“Our Endurance through affliction is possible and meaningful because Christ will return and make all things right.”
James 5:7-11
Patience in Suffering
7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.
8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the
steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is
compassionate and merciful.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Jas 5:7–11). (2016). Crossway Bibles.
Big Idea:
“Our Endurance through affliction is possible and meaningful because Christ will return and make all things right”
Discipleship Group Questions:
1. How does a firm grasp of God’s coming justice change our view of our sufferings
now?
2. Why is it hard to think like this? Why is it liberating to do so?
3. What was the one primary application James makes for his suffering audience? (See
vs.9)
4. How will you think and live differently today if you remember that “The Judge is at
the door”?
5. As you think about your own circumstances, what aspect(s) of the examples of the
prophets and Job particularly encouraged you?
Quotes:
God, in the great day, will recompense his people before all the world, for every secret prayer, and secret tear, and secret sigh, and secret groan that hath come from his people. God, in the great day, will declare to men and angels, how often his people have been in pouring out their souls before him in such and such holes, corners, and secret places; and accordingly he will reward them.
Ah, Christians! did you really believe this, and seriously dwell on this, you would,
(1.) Walk more thankfully.
(2.) Work more cheerfully.
(3.) Suffer more patiently.
(4.) Fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil, more courageously.
(5.) Lay out yourselves for God, his interest and glory, more freely.
(6.) Live with what providence hath cut out for your portion, more quietly and
contentedly. And,
(7.) You would be in private prayer more frequently, more abundantly. 1
1 Brooks, T. (1866). The Complete Works of Thomas Brooks (A. B. Grosart, Ed.; Vol. 2, pp. 173–174). James Nichol;
James Nisbet and Co.; G. Herbert.