133-Patience in Waiting for the Lord's Return#
133-Patience in Waiting for the Lord's Return
(JP Text Group - Grace Grass)
The topic of sharing is: Patience in Waiting for the Lord's Return
James 5:12-17
7 Brothers, you must be patient until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. 9 Brothers, do not grumble against each other, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! 10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
11 As you know, we count as 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. 12 Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple 'Yes' or 'No,' so that you will not fall under judgment.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank You! For giving us this time to worship You together. Also through this time, grant us Your words once again. Open our hearts through Your words, so that we may understand how to walk in this last age.
Holy Spirit, help us, renew us, and let our eyes be focused on Jesus Christ, making Your words the standard in our lives. We thank and praise You, especially bless every brother and sister who seeks You, that they may be filled with what they receive. All glory be to You, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!
There are two ways of patience: the first is painful endurance; the second is hopeful waiting. Brothers and sisters, which kind of patience do you want to live in? In hope. Why not in pain? If a person accidentally falls and breaks their arms or legs, they must endure the pain while waiting to heal... There are some things we do not want to see. But when these things come, what kind of mindset should we have to face them? After believing in Jesus, will we still encounter suffering? Yes.
In facing these questions and suffering, what kind of heart should we have? Is it painful endurance? Or joyful hopeful endurance? Joyful hopeful endurance. Thank the Lord, if it is really like this, it proves that you are victorious Christians.
Many people constantly complain, already in pain. People are living their lives; some say, "A new day has come!" Others say differently, "Thank God for giving me this new day, a blessed day has begun!" Are these two different ways of living? Before the Lord Jesus returns, may our brothers and sisters live joyfully in hope, Amen!
In this article, patience does not specify what to endure, but the meaning is that in any environment we are in, we need patience. What each person endures is different; the things that require patience may be poverty; it may be misunderstandings; sometimes it may be family; sometimes it may be those who do not believe in the Lord; it may even be some mental blows or material losses, but in facing such problems, we all need to have a heart of patience.
The first point of sharing: Endure in Hope
In verse 7, 'Brothers, you must be patient until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.'
What does James tell us in the Bible? To patiently wait for the Lord's return, we need to be like the farmer who patiently waits for the valuable crop of the land. What kind of heart is this? Seeing that the crops have grown very well but are not yet fully mature, there is a special hope and joy in patiently waiting for the crops to mature.
We need to have this mindset to face each day of life. Many people, after encountering problems in life, say, "Lord, I really can't take it anymore, please take me away quickly." Are there such people? Yes.
Are there such people in the Bible? Yes. What kind of person was Elijah at first? Was he not a very powerful person? He said before King Ahab, "If I do not pray, there will be no dew or rain for these years." It did not rain for three years and six months, but later, Elijah was frightened by a woman, Jezebel, who said, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them." Elijah was terrified and ran away, praying to God, "God, let me die!" God said, "Elijah, what are you doing here?"
He said, "I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and put Your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
Some Christians pray to God like this, "Lord, take me away, I don't want to live anymore." Did God take you away? If He had taken you away, you wouldn't be here listening to the sermon today. Many people, in this complaint and pain, welcome a new day. This cycle repeats. We know that this is actually abnormal; we should change our way of thinking to live, just like the farmer who patiently waits for the valuable crop of the land.
Brothers and sisters, God has not taken our lives because our mission on earth is not yet complete. Look at Elijah; after he completed his mission, God said, "Elijah, pass your mission to someone else, and I will take you back!" When Elijah passed his mission to Elisha, God took him back, and he was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind.
This is our life before God; our lives are extremely precious in God's eyes, Hallelujah! We need to live with a heart of patience. How should we live? Living in this world will definitely encounter tribulations and problems, but when we encounter these, we should focus our hope on Jesus Christ.
Because Jesus said in Matthew 5, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Why are such people blessed? Because when they mourn, God will comfort them. When they are persecuted for righteousness, the Bible tells us that the kingdom of heaven is theirs. If someone insults you because of the Lord, you are blessed, for great is your reward in heaven, Amen!
So brothers and sisters, when the crops are about to mature, we need to patiently wait for them, but our mood is extremely joyful, waiting with a kind of hope, Amen! Just as the farmer sows with hope, patiently waiting for the valuable crop of the land, we should also patiently wait for the return of the Lord Jesus.
The farmer does not wait until it rains to sow; he sows at the right time and then hopes for the autumn and spring rains to come. Sowing is the farmer's duty; you cannot say that you won't sow because you haven't seen rain. You must first sow the seeds in faith, and one day you will surely see God's provision for you; you will surely see the precious harvest that God will give you, Amen!
So brothers and sisters, we are like farmers, sowing seeds. We are sowing the seeds of the gospel in many people's hearts, telling the world, "God loves you specially! He sent His only Son, Jesus, to the world, who has died on the cross for your sins. God wants to bless you; come to Jesus!" Is this not the gospel? Is this not good news? We are telling others this good news: God is no longer angry with you because He has laid all your sins on Jesus Christ.
When sowing seeds in the world, is it always smooth sailing? Not necessarily! Brothers and sisters, we are sharing the gospel with good intentions, but others may say: "You're crazy." They say, "All those who believe in Jesus are a bunch of fools, a bunch of abnormal people." Some even say: "There is nothing good about believing in Jesus." They may slander you, but brothers and sisters, we need to have a heart of patience, waiting for the seeds to sprout, Amen!
When seeds are sown in the soil, they cannot sprout the next day after being sown; it requires a heart of patience to wait for the seeds to sprout. When seeds are sown in the soil, if God sends the autumn and spring rains, the seeds will surely grow very quickly. If it does not rain, the crops may wilt, but after a rain, in one night, the crops seem to grow very fast. That one rain plays a decisive role, Hallelujah!
We are like farmers, continuously sowing the seeds of the gospel in the world. When the autumn and spring rains come, the seeds will sprout. Brothers and sisters, we should also have this heart of patience towards souls, hoping that the seeds of these souls will one day become a precious harvest.
Here it says, 'until the autumn and spring rains come.' "Autumn rain" refers to the early rain, which is the moisture needed for sprouting and growing after sowing. The "spring rain" is the moisture needed before the crops mature. God sends both types of rain. After we sow the seeds of the gospel, when God pours out water on them, they will grow, and when they are about to bear fruit, God will also send the spring rain, and then the harvest will be very good.
We are the sowers; who makes them grow? It is our God, the Holy Spirit, who makes the seeds sprout and grow in people's hearts. Hallelujah! If you see a soul that has not changed, do not be anxious; wait patiently for the growth of their life! Hallelujah!
Seeing the mature fruit requires first sowing seeds. If you do not see results now, do not worry; in Jesus Christ, see that God is already working in their hearts. Share the gospel with your family, share the gospel with your friends; perhaps they do not understand now, but that is okay. When you sow seeds with this heart of patience, those seeds will surely grow one day. Hallelujah!
I once knew an aunt who faced strong opposition from her husband when she believed in Jesus. To what extent? Her husband even thought that believing in Jesus was a sign of madness. But this aunt was particularly eager to believe in Jesus; every time she went to a meeting, her husband was very unwilling and would scold her, saying many hurtful things. Later, it became more extreme; one night after a meeting, in the middle of winter, he locked her out and said, "Sleep with your Jesus; don't come back home to sleep anymore." This aunt spent the whole night squatting at the door.
In such a situation, the more she believed in Jesus, the more she was persecuted. What to do?
She said: "Teacher, can you pray for me? My husband is in this situation, and I am about to lose hope." I told her, "Do not worry, let us pray together, believing that God will surely change your husband's heart."
I prayed with her for a whole year, during which I continually told this aunt to keep sowing seeds. I said: "If you have the opportunity, tell him about the benefits of Jesus, regardless of whether he can hear it. Sometimes when you speak, he may have many rebuttals, but he is still listening; this is a way."
Brothers and sisters, sometimes it seems that the results are not as we imagine, but remember, when he listens, God begins to work. So we sow seeds; not seeing the effects now does not mean there is no growth. When the time comes, the fruit will surely grow as it should.
A year later, one day the aunt told me, "I really thank God; my husband has changed now. Originally, whenever I sang hymns at home, my husband would throw things at me, but I still sang when I had time. Many hymns are the words of God, and her husband was very angry, tearing up many of her hymns and even the Bible. This behavior itself is very disrespectful to God.
But this aunt did not say anything else because he did not know God yet, so she sang for a year. One day her husband said, "Why do I feel that your singing is quite nice? Can you sing it again for me to listen?"
Brothers and sisters, do you see what happened? The seed sprouted. This aunt was very wise; she said: "Husband, actually, I don't sing well; can I invite a few people from the church who sing hymns to come and sing together?" Her husband said, "Okay, go ahead and call them!" Thank the Lord, from then on, there was a hymn choir at home. Later, her husband also changed and went to church with her.
Brothers and sisters, do you see? When we sow seeds, the person's heart may be like stony ground; the stones need to be cleared away before they can take root and sprout. It has been mentioned before that there are four types of soil; not every heart is good soil where seeds can bear fruit immediately. Some need to clear away certain things. We continually pray for them, and while patiently praying, God will begin to clear away the obstacles in their hearts. Hallelujah!
We truly thank God; we understand that especially in the last days, the return of Jesus Christ is getting closer. People are becoming busier, focusing on more and more things, and having less and less time. They are even unwilling to understand Jesus. In the last days, as people's hearts grow colder, we should have a heart of patience to sow the seeds of the gospel.
In verse 8, You too, be patient and stand firm.
On one hand, we need to diligently sow seeds; on the other hand, we need to patiently look to the Holy Spirit to fulfill us, so that we can reap the full harvest. The latter part says you also need to be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord's coming is near.
The earlier part teaches us to learn from the example of the farmer who patiently waits, emphasizing waiting, while this verse tells us that the focus of patience is in our hearts; we need to strengthen our hearts because during patience, our hearts can get hurt, become weak, and we may fall. This is a common problem that arises during the process of patience.
Hebrews 10:36-37,
36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For in just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.
The earlier part tells us to empathize with those who are in chains and to joyfully accept the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves have better and lasting possessions. Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. It concludes that in this world, if we lose some things, God will give them back to you double. We do not complain; we live with hope, Amen! What we give for the Lord may not yield immediate results, but all your efforts are not in vain; God has stored up for you in heaven an eternal inheritance.
You need to persevere so that you can do the will of God. Why are you in this world? Many people say, "I am here for my children," but that is not true. Some say, "I am here to make money," but that is not true either. God specifically sent you into this world to be a vessel of His glory. You are not here for work, not to become a money-making machine, not to achieve any status, but to accomplish God's eternal glory. You are an ambassador of the kingdom of heaven on earth, to tell many people the gospel of God. Work is your side job. Amen! Can you understand, brothers and sisters?
If you set your goals incorrectly, problems will often arise in your life. Your true work is to fulfill God's will on this earth. Jesus Christ spent three and a half years in the world fulfilling God's will, and then God took Him away. But to people, it seems a pity that Jesus died; He should have lived a few more years, perhaps until seventy or eighty, or even a hundred, to be considered blessed. But in God's eyes, it is not like that. How does God view our lives? I placed you in this world, and when you patiently bear fruit and fulfill God's will, I will take you back. Our lives are in God's hands; it does not matter how many years you live; what matters is whether you have fulfilled God's will. If you have fulfilled it, God will take you back and wait for Him to give you the eternal reward of glory.
Here it says, You need to persevere so that you can do the will of God and receive what He has promised.
What promises does God give us? Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life and have it to the full." So Jesus Christ came to the world to give you that abundant life. You should live for the Lord, and God will give you an inheritance on earth and eternal glory in heaven. Those who believe in Jesus live every day for the glory of God.
Even if you encounter slander, misunderstanding, or attacks from others, the insults directed at you are not falling on you but on Christ, because you are doing things for the Lord. The insults are not against you but against our God. Although you have patience, it is not painful endurance; you endure with joy and hope, Amen!
