1 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:05,280 So last. Week we talked. 2 00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:08,720 About letting go of our hoarding and being open to letting God. 3 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:11,160 Use whatever we. Have our time. 4 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:14,240 Our money, our. Resources for his Kingdom. 5 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:17,400 What we've been given in this life, we want to use it for 6 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,000 something greater than just our own selves than. 7 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:22,760 Just our own. Lives and everything we do with 8 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:26,720 this mindset will push the Kingdom forward, right? 9 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,160 And this should give us a more hopeful outlook on life. 10 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:32,880 The Kingdom is coming, God is in control. 11 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:35,320 We are being redeemed and changed more and more. 12 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:39,360 Every day that's. Good news and life is good. 13 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:44,400 But I think. There are moments that we hit in 14 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:47,760 this world where life does not. Feel that way? 15 00:00:48,480 --> 00:00:50,440 It almost. Feels like the. 16 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:54,080 King, the message. Of God's Kingdom is out of touch 17 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:56,320 with reality. It's. 18 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,560 Too idealistic. It's too hopeful in a world that 19 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:00,800 can get. Really dark and. 20 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:03,400 Bleak. I remember one of our previous. 21 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,480 Church members being completely distraught after. 22 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:09,640 She started working. At homeless shelters. 23 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,200 No matter how much she. Listened to these people's 24 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:15,800 stories? Try to provide emotional support 25 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:17,880 and comfort. No matter how many plates of 26 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:20,400 food she would serve. Offered prayer for the. 27 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:22,800 Broken the. Knees were too great, the 28 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:25,960 addictions were too deep and there were far too many people. 29 00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:28,240 To reach and there were more and more every. 30 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:31,880 Single day coming. In and she. 31 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,920 Started to give in to despair. It was. 32 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:38,120 Such a confusing time for. Her because she prayed her heart 33 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:40,320 was. Open and vulnerable to love and 34 00:01:40,320 --> 00:01:41,320 give. To other people. 35 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:43,760 But she was. Constantly confronted. 36 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:46,400 With this ugly. Reality that the. 37 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:48,520 World felt. Hopelessly broken. 38 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,320 And any efforts? She made seem to make little 39 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:57,080 progress so our. Passage today speaks. 40 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,040 To this in moments where we feel. 41 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:04,600 Like. What we do isn't even making a 42 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:07,320 dent in moments where. We feel like. 43 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:09,360 The Kingdom is coming and. There's this. 44 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,760 Positive gospel message. And yet it's contrasted by this 45 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:15,960 immense. Darkness and brokenness in our 46 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:18,880 world. So let's let's read this today. 47 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:25,160 Let's go to verses 7 to 12, James chapter 5 and see what 48 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:33,540 James tells us. So after verses one to six have 49 00:02:33,540 --> 00:02:38,680 been read, James moves on to verse 7 therefore. 50 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:41,320 Brothers and sisters. After hearing about. 51 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:46,600 After hearing about. How unjust the world is, how on 52 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,960 the unrighteous are are in control and they're they're 53 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,880 doing all these things on the earth and God will judge them 54 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:54,880 for it. It says therefore brothers and 55 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:55,960 sisters. Be. 56 00:02:55,960 --> 00:03:00,760 Patient until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the 57 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:04,800 precious fruit of the earth and is patient until it receives the 58 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:08,160 early and late rains. You also must be patient. 59 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:11,720 Strengthen your hearts because the Lord's coming is near. 60 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:14,880 Brothers and sisters. Do not complain about one 61 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:16,960 another so that you will not be judged. 62 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:19,840 Look, the judge stands at the door, brothers. 63 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:21,880 And, sisters, take the prophets who spoke. 64 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:24,120 In the Lord's name, as an example of suffering and 65 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:27,120 patience, see, we count as blessed. 66 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:30,800 Those who have endured you have heard of Job's endurance and 67 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,000 have seen the outcome that the Lord brought about. 68 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:37,160 The Lord is compassionate and merciful. 69 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:39,400 Above all, brothers and sisters, do not. 70 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:41,960 Swear either by heaven or by earth, or with. 71 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:45,120 Any other oath? But let your yes mean yes and 72 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:49,080 your no mean no so that you won't fall under judgment. 73 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:57,720 So with this what James has said, if there are any of us 74 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:01,600 that have felt this disconnect between God's word being good 75 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:05,720 and the world being broken and lost, if there are any of us 76 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:08,160 that have been confused. By this. 77 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:13,120 Disconnect. Let's pray that this word can 78 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:15,960 open our eyes to, OK, what are we seeing here? 79 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,720 What's actually happening? What's going on in the Kingdom 80 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:23,680 while we see this on earth? So my question for today is how 81 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,480 can we stay grounded when brokenness in our life feels 82 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:29,440 hopeless? How do? 83 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:32,840 We stay grounded when brokenness in our life feels hopeless. 84 00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:37,160 And I want to focus on this verse here, this phrase in verse 85 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:43,240 8, it says you must also be patient, strengthen your hearts 86 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:46,240 because the Lord's coming is near. 87 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:51,720 So my first point is, how can we stay grounded when we. 88 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:55,560 Strengthen. Ourselves by focusing on Jesus's 89 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:59,840 return. SO chapter. 5/1 through. 6 90 00:04:59,840 --> 00:05:02,320 paints the bleak picture, even if. 91 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:04,000 Christians choose to live. Differently the. 92 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:06,160 Rich will oppress the. Poor, the unrighteous and the 93 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:08,400 unjust will hold. Power and we can get. 94 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,640 Overwhelmed with this sense that the world is not the way it 95 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,600 should be You. Spend time in the world here and 96 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:17,240 it won't be long. Before we recognize that it's 97 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:22,280 depressingly difficult to take a look at all the horrible things 98 00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:25,720 that are happening. Right hearts. 99 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:29,800 Are sinful nations are crooked? I've said this before, but we. 100 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:31,800 Passed. Laws and regulations and we have 101 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,200 a history of. Loopholes and murders. 102 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:36,200 We create a justice. System and there's still 103 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:37,240 corruption and abuse. Of. 104 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:39,120 Power. We create law enforcement and 105 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:41,920 now we have protests over racist police violence. 106 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,600 We create weapons to protect ourselves and then people use 107 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:47,560 them for school shootings. We build charities and funds 108 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:51,480 and, and try to get donations out and these donations get 109 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:53,960 mismanaged or stolen at checkpoints by authorities. 110 00:05:53,960 --> 00:06:00,480 It's like, what? What are we supposed to do now? 111 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:02,920 Are there things in this life that we should be praying for 112 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:05,160 God to change? Absolutely are there. 113 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:07,240 People in this life that God can redeem. 114 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:11,280 Absolutely. But just like this church member 115 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:12,000 that. Went to this. 116 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:15,800 Homeless shelter sometimes the positive. 117 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:17,400 Message. Of the Gospel. 118 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:20,800 Feels almost out of touch. With what's going on around us. 119 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:23,840 And maybe you've been trying to live by your convictions and 120 00:06:23,840 --> 00:06:26,880 make a difference in the world and donate parts of your income 121 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,360 for good causes and charities. You're trying to live 122 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,760 differently at at work and and follow a different path. 123 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,480 But there are some days you just sit and you think to yourself, 124 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,920 man, are we? Even Are we even making a dent? 125 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:44,600 Are we even making a difference? And sometimes. 126 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:46,880 You're at work and you're, it feels like you're trying to swim 127 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:49,800 upstream, trying to live a life of integrity and faithfulness, 128 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:53,000 but no one in your workplace cares about that at all. 129 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:55,880 And they'll, they'll actually take advantage of your value. 130 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:58,360 They use that to get ahead or bury you. 131 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,240 You are trying to live Kingdom mindedly. 