Dealing With Difficulties Series

James 1 Dealing with Difficulties

- Read James 1:1-18

I. INTRODUCTION

James is not a theologically deep book. It is a book written by a pastor, with a pastor’s heart, to struggling and suffering Christians. It is a very practical book written to tell folks how to do and live this thing we call the Christian life. It’s not designed to tell us about the suffering of Christ and the sacrifice He made. The Gospels, the letters of Paul, and the other New Testament books do that. It’s not a theological thesis on how Jesus took away our sins. It’s not a book painting a glorious picture of heaven. James was written to believers to tell them, this is what Christianity looks like with skin on it.

You know, a lot of people can talk a good game. A lot of folks can talk about how they’re a Christian and such, but you don’t see much of it actually displayed or demonstrated in their lives. James says, “If you’re actually living the Christian life, this is what it looks like.” He is concerned that we who say, “I belong to Christ, I believe in Him.” Live lives that say the same thing.

James teaches us how to get up and get dressed each day as Christians. He teaches us how to continue to face traffic and unappreciative bosses, demanding customers, and ugly coworkers every day.

And notice who he wrote this letter to. Look there again at verse 1.

- Read James 1:1

To the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. This letter wasn’t written to a secluded and secure people. It wasn’t written to people with no problems. It was written to scattered people.

The reference to the 12 tribes scattered, was used in earlier days to address Jews who were scattered across the empire. I believe here, though, it is referring to Jewish believers who were scattered because of persecution.

After the death of the first Christian martyr, Stephen, the persecution of Christians in Jerusalem, increased greatly. These Christians refused to bow their knees and say, “Ceasar is Lord.” Instead, they insisted that there was only one Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. So the Bible informs us in Acts 8:1 that they were all scattered except the apostles.

So, this letter was written to wives and mothers who were uprooted and scattered. Mama, and grandmother were not nearby to help care for the children, or to help give comfort or support when the children were sick. Lifetime friends were not nearby to share with when there were difficulties at home.

This letter was written to children, scattered all over the place, who were trying to start their lives again in new neighborhoods. These were neighborhoods where the children around them would have different games and different customs. You’re the new kid on the block. All the other children grew up together. They dressed alike. They knew the same games, attended the same schools. And here you are dressing differently, and eating different stuff, and unable to play or go places on your Sabbath.

This letter was written to dads and husbands who had been forced to abandon the home and property and business they had spent a lifetime building. It was written to dads starting over in a new town, with none of the friends or business connections your family had known for generations. It was written to dads in new neighborhoods, with new jobs, struggling each day to food on the table, and to keep a roof over his family’s head.

To these folks James writes, “I know you have been scattered, but God knows where every single one of you are and He has HIs eye on you.”

Isn’t it great to now that wherever we are and whatever we are going through, God is there, He knows about it, and He is walking through that trial with us?

To these scattered, struggling people James writes in verse 2,

- Read James 1:2

Count it all joy when you experience various trials. Several items we need to notice in this passage. First, I want you to understand that trials are predictable.

II. TRIALS ARE PREDICTABLE

- Verse 2

When you experience various trials.

My friend, there are going to be trials in this life. Some folks try to teach that if you live a Spirit-filled and Spirit-directed life, you won’t have any problems. There’s a great theological term to address that. Horsefeathers.

You can read the Bible from cover to cover and you will find that believers have issues.

Oh, if you’re right with God and walking in His will, you won’t have any problems.

Do you remember the movie, “In search of the Holy Grail”, with Monty Python? Years ago, whenever I’d come home, Robert, a friend of our’s, my brother Travis and I would go to Blockbuster. Explain to your children what Blockbuster is. We’d go to Blockbuster, rent that movie and then laugh our way through it.