Responding to Life

POSSIBLE OPENING:

Everyone take out your phone.

Now together, everyone take a selfie of themselves and whoever else is in the picture. Ready? Go!

Awesome. Now look at the picture. Think about this: Each person in your photo is living a story. They are living a life in which there are ups and downs, joy and pain, good things, hard things, sad things, and bad things. The question is, how do we handle the bad or hard things in life when they come? What is our response?

Series Intro

The letter of James is a practical letter. James addresses topics like suffering and trials, the rich and the poor, practically living out God’s Word in your everyday life, taming the tongue, and other issues in his five-chapter book. His whole book is readily applicable, and addresses things that 2000 years later we can still easily relate to.

We’re calling this series “Practical Christianity” because that is how James addresses us. Practically. Through a variety of topics James addresses living for Christ. We ask, “how do we live out being a Jesus-follower?” What does the transformed life look like?

Passage

James 1:1–18 ESV

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. 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. 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. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Big Idea

Our response to trials and hardships allows God to grow our faith.

James shows us that God can use trials to test and grow our faith. How we respond to trials and hardship matters. We are going to explore three responses to testing and trial that open the door for God to grow us.

Choosing Joy and Wisdom (vv. 2-8)

Context

James - This James was most likely the same one Peter and Paul knew well. He spoke in Acts 15:13 to the Jerusalem council, and is widely known as the one who headed up the Jerusalem church.

The audience - He writes to the “Twelve tribes in the dispersion.” This is a way of addressing believing Christian-Jews who were scattered across Palestine.

They knew hardship and trials and persecution and poverty!

James 1:2-4 - Rejoicing as God builds steadfastness and endurance.

James 1:2–4 ESV

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.

Why count it joy? Because God is growing us through it. When we suffer, we suffer with Him, and even for Him. Our joy in Him is thus tested and built up.

John 16:33 ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Trials = testing and temptation

“Examination” the act of examining something closely for mistakes.

Various = Lit. “multicolored.” We experience many kinds of trials, and tests.

“Test” = genuineness. The tests we face prove the genuineness of our faith. We must endure!

James is telling us that trials are part of normal life. When they come God uses that to grow our character, to grow our endurance, and to bring forward His joy even in hardship, even as we wait with hope for eternity.

Therefore, we must allow God to grow endurance in us.

We allow God to work in us maturity. We engage in the process of God shaping and forming us.

Maturity - growing to be more like Christ everyday (perfect & complete).

The testing we face is the crucible in which our faith is purified.

So when we face trials which test us and actually refine our faith, how do we respond?

Jam 1 5-8 - Asking God for wisdom

“If” = “Since” - Cornerstone. We ALL need wisdom from God!

James, 1 - 2 Peter, Jude & Revelation Commentary

Wisdom means to live in God’s world by his rules,

We must be dependent upon God and live for Him in every area of life.

Proverbs 9:10 ESV

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

How do we get God’s wisdom, especially when we face trials? We ask God!

God is not the ogre in the sky laughing at your life. He’s actively involved. He won’t be annoyed with you for not having the answer.

God will pour out His wisdom on you generously.

Don’t doubt!

Doubting = waffling in your faith. Going from God, to this world, and back again - like a ship tossed about on the waves. Who will you trust? You, or God. Pick.

Doubting is choosing not to trust God - to call His character into question. Who do you trust more? You, or God?

If you choose to doubt God and trust yourself, you cannot expect to receive from God the wisdom you have asked for!

Trust God, not this world or even yourself for all the answers. Instead, lean on God and His wisdom and move in that.

Address the election.

Transition sentence

Trust in God (vv. 9-11)

James 1:9–11 ESV

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.

James addresses this trial in particular probably because many of his readers are poor.

James addresses poverty and wealth here:

The reality is we are all born with nothing and we leave whatever wealth we have behind in the end. We all stand before God’s throne equal.

James admonishes the poor to rejoice in exaltation, and the rich in humiliation. Why?

Jesus tells us something about having riches here on earth:

Mark 10:25 ESV

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

James does not condemn wealth anymore than Jesus does, but they both highlight the reality that wealth often tempts us away from God. Meanwhile, the poor are forced to rely on God and therefore are more acquainted with the testing and maturing of their faith.

The poor on the other hand do not struggle with the same temptations. They rejoice in their exaltation - because they are more than conquerers.

Meanwhile the rich should glory in the humiliation - that despite their wealth and riches they can no more buy their way into heaven than the poor man. Instead, they should humbly come to Christ as well and take joy too in depending on Him for everything.

Trust in God, not in fleeting wealth.

Trusting in the saving account.

Transition Sentence

Thank God (vv. 12-18)

James recapitulates back to his earlier points in vv. 2-4 here:

James 1:12 ESV

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.

Note how there is a beatitude, similar to the one found in Matthew 5 10

Matthew 5:10 ESV

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Coming up against hard things is… hard! But there is a blessing for those who endure!

An eternal reward: The “crown of life” or the Kingdom of heaven.

Both of these verse have an end times view to them: endurance in our faith keeps us fighting to the end, where we will receive the reward of eternity with Christ.

Revelation 22:14 ESV

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.

These verses tell us that for those who endure, who will not give into this world and who fight the good fight (as Paul put it) there is the reward of eternity. The “tree of life” reminds us of the tree of life in Genesis - pointing to eternal life. To enter the gates means to come into eternity - forever with our Lord. God has promised these things to those who love Him!!

Yet, there is a temptation within our hearts:

James 1:13–15 ESV

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Every time we encounter trial, we experience temptation.

Examples:

Lack of money: Stealing

Someone hurting us: Retaliation

Sickness or depression: Suicide.

There is a choice with every trial: - seek God’s wisdom or follow the temptation to go our own way.

One such temptation is to blame God for our problems, and to somehow suggest that He is the one inciting us towards evil. James basically says:

“Let’s get something straight: God doesn’t tempt you to do evil and more than He is tempted to do evil. You tempt yourself, along with the devil does. Get it right.”

Jesus was tempted by Satan, though led into the wilderness by God:

Matthew 4:1 ESV

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

God is not the author of your problems, nor does He dangle the carrot of evil playing to your desires before you.

This is how we understand the lifecycle of sin:

Sinful desire entertained gives birth to sin. Sin when it is committed produces nothing but spiritual death.

So then, what is our response?

We must not be deceived!

James 1:17–18 ESV

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Every good and perfect gift is from God.

God gives good gifts to His children. He is the source of all good gifts. Nothing He gives should turn us towards temptation.

God does not change, there is no deception or shadow in Him. Neither is there manipulation.

Instead, God is shown to be the One who loves us enough that He bought us back. We are now the firstfruits of a redeemed creation that will one day be restored.

Romans 8:22–23 ESV

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Do we realize that trials are part of those good gifts?

Trials and testing of our faith are good, because they grow us and help us to become more like Jesus. Our response to trials (endurance or temptation) matters.

Thus we must continue on! We must - as the writer of Hebrews says -

Hebrews 12:1 ESV

…run with endurance the race that is set before us,

So… don’t blame God or accuse Him. Instead, ask Him for wisdom and joy, and praise Him because He is growing your faith.

Conclusion

Our response to trials and hardships allows God to grow our faith.

We have a choice to make about how we handle trials and tests. James presents three responses to trials and testing that the Christian needs to understand.

Choose joy and wisdom

Trust in God

Thank God

POSSIBLE CLOSE? (OR OPENER)

Application: When you get home make a list of things in your life that have been a trial or hardship and how God has used it to teach you something or to grow your faith. Then, thank God for that growth and choose to dwell on that gratitude and joy!

Turn to the person sitting nearest to you and say “Count it all joy!”