Untitled Sermon (4)

Facing life’s trials

Main Point

The trials that we face in life are designed by God to test our faith and we should be thankful for them. When we handle trials and adversity with grace and joy, it brings glory to God. Our resolve to stay faithful in Christ leads to our sanctification.

In the 16th century, Queen Mary I reigned over England, she had a reputation for persecuting Protestant believers which earned her the nickname she is more famously known by…Bloody Mary. In June of the year 1555, a young man named John Denley and another man were returning from a visit to Maidstone, as they were walking along the road, they were approached by a justice of the peace named Edmund Tyrell. Tyrell was known to be a zealous hunter of Protestants within the kingdom. After Tyrell stopped the men, he searched Denley and found papers outlining a personal statement of his Protestant faith.

Denley was then sent to see the queen’s commissioners. On June 28, Denley made the following answers to some of the charges against him:

First, He was asked if he was of the diocese of London.

Denley said yes, that was true.

He did not believe there was a Catholic Church of Christ on earth.

Denley replied that was not true. He believed there was a church built on the prophets and apostles, with Christ as its head. This church preaches God's Word truly and ministers the sacraments of baptism and communion according to the Word.

He did not believe the Church of England was part of the Catholic Church.

The Church of England presently is not part of the church. It is now the church of the antichrist because it changed the testament of God and set up its own testament of blasphemy and lies.

He believed the Mass was full of idolatry evil, and against God's Word.

As it stood now, Denley said, the Mass was idolatry where the bread and wine themselves were worshipped. Christ's body is in heaven, not in the sacramental bread and wine, so we should not worship them.

He believed confession was contrary to God's Word.

Denley said that the church had the power to punish him for his sins but not to forgive him. Only God could do that.

He did not believe a priest could absolve him of his sins.

He agreed to that charge.

He believed there were only two church sacraments baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Denley agreed to this.

He believed that Christ was in heaven, not in the bread and wine, and he refused to accept communion at the Mass.

Denley said that was also true.

On 1st July 1555, Denley was taken with two other men before the court at St Paul's to be tried. A few days later On July 5th, they were all condemned as heretics and given over to the secular authorities, the sheriffs of London.

A little over a month later on August 8, Denley was led to the stake and as the flames rose around him he was loudly and cheerfully singing a psalm. At one point, one of his tormentors threw a piece of wood at him, striking him directly in the face.

Denley looked down at the man and said, "Truly, you have spoiled a good old song." He then spread his arms wide again and continued joyfully singing as the flames rose higher until he eventually succumbed to them.

John Denley was plucked off the street, interrogated, arrested, tried, convicted and eventually martyred for standing on the truth of Scripture. How did he react and how was he able to exhibit such joy amidst his suffering?

We are going to take a look at this morning:

If you have your bible this morning, let’s open up to the book of James as we look at Chapter 1 verses 1 through 4 this morning.

James 1:1-4

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.

SO as we look at our text this morning, there are three things that I hope to bring to your attention this morning as we look at the these few verses. First, I want to give you an introduction to the book of James, secondly I want to see you the Trials and testing and third we will see the Path to perfection.

So for the note takers:

James the Just

Trials and Testing

Path to perfection

Still working on alliteration

First, let’s look at an Introduction.

I. Introduction

When we start a new study of a book in the bible, it’s important for us to gain and understanding of the book as a whole, looking at who the author is, who the recipients are and what is the occasion or the reason for the book.

James is a very unique book in that it is an epistle... but it isn't really formatted like an epistle, it is more like a collection of wise sayings. In fact, many refer to it as the Proverbs of the New Testament . So it is an epistle that reads like a book of wisdom.

One writer said that James exhibits greater likeness to the teachings of Jesus than any other book in the NT. It has also been said that James is a book of action because there are only 108 verses in then but more than 50 of them contain imperatives. One other thing to note about this book. James is very pithy, he’s concise and succinct in his statements, you’ll find as you read through the book that he will make a point and then quickly move on to the next point without lengthy explanations especially when you compare his writings to that of Paul.

