(The following is a manuscript from our teaching series in the Book of James at West Hickory Baptist Church. For more information please visit www.westhickorybaptist.org).
A Blueprint For Making Faith Work
Faith Through Trials and Temptations
James 1:1-17
OPENING:
If you have your Bible with you go ahead and be turning to the book of James where we will be in chapter one. So while you are turning let me say that I am excited that I get the opportunity today to kickoff our summer study in the book of James. I am excited about this study and man, I am looking forward to what God is going to say to us through it. Over the next nine weeks this study will focus on living a life that demonstrates how to have a living faith in the midst of trials and temptations.
This is how the book breaks down. In chapter 1, we’ll see trials and Christian perseverance that will move into hearing and doing the Word of God. In chapter 2, we look at the sin of partiality and the relationship between works and deeds.
In chapter 3, we see the taming of the tongue and wisdom coming from God and not from our hearts. In chapter 4, you get a warning against worldliness and boasting in tomorrow, being arrogant. In chapter 5, we see a warning against trusting in riches and comfort as a satisfier of the longings of our hearts. We see a call to patient suffering and prayer. That’s it, that’s the outline of the book of James.
Pastor Scott has written a more in-depth introduction to the book of James that covers in detail who wrote James, when it was written, why it was written and the overall structure of James. This booklet can be found in one of the racks within the church or on the church website and is a great tool to assist you in your study with the book of James this summer.
Let’s look together at James 1:1-17. (Read passage)
Let’s pray.
MESSAGE:
Right off the bat we see that James is the author of the book. But, what do we know about James other than what he tells us here in verse one? James was the half brother of Jesus and brother of Jude. Just like the rest of his brothers, he rejected Christ as the Messiah and according to one instance in the Gospels, James and the other half-brothers and sisters of Jesus thought he was a little crazy and showed up to seize him because they thought he had lost his mind. But it was right after the death of Jesus that something happens, where all of a sudden James is convinced that his brother is God in the flesh and he worships him.
What was it you ask? It was the resurrection from the dead! I mean after all, how do you convince your half-brother you’re God. You die, stay that way for three days, and then show back up! James kind of says “I take it back. He is God! I’m in!” James goes on to become the key elder in the establishment of the first Christian church in Jerusalem and would ultimately be martyred because he would not recant on his claim that his brother is God in the flesh and since he refused, he would eventually have his skull bashed in. In fact, in Jerusalem not long after this is penned, a mob grabs hold of him, forces him up to the top of the temple, and throws him off the Temple Mount. He lands. He does not die.
Church tradition tells us someone picked up a stick and bashed in his skull. James is written somewhere after the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7 and the dispersion of the saints across the ancient world who were being persecuted for believing in Jesus Christ.
It was written to the 12 tribes in the dispersion. The Bible tells us and history tells us that a great persecution broke out after the stoning of Stephen against the Christians in Jerusalem, and they fled. As they fled Jerusalem, they fled preaching the gospel to anyone who would hear and established churches throughout the ancient Roman world.
What we see in regard to biblical theology, an overview of what the Bible teaches, is that James isn’t just writing to Christian Jews, but rather his understanding and our understanding is that Israel (the chosen people of God) is now all of those who have come to know Christ as Lord, whether Jew or Gentile, slave or free, Greek or Scythian. Right? We are all the true Israel. It’s not ethnic Jews who are Israel but rather all of those who are in Christ. He is writing to the true church of God dispersed throughout the world.
So, that takes us to James 1:2-17 where I want to share two ways for us to rightly think about trials and temptations that we are going to face.
I.Trials are viewed as a pathway to maturity (2-4).
James sounds a little crazy as we read these verses, right? I mean, not only am I going to endure trials but then I am to have joy in them! This sounds a little strange at first, I mean how many of us that have ever endured some sort of trial is truly supposed to find joy with in that trial? I mean, that’s just not normal. But I like how James says “when” you meet trials. We all know that trials and temptations are both inevitable and it’s not if but when you face trials. Last week Pastor Scott talked briefly about the ’80’s song “Don’t Worry Be Happy” and how there is a false theology within that song. We all know that it doesn’t work to not worry and just be happy!
Well the same is true when we face trials and temptations! James knew what it was like to face trials, so he wasn’t saying that Christians should enjoy their trials or have a all encompassing joyful emotion. Rather, he was saying that we should make a conscious embrace of the Christian understanding of life which brings joy into the trials that come because of our Christianity. We need to fully understand that trials are never out of God’s control, so every trial (small or big) we go through is under God’s control and He will accomplish His will through those trials. And yes, there have been times in my life that I wish this passage were not in the Bible, but I have to come to understand that it is one of the most profound and crucial passages for Christian maturity and Christian living.
