This week we are continuing our series from the Book of Philippians. We are up to chapter four, which is our final message. The title of my message is “Be content to live in Christ’s strength and provision”.

So far, we have seen…

1. Paul was thankful for the Philippians and he prayed that they would grow in their faith.
2. Paul was thankful that Christ was being preached. Even though he was in prison.
3. Paul lived his life for Christ. To Paul to live is Christ, to die is gain.
4. Paul asked them to live as citizens of heaven. He wanted them to represent Christ well.
5. Have the attitude of Christ – be unified, be interested in others, be humble.
6. Shine brightly for Christ – continue to shine whether Paul is with them or not.
7. Paul commended Timothy – he cared for the Philippians, he cared for Christ’s work, he helped Paul greatly.
8. Paul commended Epaphroditus – a true brother, a co-worker, a fellow soldier, and a messenger in his need.
9. The priceless value in knowing Christ – knowing Christ is far more important and valuable than anything else in this world.
10. Pressing on towards the goal – we need to press in to Christ and our relationship with Him with the discipline and determination of an athlete.
11. We ARE citizens of heaven – we need to live a life worthy of our new home and status.

Today we have four more points to add to this list, but first let us have a look at the text.

Bible Reading – Philippians 4:1-23

Message Points

1. Get on well and work well with each other

In verse 2 Paul appeals to Euodia and Syntyche. “Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement”.

In chapter two Paul spoke about being unified. This time he speaks about a disagreement that had been ongoing between two keys women in the church.

Two women, Euodia and Syntyche, are instructed to bring their attitudes into harmony. Paul does not indicate which one was in the wrong but knows that if the attitude of each would be formed “in the Lord,” the disharmony would vanish. Paul’s method of handling the problem suggests that it was not a doctrinal issue, but a clash of personalities.

Euodia and Syntyche had once worked side by side with Paul in the past. Paul hope they would be able to do so again. This issue is so important to Paul that asks a third person to be involved to helps sort it out. He uses the term “true partner” in the NLT or “loyal yokefellow” in the NIV.

This squabbling reminds me of the issues in 1 Corinthians 1. Where people were arguing over who they follow. Some said they followed Paul, some Peter, some Apollos, some followed Christ. To this Paul said, “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose” (v10).

As I said several weeks ago, if 100 pianos tuned by the same tuning fork, they are automatically tuned to each other. If these two women tuned themselves in to Christ, then the issue might be resolved and they would be able to work together again.

It is so important that we get on well as Christians and co-workers for the Kingdom. Why? Because the world is watching and often they judge our ability or inability to get along as a true test of our faith. In John Jesus said people will know we are His disciples because our love for one another (John 13:35). So, we need to be tuned to Christ and work hard at getting along with each other. It really is that important. Both to Paul and ultimately to Jesus.

2. Don’t worry, pray

Verse 6 says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done”.

Sometimes I think worry is the default setting for us who live in this world. This is why prayer is so important. I read three short stories about worry this week.

The first was… “For several years a woman had been having trouble getting to sleep at night because she feared burglars. One night her husband heard a noise in the house, so he went downstairs to investigate. When he got there, he did find a burglar. “Good evening,” said the man of the house. “I am pleased to see you. Come upstairs and meet my wife. She has been waiting 10 years to meet you.”

The second was…  “Worry is fear’s extravagance. It extracts interest on trouble before it comes due. It constantly drains the energy God gives us to face daily problems and to fulfill our many responsibilities. It is therefore a waste. A woman who had lived long enough to have learned some important truths about life remarked, “I’ve had a lot of trouble — most of which never happened!” She had worried about many things that had never occurred, and had come to see the total futility of her anxieties.”

A better way is to follow Hudson Taylor’s advice… Hudson Taylor, missionary to China and founder of what is today known as the Overseas Missionary Fellowship, gave this excellent advice: “Let us give up our work, our plans, ourselves, our lives, our loved ones, our influence, our all, right into [God’s] hand; and then, when we have given all over to Him, there will be nothing left for us to be troubled about.”

