GENUINE FAITH – PART 1
GENUINE FAITH IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS
JAMES 1:1-4 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.
INTRODUCTION: FIRST AND FOREMOST, CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A PHILOSOPHY. IT IS MORE THAN THAT. FOLLOWING CHRIST IS NOT A THEOLOGY, NOR IS IT SIMPLE RELIGIOUS TEACHING. A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, HAS, AT HIS FOUNDATION, A LIFESTYLE THAT IS BASED ON HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. THIS RELATIONSHIP BEGAN WHEN WE INVITED CHRIST INTO OUR LIVES. IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK, THAT INVITATION FINDS ITS FULLNESS WHEN WE LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL OUR HEART, ALL OUR MIND, ALL OUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL OUR STRENGTH. THE CHRISTIAN WALK HAS BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PARTS.
IT IS A RELATIONSHIP OF GREAT INTIMACY, AND GREAT DEPENDENCE.
AS WE COME TO THE FIRST IN OUR SERIES ON THE BOOK OF JAMES, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND A FEW THINGS
1. JAMES IS THE FIRST, OR ONE OF THE FIRST BOOKS WRITTEN (THERE IS SOME DISPUTE AS TO WHETHER JAMES OR GALATIANS IS REALLY THE EARLIEST NEW TESTAMENT BOOK.
2. IT IS A MISUNDERSTOOD BOOK. MARTIN LUTHER DID NOT BELIEVE THAT JAMES SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT DUE TO THE FACT THERE SEEMS TO BE SO MUCH TALK ABOUT WORKS.
3. AS AN EARLY EPISTLE, JAMES LETS US SEE THE FIRST STRUGGLES OF THE EARLY CHURCH.
4. AS WE EMBRACE THE TRUTH OF THE BOOK OF JAMES, OUR LIVES WIL BE THE BETTER FOR IT
JAMES IS THE HALF BROTHER OF THE LORD, YET IDENTIFIES HIMSELF AS A SERVANT OF CHRIST.
JAMES IS WRITING TO A SCATTERED CHURCH, A CHURCH THAT HAS BEEN DISPERSED DUE TO PERSECUTION. IT IS IN THE MIDST OF THIS PERSECUTION, AND SCATTERING THAT JAMES SEEKS TO GIVE THOSE WHO READ HIS LETTER HOW THEY CAN FOLLOW CHRIST AS LORD OF THEIR LIVES MORE EFFECTIVELY WHERE THEY ARE.
TRANSITION: WITH ALL THAT HAS GONE ON IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH UNIVERSAL, I HAVE SAID, AND WILL SAY AGAIN, THE ENVIRONMENT WE EXIST IN RESEMBLES MUCH MORE CLOSELY THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE FIRST CENTURY CHURCH THAN WE IMAGINE OR COMPREHEND. AND, IF I AM CORRECT, WE NEED WHAT JAMES IS TEACHING.
I. WHY WE HAVE TRIALS
a. WE DO NOT HAVE TRIALS BECAUSE WE WANT THEM
i. THE WORD FOR TRIALS MEANS AN UNWANTED OR UNWELCOME TRIAL
THERE WAS A TIME IN OUR LIVES WHEN SHERRY AND I DISCIPLINED OUR CHILDREN. ONE PARTICULAR INCIDENT THAT WOULD REQUIRE A SPANKING, OUR TWO CHILDREN, WE ONLY HAD TWO THEN BOTH ASKED FOR MOM TO SPANK THEM BECAUSE MOM SPANKED HARDER.
