WEBVTT 00:00:01.280 --> 00:00:03.120 Alright, guys, good morning. 00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:06.719 This morning we will be in the book of James. 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:14.240 So this year, and it'll probably take me all year, I will be preaching through the letter of James. 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:24.480 Now I'm excited to preach through this letter, not because James is my name, but because I've never actually done an in-depth study of James. 00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:33.039 Actually, if I'm being honest, James always intimidates me because it's uh super convicting, super practical. 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:42.960 So it has been a tremendous blessing for me, and as I preach through it this year, I really hope that it will be a blessing to you guys as well. 00:00:43.359 --> 00:01:00.960 But at the end of the day, um, you can't really go wrong preaching any book of the Bible, because as 2 Timothy 3.16 says, all scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching and correcting and rebuking and training in righteousness. 00:01:01.439 --> 00:01:04.640 So turn with me, if you will, to the letter of James. 00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:08.400 James is after Hebrews, it's before 1 Peter. 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:13.599 And this morning we will be looking at the first 12 verses. 00:01:14.400 --> 00:01:23.519 And before we dig into these verses, we need to first ask the question: who wrote this letter and why? 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:29.680 Well, the author in verse 1, if you look at verse 1, the author is very clear. 00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:34.719 It says, James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:01:34.959 --> 00:01:40.319 Now, most theologians agree that this is Jesus' half-brother James. 00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:42.640 This is not James the Apostle. 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:50.079 So if you remember, during Jesus' life, we are told that even his own brothers did not believe him. 00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:52.319 We know that from John chapter 7. 00:01:52.560 --> 00:02:00.879 But after Jesus died on the cross and was buried and was resurrected, he appeared to his half-brother James. 00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:03.760 We know that from 1 Corinthians 15. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:06.159 And James was converted. 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:09.840 So James became a believer in Jesus. 00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:15.120 And not long after, he became a leader of the Jerusalem church. 00:02:15.360 --> 00:02:17.360 So he is an elder of the church. 00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:21.039 He is referred to in Galatians as a pillar. 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:27.840 He was instrumental in motivating Jewish believers to share the gospel with Gentiles. 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:30.000 We know that from Acts 15. 00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:40.000 And his primary ministry, because he's in a church in Jerusalem, was ministering almost exclusively to Jewish Christians. 00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:53.360 However, sometime between AD 50 and AD 60, persecution exploded in Jerusalem against Jewish believers. 00:02:53.840 --> 00:03:09.199 And so the religious leaders, the same ones that killed Jesus, most likely the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the experts of the law, they were upset about this Jesus movement that it was continuing to grow. 00:03:09.759 --> 00:03:19.039 And so they were upset that Jews in the holy city were abandoning Judaism for Christianity. 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:20.879 It's bad for business. 00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:26.400 And so they made life miserable for these Jewish Christians. 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:28.960 They banned them from the synagogue. 00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:45.759 So James writes this letter to the 12 tribes in the dispersion. 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:51.360 Some translations, those who are scattered, the 12 tribes that are scattered. 00:03:51.599 --> 00:04:01.039 And he is writing to these Jewish believers who were fleeing from persecution and scattered throughout most of the Mediterranean world, really. 00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:06.159 And the purpose of James's letter is to encourage these believers. 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:19.759 Because James knew that when trouble happens in the Christian life, there is a tendency to shrink back, to become passive, and to keep our faith private. 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:34.720 And so James writes this letter that is extremely practical, it's extremely ethical, and it's tangible to help motivate these believers to persevere and to live out their faith. 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:40.399 So he doesn't want them to take their foot off the gas because of their adversity. 00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:48.959 He wants them to reflect a transformed life in Christ no matter the circumstances. 00:04:49.199 --> 00:04:51.360 And so that is our context. 00:04:52.079 --> 00:05:00.480 And so the first things that James deals with in these first 12 verses is trials, trials. 00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:07.839 Right off the bat, James has something to say to these Christians about their suffering. 00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:27.839 And the first thing he does, being inspired by the Holy Spirit, is he looks at all their problems, he looks at all their misfortunes, and he writes in verse 2 Consider it joy, my brothers and sisters, when you face trials of various kinds. 00:05:28.879 --> 00:05:31.759 This almost comes as a shock, doesn't it? 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:49.680 It almost seems insensitive or offensive, kind of like a trumpet blast in our ears after we've been through hell and back, because we might expect something warmer, like, hey guys, I'm so sorry that you've been persecuted, but that's not what James says. 00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:59.680 He opens his letter by saying, consider it a joy, my brothers and sisters, when you face trials of many kinds. 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:04.959 He looks at these Christians, Christians who have lost their jobs, they've lost their homes. 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:09.439 Some of them are have lost loved ones. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:15.920 And he says, I want you to consider all of your current troubles a joy. 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:20.639 And this isn't a suggestion, it's not even an encouragement. 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:28.160 This grammatically is a commandment that James is communicating to these believers and to us. 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:31.920 Now, this isn't a new teaching in Scripture. 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:39.439 Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 to rejoice in our persecutions and be exceedingly glad. 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:48.319 Peter tells us in his first epistle to rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings of Christ. 00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:53.600 And Paul tells us in Romans 5 that we should rejoice in our sufferings. 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:56.720 So this isn't a new or a strange teaching. 00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:58.720 It's not a new doctrine. 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:09.759 Now, I will say to the natural man and to the flesh, this idea of having joy in adversity is absurd. 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:15.040 Because the world says it's a joy if you avoid trials. 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:19.920 And society says it's a joy if you can escape trials. 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:27.759 And if this world is all there is, then adversity is nothing less than a curse. 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:31.040 It's something to be dodged at all costs. 00:07:31.199 --> 00:07:38.720 And even our own flesh loves it when we can maintain comfort and dodge suffering. 00:07:39.279 --> 00:07:41.439 But scripture says the exact opposite. 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:47.680 Christians should have joy when they experience various kinds of trials. 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:52.800 And we have biblical examples of this throughout Scripture. 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:56.079 Take, for example, the Apostle Paul. 00:07:56.399 --> 00:07:59.759 He rejoiced in his afflictions after he was arrested. 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:02.079 We know that from Colossians 1. 00:08:02.319 --> 00:08:08.079 Or Peter and John, they rejoiced after they were arrested, and then they were flogged. 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:10.480 We know that from Acts chapter 5. 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:19.519 And even our Lord Jesus Christ, for the joy set before him, he endured the cross of suffering. 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:22.000 We know that from Hebrews 12. 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:25.120 And so this isn't wishful thinking. 00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:27.680 This isn't something that is unattainable. 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:32.320 This isn't something set afot set aside for the spiritually elite. 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:39.519 This is the universal expectation for the children of God who have the Spirit of God. 00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:42.080 Joy in our trials. 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:48.720 It's commanded, it's expected, and it's available to us in Christ Jesus. 00:08:49.600 --> 00:09:00.639 And so, as hard as this might be to hear, the reality is this is that Christians will face multicolored trials in this life. 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:04.240 The prosperity preachers are wrong. 00:09:04.480 --> 00:09:06.799 Scripture is so clear on this. 00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:11.519 We must face many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God. 00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:15.440 That's what we're told in Acts 14, 22. 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:21.360 Jesus himself tells us that in this world we will have tribulation. 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:23.840 That's John 16, 33. 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:31.840 And Paul tells us that every everyone who lives a godly life will, will face persecution. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:34.399 That's 2 Timothy chapter 3. 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:39.679 And so the question isn't, will I experience suffering? 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:42.960 If you are a Christian, you will face suffering. 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:44.320 That's certain. 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:46.559 That's something that we all have in common. 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:51.279 Even scientists say that we don't even see colors the same. 00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:57.600 There's many things that we don't have in common, but something that we all have in common is that we will suffer. 00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:03.039 And so the question we need to be asking is how will you suffer? 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:08.480 Will you suffer with joy in Christ and overcome? 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:17.039 Or will you suffer like the rest of the unbelieving world in self-pity and anger and hopelessness? 00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:27.440 See, God is more interested in our attitude and in our response to trials than he is about the nature of our trials. 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:30.799 He's sovereign over our adversity. 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:35.840 At the flick of his hand, all of our troubles could go away. 