RELIGION THAT REALLY WORKS - Week 1
SUFFERING SUCCESSFULLY
JAMES 1:1-7 & 12
INTRODUCTION TO SERIES:
Do you believe in God? According to a Fox News survey, 92% of Americans say they do. And since you’re here in church today it’s probably not too big a leap to think that most of you believe in God too. In fact, the people I talk to who are seeking or checking spiritual things out don’t ask “Does God exist?” But they do want to know if Christianity or the Church has any application to their lives. They want to know if it’s possible to discover a “religion that really works,” that is relevant, that can provide meaning and actually be used in life. Well, there is probably no book in all the Bible that answers that question better than the book of James. This small book towards the back of the Bible is said to be the most practical book in all of Scripture. It had been called "Wisdom that Works," and it is referred to as the "blue Jean" book of the Bible. The real plus in this book, is James not only tackles the problems of life but gives answers, Here in these pages is a Godly prescription that will help us have better relationships, healthier lifestyles and stronger souls.
Let’s begin, very briefly, with some background about this book. The author is recognized by most every scholar to be the "step-brother" of Jesus. Now I say step brother because although they had the same mother, Mary, they did not have the same father. The Bible tells us that Jesus was conceived not by the seed of man but by the Holy Spirit while James was born of an earthly father, Joseph. The journey of James’ faith is fascinating. At first the Bible tells us that none of Jesus’ brothers believed in Him. In fact, Mark 3:21 describes an incident where his siblings wonder if Jesus has lost his senses. But after the resurrection Jesus’ family recognized who their brother really was, because Acts 1:14 lists them with the early believers. But something about James must of been special. Paul tells us that James was one of those select few to whom Jesus appeared individually, after his resurrection. And James became a great leader of the early Church. Both Peter and Paul refer to him as the Pastor, or chief elder/administrator of the Church at Jerusalem.
Yet with all the prominence that James has, he is obviously a humble man. Here’s how he describes himself as he begins his letter. “From James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: Greetings to all God’s people scattered over the whole world.” That word "servant" in the Greek, is "doulos" which means slave. Jesus, who at one time was his older brother, is now his master and Lord. Jesus dictates his behavior. He could of identified himself as "a pillar of the Jerusalem Church," or as "a leading Elder in the Church," or "the very brother of Jesus." But instead, he calls himself a servant. He writes to “God’s people scattered around the world." So he’s writing to anyone who believes in God, but everyone, no matter where they are on their spiritual journey, can benefit from his advice. (Pray)
INTRODUCTION OF SERMON:
James begins by giving a prescription for handling the trials of suffering. Didn’t your heart go out to the families of those miners in West Virginia? What a roller coaster of suffering they endured. And this life can hand out some hard knocks. Well, those who believed in God in the 1st century were also undergoing great trials. In fact, theirs was in the form of persecution, they were being imprisoned, tortured, even beheaded. They had to wonder why the things that were happening were happening to them. Have you ever wondered that? Well, James says that although our suffering is not caused by God, God can use what we go through for positive purposes.
I read the other day that jewelers use a "water test" as one of the surest ways to identify a true diamond. An imitation stone is never as brilliant as a genuine stone, but sometimes the difference can’t be determined with the unaided eye. Jewelers know that a genuine diamond placed in water sparkles brilliantly, whereas the sparkle of the imitation is practically extinguished. And the trials that we experience go a long way in showing the genuine sparkle of our character. Early 20th century scholar G.K. Chesterfield stated the same idea when he said, "I see the advantage of getting into the hot water of suffering, because it’s only in hot water that you can be really clean." One of the truths of this life is this: how you react to adversity reveals more about your character & your faith than months of ordinary living. James says in these first verses that if our character and belief is genuine, it will prove itself in times of trouble.
So, God gives, through James, four doses to be able to suffer successfully.
