Pastor John Stasse SYPC pm, 24^th January 2010

James (26) The Power of Prayer Unleashed (James 5:16b-18)

James gathers all he has been saying on prayer to declare that prayer has great power, and that this is not the prerogative of a select few believers or ‘super saints’ but for all believers.

Of prayer James says that it “avails much”. There are two things we should notice here.

Firstly, these words are given the place of emphasis in the Greek sentence, that is at the beginning rather than at the end of the sentence. It is this that James is drawing our attention to; to the ‘much effect’ of prayer.

Secondly, this word “avails”, as Motyer points out, speaks of inherent strength or power to accomplish which makes a person or thing sufficient for the task. It is the same word we find in Jesus’ comment about salt which has “lost its strength” (Matt 5:13). In other words there is a power that is waiting to be unleashed; the power of prayer is very strong.

Apparently millions of ounces of gold are still laying under Bendigo waiting to be brought up; not to mention Ballarat and Stawell. This is an ‘Untapped Resource’. This presents a picture of rich deposits hidden under what may even be unattractive tracts of land.

This is the sense here. Prayer ‘looks unimpressive and is easy to despise, but it has great resources waiting to be tapped, a huge potency to release.’ (Motyer)

But when released it is a power that accomplishes its purpose, hence the translation “avails much”. Prayer carries a mighty punch.

But how do we release it? Will I see it released? James goes on to state the two essential elements necessary for unleashing this great power of prayer, and then illustrates its unleashing through a believer just like you and I.

We see its:

James speaks of prayer as “effective, fervent” – this is actually a single word in the Greek, a word from which we get the word ‘energy’. When we see this we can say that James does not mean:

Prayer Styled with ‘religious’ language. There was a lady who when asked why she was learning Hebrew replied, ‘Well, it will not be long before I die, and when I do I would love to greet my Maker in His native tongue’!

Now this may be an extreme, but many Christians consider prayer to be real or proper when it follows the right styles and forms, that is, has the Prayer Book feel to it or the Authorised form with its Thee’s and Thou’s.

Prayer Stretched with Length. Prayer at times may be long for the amount of issues that need to be covered, but the length is not the criteria of effectiveness. Yet some, despite having but little to say lift up long-winded prayers. But to do so disparages the many ‘short’ prayers in the Bible.

Prayer Stunted with just saying. We must ever be watchful over the differences between “praying constantly” (1 Thess 5:17) and the “vain repetitions” which Jesus condemns. The important thing is not frequency.

The issue, RATHER, is that of fervency. Paul told the Colossians that Epaphras was “always labouring fervently for you in prayers”.

Blanchard points out that it is the kind of word you would use to describe a horse leaping over a high obstacle stretched out to the fullest limit of ability – that’s it: stretched out.

There is an energetic intensity to our praying, regardless of whether the prayer is long, short or in between. It is not concerned with the prayer’s appearance but with God and the thing being prayed about. It is to pray as one consumed with what is seen as vital, knowing only God can act concerning it. As one put it, ‘If the arrow of prayer is to enter heaven, we must draw it from a bow full bent’.

Now there is a definite challenge in that when we consider our prayers! Are we ‘stretched out’? Let us seek the Spirit’s help that there may be intensity in the asking.

James also speaks of the person so praying as a “righteous man”.

Now we must be careful to understand James correctly here. In the Bible “righteous” is used in a spiritual and a moral sense.

The ‘spiritual’ sense is seen in Rom 3:10 – “There is none righteous. No not one.” In this sense none of us have a righteousness which would enable us to stand before God. It is only through Christ that we have this righteousness (Rom 10:4, 1 Cor 1:30). If you are a Christian you have the status of righteousness in Christ.

And yet, as Blanchard points out, ‘Every prayer of every Christian is not answered in the positive way to which James refers here’. This points us to the reality repeatedly stressed by James that faith cannot be separated from works, but inevitably leads to works.

Or to put it another way, spiritual righteousness produces moral righteousness, positional righteousness results increasingly in practical righteousness.

The Apostle John put it this way, “He who does right is righteous” (1 John 3:7). He is speaking about people who are righteous in Christ (they are Christians), and who through doing right in God’s sight are becoming righteous in practice as well as in principle. This is what James is speaking about.

This is a clear biblical principle: David (Ps 66:18) “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me”; Isaiah (Isa. 59:1-2) “… your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear”; John (1 John 3:22) “And whatever we ask, we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in His sight”.

If we are to know effective prayer then we must not only be in Christ, but also, walk with Christ.

We may separate spiritual and moral righteousness theologically for ease of consideration, but we cannot and ought not separate the two pastorally.

The spiritual righteousness we have in Christ will always lead to the development of moral righteousness because of Christ. We will never know moral righteousness because of Christ apart from the spiritual righteousness we have in Christ.

Righteousness is essential, moral no less than spiritual: We must, therefore, never be content in comforting ourselves with faith in Christ, we must pursue our life with Christ.

And I suspect this is why James was concerned to use the prayer of forgiveness as a demonstration of the prayer of faith that is universally effective to all who offer it through Christ, and why he will conclude with a call to go after those who have sinned that they may be restored to fellowship with Christ (v.19-20).

But it is right here that many Christians are assailed with doubt. They think, ‘Well then my prayers will never be heard yet alone answered. I’m not going to know such demonstrations of the power of prayer. I doubt my righteousness. In particular I know I’m not sinless. I sin daily in thought, word and deed. I hardly know how to pray. This must be for other people.’

James anticipates this objection. He draws our attention to the great OT prophet Elijah.

What do we know about Elijah?

We know that he was a man whose prayers were heard. James identifies two such prayers that were met with miraculous activity from the hand of God. The first resulting in severe and prolonged drought, the other in a breaking of the drought with a great deluge of rain.

Now at this point we might begin to wonder how this illustration helps us. After all how many of us have seen such displays of divine power linked to our prayer? Isn’t the case of Elijah really calculated to cause us to a sense of inevitable uselessness about praying rather than its encouragement?

But don’t you see, says James, that all the time this Elijah was no different from us believers. James does not focus on the fact that Elijah was a mighty prophet of God, but passing over that simply points out that “he was a man like us.” Now isn’t this what the record shows?

Listen to Alec Motyer’s description of the tension that can be seen in Elijah’s life: ‘He could rise to heights of faith and commitment (1 Ki. 18:36-38) and fall to depths of despair and depression (1 Ki. 19:4). He could be brave and resolute sometimes (1 Ki. 18:17-19) and fly for his life at a whiff of danger (19:3). He could be selfless in his concern for others (17:19-24) and then be filled with self-pity (19:10).’

Put simply Elijah was an ordinary person, he was right with God yet served God from apposition of weakness. He felt the power of worldly intimidation, he was prone to despair. He knew he was not worthy. As Tony Bird notes, ‘He was no superhero.’ Daniel Doriani notes, ‘he was simply a righteous man who prayed, for individuals and for his society.’

When he was walking close with the Lord his prayer knew such power. But when he was far from the Lord, his pleas were denied (ie, for his death). Prayer is the outworking of a relationship – as it was for Elijah so it will be for us.

You see the danger we face in reading biographical material, whether of believers in the Bible or believers used in equally mighty ways since then, is that we tend to think that they lived in a different world. We begin to think that they were special people – utterly different to us. And that what we see in them could never be found in us. No, says James. We have no business separating ourselves from them in this way. They were ordinary people like us – fallible though redeemed. Elijah was subject to all the sins, failures and weakness that we are. The secret of their success lay in the maintenance of their relationship with God. We are dealing with the same God who has given the same Holy Spirit to reside within and work in and with us.

When it comes to prayer, then, James takes a holistic approach.

When we think of prayer we tend to treat it as a part of our Christian experience, something you do because of a situation at hand.

But for James you cannot separate prayer from the rest of your day. Prayer, though addressing the situation, should arise from a relationship with God, flowing naturally out of a life of godliness. When it does then you will know intensity in prayer and the effectiveness of prayer. Your prayer life is a manifestation of you daily life before God. May God in His grace cause us to grow then in godliness.

This then is the answer to knowing how to pray better: live better.

Pastor John Stasse SYPC am, 24^th January 2010

Repentance Basics (1 Kings 21:27-29)

What does it mean when a person says they are repentant? The word means to turn around and hence to have a change of mind. In particular in the Bible and for Christianity it is a change of mind not about individual plans, intentions, or beliefs, but rather a radical change in one’s attitude about God and is inseparably linked to faith in Christ and obedience to God’s Word. God is concerned about transformation at the heart level, not merely the behavior level.

Some may think a repentant person is ‘sorry for his sins.’ But, why is he sorry? Perhaps he is sorry that he has been found out. Perhaps he is sorry for the consequences that he is experiencing because of his actions.

Some may think a repentant person is determined to sin no more. But, why is he determined to sin no more? Perhaps he wants the good feeling of being a good person. Perhaps he wants to control himself, or to impress others, or merely to avoid certain problems in the future.

Some may think a repentant man is one who leaves his sin behind. But, what is actually left behind? Perhaps he left only the noticeable part of his sin behind, but he continues the same pattern in his heart/thoughts. Perhaps he left only the inconvenient part of his sin behind, but embraces sin in other forms.

These are questions and evasions that come to our attention as we return to 1 Kings 21 which also sets before us the possibility and danger of false repentance.

In this chapter we have noted that God sees sin, that no sin is hidden from His eyes. But more we see that God holds sinners accountable for their sin, and that His judgement is not something to be taken lightly. And then we saw it also exposes and warns about the way of sin, showing its perversity and corrupting influence once allowed to reign in our heart, and hence not to be taken lightly let alone ignored..

