Why would God let me hurt?
X-treme Faith - 1
Why would God let me Hurt?
James 1:1-12
Idea: God is producing in you the confidence to rely on Him when things get tough.
Introduction[JRT1] :n All of us have reminders of things we looked at and thought, “That should be easy.” Then we tried it; and it wasn’t.
§ A musical instrument stashed in a closet that you were going to play.
§ Sports equipment in the basement you planned to set records with.
§ Kitchen gadgets you were going to do French or Asian cooking with.
§ We have a box in the basement labeled doll house; Christi and I were going to build it in a few winter evenings a long time ago.
A lot of things look easy enough until you try it yourself. Following Jesus could be labeled Exhibit A. It looks easy, but it is not.
After the resurrection Jesus returned to heaven and His followers set out to live just like He taught them.
§ Many were going through intense difficulties/trials. Why would God let them hurt?
§ Everyone struggled with temptation; they failed over and over.
§ Some church members were catering to the rich while others were swindled by the rich—all this in the church. Outsiders saw.
§ Frustrated followers said things (tongue) that shouldn’t be said between brothers and sisters. Outsiders heard.
People outside the church were quick to call Christ followers hypocrites and label this whole victorious living, Jesus thing phony.
You know the struggle; people are quick to label you hypocrite.
It was to help these people wrestling with how to do the Christian life that James wrote a letter—you have seen it near the end of your Bible. It is pretty much addressed “to whom it may concern.”
James heard about the failures in their lives and saw the conflict in the church and diagnosed the difficulty—immaturity. n Everyone is born immature; and like kids they needed some direction growing up.
When I look at the list of things James talks about I see issues you are facing; issues I struggle with.
§ Item 1: Trials and difficulties God allows to come my way.
§ Item 2: Temptation—an enticing urge to sin when I know better.
So, for the next few weeks we are going to spend some time with James; pick his brain about Christian maturity—taking our faith to new levels. We will call it an X-treme Faith.
I need to warn you—he will get into your kitchen and stir things up.
Open: n Today we start at the very beginning—James 1. Pew—1196
James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
n When I read a book I like to know a little bit about the author:
§ £ His name was really Jacob; King James of the KJV changed it to James so he could see his own name in the Bible.
§ £This James is not the apostle (brother of John); he was a son of Mary and Joseph—we can refer to him as half-brother of Christ.
§ £ He didn’t buy into his brother as Messiah/Savior during His ministry; Jesus appeared to him personally after the resurrection;
§ He has come to view himself in bondage to this brother of his.
§ £ He rose to prominence as head of the church in Jerusalem.
§ £ He died for his strong testimony by being thrown from the top of the temple then they beat him to death with clubs.
§ £ After his death a historian wrote James was nick named camel knees (hilarious?) because of calluses from kneeling in prayer.
n James doesn’t dawdle, but gets right into the things they need to hear—topic one is about difficulties/trials. That should hit all of us.
Jm 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds
That word whenever leaps off the page. James is not discussing possibilities but probabilities. “James, you are right on that one, but I don’t label them in the joy category.” People in the first century would shake their heads at such a thing—just like us in the 21st century. Trials? Joy? Help me understand.
n I get just one comic in my email every day. This week it fit the text.
n Calvin tries to solve his crisis—and it doesn’t work out.
n Then his mother gets involved which only makes things worse.
nGod does let Moe come down the sidewalk, into your life. We are God’s scattered not sheltered people; Moe’s come in many kinds:
§ £ There is sickness, accidents, and some great physical tragedies.
§ £ We live with disappointments, disasters, and £ death of loved ones.
§ £ We have struggles in our families, our marriages, finances.
§ You may have a difficult child to raise or an elder care parent need.
Summary: Visualize. If[JRT2] I handed out paper and asked you to write down who/what Moe is in your life right now very few would come back blank—and some of you would ask for a second sheet.
nWhy does God allow Moe suffering into your life? Isn’t God big enough to help me? Or, doesn’t He care? I thought I left most of that behind when I got saved. James is not afraid to tackle the hard topic.
1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
1. Trials are not intruders messing up your comfortable lifestyle
£ James says. “consider it pure joy.” He must know something that I don’t. Because I don’t go, “Whoopee the car is in the shop again!”
If James says joy then he must know something I don’t about good going on. (Like when Mom says, “Keep your fork.”)
James chose his word joy precisely.
§ £ He does not say happiness. James is not being masochistic—the more I hurt the happier I am; that is not normal for anyone.
§ Happiness comes from a Latin root hap which means by chance. Happiness is based on what is happening. It comes and goes.
Happiness is shallow; James is taking you into the deep water stuff.
§ £ Joy is rooted deep down in your soul. Joy comes from knowing God has something good going on here.
§ Joy knows God would not allow any suffering by someone He loves to be without a purpose. He has a project going on and unfortunately you have to hurt for it to happen. (Moms don’t let just anyone poke needles into their babies.)
J. Oswald Sanders “God does not waste suffering…If he plows it is because he purposes a crop.”
Look at the verse again,
James 1:2a Consider it pure joy, my brothers,
That word consider is an accounting term. It means to make an evaluation and put something into a category.
This is where X-treme Faith comes in. You trust God is working toward a good bottom line in your life—or He wouldn’t let you hurt.
Transition: n You say, “I need to know more.” James has more. He tells you what God is working to develop through these trials.
James 1:3-4 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
2. God wants you to develop maturity. (not to be an infant forever)
£The Moe God allows in your life is developing perseverance and perseverance nurtures maturity—it moves you out of baby faith.
What is perseverance? James says, “because you know.” Well maybe we don’t know. He acts like “duh—this is simple.” Sometimes I need simple explained to me.
Perseverance is not grit your teeth, squint your eyes, and hang on for dear life. (I had to learn not to do that at the gym or hurt myself.)
£Perseverance is learning that you can totally rely on God through difficulties. God is producing in you the confidence to rely on Him when things get tough. You are moving from head knowledge of the power of God to experiential knowledge of the power of God.
That is maturity. God knows things are going to be tough. He knows you need patient endurance to keep going, to keep trusting.
Look at a familiar verse on the screen,
n Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
The text does not say everything is good—we know better. Trials are not good, sometimes they stink, and sometimes they are ugly. It says “in all things God works for the good.”
nThis is a lesson we learn by experiencing that God will not fail.
§ It would be nice if it just happened naturally like we grow physically—not. (you don’t learn to ride a bike this way.)
§ It would be nice if you could get this perseverance that produces maturity from reading a book from Barnes and Noble—not.
The confidence that God will not fail no matter how tough things get comes in just one way—by experience. God will give you that experience; in trials we learn God will not fail us.
Transition: At this point James does not sense that people are convinced so he sort of takes two questions from the audience.
3. n Objection 1: What if I don’t get what God is teaching me?
Here is the question, “I don’t want to waste this trial God has me in; but I don’t understand what is going on.”
Aside: These next verses are familiar; but you probably never saw that they are in a context of facing difficulties/trials. (DelMonte or the store brand)
James 1:5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives gener-ously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
Sometimes I am fogged out about what God could possibly be doing.
Do you want to know what is going on? What you should do? Ask.
ê [blank] God[JRT3] could be working in a number of areas:
God could be turning down the screws on a sin in your life.
Revelation 3:19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.
James deals with this again later in the book with one who is ill.
God could be breaking your pride in your own sufficiency.
2 Corinthians 12:7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
God could be weaning you from depending on earthy things.
John 6:5-6 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
God could be probing for what you really love.
Matthew 22:37-38 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment.
God did this with Abraham. He sent him up a mountain to sacrifice his son. What did God accomplish? Abraham knew that it was God who was his first love—even more than his son or life itself.
Warren Wiersbe: An associate of mine, a gifted secretary, was going through great trials. She had had a stroke, her husband had gone blind, and then he had to be taken to the hospital where (we were sure) he would die. I saw her in church one Sunday and assured her that I was praying for her.
“What are you asking God to do?” she asked, and her question startled me. “I’m asking God to help you and strengthen you,” I replied. “I appreciate that,” she said, “but pray about one more thing. Pray that I’ll have the wisdom not to waste all of this!”
She understood what James was writing about.
Transition: If you have a question ask God. Now a second issue…
4. n Question 2: Wouldn’t this be easier for someone else?
James 1:9-12 The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. 10But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. 12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
It always seems like God has made it easier for someone else. I can give you my opinion—James picks the area we are most vulnerable too: money. He could have picked health, or anything else.
When I go to the dentist and he tells me another tooth needs major work we always have a misunderstanding. He goes into a long speech about how it won’t hurt. I can handle the tooth pain; it is the pain in my hip pocket I am more concerned about. Tell me, how much is this going to cost?
Rich man, poor man—it doesn’t make any difference. We have the same God. God is working on you, God is teaching you that He will not fail you when things get tough, God is bringing you to maturity.
Conclusion: n The title of our message is simply, “Why would God let me hurt?” James gives to us the answer. God is producing in you the confidence to rely on Him when things get tough. (review)
n Will[JRT4] you put a joy shirt on your Moe?
[JRT1]Introduction needs some work. Opening illustration didn’t really click.
[JRT2]This visualizing seemed to work well.
[JRT3]This whole section could be omitted. It seemed to muddle the clear idea.
[JRT4]People identified well with naming their trials “Moe.” One comment was that not all of our tials are bad things; it could be an added responsibility at work.