The last story is more in line with our text today. When we give up our worries, cares and anxieties to God in prayer, we don’t need to worry any more. When we connect with God, we exchange our needs and concerns for His peace. Verse 7 says when we pray, “…you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Isaiah 26:3 also tells us, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!”

So, don’t worry, pray and leave it with God.

3. Focus on what is good and put God’s Word into practice

In verse 8 Paul says, “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise”.

Paul encourages us to focus on what is good. He says to “fix our thoughts” on these things. What things did Paul want us to fix our minds on? Things that are true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Verse 9 says, “Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me–everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”

Paul not only wanted them to focus on good things, he wanted them to follow his example.

One of the commentaries I read this said this about verses 8-9…

4:8 What we put into our minds determines what comes out in our words and actions. Paul tells us to program our minds with thoughts that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise. Do you have problems with impure thoughts and daydreams? Examine what you are putting into your mind through television, Internet, books, conversations, movies, video games, and magazines. Replace harmful input with wholesome material. Above all, read God’s Word and pray. Ask God to help you focus your mind on what is good and pure. It takes practice, but it can be done.

4:9 It’s not enough to hear or read the Word of God or even to know it well. We must also put it into practice. How easy it is to listen to a sermon and forget what the preacher said. How easy it is to read the Bible and not think about how to live differently. How easy it is to debate what a passage means and not live out that meaning. Exposure to God’s Word is not enough. It must lead to obedience.

These two comments capture Paul’s thoughts. For the Philippians to be all they can be for God, they needed to focus on the good things and put Paul’s example and the Word of God into practice.

4. Be content with where God has you

In verses 10-11 he says, “10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.”

The text today and the parallel passage from Acts 16 tells us that the church at Philippi had helped Paul on a number of occasions. In fact, they were one of the churches that helped him while in prison and while in Macedonia. Paul really appreciated their help, but says he was content in the times of plenty and the times of trial or lack.

In 2 Corinthians 11:23b-28 he talks about some of his trials. “23 … I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.  24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.  25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.  26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.  27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.  28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.”

Paul had been through a lot. Both good and bad. More than most of us will ever experience for the Gospel. Regardless of this, Paul said in verse 11, “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have”. Paul knew Christ was enough. If he had lots, it was enough. If he had nothing, that was enough too.

Two things in today’s passage help us to be content.

The first is found in verse 13. It says, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

Christ, is all powerful. He can do all things. There is nothing He can’t do. His power is there to sustain us and to empower us to do the work He calls us to.

All the strength we need to do what we need to do today and what we need to do tomorrow is found in Christ.

The second one is found in verse 19. It says, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”

Not only do we have the strength. God promises to supply our needs in Christ Jesus. Psalms 50:9-11 says, “But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens.  10 For all the animals of the forest are Mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.  11 I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are Mine.”

God owns all the cattle on all the hills. If we need something, He can get it to us.

For us as Christians today, it is important for us to learn to be content with were we are and what God has us doing. He not only gives us strength, but He also supplies all our needs. So, let us be content.

Closing Summary

So today let us remember these four things from Philippians chapter four.

1. Get on well and work well with each other
2. Don’t worry, pray and give it to God
3. Focus on what is good and put God’s Word into practice
4. Be content with where God has you

Amen

Today we are continuing in our series from Philippians and we are looking at chapter three. The title of my message is “The priceless value of knowing Christ”. So far, we have seen…

1. Paul was thankful for the Philippians and he prayed that they would grow in their faith.
2. Paul was thankful that Christ was being preached. Even though he was in prison.
3. Paul lived his life for Christ. To Paul to live is Christ, to die is gain.
4. Paul asked them to live as citizens of heaven. He wanted them to represent Christ well.
5. Have the attitude of Christ – be unified, be interested in others, be humble.
6. Shine brightly for Christ – continue to shine whether Paul is with them or not.
7. Paul commended Timothy – he cared for the Philippians, he cared for Christ’s work, he helped Paul greatly.
8. Paul commended Epaphroditus – a true brother, a co-worker, a fellow soldier, and a messenger in his need.

So already we have seen a lot. We have also got a big glimpse of Paul’s heart and his love for the church at Philippi. Today we will see three more main points.

Bible Reading – Philippians 3:1-21

Message Points

Today I want to share three main points.

1. The priceless value of knowing Christ

My first point today is the “Priceless value of knowing Christ”. It is found in verses 3:1-11.

In the first part of chapter three Paul shares the idea that knowing Christ is everything. This is something he held dear and he taught to others. In verse 1 he says, “I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith”.

Why would he say he wants to safeguard their faith? In verses 2-4 Paul then talks about people wanting to get them to live under the old ways. Things like circumcision and following the Law in their own strength to make them right with God.

It seems in our reading of the New Testament that often when Paul went and planted churches, people would follow his path and try to pervert the truth. Often this meant turning people back to old Jewish customs and ways of living. Some Jewish converts could not just let go of the past. Some deep down wanted to work for their salvation. Some wanted to hold on to power.

Paul knew and understood this way of living. In verses 4-6 he lists his long list of achievements as a Jew and a Pharisee. Paul described himself as a Hebrew of Hebrews. This means both his mother and father all the way back was Jewish. There were no other nations mixed in his heritage. He also says he lived out the Law without fault, he persecuted the early church with a passion and he was a member of the tribe of Benjamin. The Tribe of Benjamin was the only tribe that stayed faithful to God when the Northern and Southern Kingdoms were divided. This tribe also gave the nation its first king, whom Paul/Saul was named after. So, in his own eyes he really thought he was serving God as good anyone could possibly do.

The Pharisees

The Pharisees were a strict religious sect that numbered about 6000 in total at the time of Christ.  They were lay people who were middle class merchants that devoted themselves to the observance of the Law of Moses (first five books of Old Testament as we know it) and they also paid special attention to laws that were interpreted by the Rabbi’s to protect and apply the law to everyday life. There were laws 613 in total.

In many ways the Pharisees saw themselves as religious purists who were enthusiastically committed to preserving and obeying the law and they were keen to encourage others to do so. To ensure they kept ritually pure the Pharisees had a number of strict rules in regard to washing, eating, tithing, the Sabbath, divorce, oaths and clothing.

Why did the Pharisees think keeping the law was so important? For the Pharisee their religion was not just a profession it was more of a way of life. The strived hard to follow the law and keep ritually pure to be “right” with God. The Pharisees wanted Israel to be a holy nation and a kingdom of priests. They also believe that once Israel had remained pure for a time then the Messiah would come.

So back to Paul. In light of what a Pharisees is and Paul’s list of “achievements”, if anyone had the right to be proud of his efforts it would be Paul. But as we see in verses 7-8 he had a change of heart and life…

“I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ”.

Paul realised that knowing Christ and being known by Christ was all that was needed to find salvation. As he says in verse 9, “I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith”.

All the things that Paul thought very priceless and valuable, became like garbage to him. His family line of being a Hebrew of Hebrews – garbage. His belonging to the Tribe of Benjamin – garbage. His standing as a Pharisee – garbage. He discarded them all.

For us as Christians today there is a priceless value in knowing Christ too. We can’t save ourselves. We can’t work for our salvation. It is all accomplished in what Jesus did for us on the cross. He made a way, where there was no other way.

Not only is our salvation priceless, but our lives now are priceless too. We live this life now knowing that we are valuable to God and we are a key part of His continued mission in this world. We have a job to do. We have a part to play. We serve God with our gifts, we love and encourage one another, we reach people with the love and saving message of Christ. We make disciples.

