Word to the Wise - Week 1

Greeting

Reading

Introduction

Transition

Text

Application

Conclusion

Call

PREP

James 1:2–18 NIV

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business. Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

James 1:2-18 NASB

2Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.5But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7For that person ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.9Now the brother or sister of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10but the rich person is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. 11For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so also the rich person, in the midst of his pursuits, will die out.12Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13No one is to say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death. 16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters. 17Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18In the exercise of His will He gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

James 1:2-18 The Message

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.5-8If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.9-11When down-and-outers get a break, cheer! And when the arrogant rich are brought down to size, cheer! Prosperity is as short-lived as a wildflower, so don’t ever count on it. You know that as soon as the sun rises, pouring down its scorching heat, the flower withers. Its petals wilt and, before you know it, that beautiful face is a barren stem. Well, that’s a picture of the “prosperous life.” At the very moment everyone is looking on in admiration, it fades away to nothing.12Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.13-15Don’t let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, “God is trying to trip me up.” God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one’s way. The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.16-18So, my very dear friends, don’t get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.

Grammatical Examination

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,

whenever you face trials of many kinds,

because you know

that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

Let perseverance finish its work

so that you may be mature and complete,

not lacking anything.

THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH acts as a noun and the subordinate clauses are whenever you face, because you know, so that you may.

We face something

that challenges what we know

and then influences our decision.

Let perseverance finish its work

so that you may be mature and complete,

not lacking anything.

The idea that James is showing us is that when endurance finishes it’s work, we will be complete and whole. The idea of wholeness to the Jewish reader is the same idea of peace. We receive peace when we are whole. We can’t find peace in our pieces, but we can find peace in our wholeness.

This passage is a tightly constructed theological argument: Trials → Faith Tested → Endurance → Spiritual Maturity.

If any of you lacks wisdom,

you should ask God,

who gives generously to all without finding fault,

and it will be given to you.

But when you ask,

you must believe and not doubt,

because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea,

blown and tossed by the wind.

That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

This may all be on the cutting floor…

Blessed is the one who

perseveres under trial because,

having stood the test,

that person will receive the crown of life

that the Lord has promised to those

who love him.

Having stood the test s a perfect participle, indicating that it is a completed action.

Has Promised is in the perfect tense, meaning that the promise that was made in the past is relevant now.