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Help us to understand this whole idea of grumbling, but let's just read James chapter 5 verses 1 through 9. Come now you rich weep and how for your miseries that are coming upon you your riches are corrupted.
And your garments are morphing. Your gold and your silver are corroded and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. Your teeth of treasures in the last days. Indeed the wages of the laborers Who mow your fields which you have kept back by fraud cry out.
And the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the lord of sabioth. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury. You have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned you have murdered the just he does not resist you.
Therefore be patient brethren until the coming of the lord see how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth Waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient establish your hearts.
For the coming of the lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another brethren lest you be condemned behold. The judge is standing At the door. Let me just continue reading a little bit more. My brethren take the prophets who spoke in the name of the lord as an example of suffering and patience.
And indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of job And seen the end attended by the lord that the lord is very compassionate and merciful. But above all my brethren do not swear either by heaven or by earth.
What would any other oath would let your yes be yes, and you know, no lest you fall into judgment so uh as you would think as we're going to consider grumbling one against another that I would Direct us to verse 9 where it says do not grumble Against one another brethren lest you be condemned behold.
The judge is standing at the door. So just to again remind us as we consider these one another's I hope we're beginning to understand that The issues of How we are to conduct ourselves with one another it has both an outward Working.
But really it it's the reality of the things that take place in our heart that that you and I in order for us to to Be to one another as we ought to be and then enlarge as we go out in society to be with all men.
Um, even as we are to live peaceably with all men, but particularly especially to those of the household of faith that as um that it's not just a set of of things that we must do must not do but it really is a The reality of what we think in our hearts and and and I hope to show you this morning uh, it's in this area of grumbling that much of the The grumbling that we do do is there anybody that never grumbles by the way?
Because I will definitely yield And sit at your feet so No one's going to take that right and we all grumble and and many times. And we'll look at the use of the word, but many times that's something we that comes out inwardly not necessarily Uh visible to others, right?
This whole idea of um As I said yesterday even in as we talked about certain things that that uh It's easy to have a smile on your face. And not have a smile on your heart, right? It's easy to to portray one thing outwardly and then really have something else working inside.
We're very good at concealing um What we really are Thinking and i'm not saying that we should just blurt out Everything that's in our hearts because we would be in a world of trouble if we if we tried to live that way, right?
Um but as we work out our salvation and Work for but work out right our salvation is Is is the work of the sovereign god in our hearts, but as we work out our salvation, we're to be conscious not only of the things that are outward, but the the reality is we really need to.
Um, even as progress forces to keep our hearts with what? All diligence for out of what the heart out of it flow the issues of life and so. Again, I hope that that is what we are demonstrating as we go through the study of one another's.
Okay, having said that I want to I want to look at the meaning of the word itself. The word is Uh stedadzo in the greek and it really has the idea If you will of uh, well has a couple thoughts has the thought of groaning um it has the thought of um In some ways of complaining within yourself and um.
And I think when you start putting that together with groaning and and this idea of complaining You you can see it More clearly I want to look at a couple scriptures and show you where the word is used.
So just a quick little bible drill in second corinthians chapter 5. Let's look at this Second corinthians chapter 5 verse 2. We read this and again from the new king james, uh as I read it says, uh paul says.
For in this we groan again. What i'm trying to do is show us how the word is used and and paul of course talking about the reality of um, Being in this world and yet having a desire to be with christ.
But he says for in this we groan that word groan is the same word that's used in james chapter 5 for grumble and so we we groan earnestly desiring so there there is uh, Not only is there something that's working within us, but it's it's a strong Thing that's working with us.
It's it's it's an earnest uh desire. All right. Let me show you again how the word is used in hebrews chapter 13. And uh, since we have the hebrew master here, I I feel comfortable that if I go astray he'll Correct me.
And I again just to show you how the word is used in hebrews 13 17. Um where it's talking about Our obligation to to those who have the rule over us. Hebrews 13 17 says obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves for they watch for your soul.
As they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief. Now who has a different translation? Uh, uh, king james brother. Mike grief anybody else. He said groaning in the ears. It does say groaning.
Okay. Um. And there is that word again. As I say to you in the new king james says grief, but there is that that's the same word That he uses in james 5 for grumble and it's the same word he uses in second corinthians.
Uh chapter 5 verse 2 for groaning so uh. Again. And again, i'm just trying to point out some verses in romans chapter 8. You want to take a quick look at that? Not and i'll just read it to you where uh, this word is used again.
In verse 23 of roman chapter 8 it says not only they but ourselves also which have the first fruits of the spirit. Even we ourselves grown within ourselves. Any any what's the different translations brother?