So today let us hold firmly to Christ and put all our faith and hope in Him. He alone makes us righteous and right with the Father. Christ is all we need and there is priceless value in knowing Him.

2. Pressing towards the goal

Me second point comes from verses 12-21 and is “Pressing toward the goal”.

In verses 12-14 Paul says, “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us”.

As I was reflecting on this I read the notes in the Life Application Study Bible for verses 12-14. It is interesting and explains this section well…

“3:12-14 Paul said that his goal was to know Christ, to be like Christ, and to be all Christ had in mind for him. This goal took all of Paul’s energies. This is a helpful example for us. We should not let anything take our eyes off our goal—knowing Christ. With the single-mindedness of an athlete in training, we must lay aside everything harmful and forsake anything that may distract us from being effective Christians. What is holding you back?”

I think the first line says it all – to know Christ, to be like Christ, and to be all Christ had in mind for him”.

This idea is much deeper than coming to Christ for our salvation and knowing we will go to heaven when we die. It is all about knowing Christ, growing to be like Christ and being disciplined like an athlete to be all you can be for Christ.

In the same way, Paul tells us to be disciplined like an athlete. We need to put time and energy into our relationship with God and our growth in our faith. Spending time alone with God in prayer, reading our Bibles and fellowship are things that Pastors, Elders and guest speakers talk about often. This is because they work. They help us to press on towards the goal of knowing Christ and becoming like Him.

3. We ARE citizens of heaven

This is the second time in this short book Paul has talked about being citizens of heaven. In Philippians 1:27 he said…

“Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News”.

In verse 20 of today’s text her says, “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Saviour.”

In chapter one verse 27 he calls us to live a life worthy of being a citizen of heaven. In this verse he reiterates that we are citizens of heaven.

Again, as I was researching I found the notes in the NLT LASB had some good thoughts. It said this on verse 20…

“Citizens of a Roman colony were expected to promote the interests of Rome and maintain the dignity of the city. In the same way, citizens of heaven ought to promote heaven’s interests on earth and lead lives worthy of heavenly citizenship. Too many Christians have failed to transfer their citizenship to heaven. They still seek earthly pleasures and treasures instead of heavenly ones. Paul told the Philippians to remember that they are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. Have you transferred your citizenship? How are you promoting heaven’s interests?”

Not only should we live lives worthy of our new citizenship, but we need to remember we ARE citizens of heaven. As I have said before, our passports are not stamped with just an entry visa, our passports are brand new heavenly ones issued from the throne room of God.

Closing summary

So, in summary today I just want to summarize Paul’s heart from chapter three.

1. The priceless value in knowing Christ – knowing Christ is far more important and valuable than anything else in this world.
2. Pressing on towards the goal – we need to press in to Christ and our relationship with Him with the discipline and determination of an athlete.
3. We ARE citizens of heaven – we need to live a life worthy of our new home and status.

Amen.

This week I want to start a new series of messages based on the Book of Philippians. Over the coming weeks I want to look at one chapter a week and work our way through.

The title of my message today is, “Living wholeheartedly for Christ”. It is inspired by the Apostle Paul’s attitude in chapter one.

Introduction to Philippians

Paul’s Letter to the Philippians was written to the first church that Paul established on European soil. Paul established the church on his second missionary journey in 49AD.
It was in the Roman province of Macedonia. It was written while the Apostle Paul was in prison. On Paul’s first visit to Philippi he was thrown in jail (Acts 16). On his second visit he was thrown in jail again.

The main reason for writing the letter was to thank the Philippian Christians for the gift which they had sent to help him in his time of need. He also uses this letter to reassure them, so that they may have courage and confidence in spite of all his troubles and their own as well.

Paul pleads with the church to have the humble attitude of Jesus, rather than to be controlled by selfish ambition and pride. He reminds them that their life in union with Christ is a gift of God’s grace which they have received through faith, not through obedience to the ceremonies of the Jewish Law.

