The members of the early Christian Church lived in perilous times. It was dangerous to be a follower of Christ. Followers of Jesus were scattered and persecuted. But they still believed.

The Epistle of James was written to a people whose faith was challenged. His words, through the guiding of the Holy Spirit, are just as applicable to us today as they were to first century Christians.

Even today, we wonder, "Will it ever end?" We face continual trials and temptations. We see other faiths and non-Christian religions that seem to prosper. We see other people who call themselves "Lutheran" discussing and aligning themselves with issues that shouldn’t even be on the table. More and more people claim to be "spiritual," but won’t commit to being a Christian. The people of God around the world face opposition, torment, and even outright persecution.

In verse seven, just before our text, James urges those of us who are waiting on Christ to return to "Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord."

The fact that Jesus is coming back was great news for their weary ears. Jesus would return and their troubles would end. There would be no more rejection, no more trials or sorrow. James was definitely focused on the end of time and the return of his brother Jesus.

Christ is coming again, of that we can be sure. We hear words of assurance throughout Scripture. Even Jesus himself said; "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and his angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all nations, and he will separate people from one another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats."

As James wrote his Epistle, he was concerned about the people’s ability to endure. He worried that they would be able to hold on to their faith. He encouraged them to focus on the coming Lord. His directions hold true for us today.

The Lord is coming. So how can we hang on? How can we be ready? We can do those things in the same way the people James was writing to could. We can "Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord." We can keep our eyes focused on Jesus. Being patient means to hold on to, to bear up under suffering. It is patience that does not give up, but holds on to the promise of Christ.

Where does this patience come from? It is a gift of the Holy Spirit, granted to us by God through the Word and Sacraments. Knowing that Christ came to this word, and gave his life as the once-for-all sacrifice for our sins, we can confidently face each day, knowing that Christ will come again for his Church, to bring us to his eternal kingdom.

According to James, believers need to be like the farmer. He talked about how the farmer plants his seeds and then patiently waits in faith for the crop to come. He waits for the rain. He battles the pests and weeds. James encouraged his readers, just as he encourages us, to establish and set their hearts on the coming of the Lord – looking for it each day.

This keeps our eyes on the goal of the life of a believer. It helps us endure and hold on until we see Christ returning. James wrote in chapter 1:12; "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."

So, what can we do while we patiently endure and keep our eyes focused on Christ’s return? "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise." As we look for the returning Christ, we will have difficulties. We will have challenges and temptation, testing and persecution. We may feel like we’re the only ones having problems.

Don’t forget that Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness being tempted and tested. He was tempted throughout his life and throughout his ministry. When Jesus tells Peter "Get behind me satan," he realizes that Peter’s words are the words of the devil, encouraging him to take a path other than the one laid out for him.

But through good and bad, we are enabled to seek his power and strength and to face the things that oppose us. And of course, we need to do those things when things are going good as well.

When we battle spiritual foes, we ask God for help. Paul wrote encouraging the Ephesians to take up the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and to pray at all times. We are not alone in any struggle. God supplies all our needs. He is with us, even when we forget that he is there. When we pray, we are giving our problems to God. He hears us and promises to be with us.

In times of illness, don’t suffer alone. Seek the prayers of your church, you pastor and others. God heals, but illnesses can be used by God to bring us closer to him.

Sometimes, we may feel independent, and we lose sight of Christ. What we really need is help. So we have the opportunity to call out in faith to God for strength and healing. The promise: "And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven."

Sometimes you may pray for healing as fervently as you ever prayed for anything. You see God’s promise to heal in these words, but the healing doesn’t happen. You might even question the strength or validity of your faith. But sometimes God’s answer to a prayer is "No." The bottom line is that through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, we are healed eternally from physical sickness and the sickness of sin, and given the gift of eternal life in heaven.

What a blessing it is to know that God wants us to pray and will surely answer. Before you conclude that God is not listening to or answering your prayers, ask yourself, "Why am I asking for this?" or "Why would God grant this request?" Fallen human nature thinks of itself and its comfort. People often ask for the desires of their sinful human nature.

Faith teaches you to recognize what is needful and what is contrary to our life as a Christian. Faith teaches you how to understand experiences of suffering in a world broken by sin. God has not failed you and will not fail you. In the life, death and resurrection of his Son, He has provided you with a life that can endure all things. Recognizing this truth allows you to thank God in times of difficulty, and trust His wisdom and grace as His child.

What else does James encourage us to do? "Therefore, confess your sins to one another." James tells his readers that God is offended when we disregard others. So we gather for worship, we stand, we sit, we confess our sins to God and to one another.

We have offended God, but God, for the sake of his mercy, sent his Son to pay the debt of our sins. Confessing them to God and to each other, he forgives us and restores us to those who watch and wait for the coming of Christ in faith, joy and peace.

"And," James says, "pray for one another that you may be healed." We pray not just when we are sick, not just for life-threatening issues, but for the whole life. Prayer is powerful, but it is not from us that prayer draws its power. The prayer of faith is God working in the believer. He has made us his own people. He creates faith in us and enables us to live in that faith, turning everything over to him.

In faith we rely on him. We have a mighty God who has done miraculous and marvelous things for us. We can live each day in confidence as his forgiven saints.

As his saints, there is something else for us to do. James was concerned about doctrinal purity. It does matter what we believe, teach, and confess. James wrote "My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."

These verses apply not only to someone who may be teaching false doctrine, it applies equally to someone who has wandered from the faith. Restoration of a wandering teacher is important in that it not only saves that person, but also those whom he has taught, and covering a multitude of sins.

Dear friends in Christ, as we see the day approaching, there is much to do. We will face trials and tribulations; we will be tempted to wander from the faith. But while we wait, in faith we keep our eyes on Christ and patiently endure. He has done great things for us and greater things are in store for us, things so great that words cannot describe them. Amen.