b. THE REASON OR PURPOSE FOR THE CHILD IS LINKED TO THE CHARACTER OF GOD
i. VERSES 2-4 AND VERSES 5-8
c. REASONS WE MAY HAVE A TRIAL
i. TO STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH
ii. TO GET OUR ATTENTION
iii. TO CONQUER OUR PRIDE
iv. TO REMIND US OF OUR WEAKNESS
v. TO DIRECT OUR ATTENTION TOWARDS GOD
vi. CUT OUR DEPENDENCE ON WORLDLY THINGS
d. THE KINDS OF TRIALS – VARIOUS
NOW, WITHOUT GETTING TOO DEEP, WE CAN PROBABLY/BIBLICALLY COOK TRIALS DOWN INTO THREE GENERAL CATEGORIES
i. CAUSE AND EFFECT TRIALS – PAUL WRITES IN GALATIANS 6:7 THAT WE REAP WHAT WE SOW
1. THESE ARE THE TRIALS THAT COME FROM OUR OWN DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD.
2. JAMES WILL DEVELOP THIS A LITTLE LATER IN THE CHAPTER IN VERSES 13-16
I RECENTLY READ THIS HUMOROUS STORY THAT ILLUSTRATES THESE TYPES OF TRIALS:
AN IRISHMAN, A MEXICAN AND A REDNECK THAT WERE DOING CONSTRUCTION WORK ON A TALL BUILDING. AT LUNCHTIME, THE IRISHMAN OPENED HIS LUNCH BOX AND SAID, "CORNED BEEF! IF I GET CORNED BEEF ONE MORE TIME FOR LUNCH, I'M GOING TO JUMP OFF THIS BUILDING." THE MEXICAN OPENED HIS LUNCH BOX AND EXCLAIMED, "BURRITOS AGAIN! IF I GET BURRITOS ONE MORE TIME, I'M GOING TO JUMP OFF, TOO!" THE REDNECK OPENED HIS LUNCH AND SAID, "BOLOGNA AGAIN! IF I GET A BOLOGNA SANDWICH ONE MORE TIME, I'M JUMPING, TOO!"
ON THE NEXT DAY, THE IRISHMAN OPENED HIS LUNCH BOX, SEES CORNED BEEF AND JUMPS. THE MEXICAN OPENED HIS LUNCH, SEES A BURRITO AND JUMPS TOO. THE REDNECK OPENS HIS LUNCH, SEES THE BOLOGNA AND JUMPS AS WELL. AT THE FUNERAL, THE IRISHMAN'S WIFE IS WEEPING. SHE SAYS, "IF I'D KNOWN HOW TIRED HE WAS OF CORNED BEEF, I NEVER WOULD HAVE GIVEN IT TO HIM AGAIN!" THE MEXICAN'S WIFE ALSO WEEPS AND SAYS, "I COULD HAVE GIVEN HIM TACOS! I DIDN'T REALIZE HE HATED BURRITOS SO MUCH." EVERYONE TURNS AND STARES AT THE REDNECK'S WIFE. "HEY, DON'T LOOK AT ME," SHE SAYS. "HE ALWAYS MADE HIS OWN LUNCH."
ii. THE SECOND TYPE OF TRIALS WE FACE ARE SPIRITUAL TRIALS.
1 PETER 4:12 DEAR FRIENDS, DO NOT BE SURPRISED AT THE PAINFUL TRIAL YOU ARE SUFFERING, AS THOUGH SOMETHING STRANGE WERE HAPPENING TO YOU.
1 PETER 4:16 HOWEVER, IF YOU SUFFER AS A CHRISTIAN, DO NOT BE ASHAMED, BUT PRAISE GOD THAT YOU BEAR THAT NAME.
1. THIS CONFIRMS WHAT JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES ABOUT PERSECUTION – IF THEY PERSECUTED JESUS, THEY WOULD PERSECUTE THEM AS WELL
2. THESE ARE THE KIND OF TRIALS THAT COME WHEN WE SEEK AND ARE SUCCEEDING IN LIVING A GODLY LIFE.
iii. THE THIRD TRIAL IS A SPIRITUALLY MYSTERIOUS TRIAL.