I. ACCEPT SUFFERING AS INEVITABLE: vs:2
First, we need to understand that some suffering is inevitable and so we need to anticipate it. James writes in vs:2- “My friends, when all kinds of trials come, be full of joy...” Notice he doesn’t say "if" trials come, he says "when all kinds of trials come..." Sometimes you can see trouble coming, sometimes you can’t. But anyone who has lived any time at all can testify that trials come and it helps if you understand that.
Let me say just a word to you parents. I think we do a great disservice to our kids when we try to protect them against all hurt. Now, as a parent I know how you hate to see your children ridiculed or suffer. But if we continually rescue them from all hurts or over protect them, they will grow up with a naive view of life. In the movie “Ray,” is was hard but Ray Charles’ mother understood this principle all too well.
Video Clip Chapter:13 Start:1:09:26 End:1:12:06 - 2:40
Now, your child may not be blind or have some other serious physical handicap but they will suffer. And just as Ray’s mama understood, we have to understand that our children cannot always be protected, nor would that be best. Now, there are some who would have us believe that we should never discipline or allow our children to suffer. And so some parents never punish, if the child gets in trouble at school they immediately go rescue them, trying to protect them from hardship. I heard someone say not to let your kids play organized athletics because they’ll have to suffer through losing. But you know what happens when these children grow up? They think that life is supposed to be near perfect all the time. And when it’s not ideal they can’t cope- "This class is boring, I’m not going." "This marriage unsatisfying, I’m getting out." "This job is hard, I quit." "This Church is demanding, I’m going somewhere else." And there are some adults in today’s culture that see the unpleasantries of life as a time to bail out. Protecting and rescuing our children from all suffering does them a huge disservice.
So here’s the first dose, the first lesson to understand in coping with trials. Accept them as inevitable. Trouble is not an elective in your life, it is an acquired course. And James says that trouble is not only coming, but will come in various forms. The word translated "all kinds" is the word where we get poka-dot. We are surrounded by them. And they come in different ways. For one it may come from children, for another from work, for another from a complete stranger. For one it may come in the death of a loved one, for another it may come in a disease of their own body. But trouble will come, so expect it. Jesus said in Jn. 16:33, “In this life you will have trouble.."(NIV) and He said in Matthew 6:34, "Do not worry about tomorrow... each day has enough trouble of its own." (GW) Suffering is inevitable.
And when you get a handle on this concept, you can be better prepared for the problems when they arrive. A golfer who has practiced shots out of the sand can stand and look at a hole that is surrounded by sand and not be nearly as intimidated as the one who never went through that golfing struggle. So, learn to accept trouble when it comes because it is inevitable. And that brings us to James’ 2nd suggestion.
II. APPROPRIATE AN ATTITUDE OF JOY: vss:2b-4
James tells us in the last of vs:2 to “be full of joy” whenever we face trials. Now, that sounds ludicrous doesn’t it? How is it that we can go through the struggles of this life and be joyful about it? What joy is there in the death of a loved one, or in physical pain, or in losing your job or in being lonely. What is James talking about?
Look, starting with vs:3 - “...for you know that when you succeed in facing such trials, your endurance has a chance to grow. And when your endurance is fully developed, then you will be strong in character and ready for anything.” James says that it is in the trials of life that we grow. Think back on your trials. It may not be easy but think of the things you learned from those trials. Maybe you can think of times when you’ve suffered or when things haven’t worked out the way they should but now that you look back on it, you can see where you’ve learned and grown.
Now, let’s be honest. Rejoicing is certainly not the easiest nor usually the first reaction to trial. When we learned some years ago that our daughter was diagnosed as possibly having a brain tumor I was upset. When the Doctor gave us that initial information I didn’t say, "Oh, I’m rejoicing- this is wonderful that this has happened! Now, I can grow! Wheeee!" That would of been phony. But I can see now how that experience expedited spiritual growth. I learned first hand that this life is so temporary. My prayer life was strengthened- I never prayed more intensely or with more tears than I did during those days. And then, when we learned that her tumor or growth or whatever had just disappeared, I was reminded how mighty God is, and how no matter what, He loves me. You see, the joy James is talking about here is not cheerleading Rah-Rahs. He’s speaking of a deep peace that comes from knowing that trials will help grow our character and help our faith be proved genuine. We learn that Rom. 8:28 is true: "We know that in all things God will work for our good; that’s true for all who love him...”
