James: 1 Various Trials / Ultimate Joy
James • Sermon • Submitted
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· 10 viewsWe all face trials and temptiations of variace kinds, but the trials strengthen our faith and dependance on God who is our ultimate joy.
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The Book of James
Martin Luther leader in the Reformation
It is a good book,
Called it the “Epistle of Straw”
Said, “good book, but could easily mislead to a “works-based” righteousness”
James echoes or parallels much of Jesus’ sermon on the mount. (Matthew 5)
Rejoicing in trials
Asking God for Wisdom
Being “doers” not just “hearers”
Giving and receiving mercy
Being separate from “the world”
Much of the same ideas and principles are found in both places.
James is written
To the early church - specifically Jewish believers
Time- when they were scattered and persecuted throughout the known world.
THEME
Introduced Early - Faith/Works
The corresponding relationship between our belief and our response to that belief
Our thinking and our action
Simply: We do not work to be saved, but we work because we are saved.
James discusses certain principles and errors
Insight as what a life lived in faith looks like
It is not indifferent, it is not idle, it is active and responsive to the person/work of Jesus
As much as James talks about “good works”, He has framed these on “real faith”.
In others words as we read about “works” in James, we have to see them through the lens of “faith”
Who wrote James
Several men named “James” in the NT
Most agree, this was written by Jesus’ brother
This in itself is interesting/incredible
Siblings typical fight, argue, compete....here writing a letter about His brother who is God, confessing He is the Messiah
James begins His letter, stating that He is a servant of God and the Lord (King) Jesus Christ…(brother)
James 1:1-2
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,
Count it all joy, when you meet trials of various kinds
Out of the gate....honesty
It is not “if”, but “when”
Don’t you love the honesty of the Bible?
The word “trial” resonates with everyone in here
The word “trial” resonates with everyone here
It is
We may have Past - Present - Coming trials
It is not “if”, but “when”
The Bible doesn’t pretend that once we are saved everything is all OK. (Broken World)
There is still evil out there
There is still sickness and death
There is still heartache and tragedy
We are in “already, but not yet”
We all experience “various” trials
Battling with Cancer
Your Basement Floods
Your Car Breaks Down
Your Children Have Disabilities or Special Needs
Your Company Has Layoffs
Your Parents Show Signs of Dementia
Your Battling Cancer
Can you identify with that?
Small things, daily, weekly experiences that frustrate and aggravate.
Big things…things that really devastate and put the smaller things in their place....trajedy
Are you serious? Count these things as a source of joy?
By itself, w/o a Christian Worldview this is.....asinine, foolish
But, when we look at James’ reasoning for our trials being worthy of joy…there are some things that begin to make sense.
James is not saying that our trials won’t cause us anger, frustration, pain and heartache
He is not ignoring or denying that
“Oh , you have cancer....great, that’s awesome”
“You lost your job....cheer up, be happy”
He isn’t asking us to ignore or deny that tragedy causes pain...
James is saying, that in these trials, there is more than the heartache, more than the suffering
That God is working in us, behind the scenes to strengthen our faith.
That Christian trials lead to a faith of greater maturity and endurance
Increased reliance and dependence on the wisdom and resources of God.
James’ answer is that Christian trials lead to Mature and Enduring Faith
Our trust in God’s sovereignty is strengthened, our pursuit of God’s goodness is purified
James is encouraging believers to trust that God is both Good and Sovereign, working behind the scenes for a greater purpose.
A Mature and Enduring Faith is one of total dependence on God
James 1:2
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.
Trials are a means of maturing a faith that endures
Steadfast = Endurance
Think about endurance apart from scripture
A Marathon is 26.2 miles (here to Yadkinville)
Has anyone ever ran a Marathon?
You don’t just sign up and go right?
Out of shape
You train
It took me about a month and a half or so to start running 3.2 miles
Run a 5k x8…marathon
It takes months, maybe a year(s) of preparation
Days of “I can’t do this today”
Days of cramped calfs
Days of sore knees / aching feet
Preperation is
Not sure why anyone would want to run that long and that far.
Heard a story of a guy running, saw the water guys and they had something on a stick he thought it would be peanut butter (energy) but it turned out to be Vasoline to rub on you inner legs to prevent chaffing..
But eventually, things starts get a bit easier
Go a bit farther or faster
You continue to push forward, even while you struggle
Still times you struggle
You reach your goal and suddenly your past struggle becomes invaluable to your current success.
So our trials produce an enduring faith
Enduring Faith
A deeper knowledge and trust of God (Pursuit)
James doesn’t say this will happen with our first trial…he uses the plural (trials) for a reason
With each trial, with each test…our trust in God is strengthened
There will be times when we cling to God
We will seek His goodness
We will seek His provision
We will seek His faithfulness
There will be times when we learn by failure
We will place our hope elsewhere
We will try to fix our own problems and take matters into our own hands
We will doubt God’s character
God uses our trials to
and security.
Most of the time my goals revolve around me
My Goals
Have a nice house
Successful Children
A Satisfying Career
Good Health
An Early Retirement
Most of us have plans of our own
God
I want them fixed as quickly as possible to get back to my plans.
God wants me to know more of who s
We may get things worked out, but maybe not.
James calls this maturing of our faith, wisdom.
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.
James 1:5
Wisdom - capacity to understand & respond accordingly
Enduring Faith is Wisdom
Deeper Knowledge and Trust of/in God (Pursuit)
Response of who He is worship/submission (Life)
The problem is, most of the time another problem is waiting in the wings....
If You Lack Wisdom
I’m like Clark Griswald at the Hoover Dam, I cause a leak, I plug it…here comes another, soon you run out of fingers.
Wisdom - Really a combination of three things
Knowledge
Information or Facts
Buying A Car
What is the Fuel Economy?
What is the Safety Rating?
How Reliable is this Make/Model?
Perspective
How we see things
How Big is Wilkes County
Compare
Driving around, our county seems pretty big
Flying across NC, the United States, around the world…it seems much smaller, less significant
Experience
A Familiarity with things
Parenting
How to Change a Diaper (Theory)
Remove the Sticky Tape
Wipe Butt
Put new diaper on the little angel
How to Change a Diaper (Practice)
Fight a squirming Baby
Dodge the Fountain
Wrestle New Diaper on “demon child”
It is OK to talk to God as Father…I Lack Wisdom
God Has Better Goals
It is OK to talk to God as Father…I Lack Wisdom
If you “lack wisdom”, go ahead…ask
In Jesus says...
I don’t understand what you are doing here
I don’t know how long I can take this
Which of you can add a single hour to your life?
God I need you to meet me in my weakness
You worry about, clothing, food, drink
This isn’t demanding an answer from God
You worry about what you will eat...
Your Father knows, you need these things
This is admitting that in this moment, our faith, our trust, our belief is being strained
You worry about what you will drink...
Don’t find your identity and purpose here
The promise is that God will strengthen our resolve to trust in His faithfulness/goodness/sovereignty
Don’t find your comfort and rest in this
That God’s Knowledge is greater than my limited knowledge of His purpose and plan
Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.
That His perspective and view is greater than what I can see happening right now.
This idea/concept of the Kingdom of God begins to realign our goals and thinking.
That God’s experience, his familiarity and understanding of both my problem and my pain is greater than I realize.
We may not have a mansion, but we are grateful for the roof over our heads.
We just finished Ruth, a story that moves from tragedy into hope, reminding us “God can draw straight lines with crooked sticks”
So we ask an understanding and empathetic God for help, but James says don’t doubt.
Finding comfort and peace in God
Raising our children with a deeper knowledge of God’s love and redemption begins to look more like “success” than getting into Harvard or playing first string.
How does that work…
Our career is more satisfying because we look to serve others rather than being served.
I just said, “I have doubts” - “I’m not sure about this”
We are thankful in good health, but even in bad health (even in cancer) if we are honest, that is more than we deserve.
I just said, “My trust is being tested”
We being to think of finances as a means of blessing others, not just hoarding for our own comfort and security.
An example from Scripture
- A Father brings Jesus his son who is demon possessed…made mute, tortured, hurt (thrown into fire)
And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Jesus rhetorically says… “if you can!”
I absolutely can…if you believe
The man responds…I believe, HELP my unbelief
What makes someone a “double-minded” man, James will go on to illustrate,
is not that they are 100% convinced, that they have some super-human faith
it is what they cling too when the ship starts to sink; what they boast in....
where they place what little confidence they do have
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.
James 1:9-
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.
Our trials....refine our hope.
Lowly brother
James is not talking about finances here.
Think about the Sermon on the Mount
Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are meek…
These people will be exalted…they don’t just get Heaven…they are restored to God…He is their reward
those who admit…I don’t have all the answers, but I trust You God...
The Rich
Those who don’t see their need, their lack of control
Those that place their hope on things that are fleeting…things that will fade
Their plans, their wisdom, and their pride will wither, it will fade....
They cling to something other than God, and it will perish…
But we boast in a God who we trust
Who we believe is good, right and perfect even in in our suffering.
Who we believe will one day end our momentary afflictions and restore all things to Himself.
An enduring faith is more than just words, it is a continual trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior
In the end, by this faith we are victorious over even the greatest trial....death.
We are crowned…picture of an Olympian receiving a medal for their victory
James 1:12
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.
Ongoing trials, can lead to an ongoing battle
When we are faced with trials, along with the trials come temptations.
A loved one gets cancer, we see them suffer, go through chemo or radiation…they die
If we have financial trials, we may be tempted to run away from God’s provision, and seek to “take up the slack” by sinful means
We may be tempted to doubt God’s love or even God’s existence.
We may run away from God, and pursue other things.
We may be tempted to stop pursuing God because He didn’t follow our plan.
We might be tempted to stop pursuing God, stop being on mission, even stop gathering with other believers....maybe even stop believing in God Himself.
James is saying, hang in there..
Keep trusting, keep pursuing
Now is not the time to run away, it is the time to really press in…to lean into who God is.
Don’t give into the temptation to reject this opportunity to mature
We sin because we
James says we sin because we are seeking what we desire...
The sin here, comes from pursuing our own desires
In other words, in this trial; there may also be the temptation to say “God does not satisfy”
If I am really honest, what hurts the most in my own trials, is that I am frustrated because God is showing me, He is proving to me…that I still have misplaced hopes.
Deep down, I think deep pockets will bring me security.
In my heart, I think good health will let me have a say in the number of my days.
In my mind, I’m not truly convinced that God could possibly use cancer for His greater purposes.
James knows this…and He gently reminds us of something...
James 1:16-
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.
Don’t be deceived…every good gift is form God
Every second my heart beats, the breath in my lungs
Every breath that fills my lungs
Every T-Bone I eat with my family
Every Glass of Wine I have with my wife
The rain, the sunshine,
My house, my job, my health, my friends
All of these good gifts come from God
With whom there is no Variation or Shadow due to change
God isn’t backing out on this deal.
Not - “Pruitt’s a screw up, he’s off my team”
God is dedicated for the sake of His own name, to see His children through…to get them to the finish line
These trials are training us to get there, to pursue God and look more like Jesus on the way.
God doesn’t give His children garbage, He gives them Himself…the greatest treasure.
Think about when you’re in need
Ask, Seek, Knock
What Dad would give his son a stone if he asks for a bread, or give him a snake if he asks for a fish?
Jesus doesn’t say, you always give them what they want....but you don’t give them what they don’t need.
God may not show up in our trials the way you want…He may not snap His fingers and “fix” it
But we trust His word that He will give us what we need and it will be what is good,it will be what is best for us.