132 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:06,080 You are trying to be faithful in a world that does not. 133 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:10,120 Care. Or maybe that brokenness and 134 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:12,560 that sinfulness that you're dealing with it, it's not even 135 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,520 out there. It's the weight of something 136 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:17,080 that you've been carrying. Personally, emotionally, 137 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:19,800 physically. You are struggling with trauma 138 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,840 in your past that feels partially healed, but every once 139 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:24,400 in a while you have a bad episode. 140 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:26,400 And it feels suffocating. Just to be alive. 141 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:29,200 And you question. Am I ever going to get? 142 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:31,600 Rid of this. Will I ever be free? 143 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:34,840 You're dealing with major character flaws in your family 144 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:37,560 and you wonder if they'll ever be self aware or repentant for 145 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:40,480 what they've done. You get discouraged because 146 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,200 you're fighting with chronic pain in your body every day and 147 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:47,080 you long for just one hour, one second of just. 148 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:50,960 Being without it. And maybe you can create some 149 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:54,520 change, take some medicine, get counseling, fix a few things 150 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:56,440 here or there. But it can feel like you're 151 00:07:56,440 --> 00:08:01,040 putting a Band-Aid on a bleeding artery and there is little you 152 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:05,800 can do, it feels like, to stem the tide of so much hurt and so 153 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:07,840 much pain and so much brokenness. 154 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:14,640 And in light of all this, James is telling us in verse. 7:00 to 155 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:17,000 8:00. Strengthen. 156 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,440 Your hearts hope. Is coming. 157 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:25,320 The Lord's coming is near. Now, patience is a big part of 158 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:28,480 this and and I'll get into that in the next point, but I want to 159 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:31,240 focus on this phrase here. Strengthen your. 160 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:32,440 Hearts with the. Lord's coming. 161 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:35,200 When Christians are. Faced with a. 162 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:38,360 Broken and unjust. World their hearts. 163 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:42,480 Are meant to be comforted. With Jesus's return. 164 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:45,200 And in moments. Where? 165 00:08:45,680 --> 00:08:47,920 We feel that. Way this is what we. 166 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:53,320 Are to remember. We are not God and we are not 167 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:54,600 expected. To save the. 168 00:08:54,600 --> 00:09:04,360 World Jesus is God had to come. We are not capable of rescuing 169 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:07,600 everyone or everything. There is a. 170 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:11,880 Humility in recognizing we are not the Savior and no matter how 171 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:15,920 much good we try to do, there comes a point where we just have 172 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:23,400 to point upward. And say hope is there, he's 173 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:26,880 coming. Jesus had to come down to make 174 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:32,280 that possible, and then he's going to come back to finish the 175 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:36,800 job. I went through a YouTube phase a 176 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:38,560 while ago where I. Couldn't stop watching. 177 00:09:38,560 --> 00:09:41,600 Videos of. Colorblind people getting these. 178 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:44,080 Glasses that fix their. Color blindness. 179 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:45,840 I don't know if you guys know about this, but there's 180 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:49,840 something in these lenses. That will adjust your eyes and 181 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:50,080 all. Of a. 182 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:52,000 Sudden they can. See the colors they've never 183 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:56,920 been able to see? So when they, so there's this. 184 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,120 One instance. That sticks in my. 185 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:00,880 Memory and these. Kids get their. 186 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:04,040 Colorblind dad these. Glasses as a. 187 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:07,600 Surprise and they. Take him to a sunset and the 188 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:12,200 kids are going, wow, just look at that. 189 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:15,520 That's beautiful, isn't it? Is it's just beautiful. 190 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:18,480 And then the phone pans over to the dad, and the dad's like 191 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:22,360 looking at everyone, and he's just like, yeah, cool, great. 