The sermon titled 'A Life of Patience and Perseverance' by Mike Davenport is based on James 5:7-11, urging the congregation to embody patience and perseverance in anticipation of the Lord's coming. Davenport elucidates three main points: an exhortation to patience and perseverance, examples of it through figures like farmers, prophets, and Job, and encouragement stemming from the compassion and mercy of God. The sermon underscores the trials faced by early Christians and parallels them with contemporary struggles, emphasizing that patience is an expression of faith in Christ's return. By highlighting biblical figures who exemplify patience, such as Job who endured without understanding God's plans, the speaker illustrates that true patience relies on God's compassion and mercy. The sermon appeals to the congregation's faith, urging them to focus on Christ's promises and his forthcoming return, which should inspire a steadfast heart and a life of endurance amidst trials.

Our sermon text today is James 5, 7 through 11. Therefore, brothers, be patient until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts because the Lord's coming is near.

Brothers, do not complain about one another so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door. Brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord's name as an example of suffering and patience see we sorry see we count as blessed those who have endured you have heard of Job's endurance and have seen the outcome the Lord the Lord is very compassionate and merciful let's pray father we do thank you for your mercy Lord as we just saw that sins wage has been paid and that perpetuation has been won and Lord not by our hands but by your precious son Jesus that he came and lived the perfect life he fulfilled the laws demands Lord something that we could not do and Lord he shed his blood for us that precious blood and Lord that is covered over us if we have trusted him, if you have saved us. Lord, I pray that today, if there's anyone here, Lord, that they wouldn't seek from tradition or any other false motive, Lord, that they would come to you or that they would repent of their sins, but Lord, that you would grant them that repentance and Lord, that you would humble their hearts.

Lord, I pray that they would not meet you as judge, Lord, they would meet you as loving Father. We do pray that in Jesus' name. Amen. I saw moreover in my dream that the interpreter took Christian by the hand and had him into a little room where sat two little children, each one in his chair. The name of the eldest was Passion and the name of the other Patience.

Passion seemed to be much discontented, but Patience was very quiet. Then Christian asked, what is the reason of the discontent of Passion? The interpreter answered, the governor of them would have him stay for his best things till the beginning of the next year, but he will have all now. But patience is willing to wait. Then I saw that one came to Passion and brought him a bag of treasure and poured it down at his feet, the which he took up and rejoiced therein and with all laughed patience to scorn but I beheld but a while and He had lavished all away and had nothing left him but rags.

Then said Christian to the interpreter, expound this matter more fully to me. So interpreter said, These two lads are figures, passion of the men of this world and patience of the men of that which is to come. For as here thou seest, passion will have all now. This year, that is to say in this world, so are the men of this world. They must have all their good things now.

They cannot stay till the next year, that is until the next world for their portion of good. That proverb, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, is of more authority with them than are all the divine testimonies of the good of the world to come. But as thou sawest that he had quickly lavished all away and had presently left him nothing but rags, so will it be with all such men at the end of this world." Then said Christian, now I see that patience has the best wisdom, and that upon many accounts. First, because he stays or waits for the best things. And second, also because he will have the glory of his when the other has nothing but rags.

Interpreter said, nay, you may add another to wit. The glory of the next world will never wear out But these are suddenly gone Therefore passion had not so much reason to laugh at patience because he had his good things first as patience will have to laugh at passion, because he had his best things last. For first must give place to last, because Last must have his time to come But last gives place to nothing for there is not another to succeed He therefore that half his portion first must needs have a time to spend it, but he that hath his portion last must have it lastingly. Therefore it is said of Dives or the rich man in the story of rich man and Lazarus, in thy lifetime thou receivest thy good things, and likewise Lazarus' evil things. But now he is comforted, and thou are tormented." These words may be very familiar to you.

They were written by John Bunyan as part of his work in Pilgrim's Progress, and they were written during the midst of a 12-year prison sentence a 12-year prison sentence and a sentence received for his refusal to stop preaching Bunyan had need of such patience confirmed or confined as he was there to that prison cell and as a result of an unjust sentence. But alas his good things did come he had his portion last and he has it lastingly a life of patience and perseverance how it seems to elude us how it seems to hide itself when we find ourselves in the midst of trials and sufferings. Well, James was no stranger to trials and sufferings nor were the readers of his epistle So here in our text today James 5 7 through 11 James knowing the circumstances that his readers found themselves in, calls these readers to a life of patience and perseverance. We will see in this passage the following three things. First, an exhortation to patience and perseverance.