First thing we need to see is..Who is it that wrote the book of James? Obviously we know it was James because the author does identify himself as James in the first verse, but there were several men named James that were around Jesus during his earthly ministry.

There was James, the son of Alphaeus who was one of Jesus’ disciples. There was also James, the father of Judas (not Iscariot) ..Then there was the other disciple James, who with his brother John were the sons of Zebedee. and then finally, there was James, the half-brother of Jesus Christ.

The only time that we hear of James, the son of Alphaeus is when he is listed as one of Jesus’ disciples and no where else, so it doesn’t seem as if he was well known enough to write such an authoritative letter… and James, the father of Judas (not Iscariot) is briefly mentioned in Acts 1:13 and Luke 6:16 and even then he is only then listed as the father of Judas. So I think it is safe to cross him off of this short list as well.

Now James, the son of Zebedee, is mentioned on many different occasions in the Gospel accounts. He was one of the few that were present at the healing of Jairus’ daughter and he also was there to witness the transfiguration of Christ atop the mountain.

However, we read in Acts 12:1 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword. This was believed to have taken place in 44 AD and most scholars believe that the book of James was not written until after 44 AD. So, it was likely not this James either.

So that leaves us with James, the half-brother of Christ, also known as James the Just. Most scholars are in agreement that this is the James who wrote the book of James.

However, if it was James the Just there are some questions worth asking… like if the book of James was truly written by the brother of Christ, why does he not mention that fact anywhere in his writing? Maybe if he did that would give it more authority? More authenticity?

But just because James was Christ’s brother, that still would not give him immediate authority to instruct and admonish the church. After all, he was not the Messiah. Besides the focus of the letter is not on who James was, but on who Christ is. And he even solidifies that sentiment in verse 1, when he calls himself a servant of God AND of the Lord Jesus Christ. James show his humility right from the opening verse of his letter.

Now, James did not become a believer until after Christ’s death and resurrection. But he later would become a key leader in the church at Jerusalem. Biblical scholar Richard Bauckham argues that James assumes the leadership role in the church after Peter’s departure in Acts chapter 12. If you recall in Acts 12, Peter was miraculously freed from his chains by an angel and he later goes to the house of Mary and knocks on the door and all who were inside were amazed ACTS 12:17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

So Peter leaves Jerusalem and a few chapters later in Acts chapter 15, James is involved in what is by far, his most notable recorded role as he speaks at the Jerusalem council. There the Pharisees are arguing what Gentile believers should be required to do in order to receive salvation. Paul and Barnabas had finished arguing their points outlining the reasons that Gentiles should not be required to conform with Jewish Law when James steps up in Acts 15:13

After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, “ ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’ Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

James here quoting from Amos chapter 9 is telling the people that throughout time God has made provisions for the Gentiles to be grafted into the household of God by faith alone and not through some ritualistic following of the Law.

So, James the Just had a firm grasp of the Gospel message, he had the credentials as an apostle, and he was well regarded as a leader in the first century church. Paul even mentions him 3 times in his letter to the Galatians, and in chapter 2 verse 9, Paul refers to him as a pillar in the church. I believe that is a pretty strong case for him as the author.

Earlier as we were making the case for Jesus’ brother as the author of James, I stated that most believe it was written after 44 AD, but it is also believed that it was written before 62 AD. That is when, according to extra biblical sources, James was ordered to be stoned by the death by the high priest Ananus for his violations of the Jewish Law.

Now that we have established the author, who was the intended audience?

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:

If you have a Reformation Study bible it says referring to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion. A reference not only to Jewish Christians scattered outside of Israel but also to Gentile Christians, who have become ingrafted into Christ, the true Israel.

Notice the similar greeting in the book of 1 Peter when Peter says:

1 Peter 1

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

James, like Peter is writing this letter to both Jewish and Gentile believers that have either left or been forced out of Israel for various reasons.

Notice how James says to the 12 tribes in the dispersion, while Peter addresses the elect exiles of the Dispersion.

