Testing of your Faith (Part 1)
Notes
Transcript
Order of Service
Order of Service
Welcome
Welcome
Prayer
Prayer
Hymn -
Hymn -
Notices
Notices
Prayer Meeting - 7:30pm
Friday 7pm - Online
Sunday Morning 11am & 6pm
Tithes & Offerings - £
Main Prayer
Main Prayer
Hymn -
Hymn -
Reading
Reading
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. 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. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Sermon
Sermon
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.
James (Brother of Jesus)
Not an apostle
Replaced Peter, as leader of the church in Jerusalem (ACTS 12:17)
Spokesman at the Council of Jerusalem
To whom Paul reported his missionary experience (Acts 21:18-19 )
A Servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ
For James this is his most significant title
Jesus came to be served but to serve (Matthew 20:28)
which James replicates as a true follower of Christ
To the twelves tribes in the Dispersion
scattered among the nations
Letter probably first to be written of the New Testament
Greetings
Testing of your faith
Testing of your faith
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
Count it all Joy
Joy = Better self perception (think positively / postive attitude)
Society views Joy as extreme Happiness (will deal with next Sunday)
Contrary to: Despair - Absence of Hope
False Theology:
Whatever makes me happy must be right. Whatever makes me unhappy must be wrong.
Discomfort, delay, risk, suffering, inconveniences, and obstacles can’t be God’s will.
Without knowing it, I begin to worship the false gods of comfort, money, pleasure, and things.
Called to be Holy
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
My Brothers
Expression of Love
Equality
Getting alongside one another
Trials of various kinds
They had lost their homes & possessions
exploited by the rich
dragged into court
slandered
Is James out of touch?
James had witnessed the death of Stephen and the persecution that followed
James and the Epistles of John 1. Testing of Faith (1:2–4)
No believer has received the guarantee that he will live a trouble-free and peaceful life. Everyone experiences difficulties, problems, and pains of one kind or another. No one can escape them, because man does not control the circumstances that cause the difficulties.
Trials, thus testing your faith, produces steadfastness
Soldiers training in harsh conditions to prepare them for battle
Build perseverance
Paul takes up this theme in Romans
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
Peter also takes up this point
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Gold is purified by fire
God purifies the believer faith from sin
Although gold is passive, faith is not
Perseverance is active
Resigning to a situation (“what will be will be”) is not active
James and the Epistles of John 1. Testing of Faith (1:2–4)
“Positively, steadfastness, constancy and perseverance are among the noblest of manly virtues
James affirms in ch 2:17 that faith without action is dead
James and the Epistles of John 1. Testing of Faith (1:2–4)
The believer who possesses the virtue of steadfastness clings to God in faith, persists in doing God’s will, and cannot be diverted from his avowed purpose to serve his God.
Steadfastness
Steadfastness
And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Let steadfastness / percevierance have its full effect
That you may be perfect and complete; lacking in nothing
A student must sit examinations to affirm that they are worthy
Jesus said:
But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Paul - Thorn in the flesh
Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Asking for Wisdom
Asking for Wisdom
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Need: If any of you lacks wisdom
By nature man is independant (self worshipping)
Man does not like to admit inperfection, need or inability (e.g. needs help and makes mistakes)
Any - tactful approach, giving chance to reader to examine themselves
Request: Let him ask God
Wisdom (Logic) comes from God
To become mature & complete we must ask
James and the Epistles of John 2. Asking for Wisdom (1:5–8)
Donald Guthrie, “If wisdom is the right use of knowledge, perfect wisdom presupposes perfect knowledge.”
For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
Return:
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Gift: Who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him
God never fails the one who asks in Faith
Asking in Faith
Asking in Faith
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Asking in Faith
With no doubting (towards God)
NB: We can often doubt (perplexity) our own sinful desires, and our failure to seek the Will of God
If we have no faith, how can we expect to receive from God
Father of Boy with unclean spirit
Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Taking Pride
Taking Pride
Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
Consider the Beatitudes (Next week)
We need to be spiritually minded
Do not boast & brag in what you have
Sustaining the Test
Sustaining the Test
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.
Blessed - Assurance from God of His Acceptance
Is the one who remains steadfast under trial (the trial is our entire life)
For they have stood the test (remained faithful till the end)
They will receive the crown of life
Which God has promised to those who love him
Hymn -
Hymn -
Q&A
Q&A
Hymn -
Hymn -
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer
Doxology
Doxology