Get a Hero • James 5:9-12

42:45 Teaching begins

Notes

When you’re trying to learn a skill it really helps to have a role model. A hero, someone who inspires you to say, that’s what I want to be. Their life is an example. They are like a bridge you can cross to help you get closer to your goal.

You imitate for a while, then you see more about where you need to go and you find another role model. You have another hero. This can lead you to find your own way. You figure out, I like this and that and him, but I’m really this. You go from imitating people to becoming someone somebody else can imitate.

As disciples we are learning skills. The biggest skill we are learning is how to live for Jesus. That will lead us to living radically, because Jesus is not like us. He’s way beyond us, and in comparison we are backwards to Him.

James wants us to get off of ourselves and be focused on following Jesus, so he says, in effect, “Go get a hero.”

I’m reading in James 5, from verse 9.

1. James wants us to get over ourselves.

A. That is, he wants us to not be totally focused on ourselves like rich people are. They accumulate money so that they don’t have to suffer, they can indulge their wanton pleasures, they use their power to defraud others and make more money. That’s not for you, says James.

B. You need to suffer and be patient until the end, when Jesus returns and brings everything to its fruition! It’s the main point of what He is doing! The harvest! The finale, the end!

C. If we give up following Jesus and just quit, then we’re not going to receive the promise. Jesus said it’s the one who endures to the end who will be saved. You don’t really help yourself by dropping out, giving in, surrendering, quitting. Some people think that if they kill themselves they will get out of all their troubles. That is allowing oneself to be completely conquered by the enemy. The enemy wants to steal, kill, destroy. If we just give up and quit then we are saying I want to be destroyed. So killing ourselves is not a solution.

D. What we need is encouragement, true relief from our suffering, patience. That’s the ability to bear our suffering with calmness. It really means not being so into ourselves. We need to get over ourselves, in Jesus.

2. Here’s an example of getting off of ourselves: Don’t complain against one another, brethren.

A. Now before in 4:11 James said, don’t speak against one another, brethren. That word means being a backbiter, someone who says nasty things about you when you’re not there.

B. This word is different. It means to groan. 1. This person is such a drag, moannnnn.

2. It’s a reaction to irritation, annoyance. Something little that happens over and over and over again, till you react by going, unhhhhhhhhh.

3. You breathe hard. My father knew us kids were provoked by something he told us, and he would say, “I don’t want to hear any breathing!” Hhhhhhhhhhh...

4. It’s an expression meaning, “I don’t like that.”

C. That is viewing life through this lens: I want to be pleased. This person or event does not please me. Therefore, hhhhhhhhhhh...

D. It’s so natural to do that, isn’t it? But we as believers in Jesus don’t do that because that will bring us into judgment. And the Judge is right at the door. You’re not doing the law, you are a critic of the law, you are a critic of God. You’re about to be judged.

3. The right thing to do is to please that other person.

A. I’m going to read some passages out of Romans 14 and 15 so we can get the idea of what Paul is saying.

1. Romans 14:10-13 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, “AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.” So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.

2. And in verse 18 Paul says, Romans 14:18-19 For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.

3. And in Romans 15:1-7 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU FELL ON ME.” For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.

B. Do you see what Paul is saying?

1. Our brother or sister does not have to please us. But we need to please God.

2. So we should please our brother or sister for their good, to their upbuilding.

3. The emphasis is not one me but on others. I am not to be focused on myself.

4. This is exactly what Jesus did. This is the way that His life works out in us, towards others.

C. That’s a radical solution, isn’t it? If I’m frustrated with you, then I should please you to your upbuilding.

4. Another area that James wants us to get over ourselves is with the taking of oaths in verse 12.

A. Some people have taken this to mean that they are not to take any oaths whatsoever. No pledge of allegiance to a country. No military service. No oath to tell the truth in court. That’s not what James is talking about.

B. He is referring to taking oaths lightly and disregarding them lightly.

1. This is what Jesus is referring to in Matthew 5:33- 37 “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘ YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.’ But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.

2. People would make vows in serving the Lord. Lord, if you do this for me, then I will do this for you. But it would be easy to forget making the promise. That leads to judgment. You must be true to your vows. But the problem is also you make the vow and then you can’t fulfil your part. That’s why Jesus says you can’t even make one hair on your head black or white. You really don’t have any ability to offer to God.

3. Making a vow puts the responsibility on me to perform. The focus is on me. Have you ever said, “O Lord! Forgive me this one time, and I promise I’ll never do that again!” Did that work? No, it didn’t.

C. The reason it doesn’t work is that the Christian life is lived in dependence on what Jesus does in your life. It’s not by power, nor by might, but by My Spirit, says the Lord. But when you make a vow to God, you put the emphasis on you, your strength, your patience, your performance.

D. So James says, don’t do that. Don’t put that emphasis on yourself fulfilling a vow that you make to God. Say yes or no, but no more than that. Your life will be truthful as you depend upon Jesus. He gets the glory for your faithfulness.

5. Both these commands are radical, not what we would expect.

A. If you are bummed at someone, see what you can to do satisfy them, to their upbuilding. Don’t depend on yourself, don’t put burdens on yourself, depend on Jesus.

B. This kind of living is not cheap, like anybody could do this. It’s costly. We can’t afford it. We have no patience. We hate suffering with people. Only Jesus can afford to do this because He has love in unending supply.

C. That’s why you see so few people actually do what Jesus said to do.

1. You do see people famous for singing worship songs or building big churches.

2. You don’t see people famous for pleasing others and building them up. Famous for being humble and depending on Jesus. You just don’t see that.

3. So people don’t do what Jesus said. Our Christianity is really weak, bland, despicable. It’s just really being nice. It’s also not attractive to others because they can be nice, too. “Well, I can do that, so why would I need Jesus to save me?” Being nice is no big deal.

D. However, Christianity is not being nice. It is living with the Spirit of Jesus in us to love and please others. We know we are all going to stand at the judgment seat of Christ. We are going to give an account of our lives. What will we say to God?

6. Here’s a radical solution: have a hero who is way advanced beyond you. James says, take the prophets as an example.

A. He means take them as lives you can imitate with profit. You can learn from them what can happen when you follow Jesus in the right way.

B. They are an example of suffering. Everyone who desires to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer.

1. The prophets spoke the words God gave them. They didn’t change them one iota. You receive it from God and you deliver it and you get it right. You are not at liberty to change the message because people don’t like it. You must be faithful.

2. The prophets are an example of suffering because people did not like the message of the prophets. They rejected and killed them. Prophets were lightly regarded, mocked and ridiculed, opposed, conspired against, imprisoned, beaten.

3. Elijah becomes so disappointed he says kill me now, and God doesn’t. God says to Ezekiel I’m going to take away the desire of your eyes and you are not to mourn or weep. That evening his wife dies. It’s a sign to Israel. And it’s personal suffering. Jeremiah says, What do You mean, I’m supposed to buy a field while the country is about to be conquered and I’m in prison? Lord, what in the world are You doing?

4. They wanted to quit. They wanted to give up. They ran out of patience and said, it’s too much. I can’t do this. And yet they did not quit. God would not let them quit. He ignored their resignations.

5. Does that sound attractive? Do you say, Oh yes! That’s what I want to be like! Why in the world should we take these men as examples to follow?

C. They are examples of patience, the ability to bear trials and suffering calmly, without losing composure. All the suffering they went through for God and their own personal suffering did not overwhelm them and make them surrender to despair. They kept going until they obtained the promise of God! How did they do that? According to the power of God. He revealed Himself to them. They saw God.

1. If you look at each of these prophets almost in every case, in one way or another, they saw God. Abraham saw God multiple times. Jacob saw God in a dream, so did Daniel. Moses saw God, he talked with Him as a man talks with his friend. Isaiah saw God in the temple. Ezekiel saw the glory of God, and the four living creatures that are like His throne.