Once again both letters were written to Jew and Gentile Christians, but James was definitely leaning more heavily toward Jewish believers. We can see that first off because he references the twelve tribes but also in Chapter 2:2 when we see the word assembly, it is the Greek word for Synagogue and he also makes several reference to the Torah. In contrast, 1 Peter appears to be more Gentile oriented. In 1 Peter 1:14 when Peter references their past, he speaks of “their former ignorance” and then in chapter 4, he talks about the Gentiles and what they did in times past. Also, Douglas Moo says in the Pillar New Testament commentary that Peter’s intent was probably to use the word dispersion with a more figurative meaning, using the term to characterize Christians in general as people who live in this world, apart from their true and heavenly “homeland”.

So there are similarities between James and 1 Peter here in their introduction but there are several other things that they have in common as well which we will look at in our next point. One other thing I found interesting before we leave this point is that nowhere in James introduction to his letter do we see a “I give thanks to God for you” or “Grace and Peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ” like you would see in many other epistles in the New Testament. He gives a simple Greetings and jumps right into his exhortation to the churches. Like I said before James is very concise and to the point with his language.

II. Trials and testing

Let’s look at verse 2: James says:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

I want to read that again “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”

I love being a southern boy, but let’s be honest people from the south are sometimes a little too nice, right. We are hospitable and polite, we say sir and ma’am, but many times we are often kind of, reserved in our speech. Northerners are uually more direct in their speech, sometimes their speech filter is non functioning. I would label James a Yankee.

But this is what I love about James. He gets right to the point of the matter, he doesn’t beat around the bush.

Notice it says Count it all joy, if you have a different version it may say “Consider it all joy” but either way this word is an imperative. Notice what it doesn’t say, there is no perhaps you could or should count it all joy, there’s no you MAY count it all joy. James gives us a command, It says emphatically “count it all joy” when you meet trials of various kinds. This is completely contrary to our human nature isn’t it? We are emotional creatures, this is contrary to our natural human reaction, it goes against every fiber of our emotional being. Why in the world would be happy when our world is crumbling around us? What does that even mean?

Count it all Joy..

What did it mean to the first century church? The original audience? What kind of trials were they facing that would cause James to say that they should count all their troubles as joy? Remember the greeting to the letter? He said To the twelve tribes of the dispersion. As we have said, this letter was very likely to have been written to Jewish Christians living outside of Palestine..they were far from their homeland, separated from their families…and they were frightened…and they had justification for their fear. There was the very real possibility of becoming martyred for their faith after leaving Judaism and placing their faith in Christ. They had likely heard about what had happened to Stephen and they knew that they could be facing the same fate…they were facing the very trials James was writing about.

The thing is too, these were mostly Jewish Christians, so they knew the stories of the OT. They knew about Abraham, Joseph…Job.

Especially Job… he was tested beyond what we could possibly comprehend. He lost everything,his business, his servants, his wealth, his children, he lost everything except his wife who was mysteriously left untouched by Satan (not giving commentary on that today) and How did Job respond? Job 1:21

And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

And then later after Satan attacks his health Job tells his wife, He says in Job 2:9b “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Job held strong to his faith knowing that God had a purpose behind all of his suffering and that is exactly what we seem James talking about. This sin that we are struggling with, these trials that God has placed before me, these circumstances that completely and utterly overwhelm us. THEY HAVE A PURPOSE! We may not understand them at the time we are going through them, and we may never understand them this side of glory. Listen, I know we hear this verse a lot from this pulpit but it is so appropriate, Romans 8:28,

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

All things..all things work together for good... even those trials that cause our heart to ache so much that we do not think we are able to bear the weight of them..even those are all a part of God’s plan and have taken place for our good:

Parents who have lost a child or children who have grown up without their parents and end up in an orphanage or the foster care system.

Even those trials

Losing everything you own to a house fire or natural disaster…The death of a spouse, …even those trials

The father who has lost his job

The mother who grieves over a child who has lost their way.. even those trials

Those challenging trials that cause our world to seemingly crumble around us. Even those trials. God has a purpose and a plan for each one of them…

And human nature being human nature there is always this tendency to ask Why?