After the Lord Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples began to preach the gospel. At that time, Peter was arrested while preaching the gospel and thrown into prison. But Peter was very happy, saying: "At last, I have suffered for the Lord Jesus." Isn't that joyful? He even wanted to stay in prison for two more days, but the angel said: "Get out of here; don't stay here; your mission is not yet complete."
It is the same problem; when facing this issue, we should have a joyful heart and a hopeful heart to face it, and the environment will change. Paul and Silas were also thrown into prison; in the middle of the night, they were loudly praising God in prison. This is the way God's servants face life; they can loudly praise God in suffering, difficulties, and tribulations, resulting in a great earthquake that opened the prison doors. The angels brought them out. We should have this hopeful heart, enduring every day of life, Hallelujah! It is patience in waiting for the Lord to come, thank and praise the Lord.
Verse 36 says, you need to persevere so that you can do the will of God and receive what He has promised.
Brothers and sisters, while you still have life, it is because God wants to give you more promises and more rewards, Amen! If one day you say, "God, I don't want to do this anymore," God says, "Then come back!" Life will end. Is it good to live longer? Yes, because God wants to give you more promises, Hallelujah!
But brothers and sisters, we have been saying that the day of the Lord Jesus' return is very near. Many people have said that this generation will see the return of Jesus. Look, the world's situation is constantly changing; in the last days, various problems will arise. We need to have a heart of patience to hold on to what we believe, Hallelujah!
For in just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay. What should we do? Strengthen your hearts. So the patience of Christ is not a passive acceptance of circumstances but an active equipping of oneself, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the environment. Is patience a fruit of the Holy Spirit? Yes, patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Do not say, "I want to be patient..." It is useless; you still cannot be patient. How do you do it? Hope in the words of Jesus Christ, let His words be your strength, let the Holy Spirit take root in your heart, filling and renewing you every day, and you will bear the fruit of patience.
When facing the environment, rely on the Holy Spirit to overcome. Therefore, when we firmly fix our eyes on Jesus, we can endure to the end and have this strength. Without Jesus, can we endure? No. But in Christ, we can indeed bear the fruit of patience.
Let’s look at a passage from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-17:
12 Brothers, we ask you to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
This mentions many things; respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. What kind of people are these? They are those who serve in the church, those who govern you and admonish you. This refers to those who serve in the church; if you are the one governing, the one encouraging, then those who are being encouraged should respect these people. When someone comforts you or cares for you, we should respect those who care for you and hold them in high regard in love; you should live in peace with each other.
Brothers and sisters, this is a very obvious mark of us in the Lord; the mark of Christians is different from that of the world. Our mark is to live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, to warn those who are idle. In the last days, our patience is not without limits; we do not endure everything others say.
We have a wrong idea; many people preach the gospel in a certain way, saying, "Believe in Jesus; it is great." Others say, "What is so good about it? I have heard that if someone slaps you on the left cheek, you should turn the right cheek to let them slap you again." If you preach the gospel like this, will others still believe? No. Think about it; if the enemy comes and slaps you, and you turn the other cheek, who would want to believe in such a Lord?
Actually, Jesus did not mean this; He meant that you forgive him and do not want to argue with him again, that is all. But it does not mean to literally turn the left cheek; do not become such a Christian, brothers and sisters; that would be truly confused faith.
I urge the brothers to warn those who are idle. The word "warn" means that when some people are unreasonable, we should use the Lord's words to warn them.
Encourage the timid. For those who are timid, what should we do? Help them up; Jesus treats different types of people differently. The first type is the Pharisees. Jesus did not encourage them; He warned them. Jesus said, Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! This is a warning. But for the poor and blind, Jesus did not say: "You wicked sinners." When dealing with different people, Christians should have different attitudes. In the last days, this is our patience.
Help the weak. For the weak, we should help them up because they have already fallen and are weak. We should also be patient with everyone. Many times, when we do things, we are unwilling to argue with others, willing to take a step back; this itself is a form of patience and a character of Christians.
You should be careful; no one should repay evil for evil. This is the central theme of this article. The earlier part said to warn the idle, encourage the timid, and be patient with everyone, but be careful. No one should repay evil for evil because repaying evil for evil is a characteristic of those under the law. The law says that if someone injures your eye, you should injure theirs in return; this is the behavior under the law.
But God said, do not repay evil for evil; how should we repay evil? Either serve one another or pursue good for one another. God tells us not to use a legalistic mindset or worldly ways to deal with those around us. This requires a heart of patience; only the Holy Spirit in you can help you do this, Amen!
Pursue good, and always be joyful. How can we always be joyful? People hope to be joyful all the time, but it is difficult because there are many pressures and problems, making it impossible to be joyful. All our problems have a solver, which is our Lord Jesus Christ; He can help us solve all problems. Therefore, in Christ, we should always be joyful. Hallelujah!
Always be joyful, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17).
Brothers and sisters, what does "in all circumstances" refer to? It refers to all things. In all things, there should be a mindset of giving thanks. "Lord, thank You; I have encountered this situation. Although the situation is not optimistic, I still thank You because You have a solution." Hallelujah! Although I have heard a bad report from the hospital, I believe You have a solution.
So our hope is not in people, not in the environment, and not in ourselves, but in Jesus Christ. When you look at your life this way, although there may be some problems, you will not be intimidated by these problems, nor will you complain because of these problems. You will overcome these problems with God's words.
Did Jesus encounter problems in the world? Did He encounter many problems? Jesus never lost heart and said, "Oh no, this is the end; there is no way out." People always say, "There is no way out; we are doomed; what can we do?" Jesus never said this; He always thanked the Father when encountering any problem and drew strength from the Father.
May our brothers and sisters, no matter what problems you encounter, lift your eyes to our God; He has a solution because this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. God wants us to always be joyful, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances, Hallelujah!
How do we live like this? It is to always be before God, knowing what Jesus has done for you. When you are sick, think about whether Jesus has been whipped for you. The purpose is for you to be healed. Although there is illness, you do not say it is getting worse; when you see this problem, remember Jesus Christ; He can solve your problems, and the pressure in your heart can be resolved. Focus on the one who can solve the problem, and there will be no pressure.
This is God's will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
So God wants us to live like this in Christ. Does this kind of life require patience? We hope to always be joyful, but many times, when filled with certain environments, problems, and pressures, we lose joy. But brothers and sisters, remember to focus your eyes on Jesus and what He has done for you, and your joy will be full.
God wants us to be patient; how do we do this? As mentioned earlier, respect all kinds of positions, live in peace with each other, and encourage one another. In the last days, gathering together is a very important thing. When alone, one may become weak and fall, but when you come here, if you are weak and someone beside you has fallen, they can use God's words to comfort you and help you. God wants us to care for one another, serve one another, and serve with love.
The second point of sharing: Imitate the Example of the Prophets.
9 Brothers, do not grumble against each other, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
Do not grumble against each other; when can people grumble against each other? It is when they fall under the law. When God created Adam and Eve, the first time Adam saw Eve, what did he say? "Wow!" Reading the Bible requires imagination; the Bible is a very lively book. You cannot say, "Oh, you are bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh." That does not sound right at all.
Brothers and sisters, a beautiful woman walks by, and Adam looks and says, "Wow!! You are bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh." He would want to hug her immediately, wouldn't he? When they fell under the law, God said, "Adam, did you eat from the tree I commanded you not to eat from?" Adam said, "She made me eat." Did he start to complain about her? Complaining about his wife, complaining about God.
When under the law, the heart is filled with the law, and people begin to complain because they find themselves at a loss. The Israelites often complained in the wilderness, complaining that Moses did not meet their demands, complaining that the environment was too harsh, complaining about why they could not stay in Egypt. Did they really want to stay in Egypt? No, but because the environment changed and could not satisfy their hearts, the law began to act up in their hearts.
They complained: "Moses, why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? There are no leeks, no onions, no garlic here; we had these things to eat in Egypt!" They complained because their own desires were not satisfied.
Christians who fall into complaints are because they have returned to the law. Complaining against each other is because the other party has not met their demands, so there is no heart of patience in their words, and complaints begin to arise.
