James 1:1-11 - Trials & Doubts Build Strength
James: Put on Kindness • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 30:22
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· 13 viewsTrials (v.2) reveal maturity (v.4) which is steadfast (vv.3-4), not tossed (v.6) or passing away (v.10).
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When you read the Bible, do you tend to see the characters as like you, or different from you? After all they didn’t have to deal with clocks, cars, cell phones, computers or corrupt media so they MUST be different from us, right?
What if I told you that Bible people are more like us than they are different from us? Especially here in Chase County, KS. I know that some people hesitate to attempt a through the Bible in a year goal because we expect to lose interest in February when we get to Numbers and Leviticus. Those who read a Chronological Plan (like the Bible ReCap) deal with this by bringing the gloom of Job right into the first week.
Before the gloom of Job (which may be more like us than we want to admit), we read the first 11 chapters of Genesis. In chapter 2 we see that God appointed the first generation of humanity to a task that basically resembles a Ranch Manager – Take Care of what it mine so that it is healthy and productive.
Then the 2nd generation divides into a farmer and a rancher, again, if that isn’t you, it is somebody who lives close to you. The third generation divides the clan into 3 livelihoods: fine arts, agriculture & Commerce. Once again, if that isn’t you it is somebody you know who does one of those 3.
If the Bible describes people like us, it just may also prescribe what people like us should do if we are to live, not your best life now, but your godliest life now.
For those who are born again, this is the worst life you’ll experience in eternity. For those who have not received Christ’s offer of salvation, this life, no matter how bad it may seem is better than what you have to look forward to after death.
For those of us who recognize our best life is yet to come, the Word of God also offers ways that this life can become more godly. Today we open a letter that is overflowing with suggestions for your godliest life now.
Transition: Before we open the letter, let’s take a moment to…
Examining the Envelope (v.1)
Examining the Envelope (v.1)
The Sender’s Identity
The Sender’s Identity
English James comes from Hebrew יַעֲקֹ֑ב jaaqov/Jacob/Greek Ἰάκωβος.
At least 2 different commentaries I read this week hint that King James wanted his name attached to the English translation that he commissioned.
2. Servant, not apostle, bishop or step brother.
3. Servant TO none other than God and LordJesus Christ. (not Caesar or High Priest). Word order here is not what would be expected which serves to highlight the direction of James’ servitude.
4. Servant – not forced slave, but voluntary bondservant
The Addressees
The Addressees
James/Jacob had been raised in a Jewish family so he is writing to his own family. Jewish believers are disbursed so James is clearly removing any idea that identifying Jesus as Messiah would eliminate all their problems in this world.
Looking ahead to v.2 the word order of my brothers is also used to draw attention. We would expect “Count it all joy” to be followed immediately with what should be counted. To those who are dispersed, James/Jacob quickly addresses them as brothers. They aren’t only chosen, they are family.
They are first chosen by God, secondly they are family, and only in a far third place is the reality that they are scattered.
If you were to look at my preaching Bible you would see 3 yellow highlighted who’s and 3 highlighted whats. I just told you the 3 whos and the 3 whats are the blanks in your handout that we are about to fill in.
Front Page material (vv.2-11)
Front Page material (vv.2-11)
v.2 begins with the idea: Count it all joy, but before I tell you what to count as joy I’m reminding you that we are family!
Transition: Now that the relationship is stated and refreshed let me go back to what I started to say...
Consider Trials as opportunities to increase Joy (not happiness). (vv.2-4)
Consider Trials as opportunities to increase Joy (not happiness). (vv.2-4)
1. The trials of today’s text are different from the temptations, evil and deceit in vv.12-18 that we’ll study Lord willing next week.
Trials are the experiences that God permits to come into our lives that prove the maturity of our faith.
2. There are 5 summary words in this section: trials (v.2) reveal maturity (v.4) (fullness/perfection/completion) of faith. Mature faith is steadfast (vv.3-4), not tossed (v.6) or passing away (v.10). Hence the title of today’s sermon.
3. If happiness is a result of circumstances, Joy can be experienced in all circumstances. Notice the first 3 words of v.3: For you know. This knowledge is not theoretical facts, it is experiential knowledge. This isn’t something you are taught, it is something you have learned for yourselves. I’m not telling you anything new! You know from experience that when your faith is proven to be strong (approved), then you are able to withstand challenges.
4. The goal of steadfast faith is further described in v.4 as being full, perfect & complete. I tend to think of full/perfect as each hair on a persons head (or, in my case, each blade of grass) that makes an overall style or lawn. Each piece makes a contribution to the whole.
Do any of you have experience with tempered chocolate? Chocolate that is untempered has a low melting point so it is ooey or gooey. Chocolate that is tempered has increased strength so that it can be used in decorating. It holds its shape under heat.
The same thing is true of tempered glass. A lightbulb or a bulb on the Christmas tree is not tempered, so it easily shatters if dropped or stored improperly. But the glass used in the windshield of your car is heated and cooled several times to make it strong enough to resist most chips even at highway speeds. But if the weather on one side of the glass and the temperature on the other side are different enough then chips become easier and cracks can grow.
Have you every wondered why hail will dimple the hood of your car, but not break the glass? Tempering is the answer.
The trials of today’s texts are not the pebbles that hit your windshield, they are the tempering that makes your windshield resistant to the pebbles or hail stones.
Transition: These trial (or this tempering) does something to both the product as a whole and the individual strands of hair, blades of grass, or molecules of chocolate or glass.
Consider Doubts as opportunities to increase Wisdom (vv.5-8)
Consider Doubts as opportunities to increase Wisdom (vv.5-8)
James first describes the individual challenges to faith as doubts.
Just as your legs and arms can lift different weights, the strength of your faith varies in different arenas. Some of us find it easy to trust God to provide breath, but difficult to give victory over bread. Some of us have absolute faith in regards to hell, but not so much with our health. Some of us have strong faith when teaching SS or VBS, but not quite as much in family devotions.
Each of these situations provide opportunities to increase our wisdom. To experience different ways to apply God’s truth to certain situations.
Faith is a gift of God that exists in abundance (generously without reproach). Unlike your budget where spending in one area means withholding in others. Wisdom is more like the Federal Budget, if they ever run out, they just print more.
James uses water as an illustration of this. You can walk through mist or a light shower, but if enough droplets are moved at the same time in the same direction a wave can level a stone statue or a house that has stood for decades.
5. The more times our faith is proven to sufficient, the more we become like Winnie the Pooh’s friend Tigger. But the more doubts that blow in the same direction at the same time, the more we become like Eeyore, each challenge is just one more opportunity to be disappointed.
Transition: The double-minded, unstable man is looking for failures. Yet there are those around us whose circumstances give them false confidence.
Consider Scarcity as opportunities to value God’s provision (vv.9-11)
Consider Scarcity as opportunities to value God’s provision (vv.9-11)
Verses 9-10 set up a contrast between the man with little earthly wealth, but access to God’s abundant wisdom compared to the man who has abundance of earth’s resources that do him absolutely NOTHING at the end of life.
When we realize what we don’t have and what we can’t do, we appreciate even more how Amazing God’s grace truly is.
On Monday of this week one of our members who was unable to attend last Sunday came by to pick up the prayer guide that our partners at Christian Aid Mission provide so generously each month. She said that these pictures and stories remind me of just how good we have it.
3. While none of us are Rockefellers, Jeff Bezos, or have income like professional athletes, compared to the majority of the world we are in the “rich” category. If we eat at least one meal daily, we’re instantly in the top 10% of global wealth.
4. So to those who experience scarcity, their only hope is to boast in what God provides. The rich find that their resources eventually do them no good. The BEST outcome is for those of us who have been blessed and would be considered rich to boast not in our abundance, but in our access to God’s generous provision that has no limit.
Transition: Every single challenge you face is an opportunity to make a decision. Will I settle for limited earthly resources, or will I ask God? Will I seek His provision for each challenge that I face?
Conclusion: when we are poor in Spirit, God lavishes redemption upon us and adopts us into family.
Closely related to this phrase count it all joy, used by James is the phrase blessed are used by Jesus and recorded in Matthew, Luke & John’s gospels.
Jesus says that those who are poor in spirit, meek and hunger for righteousness are blessed when God provides the kingdom, mercy, they see God and they are called sons of God.
We have at our fingertips the resolution to man’s greatest need. To anyone who will repent of their sin, place their trust in the death of Jesus as payment for their guilt, and confess that He is worthy of all devotion will pass from death into life.
This gospel is hope for us, for our neighbors, and for the nations. We have reason for joy because God offers a faith that is stronger than any obstacle.