Walking through James...

Consider it Pure Joy...

Joy and happiness are two different things. Often we think that we are supposed to be happy.

Here’s an excerpt from the US Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” (National Archives)

We all want to be happy, but the problem with happiness is that it centers on earthly circumstances and how things are going here. (LANTC)

If we are depending on happiness, when things don’t go well or according to plans, we can be miserable, sad, lonely, depressed, and the list can go on and on, because for us to be happy, we need everything to go our way. The old saying might be that “the stars need to line up just right.”, but our hope and our joy is not based on what’s going on around us, it is based on our Rock, Jesus Christ who does not change.

Let’s read tonight’s Scripture:

James 1:1–4 NLT

This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the “twelve tribes”—Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings! Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

When we start to read a book or a letter, we like to know who’s writing it.

Personally, I’m more apt to read a book from somebody that I’ve heard of. If I haven’t heard about the author, something about the book would have to catch my attention, or somebody would have to recommend the book.

Do you have a favourite author?

The book I read the most is the Bible. There are many authors that wrote this book, but they wrote because they were inspired by the Holy Spirit.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NIV

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Other authors that I like Jim Cymbala, Max Lucado, Craig Groeschel, Dr. Seuss, etc.

Here’s a little about the author

The author was James, the half brother of Jesus. His parents would have been Joseph and Mary.

It was quite evident that his brothers weren’t believers during Jesus’ ministry, in fact, I think that they thought that He was a bit crazy, but when Jesus died on the cross, and rose from the dead, they believed.

James introduces himself as

James 1:1 (NLT)

This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ...

He considered himself a slave, this

Life Application New Testament Commentary (Greetings / 1:1)

refers to a position of complete obedience, utter humility, and unshakable loyalty. Many of the first followers of Christ were, in fact, slaves. But among Christians, the idea of being a slave of Christ became not a position of humiliation, but a place of honor...

Who was he loyal to?

He was loyal to God and the ...Lord Jesus Christ, These three names refer to the unique character of Jesus. He is the heavenly, exalted Lord who will one day return in glory to this world. He is Jesus, God come to earth as a human being. He is Christ, the anointed one who fulfilled God’s purposes by dying for us on the cross. (My words added)

James wrote this letter to Jews who were spread out over the Roman Empire. Some were scattered because of persecution, some were displaced because they had been conquered and some had moved because of business opportunities.

He greets them and then encourages these believers to rejoice when you face trials, not if you face trials.

James 1:2 NIV

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

Pure Joy

I want you to know that it can be hard to consider it pure joy when we are going through trials of many kinds.

James gives some reasons why we can have joy. We’ll quickly look at them, but I think that we can rejoice because God will never leave us or forsake us.

We can count it all joy because We can cast all our care on Him because He cares for us.

We don’t have to be anxious because Philippians 4:6-7

Philippians 4:6–7 NIV

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Here’s why we can rejoice and have peace in our times of trial.

James 1:3 NIV

because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

When our faith is tested in our hard times, our faith is stretched and we grow. We can’t give up but we need to persevere and have patient endurance.

This doesn’t mean that we just sit and wait for the storm to pass, but we actively trust God in the middle of the storm, because this too shall pass.

In loss, in hardship, in trial, sometimes we see that God is all we have to hang on to, and when we find that out, we find out that He is all we needed.

James 1:4 NIV

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

When we don’t give up, when we lean on God for our strength, perseverance will finish its work.

We mature. We become complete. We don’t lack anything.

We are like trees planted by rivers of water.

Psalm 1:3 NIV

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.

The wind still blows against that tree by the river. Hail still might hit the tree and bruise the bark and the leaves of the tree, but the tree stands firm because it gets its source from the River.

We can stand firm because we have our source, God and His word. He will not fail you. He will not change. He is the same yesterday today and for ever.

I want to close tonight with a story,

"WE LOST THE FARM"

Richard Culp worked in the hot California sun as foreman of a large ranching operation. He and his wife, Geneva, also owned their own farm, consisting of 200 acres of almond trees. Then years of bad weather and skimpy harvests forced Richard to take on additional work, but even that didn't help. So he and Geneva took on additional loans to pay their farming expenses, but that only put them deeper in debt. They spent many sleepless nights struggling to find a way to cover all their obligations.

One day, Geneva brought Richard the bad news: "Oh, Richard," she said. "I've just been to the farm credit company. They've taken it all! We're being forced to sell. They have a buyer; there's no price negotiation. All they want is our signatures."

They cried together as they realized everything they had worked a lifetime to acquire was gone. On top of that, they still owed $100,000 even after all their assets were seized. Richard was 50 years old and had been farming all his life. Two of their eight children were still at home, and they had no money to start over.

Even so, Richard says, "In spite of the overwhelming loss and grief, I knew that God was in control of our situation. I remembered the Bible story of Joseph. Even as a slave and prisoner, that young man was part of God's glorious plan. As for me, I knew that God must have something better for our future too."

Richard and Geneva were trusting the Lord, but that didn't make things better. In fact, things got worse. Two weeks after the creditors took their farm, Richard lost his job as a ranch foreman. Their family moved into a compact rental unit, and they began working a series of minimum wage jobs, including a stint at a fast food restaurant. There were many times they didn't have money for groceries and living expenses, but God provided for them through their family, their friends, and their church.

A year-and-a-half later, Richard and Geneva were offered a management position at an exclusive, 2,600-acre waterfowl hunting club in northern California. The club catered to wealthy clients. Richard says, "As we served at the club in numerous ways, we realized again and again that money and possessions cannot bring happiness. We had lost everything, yet we had joy in our lives."

Then after they had been at the club for about a year, Richard received a call from the head of the credit company that had taken their farm. He wanted to talk with them and insisted on making the hour's drive out to the hunting club.

As they sat together, the head of the credit company said, "I want to ask you something personal. A friend of mine recently lost everything he owned. His wife just committed suicide. We at the office have noticed that you two are handling this crisis differently than most people do. Can you tell me what your secret is?"

Richard was happy to explain. "We believe in the God of the Bible," he said. "He is sovereign over our lives, and he is in control. Even though the pain is real, we are confident of this: God has proven sufficient and able to take care of us."

Geneva added, "God's Word promises, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"

It was absolutely true. Throughout the entire ordeal, Richard says, "We never felt alone for a single moment." Later, as the head of the credit company rose to leave, he thanked Richard and Geneva. "You've given me a lot to think about," he said quietly.

(Cynthia Culp Allen, "We Lost the Farm," Christian Reader, Sep/Oct 2001, pp.77-80. From a sermon by C. Philip Green, When Life Isn't Fair, 9/1/2011)

Joy doesn’t come from the things we have, it comes from having a relationship with Jesus Christ. As He works in us, the fruit He produces is this,

Galatians 5:22–23 NIV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Let’s pray!