So, here’s 3 suggestions on how to appropriate this kind of joy. (1) Try to see the big picture. So many times there are circumstances that we don’t see because we have such a small perspective. Much like a child who doesn’t comprehend why they can’t have something or why something hurts, we need to understand that the Lord knows best and has a much bigger view of life than you. (2) Look actively for the positive. Look for the things you can gain from the experience. Many times it’s not your position but your perspective that makes the difference. "Two men looked out from prison bars, one saw mud and one saw stars." I am not advocating that we should deny all pain and sorrow. James doesn’t say the trial is a joy, rather, he urges us to be full of joy, that is, look at the circumstance as a possibility of bringing some good. Someone has said, "We are all faced with a series of great opportunities, they’re just disguised as unsolvable problems." That’s actively looking for the positive.(3) Use your suffering to comfort others. Because of what you go through, you will be better qualified to help someone who has a similar problem. Paul said in 2 Cor. 1:4- "God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." (NLT) I’ve asked one of our own to share something she went through for this very purpose. Would you welcome...
FAITH STORY: Carolyn MacInnes
Thank-you Carolyn for doing what 2 Cor. Tells us... helping others see that God is there and helps, often in ways we’re not even aware of until later.
So, the first dose is understand suffering is inevitable, secondly, appropriate an attitude of joy and...
III. APPLY AN UNDERSTANDING MIND: vs:5-7
The 3rd dose we need to take is to apply an understanding mind. Look at vs:5- “But if any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God, who gives it generously without finding fault.” When you experience suffering you need an additional measure of wisdom and James advises us here to pray, to ask God to supply us with that wisdom.
Now, in order to understand what James is talking about here it is important that we see the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is the accumulation of facts, wisdom is the ability to make practical application of facts. The wisdom that James is talking about here is the ability to view a test from God’s perspective. A knowledgeable person may have the facts straight, but a wise person is able to make common sense judgements. When you are experiencing suffering, you need more than knowledge, you need wisdom.
The manager of a boat dock checked his watch and then called out over the mega phone, "Boat #99 would you please report to the dock." 10 minutes later the boat hadn’t returned and so he announced again, "Boat #99 come into the dock." His assistant came up to him and said, "Sir, there are only 75 boats in the Regatta. There is no boat #99." The manager looked back out over the water and said over his mega phone, "Boat #66, are you in trouble?" In an upside down world we need more than knowledge, we need insight. When we are under the pressure that trials bring, we can lose perspective. So. James says when you go through times of tribulation, pray for wisdom.
Here’s one of the things to be wise about during suffering. Understand the difference between facts of life and problems. Some of us worry, fret and allow facts of life to knock us off kilter. Understand the difference. Facts of life are things you cannot change: the parents you had, your DNA, your past. These are things that are out of your control. So, there is no benefit to worrying, fretting or even blaming them for what’s happening now. They are facts of life. But problems are different. Problems are things that you can do something about. Problems can be looked at objectively, analyzed perceptively, you can consider alternatives, and get help. It’s important to use an understanding mind to determine what you can work on and what you can’t.
