James Part 5
Notes
Transcript
16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Don’t be deceived implies they were being deceived or were at risk of being deceived. By what?
The belief that the trials they were undergoing were God’s fault; that he was tempting them to fall.
Notice: Verse 2 is possible because a trial is God giving you the good gift of full maturity and ultimately wholeness by way of endurance.
It takes wisdom from above to see this truth, which is a gift of God given when asked. That helps us see that God is using every circumstance we are in, whether rich or poor (9-11) or anything in between, to challenge us and grow us, eventually receiving the crown of eternal life (12).
Sin never gets the final word in God’s redemption of His children. He uses everything!
So, no one should say God is tempting anyone to sin because that is derived from our sin nature.
God overwhelms the sin nature of his redeemed children so that everything we go through is only for our ultimate good. More on that in a second.
None of that’s easy, though, when you’re going through it, is it?
You only see the hardship and wonder why God would allow this if he loves you. Why would God seem distant, and even mean.
In the fog of trials we can’t see anything differently, and unless we gain some perspective, the temptation to sin against God out of anger, weariness, or confusion.
In those moments, the greatest gift from God is someone who gently redirects your trajectory back towards truth; towards a godly perspective. That’s what James did:
“Do not be deceived brothers and sisters” – (don’t be misled; don’t wander away).
James is speaking to people who are in the fog of trials – some of whom were at that moment being deceived. These were very real problems James was addressing. James had to remind them that God is always for His children, no matter what it looks like from ground-level.
We need to hear that, don’t we? We need someone in the family to speak truth sometimes.
How easy it is to be deceived when things aren’t going our way and God seems silent and distant. It’s not true. He never leaves us or forsakes us.
Can you believe it? James makes his case as to why you CAN:
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
(13) tells us that God can do no wrong – By nature, He cannot be tempted by evil and therefore cannot tempt anyone to do evil. He is perfectly good.
James says in (17) that means whatever He does is necessarily good.
This means that in whatever way he chooses to interact with humans is always good –
· for those who reject Him, it is with extreme wrath – but it is JUST.
· For those who love Him – it is with extreme generosity— what is exclusively good!
Let’s break this down: (Every part is significant)
a. Every good and perfect gift: Every gift from God is good and perfect. It has to be because His nature will not allow otherwise.
· Any good thing in your life is exclusively from God, not any person (though it can come through others), not luck or fortune, or any other source. There is no other source!
· BOLD STATEMENT ALERT: Anything that happens in the life of His children is only good.
How can we say that when objectively bad things (like sin) are included?
It only makes sense in light of Romans 8:28 – You have to believe this: ALL THINGS…
28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
If you lose a job, home, etc.
If you fall into sin
If a loved one dies
NOTHING is outside of His goodness and ability to redeem and give you a good gift through the suffering…and it can be deeply painful.
Subjectively, it can be devastating (and we have to honestly process through loss – that ok!). Objectively, our hope in Christ provides joy in the sorrow.
ILLUS: You can always pick out people who get thi in interviews – no matter the loss and pain, ultimately they know God is present.
b. Coming down… this is a present participal – means it has begun and is continuing to happen. Implies God is continually giving good gifts to His children.
22 Because of the Lord’s faithful love
we do not perish,
for his mercies never end.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness!
Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish for his mercies never end.
23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!
When it doesn’t feel like God is blessing you, you have to KNOW that He is!
Preach this to yourself regularly!
c. from the Father of Lights – this is the God who created all the heavenly bodies which signifies that He is greater and more powerful than anything He created. He controls everything He created. He is the Sovereign, the One to whom Satan himself gives account.
ILLUS: Job 1:6 – “One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan[b] also came with them.”
It means that He has the power to giver you every good gift you need, so He is the One you go to regularly in prayer for your needs, confident that He canprovide for you.
d. Does not change like shifting shadows –
“Immutable” – unchangeable
idea of shadows that make it seems like source is moving. Movement only comes from the object being shined upon
i. Logical –
1. For Him to change implies imperfection. God, by definition, is perfect.
ii. Scripture -
6 “Because I, the Lord, have not changed, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.
He is always good! - 1 John 1:4-5
4 We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him.
This is encouraging because, knowing that He can, it means that He will never change His mind about giving us good gifts.
The Ultimate Illustration:
18 By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
God sovereignly chose to make us alive, though we were enemies. He made us His children
By the Word of Truth -
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed.
“First fruits”: 3 possible applications
1. Always the best; of highest value. That’s who you are in Christ!
2. Foretaste – the Church is to provide a foretaste of what is to come through Kingdom living (salt and light in the world)
3. First among a group – 1 Corinthians 16:15
15 Brothers and sisters, you know the household of Stephanas: They are the firstfruits of Achaia and have devoted themselves to serving the saints.
Pairs nicely with #2
Prayer and Communion