Now as we close this chapter we also see what God looks for in sinners: repentance. In these verses we see God highlighting the need of repentance, yet at the same time causing us to see what repentance really is.

The example of Ahab tells us that we need to be a lot more precise in what we understand repentance to involve, and to be more discerning as to the evidences of genuine repentance we should expect to see. Let us note firstly,

Elijah had proclaimed the immediate and certain judgement of God against Ahab. There is only one door at the end of the path of unconfessed sin: judgement and eternal death! And Elijah is saying to Ahab that door is about to open to you. The whole tone of Elijah’s message was ‘count you remaining moments!’

There is only one solution, one possibility for escape, and Ahab knows it: to turn back to God. Thus Ahab’s response was not of defiance or arguing about the justness of God or protesting the unfairness of his life’s circumstance, that he was but the product of his times (how things might have been different if he had godly parents and a godly wife…). No he senses his only recourse is to humble himself before God, to throw himself on God’s mercy.

This urgency is seen by its being one of the key-notes of preaching in Scripture.

So Jesus according to Matt 4:17, From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Also the Apostles in Acts 2:38 “Repent…” That it should always be so is made clear by Christ’s farewell words in Luke 24:46-47, Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.”

Why? Because without repentance there is no pardon. Speaking of Jesus the Apostles declared in Acts 5:31 that “Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.”

Sinners should note the urgency of repentance towards God and not delay one, moment longer.

God may, as with Ahab, and frequently does delay His judgement upon sin, but this should never be taken as God’s indifference or inability. As Romans 2:4 asks us, “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”

Ahab’s repentance appeared genuine, and as far as externals are concerned it was very impressive. In fact God draws attention to Ahab’s humbling himself before God. His actions showed deep sorrow and grief, following the example of OT believers who came under repentance – eg, Job said “Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”(Job 42:6). There is no doubt that Ahab’s conscience convicted him and that He came under heavy concern of heart and mind. Nor should we not fail to notice that in 1 Ki 22 Jehosophat, the godly king of Judah, enters into an alliance with Ahab, by which we have every reason to think that Jehosophat was convinced of a change in Ahab.

Yet we know that God rejected it as genuine. How do we know? Yes God drew attention to Ahab’s ‘repentance’ and responded to it with mercy, but it was only a limited mercy. Notice God only delayed His judgement, He did not remove it. The relief from judgement was only partial, reflecting the fact that the repentance was only partial also. By this God was indicating that Ahab was still in bondage to sin. Yes there were some outward changes, but no spiritual change in the man. And even this outward change was only in relation to “those words” – a fear of inescapable judgement. Indeed God’s action of delayed judgement should’ve encouraged deeper repentance; but Ahab, now out of the ‘hot’ zone, found his concern and his ‘repentance turn cold. It was only temporary and external, linked merely to the fear of God’s judgement not to the fear of the Lord and the horror of sin against Him.

Paul in 2 Cor 7:10 identifies a difference between a godly sorrow that leads to repentance and to salvation, and a sorrow of the world which produces death. It is this later that Ahab warns us about, the possibility of false repentance.

It is possible to feel the force of your conscience against sin, to even be surprised by how alarmed at your wickedness, you may be terrified by a fear of judgement, and be brought to emotional displays of sorrow and passionate promises of change. And yet not have truly repented.

Spiritual repentance focuses not on self but on the one offended. Natural repentance is consumed with self, with exposure, the shame, the punishment it would lead to. It is concerned to avoid; it is self-protective. Spiritual repentance is consumed with the interests of the One offended against, with them and their good. Instead of being sensitive primarily with oneself so as not to be hurt, the truly repentant are sensitive to them so as not to hurt but rather to bless them.

The area we need to look at is not so much the tears or vows, the strength of emotions or promises, but in the nature of their desires – are they spiritual desires or fleshly? True repentance sees sin for what it is: an affront against a holy and loving God. In rejecting or repudiating the sin, ask why? Is it because you see the exceeding sinfulness of sin and are now drawn on by holy desires?

Sadly so often the concern ultimately is to silence one’s conscience, at a time that suits them without thought whether it might be inconvenient to the person they are repenting to. No instead they trample all over the interests of the one they claim to be repentant towards. There is no sensitivity, no concern for their interests in the disruption, no love for them only a desire to be rid of this sin that plagues their conscience or disrupts their plans. In their repentance they are self-serving. But that is not true repentance – whether in our dealings with one another or with God.

Biblical, spiritual repentance is illustrated in 1 Thess 1:9-10 we read that these people in coming into saving faith “turned from idols to serve a living and true God… to wait for His Son from heaven whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us form the wrath to come.” From this we see that repentance simply involves three things:

(i) a breaking with sin and the desire to sin. It is to cease being in rebellion against God and His law. It involves sorrow over sin, but more involves a recognition of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and a deliberate repudiation of sin.

(ii) a returning of will, affections and life to God and His service. In Acts 20:21 Paul speaks of it as “repentance toward God”. It involves replacing a love for sin with a love for God, a concern of serving self with serving God. It not only sees the hatefulness of sin but also discovers and delights in an exalted view of God, His holiness and moral perfection, His grace, and in serving Him. Just as forgiveness is essentially a promise not to hold sin against you, so too your repentance involves a promise to forsake and replace sin with new obedience.

(iii) faith in Jesus Christ as presented in the gospel , His death, resurrection, ascension and coming again. Again recall what was said about God’s gospel promise of forgiveness in Acts 5:31 which we noted earlier, it is in a context of the declaration of Jesus’ exaltation “to His right hand to be Prince and Saviour”. Repentance cannot be separated from faith in Christ both as Saviour and Lord. Faith in Christ is both its ground and goal.

Repentance is not merely sorrow over sin, but also a repudiation and radical turning away from sin that is at once motivated by faith in Christ as well as issues forth in obedience to Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Ultimately what God looks for is not external humility, but for the state of heart that humbles self and exalts God alone. God seeks the broken heart and contrite spirit before Him (Ps 34:18; 51:17; Isa 66:1-2).

Jesus highlights this in the parable of the prodigal son who came to himself and then to his father saying ‘I am no more worthy to be called your son’ asking only to be taken on as a servant (Lk 15:18; cf the Centurion in Lk 7:6 and the woman in 7:37-38).

Indeed this is the promise of the New Covenant given in Ezekiel 36:26-27, cf 31– that in remembering sin you will “loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations”.

It is hardly surprising in the emotionalism of much of modern evangelism, along without any real explanation of what biblical repentance is, that many people think they have come to Christ when they haven’t for their repentance is not the genuine article, and in time it will be revealed as so.

How then shall we know if we have truly repented and been saved?

In the NT we are encouraged to look for the fruit that is borne. In Acts 26:20 Paul says his practice was to tell sinners that they “should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.” As did John the Baptist in Lk 3:8 when instead of relying on their racial and historical connection to Abraham, that they should “bear fruits worthy of repentance”.

What then does our narrative relating to Ahab show about Ahab’s deeds? Are they in harmony with genuine repentance? Look at 1 Kings 22:5-8, especially v.8. This is 3 years later, and here we see him declaring concerning Micaiah whom he acknowledges as God’s prophet “I hate him”. His reaction to Micaiah’s prophecy was to put him in prison! (v.26-27). This is nothing but an ‘I’ll show you!’ attitude.

All this shows that Ahab’s repentance was not “unto life”. Though it involved deep disturbances about the consequences of sin, when the judgment was withheld even though only for a season, it was enough for him to again breathe easy and for him to go on in the path of disobedience as shown in his mistreatment of the prophet. Reaction to God’s mouthpiece is a sign of our attitude to God Himself. Nothing reveals more the reality of your repentance (or lack of) than our attitude to the authority of God as expressed in His written revealed Word.

What a contrast to what we see in 2 Cor 7. In verse 11 Paul says the godly sorrow had produced an “earnestness” in them. He then proceeds to describe this earnestness, or diligence, by listing 6 characteristics of it. These speak of a determination to change, to make things right and be reconciled to God; and doing so with determination and energy. At the same time they recognised that sin was vile and needed to be punished, so they were filled with indignation and sought the vindication of God’s holiness. They viewed sin from God’s perspective. Their desires and decisions were aligned with the heart of God. They had abandoned their old ways for those of God. They had a change of mind, emotion, and will that caused them to turn from their sin to God.

After the dust has settled, when thoughts of exposure and the resultant shame, when thoughts of hell and judgement no longer alarm you, what is your response to God’s Word? Is their total love and submission, an eager desire to learn how to live to the glory of God? Or is there a picking and choosing what we’ll believe. Jesus said “He that loves me keeps My commandments”. He cherishes it in the heart as well as obeys in the life. This is the test we can apply in the ‘now’. May God bless it to our peace.

It is the glorious truth of the gospel that no sin is too great or hideous, no sinner too enslaved and polluted, that if he or she should “repent” that God will not pardon (Jeremiah 3:12-15).

But see also that no sin is greater than a refusal to repent – for that is a rebuttal of a gracious offer from God; a disobedience of a gracious command, and an approving of sin over righteousness and of self over God.

But equally it is a serious exhortation of the gospel that we must watch out for false repentance in our own lives. We must cultivate a habit of repenting quickly and biblically.

By itself, even conviction of sin does not prove or disprove genuine saving faith. Our world is filled with guilt-ridden people. Many even feel badly about their sin. Felix trembled under conviction at the preaching of the apostle Paul, but he never left his idols or turned to God (Acts 24:24-6). Some may confess their sins and even abandon the sins they feel guilty about. They say, “I don’t like living this way. I want to change.” They may amend their ways and yet fall short of genuine saving faith. That’s external reformation, not internal regeneration.

Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14b-15)

A proper love for God necessarily involves a hatred for sin that leads to repentance. That should be obvious. Who wouldn’t understand that? If we truly love someone we seek their best interests. Their well being is our greatest concern. If a man says to his wife, “I love you but I could care less what happens to you,” we would rightly question his love for her. True love seeks the highest good of its object.

If we say that we love God, then we will hate whatever is an offense to Him. Sin blasphemes God. Sin curses God. Sin seeks to destroy God’s work and His kingdom. Sin killed His Son. So when someone says, “I love God, but I tolerate sin,” then there is every reason to question the genuineness of his love for God. One cannot love God without hating that which is set to destroy Him. True love for God will therefore manifest itself through confession and repentance.

The man who loves God will be grieved over his sin and will want to confess it to God and forsake it.

In examining our faith we should ask: “Do I have a settled conviction concerning the evil of all sin? Does sin appear to me as the evil and bitter thing that it really is? Does conviction of sin increase in me as I walk with Christ? Do I hate it not primarily because it is ruinous to my own soul or because it is an offense to the God I love? Does the sin itself grieve me or am I only grieved over the consequences of my sin. What grieves me most-my misfortune or my sin? Do my sins appear to me as many, frequent and aggravated? Do I find myself grieved over my own sin more than the sins of others?”

Genuine saving faith loves God and hates what He hates, which is sin. That attitude results in real repentance.

– John MacArthur Jnr

Evening Service, John Stasse, 17 January 2010

So far, as we have been considering prayer, James as stressed the Place of prayer, and has moved on to the Power of prayer using the real life example of illness. Here he gives us another, and more clear cut demonstration of the Power of prayer – that relating to forgiveness.

The former dealing with our physical situation, this one with our spiritual situation. The key to powerful praying in the matter of illness was a God-given conviction whilst engaging in prayer.

But there is also a development of thought in the choice of illustration.

In the former the prayer of faith is answered with healing (conviction of God’s will to heal arising during the prayer emboldening us to ask specifically for it).

However we are not brought to such conviction of God’s will in all matters, not even in all cases of illness for as we saw the calling of the Elders in for the pastoral aid and prayer being described is for serious illness.

But here, we are dealing with a prayer that is always powerful, because God has made known on this matter His secret will in His revealed will – the Bible.

This is a prayer God has promised to bless, and so should be lifted up with that conviction, as a prayer of faith.

This verse suggests three actions in this matter – two from men, one from God, and using Earl Kelly’s headings we can call them:

The key words here are “confess” and “one to another”.

In the Bible confess is a technical word and means ‘to agree with someone else in the innermost recesses of one’s soul and to speak out publicly about it.’ (Spiros Zodhaites).

So when you confess sin to God you agree with God that you have offended him by your sin and express sorrow for them. That it is “one to another” tells us that we are on the human level here, and that it is also a mutual confession.

This means, then that James is NOT calling for let alone establishing:

1. NOT Private confession before God

Certainly all sin is sin against God, and there is the need of confession before God. But it is not James’ primarily focusing on here.

His focus is on the human level as indicated by the phrase “one another”, and therefore is dealing with the fact that our sin against God is often connected with sin against others.

2. NOT Private confession before a priest

Martin Luther’s point is telling here when he said this is ‘A strange Confessor, his name is one to another.’ There is no basis for the confessional in these words, or to look to your Pastor or Elder as one who can dispense God’s forgiveness.

Those involved in ‘counselling’ situations need to exercise great caution here lest this thought be implied or fostered by their words or actions.

3. NOT Public confession before the church

Though, again, this does not mean that there is no place for such. The Scriptures do teach that occasionally there is a place for sins to be confessed publicly before a church – sometimes the sin is against the church and needs to be forgiven by the church – this includes scandalous sins which because of the publicity involved brings the church into disrepute as well (eg, the case of the incestuous man, 2 Cor 2:61)1. Then there is also the reality that a public acknowledgment of sin is required for admittance to membership. Kelly, ‘No person, regardless of age, race, or rank should be admitted into the Christian church unless he admits that he is a sinner against God and needs forgiveness’ (see the example of the Ephesians believers, Acts 19:18).

But this is not what James is dealing with here.

4. NOT Private confession to a mature Christian in seeking advice

Again there is a biblical case to encourage those who have sinned to seek advice from the spiritually mature, and for brethren to support each other in prayer both in seeking God’s forgiveness, and in supporting them in addressing the brother who has been wronged. (This is surely part of Prov 11:14).

Yet equally we need to see that this is not what James is talking about here as is seen by the word “confessed”. Though we may use it more generally, the context here of righteousness shows it is used in its technical sense as addressing oneself to the one wronged against.

In other words, James is not encouraging unrestrained public confession of sin as a part of the church’s worship service, nor is he encouraging the complete unfolding of one’s life-history, warts and all, to an individual. The Christian church at different times has suffered under this which merely fostered exhibitionism, voyeurism or intimidated sensitive unbelievers away from hearing the gospel.

RATHER, James is calling for a private confession to offended Christian brethren. The situation in view is that a Christian has sinned against a brother, and driven by a tender conscience he sees the need to right the wrong, which necessarily involves seeking forgiveness from the one wronged. This is what Jesus was on about in Matt 5:23-24, calling us to leave gift at the altar and go be reconciled to your brother.

But notice the mutual nature of this – “one to another.” What often happens is that when one admits he is wrong to another, the estranged one will say, ‘I have been wrong too. Please forgive me also!’ You know this from your own experience, don’t you?

This is what James is talking about. Christians taking the initiative to sort out whatever is separating them. Friends, we should never leave a wrong uncorrected. Any disruption of fellowship, with God or even with each other, should be seen as something very grievous to us, as that to which we must give earnest attention with all godly haste and humility.

This outward disclosure, according to James, should result in prayer to God. This is necessary because God also has been involved. Sin against a brother is sin against God, and against His purpose of fellowship and of the church being a ‘holy nation’. Therefore such sin needs God’s forgiveness as well as our brother’s. So David in Ps 51:4 understood and reveals.

In other words it is not sufficient for reconciliation to repent. That is not the end of the matter. We must also deal with the matter before God.

But notice what James is saying here – “and pray for one another”. What is this but a practical demonstration of genuine reconciliation.

Clearly the prayer is one of seeking God’s blessing on the brother who till now had been the cause of some hurt to you. True reconciliation has taken place when it results in an act of love before the throne of grace for him. And for the Christian the matter is not settled until this occurs.

Do you see that you cannot move on, leaving bitterness and resentment behind, unless you are earnest in loving prayer for and with them? Many a confession has been given and received, and yet the parties concerned have little to do with each other for some time. This is not how it ought to be. Clearing the air is not sufficient, we must fan the fires of fellowship-love that we may embrace each other with an affection greater than before.

But surely such prayer will have a focus also on the joy of reconciliation.

Is it not a natural expectation? True reconciliation among believers results in fellowship-love in which we find ourselves also lifting our hearts together in thankfulness for the grace of forgiveness and reconciliation. If after all that has been done there is not a sense of joy in each other and the fellowship together, then the matter still needs work. The key is being able to pray with, for and about each other.

Here is the promise – “that you may be healed”.

In the NT this word refers at times to physical healing (eg Matt 8:8 Roman Centurion: “Speak the word only, and my servant will be healed”). But it is also used to refer to spiritual healing (Jesus’ understanding of His mission: “to heal the broken-hearted”- Luke 4:18). It is the latter sense that James clearly has in mind here with his emphasis on confession of sin.

The Amplified Bible brings this out, ‘that you may be healed and restored to a spiritual tone of mind and heart.’

The issue is not merely healing of the rift between each other, but especially the healing of the spiritual man. Sin affects us spiritually, how we approach God, read the Scriptures, engage in ministry. Guilt cripples and mars, sucking life and joy out of service and worship. And in a similar way the sin of another against us causes spiritual bruising and maybe even spiritual decline as we continue to stew over it with rising frustration, resentment, bitterness. In answer to prayer as brothers seek reconciliation in His presence, God will grant restoration to spiritual health to both.

When we think of the healing in contrast to such miserableness, then surely we can agree with John Blanchard who said ‘it is hardly possible to conceive of a more valuable spiritual exercise – nor of a more heart-warming demonstration of the power of prayer’.

And that is the reality. Such prayer is powerful because it corresponds to and locks into the will of God.

James’ point is that prayer arising from a conviction of sin leading to a genuine and mutual reconciliation will always bring this healing.

Such prayers are always effective because God has revealed this to be the case. We do not need to wait for an inner conviction that this is God’s will. He has already told us. We understood this when we came to Jesus in faith. And the same readiness of God to forgive and reconcile is apparent (1 John 1:9). Connected with this is the Spirit’s ministry to assure us of peace, and that we are the children of God and inheritors of glory.

In this matter we are not to be idle, this is a command not an option. This is a practise we should earnestly pursue, doing so with the confidence of God’s will concerning it. This is a blessing then that we should regularly find blossoming amongst.

May God in His grace grant such a demonstration of the power of prayer be seen amongst us, in our relationships with each other, whenever sin comes between us!

Morning Service, John Stasse, 17 January 2010

It perverts our relationship with God, causing you to manipulate the Word of God so as to perpetrate more evil. That’s what Jezebel was doing. In calling a fast she prepared the people to think that God’s judgement had come upon them for some unknown reason. Then exploiting that fear she provided the cause in accusing Naboth of blasphemy, resulting naturally in his death. She didn’t care about God. She used the biblical teaching on fasting, repentance and of blasphemy to commit sin! This is not unique! In 2 Peter 3:16 we read of those who “twist to their own destruction” the Scriptures. The word “twist” means to put on the rack, to stretch out of its natural shape. Beware whenever Scriptures come to mind when you are looking for some way to excuse or cover up sin, or to avoid repentance!

The fisherman hides the hook under pleasure, but once taken by the fish the reality strikes home. Satan understanding the nature of the lure always covers up the hook of sin with pleasure. Think of Eve in Gen 3:6 – how good and beneficial it looked, what pleasure it offered. In Hebrews 11:25 we read that Moses chose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin”. In 2 Tim 3:4 Paul speaks of corrupters of the church as “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”. Satan will take advantage of these alleged ‘pleasures’, and people will readily and often fall for it.

Sin may look harmless, even natural, promising pleasure and comfort, but this is an illusion, it always results in bitterness. It always gives what it doesn’t mention: the judgement of God.

As soon as Ahab sees Elijah sin’s bitterness appeared – v.17ff. His conscience exploded in accusation. The peace and joy he enjoyed was gone! He is beginning to see his sin and feel its horror, and lashes out at Elijah calling him “my enemy”. Then flows the pronouncement of God’s judgement, of impending doom. Yes it was delayed by the outward repentance of Ahab – delayed, but not removed! Only then to find himself falling into the hands of God who is a consuming fire – bitterness for all eternity! The conscience and God’s Word, the voice within and the voice without, combining to declare that there is no peace for the wicked!

These are solemn words warning us to avoid sin like the plague. For all its pleasures, it only gives birth to bitterness.

There is only one remedy: Jesus who was so named “for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matt 1:21) – not only from guilt but also from the terrible potential that remains. Having broken the power of sin, He will also save from the presence of sin. Don’t fool yourself! Give due credence to the power of sin – it can turn you, yes even the Christian, into a covetous, perverted, scheming fiend like Ahab and Jezebel. Fear sin and what it can do to you, and seek safety in Christ each and every day of your life. Cry out for continuing grace to resist sin and to choose righteousness, and to lead to repentance and receive forgiveness when you stumble and fall again into sin.

Evening Service, John Stasse, 10 January 2010

‘Few passages in Scripture have been more extensively misinterpreted and misunderstood than these verses’ (Frank E. Gaebelin). We might add, and as a result more neglected by the church throughout the centuries. Yes we must approach cautiously, yet not with a sense of the impossibility of interpretation. They are written, so they are understandable with the Spirit’s help.

The first thing we must remember is that James is here dealing, not with healing, but with prayer. The letter written to persecuted Christians opened with a call to patiently endure trials (1:2ff) and clearly highlights the nee dot give attention to consistent Christian living even in difficult times. James, with compassionate pastoral care for his suffering flock, sees the importance and necessity of maintaining one’s prayer life. That is what is taking up his thoughts here – he is seeking to encourage us to prayer. As we saw last week, this is to characteristic of our whole life, regardless of present situations, and in a manner appropriate to the situation (ie sensitively not robotically).

Yet whilst he does not give a study on divine healing, it is still true that James sees divine healing as a continuing possibility in the church – though significantly James does not call in one with a ‘gift’ of healing. He sees a change in the way in which God works.

The Bible clearly teaches that the miracles clustered around the Apostles served to authenticate their unique ministry, they are described as “signs of an apostle” (2 Cor 12:12; Heb 2:3– 4). This is in line with the general biblical pattern where we see such miraculous activity occurring at key points of redemptive. Its association with the Apostles was essential for the foundation of the NT church. Hence Acts 14:3 states “the Lord … bore witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.”

The closure of this foundational apostolic era may have seen the removal of the gift of healing as a functioning ministry for individuals, but it did not, however, remove divine healing. Otherwise these verses would not make sense.

Nor is James teaching us to despise the use of modern medicine. The Bible nowhere depreciates the importance of medical research and activity. Indeed, Luke is spoken of approvingly in Col 4:14 as “the beloved physician”.

Nor does this passage suggest that we should expect miraculous healing every time. Paul says in 2 Tim 4:20 that he left a sick Trophimus behind at Miletus; he gave Timothy instruction to drink alcohol to overcome a stomach illness (1 Tim 5:13). Indeed, sometimes God determines sickness to continue without healing to His glory and for our benefit – so Paul was denied healing (2 Cor 12:7).

We must, in other words be careful not to pit James against the rest of the Bible’s teaching. What he is saying is that God, according to His sovereign will, still chooses at times to heal in an overtly miraculous way in the post–apostolic period of the church. The context here is the caring and praying ministry of the church – particularly demonstrated in the role of the Elders. However, to James what is important is the sovereign will of God, not the Elders or the oil. It is the issue of prayer and knowing God’s will.

To this end we note that James is not talking about healing so much as about prayer. He wants to demonstrate the power of prayer, that its power lies in its expressing the secret will of God. We need to remember that v.13–18 are dealing with the importance of prayer in the believer’s life. The misinterpretations arise when these verse are taken away from this central issue. Sickness and healing is the context in which he is talking about prayer.

This also means that James is not instituting a new function for the local church elders, rather he is using a regular ministry of the elders (caring for the sick) to illustrate what happens when believing prayers become ‘prayers of faith’. When this is understood we can extend the principle beyond sickness – as James will do with Elijah. In our praying, as we wrestle with God to pray according to His will we may move from commitment to God’s will to a conviction concerning God’s will. The prayer that evidences this conviction – the prayer of faith – is guaranteed the answer asked for.

1. We are introduced to a seriously ill person. The word refers to one without strength (used in John 5:7 to that effect in describing the man who had no strength to get to the pool once it had been stirred by an angel). The emphasis is on his weakness through sickness or possibly suffering of persecution. This is re–enforced here by the fact that he does not go to the elders, they come to him; and that in praying, they pray “over” him – which probably suggests that the sick believer is confined to bed. This is a time of serious illness.

2. Sick and even bed–ridden though he may be, he is well enough to take the initiative. He calls the elders to come. It is primarily the decision of the sick person to ask for this ministry. It also indicates that he is aware of what is happening; all the more so since he is able to discuss the possibility of sin (v.15)

Clearly James is not thinking of ‘public’ healing services, but a private ministry. Also he is not saying every time we get sick – he is addressing serious illness, where there is the need of a closer pastoral care. And so the elders are called.

This intimate pastoral scene is re–enforced by:

We see the Elders responding and exercising a pastoral ministry here.

This ministry is seen in terms of both physical and spiritual needs – hence the issue of sin is addressed in v.15. In caring for the believer they are to be concerned for the whole person, and naturally raise the more important issue of the sick person’s relationship with God. Sin is seen as a complicating factor, the possibility of which also needs to be addressed.

What about the oil? Though, clearly, the emphasis is not on the anointing, but on the prayer, yet the oil is seen to have a pastoral function.

In the Bible oil is used because of its medicinal properties (eg, Lk 10:34, in the parable of the good Samaritan, cf Isa 1:6) – it has soothing and cleansing properties. The 2^nd century doctor Galen recommended oil ‘as the best of all remedies for paralysis.’ Hence the elders show a practical concern for the sick.

Related to this is the word “anoint”. This is not the usual word for ceremonial anointing, but what A T Robinson describes as ‘to ‘rub’ as it commonly does in medical treatises.’ It is used to describe anointing one’s head with oil (Matt. 6:17; cf. Luke 7:46), the women’s anointing of Jesus’ body (Mark 16:1), Mary’s anointing of the Lord’s feet (John 11:2; 12:3), and anointing the sick with oil (Mark 6:13). This rubbing with oil serving the two-fold purpose of using available medical technology, but also of showing tender compassion.

But oil also has a symbolic use, as seen with the use of saliva by Jesus in situations where ordinary communication was not possible such as with the deaf and blind (Mk 7:31–37; 8:22–26). Here Jesus used a tangible way of assuring the afflicted that He intended to heal them. This may be underpinning Mk 6:13 where the action of the disciples meets with Jesus’ tacit approval.

In either case James is not enshrining a practise, but describing what was ordinarily done so that the sick person was encouraged and soothed, and by linking it with the Lord’s name they were assuring them of the Lord’s compassion towards them. The key, however, is not the oil but the prayer.

For then the elders pray, as would be expected in such a pastoral situation.

One of the precious elements of church fellowship is prayer support, of knowing that others are praying for you in your trials, and in particular to know that the church’s leaders who have been charged by Christ with a special duty of pastoral care for His flock are praying for you. They are a key and special gift of Christ for the care and well-being, especially spiritual well-being of His people.

What we are seeing here, then, in this very tender scene, is simply the normal pastoral activity of elders ministering to the serious ill; and it is this that we need to underscore. It is not a step 1, 2, then 3 for healing, but a picture of the regular ministry of the elders engaging in their natural calling as under-shepherds of the Lord Jesus responding to physical needs and probing for spiritual needs. A picture in which weak, struggling believers see the importance of seeking the help and comfort of their elders in times of personal difficulty.

In so describing a tender, yet, routine aspect of church life James is stressing the important role and pastoral value of the eldership in the life of the local church. Do you see them as having such a vital pastoral role to you? Do you, in times of distress, look to their ministry and call for it? Elders, do you see that you have such a role? Do you respond with concern and compassion to their needs?

With reference to the elders praying – and this is the point James is wanting us to get to – comes a promise. But we note that is a promise with a condition: the “prayer of faith”. By this qualification we see that not all prayer will result in healing. We should also see that nothing is being said about the level of faith in the sick person, or really in the elders either. The word “faith” is here descriptive of prayer. It is describing the type of prayer, not the person who is praying or being prayed for.

Motyer makes a distinction which is helpful here. He speaks of praying with commitment to God’s will. And so praying with faith is in effect, “Thy will be done”. Such prayers are in effect saying we are unsure of your purpose Lord, or if what we desire is what you desire; so we commit ourselves to Your will as perfect. May it now be done.

