July 29, 2018
Morning Service

The Book of James has been called the Proverbs of the NT because of its practical teaching on wisdom and faith. The author is believed to be the half-brother of Jesus, the son of Mary and Joseph.  He became a believer after the resurrection of the Lord and was present at the giving of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. He also became a leader of the church in Jerusalem as he spoke with great authority at the first Jerusalem Council meeting of Acts 15 that freed the Gentiles from being bound to the Law of Moses.  He suffered a violent martyr’s death some time before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD.  The letter is written only to the 12 tribes of Israel with no mention of Gentiles, so it is likely that this was written well before the Council meeting and perhaps was the earliest letter written.  Most commentators place the writing between the years 46 and 49 AD.  He was concerned with the Jewish believers struggling with what a life following Jesus was to look like.  It was new to all of them there was no pattern yet created to follow.  He speaks on a variety of subjects that a believer would have to deal with.  Trials, temptations, suffering and controlling our tongue are only some of the areas he addresses.  His teachings are very practical and point to the fact that our faith should produce a change in our conduct and our character. James was apparently profoundly influenced from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount as commentators identify as many as 15 indirect references.  We will try to bring those out as we come across them.

 James 1:1-4  James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion, greeting:  (2)  My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into different kinds of temptations,  (3)  knowing that the trying of your faith works patience.  (4)  But let patience have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing.

 

Matthew 5:11-12 Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for My sake.  (12)  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for your reward in Heaven is great. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

·        You can see how the two tie very well together.  James encourages us to count it all joy (not some) when (not if) temptations and trials come upon you.  This testing of our faith is designed to build patience, stamina, and perseverance into our Christian walk.  We are to take the time of trouble as an opportunity (a blessing) for God to work in our lives and causing us to grow. 

·        How do we know the depth of our character unless we test it?  We need to take this on as a challenge and face it with a positive “can do” attitude knowing that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  (Phil 4:13)

·        This is very easy to say, but sometimes extremely hard to put into practice for us but consider what trials these Jewish believers faced.  In professing Jesus Christ as their Savior they were disowned by their family and entire Jewish community.  They would be unable to enter the synagogue to worship or be able to buy or sell at the local market.  Life drastically changed for them bringing one trial after another their way.  James is asking these Jews to be joyful in this time and we need to compare our trials to theirs.

·        When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and push all our chips onto the table we are committing to Him and the life He chooses for us.  To get us to the place He desires us to be, we must endure times of trouble.  Accept that and even embrace it or as James says “count it all joy.”  Allow God to complete the work He started in you so that you can grow to the “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13) fulfilling our potential in Christ.  “He’s still working on me, to make me what I ought to be.”  Be joyful that God loves you enough to want you to be the best you can for Him.

 

Matthew 5:48 Therefore be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect.

·        Our goal is to be perfect; though we can never attain it we are commanded to aim for it.

 

James 1:5-8  But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and with no reproach, and it shall be given to him.  (6)  But let him ask in faith, doubting nothing. For he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.  (7)  For do not let that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord;  (8)  he is a double-minded man, not dependable in all his ways.

 

Matthew 7:7 Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you.

·        Wisdom is having the skills for living.  Proverbs is full of it as its author, Solomon, was granted a great amount it from God by his asking for it (good daily reading).  It is not primarily knowledge but it is a gift to use our knowledge and experiences to create godly behavior or practical discernment during difficult situations. It is available to us by simply asking God for it.  He wants us to ask and promises that He will give it out liberally to those who ask in the right attitude.  We must ask in faith believing God will deliver on His promise.  If we don’t seek wisdom diligently, with great effort, but if just seek it casually or frivolously we will not receive it.  We need to mean business with God and He will deliver.  Pray believing God can and will deliver. 

·        The first step in this is to realize we are in need and lack something.  When we see that weakness in our life we need to ask, seek and knock until God answers.  He wants us to ask and desires to grant us the closer walk we desire but He is waiting for us to ask.  “In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God.” (Phil 4:6) Your asking puts God into motion moving in your life.

 

James 1:9-12  But let the humble brother rejoice in his exaltation;  (10)  and the rich one rejoice in his humiliation, because he shall pass away as the flower of the grass.  (11)  For the sun rose with the hot wind and dried up the grass, and its flower fell out, and the beauty of its appearance perished; so also the rich one will fade away in his ways.  (12)  Blessed is the man who endures temptation, because having been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

·        Just as Paul told us last week that he had learned to be content no matter what his circumstances.  He could be in want or have plenty and was content either way.  Joy is not to be dependent on our circumstances.  God is the same whether we are struggling or we are flourishing.  There is no partiality with God either.  He does not place greater value on those who are rich or those who are poor. Money and wealth are only temporary; they will fade away just as the grass does in the July heat.  He values the part of you that could be eternal; your soul.

 

·        What about you?  Which do you value more money and financial success or a close and personal walk with your Lord?  Your actions answer the question for you.  This is the third time this subject has crossed our paths this summer, so the Holy Spirit wants us to deal with it.  Examine yourself closely and see if there is room for improvement.  Be sure your priorities are in the proper place.

 

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.

·        Put God first and He will make everything else fall into place.

 

In summary James wants us to have the attitude of joy and take it on as a challenge when we face trials and temptations knowing that God is perfecting us through these troubles.  He is giving us opportunity to put our faith into action.  He wants us to realize the needs we have in our lives (lack of wisdom) and ask Him believing whole heartedly that He will deliver.  James asks us to be humble and content in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in putting God first.  These are all very practical teachings that are easy to say but difficult to apply to our lives but we can with the Holy Spirit’s help.

 

Father, thank You for the trials in our lives and we ask that You help us to use them to become the Christ followers You desire us to be.