Weekly Sermon
James 1:1-8 reads, “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”
As a whole the epistle of James is written with a focus upon the daily character and conduct of the believer. It is filled with imperative instructions, exhortations, and even correctives. James, the brother of Jesus (Galatians 1:19), was the leader among the pastoral leadership of the church at Jerusalem. (Acts 12:17; 15:13-21; 21:18; Galatians 1:19; 2:9) Therefore, as a pastor James originally wrote this epistle under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit to the Jewish believers who were scattered throughout the empire of Rome. His Holy Spirit inspired purpose was to provide pastoral counsel for a spiritually mature walk in the lives of these believers.
The opening paragraph of this epistle (verses 2-8) moves immediately to the subject of life’s many, various trials, troubles, and tribulations. This contextual situation and setting for the paragraph is established through the closing portion of verse 2 – “When ye fall into divers temp-tations.” Now, in this context the phrase “divers temptations” refers to the many trials of our lives; for these “divers temptations” are described in verse 3 as “the trying of your faith.”
Brethren, we all will face many, various trials, troubles, and tribulations in our lives. Concerning this matter, God’s Word does not use the word “if,” but the word “when.” It is not if we might fall into diverse temptations, but when we will fall into diverse temptations. So then, how are we to deal aright with these many, various trials, troubles, and tribulations of our lives? James 1:2-8 gives a series of four instructions concerning the matter. Along with each of these instructions, a motivational reason is also provided in order to encourage our obedience therein.
James 1:1-8 reads, “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”
As a whole the epistle of James is written with a focus upon the daily character and conduct of the believer. It is filled with imperative instructions, exhortations, and even correctives. James, the brother of Jesus (Galatians 1:19), was the leader among the pastoral leadership of the church at Jerusalem. (Acts 12:17; 15:13-21; 21:18; Galatians 1:19; 2:9) Therefore, as a pastor James originally wrote this epistle under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit to the Jewish believers who were scattered throughout the empire of Rome. His Holy Spirit inspired purpose was to provide pastoral counsel for a spiritually mature walk in the lives of these believers.
The opening paragraph of this epistle (verses 2-8) moves immediately to the subject of life’s many, various trials, troubles, and tribulations. This contextual situation and setting for the paragraph is established through the closing portion of verse 2 – “When ye fall into divers temp-tations.” Now, in this context the phrase “divers temptations” refers to the many trials of our lives; for these “divers temptations” are described in verse 3 as “the trying of your faith.”
Brethren, we all will face many, various trials, troubles, and tribulations in our lives. Concerning this matter, God’s Word does not use the word “if,” but the word “when.” It is not if we might fall into diverse temptations, but when we will fall into diverse temptations. So then, how are we to deal aright with these many, various trials, troubles, and tribulations of our lives? James 1:2-8 gives a series of four instructions concerning the matter. Along with each of these instructions, a motivational reason is also provided in order to encourage our obedience therein.
The Instruction for a Joyful Regard.
In the first place, we encounter the instruction for a joyful regard. The instruction is given in verse 2, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.” This is a command from the Lord our God. When we face any given trial in our lives, we are commanded to purposefully regard it and esteem it as an “all joy” event. We are not to have a spirit of complaining against these trials, troubles, and tribulations in our lives. Rather, we are to have a spirit of rejoicing in these trials, troubles, and tribulations of our lives. We are not to develop a spirit of bitterness at these trials, troubles, and tribulations. Rather, we are to maintain a spirit of joy-fullness, a spirit of all joy, toward these trials, troubles, and tribulations.
Yet this is not the natural regard of the trials of life. Why then should we pursue and maintain such an unnatural regard. Verse 3 gives answer, saying, “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” This is the motivational information concerning the matter. The trying of our faith through the many, various trials, troubles, and tribulations of life develop spiritual growth and maturity in us. This trying of our faith effectively produces the spiritual characteristic of patient, faithful endurance in us. Certainly, we should highly value growth in spiritual endurance and maturity. Therefore, we should also value the means by which our Lord works such spiritual endurance and maturity into our lives. We should “count it all joy” when we face the many, various trials of life because we are unified with our Lord in giving far greater value to spiritual character than to enjoyable comforts.
