Rev. David Holwick ZK James series #16
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
November 18, 2007
James 5:7-11
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I. How patient are you?
A. Real life reveals us better than our theories of ourselves.
Right now there is a remarkable comet in the evening sky
in the constellation of Perseus.
It is called Comet Holmes, and what makes it stand out is
that it brightened one million-fold in a matter of days.
It did the same thing 100 years ago.
All you need is binoculars to pick it out.
My first encounter with a comet was in 1986.
Halley's Comet was making its once-in-a-lifetime visit and
I wanted a good look at it.
I ordered an expensive telescope from a company in California.
They said it would arrive in three weeks.
After two weeks I began calling them every day.
Five weeks went by, and still no telescope.
In frustration, I order an identical one from a company
on Long Island.
When I called to cancel the California telescope, they said
I was too late - it was already shipped.
Dilemma: do I believe California, or end up with two
telescopes?
Instead I canceled the telescope from Long Island, which
did not bless them at all.
(My first discovery of rudeness on the East Coast.)
The telescope arrived in three large boxes, which I promptly
tore into and assembled my 'scope, making a mess in the
process.
I am a patient man, except when it comes to my toys.
And my children... And driving on Route 46... And....
B. Modern life is a captive of time.
1) My "atomic" wristwatch is accurate to a tenth of a second.
a) I am not.
2) God has his own version of time.
a) It takes some getting used to.
1> The people James was writing to weren't used to it.
b) But it is a perspective worth acquiring.
II. Three areas of their stress.
A. Rich people were oppressing these impoverished Christians.
B. Outsiders were probably persecuting them for their faith.
1) Note the encouragement to "stand firm." 5:8
C. Insiders were getting on their nerves. 5:9
1) In Old Testament, grumbling is usually against God.
2) Here, it is complaining about other believers.
III. Be patient.
A. Have a farmer mentality.
1) We are very distant from farmers.
a) My great-grandparents were farmers a long, long time ago.
1> Grandpa Holwick left the farm for the big city of
Chicago and never looked back.
b) Do you think of farmers during your Thanksgiving meal?
2) Harvests require time.
a) You can't hurry it up.
1> Even though I try.
2> This summer I bought some small tomato shoots, and
a fully-grown plant.
3> Guess which plants got ripe tomatoes first?
b) Eventually, the harvest comes.
B. God's harvest is coming, too.
1) The second coming of Jesus is often described as a harvest.
a) God will gather out his true believers.
2) The return of Jesus gives us a different perspective on life.
a) We shouldn't get stressed over the little things.
b) God has worked out the big things.
IV. Be positive.
A. Christians shouldn't dump on each other.
1) James has to warn them about grumbling.
2) It is a disease that affects many churches.
a) Ours too, sometimes.
B. Bring out the best in people.
1) Emphasize compliments and affirmation of others.
2) When a negative comment bubbles up, squelch it.
3) If they dump on you, let it roll off.
C. Maintain a spirit of Thanksgiving.
Many Americans find it easy to give thanks this time of year.
If anyone could give a reason not to be thankful, it's
Carole Lewis.
She experienced financial devastation that led to bankruptcy.
Her husband is battling stage-four prostate cancer.
But it was on Thanksgiving Day six years ago that Lewis faced
the greatest challenge to a thankful heart.
Her daughter, Shari, son-in-law Jeff and their three daughters
had just celebrated the holiday with the Lewis family.
Then they headed to their car to go to dinner with Jeff's
family.
As Shari stood behind their SUV, a drunk driver swerved from
behind, ricocheted off a light pole and sent Lewis'
39-year-old daughter into a field.
A few hours later she died in a Houston hospital.
Lewis' own prayer journal relates 22 things for which she gave
thanks in those days after the tragedy.
Some are to be expected -- the Christian friends who gathered
at the hospital.
Others are surprising -- a granddaughter witnessing about
Jesus to the young drunk driver.
And some are amazing -- Jeff's mom and brother accepting Jesus
Christ as Savior and Lord one hour after Shari's death.
Carole Lewis notes that the holidays are often very depressing
times for families.
We're tempted to key in on our dysfunctions, critical spirits
and anger problems.
Every family has them.
The problem is that if we don't stop and take a clear look at
our perceptions of these situations, pretty soon we find
that we have bitter, negative experiences all day long.
Gripe about your job for a week and see how long you stay
employed.
Or snap at your spouse every night and see what sort of
marriage it produces.
It's in our best interest to not fall into the trap of
focusing on what's wrong with life.
Becoming a thankful person is a benefit to our lives that we
absolutely cannot overlook.
#278
D. The Law of the Garbage Truck.
How often do you let other people's frustration change your
mood?
Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an
insensitive neighbor ruin your day?
The mark of a victorious person is how quickly you can get
back your focus on what's important.
David Pollay learned it in the back of a taxi cab in Africa.
Here's what happened.
He was riding in a taxi when all of a sudden a black car
jumped out of a parking space right in front of them.
His taxi driver slammed on the breaks, skidded, and missed the
other car's back end by just inches!
Here's what happened next.
The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big
accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling
bad words at them.
How did David know?
In Africa, certain words come with a special face.
New Jersey is similar.
Now, here's what blew David away.
His taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy.
He was actually friendly.
So David asked him, "Why did you just do that?
This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"
And the taxi driver told him "The Law of the Garbage Truck."
Many people are like garbage trucks.
They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of
anger, and full of disappointment.
As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it.
And if you let them, they'll dump it on you.
When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally.
You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.
You'll be happy you did.
The taxi driver guaranteed it.
The bottom line is that victorious people do not let
"Garbage Trucks" take over their day.
What about you?
What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let
more "Garbage Trucks" pass you by?
I think you'll be happier.
#31368
V. Be persevering.
A. Job went through a world of hurt.
1) Death of all his children.
2) Loss of his own health.
3) Well-meaning but condemning friends.
B. Job stuck to his guns until he was vindicated.
1) God answered him in the end.
a) It wasn't the answer Job expected, but it was an answer.
2) God doubled all he had.
C. Don't let discouragement defeat you.
1) Even the worst calamity begins to fade after two years.
VI. God has a time table.
A. The Bible reveals a prophetic timeline.
1) In spite of ecological disasters and wars and exiles,
God's plan has unfolded.
2) His plan is not yet complete - the King is still coming.
B. Jesus will return to earth.
1) It is part of a process.
a) Similar to a farmer's seasons.
b) Jesus tells us to expect a moral decline, unrest in the
world, then he will return.
2) It is certain.
3) It is near!
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
# 278 "A Thankful Heart Can Overcome Escalating Negativism and Bitterness,"
by Tammi Reed Ledbetter, Baptist Press,
http://www.baptistpress.org, November 23, 2005.
#31368 "The Law Of The Garbage Truck," by David J. Pollay; submitted by
Dan Griffiths, Wit And Wisdom at http://www.witandwisdom.org by
Richard G. Wimer, August 24, 2007.
These and 30,000 others are part of the Kerux database that can be
downloaded, absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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