Testing and Persevering
Notes
Transcript
Today we begin a new series on the book of James. If you haven’t already, let me encourage you to begin reading the book of James. This is a five week study and by the time we are through you should have an overall view of the book of James and what the book means.
The book of James is believed to be the earliest of all books written in the New Testament. It’s author, James, was the half-brother of Jesus and the leader of the church in Jerusalem.
Can you image being the half brother of Jesus? Michael Jr. gives his thoughts on this. Take a look.
Video - Michael Jr. What if Jesus’ lil brother?
Isn’t he good.
Something else you should know about James’ book is there was intense persecution and adversity that this early church faced, so James is not writing as a disconnected observer but rather as an active participant in the lessons of faith and perseverance that he encourages through his letter.
James is referred to James the Just. He is a good pastor with an important message to the early church. His message continues to be relevant as the years go by, the persecution of the church carries on, and the experience of personal adversity is felt by every last living being.
During this series we will look at two big ideas from the book of James. Today we want to look at James chapter one and it’s teaching on testing and persevering. The testing of our faith through trials, adversity, suffering, and so on produce in us a steadfast spirit and perseverance.
So, if you have your Bibles with you, go to the first chapter of the book of James.
Verse 1.
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
The original readers of this letter were likely Jewish Christians, many of whom had been scattered because of persecution. As a leader in the Jerusalem church, James was well known to these believers, especially since they may originally have been part of the church in Jerusalem. Go to verse 2.
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.
10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.
11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
James begins his book with a difficult sentence for each of us to take. Look at verse 2 again.
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
James isn’t saying you might face trials, but he is telling us that we will face trials of many kinds. Do you see the word whenever? This word assumes that trials are a normal part of the Christian life. In fact, trials are a given for a faithful disciple.
12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
The Jewish wisdom tradition held that the experience of trials was proof of a person’s faithfulness.
When James says to consider it a joy for the trials you face. He is reassuring us that we have a future relief that is coming.
And then he continues to reveal to us what these trials bring in our life.
He says the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Have you ever been to a long distance track competition? Like a marathon or a half marathon or a 5k or 10k. Those type races have the runners prepare for the long haul. They work on their endurance. They know it is going to take a while to accomplish the race so they prepare to be able to finish the race. In order to finish the race they need endurance.
The word for perseverance in the Greek is hypomone. It is the same word that is used for endurance. It means the power to withstand hardship or stress; especially the inward fortitude necessary.
So what James is telling you is as you go through these various trials that will test your faith, there will be something great that will rise up inside of you that will allow you to withstand these trials for the long haul. Then he says...
4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
How many of you would say, I want everything that God has for me? Raise your hand. So, if there is anything that I don’t have then I should ask my father who is in heaven and believe that He will give it to me. Right?
I showed you a video earlier of Michael Jr. comically talking about being Jesus little brother. But at first James and Jesus’ other brothers didn’t believe Him at first. John tells us...
5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.
But as you read this first chapter of James, it seems that James must have listened to Jesus teachings. The first several verses of James 1 reiterates what Jesus spoke in the sermon on the mount.
Verse 5 James tells us...
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
In the sermon on the mount Jesus tells us
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
So, if there is anything that you feel you do not have when you are trying to withstand these trials that you will face, ask the Lord for it and He will give it to you.
Then James tells us that it goes a step further. He says...
6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
I love Florida. Kelly and I always say that when we retire we are going to Florida to live. We lived there for about a year early on in our marriage. We have been to the beach on both coasts of Florida. On one side you have the Gulf of Mexico and on the other side you have the Atlantic Ocean. There is a huge contrast between the two sides. The Gulf is the calmer side. The Atlantic is the powerful side.
My point is, if you have ever been to the beach you know how waves act. And James says that if you ask, you must believe and not doubt or you are like a wave of the sea.
Faith is a funny thing. For many people they need the tangible, they need something you can see and feel. Thomas was that way. He said, “I will only believe Jesus is alive if I can see and touch his scars for myself. Then there are people they they have what is known as blind faith. If someone that you trust says something you believe it no matter what.
Hebrews tells us what faith is.
1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Billy Graham said this about faith in God.
“Can you see God? You haven't seen him? I've never seen the wind. I see the effects of the wind, but I've never seen the wind. There's a mystery to it.” ― Billy Graham
“Can you see God? You haven't seen him? I've never seen the wind. I see the effects of the wind, but I've never seen the wind. There's a mystery to it.” ― Billy Graham
Faith is allowing yourself to believe in something that you don’t necessarily see but you trust that it is there because of everything that you have heard.
We believe that the earth is round because of what everyone tells us. Most of us have never been all over the world, in both hemispheres. But we believe that it is round because others have.
We don’t fully understand everything there is to know about God but we believe that He exists because of a book that is more than just stories and good readings. That is what faith is.
It takes faith to ask someone for anything. And when we know that trials are coming or even when we are walking through those trials we take a moment and ask our heavenly father if He will give us the wisdom we need or anything else that we will need to get through that trial and then we believe that He will do what He says He will do.
One thing that James is sure to let us know is that when it comes to trials and God’s testing, it puts all of us on a level playing field. There are no rich or poor. When testing comes to the poor man, he lets God have His way and rejoices that he possesses spiritual riches that cannot be taken from him. When testing comes to the rich man, he also lets God have His way, and he rejoices that his riches in Christ cannot wither or fade away. In other words, it is not your material resources that take you through the testings of life. it is your spiritual resources.
Success in Christ means trusting Christ through the varied trials of life as He brings su to perfection and completion. Success, for the believers, is wholeness in Christ. And wholeness is found on the other side of suffering. There is something unique about suffering, pain, and adversity that produces divine character in us. Look at what Paul tells us in Romans 5.
3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Adversity calls us to go higher, to be greater, and to trust deeper. Suffering expands our faith. Pain drives us into the arms of the Father. And as we learn over and over and over again to trust our heavenly Father through any and every situation, our capacity to hope increases. Our capacity to be faithful increases. We learn to persevere because of the promise we have in Jesus.
The promise is found in verse 12.
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
Why did James use the word love here? Because love is the spiritual motivation behind every imperative in this section.
Why do we have a joyful attitude as we face trials? Because we love God, and He loves us, and He will not harm us. Why do we have an understanding mind? Because He loves us and has shared His truth with us, and we love Him in return. Why do we have a surrendered will? Because we love Him. Where there is love, there is surrender and obedience. Why do we have a believing heart? Because love and faith go together. When you love someone, you trust them, and you do not hesitate to ask them for help.
Love is the spiritual force behind the imperatives James give us. If we love God, we will have no problem counting, knowing, letting, and asking. But there is another factor involved: love keeps us faithful to the Lord.
Think about this way. In verse 8 James talks about a double-minded person. He also mentions it in James 4:8
8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
The Greek word translated purify literally means “make chaste.” The picture is that of an unfaithful lover. The double-minded person is like an unfaithful husband or wife: he wants to love both God and the world.
Now, think about a mother that is trying to wean a child. The child loves his mother, and who is sure that his mother loves him. He will be able to get through the weaning and start to grow up. The Christian who loves God, and who knows that God loves him, will not fall apart when God permits trials to come. He is secure in God’s love. He is not double-minded, trying to love both God and the world.
Lot was double-minded; when trials came, he failed miserably. Abraham was the friend of God; he loved God and trusted Him. When trials came, Abraham triumphed and matured in the faith.
God’s purpose in trials is maturity.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Go run the race today and fix your eyes on Jesus. And some day soon we will receive the crown of life that God has promised us.
Let’s pray.