Secondly, examples of patience and perseverance. And then thirdly and finally, encouragement towards patience and perseverance. So first, exhortation to patience and perseverance. Verse 7 begins this way, therefore be patient brethren, until the coming of the Lord." In our previous study in James, focusing on the first six verses of chapter 5, we found James indirectly addressing the rich worldling, not for their benefit as if they would ever get this message, but for the benefit of his readers, men who had themselves been persecuted and oppressed. Consider the picture that James has been painting in his epistle back in James 1-11.

The rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. James 2, 6, and 7, speaking to his Christian readers, says, do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? And in our previous study in James 5 verse 4, speaking as though directly to the rich world, Lien says, indeed, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabbath." And then again in 5-6, you have condemned, you have murdered the just. He does not resist you.

Well, having addressed the certain miseries belonging to unjust oppressors in the opening verses of chapter 5. Here in the passage before us this morning, we see James turning again to his Christian readers. He is most likely addressing brethren who were not rich with the things of this world. Brethren who had been oppressed and dragged into civil courts. Brethren who had received ridicule at the hands of those who blasphemed the name of Christ, brethren who had been defrauded or condemned or had seen their fellow saints murdered at least in name, if not deprived of very life itself.

These are saints who, like Asaph, had seen the prosperity of the wicked and maybe like Asaph were struggling with the reality of the state of things all around them. Asaph was a godly man. He was an inspired psalm writer, And yet, yet, his own personal struggles are recorded for us to take note of and consider. From Psalm 73, Asaph says, 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. Behold, these are the ungodly who are always at ease, that they increase in riches. Surely, surely I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocence for all day long I have been plagued and chastened every morning.

Brothers and sisters, the Bible recognizes these thoughts as real and powerful struggles that can even surface among the most knowledgeable people of God. In a gathering of this size, it is very possible that someone here this morning is struggling with thoughts of whether serving Christ is really worth it at all. Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever felt like that? I have.

More times than I'd like to admit. I know better. I know better, as did Asaph. Asaph's opening words of that Psalm are, truly, truly, God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart. But the reality of his experience is introduced by those very next words, but as for me and my feet, my steps.

It may seem that our experiences don't quite measure up, certainly not with our expectations, but sometimes it seems with even Scripture itself. It is easy to begin to think that we deserve better than this, but right knowledge and application of all of Scripture, Or may I say it in light of James 1 the wisdom that we so desperately Need and should pray earnestly for That reveals to us at least the following four things first we actually deserve much worse than what we are presently undergoing. We deserve much worse than what we are presently undergoing. Secondly, God is more concerned with our perfection and completion than He is with our present comfort. He is more Concerned with our perfection and completion than he is with our present comfort thirdly The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us the sufferings I don't care what those sufferings are those sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Romans 8 18 and fourthly our light affliction and you say wait a minute don't call it light you don't know my circumstances your light affliction it's light your light affliction which is but for a moment what is it doing It's working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

That weight of glory exceeds it, and your affliction is temporal that weight of glory is eternal second Corinthians 4 17 well it is into the midst of such struggles that James draws back his bow and shoots his exhortation, be patient brethren, be patient brethren. The Greek root word for patience means to be of a long spirit, not to lose heart. The exhortation given by James is to persevere patiently and bravely in enduring misfortunes and troubles. Persevere, press on, and do so patiently and do so bravely. Consider what several commentators say regarding this exhortation to patients.

Patience. Linsky says, with steady, unwavering patience endure all the wrongs that men may inflict upon you. Matthew Henry says, this Christian patience is not a mere yielding to necessity, as the moral patience taught by some philosophers was, but it is a humble acquiescence in the wisdom and will of God. It's a humble acquiescence in the wisdom and will of God. Is that not what James just encouraged his readers to do in James 4, the very words that we just quoted together, humble yourself, humble yourself.

And Matthew Henry says, do so because of the wisdom and the will of God. How against the grain of my flesh that exhortation to patience comes to me. So against the grain of my flesh. It calls me to simply be still and know that He is God. It reveals my inadequacy, my dependency, my emptiness.

It reveals my selfishness, my ambition, my pride. This isn't the first time James has exhorted us to such patience. He opened up his letter with these words, my brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience, but let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." James was not the only New Testament writer to exhort his readers to patience and perseverance. Paul made known to the saints there in Rome that Christian's glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance or endurance, James tells us that this patience and this perseverance have an end goal in sight, that There's an end in sight. Be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.

Until the coming of the Lord. James, having served as the pastor of the majority of the saints he is writing to knows that they are aware of the reality of the second coming of Jesus Christ. And he wants them to know that the coming of Christ will bring an end to the need for patience and perseverance. The reality of His coming again should be both a catalyst for our continuation in patience and perseverance as well as a sweet relief as we contemplate the consummation of our labors. You see, this patience is an expression of faith itself.

Faith, both in Christ's finished work and the promise of His return. The writer of Hebrews makes that connection in chapter 10 verses 35 to 39. Therefore, do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward, for you have need of endurance so that after you have done the will of God you may receive the promise for yet a little while and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith. But if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him.

But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. The coming again of Jesus Christ was at the forefront of the thinking of the apostles, and they constantly set this doctrine before the eyes and the ears of the church. And when I consider this exhortation afresh, I see too clearly my own failure as your pastor, failing to often remind you of this glorious reality that Christ is coming again. He's coming again Can I ask you a question When was the last time you you simply meditated on the truth That Christ is coming again nothing else just that Christ is coming again When was the last time you contemplated the inheritance that he is bringing with him? Can you honestly say that you are daily about the business of watching and praying?

Knowing that is coming could be at any moment I Confessed is At a time yesterday early in the morning I was thinking of the preparation I'd given to this message and yet how little it had already changed me that I had had gone many hours, days, a couple days without even thinking about it. And God had said it right in front of my eyes. Dear brothers and sisters, we rob ourselves of so much when we spend the entirety of our days with no thought of His coming. You see, a response of patience in the midst of conflict, toil, and trial, That response of patience becomes rational It becomes reasonable It becomes doable When we are gripped with the reality that our Lord is coming again for us, when He comes, every wrong will be set right. When He comes, all trials and tribulations will cease.

When He comes, hope gives way to reality. Faith gives way to sight Striving gives way to rest Struggle gives way to peace In his commentary on James, Gordon Keddie writes, what James is saying is that Christian patience is rooted in the deep and ever fresh anticipation of the Lord's coming. All else, all else falls into place in the light of the future which will open up in all its completeness when Jesus returns bodily to this earth. But James does not stop with an exhortation to patience and perseverance. He moves on secondly to examples of patience and perseverance examples of patience and perseverance picking up there in verse 7 and reading through most of verse 11 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. 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 endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord." The first example James gives us is the farmer. He tells us to take note of the patience and perseverance of the farmer, how he waits for the harvesting of the fruit of his labors. He plows today and sows tomorrow, but then there must be the patient waiting. And not only is there patience demonstrated in waiting, there is also patience shown in the farmer's dependence on the early and latter rains over which he has absolutely no control.

Matthew Henry bids us, consider him that waits for a crop of corn. And will not you wait for a crown of glory? If you should be called to wait a little longer than the husbandman does, the farmer does, is it not something proportionately greater and infinitely more worth your waiting for? This is not a let go and let God approach that James is setting before them to be patient. Just let go and let God.

The farmer must work. He must plow and plant and fertilize and so James exhorts his hearers once again You also be patient Just like a farmer you be patient, too this involves says James Establishing your hearts Establishing your hearts in other words Strengthening your heart making it firm Why is such a thing exhorted Well, once again James reminds us that the coming of the Lord is at hand. That's why our hearts should be firmly established because the coming of the Lord is that hand you see it's not Simply an exhortation to patients there is this exhortation to establish the heart like the farmer Must break up the fallow ground remove rock and weeds cultivate and plant in conjunction with His patient waiting. Even so must we be about the duty of establishing our hearts in conjunction with our waiting upon our God. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart You see patience and perseverance Grow out of the soil of a heart that has fixed itself firmly upon the sanctifying and glorifying purposes of Jesus Christ.

The sanctifying purposes that was brought to us in James 1. Let patience have its perfect or perfecting work. Let it have its sanctifying work. And here we are called to be patient, waiting on that glorification that Christ is bringing with him. Well perhaps I'm speaking to someone here this morning who at this point may say, all right, preacher, explain this one.

James said the coming of the Lord is at hand. Almost 2, 000 years have passed, and he still hasn't come. How can James say it's at hand? Either God is slack or the Bible is not true. Well, the Apostle Peter provides a satisfactory answer in 2 Peter 3, 3 through 9.