192 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:26,840 Can't see anything and then the kids give him the glasses right 193 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:30,480 there. And he he just go, what's this? 194 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:34,520 Try them on? And he puts it on for like one 195 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:36,560 second. He immediately takes it off and 196 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:43,040 just starts crying. He he can't hold it together and 197 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:45,760 it takes a minute before he can put them on again and then look 198 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:49,840 again and and see it. Something that this? 199 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:52,720 Man has been living his whole life without something he's been 200 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:55,640 longing to see. His whole life. 201 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,120 Is suddenly tangible. It's real. 202 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:02,080 And I think this resonates with me so. 203 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:05,200 Deeply, because that's what it will be. 204 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:08,760 Like when Jesus comes back one day. 205 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:14,040 For all of us, we know that the world is not the way it should 206 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:17,520 be. We know something is missing, we 207 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:21,440 know something is broken, we know something is better and 208 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:23,640 beautiful and good and it's out there. 209 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:25,120 We just don't know how to make it. 210 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:27,920 Happen or how to get there but when? 211 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:29,160 Jesus. Returns. 212 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:33,240 It'll be like getting these glasses, putting them on, and 213 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,480 everything that we feel like we've been missing or longing 214 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:40,640 for is there. We understand it now. 215 00:11:41,560 --> 00:11:45,560 Everything that's been broken gets put in place, everything 216 00:11:45,560 --> 00:11:48,000 that we feel like we've been missing is suddenly all the 217 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:53,720 questions we've had for God are. Suddenly answered, so I hope. 218 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:55,600 Church. The next. 219 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:59,080 Time we feel overwhelmed by the brokenness and the. 220 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:02,760 Pain that we. See, we are meant to strengthen. 221 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:08,360 Ourselves with this hope. Jesus's second coming doesn't 222 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:09,480 just. Answer our. 223 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:11,040 Questions. Everything. 224 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:13,800 That we've gone through Will. Actually just make sense. 225 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:19,280 He's going to redeem it all. He's going to make it right. 226 00:12:23,680 --> 00:12:26,280 But in order for. Any of this? 227 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:30,880 To make sense. Now or for. 228 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:33,800 Any of us to feel this? Strength that's meant to come 229 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:37,320 from that hope. We need a key ingredient. 230 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:40,640 There is something. That we need. 231 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:43,920 In order to strengthen our hearts with this if we don't 232 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:45,200 have. This one thing. 233 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:47,160 This life. Will be very. 234 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:50,720 Difficult to walk. Through and James has written it 235 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:53,440 all over this passage and in some places all over this book. 236 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:57,160 How can we stay? Grounded when brokenness in our 237 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:00,880 life feels hopeless by. Cultivating patience. 238 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:04,040 In our life by cultivating patience. 239 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:08,640 In our life and just verses 7 to. 8 James says the word. 240 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:12,120 Patience three times. You cannot strengthen your 241 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:13,680 heart. In the Lord if. 242 00:13:13,680 --> 00:13:15,280 You do not. Cultivate this. 243 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:20,520 Aspect and in verse 7, James. Uses the example of a farmer 244 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:22,680 like a farmer. Waits for rain. 245 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:25,680 Like a farmer waits for his. Crops to grow. 246 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:29,040 There are some things in life you cannot. 247 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:32,080 Force there are. Some things in your life you 248 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,840 cannot rush the. Only thing left. 249 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:36,360 To do at this. Point. 250 00:13:36,680 --> 00:13:38,680 Is to. Patiently wait. 251 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:43,200 Rain will come. The crops will grow. 252 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:47,000 But in this moment. There is nothing more you can 253 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:49,040 do. You can. 254 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:52,960 Only be patient. And then he starts to. 255 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:55,280 Unpack examples of what this. Patient might. 256 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:57,320 Patients might look like in versus. 9:00 to 12:00. 257 00:13:57,840 --> 00:13:58,520 It's. Almost like a. 258 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:00,160 Litmus test. For whether? 259 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:01,760 Or not you. Have this patience. 260 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:03,760 Do you know if you're? Living your life this way, do 261 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:05,880 you know? If you're cultivating patience 262 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:09,320 in your life, then. Look at verse. 9:00 to 12:00. 263 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:13,720 He's saying here, brothers and sisters, do not complain. 264 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:15,520 About one another so that you will not. 265 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:17,200 Be judged. Look, the judge stands at the 266 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:18,520 door. Brothers and sisters, take the 267 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:19,960 prophets who spoke in the Lord. 'S name. 268 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:23,640 As an example of suffering in patients, see as we count as 269 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:25,720 blessed those who. Have endured. 270 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,160 You have heard your of job's endurance. 271 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:29,560 And have seen. The outcome that the. 272 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:31,040 Lord brought about. The Lord is. 273 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:34,200 Compassionate and merciful. Above all, my brothers and 274 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,560 sisters, do not swear either by heaven or by. 275 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,760 Earth or any other oath? But let your yes mean yes and 276 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:42,320 your no mean no so that you won't fall under. 277 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:46,520 Judgment James is. Essentially saying. 278 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,240 Here. If we do not strengthen. 279 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:50,760 Ourselves. If we don't. 280 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:54,520 Harden our resolve if we don't. Steal ourselves with patience 281 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:57,480 through hardship and suffering. You're going to start to see 282 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:59,240 these. Symptoms leak out of your life. 283 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:01,560 Verse 9. You're going to start to 284 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:04,880 complain. About other people and focus on 285 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:07,720 judging other people's faults. Instead of patiently showing 286 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:11,240 grace instead of. Showing grace to other people, 287 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:13,200 the same grace that. You want God to show to you. 288 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:18,720 And verse 12, you're going to start to be tempted to stop 289 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:20,760 being true to your. Word to stop. 290 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:22,720 Living with integrity. Because your workplace. 291 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:24,960 Sure doesn't value it because your boss seems to reward. 292 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:27,760 People that that. Leave behind moral character and 293 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,000 chase profit or be a winner in society. 294 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:34,680 Then there's the. The if that's what we're going. 295 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:37,080 Through if this is what we're. Facing then. 296 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:42,040 There is a. Need to cultivate patience a 297 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:43,400 patience. That actually. 298 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:45,040 Might even make. Your life more. 299 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:46,280 Difficult in the short. Run. 300 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:50,240 And you might. Suffer consequences for choosing 301 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:53,520 to do things God's way instead of this other way. 302 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:57,760 But like. Like a farmer. 303 00:15:57,840 --> 00:15:58,840 Who's waiting? For his. 304 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:01,080 Crop to grow. Like verse 11? 305 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:03,520 Job who suffered? But was later shown compassion 306 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:08,120 and mercy from God. This patience bears fruit. 307 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:12,280 Strengthen your resolve. Hold to the truth. 308 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,360 Hold on to what you know is good, even if it feels like. 309 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:16,400 No one else. Cares. 310 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:18,520 Even if it. Feels like no one else sees. 311 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:23,760 God recognizes you. He sees you. 312 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:31,000 And he will have compassion and show mercy, I think. 313 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:35,760 This is something that's that's. Very difficult to cultivate in 314 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:38,520 our society today. Our society. 315 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:40,880 Does not value. Patients at all? 316 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,000 What our Society of values is. Efficiency. 317 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:45,960 Streamlining everything, speeding up everything. 318 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:49,280 It it. And to some degree, it makes. 319 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:51,880 Sense that's fair. Good customer. 320 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:53,440 Service is, isn't. Probably. 321 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:54,960 Something that should take very long. 322 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:57,040 Right, you should probably get what you want. 323 00:16:57,040 --> 00:17:00,200 Very quickly so. 2 day shipping tops. 324 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:02,160 You. Get you want, you know you want 325 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:04,800 your coffee when you right when you come in so you can get out. 326 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:07,720 It doesn't buy it ahead of time on the app. 327 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:11,000 You can stream your movie at at home. 328 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:12,119 Don't go to. The theater. 329 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:14,280 Want to watch? You don't want to watch a whole 330 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:16,200 movie? Don't worry, YouTube's got like 331 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:19,839 10 minute like summaries. You could just watch this thing 332 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:21,680 with an AI voice over and be like. 333 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:24,480 A man goes. To a store and like, you know 334 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:27,079 what I'm saying? Like it's just there's these 335 00:17:27,079 --> 00:17:30,120 ways to rush through. Everything and go through life. 336 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:33,320 You don't want to deal holistically with this employee 337 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:35,880 and their whole life. Hire fast, fire fast, right? 