Some of the other themes of this letter are joy, confidence, unity, and perseverance in the Christian faith and life. It also reveals the deep affection Paul had for the church at Philippi.

Bible Reading

Philippians 1:1-30 

Message Points

Today I want to share four main points as a part of my message. They pretty much follow the structure of chapter one.

1. Paul’s thanksgiving and prayer

The first point comes from verses 3-11. This section is titled, “Paul’s thanksgiving and prayer”. In this section, two main things jumped out at me.

a. Paul’s joy with the Philippians

Verses 3 says, “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God”.

The Philippians give Paul special joy because they have been his partners in the Gospel. They have shared with him from the day they first heard about Christ until the day of writing.

Paul has a real love for the Philippians because they believed in the message of salvation and continued steadfastly in it. They took it so seriously that they partnered in his work – in prayer, encouragement and financially.

b. Paul’s prayer for the Philippians

In verse 9 Paul says, “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding”.

Paul wanted them to continue to grow in their faith and be blessed by God. He prayed they would have full understanding of the things of God, be pure and blameless in their walk with the Lord and be filled with the fruit of salvation.

Paul really loved the Philippians. He was like a spiritual father to them as he planted the church at Philippi on his second missionary journey in 49AD. This is why he experienced so much joy, prayed for them and wanted the best for them.

Not only did he want them to keep growing, but he assured the Philippians that God would continue to work on them. In verse 6 he said, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

Not only did Paul pray for their continued growth, he knew God wanted them to keep growing and would continue to work on them to see it happened.

2. Paul’s joy that Christ is preached

The second main section is Philippians 1:12-19. The title of this section in the NLT is “Paul’s joy that Christ is preached”.

Verses 12-14 read, “And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear”.
Two things really jumped out at me from these verses.

a. Paul is pleased being in prison

The first is that Paul is glad to be in prison. He tells us that the whole palace guard knows he is there for the Gospel. Paul came in contact with people he would not normally be able to share Christ with. As we see from Acts 16 Paul got to share his faith with the jailer and his family. This is where the jailer asked, “What must we do to be saved?” Paul’s response was, “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, both you and your family”. Paul was saying that if a father in a household believed it would flow through to all the other family members.

b. Paul’s continued boldness encourages others

The second thing is from verse 14. Paul says that, “Most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear”.

Paul’s boldness despite being in prison gave others courage to continue to talk about Jesus. Acts 16 said they prayed and sang hymns while in chains! Most people in prison would be afraid, worried and downcast. Not Paul, he sang hymns and praised the Lord.

Paul’s boldness to preach the message of Christ landed him in prison. However, this did not stop him and everyone knew why he was there. We see the jailer family of the jailer came to Christ. And the other believers were greatly encouraged in their efforts.

Paul’s commitment to preaching the Gospel inspires me nearly 2000 years later.

3. Paul’s life for Christ

The next point comes from Philippians 1:20-26. It is titled, “Paul’s life for Christ”.

Verses 21-24 explains Paul’s heart. They give us a glimpse of his priorities.

“For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So, I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live”.

For Paul, living was all about Christ. Since his conversion on the road to Damascus, he was all consumed with Christ. He desired earnestly to go and be with Christ, but knew staying here would mean he could continue His work in the world.

Paul knew he could help others come to know Christ, he could plant churches, and he could strengthen the churches he had planted. In short, his mission was to know Christ and make Him known.
Over the years I have known people like this. They have been completely sold out for God’s Kingdom. Their life was hidden in Christ and His will was all they wanted. Some are alive still serving, while some have gone to be with their Lord.

I am so inspired by these three verses and the sold-out Kingdom people I have met over the years. It is something that I aspire to myself. I hope and pray that I can wholeheartedly say, “To live is Christ, to die is gain”. How about you?

4. Live at citizens of heaven

The last section is Philippians 1:27-30. It is titled, “Live as citizens of heaven”.

Verse 27 says, “Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News”.

