If you have a copy of the scriptures, let me invite you once again to turn to the book of James as we're continuing this ongoing exposition of this portion of God's Word. And today we are at James chapter 5. And we're going to be meditating upon verses 7 through 10, James 5, verses 7 through 10. Let me invite you, as you're able, let's stand in honor of the reading and the hearing of God's word. Again, I'm reading from James 5, verses 7 through 10, wherein the apostle writes, be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it until he received the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned. Behold, the judge standeth before the door. Take, my brethren, the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience. May God bless today once more the reading and the hearing of his word, and let's join again together in prayer. Let us pray. Gracious and loving God, again, we do give thee thanks for thy word. Thy word, which was immediately inspired by the Holy Spirit as godly men of old wrote these words down. And the word that has been faithfully preserved, kept pure in all ages, so that now in this generation we can receive this breathed out word, this inspired word. Give us today the illumination of the Holy Spirit so that we might be able to see, receive, and savor thy word. We ask this in Christ's name, amen. You may be seated. We are continuing today this exposition of the book of James. And the theme of today's passage, you saw it there as we read through it, the theme is patience, or what is sometimes translated in the Bible as long-suffering. In Galatians 5, 22 and 23, all the children who come to Vacation Bible School know that one of the fruit of the Spirit is patience. And there in Galatians 5, 22 and 23, when Paul talks about patience, Being a fruit of the Spirit, it's the same word, it's the same family of words that's used here in the passage we're reading. Macrothumia is the noun for patience, or as it is translated in Galatians 5, 22 and 23, long-suffering. Why would James be speaking to the believers who first received this epistle, why would he be speaking to them about patience? Well, there must have been some pastoral need. James must have known that there was some need for patience to be discussed, patience to be encouraged among the believers. Perhaps he exhorted them to demonstrate patience because he knew that they were suffering under constant temptation. They were enduring temptations to sin. And certainly many of us can resonate with that today as we endure temptation. In fact, you might look, look at James 1, and you might remember how this theme had been introduced in the very first page of this letter. James 1 verse 2, My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work. that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. And that referred not only to the temptation to sin, but also the trials that come that tempt one to abandon the faith, that tempt one to doubt. And so there's laid out in the very first page of this letter, I think what we called it then was a golden chain of perseverance. that we suffer temptation, and this results in the trying of our faith, but it issues for the godly man impatience that leads to sanctification, the perfecting of his faith. And ultimately, it anticipates glorification. Perhaps he wrote and exhorted them towards patience here. Be patient, therefore, brethren. Perhaps he did this because he knew that they were experiencing persecution. We know that this was common among the early Jewish believers in particular. Christ prophesied of them in Matthew 10, 17, but beware of men for they shall deliver you up to the councils and they will scourge you in their synagogues. And so maybe they were undergoing, literally being whipped, beaten before the synagogue. counsels before the congregation of the synagogue, and he was encouraging them to be patient under that duress. In Hebrews 10.33, Paul speaks of those Jewish Christians who had been made what he calls a gazing stock, both by reproaches and affliction. And in Hebrews 10.34, he speaks of those who took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Perhaps they needed this word, this exhortation to endure in patience because they were ground down by petty differences that emerged among believers. And especially as will be addressed in this passage, those who are holding grudges one against another. The heavenly bride, the church in glory will indeed be glorious and the church in glory will be spotless. But have you seen what she sometimes looks like here on earth? Not much to look at sometimes, is she? She's in need of a heavenly makeover. And sometimes we can be ground down by the shortcomings of the church. Perhaps they were discouraged by other forms of suffering, of disappointments, of conflict, of loss, of the same sorts which we experience still today, the same sorts of which we are prone while we make our pilgrimage. For all of these reasons and more, James thought it appropriate to exhort the brethren who first received this letter to exhibit and to demonstrate this fruit of patience. And through the inscripturation of the word, It comes to us not simply as a historical record of what James said to a lot of people a long time ago, it comes as a living word to us today, exhorting us to exhibit patience. Let's look at the passage and let's walk through it together. The passage, I think, could be divided into three parts. First of all, in verses 7 and 8, there is an exhortation to patience in anticipation of the Lord's coming. Secondly, in verse 9, there is an exhortation to avoid grudges among the