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When James started his letter he said count it all joy my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds. And as we're going to read today We should not count it strange when we meet trials of various kinds these things coming back full circle when we understand the text.
This is when we understand the text studying God's word to reach all the riches of full assurance in Christ. Find all our videos online at Wwut .com as well as links to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Here's your teacher pastor Gabe Hughes.
Thank you, Becky. We're gonna pick up where we finished off yesterday. James chapter 5 verses 7 through 12. I think we got through about verse 9 yesterday, but we'll kind of backtrack a little bit. James chapter 5 starting in verse 7.
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 in 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.
But above all my brothers do not swear either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath. But let your yes be yes, and your no be no. So that you may not fall under Condemnation. And as I mentioned yesterday There are some things that James says here very similar to what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount and we will see some Of those things as we go on.
So let me come back here. Well, let me just jump back to verse 7. We'll kind of review what we talked about yesterday. 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.
And it's by this same way that Peter says in 2nd Peter chapter 3. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness. But is patient towards you not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief and when the heavens will pass away with a roar and the heavenly bodies will Be burned up and dissolved the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed that 2nd Peter chapter 3 Verses 8 through 10.
So where he says the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness. But patient not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance. It's that all that God has elected all that he has predestined to salvation through Jesus Christ would come to repentance in faith.
So the reason why God has not yet come the reason why the earth still exists the reason why the heavens? Have not passed away with a roar and the heavenly bodies burned up and dissolved is because God is patient and allowing all who would come to repentance to come to repentance in Christ and would have faith and Be saved.
Remember as we read yesterday from the Apostle Peter that that we should count the patience of God as salvation. Peter also previously said 1st Peter chapter 4 verses 7 through 11. The end of all things is at hand.
Remember he wrote this 2 ,000 years ago. Therefore be self-controlled and sober minded for the sake of your prayers not praying as though we would benefit or gain anything from it as though we are asking God for something that would benefit us as James said previously the reason why the Lord does not answer your prayers is because you ask Wrongly, but we need to be sober minded and self-controlled not asking in ways that would benefit us or asking in a way that is Self-motivated and self-willed but that we seek the will of God not our will but his will be done.
So that our prayers will not be hindered above all. Verse 8. Keep loving one another earnestly since love covers a multitude of sins. We see James talking about that here and this will come up at the end of his letter as well.
But here James has said do not grumble against one another brothers so that you may not be judged. Behold. The judge is standing at the door. That's James 5 9. So Peter says something very similar in 1st Peter 4 8.
Keep loving one another earnestly since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without Grumbling. It is a pleasure to be able to serve one another in the faith. It is not a burden at least it is not a burden that we should grumble about but something that we should take on With joy that we should be of service to one another.
We need to be very careful in the ways that we would talk about our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus says in the Olivet discourse in Matthew chapter 24 verse 45. He says who is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has set over his household to give them their food at the proper time.
Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes truly I say to you he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself my master is delayed and Begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards.
The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him at an hour. He does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites in that place. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This is what happens to the wicked servant who does not serve his fellow Servants who is not loving with the love of Christ to those who are brothers and sisters by the blood of Christ instead is lashing out at his fellow servants is abusive to those whom he should be calling his brothers and sisters in Christ.
And because he turned out to be a wicked servant when Comes back He will cut him up and throw him out with the hypocrites where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. So we should show hospitality to one another without Grumbling with joy.
We should serve one another in the body of Christ being patient with one another because remember as we talked about yesterday the first quality that love has as given to us in first Corinthians 13 love is Patient love is kind.
And so this is the way that we should be treating to one another knowing the end of all things is at hand. The judge is standing at the door. We are in the last days. John says behold, this is the last hour and again, he said that 2 ,000 years ago.
So we have been living in the last days since the time of Christ. Since he came since his crucifixion Resurrection from the grave his ascension into heaven and the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
We have been living in the last days. So we should with patience and the love of Christ be serving one another. Being patient toward those who are in the body of Christ and even those who are outside the body as we talked about yesterday so not grumbling against one another and and as Peter says here showing hospitality to one another.
1st Peter 4 10 as each has received a gift. Use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. So the gift that you have received in Christ by the Holy Spirit is one kind of grace. Somebody else has a different gift that is because of that kind of grace that God has showed to that person.
Somebody else may be more mature in the faith having great knowledge and able to speak with much wisdom. They have been given the God the grace of God in one way and another person the grace of God in another way.
So this is God's varied grace upon the members of his body. And so if we have been given a gift by God, let us be a good steward of that gift and serve one another. Showing hospitality without grumbling.
Peter goes on verse 11. Whoever speaks as one who speaks the oracles of God. God has given me a gift to speak and the reason why I do. What videos and do this podcast and do so in a way that does not cost you anything.
