Lessons For The Materializing Church -- Part 3 Series

THE BOOK OF JAMES

LESSONS FOR THE MATERIALIZING CHURCH -- PART 3

James 1:12-15 – TEMPTATIONS

James 1:1-7, 12-15 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

INTRODUCTION: as we proceed in our study of the book of James, we come to a section here in Chapter 1, verses 12 through 15 where James gives us some simple truth. Truth about trials and truth about temptations. James looks at the origins of both, the results of both, and the path they each take as they work through our lives.

I THE TRUTH ABOUT TRIALS

Getting up to speed: James has already told us that trials as a believer are inevitable, that they have a process, and that God’s wisdom in dealing with trials is available to us in order to navigate through them.

A TRIALS ARE CONQUERABLE

1 “when he has stood the test”

a The trials we will face are winnable

b We do not go through trials doubting whether we will be the victor or not.

1 The issue is not do we win

2 The issue is discovering what we need to do in order to win

2 Our attitude is the key

a Jesus has often spoken about attitude.

Matthew 21:28-31 "What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' 29 "'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go. 31 "Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.

1 It is never what we say, but it is what we do.

2 The believer who has an abundant life is the believer who is obedient in his actions, not just in his words.

3 The key to the right attitude in trials is seeing the advantage of trials

a Our love for Christ allows us to go through the trials

b Our personal maturing allows us to go through the trials

1 We are “blessed” when we go through trials. – We receive God’s favor

2 Our simple perseverance is training that matures us and prepares us to be a blessing to others

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PASSAGES. THIS PASSAGE SETS MY ATTITUDE. THIS PASSAGE TELLS ME THAT GOD IS PLANNING BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS FOR ME AND MY WALK WITH HIM THAN I HAVE HAD TO THIS POINT.

4 There is an end in sight – “stood the test”

a First this is directed to those in the trial

b Second, it is in the past tense. God’s assumption is that you have gone through it.

c Third, you are the better for it

1 Phrase means, “Become approved”