Why is this happening? Why is God testing me in this way? Why am I being tortured? Why is God doing this to me? Why is this happening now? This is the worst time, I am not prepared for this.

And we can even throw this one in there. I’m sure you have been asked this one. Why do bad things happen to good people?

I think that that is a natural reaction and there are questions that we should be asking as trials are overtaking us.

I have said and my family can attest to this that the first question we should be asking ourselves is not why but what. But after saying that for many years, as hard as this may be to believe, I think I was wrong. The first question we should ask ourselves if we find ourselves asking the why question is NOT what but WHO.

Who do you think you are? Who do you think you are? Who are you to question the almighty God, Creator of the moon and the stars? The one who rules over every atom and molecule in the vastly unknown depths of our universe? Who are you to think that you have the right to question Him ? Who are you to believe that you know better than the one who knitted you together in the womb, who literally gave you breath, and who has saved you from the very depths of hell?

We have no right to ask that question.

Isaiah 55:8

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Our finite minds cannot possibly comprehend the infinite thoughts and ways of the Lord.

I think that after we have realized it is not for us to ask why and humbling ourselves by asking who…then we can ask the what question

What is God trying to teach me as he is testing me? Is there something about my attitude that God is trying to point out to me? Am I too self-centered? Am I too greedy for filthy lucre? Am I chasing after the riches of this world?

What spiritual attribute is God trying to instill in me ?

What is it about my character that needs to be sharpened?

What does this trial teach me about who God is? Is He trying to show you His power to humble you because you are too prideful?

What biblical doctrine is at stake?

Jonathan Edwards would ask himself the what question. Number 67 of his 70 resolutions stated:

Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.

These are all valid questions that we should be asking.

One more thing we could ask is How?

How can I glorify God through these trials that he has sent me?

How can I point others to Christ by enduring through these hard times?

I mentioned earlier the similarities between James and 1 Peter, let’s look at 1 Peter 1:6-7

1 Peter 1:6-7

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.

So we see that same sort of language where Peter says you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith. Peter just like James gives a reason, a purpose behind the testing, and they both say that the reason behind the trials is the testing of your faith.

What’s interesting though is when you look at that word Testing

it comes from a rarely used Greek Word Dokimion (Doh-Key-Meon)

The only place it is found in the New Testament is in these two verses, here in 1 Peter 1:7 and in James 1:2 .

But there is difference in how the word is being used.

Peter uses the word to denote the result of the testing. He says 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.

While James seems to use the word testing not in the sense of questioning the genuineness of faith but rather in the sense that this testing is being used by God to purify your faith. for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

The word is also found twice in the Septuagint in Ps 12:6 The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.

and Prov 27:21 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise.

Silver and gold are refined by intense heat, once it reaches a certain temperature the impurities, the dross, rise to the top, it is scooped out and the process begins again. This is exactly how God uses trials in order to make us more pure and valuable before the Lord.

Charles Spurgeon had this to say regarding life’s trials

Trials burn away any impurities in the believer’s faith. What is left when the trials have ended is purified, genuine faith, analogous to the pure gold or silver that emerges from the refiner’s fire.

James says that the purification of our faith through the trials and testing

allows us to know that the testing of oour faith produces steadfastness.

Once again, James deals with a certainty. He says that you KNOW that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. It is a foregone conclusion that the reason we go through difficult times is because we will gain perseverance, we will have steadfastness.

We will not continue to struggle in the same manner for the rest of our life. Will we still have times of struggle? Of course, we will but God has prepared this testing specifically for us to show us that when we place out trust in Him, we can endure and endurance produces character.

We see this echoed in Romans 5:3-4

Romans 5:3-4 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance (or steadfastness), and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

So Paul gives us this kind of progression, right, almost a recipe for how God works in our lives to make us more and more like Christ (sanctification) We are told to rejoice in our sufferings and our trials and sufferings will be various. James said that, right?

