Sermon Tone Analysis
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Advancing in adversity
James is the most practical book in the New Testament.
It is the "How To" manual for the Christian life.
When you write a letter you normally figure that the guy is going to warm up and ease into his subject.
He's going to have a few opening remarks and then move into the message.
But James drops a bomb in verse 2.
He announces who he is and then in verse 2 he says:
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,*- James 1:2NASB95*
How would you like to get a letter like that?
"This is a letter from me... yo James, You got problems?
Be happy!"
You’re thinking: There's no way I could be happy.
You don't know my situation…
~*~*~*~*~*~*
The key is the phrase is found in v-3 knowing this or "because you know".
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds *because you know* that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."
Your *attitude* is determined by your *understanding*.
*Rejoicing* is not just positive thinking, rejoicing can happen because it is based on some real hard facts of life.
*/Four facts/* of life from James that will help you with the problem you're going through right now:
*I.
FOUR "FACTS OF LIFE" YOU NEED TO KNOW *
1.
Problems are inevitable
Scripture doesn't say, "*If* you encounter problems consider it joy" but *whenever* -- count on it, you're going to have problems.
If you don't have problems, check your pulse.
It is a fact of life.
Jesus said "In the world you will have *tribulation*."
Peter said, "Don't be surprised when suffering comes upon you."
Problems are not only inevitable
2.
Problems are unpredictable.
He says, "...whenever you *face or encounter* problems or various trials ..." v-2
The word "encounter literally means "to fall into unexpectedly".
It is the same word used in the story of the Good Samaritan where the man *fell* among thieves -- it was unexpected.
Trials are not planned.
We seldom can anticipate the problems we're going to experience in life.
We don't plan to have a flat tire, or a crisis.
They are unplanned and unpredictable -- when we least expect them.
That's what makes a problem a problem.
3.
Problems of many kinds
They come in all shapes and sizes.
V-2 again
One thing about problems, you never get bored with them.
There are a wide variety of them.
The word in the Greek for "various" is literally "multi colored".
There are problems of many shades and varieties.
They vary in intensity, they vary in variety, they vary in duration.
Some are minor inconveniences.
Some are major crises.
We had some problems with the cement trucks on Friday…
4.
Problems are *purposeful* v-3
They have a purpose.
Pain can be productive.
Suffering can accomplish *something*.
It has *value* in our lives.
You say: What value?
Three purposes of problems in your life:
· Problems purify my faith.
James uses the word "testing", as in testing gold and silver.
You would heat them up very hot until the impurities -- the dross -- was burned off.
Job said "He has tested me through the refining fire and I have come out as pure gold."
The first thing trials do is test our faith.
First of all these trial tell us whether or not we are truly born-again.
Then they purify us.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Christians are a lot like tea bags.
You don't know what's inside of them until you drop them in hot water.
Your faith *develops* when things don't go as planned.
Your faith *develops* when you don't feel like doing what's right.
So trials and problems purifies your faith.
2) Problems fortify our patience v-3 "...the testing of your faith develops perseverance."
James is talking about staying power, not a passive patience, but endurance.
The ability to keep on keeping on, the ability to hang in there.
The Greek here is literally "the ability to stay under pressure."
We don't like pressure and we do everything we can to avoid it.
We run from it: take drugs, drink alcohol, buy another toy… anything to get away from pressure.
But God uses *problems* in our lives to teach us how to handle *pressure*, how to never give up.
*How* does God teach you patience?
By everything going your way? No.
God teaches you patience in traffic jams, in grocery lines and long messages on a beautiful Sunday morning.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
We live in a comfortable and convenient society.
Everybody wants it now.
Even our spiritual growth.
If I can't have it now, forget it.
*Endurance*, today, is a rare quality.
Lombardi said, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
3) Problems sanctify my character.
v-4
They make me like Jesus.
They help me mature.
They help me to grow.
"The testing of your faith produces perseverance that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
That's God's long range goal.
His ultimate purpose is maturity.
God wants you to grow up.
He wants you to mature.
In the Christian life, *character* is the bottom line.
So many Christians I talk to have absolutely no idea of God's agenda in their life.
They don't know what's happening and as a result they are overwhelmed by their problems.
God's number one purpose in your life is to make you like Jesus Christ.
God is much more interested in building my character than in making me comfortable.
If God is going to make me like Jesus, He's going to take me through the things Jesus went through.
There were times when Jesus was lonely, fatigued, tempted and maybe even discouraged.
The Bible says there are two ways that God makes us like Jesus:
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