The Instruction for a Welcoming Response.
In the second place, we encounter the instruction for a welcoming response. The instruction is given in the opening portion of verse 4, “But let patience have her perfect work.” The conjunction “but” with which this instruction begins indicates that it is directly related to the truth of the previous two verses. Since the spiritual characteristic of patient endurance is developed in our lives through the trials of life, some might naturally seek to resist or avoid its work in their lives. We naturally seek to evade and avoid the trials of life as much as possible. Yet the trying of our faith through the many, various trials, troubles, and tribulations of life are the means by our Lord produces patient endurance in us. Thus it is natural for us to conclude that we simply do not want the work of patient endurance in our lives because we do not care for the developing process of trials in our lives.
However, the Lord our God commands us to “let patience have her perfect work” in our lives. He commands us to have a welcoming response toward the developing process of patient endurance. We are to recognize that this developing process through the trying of our faith is a divinely “perfect work.” It is a divine work that is spiritually profitable for us and that is spiritually perfecting in us. It is the means by which the Lord our God transforms our spiritual character so that we might become “perfect and entire, wanting [or, lacking] nothing.” This is the motivational objective concerning the matter. We should welcome the developing process of patient endurance in our lives because we desire our Lord to transform us unto the perfect image of Christ.
The Instruction for a Prayerful Request.
In the third place, we encounter the instruction for a prayerful request. The instruction is given in the opening portion of verse 5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God.” Although this instruction may not appear at first to be related to the truths of the previous verses, it is included in this series with reason. It is through the many, various trials, troubles, and tribulations of life that we come to recognize our lack of wisdom. Even so, as we come to recognize our lack of wisdom, the Lord our God commands us to ask of Him through prayerful request. “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6) At any time that we lack any amount of wisdom concerning any matter, we are to make our request know unto God through prayer.
How then will He respond to our prayerful request for wisdom? James 1:5 continues, saying, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” This is the motivational assurance concerning the matter. The Lord our God is gracious to give us the wisdom that we need when we humbly ask Him for it. He gives naturally; for He is the giving God, the One who gives by His very gracious nature. He gives universally; for He is willing to give “to all,” without partiality. He gives generously, for He is willing to give above what we might ask or think. He gives kindly, for He will not upbraid and reproach us for acknowledging our lack of wisdom. And He gives certainly, for He promises in His Word that the wisdom shall be given to us.
The Instruction for a Trusting Relationship.
In the fourth and final place, we encounter the instruction for a trusting relationship. The instruction is given in the opening portion of verse 6, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.” Again the conjunction “but” with which this instruction begins indicates that it is directly related to the truth of the previous verse. When we lift up our prayerful request for wisdom from our Lord, we must ask with full assurance of faith in Him. We must not waver with doubt in His goodness, wisdom, power, or faithfulness. We must maintain a trusting relationship with Him. We must walk every moment, not by our sight and understanding, but by whole-hearted faith and trust in Him. We must trustingly acknowledge Him in all our ways, in order that He might direct the steps of our path in His perfect wisdom. We must trust Him alone as our Source of wisdom. We must trust His faithfulness to give us the wisdom that we need. And we must trust His wisdom to direct is in the very best way.
Yet what if we do not ask in faith? What if we do waver with doubt? What if we do not maintain a trusting relationship with our Lord? James 1:6-8 continues, saying, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” This is the motivational warning concerning the matter. If we do not ask in faith, we shall not receive any wisdom from the Lord. If we waver with doubt in Him, we shall not receive anything from His gracious hand. If we do not a maintain a trusting relationship with Him, we will be spiritually unstable in all of our ways.
Posted in Weekly Sermon, James, In Time of Trouble, Testing from the Lord, Spiritual Joy, Spiritual Growth, Prayer,
Trust in God
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