As I have shared before, I like this idea of being a citizen of heaven. As Christians we live in this world, but citizenship is of another place – the Kingdom of Heaven. The moment we asked Jesus Christ into our lives our citizenship status changed.

Paul reminds us in today’s passage to conduct ourselves worthy of being a citizen of heaven. We need to live in a way that shows we no longer belong to this world. We are like an Ambassador who serves in a foreign country as a diplomat. They deal with their host country, build relational bridges and represent the interests of their country in that place. But in reality, their devotion and loyalty is to another place.

Not only does the Ambassador have to serve his country in that place, but they need to represent the country well. All they do reflects on their homeland. We are like this as Christians.
So today let us remember our spiritual passports are stamped as citizens of heaven. Let us remember the words of Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father”.

Closing summary

Today we have looked at the first chapter on Philippians 1. We saw four main things.

1. Paul was thankful for the Philippians and he prayed that they would grow in their faith.
2. Paul was thankful that Christ was being preached. Even though he was in prison.
3. Paul lived his life for Christ. To Paul to live is Christ, to die is gain.
4. Paul asked them to live as citizens of heaven. He wanted them to represent Christ well.

Amen

Today we come to our last message from the Book of James. I was going to split it in two but prayerfully decided to look at the whole of chapter 5. Today we have four main points that I have titled, “James’ final warning and encouragements”.

As I have shared with you, James has been a big encouragement to me over the years. It has practically showed me how to live as a Christian man. It has showed me what I am doing well and it has also showed me where I need to improve. This time has been the same. Even though I have been preaching through it, it has been speaking to me again. I hope it has been encouraging you too.

Bible Reading – James 5:1-20  

1 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you.  2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.  3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.  4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.  5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.  6 You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.  7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.  8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.  9 Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!  10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.  12 Above all, my brothers, do not swear–not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.  13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.  14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.  16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.  17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.  18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.  19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Message Points

1. A warning to the wicked rich

My first point for today comes from verses 1-6. When we read this first six verses which are pretty heavy, we have to remember that James is writing to a new community of believers who were made up of all types of people. There would have been devout Jews who came to Christ, moral people who came to faith, but also people whose lives were previously wicked and self-centred.

In these six verses James first declares the fact of coming judgment (v.1) and then lists the crimes against which this judgment will be meted out: hoarded wealth (v2-3); unpaid wages (v4); living in luxury and self-indulgence (v5); and the murder of innocent people (v6).

The warning to the rich is about mistreating those who work for them. The main charge was holding back wages that were due and cheating people of their rightful pay and keeping the money for themselves. We have all probably heard and seen examples on the current affairs shows of people mistreating their workers where they hold back money and live lavish lifestyles. There was one just recently of workers being paid the right amount and then their bosses standing over them demanding cash back on payday. This was so the books looked right and it looked like they were doing the “right” thing. To us as Christians this is obviously not the right thing to do.

Verse 5 says that the rich people have lived in luxury and satisfied every desire and the treasure accumulated will stand as evidence against them on the day of judgment in verse 3. So, their ill-gotten gains from wrong treatment of others will catch up with them in time.

For me as a Christian man, it comes back to treating people well by loving our neighbour as ourselves as it says in Mark 12:31. Matthew 6:19-21 also comes to mind when it tells us not to build up earthly wealth only for ourselves and the importance of building up heavenly treasures. We know that are gained by focussing on God and doing His will and treating people well.

I am not an employer of others, but if I ever do become one, I will keep this warning and the verses from James in mind. Also, the reminders from Mark and Matthew.

2. A call to patience and endurance as we wait for the Lord

My next point from today comes from verses 7-12 and touches of the idea of “Patience and Endurance”.

The first part of verse 7 says, “Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return…”

One of the great truths of the Bible is that Jesus is coming back. Jesus Himself said, “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:3).

That is a great promise for those who follow Jesus. That He will come back and take us to be with Himself and His Father for all eternity. It is a living hope we all share if we have put our faith in Christ.

