Joyful Endurance While Facing Trials James 1:1–4

Introduction

Even before Curtis and I talked about me preaching once a month I was being drawn to the book of James. I was marking verses that were important not only to me but also in regards to my students at the BSU and with things here at the church. As many of you know I am a huge proponent of working through books of the Bible verse by verse this is my plan for my times that I preach here is to preach through the book of James.

As I started to dig into the context of the book of James, I noticed that there were some interesting issues that arose. First the authorship has been and issue for people for centuries There are six different James’s mentioned in the new testament. Of these three are highly unlikely due to few different reasons. Of the other three two of them are believed to be the same person James of Jerusalem that is James the brother of Jesus. This is the tradition of many of the apostolic fathers and we which we will stick with as the authorship of the book. While we don’t know when James went from thinking Jesus was crazy to serving him. There is two passages in the new testament that show that sometime after Jesus’ Resurrection James came to believe Jesus was the savior they were looking for. In Acts 1:14 “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” and also in 1 Corinthians 15:7–8 Paul tells us “Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.”

The second issue comes into question with the book is who James was writing to. Some believe he was writing to the 12 tribes Israelites who had been dispersed from the holy land. Other and for the sense of brevity will include us look at his usage of the dispersion as a sense of remembrance for the church who was scattered because of persecution. Just as the dispersed tribes were seeking restoration and redemption from God to return to their holy land so now the church of God was looking forward to the return of Jesus which will bring the final redemption and restoration of all of God’s design.

The book of James is believed to be written around 48-52 AD and has the highest frequency of commands given, for Christian living, in the New Testament. Some have dubbed his letter the proverbs of the New Testament.

As we barley scrape the surface of the book of James with our passage today I want to take a moment and really draw these first four verses to attention. They hold some difficult truths for us and my fear is that often we breeze past them to get to the good parts of the book.

This is why in the passage today I want us to see not only how God’s people are to view themselves but also how we are to react when trials come. We will see this by looking at

The servants View of themselves.

Finding joy when trials come.

The outcome of our faith being tested.

The outcome of enduring trials.

Read 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.”

The Servants View Of Themselves

Even though we believe that James is the brother of Jesus we see that He does not use any title of authority in His writing but rather chooses the humble title of a servant.

Understanding the word doulos

The slaves will

James’s identification of himself—not as the half brother of Jesus but as “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”—challenges leaders to remember that their authority and teaching are valid only insofar as they submit to Jesus as our sovereign Lord, looking to him as the Messiah (“Christ”) who fulfills God’s promises.

Jesus’ response when the disciples ask who will be the greatest.

Jesus in the garden

We need to have a proper view of ourselves before God and with His people.

Transitions: Knowing how to view ourselves, let us consider how to react to trials.

Finding Joy When Trials Come.

In this passage trials can be interpreted temptations. These temptations are those that come from outside of ourselves not internal struggles.

The snake in the garden verses Jesus in the wilderness

How this happened to me last night

We can find joy even in trials because of God and the life of Jesus.

Consider it Joy

The normal reaction to hearing this.

Joy means to rejoice and be glad or to have great pleasure and happiness

Looking at the usage of joy as it relates to Luke.

Luke 1:14 “And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,”

Luke 2:10 “And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

Good news was delivered

The news was joyful because it was something that people had been looking for for a long time.

Zacharia in his late life having a baby

Jesus coming to return people back to God

Our joy can only be complete in relation to Jesus.

How can we find joy in trials?

Paul’s insight about trials

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Robert Plummer in his writing of this text reminds us “The occasion of the trial is a matter of rejoicing, because even in the darkest hour, God is still in control and his divine purposes will prevail. All things will work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose (Rom. 8:28).”

Jesus was tested in all of the ways we are and yet did not sin. We can rely on him to help us defeat our trials.

No matter what your situation God knows and will help you to endure. Remember that Jesus has overcome any trial you may face and take heart that we can look forward to the time of Jesus’ return and everything being brought back to God’s original design. This is our hope and our joy

Transition: Another reason we can have joy in trials is because we know what they produce.

The Outcome Of Our Faith Being Tested

The Need for Endurance

What is endurance and what does the Bible have to say about it?

Steadfastness or patience

Biblical examples of these

Joseph and his life

Our faith needs to be tested to build and endurance.

We don’t become proficient in anything by accident.

1000 hour rule

Basic training

If we know this about other tasks why do we think it is not this way with our faith?

We should know this and be on the lookout for it.

This is why we can have joy when trials come because we know that we will grow more in holiness through them.

Remember Joseph’s response to his brothers

Genesis 50:20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

Transition: As we gain endurance we look forward to the day it is complete and lacking nothing.

Outcome Of Enduring Trials

Letting endurance have it’s full effect means letting the trial run it’s course, weathering the storms of life and coming out the other side victorious.

Matthew Henry helps us understand this point well when he said “let us take care, in times of trial, that patience, and not passion, is set to work in us: whatever is said or done, let patience have the saying and doing of it. When the work of patience is complete, it will furnish all that is necessary for our Christian race and warfare.”

We all must become spiritually mature Christians

Growing now

Perfected upon entering heaven

Peter and Paul’s convictions at the end of their life

Conclusion

James’ audience were going to face trials of varying kinds. Throughout this chapter we will see James continue to address this, but for today we see that his immediate calling is for the people to remember that no matter where they were, no matter what they faced, if they called Jesus Lord, they were to consider themselves as servants or slaves to God. As they put themselves in the right frame of mind we see that the next thing James taught them was to re-frame the way they thought about trials and temptations. No longer were they to fear trials and let trials defeat them but rather they were to rejoice and be glad when trials came their way. James tells them that the reason they should be glad is because through their faith being tested they will build endurance to resist temptations, and that the building of endurance will help guide them to becoming a complete and mature Christian.

As we have learned from this passage today it is important for us to ask some questions of ourselves in response to God. Ask yourself

Are you living as a servant of God and the Lord Jesus?

Have you completely given up your will for you life and only seek to do what is the will of God.

If you can answer yes praise God and seek to go where he directs you.

If your answer is no, what is holding you back from serving God? Will you give up these things to him today?

b. What is your reacting when trials come?

i. Do you have joy when trials come?

ii. How can you find joy in the midst of your current trials?

c. Do you understand that trials are necessary to build faith and endurance.

i. Do you you need to ask God to help you to build your faith and endurance today?

ii. Will you seek to grow through facing trials.

d. Do you trust God to make you complete and mature through the process of your faith being tested?

i. If not confess this to him and ask for him to give you strength.

ii. If yes thank him for your endurance and set your mind to mature in Christ until you reach perfection with Him.

As the worship team comes forward and we sing our song of invitation know that the altars are here for you. If God is calling you to respond in any way to the message today take this time and please do not leave this building until you are in a right relationship with Him once again.