You don't have to pay for these services is because I want to be a good steward of that gift that the Lord has Given me it's not a calling for everybody to teach or to even speak in such a way. But to those who that have been given that gift they must do so and do it Responsibly do it in a way that is a benefit to the members of the body of Christ.
Not abusive not abusing the teaching but being responsible and accountable to the authority of the Word of God. Whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies and so here in verse 11 We basically have the offices of the church being described.
Whoever speaks as one who speaks the oracles of God the elder. Whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies the deacon. But this could also apply to those that may not be in those roles of of an elder or a deacon a person can have an ability or a gift of teaching and speaking that may not have a Position as an elder and another person may have a gift of service that may not be in the position of a deacon.
Whatever the gift of God may be upon you whether it is these two gifts or gifts that we see described in Romans chapter 12. Or in 1st Corinthians also 1st Corinthians 12 and and in chapters 13 and 14 as well Wherever these gifts are described.
Let us be faithful With them as God has apportioned them according to his varied grace in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, which is how Peter continues in 1st Peter 4 11 to him belongs glory and dominion forever and ever.
Amen, and so as we come back to our root text here James chapter 5 verse 9. Do not grumble against one another brothers so that you may not be judged. Behold, the judge is standing at the door tie that into What Jesus talked about regarding the wicked servant in Matthew chapter 24.
Let us instead be faithful and wise servants whom the master has set over his household to give them their food at the proper time as Each has received a gift use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's very grace.
Whoever speaks is one who speaks oracles of God. Whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies. So here we've tied in Matthew 24 James 5 1st Peter 4 as the Responsibility has been given to us knowing that the day of the Lord is at hand.
The end of all things is at hand. So we must be found faithful Servants of God serving one another giving them their food at the proper time to the glory of God. Amen. Verse 10. James goes on as an example of suffering and patience brothers take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
We look to the prophets as our example of those who Suffered and endured to the end. Jesus says in Matthew 5 verses 11 and 12. This is right after the beatitudes he says blessed are you when others revile you and Persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. So we set the prophets before us as an example of those who suffered and Endured for the sake of Christ with patience for the glory of the name of the Lord.
Peter also says. And I come back to chapter 4 of 1st Peter once again verse 12. Beloved do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange were happening To you but rejoice Insofar as you share Christ's sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
If you are Insulted for the name of Christ you are blessed because the spirit of glory and of God Rests upon you. Can you imagine that? Being able to suffer for the name of God is a Blessing of God that we would be included in his kingdom in such a way.
We share in the sufferings of Christ and we share in the sufferings of the prophets who came before Who were speaking the message that God had given them about the coming Christ? So the prophets were persecuted before so Christ was persecuted and then we are Persecuted speaking the name of Christ and sharing in his sufferings and that is a blessing of God.
That we would endure for his name. So do not think it's strange when a fiery trial would come upon you in this way. Instead we must rejoice Knowing that we share in Christ's sufferings and I must tell you even if you would endure suffering.
Because a brother or sister in Christ somebody that you thought was a brother or sister in Christ would persecute you. Yes, it is heartbreaking and I have experienced this before so I I know it firsthand.
I have had those that I thought were friends that I have welcomed into my home whom I have fed and Treated as brothers and sisters turn on me not even just stab me in the back stabbing me right in the face.
I have not been persecuted in that. I have endured these sufferings fleshly in my body but I have had my heart broken by these people. I Have experienced this before and so even when you have somebody who has turned on you in this way.
Because you stood upon the gospel you stood upon the truth of Christ. Still rejoice in God knowing that you share in the sufferings of Christ. Yes. It is heartbreaking and Christ's heart was broken when his disciples turned and ran away from him at the at his darkest moment when he was arrested and Crucified and the wrath of God was being poured out upon him and yet the disciples did not remain.
Christ's heart was broken even in this and yet he continues to love us all the more. We're no better. We would have done the same if we were in the same position that the disciples were in at the moment that Christ was arrested we would have all run away to and yet Jesus by his love and his patience has poured out more grace upon us and so even when there are those who have Maligned us falsely.
We still must rejoice in Christ knowing that we are sharing in his sufferings. The Apostle Paul shows much grace in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 when he says the following about those who had turned their backs on him.
This is 2nd Timothy 4 verse 16 at my first defense no one came to stand by me, but they all deserted me may it not be charged against them and so Paul is praying for the mercy of God upon those people that they would not be judged and die in this sin.
But that they would repent. Paul is calling for Timothy that those people would not be slandered because they did not stand with Paul. But rather that mercy and grace would be shown to them and they may come to repentance and would know The grace of our Lord God with patience that has been displayed to every single one of us.
So yes, there are those who have turned their backs on me and have betrayed me. But I don't mean to to to speak their names in such a way now. There are those that do need to be called out because in that same Section verse 14 just a couple of verses earlier Paul says Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm.
The Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Beware of him yourself for he strongly opposed our message. That's a little bit different. We would understand Alexander the coppersmith as being somebody who was a heretic.
