James
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 2 viewsNotes
Transcript
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:
Greetings.
This is the intro to the book/letter.
James was not an apostle, but rather the half brother of Jesus. This is him writing the letter to Christians on how to live in both faith and works. This was huge for the early church because you had jewish people who were all about the law. This was imperative for them to read.
James starts much like Paul calling himself a servant of Jesus. This is the posture that we should all take.
He is also writing to the tribes as they are scattered throughout the nations. They have been pushed out by war and many other things, but is in reference to the Jewish people that are having to live among the gentiles.
This is important for us, and we should be listening to James in the same way, because we are scattered among an unbelieving world.
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.
James jumps right in when we get to what he is trying to talk about.
What is a trial?
What is a trial?
Trials are an outward moment that meet us
What is Joy?
What is Joy?
Joy is contentment in all circumstances
James points something out here that is critical to our faith. To often we get caught up in what is happening to us, that we miss what God is trying to do in our lives.
Trial are not bad. In fact, trials are designed to transform us and sanctify us. Too often we forget this because we do not like trials.
For James, joy is not the product of circumstances, but rather the most fundamental expression of faith.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
Paul points this out to. That we are to have joy in the Lord always. No matter what.
James takes it a step further and says in trials to have joy. Why, because trials are a tool that God uses to sanctify us.
But he does not leave us there.
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.
James does not want us to stay in the trial unaware, but gives us key things to ask for in the midst of our trials.
What is wisdom?
What is wisdom?
Wisdom is putting knowledge to practice. Someone can know something, but until they actually use that knowledge, that is just something that is taking up head space. Using the knowledge is wisdom.
Why wisdom?
Why wisdom?
Because wisdom is what is going to help us in the midst of our trials. Wisdom is going to take what we have learned through out study and time with the Lord and put it to practice.
What I love is that we see that James shows that God is not going to just leave us.
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.
In fact, James says when we ask God for wisdom, He gives it lavishly. Why? Because to request wisdom in the midst of trials is precisely what God intends for His people. Wisdom is also necessary to endure trials.
Wisdom is needed to know when to pray, when to worship, when to read. Wisdom is also needed to know what to do to walk through the trial. We are not called to get out of the trials, but instead to walk through them.
James keeps going and says to ask in faith.
What is faith?
What is faith?
Faith is much like we have talked about…putting your belief to action.
In this case, you ask and believe that God will provide wisdom, not thinking that He might, but knowing that He will. That is how we are called to ask the Lord for wisdom.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Shad, Rad, and Benny showed this perfectly. They believed that God would save them from the fire. You cannot tell me that they were not praying and asking God for wisdom on how to handle this situation, or that they were not praying and asking God to save them.
They had so much faith in God that they knew that He would save them from the fire. But even if He did not, they were not going to change their view.
Here we see such strong faith and wisdom.
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.
But we see the warning as to why we are called to ask like this.
James points out that if we do not, we can be tossed. Why? Because our faith is wishy washy, so in turn, our belief and how we act will be as well.
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.
What James is pointing out here with the first part of this is that people boast in all the various things, and often turn to those, but we must not do that.
Instead, we must humble ourselves before anything else.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus calls us to the same position.
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.
We end on this. Pointing back to what I said earlier, that ultimately God uses trials.
God does not waste pain.
God is using trials to transform you (sanctify you) into who He desires you to be, which is more like Christ.