338 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:39,720 It's like we are. Just go, go, go and. 339 00:17:41,120 --> 00:17:44,400 What's become increasingly evident in our society is that 340 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:50,600 patience is not. A virtue, impatience and rushing 341 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:54,840 results is praised. The only people we encourage 342 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:56,040 with patience. These days. 343 00:17:56,040 --> 00:18:00,080 Are our children and everyone else in society? 344 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:09,040 Rushes, but James is telling us. Dial it back, guys. 345 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:11,680 Be patient. Slow. 346 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,680 Down it will come. It will happen. 347 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:17,000 It's just going to take a little more time. 348 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:21,440 The last time I was. Up here I I talked about. 349 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:25,320 Catechisms I was going through with my son and one of them. 350 00:18:25,360 --> 00:18:28,440 That's helped. With my son Eli, when I get 351 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:33,080 angry is it's a simple calm response based on James 119 352 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,320 where James says be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow 353 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:38,880 to anger. So whenever I get mad, Eli will 354 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:41,920 ask me dad. What does God want you to? 355 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:45,200 Do right now and I need to respond. 356 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:53,080 Slow down, breathe and love you. Slow down, breathe and love you. 357 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:58,840 Sometimes I I just need that phrase to help me remember. 358 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:04,000 He's 5, he's 5. What am I doing? 359 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:09,400 Why am I so mad sometimes I. I need to. 360 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:11,720 Remember that what he's doing right now is not what he's going 361 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:15,480 to be doing later on. I need to remember that I don't 362 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:17,600 have to fix everything he does wrong right now. 363 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:22,720 He's going to get there. It's going to be fine, and I 364 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:24,280 think most of us forget that about our. 365 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:26,000 Relationships and our. Spirituality. 366 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:30,360 I think we we. Tend to get most angry and most. 367 00:19:30,360 --> 00:19:33,360 Frustrated and most. Anxious when we are the most 368 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:35,840 rushed, huh? Yeah. 369 00:19:37,120 --> 00:19:39,040 Like when we feel. Most pressed for time. 370 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:41,640 We're just like. Get get off the get in the car 371 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:45,160 like we're going to church. Hurry up, we're late. 372 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:46,800 You know, like even just getting. 373 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:52,280 Here often times. Having the right response 374 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:55,880 doesn't come down to just fixing that thing in the moment or 375 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:58,520 correcting that response. From my dad that I don't like 376 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:00,920 or. Fixing this and that it, it's 377 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:04,600 just sometimes it's just letting things be the way they are right 378 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:07,120 now and. Knowing that it's going to work 379 00:20:07,120 --> 00:20:11,640 out eventually. And James is right to point out 380 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:15,920 when we are the most impatient, verse 9, we're going to think 381 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:19,680 everyone else is the problem. Man, if that. 382 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:22,080 Guy would just listen if if he would just. 383 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:28,280 He needs to stop doing this. She's got a but in reality. 384 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:36,600 I'm impatient, we're impatient, we're impatient. 385 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:37,360 And it. Hurts. 386 00:20:39,120 --> 00:20:40,800 It hurts. My kids feelings, we're 387 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:43,480 impatient and it hurts. My family, we're impatient and 388 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:44,360 it. Hurts our. 389 00:20:44,360 --> 00:20:46,360 Friendship. We're impatient and it hurt this 390 00:20:46,360 --> 00:20:49,520 church or that small group and. People are broken. 391 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:51,840 The world is broken. And I'm angry. 392 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:54,040 Or I'm. Discouraged not because things 393 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:57,120 are hopeless. But because I'm impatient. 394 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:02,520 You see, I think we have an impatience problem in our life 395 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:05,520 because patients can feel like we're not dealing with the 396 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:09,240 problem right now. Patients can feel like a vice. 397 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:11,880 Patients can feel like laziness or procrastination. 398 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:15,120 We're just putting off this problem until until down the 399 00:21:15,120 --> 00:21:16,240 road we got to deal with it again. 400 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:22,120 So let's let's do it now. But that's. 401 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:25,200 Not what patience is. That's not what patience is 402 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:28,520 meant to be. Here's my working definition of 403 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:34,000 patience. Patience is accepting. 