Seven Points to Prevent You from Grumbling.

Intro.: James writes to believers who were facing trials of many kinds. These believers needed a stern address, and that is exactly what James gave them. They were not handling their trials well, and one of the ways they showed it was by all of the sins that they committed with their mouths, grumbling being one of them.

"Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, he Judge is standing at the door." (James 5:9)

Question: Who does “do not grumble against one another” remind you of from the Old Testament?

Answer: The Israelites of the Exodus. As soon as they were uncomfortable or were going through a difficulty of any kind, they would grumble. Just a month and a half after God had performed amazing supernatural signs and wonders and allowed them to escape through the Red Sea, they began to grow discontented, question God, doubt God, and grumble to one another.

And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." (Exodus 16:2-3)

And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.” (Exodus 16:8)

And the Lord said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God." (Exodus 16:11-12)

But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” (Exodus 17:3)

Comment: This, of course, would not be the end of their grumbling but serves as an example of how quickly they went from celebrating the goodness of God to being disgruntled, complaining, discontent, and grumbling to one another.

Question: What about you? Are you much different than the Israelites?

Question: When are you most tempted to grumble?

Answer: Most likely, like the Israelites, it is when things aren’t going the way you think they should go in your life. Remember, people are not tempted to grumble when things are going well. However, when we aren’t experiencing life as we think we deserve to be, that is when the grumbling begins.

Comment: This scenario is what we see with the Israelites and those to whom James was writing. They were facing “trials of various kinds”; however, they were not facing them very well. Instead of trusting in God and being patient through the process of testing, thus increasing steadfastness and growing in maturity, they were sinning. James says that they were speaking evil of one another (slandering), quarrelling, fighting, murdering one another with their words, and grumbling. A Christian should trust in the sovereignty of God even when we are not getting our way.

Question: How do you handle difficult times in life? Do you tend to complain and grumble, or do you do as James commanded and “count it all joy,” knowing that God has brought the trial your way for good? Well, here are a few points to remember to keep you from grumbling.

Seven Points to Prevent You from Grumbling:

1. Grumbling is spoken to others, but ultimately it is spoken against God.

2. Grumbling reveals a lack of contentment with God’s provision.

3. Grumbling is of no benefit to anyone.

4. Grumbling causes more people to grumble.

5. Grumbling is the wrong response to trials.

6. Grumbling is another example of not having a bridled tongue.

7. Grumbling against one another is a sin.

"Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, he Judge is standing at the door." (James 5:9)

Comment: There has been much said about the misuse of speech and the tongue in this letter. Also about judging one another, the danger of judging, and who is truly the judge.

The fact that Jesus is coming back as the ultimate Judge should cause a believer to put away ungodly behavior, grumbling against one another being one of them.

Comment: Believers can take comfort in knowing that perfect justice will be served, even if it is not served during their lifetime.

Comment: However, knowing that Christ is coming should also have an effect on Christians. Knowing that the Judge is at the door and can open it any second, believers should have a pressing desire to be found living in submission to the Lord. Most likely James particularly has the royal law of loving one another in mind. Grumbling against one another, like slander, is a form of sinful speech and certainly not an expression of love.

How you speak to one another and about one another should be affected by the fact that the Judge is at the door and can open it any minute. How would He find you speaking?

Question: Will believers be judged like unbelievers?

Answer: No, there is certainly a major difference. A believer can live knowing that we have received the righteousness of Christ and are preserved by God for salvation and cannot be judged to condemnation. Paul does speak of believers whose works were exposed as

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

Comment: Notice that the believer is not condemned, but the works that he put on top of the foundation of Christ are judged, and only what was done for Christ lasts. This, accompanied with James’ teaching, could bring one to ask:

Question: How would all the words that you have said about one another, or to one another, last in such a judgment of righteousness?

Question: What would be left of all the words you have spoken if the Judge came through the door right this second?

Summary: Even Christians are prone to be impatient and not be loving as we face challenging times. We must fight such temptations. We know the end of the story. We know that Christ will return and knowing this should increase our desire to submit all our lives, even our speech, to Him. As you face various trials in this life, be patient, be prayerful, seek wisdom from above, establish your heart in the truth of Christ’s return, continue to love one another, and continue to trust in God’s plan for your life.