Mike? Same dan. Grow grow. Okay. So so that's the same word again that's used for grumble. Um, here's an interesting one. It'll be the last one. I I try to show you as I looked up the the Greek word in mark chapter 7 and I thought this was interesting mark chapter 7 verse 34.
And this is what it says and this is um. Of the lord jesus and it says and looking up to heaven. He sighed. I'm, missing something bro. Mike. Okay, he sighed and said to them Patheter that is be open and that was jesus healing but the word there where it says he sighed.
Is the same word? That is used groan. And it's the same word that's used for rumble so there are various meanings and again when we uh When we think about it and what the translators sought to do Was to interpret the word from its basic meaning, but there are different variations and so again, you would understand and I think we all would understand that even in our english language, which uh Is certainly not the purest of languages, right?
That that there are nuances of words. And sometimes we use a word in one way and sometimes we use a word Uh with a different shade attached to it and and and. But the point is as we go back to james and consider this I wanted you to think about that.
So when we read back in james chapter 5 where it says do not grumble um. And in the new king james, it's got a note In the margin that that word really means to groan and it has some shades of meaning but I think the overall thought is That it is something that takes place within us and that it has um Depth to it.
It's not just a shallow feeling even as we read of that Verse in mark have the lord jesus sighing when he said to them When he said to be be healed and be open, okay, so um, there's a relationship in that sense and then Think about this our relationship to each other is really again the issue of our hearts.
Right. We would all agree out of the abundance of the heart but The mouth speaks. Yeah. But but out of the abundance of the heart mouth speaks you if you and I spend any amount of time with anybody. Sooner or later.
We're going to find out What they really think? Uh because it's got to manifest itself even though we are good at uh hiding and and Uh concealing certain things. It's not long uh after you have a relationship with someone and you're really beginning to get a sense of um What they really think about things and i've mentioned this to you and i'm missing it happened to me the other day and I don't know what the setting was but I was talking to somebody and I guess my I guess from An outward appearance.
I expected to hear a certain uh way of speaking. Oh, I know what it was I was at the beach. And uh, somebody came by and because you go to the beach and you're fishing on the surf. People want to talk to you especially around here because everybody comes to florida.
I've met people from russia and you know up in the tundra of maine imagine that and. Anyway, this guy came by me and he started to talk and he he just looked like somebody who was uh, barely accomplished and It just appeared to me that he was um.
He had some some stability about him. Well, we didn't talk more than three seconds and all of a sudden he started Using words that I don't even want to mention. And his wife was standing right next to him.
I'm thinking man alive. I had the wrong impression of this guy. And I was glad when I said to him have a nice day. See you later. I guess what i'm trying to say is, uh, we really have to think of this in the sense of um.
What we really have going on inside of us. And that you and I really to to really interact with one another really need to consider that first. Okay. Having said that I want to look more, uh intently at this section in james.
And I wanted to ask us to think about a couple of things so in verses one through eight of james chapter five I think the the author is giving to us. Um. Much of what we need to think about concerning The world and the abuses of the world and you know, we'll just read it quickly again.
Look come now you rich weep and how for your miseries That are coming upon you your rust your riches are corrupted. Your garments are moth-eaten your gold and silver are corroded and their corrosion will be a witness against you.
And will eat your flesh like fire and you've heaped up treasure in the last days. And indeed the wages of the laborers who mow your fields which you kept back by fraud. Cry out in the cries of the reapers.
I have reached the ears of the lord of sabbath. You have lived on the earth in in pleasure and luxury. You have fattened your hearts as in the day of slaughter. You have condemned you have murdered the just and he does not resist you that in in these verses and and and there.
Let me just read verse seven and eight therefore be patient brethren until the coming of the lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth wait patiently for it until It receives the early and latter rain.
You also be patient establish your hearts for the coming of the lord is at hand. I I think in this section what he's really Presenting to us is that there are abuses in the world. No doubt there are those who take advantage of others in this world.
No doubt. And he gives us a couple of specific instances. And what I think he's leading us to is that as we see this or as we become partakers of it whether we um. Particularly when we're the abused. When we're the ones that are on the wrong side Of the activities of others that that there are a couple things that need to take place.
Certainly as he says in verse seven, we need to be patient and we'll talk about that a little bit. Um, and we also need to be careful because the reality is ultimately. Everything will be made manifest, right?
And here's what I thought about and we got just a little bit of time. I'm going to try to get through all this this morning. I want us to think about and this is what it reminded me of it reminded me of psalm 73.
Now if you're not familiar with psalm 73 really quick. And if you want flip back to psalm 73, I'm going to show you something psalm 73 is really the psalm about um the prosperity of the wicked. And well, you'll see it psalm 73, um.
In the context and we're in the setting of what we just read in james chapter 5 of abuse and and people taking advantage of other people and and being careful not to allow Grumbling and groaning within ourselves in light of that but look at psalm 73.
It says truly god is good to israel, but Uh to such as though pure in heart, but as for me, this is the psalmist writing right as for me. My feet had almost stumbled. My steps had nearly slipped for I was envious of the boastful.
When I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pangs in their death. But their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men. Nor are they plagued like other men and therefore pride serves as their necklace and violence covers them like a garment.
And their eyes bulge with abundance. And they have more than heart could wish. And they scoff and they speak wickedly concerning oppression. And they speak loftily and they set their mouths against their heavens and their tongue walks through the earth.
And therefore his people return here and waters of a full cup are drained by them and they say how does god know? Is there any knowledge in the most high behold? These are the ungodly who are always at ease.
They increase in interest in riches. That's one of the things that we just read out in james and surely The psalmist says surely i've cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocence for all day long.
I've been plagued and chastened every morning. And if I had said I will speak thus behold I would have been untrue to the generation of of your children. When I thought how to understand this it was too painful for me.
I'm gonna stop there because if I read verse 17, it'll take us in a totally different direction. Because then says until I came into the sanctuary right. But the thought I wanted to present to us that as we read in james chapter 5 part of the thing.
Part of the truth about grumbling is that we have to have a proper view Of what's taking place around us. And that there are abuses and there are Always going to be abused. They're always going to be those who are in that sense Oppressing others, right?
Um, you know, I thought about this. I thought about we all we all pretty much. Now let me pose this as a question because I want to make sure that i'm not the only one here that you might agree. We usually grumble about people who have more than us.
Not less than us. Would you agree? In other words, um. We usually uh grown and and think unfair. When we see people I was thinking I was reading the news about the the oligarchs in russia and how they've seized their yachts and That one has a 600 650 million dollar yacht.
Yeah, I know you see you're shaking your head already, right and. And it would be easy for us to grumble in many ways to say why would someone have the ability to have all that? And then I thought well, you know, I had a little 21-foot carolina skiff.
And you know what? There's probably people who grumble about me having that boat. Well, I don't have that boat no more. We sold it. But my point is that that when we see oppressors and abusers It it's it's somewhat a little bit where we have to really understand the context because it's again easier to grumble over those that have more Versus those that have less right?
So so that's that's one thought I wanted to present to us that um When we read about grumbling against one another I think there's an application That as we look at one another even in the context of all of us being children of god.
That we need to be careful that we don't start allowing our eyes to dictate to our hearts What we should think because even in that sense We Can fall into the the The sin of grumbling against each other because we see in one another things that either we lack Or we want.
And and and we might not want to say it out loud and none of them are saying we should. I think we all experience that. That we look at others sometimes. And we said man Why do they have what they have and I have what I have?
Whether it be this that or the other thing. And I think there's some some realities for us that we have to wrestle with because part of grumbling. Part of this this thing is really a sense of dissatisfaction Within ourselves.
Because if we were fully satisfied Would we grow? Would we complain? No. What would would it be something that that um Formulates in our hearts and in our minds and then outwardly and what I don't believe it would be because We would be fully satisfied.
Um, I put it this way. And I used this yesterday uh concerning prayers in a different sense, but and even um It's brought up in these texts about the idea of um, if you were looking over the fence. So think about In the thought of two farmers, they both have crops.
And as One christian brother looks at the crop of the other christian brother. He begins in his heart to say His crop seems to be a little bit better than my crop. What's the deal? I mean I planted just like he planted.
I did everything that he did. Why does he have. Why is his crop better than my crop. And and what happens is we begin that whole process if you will of being not only dissatisfied with our blessing but We begin to complain about god's blessing to someone else.
Right. Um. And I was going to take us there, but but let me just mention it to you. Do you remember the in matthew chapter 20 How the lord jesus Relayed that reality of of the laborers in the field. And that he had Told some earlier in the day to go out in the field and work and he would pay them Their wages at the end of the day and then remember he he then takes it to the next phase and the next phase until finally.
Was that it was almost at the end of the day and he found a couple more that were still idle and he said You go out into the into the fields and work and i'll pay you and remember how the point was. When they all came to be compensated He gave them all a denarius.
What was the result of that? Yeah, the the person who went out at the the last hour today, I would suppose they were pretty content that they got a denarius. Um considering that they only worked a short period of time, but the real issue was the ones that went out went In the beginning of the day, right and they what did they say?
Not fair not fair. We worked in the heat of the day. And you remember what jesus said I've done you no wrong my friend. And then he said is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own. And I really think that that's something brothers and sisters that we need to be careful of that we understand that god it Gives as god sees to get some 30 some 60 some 100.
Some this way some that way and and and that's really uh. Especially within the confines of the body of christ, but even outside into the world. Because we really don't know what's going on behind the scenes anyway, do we?
We really need to be careful that Uh god's sovereignty doesn't become a stumbling block for us. And again, we can all relate to that and I think we do uh more than we would want to admit that uh. Sometimes we're so busy looking over some defense that uh We miss the blessing that god has given us.
And that especially within the confines of the body of christ. We all should be very careful Not to uh become grumblers. Grown-ups, um, and in that sense even um. Complainers, but that we would be fully satisfied with what god has uh given us.
Up to this point comments. Complaint complaints go to brother mike. I'll take any compliment I can get. Any thoughts right up to this point?
What you're doing with what you already have already said. And then you grumble because somebody has something that you don't have and you want that condition or that product.
Yeah. Or you want to be released we could put it in in another setting and say well You you don't want to be in the situation you're in Right because you're dissatisfied with your own situation. So you'd rather switch places.
Right, right, um, and again, uh so many different ways in which that works out. But really it is the issue of the heart, right? It's the It's the thing that's uh many times We work very Diligently to correct our outward actions.
Agree, and we ought to right but I wonder at times if we do that to the neglect and the The stumbling of working on the realities of our own hearts. And that you and I need to be careful that we're not those that even as he says, uh in verse nine Do not grumble against one another Lest you be condemned behold the judge is standing at the door that you and I would realize.
Listen in that day They They will be everything will be right right the judge of all the earth shall do right. To whom more is given. What?
Much more is expected. Sir I was reading the importance part concerning that version that says. Concerning grunting it says it caused a divisive complaining. That can be particularly painful in times of suffering when people explode in frustration and turn upon each other.
Yeah.
Pretty good explanation. Yeah Greg were you gonna say something? Yeah, I was just gonna bring something up. Good. And james First of all james's wrote to the 12 tribes of israel. And this james is all about Constructing and forming the 12 tribes of israel.
And we aren't we aren't really any of the 12 tribes, but we can learn from james, right. And you know. To me, I think in what i've read that the 12 tribes in israel itself were were very idle. They were they worshipped idols.
They had a problem with that and He was talking about to the rich. It seems that they were, you know comparing they get caught up in their riches and idolatry. Idolatry was one of israel's biggest problems.
Well, I doubt is.
And they grumble they argued. Yeah, they did but it's so. What all men do I mean, but but I understand what you said. I I think you got to be careful when um.
The word grumbling I guess is something that you know. Paul says we should go out and In season out of season whether it's okay or not. Really we shouldn't be preaching the gospel.
Yeah, yeah, and again, it should be it should be to all people of all of all.
Right and grumbling one between one another I guess is something that yeah, we should be careful of. Because it that leads to idolatry type of thing sure when you make people mad by preaching the gospel.
Sounding like you're divisive. A lot, you know just go out and preach the gospel and you're going to be divisive. We got to put on our armor, right? Sure. Sure. So so a lot of people will say we're grumbling when we preach the gospel, right?
Paul seemed to he ran right into the 12. He had to run out of israel for fear of getting killed. Right that he he told them the truth. They didn't like it. So he had to get out of there. Yes life, but you know, there's a certain time of of preaching the truth will cause Division sure interpreted as grumbling, but I just you know want to you want to you know, just make that yeah James is is written to the 12 tribes.
It's not written to the gentiles. No, I disagree with that.
No, that's I I don't think the very beginning. Well, I understand which I understand but I I I think we would be Misdirected to just begin to divide Descriptions and say well, this is only pertaining to Uh a certain group and this is the word of god.
It has relevance all has context but at the same time I think we have to be careful because we can Fall off the cliff and start saying well, I don't have to follow this because this doesn't pertain to me.
Um, but I have to follow that and so and so and that's a discussion that we're following it's learning right. But but we can we can have let's just say we can have that discussion. Um, because I think it's a it's a lengthy discussion.
Let me put it to you that way. But in the area of rumbling and in the area of how we ought to treat one another we do have to be mindful. There was one other section. I did want to show us. Before we run out of time and again, I just some other verses on the board.
I want you to go go for a minute to romans chapter 14 and this is in the area where um, of course paul's teaching about liberty and and and how um, We ought to Understand of the liberties that we have and the liberty that other people have right?
