Sermon Tone Analysis

*/Trials, temptations, and sufferings/*

 

It is clear from Scripture that “rejoicing in suffering” is not simply stoicism.

It is not simply a grin-and-bear-it attitude of tough-it-out-and-see-how-much-you-can-take, or just-hang-in-there-until-it’s-over-and-don’t-let-anything-get-you-down, or keep-a-stiff-upper-lip.

Many people feel that if they do this, they are obeying God and “rejoicing in suffering.”

But they are not.[1]

George Muller, a great man of faith, once said, “God delights to increase the faith of His children.

We ought, instead of wanting no trials before victory, no exercise for patience, to be willing to take them from God’s hand as a means.

I say—and say it deliberately—trials, obstacles, difficulties, and sometimes defeats, are the very food of faith.”[2]

* *

*James 1:2-4  *2 My brethren,  count it all joy when you fall into various *trials*, 3  knowing that the *testing *of your faith produces 1*patience,* ( endurance or /perseverance)/.

4 But let patience have /its/ perfect work, that you may be 2*perfect* (mature) and complete, lacking nothing.

* *

* *

The difficulties Christians encounter in the world are described as trials, temptations, and sufferings in James (1:2–4, 12–15; 5:7–11).

* In 1:2–4 James called his readers to be joyful in the midst of trials (/peirasmoi/).

* The reason Christians can be joyful despite difficulties is that God uses such adversities in a positive way in their spiritual development:

#. “because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (v.

3).

* Perseverance or endurance (/hypomonē/) in turn leads to full-orbed Christian character:

   

2  “that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (v.

4).

This positive result helps to shed light on the sense of the word translated *“trial” or    “temptation” (**/peirasmos/) *

 

The Greek noun /peirasmos/ and the cognate verb /peirazō/ are used in two related senses in the New Testament, one positive and one negative.

The positive sense denotes “testing, trial, *putting to the test*” with *the intent of confirming and strengthening the virtue of someone.

*

This is the sense in which God tested Abraham in asking him to offer up Isaac his son (Gen.

22:1–12; Heb.

11:17).

The negative meaning is “temptation, *enticement to sin*.”

In this sense Jesus was tempted by the devil (Matt.

4:1–11; Mark 1:12–13; Luke 4:1–12), and the devil is specifically called “the tempter” in his *efforts to lead astray* both Jesus (Matt.

4:3) and Christians (1 Thess.

3:5; cf. 1 Cor.

7:5).2

The positive sense of /peirasmos/ appears in James 1:2–4.

* God allows adversity in the lives of His people as a means of confirming and strengthening their character.

* This idea is reinforced by the word translated *“testing*” (/dokimion/) in verse 3 (“*the testing of your faith develops perseverance*”).

* The Greek noun and adjective /dokimion/ and /dokimos/ refer to the process of testing something to show its genuineness and thus to pronounce it approved.

* It is used invariably with the positive connotation of “approval, approved.”3[3]

The following quotation is from a Christian man who has been an invalid all his life, one of those lonely and obscure people who live in constant pain, who do not know what it means to be able to use their physical body in any way without pain and suffering:

“Loneliness is not a thing of itself, not an evil sent to rob us of the joys of life.

Loneliness, loss, pain, sorrow, these are disciplines, God’s gifts to drive us to his very heart, to increase our capacity for him, to sharpen our sensitivities and understanding, to temper our spiritual lives so that they may become channels of his mercy to others and so bear fruit for his kingdom.

But these disciplines must be seized upon and used, not thwarted.

They must not be seen as excuses for living in the shadow of half-lives, but as messengers, however painful, to bring our souls into vital contact with the living God, that our lives may be filled to overflowing with himself in ways that may, perhaps, be impossible to those who know less of life’s darkness.”

[4]

 

 

 

 

“Loneliness is not a thing of itself, not an evil sent to rob us of the joys of life.

ROM.

8:28 –FOR OUR GOOD

                       

 Loneliness, loss, pain, sorrow, these are disciplines,

                        TO PURIFY US – TRIED AS GOLD IN THE FIRE

                        So as to not be ashamed to stand before Him in the day of judgment

God’s gifts to drive us to his very heart,

            Deu.

8:3 to know that we can’t live w~/o God & His word

To increase our capacity for him,

            To increase our desire for Him & His will in our lives

            To increase our hunger & thirst for righteousness  

To sharpen our sensitivities and understanding,

            To know God and the power of His resurrection

            To grow in knowledge, wisdom, and understanding

            To know and recognize His voice as opposed to the voice of another

To temper our spiritual lives

            To grow in love, mercy, compassion, and patience with & for others

            For self discipline, self control

            To learn to allow the Holy Spirit to lead rather than the flesh

So that they may become channels of his mercy to others

            To have the desire to minister to others

            To have the love to minister to others

            To have the desire to help others

And so bear fruit for his kingdom.

To walk in the Light

            To be a Light

            To be a witness both for and of the love of God

            To be a good and faithful servant of Christ

            To bring others to the saving knowledge of Christ

            To help others in their walk with Christ

 

But these disciplines must be seized upon and used, not thwarted.

We must recognize these trials for what are, so we don’t miss our chance to grow, learn and gain strength from them and thru them

 

They must not be seen as excuses for living in the shadow of half-lives,

            Give thanks in all things;

                        Hard times are NOT an excuse to be slack in our Christian duties

 

But as messengers, however painful, to bring our souls into vital contact with the living God,

The most valuable aspect of trials is the fellowship with the Creator of the universe

 

That our lives may be filled to overflowing with himself in ways that may, perhaps, be impossible to those who know less of life’s darkness.”

Sometimes the benefits we gain from the trials we go thru couldn’t be had thru any other means.

Had we not gone thru the trial we may not have had the experience of God that we enjoyed, learnt the things we learnt,

About God,

His word,

His Holy Spirit,

Communication and fellowship with Him,

Trust and dependence totally on Him

To know His provision

His mercy and grace

To know the peace that passes all understanding

Things spiritually discerned

The comfort of the Holy Spirit

The directing of the Holy Spirit

The teaching of the Holy Spirit

The conviction of the Holy Spirit

The confirmation of the Holy Spirit

The strength of the Holy Spirit

The defense of the Holy Spirit

The workings of God Almighty

 

 

We might not understand the things we now understand,

Not have the ability to assist and comfort others as we now can

 

Which is the second part of our purpose here on earth;

            The first being to love God, the second being to love others

 

*Lessons from sorrow*

I walked a mile with Pleasure;