In the end of verse 7 and in to verse 8 it tells us while this will happen, we need to be patient waiting like farmers waiting for their crops.

“Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near”.

Moving to a farming area has taught me a lot about farming and patience. Each year the farmers prepare and wait for the first rains, then they seed for weeks. Then they wait patiently for more rain and in time the harvest which is months away.

Just as there is a gap between seeding and harvest, there is a gap between Jesus first and second coming. In the meantime, we wait patiently and we do the things He asks us to do.

So today as we patiently wait for Jesus return let us remember His words… “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am”.

3. The power of prayer

“The Power of Prayer” is the next main section that James talks about. We see this in verses 13-18.

Verse 13 reminds us to pray when it says, “Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises”.

It reminds us to pray when things are going bad and to praise when things are going well. Whether good or bad is happening to us we should be connected to God in constant communion.

The passage gives us two examples of how powerful prayer is. The first is healing for when we are sick. It tells us to call the Elders of the church to anoint a person with oil and to pray. I heard a story once of a church who did not really pray for healing and then they studied this passage. The Elders thought that because it says it in the Bible, we should do it. They got some oil, prayed over it and then anointed the sick, and guess what, people started to get healed or their illnesses significantly improved.

I stand here today as someone who has been touched by God with my Rheumatoid Arthritis. I shouldn’t be able to the lift weights I do, I should be able to cycle and run after being diagnosed with RA at 12. But more than 40 years later I can because of God’s intervention as a result of the prayers of others lifting me up to God. If I was at home and crippled in a wheelchair today, I wouldn’t be able to preach this message! It is all because of God’s intervention.

The second is when Elijah prayed for the rain to stop and the rain to start again three and a half years later. The text tells us that Elijah was as human as we are in verse 17. His prayers were powerful, so are ours.

I have experienced many amazing things as a result of a prayer of faith in God. When I trusted God’s ability to intervene or bring change, He has acted mightily.

Let us remember today the power of prayer. Prayer can be our most powerful tool as a Christian, or it can be one of our most underutilised resources. Verse 16b reminds us, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results”. Never forget the power of prayer.

4. A call to go after wandering believers

In the last section of James, he looks at the idea of “Restoring wandering believers”. It comes from verses 19-20. It says…

“My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins”.

These two verses tell us the importance of going out after people who have wandered away from the faith.

Over the years I have seen a number of people wander away from the faith. Some of the reasons I have seen are…

• People have been hurt by the church or by people in the church
• A breakdown of an important family relationship and they withdraw from life in general
• A long-term illness that they can’t make sense of God allowing
• Some have had no solid foundation of discipleship when they came to faith
• Some don’t regularly pray, read the Bible and keep connected with God, so when the storms come, they fall away.
• For some the decision to follow Christ was a quick alter call decision with no real thought involved.
• They feel their needs were not met by the church or they felt they didn’t fit in to the church culture.
• They love the world or someone in the world too much to fully commit to God.

It is not easy to approach people who we think have wandered away from God. It can be confronting and most of us would probably not do it if we are honest. But I think it is important to keep the lines of communication open.

Jesus reminds us of the importance of this in the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15:1-7. In verse 4 He says, “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?”

Jesus goes on to say in verse 7, “There is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away”!

As I was preparing this week I wondered if there are people in my life who have wandered away from God who need a shepherd to go and bring them back into the fold? How about your life? Are there any people you know? Maybe you could be the one that causes heaven to party because of your efforts to bring someone back into the fold.

Closing summary

Today we finish our look at the Book of James. It has been a practical reminder that shows us what James, Jesus’ half-brother, thinks are important about living the Christian life.

Our four points from today were…

1. A warning to the rich to treat their workers well.
2. A call to patience and endurance as we wait for the Lord’s return.
3. The power of prayer.
4. A call to restore wandering believers.

Amen.