Look, if the trials we faced were all the same, what would we do? we would quickly learn to adapt and become full reliant upon ourselves, rather than trusting God. These trials test your faith, they test your reliance upon God rather than self. Your faith helps you to endure and survive the trials…and through the testing of your faith you become more resilient, and as Paul said you become more steadfast and that produces character and character produces hope.

We have this hope of eternal life in Christ. We have hope that is born out of blood. The blood that was shed upon the cross was the sacrifice required by God to provide a way for salvation for all who would believe and trust in Christ. That is what allows us to sing that our sins have been nailed to the cross and we bear them no more. If you are a non-believer here today I implore you, if you have not placed your full and complete trust in Christ. Repent, turn from your sins and trust in Christ right now. Don’t waste another second.

Now, to our last point

Hang in there, we’re almost done..only 30 minutes to go

III. Path to perfection

Verse James 1:4 : And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Steadfastness..other translations say..endurance..patience

Let steadfastness have its full effect. What does that mean?…It means we need to have patience and let our trials run their course.

In order for them to have their full effect. Do not grow weary dear Christian.

Now, to be clear, I am not pushing some sort of asceticism where you have to languish in your trials before you start to work on addressing them. That would be foolish but what I am saying is don’t make reckless, rash decisions that will only make the matter worse.

How many times have you gone through a difficult time and you try to take a shortcut to address the problem?

Or instead of facing the problem, tried to avoid it altogether? How did that work out for you? How did it work out for Jonah when he fled the opposite way rather than going to Nineveh to face the trials God had set before him? He became fish food!

Steadfastness is the goal and when achieved, it will be rewarded, we read a little later in James 1:12 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.

So, let the trials test and strengthen you, allow your character to be developed, Then James says once steadfastness has had its full effect, you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing. That word perfect comes from the word Teleios…its translated as perfect but it also conveys the idea of being “complete” or “mature” or even more specifically spiritual complete or mature. So, if Teleios means “complete” and “mature”, Why did James use a different Greek word when he says complete? It seems like one word would have sufficed. Why use two words when one word do trick?

But James uses that second word Holoklēros. It is an adjective that means "whole, complete, undamaged, intact". One commentator said that in the context of James 1:4, it is used alongside "teleios" (mature) to describe a state of completeness in faith, where one is "not lacking anything" and the overall concept of "holoklēros" is the biblical idea of perfection. So, James here is describing completely perfect maturity in Christ. In 1 Thessalonians 5:23, the term is used in a prayer emphasizing the wholeness and unity of the human person Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are to be lacking nothing. One commentator said, The complete thought that James gives here is that of a ripened character in which there is no defect and no inadequacy. In an absolute sense this condition will not be reached in this life but trials that are patiently borne will bring us well along the way.

Bringing this to a close, I want us to look at

2 Corinthians 7 starting in verse 4

I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy. For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.

Just as James says, Paul is overjoyed that even though he was afflicted at every turn, he was comforted by God. The Corinthians experienced trials of grief and mourning due to Paul’s Letter. But through their trials, they were grieved into repenting. They were made stronger by their trials, they experienced growth in the Lord due to their pain.

What about you dear believer? Are you finding comfort in God as you experience life’s trials?

Are you weary and heavy laden? Jesus said come and I will give you rest.

Are you struggling with loneliness? Jesus said that he will never leave nor forsake you

Have you received ridicule and slander for being a Christian in your workplace?

Jesus said Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Are you dealing with health issues today? Paul said in 2 Corinthians Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them

While we abide on this sin-darkened earth, we will never be without trials and tribulations, but one day..one glorious day when our time here on earth is through when we see our Savior face to face. All of our struggles will be forgotten, pain will be no more and that joy we feel will outshine anything we have felt here on earth.

Let’s pray

Our gracious Lord, the trials that we face have been sovereignly planned by you for your glory. Help us Lord to learn from them, to rejoice in them with the knowledge that they have been put in our lives to grow our faith and become more like you and may we do that for your glory alone. In Christ name

AMEN

Please stand as we sing