brethren. Thirdly, There is, in verse 10, an exhortation to look to the example of the prophets from the Old Testament. So let's walk through these three parts, if we can, together. Let's begin, first of all, in verses seven and eight, with the exhortation to patience in anticipation of the Lord's coming. And so in verse seven, James begins, be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Notice first of all, the call to demonstrate again the fruit of the spirit of patience. Notice second, how does he refer to the recipients of this letter? If you've been with us through this series, you've seen it over and over again. What does he call them over and over again? My brothers, my brethren, or simply brethren. Let me just sample a couple of examples just to refresh our minds. We read already James 1-2, my brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations. Look at chapter 2 verse 1, my brethren, Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory with respect of persons. A look at chapter three, verse one. My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. And those are just a few examples. Peppered all through this letter, he repeatedly continues to refer to those who are receiving the letter as his brethren. Even when he has harsh things to say to them, and especially when he has encouraging things to say to them, he reminds them we are brothers in Christ. And so this is insider communication. The book of James is not gonna mean much to unbelievers, quite frankly. This is insider communication. This is for those of us who are part of the family of faith. Notice also that he calls for patience unto the coming of the Lord. This could mean that he is exhorting them to demonstrate patience until the time of the Lord's coming, or also as they anticipate or look toward the Lord's coming. When you see that English word there, coming, here in verse seven, behind it is a Greek word, parousia. We would transliterate it P-A-R-O-U-S-I-A. And when you read through Paul's letters and here in James, you'll see this term used quite frequently, parousia. We have kind of our Christian vocabulary of Greek terms. Most everybody knows what agape means, love. Koinonia means fellowship. And you could add this to your list, parousia. And it means the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We talk about the doctrine of the second coming. And that's precisely the term that is used here. The early Christians had a tendency to take sort of normal words that were used by ordinary people, secular people, and they would imbue that term with spiritual meaning. So the word ecclesia meant an assembly, could mean a political gathering. But the Christians took that word ecclesia and they made it to mean the assembly of the saints, the church. Or they took agape, which meant love, and they took it, that term, and they made it mean Christian love. And the same thing happened here. The word parousia is a common Greek term, and it literally means arrival or visit. And it would be used by ancient Greeks, for example, if there was a town and maybe there was an official dignitary or even a king or an emperor who was coming to visit their town, they would talk about the parousia. When is the parousia going to happen? When is he coming? When is the arrival? And the Christians took that term and they made it a technical term to refer to their awaiting the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, his coming, his parousia. They were looking for the coming of Christ. Why? Well, because Christ had spoken of this during his earthly ministry. In John 14, verses one and following, he said, let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions, or as some modern translations put it, many rooms. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again. receive you unto myself that where I am there ye may be also." When Christ ascended after appearing for 40 days to his disciples in Acts 1, Luke describes how Christ was taken up in a cloud and After, as he was ascending, it says in Acts 111 that there were two angels there and they saw those who watched Christ's ascent. They were watching him. And the angel said to those men, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. And so there was a promise from Christ himself, from these angelic messengers that Christ would come. And the early Christians lived in expectation of that. In Philippians 4, 5, Paul wrote, the Lord is at hand. The Lord is ready to come, right? He's at hand. And if you're familiar with the book of Revelation, at the very end of that book, John quotes the Lord Jesus as saying, surely I come quickly. And then John answers, amen, or I agree, even so come Lord Jesus. The believers were no doubt ready for and anticipating the Lord's parousia, his coming. They were ready to see an end to their suffering, an end to their persecution, and they were eager to live a life of unending joy in the presence of the Lord. Perhaps some of them had become impatient of the Lord's coming. And things were made even worse when some of those around them began to scoff at them and ridicule them and make fun of them. for their hope in Christ's coming. You're in James. If you'll turn forward, just probably in most Bibles, two or three pages, you'll come to the book of, maybe four or five pages, you'll come to the book of 2 Peter. And look for a second at 2 Peter 3. 2 Peter 3. And this is an example of what some of these early Christians were facing, scoffers. So look at 2 Peter 3 verses 3 and 4. Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last day scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying, where is the promise of his coming? Guess what word is there coming? Parousia. Where is his parousia? Four, since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. You Christians, you're waiting for the coming of Christ. Everything seems to be going on as it always has. You're scoffing at them. And Peter responds, if we were preaching on this, we'd spend more time on it, but I want to briefly look at it because it's important for us understanding James's point. Peter gives three responses. His first response in verses five through seven, he reminds them of the time when the Lord sent a flood to destroy the earth, and he said, hey, God caught men in Noah's day unsuspecting with a flood, and at the end of the ages, he's going to destroy this world with fire. And then his second argument comes in verse eight. Look at 2 Peter 3, eight. And this argument is, the Lord does not keep time as men keep time. But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Quoting from Psalm 90, verse four. The 2,000 years seems like a long time to us. It's nothing to the Lord. It's nothing. He is not a man. He doesn't measure time in the way men measure time. The last argument Peter makes is important for understanding of James. Look at verse 9 of 2 Peter 3. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to usward. Macrothymia is patient. I think it's actually the verb there, but it's from the same root. Not willing that any should perish. but that all should come to repentance. Sometimes our Arminian friends will throw this verse in our face to say universal salvation. If you really think that, then you believe everybody's gonna be saved regardless of their response to Christ. He's talking about the Lord is patient, not willing that any of the elect should perish, but that all of the elect should come to repentance. And see, this is a totally different twist on things, isn't it? You think the Lord's promise has failed. What you don't understand is that the delay of the parousia is because of his patience, because of his long suffering, because he has ordained and decreed those who will be saved. And Christ's coming will not happen one second before every one of his beloved. are gathered to himself. He's not slack concerning his promise, but he is patient. He is long suffering. Now let's return to James 5, 7. After the opening call for patience unto the coming of the Lord, James then offers to us what we could call a mini parable It's a parable in one half of a verse or an analogy. And so look at the end of verse seven. It says, behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it until he received the early and latter rain. This parable, this mini parable, asks us to imagine a husbandman or a farmer, that's what the word husbandman means, who has planted his seed in the ground and he is waiting for the seed to spring up and bear fruit. He waited for the precious seed of the earth and have long patience for it. Critical in his awaiting the reception of this fruit is his awaiting the early and latter rains. He must await with patience the arrival of the providential circumstances that will lead to the germination of the seed, the early rain, and the nourishing and growth of that seed that will lead to its fruit bearing, the latter rain. Christ, during his ministry, once told a parable. It's recorded in Mark chapter four, verses 26 through 29. It's sometimes called the parable of the secretly growing seed, where Christ said the kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed into the ground, and then he goes about his business. He sleeps, he wakes, he goes about his work, but all the time, the seed that he planted is secretly growing. until one day it springs up. And Christ says in Mark 4 verse 27, he knoweth not how. And he continues in verse 28, for the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself. The work of a farmer, a husbandman requires patience. You don't plant the seed and fruit pops up the very next day. And I'm not a farmer, haven't done farming, but I've lived in farmland and have had church members who were farmers. And I think every one of them would tell you that farming requires patience. In fact, at the time you plant, It can look pretty barren and desolate for a while when the planting is done. All the growth is happening under the earth where it cannot be seen by human eyes. This week we're gonna celebrate Thanksgiving. And where does Thanksgiving come from? It has its roots in the celebration of the harvest, right? The seed was planted earlier in the year. and patience was demonstrated, and finally, the bounty of the harvest was gathered in. What would happen if the farmer planted the seed, and he waited a little while, but he grew impatient, and he said, there must be some fruit, I'm just gonna go dig everything up that I planted. What if he went out there, got impatient, and tried to dig everything up? before it had crested and flowered and brought forth the fruit. Well, he would ruin everything, wouldn't he? He would spoil the harvest if he did that. What's the point of James's little mini parable here? It's at least twofold. First, God himself is like the patient husbandman. the patient farmer who has planted the seed and is awaiting the harvest that is to come. And we must be patient until he accomplishes his purposes and we're not wise enough to understand his timing or how he will bring that about. Secondly, we are also like the husbandman in that we must be patient as God himself nurtures the secretly growing seed. As I read this, those of you who've been with us in Bible study on