He says, "'Skulfers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. For This, says Peter, they willfully forget that by the Word of God the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of water and in the water by which the world that then existed perished being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But behold, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Why has he not come? Because the God who says, be patient, is being patient. He is waiting for his purposes concerning his elect people, their salvation and this completing work that he's bringing about in them. Our God is patient.

He is long-suffering. He's not slack like we count slackness So what's at stake here is is really it's not nailing down the precise time that christ is coming But it's being ready to meet him when he does That's what's here not trying to figure out. When is it? When is it? But be ready You see if we are Impatient with God's timing This attitude of impatience also spills over and affects those around us and those relationships with them.

Being a pastor who has seen the fruit of such impatience, James exhorts us. He says, do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the judge is standing at the door. Impatience with God's timing, with God's answer, with God's providence does not only affect the one who is impatient, It winds up impacting all of those around him. Now this grumbling may arise out of our own failure to respond to the trial or affliction as we should.

You know, stress and agitation then give way to grumbling against others. But this grumbling against others may also arise out of our own failure to give due consideration to the eminence of our Savior's return. In a parable of Jesus recorded for us in Luke 12, our Savior spoke of a steward who began to beat his fellow servants simply because of a mindset that his master's return was delayed. It was just that simple mindset that gave rise for him to grumble, to complain, and he actually even beat his fellow servants. Because the return of Christ is both imminent and yet unknown, we should live each moment of our lives as though the hand of Him who will judge is already turning the doorknob.

That's how we should live. The judge is standing at the door. Revelation 22, 12 says, And behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me to give to everyone according to his work. The second example James provides is the prophets, the prophets. My brethren, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as an example of suffering and patience.

Now James does not list any specific prophets by name and thus also we don't really have any specifics, But he takes them as a group Because there is a sense in which they all Suffered and were therefore called to be patient under that suffering John Calvin says these prophets were accepted and approved by God. If then it had been useful for them to have been free of miseries, doubtless, God would have kept them free. But it was otherwise. It hence follows that afflictions are beneficial to the faithful. He therefore bids them to be taken as an example of suffering affliction But patience also must be added which is a real evidence of our obedience Hence he has joined them both together, suffering and patience.

As we saw earlier, we often struggle with the reality that our experience does not measure up to what we expected or what we thought the Scripture taught. Such thinking does not actually take into consideration what God's prophets experienced. Why would we think ourselves better than those who already suffered? Nor does it take into consideration the common experience of people in this fallen world. Gordon Keddie provides the following helpful reminder.

Christians will experience the same sorts of trials as non-Christians. The difference will be in What we make of them by God's grace and godly persevering patience is the touchstone. While deepening fellowship with the Lord and a rising joy in His salvation will be the fruit of affliction for those who are trusting in Christ day by day. And the third example is God's righteous servant, Job. Indeed, we count them blessed to endure.

You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord." James' transition phase from the prophets to his third example, Job, reflects the fact that when we see the end for these men of the past, our vision is 2020. It's 2020. Are they not counted as blessed, those who endured to the end? Why then, Why then can we not use that same clarity of vision to consider our future? We see it all in the past.

Hebrews 11 talks about it. Why can we not see with such clear vision our own future? God has set before our weak and faltering faith yet another reason to wait patiently on Him and persevere in the circumstances. The story of Job is well known. In fact, patient people are often described as having the patience of Job.

Sometimes we overlook the obvious fact that Job never read the book of Job. He had no understanding in regards to what God was doing. We get to read the whole thing. We get to see what happens in the end. Job didn't know.

Job didn't have the advantages that we have, that is, the revealing of the counsels of God concerning his interaction with the devil and what God intended with it all. Yet in the midst of it, though responding at times with misunderstanding and sometimes doubt, Job persevered in the midst of his suffering. James' main purpose, though, is not to highlight the perseverance of Job. It is to highlight the intentions of Job's God, to show that it was right, that it was good, that it was reasonable for Job to be patient and to persevere because God intended a specific end. This intended purpose of God for your life is what should give you the strength and determination to count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

But let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. We have much to learn from these examples, not simply what we are to be, but we learn who our God actually is. Who God actually is, it requires, it demands a specific correlating response from His people. And with such a focus on who God is and the end that God has intended, James moves from the exhortation and examples of patience and perseverance to thirdly, encouragement towards patience and perseverance. Encouragement towards patience and perseverance.

What do all the examples hold out to us in order to grab our attention? This encouragement at the end of verse 11, that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. That's the encouragement. All these examples point to that, that the Lord is compassionate, that the Lord is merciful. God displayed compassion and mercy toward his righteous servant Job who feared him, revealing himself and making Job's end more prosperous than his beginning.

God was gracious, he was merciful, he was compassionate towards his faithful prophets, bringing to pass what he said through them he would do, and then blessing them with a final reward that cannot be taken away. God extends compassion and mercy upon the diligent farmer who waits on him, sending the early and the latter rain and causing the seed to produce fruit." Mr. Keddie wonderfully describes this Christian brand of patience. At every point, we are to look away from ourselves for the resources to exercise godly patience and perseverance. Do you get that?

We are to look away from ourselves at every point. The world always looks inward for strength. The Christian always looks outward to the Lord who is full of compassion and mercy. Even in the examples, the Lord's faithful people in the past are an invitation to see what the Lord brought in and through them. Neither Job nor the prophets prevailed because of their personal inner strength.

The biblical record honestly sets out their frailties and shows their victories to be in spite of themselves precisely because they are attributable to the grace of God. Consider also this wonderful reminder from the pen of Matthew Henry. The tender mercy of God is such that He will make His people an abundant amends for all their sufferings and afflictions. Let us serve our God and endure our trials as those who believe the end will crown all. This compassion and mercy that are found in Christ should engender a heart of patience and perseverance in those that truly know Him.

And if that is the case, could it also be said that a lack of patience reveals a lack of resting in the compassion and mercy of our God. A lack of confidence that God will make abundant amends for the suffering we endure for his sake. While preparing this message I could not get a particular hymn out of my mind. As I recounted the words it seemed to me that the hymn writer must have been familiar with these words of James here in this passage. "'Be still, my soul.

The Lord is on thy side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide. In every change, He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul.

Thy best, thy heavenly friend through thorny ways leads to a joyful end. Be still, my soul. Thy God doth undertake to guide the future as he has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake. All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul. The waves and winds still know the voice who ruled them while He dwelt below. Be still, my soul. When dearest friends depart and all is darkened in the veil of tears. Then shalt thou better know his love, his heart, who comes to soothe thy sorrows and thy fears be still my soul Thy Jesus can repay from his own fullness all He takes away Be still my soul the hour is hastening on when we shall be forever with the Lord, when disappointment, grief and fear are gone.

Sorrow forgot, love's purest joy is restored. Be still, my soul, when change and tears are passed, all safe and blessed, we shall meet at last. My friend, Do you know something of this compassion and mercy of God? Have you tasted and seen that the Lord is good? Can you really speak comforting words to your soul that the Lord is on your side?

That he is working all things together for your good? Is Jesus your heavenly friend? And can you be confident that the thorny ways you may be experiencing now will lead to a joyful end? Can it be said of you that when all is darkened in the veil of tears, you come away knowing in a greater degree the heart of Christ and of His love for you. And can you truthfully say that the hour is hastening on when you shall be forever with the Lord?

If you are a stranger to any of these things, You have no reason why your soul should be stilled. For you the coming of the Lord will not be a glorious thing, rather than be stilled. Your soul should be troubled and stirred up to lay hold of Christ and the great salvation that comes only through Him, to lay hold of Christ while it is still called today for the hour is coming when the cry will go forth, Behold, the bridegroom cometh. And those who are without Christ will be banished from the presence of Christ forever. That door behind which the judge stands will be closed.

None else will enter. Run to Christ today. Be saved from your sins. And for those of you who know Christ, who have tasted of the grace and mercy found only in Him, taste afresh, taste afresh the sweetness found in meditation upon your inheritance. Remember the precious promise of Christ found throughout the Scriptures?

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge will give to me on that day, and not to me only, but to all also who have loved his appearing when Christ who is our life appears then you also will appear with him in glory Blessed is the man who endures temptations for when he has been approved he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him. Look not upon the prosperity of the world lean brothers and sisters don't look Constantly upon your present trial your present suffering Look up and see the crown of righteousness which our Savior holds forth in His precious hands. Look up and see the author and the finisher of your faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and his set down at the right hand of the father. Look up and see before you the finish line is within sight. Press on my brother.

Persevere my sister. Lay aside every weight, lay aside every besetting sin, run with endurance, run, fight the good fight, keep the faith, finish the race, and then fall, Fall into the loving arms of your dear Savior and hear Him say, Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter to the joy of your Lord. He who testifies to these things says, surely I am coming quickly. Amen.

Even so, come Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Our gracious God, seal Your Word to our hearts. Give us patience to be those who wait and look for your glorious coming.

Make all here ready for that day. Amen.