Brothers and sisters, we complain to God very rarely; most of the time, we complain about people, complaining against each other, which must refer to people and people. Has God ever complained about us? If God were to complain about us, the result would be disastrous; there would be no one left in the world. What is meant by "do not grumble against each other" is about the issues between people. If there is no patience and lack of love among the body, they will complain about others because they expect others to love them but forget that they should also love others.
Many people say the church lacks love, is cold, and is desolate. When I hear such words, I find it hard to bear. I say the church lacks love because you have never given any love to the church, so the church has no love. If everyone wants to take love from the church, who is willing to give love? Because love is not about taking; love is about giving, Amen!
If everyone contributes love to the church, caring for one another, loving one another, wouldn't the church be filled with love? When people complain against each other, it is because they feel that "you should love me," rather than "I should love you." In fact, they are very lacking in love; what should they do? Return to God, receive love from Christ, and then give that love to the brothers and sisters.
Let’s look at a passage from Hebrews 12:15, See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
Is complaining against each other a bitter root? It brings out all the faults of others; there is not a single good person in the world. Such a person has a bitter root. What causes the bitter root to appear? Look at the latter half of verse 15, "See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many."
The reason this person has a bitter root is that they have lost the grace of God, Amen! When a person is constantly complaining, saying that there is not a single good person in the world, they have already lost the grace of God and are under the law, seeing everyone as having problems, condemning others, this is a problem. The root issue is that they have lost God's grace.
In God's grace, what is given is love. Does Jesus know our problems? Does He know where our problems are? Does He know our shortcomings? Does He know the many sinful things we have done?
Why does Jesus not point out your sins one by one? Because Jesus Christ Himself is grace; He came to the world not to point out how many sins you have but to tell you how much He loves you. In God's grace, there is no way a bitter root can grow. When you lose God's grace, a bitter root can sprout. You have fallen under the law.
So the Bible tells us that those who fall from grace do not fall into hell but fall under the law. This point is very important. If you fall from grace, many bitter roots will sprout, causing trouble for you. In this case, what should you do? You should be patient. Do not fall under the law; do not retaliate against them. We should not repay evil for evil; we need to use a heart of patience and love to bring that person back, Hallelujah!
Do not grumble against each other, or you will be judged. The original meaning is that you will not condemn each other.
Does God give us the power to condemn? God only says that when you see your brother has a problem, use love to bring him back, not to criticize your brother until he has no face to lift up. Always remember, brothers and sisters, what authority has Jesus given us? To pray for those who persecute you. This is the way we Christians should act. Do not grumble against each other, or you will be judged, meaning do not condemn each other.
Mutual complaints are mutual condemnation! Do not fall into this trap of the devil. Because it goes on to say, look! The Judge is near. What does this mean? God has not given you the power to judge others; the Judge is Jesus, the Lord who is the judge. Do not grumble against each other; do not condemn each other because the Judge is coming soon. Hallelujah!
The Bible also tells us, It is better to let it go and let the Lord's anger take its course.
What does this mean? One day, God will vindicate you; do not seek your own vindication, Amen! When we take a step back, our hearts will be filled with God's grace. When you take a step forward and become the law, condemning others, it does not mean you will have good results!
Brothers, you should consider the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as examples of suffering and patience. We consider as blessed those who have persevered. (James 5:10)
Brothers and sisters, if others treat us with the law, accuse us, and slander us, and we do not retaliate, you are blessed. Because you have not taken in the garbage; you have simply refused it. Hallelujah!
What does "the prophets" refer to? It refers to those who are sent to speak for God, those who speak for the Lord, just like pastors and teachers, who are speaking for God. But some people casually open their mouths, giving testimonies, or even preaching, turning the ministry of preaching God's word into a profession, which is very troublesome. Many pastors have become professionals; their purpose is not for the flock but for making money or for their own reputation, and they do not even consider being willing to suffer for the Lord.
Those who truly bear witness for the Lord will not be spared by the devil; he will try various ways to attack you. The Bible is full of those who truly bear witness for the Lord, and many indeed are examples of patience and suffering. Therefore, they endured in suffering. But God says they are blessed.