See,I don’t know about you, but trials do not usually bring a smile to my face. And just like the majority of you here today, I don’t always see how God is working through those trials until much later. For example, March 19, 2010 completely changed my life (as well as Jana’s) with the birth of our daughter Gracie. But it was just a couple days later on March 21, 2010 our lives momentarily seemed to stop. Gracie was rushed to Levine’s Children’s hospital because she was born with a disease that required surgery. And for the next three weeks our lives seemed to have come to a complete stop! We were both at our wits end, confused, helpless and alone (so it felt at the moment). It was hard to find joy in that moment. I honestly knew that God was in control, I just didn’t want to acknowledge it at the moment. To this day, that is the hardest trial I’ve ever
gone through. There may be times when the trials in my life will be more challenging but I know that through our experience with Gracie, God has taught me how to endure during those trials and who I can turn to for hope, comfort and trust. And I know if we had time this morning there are many of you that could share story after story after story of the trials you have encountered throughout your life and your experiences in those trials.
But as I look back on that experience I realize that it taught me how easy it is to fall into the trap that when we’re enduing trials we become hyperaware of other peoples lives and we begin to resent them and the blessings that they are enjoying at the moment. See, when we’re in the middle of a trial we tend to forget that there are other Christians who are experiencing loss of family, broken relationships, family breakdown, depression, temptation, life threatening health issues, suffering from things that happened in the past and scars left from other people that continue to haunt them. During our trials we become so absorbed with by what we are going through that we become desensitized to the pain of others around us.
David Platt says, “Sometimes we wonder why the little trials are there, and then when the big trials come, the tragedies and the difficulties that make the everyday trials seem so small, we wonder what James is thinking when he tells us to count all of these things as “great joy”. How can the Bible be so serious about this? We need to realize that trails are not joyful in and of themselves, but they are joyful when we realize they are under the authority of a sovereign God who is accomplishing His purposes through them.”
And that’s exactly what we see in verses 3 and 4, we see what He is accomplishing. “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 teach us to persevere. Sometimes our trials will put us in situations that are not easy for us to keep going without some determination. Now, think about this outside of the spiritual world for a second and set it to your life experiences, how have you matured? How have you grown? Have you not matured by failing and falling? Have you grown into maturity (physically and intellectually) as a person because everything has always gone your way and everything you did was perfect? No! I don’t even need you to answer that. You learned by failing? You learned by getting your knees scrapped by falling down. You learned that you actually didn’t know everything and that sometime you were wrong. So, why do we believe that we will mature spiritually any different? Think about the endurance of the Apostle Paul, William Carey, George Mueller, Hudson Taylor or Corrie ten Boom, it did not come over night nor did it come apart from trials.
In Romans 5:3 Paul says, “but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance.” It is perseverance in times of testing that brings about maturity. See life is always going to be full of trials and testing, but they are not a sign of God’s displeasure but rather opportunities to help us persevere and mature in the Lord.
This brings us to the second way we think about trials.
II. Trials helps us to be aware of our need for God (5-17).
As we move into verses 5-17, let me explain very quickly how our hearts sometimes works. When everything is going great and everything is like you want it, chances are you don’t have your heart set on the Lord at all. You think to yourself that things are going too good! But the moment everything starts to go wrong, it’s all God’s fault and it’s not fair. I mean if everything is going great, I don’t need God. If everything goes bad, it’s God’s fault and how could God allow this to happen to me? This is so unfair God! That’s just a small glimpse of our little dark hearts!
Look at verse 5. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
Verse 5 may be one of the most beautiful and encouraging promises in all of Scripture! When we are going through trials and temptations our first response isn’t to normally ask God for wisdom to persevere through that trial. But actually it’s quite the opposite! Sure, we may question God and ask why me, but we never stop and ask God to supply us with wisdom. And not wisdom from a earthly perspective, we’ll learn more about that later on in the book. But wisdom is required because when we are going through trials we typically do not know all that is going on, we may not see our situation from every angle and more times than not we lack experience in what to do and how to handle the situation of the trial. But God on the other hand, possesses all knowledge, He has an eternal perspective on all things and it is through Christ that He has experienced every kind of test and He has prevailed.
This is hard for me to wrap my head around, because I am so guilty of not turning to God first during my trails and temptations and I forget that all I have to do is ask God and he will give generously to those who ask.
John 14:13-14 says, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”
1 John 5:14 says, “This is the assurance we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”
Church, we need to learn to turn to God and ask for wisdom instead of growing bitter, angry and resentful towards God because of the trials we experience. I’m not saying this will be easy, because no trial no matter how small or big is not easy to face. But we are not going through that trial or temptation alone! The next time you face a trial or temptation, be honest with God. “God, I don’t quite fully understand it, but here’s the deal. I know you are maturing me through this God. I know you’re chiseling me more into your image and shaping me more and more into the image of your Son. I know that you have an eternal perspective, so let me trust you and ask for wisdom to help me through this Lord.”
See, here’s the thing, if we gain Christ and lose everything else, I have everything I will ever need. But here’s the difficult part for a lot of us. Look at the next verse. This is such a difficult verse, not to read but to truly live it out (especially when we’re going through trials and temptations).
“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 al his ways.”
Did you catch all that? God says to ask without doubting. So, first you tell me to ask and you will give generously to those who ask, and now you’re telling me not to doubt because if I doubt then I want receive anything. Like what are we supposed to do with that? The more I look over this section the more I see two prayers being said. I think one is “Grant me wisdom”. The other is “Increase my faith and kill my doubts.” I don’t think James means here that we won’t ever have doubts, or struggles about the ways of God or even wrestled with the Bible’s teaching. But if we go to God in prayer, we should never doubt that He will not answer our prayers!
Let me read this passage from the Message.“If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.”
I like how the Message says that we are to “ask boldly, without a second thought.” The double-minded man mentioned here is like someone giving lip service to God. I say I believe but God doesn’t really care about me. A double-minded person will ask God for wisdom, but they’ll look over their shoulder to see if anyone else has a better offer. They think they can switch worldly wisdom and Godly wisdom and somehow manage to get the best of both worlds. But James says this type of living will make you unstable.
Look at verses 9-11.
“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.”
Here James introduces the idea of riches and poverty, although we’re not sure why he does so right in the middle of this passage. It could be that poverty was the most outstanding and difficult trial facing the readers of this letter at the time and felt they had no value. On the other hand, if you were wealthy you didn’t have to worry about trials because your wealth could make up for the trials you are experiencing, right? Not at all! If you are poor, your circumstances actually lead you to trust in God because you are absent of physical resources. But, if you are rich you should be careful because trials have a way to remind you that money will not solve your pain, your problems or your hurt. (How many times do we see this in our society today?)
Then in verse 12, James returns to the theme of steadfastness or endurance in the midst of trials. It’s almost like he puts a bookend on this section. James says because of the faithfulness of the believer under trial he declared that person to be “blessed”. A theme that Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount!
Everyone endures trials. Everyone struggles. We’ll have seasons in which the sky is clear and we’ll have seasons in which it’s cloudy. But God is leading us into maturity through it all. He’s showing us our need for Him. And right in the middle of all this, we’re going to need encouragement along the way.
Look at verse 13.
“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.”
We need to see our trials as paths to maturity and we need to understand that our trials and temptations make us consciously aware of our need for God… which is the only thing we truly need. But be careful James says of not going so far as saying that God tempts us to turn away from Him. At this point its easy to let doubt creep into our hearts and minds and we have to be careful to fight that fight. It’s at this moment where we have to be like Rocky (yes, the movie Rocky). In every movie it never fails that Rocky always takes a beating before he comes back to win. I mean this guy literally takes a pounding, but he never gives up, he always comes fighting back. When we are going through trial, we will be tempted, drawn and incited by our own flesh to betray God’s invitation to maturity and getting what we actually need. But hang in there, keep fighting!
Finally look at verses 16-17.
“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.”
Man, isn’t it true that during our trials and temptations, the very time when we are so prone to fix our eyes on our circumstances that we miss what God has in store? Look at verse 17 again, “Every good and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Everything about God is good! And He wants that which is good for you too.
Pastor Matt Chandler says about this verse, “You’re in the midst of a trial? Don’t be deceived. Don’t be fooled. Your flesh is going to incite you. You’re going to want to believe that God isn’t good. You’re going to wrestle with comparison and doubt. Don’t be deceived. Don’t be tricked. Then he moves on with this beautiful reminder. Everything good and perfect gift has come down from the Father of lights. One of the greatest anchors for your soul in the trials that come regardless of the intensity of those trials is the greater your knowledge of the goodness and grace of God on your life, the more likely you are to praise him in the storm.”
CLOSING:
It is so easy to forget how good God is when are going through trials and temptations. But James reminds us this morning that every gift comes from above, from God’s gracious hand. So this morning remember, trials and temptations will come, so count them all as joy because God is good!
Do you believe that this morning? Do you believe that God is good? Despite what trials and temptations you are currently going through, are you turning to God for His wisdom? Are you seeking to be an encouragement for others who are going through trials and temptations? It may be that as we seek God in the times of our trails and temptations, He may actually be leading us to be an encouragement to someone else who is going through a much bigger and more devastating trial than we are. I know that it will not be easy, it’s going to be tough, but as we become more aware of our need for God in our lives, we will learn to grow and walk with others who are going through trials and temptations.
So here is my challenge for all of us this morning. As we sing, I want to ask that if you know of someone who is going through a trail or temptation that you simply come and begin to pray for them. Pray that God will use this trial or temptation to mature them, but to also make aware of their need for God during this time. It may be that you want to pray with someone here who is going through trails and temptations and I can’t think of a better picture of the body of Christ than when we pray with and for each other. Come this morning as you are lead.
Coffee Conversations 