Another word to the wise. Understand the importance of establishing the proper priorities of life. Let’s face it, sometimes our suffering is self-induced. We spend unwisely, we suffer from financial stress. We don’t focus on our relationships, we wonder why they crumble. We don’t look to God and wonder why we have no peace. Understand that God rewards proper priorities. When Solomon was crowned successor to his Father, King David, he knew he was going to experience pressures, stress and troubled times. Solomon had a dream in which the Lord said, "Ask for whatever you want..." Listen to his prayer in 1 Kings 3:7-9: "O Lord my God, now you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around... 9Give me an understanding mind so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong."(NLT) Wow! If God told you that you could have whatever you wished is that what you would ask for? God was so pleased that Solomon had not asked for wealth and honor -that He said to Solomon, "Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people and have not asked for long life or riches for yourself... 12I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding mind such as no one else has ever had or ever will have! 13And I will also give you what you did not ask for -riches and honor!"(NLT) Talk about winning the lottery! All because he understood the proper priorities of life, what holds lasting value.
And James tells us in vs:5 that if we ask for wisdom when we are under trial, that God will give it to us in two ways: (1) Generously- there is no rationing program mentioned here. (2) He’ll give it without finding fault. All of our kids love animals. I remember the day when our middle child, Rusty came home telling us that one of his classmates had a litter of kittens and we could have one for free! So he came home asking if we could get one. We answered no for several reasons: we already had a dog, we couldn’t afford all the shots, food and etc, but most importantly Mommy dislikes cats. But one of the reasons I gave him for not getting a cat was the fact that they weren’t taking care of the dog we had- feeding, water, etc. so how could they take proper care of both a dog and cat? I found fault. Have you ever done that? Amazingly, James says, God never does. He doesn’t say, "Hey, I gave you wisdom before and you didn’t apply it the way you should." -or- "I saw you last month cheat on your income tax, why would I give you any wisdom." No, God gives generously without finding fault.
IV. ANTICIPATE THE REWARD THAT’S PROMISED: vs:12
The final dose for today’s prescription sums up all James has said about suffering. He says, one day all these earthly things including our troubles, will fade away. So, instead of focusing on this troubles of this life, why not concentrate and anticipate the reward that’s promised? Vs:12- “God will bless those who remain faithful under trial, because when they pass the test, they will receive as their reward the life which God has promised to those who love him.”
Walter Payton, the hall of fame running back for the Chicago Bears, gained nearly 9 miles in yardage during his career. But... every 4.6 yards, someone knocked him down. His success was that he persevered. And it’s easier for anyone to endure if their focus is not just on the immediate pain, but on the ultimate reward. And that reward is both for the here-after and the here and now. It’s for the eternal and earthly. The reward that is referred to here is not just eternal life. Jesus said in John 10:10, "I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." (Msg) Real life is this life, it’s the ability to deal with trials. Because when you deal with trials successfully and get to the other side, there’s a sense of satisfaction that you have accomplished something. And you are better prepared to face the next trial.
But there is also the promise of a day when there shall be no more suffering. Rev.2:14 says, “He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever.”(CEV) That day is not now... it’s in eternity, but oh, what a day that will be. I’m sure you have been as thrilled as I have as each one of our soldiers from Iraq have come home and been reunited with their families. Every time I see the warm embraces I am reminded of one of my favorite photographs. It is the homecoming of AF Lieut. Col. Robert Stirm. He had been shot down over N. Viet Nam in 1967 and this picture shows him just getting off the plane 6 years later. His family is sprinting across the runway to greet him. They all have incredible expressions of delight on their faces. The first girl is crying with happiness as she opens her arms to be taken into her father’s embrace - every time I look at her I tear up. The photo won a Pulitzer prize and it’s title is: Burst of Joy. Oh, listen. If we can have that kind of happiness here, can you imagine the indescribable delight that there will be when we step into heaven? What a burst of joy that will be! Loved ones sprinting toward us, friends shouting and behind them all, the One who gave his all, smiles and takes his nail scarred hands from robe and applauds... because you are home!
If you remember nothing else from this message today, remember this: suffering is inevitable - misery is optional. And this joy that James talks about can be yours- a joy which circumstances cannot quench, and which suffering cannot steal and which troubles cannot kill. It’s a peace that passes all understanding, it’s a joy that knows no bounds. And you can have it, right now. Pray
{All Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, Simple English Bible unless otherwise noted}
