JAMES 1:1-18 - TRIALS AND TEMPTATIONS
Be mature
Adult dressed as baby in a pram.
Birthday cards
Not everyone who grows old grows up. There is a difference between age and maturity.
Although Jesus says we should be childlike in or approach to Him we shouldn't be childish in the way we live for Him.
Many calls in Scripture to "be mature" as Christians
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,12to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.1 Ephesians
But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews
James 1: 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
One commentator has written "Spiritual maturity is one of the greatest needs in our churches today. Too many churches are playpens for babies instead of workshops for adults." and "God is looking for mature men and women to carry on His work, and sometimes all he can find are little children who cannot even get along with each other."
So this is the emphasis of James' letter. In essence he is saying "It's time for we Christians to grow up" It's time, as Paul put it, to lay aside childish things (or the ways of childhood)
The ways of childhood seems to be selfishness, impatience, feeling hard done by, squabbling ,wanting what others have and discontentment.
What Jesus is looking for are those who, because they have been born again in Him by the power of the Spirit, are happy and content in their knowledge of and relationship with Him. Mature Christians:
Know and trust in the faithfulness of God
those who put others first and are useful in serving Him
those who encourage others and
most of all have Jesus at the centre of their lives and value their relationship with Him above all else.
TRIALS AND TRIBULATON
Facing trials and tribulations. Not if, but when. Jesus said:
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. Inthisworld you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Most asked question - "Why is there pain and suffering"?
James doesn't answer this question but he does say how we should cope with these circumstances in a mature Christian way.
Do we behave like children and respond by complaining, feeling hard done by and with impatience?
What are the problems we all face at some time in our lives?
Human Nature - greed, selfishness - inhumanity to man - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 8:13
human error - crashes etc
Suffering - sickness, bereavement, handicap, relationships
Results of the fall
Pain - Paul Brand - lepers - Quote Reimaging the way you relate to God - P 70-71
God judgement - wickedness has consequences. It offends God. Flood. Sodom
Discipline
Enemy attack - Persecution for faith. "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter
Job
UnexplainedWe just don't know
Nicky Gumbell has written that 95% of the suffering in the world is the result of sin. "Human freedom does not always answer the question why a particular individual or nation suffers so much, but it does help to explain the origin of suffering. All suffering is the result of sin, either directly as a result of my own sin, or the result of someone else's sin, or indirectly, as a result of living in a fallen world."
Where is God when it hurts? - How should we respond in a mature way?
1He is with us in it. Look to Jesus - He understands- He has suffered
He has given us the greatest gift of all - rebirth in Him - heaven is our home.
He will carry us through - Footprints. Book for birthday -
In it the author talks about our concepts of God.
Life under God - where we follow rules and regulations
Life over God - where we use principles to guide us
Life from God - where we follow God for what He can give us or even
Life for God - where we work for Him
God wants to be with us and we with Him. He wants to walk with us as in Eden
Last Sunday.
Quote P106 and "Hope does not depend on what's happening aroundyour boat. Hope depends on Who is in your boat."
2Building our character - Jesus talked about pruning to give better fruit.
Develops patience, endurance, understanding, wisdom.
Builds our faith.
Job - I know that my Redeemer lives.
Living with these trials
James talks about us "considering it pure joy" when we face these trials.
Various versions translate this phrase as "be glad, consider yourselves fortunate, treat them as a sheer gift, or be happy"
J.B.Phillips:
When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives my brothers, don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Realise that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance. But let the process go on until that endurance is fully developed, and you will find you have become men of mature character with the right sort of independence. And if, in the process, any of you does not know how to meet any particular problem he has only to ask God—who gives generously to all men without making them feel foolish or guilty—and he may be quite sure that the necessary wisdom will be given him. But he must ask in sincere faith without secret doubts as to whether he really wants God’s help or not. The man who trusts God, but with inward reservations, is like a wave of the sea, carried forward by the wind one moment and driven back the next. That sort of man cannot hope to receive anything from God, and the life of a man of divided loyalty will reveal instability at every turn.
Face these trials with the peace of God with a joyful attitude because of what they can produce in you.
v.3 talks about us knowing - our faith is tested - we know whose we are
if we know scripture we can look to Abraham, Joseph, Daniel.
Ask in faith - Prayer life developed -
Builds our character
Ask for wisdom and faith
God wants us to be with Him - to know Him more intimately. God with us.
TEMPTATIONS
James makes it clear that temptations do not come from God.
They are from our own fleshly desires or from the enemy.
Paul wrote to the Corinthain church "we are not unaware of his (the devils') schemes" , but so often we are.
The lie that he doesn't exist or is everywhere.
His whole scheme is to bring down the people of God. Destroys. God builds up.
he wants to keep us in a state of defeat and despair. He is a liar, the accuser, bringing doubt and fear.
Doubt - Did God really say? "you think you are a Christian?" "If you are the Son of God" - Into our minds or through other people. Don't receive it.
Distraction - Make do withless than the best. Time wasting. Multiple choice
Deceit - We need discernment
Destruction - Comes to steal and destroy. Robs us of our peace and joy.
Lies - Tempted to believe the lies - about Jesus - self - others.
AccusationLies spread about people
It is not wrong to be tempted - Jesus was but never gave in.
We combat the enemy attacks by keeping close to Jesus.
By knowing Scripture as using it to combat doubts and lies.
Jesus equips us with His armour, with his Word and with prayer.
He tells us that he is on our side and whatever trails and temptations come He will see us through and we will come through as better people growing in maturity and our love for Him. let Him enfold you in His love.
What a friend we have in Jesus
Isaiah 43
But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.2When you pass through the waters,I will be with you;and when you pass through the rivers,they will not sweep over you.When you walk through the fire,you will not be burned;the flames will not set you ablaze.3For I am the Lord your God,the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour;
(I give Egypt for your ransom,Cush[a] and Seba in your stead.)
4Since you are precious and honoured in my sight,and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,nations in exchange for your life.