St. Luke Ev. Lutheran Church of Watertown-WELS

Sermon delivered by Pastor Anthony E. Schultz

Advent 3 Series A December 12, 2004 James 5:7-11

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider 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.

People of God—rescued from the flaming lake of fire in hell by the innocent blood of the very Lamb of God:

You know how—if you listen to the radio—they have these traffic reports? They tell you it’s stop and go—from the zoo interchange to downtown. They tell you there is construction on one of the exits—the loop around—and so this is making it take longer to get to the air port. Once in a while a semi is going too fast on a bridge or overpass—that is covered with ice—and there is a spill. Maybe it’s 8,000 jars of pickles—all over the road—or a gazillion packages of string cheese—or maybe oil barrels full of barbecue sauce slathered all over the road. It happens all the time. I was surprised the other day—when midst all the usual fender benders and rush hour traffic jams it was announced—there is a woman wandering in and out of traffic. Not a car switching lanes—but a person walking in the middle of 65 mph traffic. If you were there—with a lady in the middle of the highway—what would you do? Would you go slowly around her? Would you honk at her? Would you be angry—waving your fist at her? Would you slam on the brakes—go around her—then go real fast—really disgusted? What’s her problem? Get out of the way! Would you carefully pull over—put on your emergency flashers—then go out into traffic yourself—to try and bring her to safety? Would you call 911 to get her help—because something must be wrong? We were in more horrible danger than that—in danger from all our damnable sins. Jesus didn’t risk his life—he gave up his life to rescue us from certain destruction! This 3^rd Sunday in Advent God’s Word encourages us:

Be Patient!

1. Learn from farmers

2. Learn from prophets

The part of God’s Word we are concentrating on is from the letter of James. There are lots of people named James in the Bible. There is the James of Peter, James and John. James and John –fishermen—sons of Zebedee--were nicknamed Sons of Thunder. Probably not this James. There was another disciples named James—James the Lesser in the King James—James the Little—the son of Alphaeus. The Bible doesn’t tell us anything unique James the Little said or did. James the Little’s mom was one of the mommies who was at the foot of the cross—and was one of the very first to visit Jesus’ empty tomb that first Easter morning. Probably not that James either! The James who wrote the letter of James is most likely James—one of Jesus’ half brothers—children born of Mary and Joseph. Remember God’s Word? Coming to his home town, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did his man get his wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his home town and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. Matthew 13:53-58 After Jesus rose from the dead God’s Word says he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born… 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 James preached the Gospel—and served kind of like Synod President in Jerusalem—until Annus II and the Sanhedrin had him stoned to death.

Jesus’ brother James wrote the letter of James—with words breathed into him by the Holy Spirit. There were those—who for a while—weren’t sure James should be part of the Bible. James talks a lot about good works—fruits of faith. Not good things we do to earn or deserve forgiveness. But fruits of faith that are the result of saving faith. Fruits of faith which grow out of love for Jesus and all he did to save us. James is only 5 chapters long. In the half hour before the Packer game this afternoon—instead of listening to former players tell you what they think is going to happen—read God’s Word and hear God’s truth. James is all about attitude. James wrote, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete—not lacking anything!” Instead of doing everything we possibly can to avoid any troubles—look at troubles as times when our faith will grow stronger and stronger! Jesus did not make us people to live in bubbles—spared from troubles, difficulties and heartache. Jesus made us strong enough to persevere—to go through troubles until we are at home in Heaven.

Chapter 5—the last chapter of James’ letter—the chapter we are concentrating on today—begins with a stern warning to rich people who take advantage of their workers and their neighbors. God’s Word says, “Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord All-powerful. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.” Certainly one of the worst dangers of becoming rich—is that you only want more and more. You begin hoarding more and more things and stuff. Lots and lots more is still never enough. The more greedy you become—the more you are willing to do—to get more and more. Our Heavenly Father knows—if we are rich—if we are the owner—and we refuse to pay our workers a fair wage for their work. Our Heavenly Father knows—if we become rich by cheating our faithful workers. It is not unheard of for rich people to resort to lying, cheating, even murder—to hold on to their wealth and to gain even more. It is not for us to get even. Not for us to get revenge. That is our Heavenly Father’s responsibility.

