Count it All Joy (James 1:1-11)
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Today we start our series in the book of James.
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:
Greetings.
James writes his letter to the Jewish believers in Christ that are scattered abroad.
And the author of James is universally agreed upon among scholars as the brother of Jesus.
(Joke… more like Jesus… 4 people today with similar not same)
I find it interesting how James addresses himself in his letter.
James who is the brother of Jesus... (boost in that)
James who is also the head of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15) [Jerusalem is where it all started]
But what I find interesting is the fact that, instead of name dropping his status as the Lord’s brother, and his leadership position in Jerusalem, he instead says this… “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (V1)
This is a beautiful picture of a true leader.…
A leader who is not recognized by a great title, but recognized as a servant of a great God who reigns in heaven and earth.
Jesus said this...
Matthew 20:26 “whoever would be great among you must be your servant,”
(Great in God’s kingdom… be a servant) [Don’t chase recognition, chase being a servant] Amen
James continues on to write to a church that is not comfortable by any means,
but a church that is bruised by persecution, battered by trials, and intimately familiar with the high cost of faith.
The church’s that James writes to, knew what it meant to suffer, they knew what it meant to bleed for what they believed.
And into their pain, James speaks. He doesn’t offer fluff that is filled with empty promises, but rather offers truth to them.
Sometimes it is a hard truth, that will challenge these believers to grow up in the faith.
(I find it fascinating today that we allow people to not grow up in their faith because of there circumstances) [grow up]
When I was praying about the sermon series that I would unpack this year, I was compelled by the Holy Spirit to tackle the book of James because I believe its message, though written nearly 2,000 years ago, is so vital for us today.
This letter was penned not only for the church back than, but was penned for us today.
(I encourage you as we go through this important book that we will embrace the challenges that are given to us today)
James begins to unpack this message by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 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. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 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.
I am going to unpack three points form this passage this morning...
1. Joy in the Trial
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James begins this by saying, count it all joy when you meet trails, not if you meet trails.
You will have trails in life. Period!
But, how you face those trials will have tremendous impact on your future...
A dear friend who went home to be with the Lord said to me years ago....
“it is not what happens to you that makes your character, but rather how you react that makes your character”
(elaborate...)
His statement has stuck with me my entire life, because I have learned that I can allow trails to shape me either positively or negatively.
I can either allow trails to produce something in me that will prepare me for my future,
or I can allow those same trails to derail my future.
James says “count it all joy when you are met with trails” and I have found that I have not always went into battles with joy in my heart.
In James using the word joy here reminds me of a familiar verse in Nehemiah.
In Nehemiah 8:10 there is a statement that is said that is very thought provoking to me.… “for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (fruit of the Spirit)
(going into battle with joy is knowing that this battle will be used as a divine instrument)
[going into battle with joy is knowing that you fight from a place of victory not a place of defeat]
Facing trails are difficult in themselves, but the most draining element of trails is what it does to the mind.
That is why having the right perspective going into battle is so vital.
In the midst of a spiritual battle, the mind seems to be attacked the most.
This may be why James says count it all joy in order to know that joy destroyers the pitfalls of the mind.
A. W. Tozer writes
Joy is a great therapeutic for the mind.
R. C. Sproul
“It is anxiety that robs us of our joy. And what is anxiety but fear? Fear is the enemy of joy. It is hard to be joyful when we are afraid.”
The joy of the Lord is my strength, but on the flip side fear and anxiety is my might be the greatest weakness.
Paul writes,
5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
When you face trials, bring your thoughts into alignment with obedience to Christ, so that you can count it all joy—knowing that God is using this trial for His purpose.
(What the enemy may have used to bring evil, God will turn it into good!)
James communicates that these trails that you will face can be seen in light of joy,
because they will produce a steadfastness in our faith.
“Steadfastness is a quality characterized by firmness, stability, and patient endurance. It refers to being reliable, faithful, and true to the end, often in the face of adversity or challenges.
Steadfastness is associated with maintaining loyalty to God and persisting in faith despite difficult circumstances.
Steadfastness is linked with perseverance, with some translations using these terms interchangeably. In a broader sense, steadfastness implies firmness of mind or purpose, fixedness in principle, constancy, and resolution.”
James communicates to allow “steadfastness, to have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing”
Are you allowing steadfastness to have its full effect in your life today?
There is no shortcuts to having depth in your faith with Jesus...
There is no shortcuts to preparation for your future with Jesus...
There is no shortcuts to be anointed by God for the purpose of the kingdom....
Anointing… intense crushing… olives
(More anointing… more crushing...)
May the joy of the Lord be our strength in every trial,
for we know that God is forging in us a steadfastness, that is preparing us to lack nothing for the next season He has ordained for us...
1. Joy in the Trial
2. Wisdom in the Trial
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 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. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
It takes wisdom to have joy when you are facing trails.
It takes wisdom to see your trial as a way to produce endurance in your faith.
Anyone of the lowest maturity level can face a trail and throw a temper tantrum,
but it takes a seasoned warrior of God, to know that there is a purpose through this trail.
If you need wisdom to be able to see trials as an opportunity for great joy,
ask your Father in Heaven.
How many know that our Heavily Father gives good gifts?
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Explain… good gifts not demons… wisdom going to give you wisdom...
You do have to ask thought.… wisdom… Robin… “I don’t need to pray I have a brain”… Lean not on your own understanding.…
James communicates that when you ask, you need to ask with with complete faith in God.
James communicates that if you ask for wisdom, but don’t believe God is going to give you wisdom,
then you are a “double minded person who is unstable in all your ways”
How many know that is a big difference between someone with wisdom and someone who is double minded.… (Explain)
Godly wisdom in the trial is understanding that God is working in whatever season you are in,
and your faithfulness to God is not based on emotions, but rather a steadfast devotion to God.
Ask God for wisdom that is full of faith, knowing He will give you wisdom to discern your circumstance.
The wisdom God gives, will help us navigate our trials with faith and not doubt, knowing God’s working His purpose through our hardships...
1. Joy in the Trial
2. Wisdom in the Trial
3. Perspective in the Trial
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 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.
A difficulty we can have in the midst of our trials, is to compare our lives to others who are seemingly not going through trials.
(It is difficult to watch someone prosper when you feel like you're barely surviving.)
James is writing to church’s that are experiencing persecution,
and with persecution comes a struggle to thrive financially,
thus they would see those who are thriving as they struggle to get by....
James redirects their attention to not look at the temporary but to focus on the eternal.
James writes “The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.”
The question that needs to be asked, is the joy of the Lord going to be our strength or is our wealth and achievements going to be our strength?
(In times of trouble we tend to lean on our strengths) [sports analogy.… high pressure… revert to strengths]
Is your strength in the things that are temporary? or is your strength in things that are eternal?
Count it all joy when you face trials because it is producing something eternal.
Therefore, don’t look to what is temporary and allow it to distract you from the joy of knowing that God is our salvation and not the things of this world.
Count it all joy knowing something is being produced through this trial that is eternally rich.
Are you having...
1. Joy in the Trial
2. Wisdom in the Trial
3. Perspective in the Trial
Close with this… Story of my trials…
