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”
2 Phrase means, “Sound in faith”
3 Phrase means, “Proved by fire (refining of metal)”
B TRAILS ARE REWARDABLE
1 We are rewarded with the “crown of life”
2 We are rewarded by the person giving the reward. Jesus gives us this crown himself
Revelation 2:10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
C TRIALS ARE REVEALING
1 Trials and our perseverance reveal our love for Christ
SOME CONSTRUCTIVE THOUGHTS:
TRIALS ARE NEVER WITHOUT PURPOSE
WE ARE NOT DEFEATED IN TRIALS UNTIL WE LOSE OUR ATTITUDE
o Like a die. Whether a six or a one is rolled, the foundation is still the same!
II THE TRUTH ABOUT TEMPTATIONS
A Temptations Are Not From God
James 1:13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
1 Rebuke for those seeking an excuse for their sin
2 Say means to say or thing
a We say it to convince others
b We think it to convince ourselves
3 Trying to excuse sin does not work
4 Owning up to sin does work
B Temptations Are Evil
1 There is nothing in God that evil can effect
a God is by His nature untemptable
b God does not force others to evil
2 God’s Character is Unchangeable
a God desires conformity to His nature, not the other way around.
b We like to blame others.
Exodus 32:23-24 They said to me, 'Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him.' 24 So I told them, 'Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.' Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!"
c God is glorified when we stop being deceitful and start being repentant!
C Temptations Are Internal
James 1:14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
1 Temptation occurs when we have been lured away from our position of safety.
a Similar to baiting a fish.
b When we are where we are not supposed to be we are in danger of temptation.
c When we are doing what we are not supposed to be doing we are in danger of temptation.
2 The fact that God is ABOVE temptation should be our incentive to grow closer to him!
a Closer to God’s nature
b Better resistance to temptation.
2 Peter 1:1-4 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: 2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
GOD’S RESOURCES FOR TEMPTATION:
HIS MODEL – HEB 2:17-18
HIS MISSION – HEB 12:1
HIS PRESENCE – HEB 13:5
HIS GUIDANCE – PSALM 119:105
HIS OTHERS – HEB 10:24-25
HIS FORGIVENESS – 1 JOHN 1:9
3 Notice the word, “OWN” – we do not need anything external to cause us to be tempted – we can do it ourselves
4 Notice the phrase, “EACH ONE” – this means that even the strongest of believers has to deal with temptation – no one is immune
WE AVOID TEMPTATIONS BY:
Placing ourselves close to God
Recognizing temptations for what they really are – false fixes for the life God wants us to have.
Practicing the activities God has provided for our benefit
D Temptations Are Terminal
James 1:15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
1 I have to ask a question right here, “Who is the daddy?” Got to be Satan
2 Yielding to temptation always produces the same result
a Enticement – removal from safety
b Conception – believing the lie
c Termination – death (a separation between creature and Creator by sin
Two paths:
Proverbs 14:12 (NIV)
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
DESIRE
TEMPTATION
LUST/SIN
HABITUAL SIN
DEATH
John 14:6 (NIV)
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
TRIAL
FAITH
OBEDIENCE
PERSEVERANCE
CROWN OF LIFE