And i'll just read a little bit and I think that that thought will uh come up, uh, actually i'll read it in uh, from verse five. Now I better go back and just. From verse one received one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.
So one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat and let not him. Who does not eat judge him who eats for god has received him and who are you to judge another servant?
Kind of back to what jesus talked about in matthew. It's not awful for me to do what I will with my own to his own master. He stands or falls indeed. He will be made to stand for god is able to make him stand.
And one person esteems one day above another and another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day observes it to the lord. He who does not observe the day to the lord He does not observe it.
He who eats eats to the lord for he gives god. Thanks and he does not eat to the lord. He does not eat and gives god. Thanks for none of us lives to himself. And no one dies to himself for if we live we live to the lord and if we die We die to the lord.
Therefore whether we live or die. We are the lords for to this end christ died and rose and lived again that he might be lord of both dead and living. But why do you judge another why do you judge your brother?
Why do you show contempt for your brother for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of christ? Whereas it is written as I live says the lord every knee shall bow to me every tongue shall confess.
So then each of us shall give account of himself to god. Therefore. Let us not judge one another anymore. Would rather resolve this not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall. In our brother's way not as many things that we could uh speak about in this section, but in this area of being Uh Dissatisfied.
And then when we become dissatisfied. It's not a far cry to where we then become a judge. Based on our dissatisfaction go back to the thought of the two farmers. So the one farmer looks over the fence and he sees his his neighbor's crops are bigger than his.
And he and he begins to groan and he begins to grumble. But if if that continues, I don't think it's long after that that he begins to find reasons. Why god shouldn't have given the farmer the bigger crop.
Um, and he becomes the judge. Well, you lord lord, you know, I I saw him. Well last summer and I saw what he did. And and did you know he treated his wife badly the other day lord? Yeah, and I know that's really simple but my point is we become judges and We ought not to Judge nothing before it's done.
I'm not talking about making judgments. We have to make judgments, right? We have to correct one another we have to admonish one another to rebuke one another exhort one another all the other one another's um.
But we need to be careful that it doesn't become The result of our dissatisfaction brother mike.
It's just interesting that. It's it's not just like you're saying. It's not just the a grumble. Uh, the king james translates it grudge. It's a grudge. Yeah, i'm hoping to hold it against you and ultimately i'm holding it against god because God allowed this to happen.
Yeah, again, that's like I said you know The sin Leads only to sin right you know we use terminology like don't go down the rabbit hole and all these other things but That's why it's so important for us to truly consider the Out of hearts and let me just finish this out because I just I want to kind of finish it all but I wanted to go Back just as we close go back to james for a minute.
I wanted to show you something. Um in the context of what he's saying there. Because he gives us an example right. So look at verse nine do not grumble against one another brethren lest you be condemned behold.
The judge is standing at the door my brethren. Take the prophets who spoke in the name of the lord as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed, we count them blessed who endured. You have heard of the perseverance of job And seen the end intended by the lord for that the lord is very compassionate and merciful.
In the example is the patience or the perseverance of job and that you and I one of the ways to Keep ourselves from becoming grumblers is to really uh Persevere In the faith and be patient. I'll always always well Not as much as I ought to but I always Many times I think of what jesus said.
You remember what he told peter remember when when? Peter thought that john was going to live for Until the return of christ and you remember how you remember what jesus said to peter. He said you Follow me.
And that's where I think many of us Miss the forest for the trees. We are so busy trying to either Possess what someone else possesses. Or we're dissatisfied with what's what someone else has. Or we see the abuses of the world and we grumble within.
Here's the reality if we were following him and our eyes were fixed on him We wouldn't have the the mind to go straying Looking over the fence, right if we're busy uh Tending to our own garden if you will.
We're not going to be that concerned with what's going on in the next garden so so when you think about it and again, I I had some other thoughts but uh time is is going to hold us from Doing it. But uh this whole idea about grumbling against one another brothers and sisters.
We need to be careful Because ultimately the judge will make things right and we will give an account. We will give an account not only for what we did But for what we didn't do. And account in the sense of uh, having things set Right.
So, all right. Um with that let's close and then we'll We'll uh Continue in worship In the preaching and the singing and the praying of the word. Let's pray father. Thank you for this night this day Lord help us not to be grumblers not to be groaners not to be dissatisfied.
Help us to be fully satisfied with all that you have done In us and for us through our lord. Jesus christ who so loved us that he gave himself for us now bless us in our Continued worship lord and may may what we do be pleasing to you and may what we do be uh edifying To the building up in the faith this most holy faith in jesus name.
Amen. Thank you, Dan.