Let’s look at one person—Paul. Was Paul a blessed person? Was he bearing witness for the Lord? Did he encounter attacks while preaching the gospel? Let’s take a look. In 1 Corinthians 4:11-16,
11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure.
Is this not patience? Was Paul working for money? Was he working for souls? But how did these people treat him? Did they not beat him? Were they not treating him brutally? When Paul faced those who cursed him, he blessed them.
When Paul was persecuted by others, he endured. So brothers and sisters, when you share the gospel and others do not accept it, slandering you, endure! Because what you do is blessed in God's eyes, Hallelujah!
When slandered, what does it mean? It means that clearly you did not do this thing, but they insist that you did. This is slander. It is malicious gossip; he admonishes us.
When Paul preached the gospel, he said: "Brothers! I truly ask you to listen to me." When we preach the gospel, do we not encounter similar situations? Others say: "You are a heretic; you are a fraud." But what does it matter? We still need to admonish and endure, and we need a heart that can endure.
13 To this very hour we are considered the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world. 14 I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. 15 Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
This is Paul’s encouragement to all Christians who are persecuted or hurt. There are many guardians, but "fathers" refers to those who view the person preaching the gospel as their own child. No matter how they treat you, you still need to give to them. When your child grows day by day, if he does not listen to you, goes against your will, or even insults you, you will still endure him and serve him with love because you are his parent, and he is your child.
When sharing the gospel with a soul, do not say: "Lord, I have brought him to You; do as You please!" After we share the gospel, we should be like the farmer, patiently waiting for the fruit, praying for that soul. Even if he does not understand you, serve them with a father’s heart.
The Bible tells us that there are many guardians, but very few fathers. May our brothers and sisters have a father’s heart for the gospel you hold, comforting them and praying for them. Amen!
You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
Let’s briefly talk about Job's patience. Did Job suffer because he deserved it? Did Job suffer because he sinned? No, it was because the devil wanted to attack him. Many people do not understand and say: "Oh! Job was attacked by God because of his self-righteousness." That is correct; everyone has self-righteousness. Does that mean everyone must suffer like Job to remove self-righteousness? No. The problem Job initially faced was due to his incorrect understanding of God, which left room for the devil.
In the first chapter, he said: The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Brothers and sisters, this is an incorrect understanding. God only gives us; He will never say, "If you do not listen, I will take it back." This is not how our God operates; God continuously gives, and once He gives, He does not take it back.
The devil constantly attacked him, destroying everything he should have. Job was in great pain. You could say Job was experiencing patience, enduring his environment and this illness. At this time, people need comfort the most; his three friends may have come from afar to comfort Job. These three lovely friends were quite troublesome. If we become such friends, we should not comfort others; it would be better if they died slowly. When the three friends arrived, they cried out loudly, "Oh, Job, how could you be in such a terrible state?"
They began to comfort him, saying: "Job, you should confess your sins; you must have offended God; otherwise, how could God punish you?" Another friend said: "Job, think about it; how could God strike someone without reason? It is either your fault or someone else's fault, or your family's fault, or your children's fault." In the end, Job said to God, "I wish I were not alive." Originally, Job did not want to die, but after these three lovely friends comforted him, Job wanted to die.
Brothers and sisters, when you see someone fall, do not say: "Think about it; did you sin against God?" This person originally did not want to die, but after you said that, he wants to die. Later, God personally comforted Job.
Did God say: "Job, your three friends have not been harsh enough; let me tell you, your sins are not just this." In God's eyes, Job was always a man who feared God and shunned evil. Brothers and sisters, in God's eyes, because of Jesus Christ who paid the price for your sins on the cross, you have already been justified by faith. With this identity, God will comfort you. How did God comfort him? God said: "I have never blamed you like this; what your three friends said is not correct." God became angry with his three friends, saying: "Who told you to say that about my servant Job?" He is not such a person. Later, Job prayed for his three friends, and God began to bless Job. What was Job's outcome? Originally, the devil destroyed everything Job had, but God gave him double blessings.
So brothers and sisters, we should face life with this heart of patience. Although the devil may attack you through some people, God will give you double blessings. You may have lost some things for the Lord, but God will bless you double.