404 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:39,360 The present as it is and trusting that over time. 405 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:44,600 God will bring change. Patience is. 406 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:46,360 Accepting the present. As it is. 407 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:50,600 And trusting over time. God will faithfully. 408 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:56,080 Bring change. You let things be the way they 409 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:57,760 are now. With the. 410 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:05,440 Confidence that in time, eventually but surely God will 411 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:11,040 change things. Is there anything in your life 412 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:14,080 that you've been anxious about? Frustrated with? 413 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:16,360 You're on edge. Because you're just. 414 00:22:16,360 --> 00:22:21,440 Rushing, you're just. Going because for. 415 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:23,920 Some reason the pace of your life or the. 416 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:26,240 Pace of your work or the? Society around you. 417 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:30,120 Has LED you to believe that. You need to get things fixed, 418 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:35,960 done, packaged, ready to go right now rather than remember 419 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:37,480 there are just some things in life. 420 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:42,520 That take time. Relationships take time. 421 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:46,880 Parenting takes time. Loving people takes time. 422 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:50,560 Forgiveness takes time. Building community takes time. 423 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:53,680 Being changed by the Holy Spirit takes time. 424 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:59,160 These are things that will come. Eventually, but you're. 425 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:02,240 Running through life like a farmer yelling at the. 426 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:04,640 Ground because the. Plants aren't growing fast. 427 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:08,640 Enough for you complaining that the. 428 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:14,440 Rain won't fall faster. It's going to happen. 429 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:21,080 It's going to happen. And maybe what you need to do 430 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:24,280 right now isn't start this next thing, start this project, push 431 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:25,960 this relationship. Do do do. 432 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:30,640 Faster, faster rush rush. Maybe God is calling you back. 433 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:37,800 To a season of patience. Are we cultivating this in our 434 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:43,080 life? We have this promise in the 435 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:46,600 gospel message. Change will come. 436 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:50,760 What's? Broken will be mended, what's 437 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:53,280 lost will be found. And when Jesus comes back? 438 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:55,920 All of it. Everything changes. 439 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:58,560 It's going to be like it was in Genesis. 440 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:01,400 God made it. It was good. 441 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:08,320 So the next time we feel overwhelmed by the brokenness of 442 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:11,720 the world, The next time we feel rushed to fix everything now. 443 00:24:12,360 --> 00:24:15,160 The next time we're frustrated or angry with someone or 444 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:16,760 something. We need to be. 445 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:19,520 Strengthened with this. Thought the. 446 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:23,440 Lord has not stopped working. Amen. 447 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:30,040 He will make things right. Our job right now? 448 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:34,440 Is to be. Faithful and wait patiently. 449 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:40,880 So can we say this? I want to try something 450 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,240 different with our with the main point today I want. 451 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:44,840 I want to actually. Say it together. 452 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:47,880 As something that we vow to do as. 453 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:49,680 Something that we commit ourselves to doing. 454 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:50,840 So can we? Do this together. 455 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:54,360 I'm going to say. How can we stay grounded? 456 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:58,600 Can we put up the main point? How can we stay grounded when 457 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:00,560 brokenness in our life? Feels hopeless. 458 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:04,320 Let's say it together, when the brokenness of this world feels. 459 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:05,960 Overwhelming. We will. 460 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:10,040 Strengthen ourselves by. Patiently hoping in Jesus's 461 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:11,400 return. Amen. 462 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:23,140 Let's pray. I think this Advent season is. 463 00:25:23,140 --> 00:25:27,700 So. Well timed with this message, 464 00:25:29,900 --> 00:25:31,540 Advent is a time where we. We. 465 00:25:31,540 --> 00:25:33,060 We. There's nothing more to do. 466 00:25:33,060 --> 00:25:35,260 Except wait. For the coming Savior, right? 467 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:39,400 And I think maybe some of you in your life, you've been, you've 468 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:44,760 been feeling rushed, you've been setting this breakneck pace, but 469 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:49,240 maybe God is calling you to slow down and be patient. 470 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:56,040 Things will come with time. You cannot rush this. 471 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:00,880 Let's pray.