Wednesday nights, we've been reading 1 Corinthians recently, and does this resonate with some of what we studied in 1 Corinthians 3? Do you remember how Paul uses the analogy of farming? He says to the church in Corinth, for example, in 1 Corinthians 3, he says, I have planted, Apollos watered, But God gave the increase. He says that in verse six of 1 Corinthians 3, and then later he says to the Corinthians, remember we talked about this just recently, in verse nine of 1 Corinthians 3, he says to the Corinthian church, ye are God's husbandry. You are God's field, you are God's cultivated field. We can become very impatient with our circumstances. God, why don't you bring about the kingdom now? Why don't you bring it about now? Why don't you address the injustices of this world and the pain and suffering of the innocent now? We get impatient with our own labors. Lord, why am I not seeing more fruit and more progress with our own sanctification? Lord, I believe in you. I have read my Bible and I have attended to the preaching and teaching of the word. Why am I still struggling with sins that I should have overcome a long time ago? Why is it so difficult? Well, what is James's response to that? Look at verse eight. Be ye also patient. Be ye also patient. He's saying look to the farmer as an example of one who is patient, even though he doesn't see any immediate growth on the surface. But also most importantly, learn from the patience of the Lord himself, who is patient till the full number of the elect are brought in. He then adds another exhortation in verse eight. It's rendered in the King James Version. I love this rendering. Establish your hearts. Modern versions just don't say it as well as that. I'm sorry. They probably say establish your heart or something like that. Strengthen your heart. There's just something that's great about that phrase. It's aphoristic. Establish your hearts. The verb here rendered establish is sterezo. And it does indeed mean to strengthen. to make strong and vigorous your hearts. And of course, when the Bible talks about your heart, it's not talking simply about the physical organ that pumps the blood. It's talking about the center of your affections. Establish or strengthen your heart. The Christian faith is for those who know that when they are weak, he is strong. Yes, that's true. We're never any stronger in Christ than when we acknowledge that we are weak. Who is sufficient for these things, Paul says. But, on the other hand, the Christian life is not for the spiritually faint-hearted. It's not for spiritual weaklings, quite frankly. There are too many hard things you're gonna encounter in this world and in this life. that will so discourage you that unless you establish your heart, you will fall by the wayside. Remember Christ's parable of the sower? The seed that fell on shallow ground, what happened? It sprung up quickly, but it had no root, and it withered away. There are just too many difficult things that one will have to pass through in this life to think that you can simply breeze through it all without ever exercising the spiritual disciplines that will result in the strengthening of your heart. What can we do to strengthen our heart? We can engage in what we typically call the ordinary means of grace. Why do we read and memorize God's word? Why do we learn the practice of prayer? Why do we attend to the preaching and teaching of the word? Why are we baptized? Why do we take the Lord's Supper? It is so that we might have our hearts strengthened, so that by God's grace, when we face resistance, when we face obstacles, when we face setbacks, when we face opposition, when we face suffering, when we face loss, our hearts are strong. so that we can face these things and not be undone or destroyed by them, but that we might be patient, even in afflictions. And by the way, that doesn't mean that we go through, you know, Stoicism is not Christianity, friends. It doesn't mean we're emotionless. It doesn't mean that we never respond, react. We'll shed the sympathetic tear. But our faith is fixed on Christ, and we are patient in afflictions, even as we experience them. Notice what he adds at the end of verse eight. For the coming, the parousia of the Lord draweth nigh. The parousia draws nigh. I've mentioned before to you guys about a time when I was driving on some back roads toward the beach in North Carolina. And I passed by a sign that said, Jesus is coming soon! Exclamation point. The problem with that sign, though, was that it was in a dilapidated condition. It was faded. The paint was peeling. The sign board was warped. Jesus is coming soon. It was a mixed message at best. And someone might, the scoffer might read this in verse eight, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. And he might say it's like that urgent message on that old sign. But again, remember what Peter said, drawing on Psalm 90 verse four, one day is with the Lord like a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Our job is not to know when he is coming. Christ himself said that no man knows that day or that hour. We are not to become prognosticators of when he will come. We are not to be like those who try to read the political signs and make date predictions. That's not our job. Scripture says it's not our job. Our job is to know that there is a patient husbandman at work in the world. He's working out his purposes that can't always be seen by men, and that he is coming. The harvest is coming. And that in the meantime, in the in-between time between his first advent and his second, his first coming and his second, we are to be found faithful so that we are not ashamed when he comes. The second part of this verse, verse nine, this passage, verse nine. An exhortation to avoid grudges among the brethren. James begins with what seems to be something of a new thought here, but as we see toward the end, it's tied into the same general overall theme. But he begins in verse nine, grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned. We notice again here, what does he call the recipients of this letter? What does he call them here? Brethren, Adelphoi, brothers, which means it's inclusive here, brothers and sisters in Christ. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned. James addresses here a danger that there were some who were holding a grudge against another. The dictionary definition of a grudge is a persistent feeling of ill will or resentment resulting from a past insult or injury. This is what Paul said in Hebrews 12 verses 14 and 15. He said, follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you. and thereby many be defiled. The mention here of a root of bitterness in Hebrews 12, 15 seems to be indicative of holding some sort of grudge against another. In the great love chapter of 1 Corinthians 13, Paul says that love, or what is called in the King James Version charity, same rendering of the term agape, He says love in verse five of 1 Corinthians 13 is not easily provoked and thinketh no evil. The New International Version colorfully interprets that last phrase as love keeps no record of wrongs. If every time you have a conversation with a brother or sister in Christ, whether that person is your spouse, whether it is a fellow church member, or simply a Christian acquaintance, and you are reminding him or her of some past wrong, or if he or she is reminding you of some past wrong, then we have trespassed against this exhortation that has been given to us here in James. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned. The Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us that we should be swift to seek reconciliation. In Matthew 5, the Sermon on the Mount, verses 23 and 24, Christ said, therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar and there rememberest that thy brother has ought against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. The warning that James offers in verse nine is that grudges must be avoided lest ye be condemned. The fact that one holds onto and nurtures and feeds a grudge means that one has not been willing to seek reconciliation, either by asking for forgiveness or offering forgiveness. After his teaching, the disciples, what we call the Lord's Prayer, the model prayer, Christ said in Matthew 6, verses 14 and 15, for if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. James closes verse nine with the point that brings us around to the theme that has already been developed earlier. As he says, behold, The judge standeth before the door. Behold, the judge standeth before the door. Who is the judge? What is Christ when he returns in glory? I think I quoted last week, or maybe a week before, Paul's statement in Acts 17, verse 31, when he was preaching in Athens. And he said to those pagans that God has ordained a day. on which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath appointed. He's talking about Christ. And here James says, he is at the door. He's at the door. Soon he will enter into the courtroom and he will try the lives and the hearts of men. Paul said we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Why does James make this point? The person who holds a grudge against a brother doesn't trust the coming of Christ. He doesn't trust that Christ will make all things right and that Christ will vindicate the right. He thinks it's all up to him to get justice now. Paul said in Romans 12, 17, recompense to no man evil for evil. And in verse 19 of Romans 12, Paul said, dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath, for it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, sayeth the Lord. If Paul could say those sorts of things, thinking primarily of how Christians should deal with those who are wronged by unbelievers, would he say anything less to those who believe they've been wronged by a fellow believer? Is it all up to you or is it up to Christ? Third, third point, looking at verse 10. For no less than the third time in this short passage, James once again addresses his hearers as what? Brethren, brothers, take My brethren, the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering, affliction, and of patience. Take brethren, the prophets. His exhortation here is to look to the examples of the prophets of old. Look to the Old Testament. Look at a biblical example, not a worldly example. We will all find models and examples to live by in life. If you take your models and examples from the world, then you will look and act like the world. But if you take your models and examples from Holy Scripture, you will look like scriptural men and women. When I was preaching through 1 Kings and 2 Kings, I often, you might remember, would quote Romans 15.4 to justify our preaching from the Old Testament, where Paul said, for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope. And in the same vein here, James appeals to the prophets. In particular, he describes the prophets as those who have spoken in the name of the Lord. They spoke not of themselves, but they were, as Peter will put it in 2 Peter 1.31, moved by the Holy Ghost. James says that these men, the prophets of old, are to be looked to for an example of suffering affliction and of patience. Think about the