HANDLING HANDLING OPPRESSIONOPPRESSION

James 5:7-11James 5:7-11

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

A. World wide epidemic of oppressionA. World wide epidemic of oppression

B. Frustrated efforts to end oppressionB. Frustrated efforts to end oppression

C. Christian perspective for responding to C. Christian perspective for responding to oppression oppression

CHRISTIANS SHOULD RESPOND TO CHRISTIANS SHOULD RESPOND TO OPPRESSION…OPPRESSION…

… …WITH A WITH A PERSEVERINGPERSEVERING AND AND

PROPHETICPROPHETIC PATIENCE PATIENCE

… …WHICH PRACTICES IMPECCABLE WHICH PRACTICES IMPECCABLE INTEGRITYINTEGRITY IN SPEECH IN SPEECH

A. Patience in oppressionA. Patience in oppression

1. Exhortations to be patient 5:7-81. Exhortations to be patient 5:7-8 a. a. CommandCommand to be patient 5:7a to be patient 5:7a

(1) Nature of patience: (1) Nature of patience: long sufferinglong suffering (2) Basis for patience: (2) Basis for patience: assurance God assurance God

will avenge their oppression will avenge their oppression (3) Duration of patience: (3) Duration of patience: “until the “until the

Lord’s coming” Lord’s coming”

b. b. IllustrationIllustration of farmer’s patience 5:7b of farmer’s patience 5:7b (1) Fall rain: (1) Fall rain: October – NovemberOctober – November (2) Spring rain: (2) Spring rain: March – AprilMarch – April

c. c. RestatementRestatement of command to be patient 5:8a of command to be patient 5:8a (1) Repeated element: (1) Repeated element: Longsuffering type Longsuffering type

patience patience (2) Added element: (2) Added element: “Stand firm”“Stand firm”

d. d. ReasonsReasons for patience 5:8b for patience 5:8b (1) He is coming as (1) He is coming as LORDLORD

Philippians 2:9-10 Therefore God exalted him to the Philippians 2:9-10 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.God the Father.

d. Reasons for patience 5:8bd. Reasons for patience 5:8b (1) He is coming as (1) He is coming as LORDLORD

(2) He is coming (2) He is coming soonsoon

““The Lord’s coming is near” = has come to a state of being near.The Lord’s coming is near” = has come to a state of being near.

Nearness in God’s sense of time –Nearness in God’s sense of time –

““With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.” 2 Peter 3:8-9 quoting Psalm 90:4slowness.” 2 Peter 3:8-9 quoting Psalm 90:4

LESSON 1: LESSON 1: PatientPatient hope – gives hope – gives perspectiveperspective for for mastering life’s oppressions mastering life’s oppressions

2. Exhortation to stop 2. Exhortation to stop grumbling grumbling 5:9 5:9

a. Focus of command: a. Focus of command: complaining against complaining against

fellow believers fellow believers

b. Reason for command: He is coming as b. Reason for command: He is coming as JudgeJudge

““Is standing before the door” = has taken his position and Is standing before the door” = has taken his position and is ready to enter – is ready to enter – imminent return as Judgeimminent return as Judge

LESSON 2: LESSON 2: PurifyingPurifying hope – gives hope – gives civilitycivility to life to life

3. Examples of patience and endurance 5:10-11 3. Examples of patience and endurance 5:10-11

a. Example of prophets 5:10a. Example of prophets 5:10 (1) Same word for patience: (1) Same word for patience: long sufferinglong suffering (2) Activity of prophets: (2) Activity of prophets: denounced sin in the denounced sin in the

name of the Lord name of the Lord b. Example of all who endured 5:11ab. Example of all who endured 5:11a

~~~~DifferentDifferent word for patience: word for patience: persevered/endured persevered/endured

LESSON 3:LESSON 3: PropheticProphetic hope hope – gives – gives purposepurpose to life: to life: Like prophets, Christians must Like prophets, Christians must denounce denounce oppression oppression

whenever it appearswhenever it appears

c. Example of Job 5:11bc. Example of Job 5:11b (1) Job’s (1) Job’s perseveranceperseverance of adversity of adversity (2) Job’s (2) Job’s restorationrestoration of fortunes of fortunes (3) Reasons for ultimate (3) Reasons for ultimate hopehope: He is coming : He is coming

as the as the compassionatecompassionate One One

LESSON 4: LESSON 4: PromisingPromising hope gives hope gives expectationexpectation to life. to life.

Like Job, oppressed Christians must Like Job, oppressed Christians must perseverepersevere in in faith, until they experience God’s great faith, until they experience God’s great compassioncompassion

B. Truthfulness in speech 5:12B. Truthfulness in speech 5:12

1. Oath-taking 1. Oath-taking prohibitedprohibited 5:12a 5:12a a. Recalling of Jesus’ teaching in Matt 5:34-37a. Recalling of Jesus’ teaching in Matt 5:34-37 b. Historical background of b. Historical background of deceptivedeceptive oath-taking oath-taking c. Connection with enduring oppression – c. Connection with enduring oppression – don’t don’t

fend off creditors with unrealistic promisesfend off creditors with unrealistic promises

2. 2. HonestyHonesty commanded 5:12b commanded 5:12b

LESSON 5: LESSON 5: HonestyHonesty inspiring hope – gives inspiring hope – gives integrityintegrity to life to life

CONCLUSION – Live by these five lessons:CONCLUSION – Live by these five lessons:

Patient hope gives

perspective Purifying hopegives

civility

Prophetichope gives

purpose

Promising hope givesexpectation

Honesty inspiring hope givesintegrity