What A Long Strange Trip It Is: Christian Maturity
Book of James Series 1 of 12
June 16, 2002 First Baptist Church, Chester, IL Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction:
Let’s look at some of these pictures and see if we can guess who they are.
(Will show pictures of some of our older members of when they were younger & will then show a picture of them now.)
a These people have changed. Matured. Became seasoned.
b We all will mature physically. We have no choice. (Balder, hair hats, thinner, wider,...we will change as we mature.)
We will not all mature spiritually. (I’ve been churches were there are more babies sitting in the pews than there are crawling in the nursery.)
a Spiritual maturity is a choice and it’s a journey.
b We’ll look at 3 legs of the journey that is Christian maturity.
We’ll be looking at the book of James this summer.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
*James was written by the half-brother of Jesus. (Major figure in the early church in Jerusalem)
*In v:1,
JAS 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. James doesn’t say that. Why not? Humility.
*He spent so much time in prayer that he developed calluses on his knees. Old Camel Knees.
*Because James spent so much time in prayer, I believe this book comes from a man who is under complete authority of God.
*He wrote a letter for Jewish Christians. Sounds very Old Testament. Wisdom literature. Proverbs.
*Apparently there were major problems in the early church.
(It’s wrong to assume that because it is a church, things are going to roll smoothly.)
a If you want to get sick, go to the hospital. (Sickness, Disease, Viruses, etc.)
Are there sick people outside the hospital? Yes. Untreated, undiagnosed or disguised their disease.
b (Just as the hospital collects sick people, the church collects sinners and put them under one roof!)
*The church is not usually the model community of good behavior. Rather they are a place where human sinfulness is brought out in the open, faced and dealt with. We KNOW were sick.
James is a book of wisdom.
a He not only names sin openly, he gives ways to live without it.
b James gave the first century Jewish believer directions that led to spiritual maturity. ETS
Mature Christians grow after their born again. ESS
a I hope you’ll commit to the journey that is Christian maturity. (Objective)
b How are you doing on your journey? (Probing Question)
T.S.: Let’s look at 3 legs to the journey that is Christian maturity.
I The first leg of the journey of Christian Maturity is......THE PATH. (vv:2-4)
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. [
A James told the Jewish believer what the path looked like. (The trail looked like a trial.)
a God allowed/caused difficult times to happen in order to test their faith.
b In the test, they passed or failed. Approved or unacceptable.
B God is still using trials to test the believer.
a The lesson we learn from these tests is perseverance/patience.
*Romans 5:3/4[3] Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; [4] perseverance, character; and character, hope.
b People pray for "patience." (I don’t think that’s a good idea.)
*Patience isn’t delivered to you in on a silver platter and "poof" you have patience.
*Patience comes through trials, tests, suffering. *Be careful when you pray for patience....you may get it.
C Boeing, McDonnell-Douglas & others spend hundreds of millions of dollars in designing planes.
a Blue prints, schematics, model building, construction of ONE plane. The question is....will it fly? Will it perform? A test pilot comes in to fly the plane and puts it through....TRIALS.
b God tests our faith. Will our FAITH fly? Will our FAITH perform? He gets behind the wheel of our faith and puts it through......TRIALS.
T.S.: If there is a path to Maturity it’s trials. Let’s see what the view from that path should look like.
II The second leg of the journey of Christian Maturity is....THE PERSPECTIVE. (vv:5-11)
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. 9 The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. [10] But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. [11] For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
A James told the believer in the early church exactly what to pray for to grow. WISDOM!
a Don’t judge your success as a believer by how much money or wealth you have.
b The sign of a growing believer wasn’t wealth, it was wisdom.
B Wisdom allows us to see our trials from a different perspective.....HIS.
a Imagine you and me standing before the Father and we see all the trials, tests we’ve had in our lives that He gave us in order for us to grow stronger, mature, develop a more loving relationship with Him. INSTEAD...we got angry, bitter, cynical, critical because of them.
b Wisdom helps us see things from an elevated view.
C Have you ever listened to a traffic report from a guy in a helicopter? Why is better qualified to help you than someone in the car ahead of you?
a The traffic reporter can see things you can’t. He is seeing the big picture, knows what is coming up around the bend......and he gives you accurate information because he see’s farther, clearer than you do in the middle of the traffic jam.
*He may tell you to take an alternate route. (Seems longer, out of your way, bumper road....but he’s trying to steer you clear of major problem that laying down the road.)
b Wisdom allows you to trust God in the middle of life’s jams because you know He has a good handle on things.
T.S.: With the path and perspective, it’s reassuring to know that there is a something in store for those who take the journey.
III The third leg of the journey that is Christian Maturity is....THE PAY OFF. (vv:12)
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.
A James tells of what God will give to those believers who continued to grow.
a For those that persevered in their love for God (kept going & going & going & going & going) there was something in store for them.
b Crown of Life is mentioned twice in the Bible. Here (vv:10) & Rev. 2:10. However there are other crowns too!
(Rev. 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.
2 Tim. 4:8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
1 Peter 5:4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
*Will everybody get a crown? Apparently not. There will be degrees of rewards in heaven!
*Paul cared about the pay off. James, Old Camel Knees, cared about the pay off.
B We can get the crown of life by loving God during our trials, troubles & testing. (Gloom now, Glory later)
a We’ll all as Christians stand before the throne of God one day and there we’ll know if we’ve received the crown of life.
b You can’t get the crown of life until you’ve been down to the racetrack of life.
*You don’t get the crown by being surrounded by stained-glass and padded pews.
*You get the crown by going into battle, time after time after time after being wounded & keep loving God.
C We must remember that our troubles are limited to right now, but we’ll be rewarded for how well we do for eternity.
a A deacon was asked what his favorite verse was and he said, "And it came to pass." The pastor was puzzled and asked, "Why?" "When I go through trials and tough times I thank my God that they came to pass and they didn’t come to stay." AMEN!!!
b For all those that get on trail that is a trial and have the wisdom to see things from His perspective and come out the other side.....LOVING God......comes the pay off.
Conclusion: In some churches there are more babies sitting the pews than there are crawling in the nursery. Mature Christians grow after their born again. (ess)
A We’ve looked at 3 legs to the journey that is Christian Maturity.
a The Path (Trial that looks like a trial)
b The Perspective (Wisdom allows us to see our trials from God’s perspective)
c The Pay Off (We’ll be rewarded for loving God during our testing)
B I hope you’ll commit to the journey that is Christian Maturity. (Objective)
a You have two choices today.....(1) Chose to Mature (2) Chose to be undeveloped
b The choice is yours, I’ve shown you the directions to reach spiritual maturity.
How are you doing on the journey? (Probing Question)
A I asked he a little boy how old he was the other day. He said "I’m 3." When will you be 4?, I asked. "When I’m through being 3." -He got it didn’t he?
a You can’t grow without trials. You can’t see your trials as opportunities until you see commit to seeing things from His perspective and the pay off doesn’t come if you don’t get in the game.
b Each leg builds on the one before it.
B How are you doing on the Journey?
a rededication, refocus,.........saved.
b Pray
