Scripture/Sermon of the Day.  December 14, 2025

James 5:7-10

7 Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Brothers and sisters, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Matthew 11:2-11

Messengers from John the Baptist

2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” 4 Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with a skin disease are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. 6 And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

Reflection/Sermon:

I. The writer of this letter of James advises:  “Be patient.  Don’t grumble against one another.  And when you suffer, be patient,  like the prophets.”

II. “Be patient,” James says.   

I watched the Godfather, again, last week.  I don’t know how many times I’ve seen that movie.  There’s a scene where Sonny gets shot by a group of men firing their machine guns at him — it seems like hundreds of bullets.  Do you remember why?  BECAUSE HE WASN’T PATIENT.  

In a moment of impulsive anger, enraged at his brother-in-law for beating up his (Sonny’s) sister — he runs out of his house, swearing, even though everyone had orders to not go out — and he got in his car and in minutes was ambushed and dead on the ground. 

He died because he was not patient.

His brother, Michael, was the patient one — that’s why he lived through three Godfather movies.

IV. My son-in-law was visiting yesterday.  And he told me a true story and it’s so amazing I have to tell you.  Even if you’re not football fans — you’ll probably be amazed with this too — because it’s about patience and all the other wisdom that this letter of James begs us to follow.

Do you know who PHILLIP RIVERS is?  He is a devout Catholic who played 16 seasons as the starting quarterback of the San Diego Chargers, and played one more year for the Indianapolis Colts, then retired in 2019 and coached for the St. Michael Catholic High School football team in Fairhope, Alabama.  And now, because of an unlikely — some would say impossible — series of events where ALL THREE quarterbacks of the Indianapolis Colts are injured, Phillips was called by the team and asked if, AT 44 YEARS OLD — and as A GRANDFATHER — and FATHER OF 10 children from 23 years old to 2 — asked if he would be their starting quarterback.  He was sure his professional football days were over — and now here he is, a starting quarterback for the NFL — as a 44 year old grandfather!!!!  PATIENCE!

In a recent interview he said, “Sometimes a door opens to us, and we can either enter, or run away.”

V. For me, as impressive as all that is— (and as eager as I am to see him play tomorrow at 4:25 against the Seattle Seahawks — one of the best teams in football right now) — most impressive about Rivers is how he follows the other advice in the letter of James:  You’ll never hear Rivers grumble against anyone.

VI. DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS NOT TO GRUMBLE AGAINST OTHER PEOPLE??!!  There are times in the Gospels where Jesus’ ENEMIES wanted help— or something — from him.  A leader of the synagogue, JAIRUS, whose daughter was dying came to him and asked Jesus to heal her.  NICODEMUS — a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council.  And a ROMAN SOLDIER whose slave was paralyzed and “and in terrible distress.”  Each of these people belonged to groups that wanted to kill Jesus.  And yet, when each requested healing or advice, Jesus did not hesitate to help.  JESUS WASN’T A GRUMBLER, HE WAS A SERVANT.  When his followers were discouraged, Jesus said — “Cheer up — before you’re executed you’ll do the works I have been doing — and even greater than these!”

VII. Jesus began his ministry saying, “REPENT — THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS NEAR.” People didn’t understand.  They said, “The kingdom of heaven?  Where?”  They looked for fire and lightening and armies of angels descending from the sky and thunder and Jesus, radiant and powerful, blazing through the smoke and lighting TO SAVE THE WORLD SHOUTING “GLORY HALLELUJAH!!!”

Even the great and holy John the Baptist didn’t see heaven in Jesus.  He was losing faith in Jesus — who was a homeless peasant.  He wasn’t driving out the Romans, or King Herod or Pilate or the corrupt Jerusalem Temple Establishment. 

So John the Baptist — his time running out — feared he made a mistake.  From prison, he told his disciples to ask Jesus and find out if he “is the one who is to come — or should we look for another?”

VIII. Jesus said, “Tell John what you see and hear.  The crippled walk, the blind see, skin diseases are cleansed, the deaf hear — even the dead are raised.  The poor have good news brought to them.” 

Jesus could just as well have said, “Tell John that -- long retired grandfathers will play professional football again.  And people who grumbled against others now speak with kindness and understanding — TOWARD EVERYONE.  

And people dead with rage and anger have been raised to loving and compassionate action.  

THIS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN — AND IT’S HERE NOW — LOOK — IT’S EVERYWHERE!!!”