This is our hope; this double blessing may refer to giving you double now and storing up for you an eternal reward in heaven. Job shows us that God is a God of compassion and justice, Amen! Do not be disheartened when you see losses; remember, God can bless you again.
The latter part says, James 5:12, 'Above all, my brothers, do not swear.'
Why do people swear? Because they do not believe you. For example, someone says to his friend: "I swear by heaven that I did not do such a thing." Why do they have to swear? Because that friend does not believe him, so he swears by heaven. Brothers and sisters, the Bible tells us that Jesus said not to swear. James here quotes the words of Jesus; let’s look at where the original text is.
Matthew 5:33-37:
33 Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.' 34 But I tell you, do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
In this passage, Jesus uses two methods to make a comparison. One is under the law, 'You have heard it said to the people long ago, do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.' Under the law, they said: "We will swear by this stone; if you see this stone, do not come and hit me, and I will not hit you." Thus, they had salt covenants and stone covenants; in the past, they swore like this to prove that what they said was accurate. So when the Israelites did business, they would cut an animal in half as a sacrifice to swear that if they broke their word, they would rather be torn apart like that sacrifice.
This is what the Old Testament law says: do not break your oath; that is, do not violate what you have said. But Jesus said, Do not swear at all. This means to know who you are; do not say any oaths because the words you speak have efficacy and authority. There is no need to explain anything to others. If this matter is true, just say yes; if it is not, just say no.
Similarly, brothers and sisters, when others slander you, you can tell them, "I did not do that," and that is enough. There is no need to explain in various ways to prove that you did not do it. It is useless because they do not believe you in the first place; you just need to tell them you did not do it. Amen! Yes is yes, and no is no. This is how Christians should live.
If you say more, it comes from the "evil one." If you say more, you fall into the hands of others. What is yes is yes, and what is no is no. We have a heart of patience; the meaning of not swearing is to say that you must keep your word; yes is yes, and no is no. There is no need to call upon heaven and earth to testify for you.
Some Christians say: "Don't worry; I am a Christian; I will not deceive you." Are there many people who like to say this? Actually, this is also swearing. If you really will not deceive him, there is no need to say, "I am a Christian." If you do not do it, he will say: "Not a single Christian is good." If you can do this, you do not need to swear at all.
I have been to the market to buy vegetables several times and forgot to bring money; when I changed clothes, I forgot to bring it. I had already picked the vegetables, but when I checked my pocket, I found I had no money. The owner said: "No problem; you can take it home." I said: "No need; I will come back later to get it." I did not take it home first and say: "Don't worry; I am a Christian; I will not deceive you." There is no need to say you are a Christian; just go home, get the money, and return it; that is all.
A true Christian can keep their mouth shut and not speak carelessly; yes is yes, and no is no. If you do this, others will say: "You are truly a trustworthy person." At this time, you can say, "Because I am a Christian." Wouldn't that be better? Do not invoke God's name to swear; this is not a good thing. Christians in the world need to be patient, patiently waiting for the return of the Lord Jesus, and in life, become examples for many people in the world, Amen! Do not grumble against each other; be patient and encourage one another.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank You! You have told us that we need to be patient in this world, to joyfully endure because the day of the Lord Jesus' return is near. The grace You have given us, no matter what we encounter, we still have hope in Christ. Like the farmer who patiently waits for the valuable crop of the land, we patiently wait for Your day to come.
You also give our brothers and sisters the strength to live out the pattern of the Holy Spirit, to manifest the fruit of the Holy Spirit—patience—in us. Although many people attack us, we endure them; all that we suffer in the Lord is not in vain. It is not about arguing with the world; yes is yes, and no is no, because Jesus is our example and our strength. We live for Jesus Christ.
We are sowing the seeds of the gospel; we are patiently waiting for the seeds to sprout. We pray for the souls of this city, for China, and for the souls of the world. You let more people in the world turn around and see that the patience of Christians is not weakness; it is our patience in waiting for the growth of the seeds. Thank You for hearing our prayers; all glory be to You. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!