Old Testament, the prophets, for just a moment. You might think about someone like the prophet Elijah. It wasn't too long ago we preached through 1 Kings. And remember, in 1 Kings 18, he was on Mount Carmel. He defeated all the prophets of Baal. And then what happens in the very next chapter? Jezebel is searching for him. He's a wanted man. And he goes out into the wilderness. He despairs. He's about ready to give up. How can I go on? Lord, I've served you so well. Why did you let this happen to me? And the Lord said, get up, Elijah. I have more things for you to do. And one of those things is I want you to tap Elisha to succeed thee. My work doesn't begin and end with you. It goes on. Think about Jeremiah, the great weeping prophet, we call him. What did Jeremiah get for his fateful preaching to Israel? He was thrown into the bottom of an empty cistern or well. And it says in Jeremiah 38, six, so Jeremiah sunk in the mire. Have you ever felt like you were sinking in the mire? You were thrown down a well and you just can't get out of it. Jeremiah experienced that. Or think about godly Zechariah, the son of the priest Jehoiada, of whom it is said in 2 Chronicles 24, 21, and they conspired against him and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord Zechariah was faithful unto death, was faithful unto death. Take, my brethren, the prophets. Take, my brethren, the prophets, if you're looking for an example of how you will live your life. We can consult to the list of the suffering servants. We looked backward to 2 Peter. Just turn probably toward the front of your Bible just a few pages and you'll be in Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11 verses 32 and following the faith hall of fame. Hebrews 11 verse 32, we're in. Paul writes, and what shall I more say, for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and of Barak and of Samson, of Jephthah, of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets. who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouth of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again, and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with a sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. What would James say? Take, my brethren, the prophets. Have you suffered as much as they have? Most of us haven't. And yet they were able patiently to endure. And next week we'll talk about the patience of Job, God willing. Well, friends, we've worked through the passage. And we are left to contemplate the spiritual fruit of patience and how that fruit is being cultivated or whether it's being stunted in us. First, are we demonstrating patience even as we anticipate and look to the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ? Would we, in our wisdom, like to rush things along? Do we murmur against God's wisdom and his plan as it unfolds? Or do we see and trust the patience of the husbandman himself? Of a God who has planted his seed and waits upon the early and latter rains before he gathers in the harvest. Are we guilty of holding grudges against another? Within our families? Within our church? With Christian acquaintances beyond the boundaries of our church? Do we think that we must defend ourselves? Or do we trust in Christ to defend and vindicate us? Third, where do you get your examples? Where are you looking for your examples? All of us, probably to a man, woman, and child here, ought to confess that we are getting too many of our examples from Lord Internet, from Lord Television, from Lord Film Industry, from Lord Podcast. There's some good ones out there, but bad ones too. And instead, we should be getting our examples from Scripture. Because these things were given to us aforetime for our learning that through the patience and the comfort of the scriptures, we might have hope. So where are you finding the exemplary models that you plan to follow? Sometimes when we think about developing the fruit of patience, maybe you thought this as we began this message, you thought, oh my goodness, this is gonna be kind of a how-to sermon on patience. You know, and that's the way it's often pitched in evangelical churches. Five ways you can be patient. A young mother can be patient with her children or something like that. Or how to be patient when you're waiting to get married. How to be patient when you're looking for a new job. God give me patience, but hurry. But the patience that James describes here is much bigger than that. It's a big patience. It's macro patience. It's looking around and seeing the world not as it is right now, which is, this world is wonderful, but it's also painful. It's looking around, seeing the world not as it is now, but as it will be one day. Trusting in the coming of Christ at the end to set all things right, to bring about the new heavens and the new earth. Of course, in all these things, we have the example of Christ himself who demonstrated with perfection every fruit of the spirit, including the fruit of patience. He endured with patience the suffering of the cross for us. We've pointed this out so many times in our gospel studies. His patience with the disciples. They're so thick-skulled. He tells them something and they don't get it. He tells them how to live and they don't do it. Does he abandon them? Of course not. He's patient with them. Christ right now patiently awaits the day of his coming. He's patiently awaiting that day. So we have him to look to. Brethren, let us take to heart verse eight. Be ye also patient. Be y'all also patient. Establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Amen? Let me watch you stand together.