But a person who did not stand with us at a certain time. We don't see anything that is particularly troubling about their doctrine. But there was just a moment of weakness in which they turned their backs on us.
Instead of standing with us if they left the church if they turn their back on the church. Their name should be brought before the church, but may it not be counted against them instead. May we pray for their repentance that they may turn from their sin that they committed against her brother or sister in Christ and come Back into fellowship with the body some of those individuals that turn their backs on me or betrayed me.
I don't know where they are and I don't know what their situation is to this day and I'm not trying to hunt them down. But I do pray that God has worked on their hearts in such a way that they have been brought to repentance and they are in Fellowship with a body of Christ and in fellowship in such a way that they are a benefit to the body Rather than a harm or a hindrance.
I pray that it is not being said of them as As Paul said of them in in Titus or warned about them in Titus chapter 3 verse 9 That if a person Stirs up division after warning him once and then twice have nothing more to do with him knowing that such a person is warped and sinful.
He is self-condemned and I hope that these individuals have not come to that place where they are self-condemned instead of walking in the grace of God knowing the forgiveness of Christ that covers over a Multitude of sins.
So let us consider this I I pray that it did not be held against them, but that they would know the fellowship of God. I do not hold it against them. I pray instead for their repentance that in whatever body of Christ that they are in today.
That they've come to know the grace and the forgiveness of Christ for their sins. I've heard Jared C Wilson say that when we walk through heaven's gates We will not have repented of every sin perfectly and God will welcome us.
Anyway, those of us who are in Christ Jesus There are probably ways in the past that you have wronged somebody and and maybe you just don't even remember it the Lord has not brought that to the forefront of your mind so that you might Repent of it and be made right before the Lord and yet would God hold that sin against you on judgment day when you come Before the throne of judgment I think there are sins that the Lord is going to have covered over that We are not going to be aware of but don't let that be a reason to just forget about your sin.
David prayed in the Psalms. This is Psalm 19 verses 12 and 13 who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me.
Then. I shall be blameless and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Oh Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. So we should desire those hidden sins to be exposed so that we might repent of them in a proper way.
And so also that broken ties or or ties that would have been broken with brothers and sisters in Christ might be mended. But for those of us who have been wronged Let us not count those wrongs against those who may still be brothers and sisters in Christ.
But instead pray for them that an opportunity of repentance may come their way and they may be Unified with the body of Christ and not separated from God because of the way that they treated their fellow servants.
Once again James says James 5 10 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 remain 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.
Above all my brothers do not swear either by heaven or by earth or by any oath. But let your yes be yes and your no be no so that you may not fall under condemnation. Very exact thing that Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount and James is quoting him almost word for word here.
Let your yes be yes and your no be no. Don't swear by the moon or by the earth or any such thing. Why not? Because the earth and all these things are gonna pass away and so your oath is just as good as any of these things that You've sworn upon that are going to be destroyed at the coming of the Lord.
Instead we need to be as followers of Christ people of integrity. What we say we will do we will do. What we say we won't do. We need to stick to our convictions and be committed to those things That we know according to Christ.
He has told us that we must do. Let us remain fixed upon the words of Christ looking to him as our example. The author and the finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.
Despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. He is our Savior. And Jesus said to the as we read to the church in Laodicea yesterday in Revelation chapter 3 to those who endure to the end.
We will be granted to sit with him on his throne. Jesus says as I also conquered and sat down with my father on his throne he who has an ear. Let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Lord God as we wrap this up what we have studied in James this week I pray that it would be set before us an understanding of the day of the Lord at hand.
This is the last hour. We are in the last days. The judge is standing at the door. Therefore we endure with patience and not thinking. It's strange when a fiery trial would come upon us. But knowing that we are enduring the sufferings of Christ.
We are sharing in his sufferings when somebody reviles us Lord. May we not revile back? May we not hate them in return? But may we have the same patience that Christ? Displayed when he was being hung on the cross and said Lord forgive them for they know not what they do.
I pray that we would also have the attitude of Paul who said may it not be counted against them. May we not be seeking revenge? Instead we would pray for the the souls the spirits of those who had wronged us that they may know their wrong and Repent and made right before God by the peace that surpasses all Understanding given to us by the grace of Christ Jesus our Lord.
We are undeserving of this grace that we have but you showed patience to us. And it is your patience that is counted as our salvation and so God. I pray that we would be patient with one another in the body of Christ and Also patient with those who are outside the body so that they may hear the gospel and live.
Praise you God for all things in the name of Christ. We pray. Amen.
You've been listening to when we understand the text with pastor Gabe Hughes. Monday Tuesday and Wednesday Gabe will be going through a New Testament study. Then on Thursday. We look at an Old Testament book.
On Friday, we take questions from the listeners and viewers. Tomorrow. We'll pick up on an Old Testament study when we understand the text.