Hallesby puts it like this: ‘Lord, if it be to Your glory, heal suddenly. If it will glorify You more, heal gradually; if it will glorify You even more, may your servant remain sick awhile; and if it will glorify Your name still more, take him to Yourself in heaven.’

It would be true to say that most of our prayers are such prayers of ‘rest’ in the Lord’s sovereign and gracious will, and rightly so.

But it is in such praying that sometimes comes what Motyer terms a conviction concerning God’s will, that we are praying for what God Himself has committed Himself to do. This is what James calls the “prayer of faith” – a conviction that it is God’s will to perform a healing. Only such is guaranteed.

I draw your attention to John 14:14 where Jesus says He will do whatever we ask “in My name”. This is the condition Jesus specifies. What does it mean?

It is not a turning of the name ‘Jesus’ into a magical talisman. Rather, the name expresses the person, so it means praying what Jesus would pray for if He was standing where I am standing.

It is praying which arises out of unison with the will of God. That is the prayer of faith.

The same thing is seen in 1 John 5:14–15. This I believe is the key to interpreting James 5:14–15. How can we pray this way? In 1 Jn 3:22 John tells us – it is by controlling our thoughts and directing our lives by the revealed will of God – the Bible. The more we think and live God’s thoughts after Him, the more we will pray within His purposes.

James is not saying that we should whip up a ‘believing’ spirit, or pretend to have it when we don’t. That would surely be disastrous even a vile cruelty in ministering to the sick. What damage has done by so–called ‘healers’ assuring people of their healing and that they must now claim it by faith! We must protect the tender spirit of the sick. The elders, instead, must ponder their response to a call to pray over the sick, and ask: Is the Lord granting that special unction of faith whereby you can believe that you have what you ask?

The whole picture, then, is of the importance and power of prayer when in praying, God assures those praying that He is going to do something special, and so they confidently ask for it.

As we leave this then, our concern in praying, whether in a context of illness, or as with Elijah the ungodliness of the nation, we should so wrestle with God that we might know and pray according to His will. That we don’t always receive what we ask for, then, does not undermine our view and practice of prayer. Rather, this teaching encourages us to know God’s Word and to pray more earnestly within the spirit of it, not for the problem but for God’s mind concerning the problem. It also teaches us that in the mean time to continue to trust God and rest in His secret will, knowing it is perfect; and knowing that the closer our walk with God, the more powerful prayer will be.

Morning Service, John Stasse, 10 Jan 2010

As we look at the world with wrong often prevailing over right, where the godly are persecuted and some are even killed, don’t we at times wonder what is happening? Are we not tempted to ask ‘Where is God?’ If God is a righteous God why does He allow sin, why not stop it?

The world certainly throws that question at us as if it is the definitive proof against God’s existence or at least of His love and power to do anything.

This is the picture of world events that is brought into focus in 1 Kings 21, but it also brings into focus the way God works.

Now we are deliberately skipping chapter 20 for the reason that Elijah is not mentioned in it. However, we do need to note its impact on this chapter. There we see that Ahab through the mercy of God gained 2 mighty victories against the invading Syrians. As a result his kingdom enjoyed a large measure of peace and security, and could now turn his attention to domestic ad personal matters.

We are told that Ahab was not at Samaria, which was his capital, but at Jezreel which was a kind of summer palace, a place where he could relax and refresh himself away from the duties of state.

Here Ahab is found looking out from his palace, surveying his property, and not unlike many do today he gets the idea of doing some extensions. In fact he sees the adjoining vineyard of Naboth as ideal for this and his heart covets it. Ahab goes to Naboth and makes an offer for it, to buy or exchange. But to Ahab’s surprise Naboth was not interesting in selling – at any price.

In this way Naboth is introduced to us as a godly man in an ungodly age.

We notice in v.3 that he refers to God as Yahweh, making it clear his allegiance was not to Baal but to the God of Israel. Indeed that he used that name before this king, who had previously embraced Baal and had only recently and reluctantly acknowledged God, shows that he was a man of serious and earnest spiritual commitment. He did not hide his faith even before an unscrupulous and inconsistent and self-serving king.

We also notice that he knew the Word of God, quoting to the king the principle of Numbers 36:7 which forbids the permanent transfer of property. By this law God intended each of the tribes to retain their inheritance instead of it all ending up in the hand of one or two tribes and as a result displacing the others. This was no bargaining technique, nor was it a legalistic observance but principled obedience for we see that Naboth had a genuine concern for he recoils from breaching it; a feeling of horror filled his heart. He put God and His Word above financial gain (which would’ve been significant in a ‘name your price’ market) and personal favour before the mightiest in the land, the king.

In short here is a godly man who was subject to the revealed will of God, and prepared to face any consequence from this self-serving petulant king rather than deny the Lord and ignore His Word. In this he showed tremendous spiritual grace and strength.

Ahab’s reaction was certainly petulant. He threw a tantrum, storming back to Samaria and to sulk like a little child deprived of getting his own way, which is the condition that Jezebel found him in – sulking on his bed.

Jezebel’s true character is also shown as she devises a plot on the spot. It even has a religious flavour! Despite the fact that she hated the Law of God she uses it against Naboth, as if to say. ‘You want to use the Law; well I will use that law against you, to create your destruction!’ Jezebel knew the Law!

She commits forgery, hypocrisy (proclaiming a fast giving the impression that the city was under God’s judgement for some undisclosed reason), and then when the city fathers are predisposed to think there is sin in their camp and whilst Naboth is given a place of prominence at the subsequent feast she commits perjury by the hands of others accusing Naboth of blasphemy. It is hardly surprising that they took him out and stoned him (v.13). Nothing then stood in Ahab’s way but as king to seize this land and to enact his original covetous plans. Such selfish disrespect for and the abuse of the life of others, just to satisfy their whims and desires! As far as Jezebel was concerned Naboth’s life was not as important as her desires. Other people don’t matter, except as a means to an end – it is only what she wanted that mattered.

Is this not the spirit that is increasingly seen in our day? Trampling over others in business, school or social groupings to get to the top. The life-ruining unfaithfulness in marriage relationships where a spouse wants their sexual desires satisfied no matter who they hurt in the process – spouse, children, family, friends. Tantrums, manipulations, legal thuggery… all too often met with a turning of the blind eye and a passive smirk of acceptance.

Yet as a preservative against despair by the apparent triumph of evil over good, of Ahab and Jezebel getting away with the perfect crime, we are informed in the second half of the chapter that Ahab is encountered by Elijah and receives the prophet’s terrible message of judgement on Ahab, Jezebel and their family. By which we are reminded that there is always more to be told, more to happen, and that we ought not be hasty to comment on circumstances let alone God’s dealings, and God’s promise to withhold His judgement for a time, until after Ahab’s death. It will not be immediate, and though he knows about it, he will not have to see it completed.

Now considering this we notice, firstly, that

This record identifies what God saw done in the private chamber of the King, the secret deal between Jezebel and Naboth’s accusers; it even reveals the secrets of Ahab and Jezebel’s hearts. Nothing of their wickedness is missed, nothing is neglected, nothing is ignored.

Jezebel’s plan seemed to be the perfect crime, it was accomplished perfectly, and Ahab had thought he had gotten away with it. Then he saw Elijah who effectively says, God knows!

The perspective of Scripture is that all things are uncovered before the eyes of God. That is the lesson that Adam and Eve learnt, that Cain learnt, but the lesson too readily forgotten by all people.

We have all done things we are confident we have gotten away with – no one in your family, at work, in the church knows; as time goes by the sigh of relief becomes more confident, and eventually you don’t think about it anymore. It may be different to the things I have done, but we all know many such things. But though it is almost forgotten in our mind, it is fresh in God’s mind!

Jesus warned that this can happen even in true Christians, “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” (Lk 12:1-3) How holy we can appear before the faithful, yet what hypocrites we may be underneath.

What if Jesus should reveal to me some of these sins now. How would you react as I then confronted you in the presence of all these here? Would your face be drained of blood, your heart beat quicken as a backlog of sins you thought you had buried are resurrected?

Praise God there is no secret sin that cannot be cleansed by the blood of Christ, such that God’s searching eye can’t find anything against which to bring accusation, it being cast away as far as the east from the west (Ps 103:12).

But God doesn’t say that about any sin that you are hiding in the shadows of impenitence; only of those you bring out to Him in honesty and repentance. In 1 John 1:9 the blessing promised is “to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” but the pre-condition on the believer’s part is “If we confess our sins”. Yes Jesus’ death dealt with that sin and enables pardon, but we are still required to confess. In Prov 28:13 we read “He that covers his sins shall not prosper”.

God calls the unbeliever to repent and seek His mercy. But even the child of God will not know rest while they bury their sin. (See also Psalm 6)

Obviously God could have stopped Ahab and Jezebel from realising their sinful, and Naboth from being falsely condemned and executed.

But it is as if God had His hand tied behind His back, and no one could pull it out, as we read in Ps 74:10-11, “O God, how long will the adversary reproach? Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever? Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand? Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.”

God watches all the events, but seemingly does nothing.

Jesus’ death is the ultimate example of the triumph for a while of evil over good. But we all know to our comfort that God permitted this for a greater good – our salvation. We need to remember the reality of God’s permissive will in allowing evil to triumph over good for a time. Failure to understand this truth produces:

(i) arrogance and false security in the sinner. In Ps 50:21 God says to such “These things you have done, and I kept silent; you thought that I was altogether like you”. But how foolish they were for God adds, “But I will rebuke you, and set them in order before your eyes.”

(ii) perplexing and shaking of faith in the believer, as we see in Psalm 73. It was only when he adopted the perspective of eternity and remembered that what is seen in life is not mirrored after death, and that God is a righteous Judge who will respond, that his faith is returned.

In such times we ought to commit our case to God who judges righteously and rest in God whose thoughts and ways are above ours (Isa 55:8-9).

But notice here: it is only for a time. In time God’s judgement will come and the triumph of evil will be seen for what it is – temporary and over-ruled for a greater purpose. God will eventually fulfil His promised judgement upon sinners. This is what we see in the unfolding of Ahab’s story, where we see the reality of judgement against Ahab (1 Ki 22:34, 37-38), his sons (2 Ki 10:17), and Jezebel (2 Ki 9:30-37).

The point is that God is a God who even though He permits evil to triumph for a time it is only for a time, and while His judgement may seem to be way off, He is a God who will eventually punish. This point was well made by the sermon title of an old Baptist preacher on Jezebel’s death. He called it ‘Payday Someday’.

Elijah’s rebuke and Ahab’s discovery that his sin was known led him to a repentance of sorts, a surface repentance (v.27). As a result God says that He will not destroy Ahab’s house in Ahab’s lifetime (v.29). It is delayed for a season, but not forever. That is, God delays His judgement as long as He can and yet remain consistent with His character.

This is the principle taught in Ezekiel 33:11, “Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’” Though He will execute judgement God takes no delight in it. His anger is not a malicious, vindictive rage in which He enjoys the suffering of His enemies.

The reverse is often how the anger of God is falsely presented by the world and as quickly rejected out of hand by them as unworthy of a real God – and they use this to then dismiss faith in the Christian God. The great tragedy is that their cause is often helped by unwise and untaught Christians who also present God like this. Yes He will judge, He will not minimise His judgement one bit, but it is a holy anger. His wrath is nothing more than they deserve and He takes no delight in it.

God effectively gives Ahab more time to come to true repentance. In Romans 2:5 we read “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God”. Whilst it is a picture of the sinner’s defiance, it also demonstrates God’s patience and longsuffering.

To the unrepentant sinner this chapter asks, Why are you still here? Why hasn’t God executed judgement against you? The answer is His longsuffering, giving you time to repent. Note the delay it is not forever.

And to the child of God it says, Do not begrudge God’s mercy in tolerating the injustices that might be directed your way as God is withholding judgement upon others. Rather in mercy pray that God might add to His longsuffering His gracious mercy. Like Stephen pray as Jesus did “Father, forgive them.”

Morning Service, 03 January 2010

When you come to the concluding words of a speech or an important letter you tend to choose them carefully – wanting to assert the main point, or drive it home in some particular way.

Throughout James’ letter he has been continually emphasising the robust nature of the Christian Faith. That it is more than intellectual assent, but life-gripping and life-shaping truth. His letter has been, if you like, a call to godly seriousness and to serious godliness.

This is a message which modern Christianity – which seems to be more characterised by a petite politeness or at the other extreme by champagne froth and bubble – needs to hear.

The world needs that true Christianity which James calls us to, which takes seriously the call of God to live righteously for Him in this wicked world, to live among this evil generation evidencing all the faithfulness and compassion of God’s people to each other.

Now as he draws to a close James reminds us of what is our most delightful privilege and yet our most necessary practice, that of prayer.

This whole section deals in various ways with the topic of prayer. Prayer is placed before us as the essential ingredient of an effective and efficient Christian life.

Paul understood this, for in Eph 6 as he talked about putting on the whole armour of God he stressed that we are to do so “with prayer”.

It is prayer which connects us to the will of God and therefore unleashes the resources of the Kingdom for us.

James begins in this verse by stressing the Place of Prayer. We notice firstly,

Here James stresses that prayer covers the whole of life. He indicates this by giving us two examples when we should turn to God in prayer (realising that praise, even if in song, is but a specialised form of prayer): that is, in times of pressure and in times of pleasure.

a. “Suffering”

This is a general word meaning more than physical sickness. It can include all hardships from the influences of the natural world right through to persecution on account of the gospel. It is anything we might describe as ‘bad’.

The assumption is that these things exist among Christians. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous” (Psalm 34:19). It is the theology of biblical illiterates to believe that ‘sufferings’ don’t come to true Christians. Our daily lives tell us that James knows what he is talking about.

Now, however you describe the condition you are going through, the counsel is always the same: pray. Is there anything that makes you feel bad or sad? Whatever it is, turn you heart to the Lord and pray.

b. “Cheerful”

This carries the idea of inner feelings of joy and well-being. Notice here that it is not impossible nor is it inappropriate for the Christian to be cheerful in this life. It is the devil’s lie that the Christian is meant to be morbid and dull all the time.

The Christian life is not funny; we are not a bunch of comedians. But it should be wonderfully happy, for we are the children of God. Remember “The kingdom of God is … righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17). There is something radically wrong with a professing Christian who never knows cheerfulness of heart. So Paul exhorts us, “Rejoice always and again I say, rejoice!” (Phil 4:4).

Life does have its problems and pressure, and the Bible never hides that fact. But it equally insists that God pours out upon every one of His children untold blessings each and every day. As David cries, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!” (Ps 68:19).

Is there something that makes you feel good? It could be anything – well, says James, lift your heart to God and praise Him for it. Is He not the cause of it?

When we think about it we soon see that these two words, “suffering … cheerful”, in one way or other cover the whole of life’s experiences. Yet at the same time they stress the variableness and changeability of life that we know only all too well.

So what it is declaring is that there is no conceivable situation, no sudden change in circumstances that should not be looked at from the outset in terms of prayer.

Therefore whatever you are going through at the moment you have an opportunity for and motivation to prayer.

We are to be a people frequently found in prayer!

It is a distinguishing mark of true Christian experience when we carry the same spirit of devotion to God regardless of the circumstances.

It is the power of grace to keep the soul balanced regardless of the changing terrain.

Let us be wary of being found as a regular attendant upon the throne of God only when things are difficult in our lives!

This is the second thing that strikes us here, that James uses different words to describe the course of action required. He could have said, ‘Is anyone cheerful? Pray’. But instead he chose the word “praise”.

The significance of this is seen in that as a change in circumstances, or a changing in perspective concerning otherwise troublesome circumstances, should be reflected in prayer, in the way that we pray, as well as what we pray. This seems to be James’ point here also.

Let your prayers reflect the context out of which they arise, in terms of

(a) their content. In other words, James wants us to think about our circumstances – what is happening? how should I respond? What do I need – is it patience, constancy, hope, relief, deliverance? What? Try to discern what God is doing, what His will is, where it may be leading, and try to fit in. Prayer is not so much changing God’s will, but discovering God’s will and being changed to it. Are you cheerful? James is asking you to think about why you are cheerful. How do you see God’s hand in it? Is it merely some general blessing or can you begin to see more of His gracious hand directing? It is nice when someone says thank you, but it is better when you see they have understood something of what was involved in what you did for them isn’t it? Let us be more thoughtful about our prayers, let them correspond to the realities, not merely be the niceties of respectful language.

(b) their manner. Jesus, in teaching on prayer, used parables where the key-players oozed passion (widow pestering the judge, the neighbour banging on the door for food). These weren’t just about perseverance; they persevered because they were passionate in their pursuit. Are you passionate before the throne? Jesus Himself sweated drops of blood as He was engrossed in prayer. You cannot read the Psalms without the earnestness, at times the sense of being almost overwhelmed by the pressure of circumstances coming as rolling waves one after another. When Peter and the disciples on the Day of Pentecost were expressing praise to God people said they were ‘drunk’ – now you don’t say that of people who were ‘limp’ in their expressions of thankfulness!

In prayer we are dealing with life issues before the sovereign Lord o’r Loving Father – Now, do our prayers reflect this reality?

The very fact that James tells us to turn to God in prayer from our circumstances tells us that there is a temptation not to do this.

James’ approach so far in this letter has been one of urging us to persevere in faith and godliness, of not allowing circumstances drive us from God.

In other words, prayer is not only a means of saying sorry when you have sinned or of praise when you have been forgiven, it is a means to keep you from sin in the first place. It is a corrective in that it keeps your sails into the wind of fellowship with God.

Prayer requires us to think God’s thoughts after Him – and we are less likely to fall into sin when close to God in thought and desires.

And so, as you face pressures the temptation is to get angry at God, to doubt His good providences, His gracious promises.

What James does as the waves of confusion sweep across your soul pray is force us to talk it through with God.

There is much harboured hurt and bitterness within children because they never talk it out with their parent. If they only had started then in the talking perspectives would’ve changed, the difficulties would’ve began to subside. It is equally true with God.

The greatest damage to our soul comes by shutting down the lines of communication – no says James, Pray. Talk to God, seek His explanation, seek His help.

As a corrective, prayer will remind you that He who is with you is greater than all the world that bears against you; it will cause you to see that He is in control and that He does not allow anything to come your way without it achieving your good, and even then He carefully monitors it all. In other words prayer is the very environment that restores our peace, creating fresh confidence and trust in God.

As you experience pleasures the temptation is to forget God, to become self-reliant and self-confident. No says James, be full of prayers of Thanksgiving – this is your antidote.

How can you foster self-pride as you tell Him what you have done? Can you not see with the eyes of faith that He lies behind it all? Can you not with faith feel His love, and yet think He has not been the driving behind what has made you cheerful? Prayer will act as a corrective and you will not lose the delight of walking joyfully with your heavenly Father!

Let us then hear James’ words and be a praying people not just a people who say prayers. Let us cherish the opportunity of prayer, being frequent in prayer, thinking in its content, feeling in its manner. And so may it serve as God’s corrective to keep us close to Him and far from satan’s devices.

Motyer serve as a good summation of this simple yet deeply practical verse, as he speaks of us as being like a mirror: ‘The Christian has a God for every circumstanced. Our whole life, as we might say, should be so angled towards God that whatever strikes upon us, whether sorrow or joy, should be deflected upwards at once into His presence.’

As we do so, we shall know and be found living in His will and fellowship.

Morning Service, 03 January 2010

What word describes 2009 which has now gone into the banks of ‘memory past’? What word would you choose to describe 2010 now embarked upon?

Of the various possibilities that ought to come to mind to the Christian, I want to draw your attention to one that is twice stated in our OT reading. We see that it is also central to Jesus’ purpose for our lives as highlighted in Acts 1:8. Indeed the OT reading places a spotlight on to this NT command, helping us to understand what is involved.

In Isaiah 43:10, 12 we read “You are My witnesses”. This is a chapter in which there is a series of contrasts (so common to Isaiah), here given for the purpose of drawing attention to the relationship of grace between God and His people. We read much about God’s self-revelation of who He is and what He does – the “I am”, which lead to the “You are” of “You are My witnesses.” Because of God we both are, and we are what we are to be – witnesses.

While these verses relate initially to Israel, they are equally applicable to every true believer, since each one is a special creation of God. God’s creative power was necessary to turn us from darkness to light and from the power of satan to the power of God. All people have been lost through their sin and need to be redeemed. Everyone who has been redeemed through the penalty that Christ paid on the cross belongs forever to the Lord and should know that nothing can ever happen in their life without God’s definite purpose, and that nothing can happen to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. And all who know God in this way ought to declare the truth concerning Him, ought to stand as His witnesses to an unbelieving, deviant and defiant world. So we read firstly of

In v.8-9 God calls both Israel and all the nations together in a courtroom scenario in which Isaiah takes on the role of a court reporter.

Israel is described as both blind and deaf – to the forefront of the gathered assembly is the blind nation of Israel – even though she had eyes and ears. As Harman reminds, ‘Ability to see and hear ordinary things does not mean spiritual perception.’ This too is reminiscent of the Prophets call to ministry in which he is told by God that the response to his message will be such that it will “Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes” (6:10).

In v.9 the nations are challenged to bear witness to their gods as those who have the ability to explain the course of events, and are able to do so because they were the gods of action, doing what thy prophesied. The Lord calls on them to present their witness; but the implication is that they cannot.

Then in v.10 God turns to Israel, to the people of God, and says: “You are My witnesses”. This is re-iterated in v.12 (cf 44:8) – stressing the importance of this role, but also that they of all people should’ve been able to. Their whole existence and history was witness to the existence of God, to His uniqueness, holiness, power, and love.

The mandate to be witnesses was reinforced to Israel as they crossed the Jordan into Canaan (Joshua 4:21–24). Solomon too sensed something of the importance of that commission when he prayed for all the foreigners who would visit the Temple (1 Kings 8:41–43)

God raised up Israel to be a witness to the truth of His Word. Being a servant indicates that this witness was their responsibility.

Her very history testified for Yahweh. Even now, scattered throughout the world, their very existence witnesses to the truth of the predictions of God’s Word.

The tragedy is that they said nothing, and so God has to speak for Himself, though the very presence of Israel vindicates His words.

Here we also see that Israel failed in its role as “servant”, which of course highlights the early part of this prophecy in Isa 42 that God would raise up a Servant. He will be a faithful witness! So it is no surprise that we read Jesus in John’s gospel speaking of only bearing witness to those things the Father had given to Him to say. He is the faithful witness to God the Father.

How this impacts on our understanding of Matt 28:19-20 etc. Jesus uses the language of Isaiah in Acts 1:8 “You are My witnesses…” Christians, like Israel, are to be witnesses of God’s mighty acts of salvation. M Henry: God’s people are witnesses for him, and can attest, upon their own knowledge and experience, concerning the power of his grace, the sweetness of his comforts, the tenderness of his providence, and the truth of his promise.

God calls us to bear witness to Him and especially in terms of the Gospel of His salvation in Jesus Christ. Taking up this courtroom imagery – who among nations have every heard of, prophesied or described this way of salvation? The message of salvation (God is holy, man is fallen, we must have a mediator, we can’t secure favour of God for ourselves, that Christ is that mediator and has made an atonement for all who would come to Him through the world of the Spirit of God) is not reflected in any other culture or sacred writings of the world.

As Israel was presented before the court to show the reality of His being, power and grace, so we stand before the world. But though Israel was silent, appears as a passive and reluctant exhibit, let us not be so!

The witness that is set before us here is seen to have 3 realities underpinning it. It is,

a. revelational – note here the propositional statements, but also that these are not human-discerned or discovered, but God revealed – His self-revelation to His people. In v.12 we read he has “declared…caused to hear”. Our witness is not human but divine in origin, and so are not fanciful but real, not changeable but stable.

b. redemptive – this revelation comes in a context of redemption and celebrates that redemptive work as the opening verses of this chapter make clear. God reveals Himself as a God of saving grace; and so our witness is essentially redemptive, always connected to it.

c. repeated – in a sense there is nothing new stated here, it has all been given before throughout their history. God is bringing these truths back to their remembrance – from which we learn that we should undertake to keep them central to our remembrance. At a time when the world seeks to block out any notion let alone remembrance of God, we need to recall, retain, reconsider… to know the God we know. In this regard we see that there is no ‘old news’, nor are we to hunger for something new under the guise of a pursuit of ‘relevance’. Our witness to God is always relevant.

d. received – turning back to v.10 we read that Go’s intent for all His people is “that you may know…believe…understand” with reference to God.

God had brought them to know the truth about Him and as a result to believe and come to understand (to see to the heart of a matter, to discern) that the Lord is unique. The construction behind believe me mostly means ‘believe what I say’ but does include trusting the person. (Motyer)

From which we are reminded that ‘Faith arises out of facts and issues in insight.’ (Motyer).

But we also see that facts in the head are not enough; we must also have truths in the heart. In other words this is not mere truth intellectually grasped, but truth that grasped them, it transformed their lives. So also in 1 Thess 1:6-7 we read “…having received the Word in much affliction with joy in the Spirit so you became examples to all…” – it had taken hold of and was seen in their lives.

They, and we also, are not to be dispassionate witnesses to the truth; speaking of things known, having embraced and known the power of in our lives. Say what you know! But makes sure that what you know, believe and understand is based on God’s revelation. Yet the implication is that we also should grow in what you know, believe and understand so that you may say more.

In v.7 God said He created them, named them with His name, and formed them – but also that He did so “for My glory” – cf v.21, “The people I formed for Myself… proclaim My praise”. It is by the witness which we bear to God that is described in v.11-13 that we see how we will glorify Him, that forms the substance of our praise to and about Him.

As we read these words “I have formed him” (ie changed us), and we think of God re-forming the old nature into a new nature such that sin is seen as our enemy and we love God and we want to serve Him, that is our conversion to Christ – and we see that we are to bear witness to God’s glory, to praise Him for who He is and make known what He has done.

Peter seems to have this passage of Isaiah in mind in 1 Peter 2:9-10 where he describes the purpose for God’s making us a holy priesthood and a royal nation: “…that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.” The confession God’s people are to make concerning God centres on:

1. The eternity of God – “before Me no god was formed, nor…after Me”. He is the “I am”. He has no beginning. He has no end. He is eternal. To the question of v.9, God answers in v.10 ‘I am the one’ –literally “I, I Lord” ie the “I, I, the I am” The emphasis leaves us in no doubts as to God’s assertion. He alone, there is no other; but the formula also contains the truth of the changeless self-consistency of the Lord (Yahweh). When we read Jesus say “I am…” we are to understand it in these terms, as identification with the nature of God. This of course excludes any fruit of human imagination.

2. The only Saviour – v.11 Here we see what it is that God glories in, and it is not so much that He is the only ruler (though He is) but that He is the only Saviour. He delights in mercy and to do good. All that God does is subservient to this reality, He is a Saviour. There may be many claimants, but there is no other who can deliver, no other who does deliver. There is salvation in no-one else. God alone is Saviour. And at the heart of our witness to God is that He is that Saviour – and linked to the reality of His eternity we see He will always be so and His salvation cannot be undone or overcome, nor will there ever be apart from His salvation so freely offered.

So we read concerning the Lord Jesus Christ: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). There are only two religious paths: the broad way of works salvation leading to eternal death, and the narrow way of faith in Jesus, leading to eternal life (Matt. 7:13, 14; cf. John 10:7, 8; 14:6).

3. Consistently Faithful – “I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed” v.12 (note in a tense that speaks of accomplishment). ‘I have shown, but, I have saved, not only foretold what none else could foresee, but done what none else could do – and I have done it all in the open, putting my reputation on the line by making in known beforehand.’ In other words, what God promises He does, and what He does He maintains. As it is put in Psalm 36:5b, “Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds”. Then in v.13,

4. Absolutely Sovereign – “And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?” As Motyer points out, “deliver” speaks of His sovereignty in deciding what to do with people. And “reverse” speaks of His sovereignty in determining the course of events. As with His Word so is His work, it is invincible ( cf Isa 14:27 and Deut 32:39; Dan 4:35).

What is necessary for true faith is that we know who is our God and that it is He who we worship and serve, and no other. How we need to guard our minds and our churches also from the foolish speculations and opinions of men.

In all the days of 2010, indeed in all of our life we are witnesses to the Triune God, we are to be witnesses to God. But is this the essence of our witness? Are we making God known as He has made Himself known in His Word? Are we even concerned t know Him better in tis way as each day progresses?

In many ways this passage is a rebuke to Israel for it appeared as reluctant and passive witness. God is indirectly reproaches their ingratitude, and our ingratitude, if we do not only declare everything that is necessary for maintaining the glory of God in this world.

