Hope in the Hurts

Hope in the Hurts — The Surprising Answer to Our Suffering

Do you ever wonder: Why does life hurt so bad? Suffering? See it. Then you experience it.

Early Christians knew suffering. James is written, I think, before the extreme Roman persecution. Christians would be crucified, set on fire, fed to lions by Imperial Rome. But even before that persecution broke out, suffering in the early church was severe.

Early Christians knew poverty. They knew what it was to not know where they next meal would come from. The threat of starvation was real to them. They knew injustice; to be totally at the mercy of the wealthy. At the end of a workday, or workweek – they might get paid, or the greedy who employed them might decide to withhold their wages for some perceived infraction.

They early Christians knew sickness, disease and loss. In their world, suffering was much more severe. They knew isolation and loss of family because of the name of Jesus. Many were thrown out of the synagogues and rejected by the people they loved most. To lose the synagogue was to lose one’s entire social life.

For many, the reason they cannot follow Jesus with deep faith is because of the issue of suffering.

I. Temptations:

When we are suffering, there are some temptations.

1. Temptation: to think the Rich (James 5:1-3)

Question of the early church: Why are we suffering? They were poor! What about these rich people? Why are the rich doing so well. They’re the ones who don’t pay us. Steal from us. What about them?

2. Temptation: To think God does not (James 5:4)

Suffering is so often audible. Tears. Weeping. Crying out. Here: James describes God not seeing our suffering but hearing our suffering. We can feel so small, how could God see little me.

–Exodus: God told Moses, “I have heard my people crying out.”

–God said to Cain: Your brothers blood cries out to me.

–God would say to us: I hear your suffering! I hear your cries.

3. Temptation: To think that God does not (James 5:5)

Looks like the wicked just get away with it! They do evil, and in fact, it makes them money. More powerful.

4. Temptation: To think that Good People will (James 4:6-10, esp. James 4:10)

James says something startling: If good people don’t suffer, if the righteous are instantly blessed and wealthy and immune to hardship . . . Then what was going on with the prophets?

Examples of the prophets suffering:

• Amos said the prophets were told to shut up. (Amos 2:12)
• Jeremiah: Once sent Message Kin Jehoiakim, burned the message line by line. Jeremiah was barred from the temple. Put in stocks, thrown well.
• Jezebel tried to kill all the prophets Yahweh: Righteous man named Obadiah, worked for Jezebel, who hid the prophets fed them food from Jezebels table!
• Micaiah, asked if Israel be given success. Lied. Then said: No. Lord leading you to your death. Another prophet, Zedekiah, slapped him in the face.
• Elijah had to run for his life, would have starved had it not been for ravens feeding him meat and bread.
• Chief priest told Amos to never prophecy at the temple again (Amos 7:10-15)
• Zechariah rebuked the people who forsook the Lord. They stoned him to death. (2 Chron. 24:21)
• King Asa threw a Seer named Hanani in prison for not preaching what King wanted. (2 Chron 16:7-9).
• Prophet named Uriah: Preached same thing Jeremiah did. Jehoiakim became so enraged, he sought him out. They chased him clear to Egypt. Brought him back, and King Jehoiakim himself struck him with a sword and threw him in a mass grave. (Jer. 26:20-23)

5. Temptation: to against one another. (James 5:9)

6. Temptation to (James 5:11)

Many start on a journey with Jesus, but when life becomes difficult and the Lord does not respond the way they want, they walk away from Christianity. Jesus compared it to seed that fell on rocky soil. (Matthew 13:21)

7. Temptation to (James 5:12)

In desperation we can start making promises we have no business making. We thank we can bargain with God, as if a mortal and direct the affairs of the Immortal God with bargains.

II. What Is James’ Answer to Suffering

1. To Wait Patiently for (James 5:7, James 5:8, James 5:9)

• No matter how bad what you’re going through is: Eternity is much longer/better.
• Talking about suffering – James begins to think about a farmer. We may ask, “What is the point of talking about a farmer in a discussion about suffering?”
• The point is that suffering is a season. When a farmer is sweating, working, tired, and keeps going – he is remembering that a harvest is coming. There will be better times to come.

2. James calls us to (James 5:11)

Point: God can make this life sweet again.

III. Simple Encouragement: Hold on to my

• Hold on to your faith. Any of you about to give up in a season of suffering?
• Pray your pain.
• Worship God deeply.

The Second Coming is a real answer to Suffering.

• Answer to loss. Grief. You see them again!
• Answer to injustice. Wrongs of the world. “Judge standing at the door.”
• Answer to deep wickedness. Righteous judge.
• Answer to Poverty! Store up riches in heaven. Don’t swear down here get more.
• Answer to the Reunion we crave: