe that in Christ, we too can have the hope of eternal life? That in Christ, God has shown us himself fully? Do we believe that Christ will come again? Do we believe that he will come at any moment of any day? That he is just as likely to come one second from now as one century from now? Do we believe that Christ will judge our work? That he will carefully consider all that we have accomplished in his absence? Do we believe there is nothing in all the world more important than pleasing God?
Where our belief in Jesus Christ is lacking, there will be disobedience.
More than any other belief, our belief concerning the Lord’s return shapes how we live our lives. Wherever our belief in Jesus Christ is lacking, there will be disobedience. It's like the kids who throw the big party, not knowing that their parents are returning home earlier than expected. It's like the workers who think the boss is out of town. It's like the students who think the teacher is sick for the day.
How differently would we act if we had complete confidence in the Lord’s return? For example, what if you knew that at precisely 2 PM today Christ would return? What conversations would you have? What decisions would you make? What priorities and appointments would you change? What prayers would you pray? If Christ isn’t returning who cares what we do, what we say, or how we live our lives? If Christ isn’t returning there isn’t any accountability and no need to change anything about our lives!
But if Christ isn’t returning there also isn’t any hope. If Christ isn’t returning we should grab and grasp and take hold of everything we can right now. We should live for self, because this life is all there is and it is quickly passing us by. Wherever our belief in Jesus Christ is lacking, there will be disobedience. Entire communities of believers will be in disarray. There will be grumbling, conflict, self-centeredness, and division. Hope is the only thing that calls us to live beyond today.
The Christian waits patiently in hope.
In our verses today, the apostle James invites the Christian to wait patiently in hope.James 5:8-9(NIV) tells us, "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!"
The promise of Christ's return. He is coming!
You’ll notice that James establishes three facts concerning the Lord’s return. First, there is the promise of Christ’s return. He is coming! In James 5:7 (NIV) James says, "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming…" This promise is repeated throughout the New Testament. Acts 1:9-11 (NIV) captures one of the final moments with Jesus after he had spoken to his disciples. "...he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 'Men of Galilee,' they said, 'why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.' "
The premise of Christ's return. The seasons.
Notice secondly that James mentions the premise of Christ’s return, the changing of the seasons. James 5:7 (NIV) says, "See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains." Christ’s return is as certain as the changing of the seasons. Just as a farmer can stake his entire livelihood on the change of seasons, so the Christian can stake his entire life on the promise of Christ’s return.
2 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV) says, "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." Right now we are in a season of repentance. We are not in a season of reaping, but of sowing seeds of righteousness. What kind of life are we planting?
The proximity of Christ's return. At the door.
Notice how James also establishes the proximity of Christ’s return. He is, "at the door." James 5:8-9 (NIV) says, "You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!"
Lara’s parents are very structured. If they are visiting they call in advance. But my parents? There have been times when on a Sunday morning as we're heading out the door, they’ll call us and say, "We're coming down this morning. We're an hour away." You can imagine the panic that throws Lara into. I just say, "Honey, I love you. Good luck with that. I’ve gotta go preach. This place better be spotless." Yeah, right!
James tells us that our mindset should be that the Lord is, "near" and, "at the door." So in summary, the Lord is coming. His coming is as certain as the changing of the seasons. And his coming is imminent, he is at the doorstep, and he is standing and knocking on the door of our lives wanting to come in.
The Christian perseveres in obedience.
But is this truly our perspective? More than anything else, our belief in the Lord’s return shapes how we live our lives. These next few verses in James suggest how waiting patiently in hope, the Christian can now persevere in obedience. These two ideas are inextricably connected to one another. Hope leads to obedience. You cannot have hope without obedience and you cannot have obedience without hope.
The essence of obedience is that there is something beyond the moment that is worth living for. There is something beyond the moment that is worth the sacrifices being demanded of me. I work because I hope to receive a paycheck. I save because I hope to enjoy retirement. I eat healthy because it will add years to my life later. I discipline myself now so that I will be strong later in the face of temptation.
The tragedy of our day is that young people and old people alike lack any hope. Without hope there is only instant gratification. Without tomorrow there is only today. Without Christ there is only me and very little beyond me. Consider how Peter connects hope with the last day of the world. 2 Peter 3:10-15 (NIV) says, "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him."
The example of the prophets who were facing persecution.
Notice that James offers up the example of the prophets' obedience, who faced persecution.James 5:10 (NIV) says, "Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord." The prophets laid down their lives for the message. They were tortured.
Hebrews 11:35-38 (NIV) describes how they suffered. "Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground."
The prophets demonstrate the kind of faith that it's possible to live when we have hope! Hebrews 11:1-2 (NIV) says, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for."
The example of Job, facing suffering.
James also offers up the example of Job, who faced incredible suffering. James 5:11 (NIV) says, "As you know, we consider 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."
You can read about Job in the Old Testament book of Job. Job is an example of how our hope enables us to trust God no matter how bad things get or how badly we have to suffer.During one day, Job loses all his oxen, donkeys, sheep, and camels. The same thieves put all of Job’s servants to death by the sword. A strange calamity takes the lives of Job’s other servants. Then a tornado comes and destroys Job's home, killing all his sons and daughters inside. Job’s friends and family turn against him. He develops an incurable illness that leaves him in constant misery.
Yet through it all, Job put his hope in God. You can read the story. But through it all, Job discovers that God is full of compassion and mercy and that God has a plan for his life. Hope transforms our lives for the better! If somehow we could get our Christian hope firmly fixed in our minds, it would change everything about the way we live.
One more example needed. It's you!
Notice that James offers one last, but simple illustration of hope at work. It's with our example. James 5:12 (NIV) says, "Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your 'Yes' be yes, and your 'No,' no, or you will be condemned."
We must remember what James said earlier in James 3:2 (NIV). "If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check." In other words, if we can get our hope in Christ squared away and believe that he is coming, that his coming is as certain as the changing of the seasons, and that his coming is imminent, we will be obedient. If we can believe that he is at the door, then nothing will be impossible when it comes to obedience. The prophets and the life of Job himself will be attainable to us.
I would like to end with the words of 1 Corinthians 15:17-22 (NIV). "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive."