God's RX For What Ails You
We are in a series of messages based on the book of James entitled, "Seeing things from the right Angle." Today we are gong to be talking about seeing trials from the right angle, but more than that we are going to talk about thriving in a trial, and not just surviving.
Last week we gave an introductory message on who James was and talked in part about his spiritual journey on how he went from sinner to saint, and then from saint to servant. Or as he calls himself a bond slave. I pointed out that in the OT if you were a slave and you loved your master you would have your ear pierced and declare yourself to be His slave forever. We could say it this way, because He was pierced for me, I will pierce my ear for Him.
That was verse 1, and James wastes no time in getting to practical issues and in verse 2 he begins a short discussion on trials. Now I remind you that James was probably the first book chronologically written in the New Testament. In the first book, the first major subject tackled is trials, and there is a very good reason for that. If you were here last week, I pointed out that the church at this time consisted almost exclusively of Jewish people who had accepted Jesus as their Messiah. This was prior to the monumental event of Acts 10. (In Acts 10 the Jews were shocked to find out that gentiles could be saved).
I want to point out something from verse 1 that puts things in perspective and then we will get to today's passage.
James 1:1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad, greetings.
James is writing to be people who have been scattered abroad because of persecution. First as Jews, now as Christians. Nobody likes them. First no one likes them because they are Jews, secondly the Jews don't like them because they are Christians. Their lot in life was not an easy one. But James message to them is the exact same one His half-brother preached, "In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer...." Here is James saying essentially the same thing:
Jas 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
Jas 1:3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
Jas 1:4 And let endurance have [its] perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Jas 1:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
I am going to break this message down into several areas I will stop this message in the middle and continue it next week.
First I want to tackle something about trials James doesn't mention, his lack of discussion of this angle is glaring, but it makes perfect sense why he doesn't discuss it, which I will also explain.
The aspect of trials that James doesn't cover is the, "why" of trials.
Here are 8 different reasons for the why of trials:
The first three are the past, present and the future.
The past - sowing and reaping.
The present - it is expedient for the present distress. In other words because of the present world situation. It may have nothing to do with you personally but the age in which you live.
The future - You are being prepared for something down the road.
Your location on the earth: Alaska, has a climate that will try you. The Middle East - locusts, and famines.
Your physical, mental, and emotional constitution. My nephew James can't get near peanuts. I love them. A major trial for you may be nothing to me, because of our differing constitutional makeup. One man will fall apart if he gets laid off, another will rejoice and trust the Lord with the exact same situation. But in a reversal of situations the one who has faith about being laid off may freak out over some swelling in his abdomen fearing he has come down with cancer, while the one who fell apart about being laid off, has no concerns about a little swelling. It all comes down to our mental, emotional, and spiritual makeup. You may be strong in one area and weak in another. Your trial may be a little thing, but because of the way you have been wired physiologically, and through the circumstances of life it may be cataclysmic to you. The why is your personal weakness not any great trial.
The sinfulness of others.
The devil testing you.
God testing you.
When we ask why it is usually an eruption of emotional distress. So why doesn't James discuss why?
Two reasons, one you are not able to bear it or telling you may be detrimental. Jesus Himself wanted to teach the disciples may things, but He told them they weren't ready for the truth, they wouldn't understand things until the Holy Spirit helped them in that regard. (John 16:12ff) Sometimes if we are told the why (a consequence of earlier sin for example) It may discourage you further and take what little wind you have left in your sails. Secondly in some regards the "why," it doesn't matter, because even though trials may have a lot of different sources, what matters is that God will use them all for good. That is why James begins his teaching on trials with, "count it all joy..." No matter what the source or whatever the why (even past sins) God will bring good out of it. Why isn't important, what is important is that God is working it out for you.
Ok so let's look at the nature of trials:
1. Trials always get back to your relationship with God.
V.3 Knowing that the trial of your faith....
It is not a financial trial, or a health trial, or a family trial. Everything always goes back to what you believe about God.
Trial: Experiment, proving, attempt, trial -evidence in court. Lets see what sort of metal he/she is made of.
Trials always ask this question of us, "what do you really believe about God."
It is not what we put out there for public consumption, but what do we really believe in our heart of hearts.
Trials don't tell us about the nature of God as much as they tell us about our nature. Trials will find stress fractures in our belief system, they will point out shortcomings in our faith in God. Again, trials always ask this question of us, "what do you really believe about God."
2. Trials involve suffering.
Skipping count it all joy for now, the first thing James says about trials is that we "fall," into them. (KJV) NAS is encounter, and NIV is face. I think KJV is closest to the truth. The Greek word translated fall, and encounter, and face, is peripipto. It comes from the combination of two other words: peri which means about, around, near (think of the word perimeter for example) think of it as a territory you have been enclosed in. The second part of the word is pipto and here are some of the definitions and explanations of that word:
PPT 4 - 5
to descend from a higher place to a lower
to be thrust down
to be prostrated, fall prostrate
of those overcome by terror or astonishment or grief or under the attack of an evil spirit or of falling dead suddenly
to be cast down from a state of prosperity
to lose authority, no longer have force
to fail of participating in, miss a share in
Lastly, to fall down, fall into ruin: of buildings, walls etc.
Each of these situations listed above all point to the same thing, going from a higher place to a lower one, and all of them involve suffering.
Trials involve suffering because we go from a higher place to a lower one, and it usually lasts longer than we would like it to. Don't hang up, God will bring you to a better place.
I have much more to say, and we will take it up next week, but let me close with some positive thoughts and a partial of God's RX for whatever ails you.
A. Let patience have its perfect work.
I like the way the message version translates this verse:
Jas 1:4 So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
One of the key elements of that suffering that James hints at is that the trial continues longer than desired or anticipated. I get that idea from the fact that he describes trials as producing patience/endurance. You don't need either of them when the trial is over, it is only as it continues.
Jerry Falwell preached a message on this passage, and though I didn't take anything from his message, I loved his title, "When God puts you on hold, don't hang up!"
Have you ever been put on hold? Don't you hate it?
With God you need to hang in there so that the trial can complete in you all that God wants it to. Patience is producing something very beneficial for you. Like a fruit let it ripen, it will be better then.
B. Two truths that will really help you:
1. Your trial is working for you
Jas 1:3 Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh... (KJV)
The word translated worketh is also a compound Greek word which I wont try to pronounce but the second word it comes from is ergazomai and it means to trade and make gains by doing business, and to cause to exist and to produce.
In other words trials are something akin to a high performing 401k. It is earning for you, it is at work on your behalf, it is producing positive results.
Your trial is a deposit that God has made in a special account that draws phenomenal interest.
Here is the exact same thought from the writings of the Apostle Paul:
2Co 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory; (KJV)
2Co 4:17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, (NAS)
2. Consolations are commensurate with trials
2Co 1:7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are [sharers] of our comfort.
I believe that God will always provide comfort that equals or exceeds our trials.
Isa 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you....
Here is another wonderful passage of scripture that though it is speaking of natural refreshment in a desert landscape, I think we do it no harm to claim as a promise of refreshing in a time of testing and trials:
Isa 43:18 "Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past.
Isa 43:19 "Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.
Isa 43:20 "The beasts of the field will glorify Me; The jackals and the ostriches; Because I have given waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My chosen people.
Isa 43:21 "The people whom I formed for Myself, Will declare My praise.
Close: Prayer for those in a time of testing.