2. When you see God, what are people? What are difficult circumstances? What is suffering? Okay, people are nasty. Difficult is still difficult. Suffering is still suffering. But you see God. You see the hope. You see the reason for enduring until your part is over.

D. Look at the example of Job, says James. Suffering on every side. He loses his wealth, his family, and finally, his health. And then his friends attack him and say it’s his fault because God is punishing his sin. Confess your sin, and everything will be okay! But after all that suffering, Job sees God!

E. And the outcome of the Lord’s dealings is, He is compassionate and merciful. We get to look at the end of a prophet’s life and see how the Lord deals with us. Momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory. This is what the lives of the prophets testify: you live for God’s purposes with all your life, you will experience the compassion and mercy of God.

7. So what?

A. If we live a natural life we will come into judgment. We will be annoyed, irritated, we will fight and moan against one another. Hhhhhhh..... Lots of loud breathing. We will get discouraged and want to quit. Taking our own life might look like a good option. No more suffering.

B. But we are not to allow ourselves to be overcome by evil. We are not to surrender to the devil, to let him take our lives and ruin us. We are to overcome evil with good. Whatever is born of God overcomes this world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith, our dependence on Jesus to help us.

C. We need to get over ourselves, not focus on ourselves. Live for Jesus.

D. So instead of moaning and being discouraged, please somebody else, for their upbuilding. Satisfy them. What can you do to improve their life? Do it! You will find that it is strangely satisfying to look outward. It will nourish you.

E. If you really want to live, get a hero. Find a role model. Look at what God can do with a life that is entirely yielded to Him. See how they suffer. See how they got helped by God. See the end of their life. Look at the compassion and mercy of God.

F. The problems you face are not the biggest in history. Others have come before you and they have learned what you need to know. They solved your problem. You can learn this skill of following Jesus radically, how to get out of yourself, how to live to please God and build up others.

G. Where do you start? Start reading history. The events and experience of former times. This really happened. It provides a trail for you to follow.

1. You have a Bible filled with history. Look at the men and women of the Bible. Maybe your hero is in there. The Bible is a book of biography with lots of different personalities of people in there. You can learn what to do, and what not to do.

2. You can read church history for clues. Who were the guys that made a difference? Who are the guys worth imitating? What can you learn from them?

3. Those guys that provoke your interest you can follow up on and learn more about them. What makes them tick? How do they approach following Jesus? What can you do that’s like them, and so get moving with Jesus?

4. I have a sheet here with books about my personal heroes, the guys that have been a help to me. Anyone who wants it can get a PDF from me. You who live in the area can actually borrow the books from me. You online people can probably find these on abebooks.co.uk, or the equivalent for your country. Some guys you have heard of, others you have never heard of. They are phenomenal guys that make you feel like you have never lived, you have never done anything in your life for Jesus. Guys that make you say, “C’mon, God! Make my life count, or kill me!”

H. The awful truth is you will seldom see people really following Jesus in your local church. Because few people get over themselves and really follow Jesus. They look at everyone else and say, “I’m doing okay, about like everyone else.” And that’s it. No development, no push to be like Jesus. Average, that’s good enough.

I. But then, no one is really laying hold of the life of Jesus, either. We play going to church and feel good about ourselves. But do we really know Jesus? Do we know the power of His cross in our lives? Do we know the power of His resurrection? Are we really following Him with all our life? Are we ready to stand before Him and give an account of our lives?

J. Do not excuse yourself from living fully for Jesus. I can’t because I’m too young. I can’t because I’m too old. I can’t because I’m not an extreme type. I can’t because I don’t want to stand out and feel isolated. I can’t because I’m scared to trust You. There’s all sorts of ways to excuse ourselves from surrendering to Jesus and saying, Lord, what would You have me do? That is missing life entirely.

K. What you do is say, like Esther, “I will commit myself to trusting God. If I die, I die. Let me not be afraid to live completely for you, like the prophets, like the apostles, like the heroes of history. Let me see God.”

L. If you will read your Bible you will see God. You will get what you need to persevere patiently, seeing Him who is unseen.

Let’s pray.