Such witness that brings glory to God, and to Him alone, we should willingly give and which ought to be heard of with tones of praise for so He is to us, and tones of hope for so He promises to be to all who seek Him. May God give us the grace to consistently acknowledge and display our awareness of His interest, involvement and commitment to us in the ups and downs of daily life.

It is because of who ‘God is’ that ‘we are’ – and that includes being witnesses to Him: “You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem…to the end of the earth.”

Evening Service, 27 December 2009

I don’t know who first said ‘Keep on keeping one’. It is certainly used again and again to convey the idea of perseverance, and as such it is a suitable title to this passage.

When I watch a marathon race I am particularly struck by the reality that despite there being only one winner and only three ‘medallists’, yet everyone is keen to finish. I can understand this in the lesser races – pride and all that drives you on. But there is everything in this race to encourage ‘sense’ to give up. Would not ‘sense’ tell the runner, especially those who can’t possibly win: ‘Why punish myself? My muscle tissue is breaking down, my system is being poisoned, it could take months to get over this. The race already been won – I will only do myself more harm – it’s best if I stop now.’ But they run on.

Why? It is no longer a competitive event, it is an endurance event.

The difference with the Christian life is that it never was a competitive event, but it most certainly is an endurance event. The Bible repeatedly asserts that all genuine believers will endure to the end because of God’s preserving activity (eg Phil 1:6) – but it doesn’t say they will do it without their keeping on (cf Phil 1:27, 28)!

To that end James calls us all to a patient steadfastness, and to those who are considering the call of Christ in the gospel to understand that this is expected of them.

1. The Call Stated – v.7a, 8a

John Blanchard points out that patience means ‘to face even the most adverse circumstances with courage and calm. It also means to restrain one’s anger and resentment … The Bible does not speak of patience in terms of waiting for something to happen, but rather of steadfast endurance while things are happening, and pressing on regardless of what will happen.’

In line with this James, in v.8, calls us to “Establish your hearts”. This is the same word used of Jesus when in Luke 9:51 He “steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem”. Despite all that was going to happen there was a determination to go through it. This, says James, is the type of patience we are to show during our present life in this evil age.

2. But notice the manner in which he calls us to this.

He calls them “Brethren”. As James exhorts them he does so as one standing beside them, not as one superior. It is in the right exercise of fellowship that we find ourselves standing beside each other, encouraging each other. There are times when we both need this and need to do this. It is the godly expression of fellowship love to be alert to doing this as well as receiving such encouragement – but oh how much easier it is to both give as well as receive if it is truly done with undoubtable filial love. God forbid we should ever even be firm without placing it in a setting of genuine and perceivable love.

3. The Duration called for is clear: “until the coming of the Lord.”

By this we are being reminded that the Christian life, that being a Christians is not to be a fashion or a fad – something that is followed for a while but jettisoned when something better comes or because it has just got too hard. Sadly for many people this is all Christianity seems to be to them; something we follow for now, but the time comes when they move on to something or someone else. This is not true Christian experience as described for us in the Bible, and an approach to which James will not have us surrender to.

We are to look to that day with patience, follow Jesus till that day with patience, and that regardless of what comes to us along the way. But how can we possibly do that? Is this not an unreasonable expectation – especially when you think of, and perhaps see in others, some of the pressures and difficulties that come into our lives living in this fallen world? Have we not caught ourselves thinking, ‘Lord I pray, with all sympathy for my brother or sister over there, that I will never have to face that trial – for I know that I would melt away, rather than persevere in faith my faith would peter out.’ But James does not allow us the way out because it may be difficult to us. Our faith is not only for the glad times but even for the sad times. But that being so, how can I persevere seeing I know my weaknesses?

1. It is centred on Jesus’ second coming.

Yes we are to be patient unto the coming of Jesus, but it is also this very coming that is the secret of our patience. This is brought out in v.8: “for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

James uses the coming of that day, its certainty, glory, imminence and surprise as motivations to patience. In other words, as we think of the coming of the Lord in this way we will find ourselves emboldened, find ourselves renewing our grip on the faith, on the Lord, with a clearer determination to persevere to the end. The more real this coming is to us, the more earnest in our Christian life we will be and the less interested in the world and its distractions we will become.

James could have used the death of Christ as a motivation – it is a good and biblical motivation. Instead he uses the end in sight – for we are on the way, we are moving forward, the journey is nearly over, lets not stumble now. With Jesus is our reward, and it is about to be realised.

2. We need to be forward looking – seeing events in this context; that all things are moving forward to that Day.

Have we not in Jesus, in His Second Coming, as well as in His death, every incentive to patience and steadfastness? If we really believe that a change for the better is certain and imminent then we can bear the difficulties associated with the Christian life.

Is it not significant, then, that the first message Jesus sent back from the Throne as He motivated His disciples to work – as communicated by the angel, remembering that angels don’t act on their own initiative but on God’s command – focuses on this (Acts 1:11)? In v.12 we read they then returned. With the promise of His return they returned, but more importantly they returned and began their new life as God’s people. They went back to Jerusalem, fellowshipped and worshipped together, and started thinking about the future as is shown by their identifying a 12th Apostle.

It was not a perfect beginning – the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit was not yet poured out – yet they were moving forward. The view of the Second Coming loomed heavily upon them. Jesus death and ascension is not the end of the story – they knew this and so laboured on with expectation and also with confidence, out of which perseverance was born and nurtured.

3. Here we see, then, the true roots of biblical perseverance

It is not rooted in fatalism which says everything is out of control, nor in an expression of nonchalance which says everything will be OK, somehow.

No, it is rooted in faith that says everything is in God’s control, a control which is ultimately demonstrated in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It is an influential truth that has great power over your outlook and behind your activity driving us on to continue in serving the Lord, the Lord whom we will see and meet; a Kingdom which He will bring to fruition in every sense, the church triumphant, in whose Kingdom we will have an eternal place.

We are shown three examples of patience by James. But as we look at them closely we will see that James, more than driving home a point, is actually facing 3 obstacles to our perseverance:

1. Slow Times – v.7-8

He speaks of a farmer who has learnt to trust in the fullness of time. Time between seed time and harvest may seem slow, but because he has learnt to trust in the regularity and dependability of the seasons he waited. He didn’t pack up bags two thirds of the way through the process. The passage of time – though it may seen slow at times – did not drive him off his land.

Even if the passage of time seems slow it will not alter the reality of the Second Coming. In the fullness of time – that wonderful biblical phrase speaking of God’s eternal plan – can be applied here for it too will come. Has He not come yet? Don’t walk off the Lord’s field, don’t turn your back on Him, He will come – in time and on time. We accept it with natural processes (even as a farmer watches seeds sprout and grow week after week, or as a woman labouring in a difficult pregnancy); let us accept it also of supernatural processes.

2. Sore Times – v.9-10

This is brought out in the example of the Prophets. Jesus warned that there will be those who turn back because life gets too difficult. He also warned that persecution would come. And James knew that it can come with such force and seeming endurance that even true Christians may consider giving up. So he points our attention to the prophets. What they had to endure! Jesus said it was a characteristic of the OT people of God to persecute the prophets, even to kill some of them.

But how did they respond? They remained faithful to their task – seeking God’s honour not their own vindication, they did not fight with others. This is the point of v.9 against grumbling – bickering amongst ourselves, sniping at each other – which is a real temptation during persecution.

But James’ point here is that this is to act contrary to the spirit of the prophets. It was a ‘sore’ time for the prophets but they were not distracted to the point of being super sensitive or grumbling, they were faithful. And so must we be. Don’t let persecution cause you to lash out at or even to blame others, but see that it is part of our calling in Christ, what we are to expect in this present evil age. Let us walk with these prophets then, seeing trials as part of the nature of our road, not an excuse to get off the road.

3. Sad Times – v.11-12

Here we are brought to the example of Job who, though not persecuted by unbelievers, found a time of deep sadness in his life through tragic personal circumstance touching his heart, flesh and mind. How did he respond? Did he turn from God saying it was just too much to bear? His wife was certainly frustrated and called on him to curse God and die. But as much as he failed to understand why it was happening, Job did not turn from God. He did not allow frustration to get the better of him so that he would say something foolish like that suggested by his wife.

This is the point of v.12 in this context. It does not deal with the issue of our practise in the courts. It has an application there, but it really deals with the use of the tongue by those who are not patient. Do not adverse circumstances tend to exasperate us? It is in such times that we are tempted to a rashness of speech. Let us watch our tongues in sad times lest we use God’s name in a light, let alone openly blasphemous, way. ‘The merest whiff of exasperation’, points out Motyer, ‘makes us exclaim “for heaven’s sake”‘. Apart from ‘heaven’ being a shortcut for ‘God’, Motyer stresses that such small beginnings ‘prepares the way for greater’. Should we not also be careful lest we question God’s love, or even make superficial and unreal promises to God? These are all, in effect, a defacto turning from the Lord, not a patient and steadfast trust in the Lord. But we must reject it, and have the patient endurance of Job – having questions yes – but not rejecting God.

With these examples from life and the lives of people just like us, let us admit that there are times when it is hard to ‘keep on keeping on’, when we are tempted to doubt, to despair, and to give in. But like them let us be patient, establishing our hearts with this clearer reality – the Lord is coming! We are going to be with Him, and at the end we also will know that the Lord has been compassionate and merciful.

In the crucial days of 1940 Churchill said to England, ‘Death and sorrow will be the companions on our journey; hardship our garment; constancy and valour our shield. We must be united, we must be undaunted, we must be inflexible’.

In the same way we must be united, undaunted and inflexible – the Lord is coming!