1. LIKE JOB, THERE IS NO OBVIOUS REASON FOR THE TRIAL
2. WHEN WE ARE FACING ONE OF THESE, THERE IS PROBABLY A FAR GREATER BATTLE GOING ON ELSEWHERE.
3. THESE ARE ALSO THE TRIALS WE SEEK TO FIND SOME REASON FOR INSTEAD OF TRUSTING GOD THROUGH THEM
a. JOBS FRIENDS SAID IT WAS HIDDEN SIN
b. JOBS WIFE SAID IT WAS GOD’S FAULT
4. THE SOLUTION IS THE SAME AS THE SOLUTION GOD GAVE JOB AT THE END – COMMIT OUR TRUST TO GOD, ACCEPTING THE HIS WAYS ARE NOT OUR WAYS, YET HE CAN ALWAYS BE TRUSTED!
SEE, HOW WE HANDLE THE TIMES OF TROUBLE IN OUR LIVES REVEALS THE KIND OF FAITH WE HAVE; ONE THAT IS LIVING OR ONE THAT IS NOT. THAT IS WHY JAMES STARTS OUT WITH A COMMAND
II. THE COMMAND OF THE TRIAL
a. THE WORD CONSIDER IS AN IMPERATIVE WORD
i. IT MEANS TO TAKE THE LEAD; TO RULE
b. WE ARE COMMANDED TO RULE OUR TRIAL IN A WAY THAT IS NOT NATURAL
c. WE ARE COMMANDED TO DEAL JOYFULLY WITH OUR TRIAL
i. PURE OR UNMIXED JOY
1. IN ALL THE TRIAL
2. IN EVERY TRIAL
3. THROUGH THE WHOLE TRIAL
ii. WE ARE NOT TO FAKE OUR JOY
1. OUR JOY NEEDS TO BE REAL
2. JOY COMES FROM UNDERSTANDING THE ROOT NATURE OF TRIALS
a. THEY ARE PRIVILEGES, NOT LIABILITIES – WE ARE TRIED BECAUSE OF OUR WALK WITH CHRIST
b. THEY ARE ULTIMATELY BENEFICIAL
c. THEY ARE MEANT TO DRAW US CLOSER TO CHRIST
HEBREWS 12:2 LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS, THE AUTHOR AND PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH, WHO FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, SCORNING ITS SHAME, AND SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD.
d. THIS IS A TRUTH WE NEED TO EMBRACE BEFORE THAT TRIAL, NOT WHEN IT HAPPENS OR AFTER IT IS DONE.
i. IT ALLOWS US TO GIVE IT OVER TO GOD INSTEAD OF DEALING WITH IT OURSELVES
ii. IT ALLOWS US TO CALL UPON GOD TO RESPOND
III. THE ANATOMY OF A TRIAL
a. THEY ARE INEVITABLE
i. THE WORD WHEN IS NOT A WORD OF POSSIBILITY, IT IS A WORD OF INEVITABILITY
ii. THEY ARE TO BE EXPECTED AS PART OF OUR LIFE AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST
1. SO, IF WE ARE NOT HAVING TRIALS, WE NEED TO DO A LITTLE SELF-ASSESSMENT
iii. THEY REQUIRE A RESPONSE
1. THE WORD FALL
a. MEANS TO FALL AND BE SURROUNDED ON ALL SIDES
i. IN A PIT THAT YOU CANNOT GET OUT OF
ii. IN THE MIDST OF ROBBERS – THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN
iii. LIKE A SHIP THAT IS STUCK ON A REEF AND BEING POUNDED BY THE WAYS.
b. THESE ARE ALL IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS THAT REQUIRE SOMEONE WHO CAN DO THE IMPOSSIBLE.
c. FOR THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, THE JOYFUL RESPONSE IS TO SEEK THE LORD FOR HELP AND DRAW CLOSE TO HIM
b. THERE IS A PROCESS
i. TRIALS HAVE THEIR SOURCE IN GOD
1. GOD NEVER DOES WHAT IS WRONG FOR US
a. BASED ON HIS PERSPECTIVE, NOT OURS
b. GOD HAS A PURPOSE IN OUR TRIALS, WHICH WE WILL LOOK AT IN A FEW MINUTES
ROMANS 8:28-29 AND WE KNOW THAT IN ALL THINGS GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM, WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. FOR THOSE GOD FOREKNEW HE ALSO PREDESTINED TO BE CONFORMED TO THE LIKENESS OF HIS SON, THAT HE MIGHT BE THE FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BROTHERS.
ii. TRIALS ARE A TEST
1. A DIVINE REFINERS FIRE
2. WHAT IS LEFT AT THE END IS OF FAR MORE VALUE THAN WHAT WE HAD AT THE BEGINNING
I HAVE A FRIEND WHO MAKES A LIVING BY GOING AND BUYING SCRAPS OF GOLD FROM JEWELRY STORES. WHEN HE HAS ENOUGH, HE GOES TO A GOLD REFINERY AND SELLS THIS SCRAP GOLD. HE IS PAID, NOT ONLY THE VALUE OF THE GOLD, BUT ALSO A BONUS BECAUSE THIS GOLD HAS ALREADY BEEN REFINED AND ONLY NEEDS TO BE MELTED AGAIN AND IT IS FIT FOR SALE
iii. TRIALS HAVE A FOCUS – THEY ARE DIRECTED TOWARDS OUR FAITH
1. THE PLACE OF GREATEST SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE
a. WE COME TO GOD BY FAITH
b. WE FOLLOW GOD BY FAITH
c. WE RELY ON HIS PROMISES BY FAITH
d. IT IS FAITH THAT OVERCOMES EVERYTHING THIS WORLD HAS TO OFFER!
1 JOHN 5:4 FOR EVERYONE BORN OF GOD OVERCOMES THE WORLD. THIS IS THE VICTORY THAT HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD, EVEN OUR FAITH.
i. THE WORLD IS ALWAYS, ALWAYS COMPETING FOR OUR ATTENTION. THE LORD IS ALWAYS COMPETING WITH THE WORLD FOR OUR AFFECTION, OUR ATTENTION, AND OUR TIME!
WHEN YOU HAVE A CHANCE, READ MATTHEW CHAPTER 13. IT IS THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER. WHAT YOU WILL FIND IS THIS.
· GOD IS SPREADING SEED
· SATAN IS WORKING TO KEEP THE SEED FROM TAKING ROOT
· SURFACE CHRISTIANITY IS KEEPING PEOPLE FROM GETTING GROUNDED IN CHRIST
· THE CARES OF THIS WORLD CHOKE THE LIFE OUT OF A BELIEVER IF WE LET THEM GET TOO CLOSE
· AND THERE IS GOOD FERTILE SOIL OUT THERE FOR THE WORD OF GOD TO GROW IN OUR LIVES.
o BUT IT HAS TO BE TILLED
o IT HAS TO BE CLEANED
o IT HAS TO BE WEEDED
iv. TRIALS HAVE A RESOLUTION
1. WE HAVE TRIALS TO INCREASE OUR PERSEVERANCE
2. PERSEVERANCE THROUGH A TRIAL IS THE KEY FACTOR IN OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH
3. TRIALS PRODUCE SPIRITUAL STAMINA: ENDURANCE AND PERFECTION – WE BECOME MORE LIKE CHRIST
SO THERE ARE A FEW THINGS I WANT YOU TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS MESSAGE
AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, YOU WILL EXPERIENCE TRIALS
EMBRACE THEM, WORK THROUGH THEM, DON’T RUN FROM THEM BECAUSE GOD IS DOING SOMETHING SPECIAL IN YOUR LIFE
BE CONFIDENT, WHEN HAVE EMERGED FROM THEM YOU WILL HAVE A NEW LEVEL OF SPIRITUAL STAMINA AND A MORE MATURE WALK WITH CHRIST
