"Don’t Quit Now"

Jesus is coming! Look to the future of your spiritual life. Endure through these tough times. You are not the first or the last who will have to face them.

Don’t Quit Now

(James 5:7-12)

Introduction:

A.   On October 29, 1941, United Kingdom Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited Harrow School to hear the traditional songs he had sung there as a youth, as well as to speak to the students. This became one of his most quoted speeches.  His conclusion to that speech began with these words to the student body, “Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never–in nothing, great or small, large or petty–never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”

B.  Quitting is the path of least resistance.  Quitting asks nothing of you for which nothing will be remembered.  When we talk about words like “patience” and “perseverance” we realize that those words can only come when a person is faced with some type of trial.

C.  There were people who sold all they had, quit their job and went to Jerusalem to await the coming of Jesus on Jan. 1, 2000.  The believed that he would come with coming of the millennium. They were wrong.  People have predicted the day of the return of Jesus many times, and every time have been wrong.  He is coming!  He is coming soon!  But when a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day to God, soon takes a whole different meaning.  What I know is that I am called to live my life as a child of God in spite of the fact that he has not yet come because I know that one day he will come.  I am called to live my life in dedication to him, committed to him, devoted to all he has given us through the Word of God no matter what the timeline may be.  It is easier to quit than it is to remain faithful.

D.  Christians in India and parts of the African continent have face horrible physical persecution.  Some have been mock, others beaten, and some even murdered.  But those fellow saints would not quit because they believed in the coming of the Lord.  They knew and know that His coming will be glorious so they would stand firm.

E.  As James brings this letter to a close he begins his conclusion by telling the people “never give in.”  Never, never, never, never yield to force.  That message has not changed.

I.  Example of Farmers

A.  James gives several examples of what he means by staying the course and not having patience.  He illustrates it by reminding us of the patience a farmer must have.  The point he wants to get his readers to understand and accept is that reward only comes when we patiently wait until the coming of our Lord.  The farmer begins by tilling the soil, planting the seed, waiting for God to send the rain and the sun, watching his crops grow until time of harvest.  That takes time.  Time that few people desire, so we invented supermarkets.  But the farmer understands patience and reward.  He understands that maturity of the crop only comes with time and the help of God.  Brethren it is no different with us.

B.  You too, be patient and stand firm because the Lord’s coming is near.  The reward comes to those who work and wait.  The reward of meeting the Lord in the air comes to those who stand firm and don’t quit.

C.  But do you know what James’ fear was?  It was that we as Christians would grumble and judge one another like we are some perfect person.  That is just the opposite of standing firm until the coming of the Lord.  I am excited that with the coming of Jesus there will be no more cancer, dying or good-byes because Jesus took the curse of sin and nailed it to the cross and conquered death when he rose up on the third day so that you and I could live for eternity.  Now tell me again why we want to grumble and judge each other while we wait on the Lord?  Tell me how that action will lead us to stand firm and be patient?  Grumbling never got the farmer the harvest any faster it won’t fix our problems either.

II.  Example of Prophets and Job

A.  James is not done.  He wants to give another illustration.  It is that of the prophets and Job.  I know that life can be tough.  I know that marriages hurt, people wrong you, kids behave badly, our human wisdom gets us into trouble and mouths hurt more than help.  I know trials come upon us.  Sometimes our spiritual struggle come because of our own sinfulness; sometimes because evil forces are at work in this present age, and sometime their directed from the hands and mouths of evil people.  But don’t quit now.

B.  Let me tell you about some of those prophets of old.  Jeremiah was throne in a cistern to shut him up, Daniel was put into a den of lions, Hosea was told to marry an adulterous woman and Elijah was chased by Jezebel who wanted him dead.  So many of them suffered at the hands of their own people.  They did not want to hear the call of repentance.  Who can even think of all the emotional, spiritual and physical suffering of Job.  A man who lost his wealth, family, spiritual stature and health all in just a short period of time.  Yet the point is not that these people suffered.  The point is not that the farmer has to wait for the harvest.  The point is that God is full of compassion and mercy.

C.  This is not a passage about suffering, trials and bad times.  It is a plea to not quit because your God loves you so much that even if men take your life they cannot take your soul.  Keep the faith, God is with you.  It may not be in the way you desire or understand, but he will never let you go.  Do not be afraid for God is near.  That is the point.

D.  Just listen as the Hebrew writer says the same thing in Heb. 11:32-40.  They were commended for their faith, yet they did not receive the greatest promise of all – Jesus in the flesh.  They did not quit because they were looking forward to their reward.

Conclusion:

A.  Peter also talks about suffering in 1 Pet. 4:12-14; 19

B.  Paul encourages the Thessalonians to keep on as he writes to them in 2 Thes. 1:3-10.

C.  These words were given because suffering will happen.  I am sorry but evil people will continue to hurt God’s elect.  But don’t you quit.  Not now, not ever.  For if we stand firm through the trials the God of mercy will give us a crown of life.  If you have thought it’s not worth it to live the Christian life, don’t quit.  That is evil trying to take you away from the greatest source of love you could have.  God did not send Jesus to die and be raise again for nothing.  He did it so you and I could live with him forever.

D.  Be strong in the Lord and in his might.  Some may trust in chariot but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.  Rise up this day and take God’s hand and walk on, and on, and on until he leads you home.