James 1:12-18

MPS

Prayer:

God, thank you for answering my prayers, to encourage your people and feed your sheep every Sunday. I rejoice in the completeness of your work Jesus. The reality of your life, death and resurrection changes my reality. I am grateful. I am satisfied in you. Let me honor you and the church with the task that you have set before me. Stir our hearts and minds to understand and cherish your wisdom.

Intro:

[illustration of steadfastness under trials, vs. blaming God]

God is good, all the time.

P 1. In every Trial there is blessing and temptation

v12

Blessing

Trials/testing

vv2-4

2 blessings:

Steadfastness (v2-4)

stronger faith here and now

[Illustration: Jello sticking to a wall vs velcro]

As we go through trials with Jesus all of who he is and the riches of what he has done for me stick. We are united, like 2 piece of velcro, pressed together trough trials.

The only way to rejoice in trials is to change your goal

Do you want to be united to your loving savior and brother, Jesus.

Or do you want something else in life and you are content with the spiritual depth and maturity of your connection with christ?

Crown of life

Revelation 2:10 “Do not fear what you are about to suffer……Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Eternal life to the fullest

Light at the end of the tunnel (perspective)

With christ in his perfect kingdom

God gives to all who love him

Transition: with every trial is a blessing. and, with every trial there is a temptation

Only two ways to respond to the trials we will encounter in our lives:

turn from God (distrust, blame) temptation.

financial struggle- doubt God’s providence

the death of a loved one, or a long term health struggle- to doubt God’s goodness

the suffering of the poor or weak at the hands of wicked and powerful people can tempts us to question God’s justice

the chaos of the world can tempts us to deny God’s sovereignty, his wisdom or his love.

blessings- turn to God (trust, salvation)

temptation- turn from God

P 2. Things we should never say, but do (Blasphemy)

v13-15

Turning from God

3 Things we should never say, but we do (blasphemy)

1. “I am being tempted by God”

[ILL: how else might we say this in other words/ways?]

God is trying to trip me up

God wants me to fail

I did nothing wrong

2. God is Evil

3. God is a tempter

turning from God (distrust, blame, blasphemy)

P 3: Things we must say in Confession

“But…” Turning to God (trust, salvation)

Repentance needed… 1st step, confession

See the truth, confess the truth

3 Things you must say (confession)

I am tempted and lured by my desire (lust)

I am tempted (Satan tempts)

Gen 3

“Lured”- think of fishing

my lust, my wickedness, my corruption

My desire gives birth to my sin

desire comes from our own hearts

Sin is ours to own and confess

my sin is killing me

The Message, “Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.”

[ill: ways in which we taste death because of sin. now and later.]

Confession of faith needed…

P 4 Things we must say in faith

vv16-18

Do not be deceived

Here is the truth

[Illustration: Mansplaining: Umm actually…]

Repentance is turning from a lie to the truth.

Turning back towards God.

The object of our faith. What is he really like?

3 More things we must say:

(Confession of faith)

1. God, you are good, always good

a. Everything good/perfect comes from him

from above- not your hands, God’s hands

Father of lights- the source

b. He is unchanging in his goodness (no variation or shadow)

2. You make me Good

Adam and Eve “very good”

Brought forth by the word of truth

God Spoke

(Jesus, the Gospel)

Of his own will

Jesus makes you “good”

Declared “Good” by confessing in Christ

3. So that we would be good (firstfruits)

James call us the “firstfruits”

“firstfruits” are the offering that Abel brought before God.

the best of the best.

What kind of fruit did God want? firstfruits

Here, God is presenting to himself an offering of the best.

Jesus, wants to present you, complete, perfect lacking in nothing before God the Father.

This brings fear into my heart. I know that by christ I am accepted. But I want to look and smell and taste in a real way like the best of the best and be pleasing to God, but I am rotten!

Jesus help me to:

be Faithful

to overcome temptation

to turn to you rather than from you

To trust you

to love you

To honor you.

To please you. and walk with you.

Jesus

steadfast under trial

overcoming temptation

Taking the cross of Death

to give us the crown of life

Conclusion: