Faith that Works; Understanding trials of Life
James 1:1-18
Introduction:
We are starting a new series this week called Faith that works. We will be studying the book of James. Possible other lessons; Listening and living the Word of God. Taming you tongue. Finding God’s wisdom for life. Submitting to God. Being ready for tomorrow. This morning, looking at the trials of life. Maybe it’s me, but sometimes things happen that just make me want to say , where did that come from? Why did that happen? Where is God in all this? I want you to know it is okay to ask the hard questions, just be ready to hear when God answers. There are several James in the Bible. James, the brother of John- the sons of thunder. The half brother of Jesus. Most commentaries will agree that James the half-brother of Jesus is the writer of the book that bears his name. James as a kid was not believing that his older brother Jesus was the son of God, he did not believe in the miracles that Jesus performed. In fact, he was not a believer until after the resurrection of Jesus. It goes to show you that just because you may of been dragged to church, because your parents are believers doesn’t mean you are automatically one. He does give us some faith principals that when applied to our lives can give us a intimate relationship with the Lord and give us a victory in our lives here and now, as well as a promise of hope for the eternity. Read James 1:2-18 . There are some immediate observations and there are some immediate obstacles to see in this passage.
Observations
T You will face trials and temptations
T Trials help us persevere/ perseverance makes us mature.
T If you lack wisdom, you should be asking God.
T Double-minded faith is not pleasing to God.
TGod is not the one that tempts us.
T Trials left not taken care of turn into temptations. Temptations acted upon can lead to death spiritually.
Obstacles
How do we know the difference between trails and temptations?
How do we have joy as we are going through trials to be mature believers?
What is double-minded faith?
Let me just say this up front: faith is an action word. You live faith. It is not just something that you just have. You step out in faith-(action) stepping out. You act upon your faith and move toward God with it. Walk in faith- just like exercising by walking, faith is exercised when it is stretched, it is built upon. In fact, later in this same book, James tells us that if you do nothing with your faith, you don’t exercise it, that it is impossible to please God.
Illustration
Chippie the parakeet never saw it coming. One second he was peacefully perched in his cage. The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over. The problem began when Chippie’s owner decided to clean his cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. The phone rang, and she turned to pick it up and Chippie got sucked into the vacuum. Since the bird was covered in soot, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the water and held Chippie under the water. Then realizing that Chippie was shivering and cold, she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the bird with hot air. Poor Chippie never knew what hit him. A few days later, a neighbor was asking the owner how the bird was doing? Chippie doesn’t sing as much anymore Sucked up, washed up, that’s enough to steal the song from anyone.
That is the way most people live their lives. Sucked up, washed up- and we don’t sing anymore. Tony Evans translates this verse like this. (1) My name is James, Jesus is Lord, now lets get to it Most people beat up by the world by the trails , by the temptations of the world, never get to the point in their lives that they determine- my name is James, Jesus is Lord, now lets get to it.
Jesus tells us in (2) “Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds. He doesn’t say if, it is when If you have no plan, if you have no foundation your going to stand on. That trial is going to bring you down.
Illustration
If you have a brick, it is a nice brick. You can use it for 2 uses. For evil or for good. You can throw it through a window, that would be bad. You can build a building with it, the intended use of the brick. It is not the brick’s fault on how you use it, it has no mind of it’s own. You do It is your responsibility to use the things God puts in your life for it’s intended use. Even though someone or something gave you the brick by unintended means. God desires to use events and happenings in our life to help us mature. He cannot work in us without our cooperation. The only way God develops patience and character is through the trails of our lives. How we respond determines how well we are doing in those trails. It can be positive- drawing closer to God. It can be negative- pulls you away from God. There is a difference between a trial and a temptation. Trials are the things that happen in life. Trials just happen. Temptations- is sin acted upon either by our own fleshly desires, or Satan putting out bait and us responding.
T God doesn’t tempt us with evil. It is against the character of God.
T God does use trials, the things of life for us to respond in a positive way. That will draw us closer to God and make us a more mature believer.
Anyone like to fish? You put a big old worm on the hook, you create a lure that looks like a bug. Why? To bring that fish from his safe hiding place and desire that bait that you are dangling in front of him. Satan does that, he knows what bait will bring you out and entice you to go for it. You have to be mature enough to understand that and leave it alone. Trials on the other hand, just happen. All is going well and all of a sudden tragedy, something that you cannot control. Trials are to be used by God to help you mature. These trails or testing are not made to have us fall, but to make us able to stand up to them. “Knowing that the testing of your faith” gives us patience.
T Not to defeat you, bit to give you victory.
T Not for you to stumble, but so you can fly
He gives strength to the weary and power to the weak. “But those who hope (and trust) in the Lord. He will renew their strength. He will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” So many Christians when they are faced with trials;
T React with bad judgement and it becomes temptation.
T They never have a plan when the temptation comes.
They are double-minded like a wave of the sea, tossed around on the rocks of life. Unstable in all they do.
Listen to me
Some things just happen. Seek God when they happen and let God help you through it.
Sometimes we play to close to the edge, and when we start slipping, we are looking to blame someone else.
If you know temptation is around the corner, don’t go around the corner, walk a different way. A man gets laid off work- that is a trial. Under the pressure he steals, that is a temptation that has turned to sin.
Illustration
a Middle school principal was getting tired of the young girls putting lip stick marks all over the bathroom mirrors. So one day she invited all the girls into the bathroom to instruct them. She said, cleaning these marks are difficult for the janitor. She then asked the janitor to clean the mirror. He took a long handled brush and dipped it into the toilet and preceded to clean the mirror with it. The lipstick marks were no longer a problem. When tempted to sin, if we could see the real filth we would be kissing, we wouldn’t be near as attracted to it.
Let me bring this home.
People today are failing to take responsibility for their actions. Everyone blames someone else. It is not my fault.
It is the women you gave me
It is the serpent’s fault.
I was born that way.
I just speak my mind.
Maybe while your doing that- God says keep your mind open and your mouth shut Trials and temptation are individual matters. They are also corporate matters. Meaning they can affect many lives besides your own. By that old juicy bait, the one especially made for you. Don’t blame anyone else when you take the bait. “But every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed, then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin, sin, when it is finished brings death. Just like the fish, you strike that bait, you will be caught, cooked in the frying pan. Hook, line, and sinker
Illustration
One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was to old and the well needed to be covered up anyway. It was not worth it to retrieve the donkey. So he invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the hole. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to every ones amazement, he quieted down. A few shovels loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was shaking it off and dropping it at his feet. Each shovel full was getting him closer to the top and out of the hole. James tells us that when we face these trials- seek God first Get His wisdom. Don’t play on the edge. You don’t need to touch it, smell it- you need to leave it alone.
God’s love motivates us to have a positive attitude in trials.
God’s love motivates us to trust God through it.
God’s love motivates us to surrender to God, not the temptation.
God’s love motivates us exercise our faith It is the faith that works
Altar call:
