James 1.12-18: Temptation

: Temptation

Introduction:

Comedian: What would James do!

The pressure of being Jesus younger brother…

“What can’t you be more like your brother, James?”

“What would Jesus do?”

James had problems:

Go to mom, what would Jesus do?

Jokes about James:

What would Jesus do?

What would James do? “You’ve got a What would Jesus Do Bracelet on, man?” No, I’ve got a what would James do!

Tests vs. Temptation

Lead me not into temptation? How does that fit into things?

The New International Version Chapter 1

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

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 the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Adam and Eve: not about temptation.

Bradford boy: Why is all this happening?!

Satan is about temptation

But the devil still didn’t make you do it...

God presents trials but not temptation. Blurry: Trials and temptations comes from the same root word!

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Letter of James E. While God Tests His People, He Never Tempts Them to Sin (1:13–18)

NJB: “Never, when you are being put to the test, say, ‘God is tempting me’; God cannot be tempted by evil, and he does not put anybody to the test.”

NJB: “ Never, when you are being put to the test, say, ‘God is tempting me’; God cannot be tempted by evil, and he does not put anybody to the test”

“External Tests bring Internal Temptations”

Verse 15: Metaphor changes to a birth/rebirth

Full-grown desire bears its own child, sin,

which itself grows into maturity

And bears a grandchild, death.

What does God give?

Good and perfect gifts from above

First Fruits point to something beyond itself.

Enticement of sin that can accompany trials

Jokes about James:

What would Jesus do?

What would James do? “You’ve got a What would Jesus Do Bracelet on, man?” No, I’ve got a what would James do!

Temptations: What would Jesus do!?

Enticement of sin that can accompany trials

Giving up

Blame God

Verse 14: Evil desire: fleshly, selfish, illicit desire

fleshly, selfish, illicit desire

Desire=hook

Emphasis is not on the devil to assume responsibility on the devil. Emphasis is on our individual freedom. The devil is mentioned in 4:7.

Dragged away: vivid language

Dragged away: vivid language

Verse 13: God doesn’t put trials in our way so that we will be lured into temptation.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Letter of James E. While God Tests His People, He Never Tempts Them to Sin (1:13–18)

But temptation will be part of our experience, as it was the experience of the Lord himself (Heb. 2:18), throughout our time on earth. Christian maturity is not indicated by the infrequency of temptation but by the infrequency of succumbing to temptation.

Every good and perfect gift “Perfect”, throw back to maturity in verse 4. “Mature and complete”

Through Word [Logos] of Truth

Firstfruits

God Doesn’t tempt

But God does give good gifts.

Outline:

Trials= External events which God allows

Repeated verse 12, because it’s a bridge verse

Repeated verse 12, because it’s a bridge verse

Verse 12: 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.

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;

Verse 12: 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.

Trial=Noun

Internal Trial=Temptation:

Verse 13: “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.”

“For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Two Metaphors:

Circle

For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Fishing

Mutated Multiplication

Verses 16-18

Every good and perfect gift is from above.

Baseball. House. Career

These are shifting shadows- not the real deal.

Father of the Heavenly Lights

He works a different process in us:

God chose to give us birth

God chose to give us birth

Through Word [Logos] of Truth

Firstfruits: We are different than everything else!

Sermon Outline:

Cycle of Death: Hooked

Cycle of Death: Hooked, Dragged,

Giving into temptation isn’t God’s fault. That Satan isn’t mentioned here is interesting as well. James puts the responsibility of giving into sin squarely on us!

Temptation with Trials

God allows trials, but does not induce temptation.

God can give me RA, but he doesn’t tempt me to anger or jealousy. “Well, at least I don’t have so and so.”

Story of Bradford Boy: Accident and then traffic ticket

The Devil Made Me Do It

The Devil Made Me Do It

Deception and Desire

Deception and Desire

Don’t be deceived!

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 the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Baseball. House. Career

These are shifting shadows- not the real deal.

Cycle of Life: Halo

“He chose to give usds birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”

Cycle of Life

He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Father of the Heavenly Lights

Every good and perfect gift is from above.

These are shifting shadows- not the real deal.

Father of the Heavenly Lights

He works a different process in us:

God chose to give us birth

Through Word [Logos] of Truth

Firstfruits: We are different than everything else!

Halo!

Halo!