Instead God’s Word says--James wrote, “Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming.” James is talking to brothers and sisters in Christ. This is Gospel encouragement to fellow believers! This is not arrogant self-righteous scolding. This is not bony fingers from above pointing at you and you. This is Gospel encouragement—to live in the patience and kindness that is Jesus forgiving love. God is love. And God is patient—not wanting anyone to perish—but everyone to believe the Gospel and to be saved forever! Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the fall and spring rains… In Israel—it is the fall rains—the showers that come in the autumn that make the soil soft enough to be plowed and planted—for the seeds to germinate—take root and begin to grow. It is the essential spring rains that water the crops so that the fruit will ripen juicy and sweet! Farmers cannot make it rain. You can’t reach up and wring the water from the clouds. You watch and wait patiently for Jesus to make it rain. Farmers cannot make the fruit grow. Farmers can’t make blossoms turn into apples or strawberries—little bump and nubs turn into huge ears of sweet corn and field corn. Farmers can’t make soy beans bean or hills to be full of potatoes! Farmers can scatter the seed. Farmers can cultivate and fertilize and nurture. But only the LORD can make plants grow until the harvest comes!

When will Jesus come again—to gather his wheat into the barn—and to burn the chaff in unquenchable fire? Remember how it was just before Noah’s ark and the flood? Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them…” Genesis 6:11-13a Violence? Did you hear about the two boys 14 and 16 years old—bouncing a golf ball in a parking lot? If you have ever played with a golf ball—you know they really bounce. Where they bounce is just about impossible to predict—so bouncing one in a parking lot isn’t a very good idea. It’s not a good idea to bounce a golf ball any where near a SUV. But if someone did bounce a golf ball—bounced one so that it bounced onto your SUV what would you do? Would you pretend to drive away—then turn around—drive over a median—and then run over and maybe kill the people who were bouncing the golf ball? Would you run over them—then get out—and have a cigarette—while they bled? Would you? This is exactly the kind of thing that happens—that you see on the news all the time! People with drug abuse nick names get gunned down in the middle of a concert. Small children snatched from their bedroom. It happens all the time—day I and day out! When will Jesus come! Why don’t we have Judgement Day yet? We wait on Jesus’ time. Be patient!

Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Jesus is the Ultimate Judge. We are answerable to him! It never ceases to amaze me—what passes for justice in this world. I heard the other day about a professional football player who was finned $5,000! I’m thinking—a fight? Pushing an official—taunting another player—doing something vulgar and rude to a fan. Do you know the crime? Wrong colored socks! This guy was supposed to wear white socks and he wore red socks instead! “Sweet!”, he said. You make a statement—when everyone wears white socks and you want everyone to look at you! The problem—of course—is the attitude—the human heart that says I will do as I please—break the rules—to indulge myself. And what is $5,000 to someone who has literally millions and millions? The penalty for my sins and yours was paid by the Lord Jesus. Jesus’ blood spilled on the cross—washed away all my sins. The sins I don’t know I did—and the sins I committed with arrogant malice aforethought! Jesus suffered to forgive them all!

Be patient! Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Did you hear about the homeless man in Dallas, TX. This homeless man is selling a dessert plate he inherited from a great-aunt. Apparently this plate was a dessert plate—made in what was Czechoslovakia—specifically and only for the Titanic! Opening bid on e-Bay for this plate? $50,000 and going up! What struck me—was not the fact that some homeless guy has squirrled away some plate worth $50,000. What bothered me was the idea of this guy’s great aunt—on the Titanic—sinking in the frigid water—people drowning and people dying—and this lady thinks—I’m gonna take one of these little dessert plates—little flowers and fruit painted on them. I’m gonna take one of these little plates—wrap it up—put it in my pocket—carry it onto a life boat. And you know—some day—this plate is going to be worth a bunch of money! What’s wrong with that? I am afraid this world is full of people who are taking—and taking hold of what isn’t even theirs. They are holding on to it so tight—thinking—some day this is going to be worth a whole lot. When in fact—in the eternal scheme of things—it isn’t worthy anything! It really isn’t. All that counts—all that matters—all that’s really important is the fact Jesus has taken hold of me. Jesus has taken hold of my heart and my life. And one day—maybe very soon Jesus will take me home to heaven. In the meantime—we wait—we watch and pray patiently… Amen!

To God alone all glory!

Rev. Anthony E. Schultz