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:40.960 At the whisper of his voice, he could make mountains move. 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:48.159 So he determines the length and the severity and the outcome of our trials. 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:53.759 He's got that under control. 00:10:54.240 --> 00:11:00.080 What he is more concerned about is our attitude, our character, and our response. 00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:03.440 He is concerned about our reliance upon him. 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:07.759 He's concerned about our joy in him during these times. 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:12.559 So it doesn't matter how many trials you have this morning. 00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:28.480 It doesn't matter if they're big or small, long-term, short-term, temporary, chronic, the biblical and the arresting command is brothers and sisters, consider it a pure joy when you face trials of many kinds. 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:32.480 But the question really is why? 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:33.919 I mean, why? 00:11:34.799 --> 00:11:46.000 Who in the world looks at an empty bank account and pull Molly aside and say, hey honey, let's let's just consider this a joy, that we got no money. 00:11:46.799 --> 00:11:47.120 Okay? 00:11:47.840 --> 00:12:00.399 Who in the world gets persecuted, loses their job, and says, hey family, let's gather around the table, let's give thanks, and let's have joy that daddy just lost his job and that we're being persecuted. 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:01.039 Right? 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:06.799 Who faces sickness or chronic pain and grief and says, I'm going to rejoice? 00:12:06.960 --> 00:12:08.000 Who does that? 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:10.480 Why would anyone do that? 00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:15.279 Well, James tells us the reason for our joy in verses three and four. 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:31.200 He says, Consider it a joy, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance, and let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:39.519 So we can have joy in our troubles because it will refine your faith. 00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:45.039 And when your faith is refined, you will grow spiritually. 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:50.399 And when you grow spiritually, you become more mature in Christ. 00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:59.840 And when you are more mature in Christ, you are entirely satisfied in Him and in Him alone, lacking nothing. 00:13:00.399 --> 00:13:07.519 So, in other words, we can have joy in our present trials when we have the future outcome in mind. 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:15.840 We can rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that we will come out the other end more like Jesus. 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:37.360 So no matter what comes our way, no matter how big or bad the situation is, whether it's a sink full of dishes or whether it's nuclear war, we can have joy and say, this will test my faith, this will produce in me endurance, making me mature in Christ and completely satisfied in him. 00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:39.440 That's the teaching here. 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:43.360 So James isn't telling us to enjoy our trials. 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:46.240 There's a difference between happiness and joy. 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:56.399 He's not telling us to be stoic and heroic and put on this forced smile and move forward with our heads down and ignore the pain. 00:13:56.639 --> 00:13:58.240 He's not saying that. 00:13:59.120 --> 00:14:14.799 He's telling us to have joy in our trials and to have a positive biblical perspective about it, knowing that God will use it in such a way that it will actually develop your faith and not destroy it. 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:16.720 That's the teaching here. 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:19.200 And that's why we can have joy. 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:26.879 So adversity, then, it's not an enemy to the Christian life, it's a part of it. 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:32.240 Trials help us to see things which we little expected to see. 00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:36.320 We find our faith weak when we thought it was strong. 00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:40.639 We discover that our views were dim where we thought they were clear. 00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:44.720 We find ourselves desperate for God on a whole new level. 00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:47.039 I mean, think about it for a moment. 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:56.639 You wouldn't be who you are today, spiritually speaking, without enduring the hardships you have already faced in life. 00:14:57.279 --> 00:14:59.600 So God sees the big picture. 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:08.240 He's not being mean, he's not being cruel, he's not sitting back passively watching his children suffer. 00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:14.480 No, he's sovereign over it all, he's intimately involved whether you see it or not. 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:19.600 And he's working all of it for our growth and for his glory. 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:24.879 There's nothing that has happened in your life that he didn't already know. 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:31.679 And there's nothing happening in your life now that he is not going to use for your spiritual growth. 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:34.000 So, church, do you see it yet? 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:41.840 When we talk about trials and suffering and adversity, do you see it yet that adversity pushes us closer to God? 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:46.799 It weans us from worldliness, it strengthens our faith. 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:50.559 It makes us more like Jesus because he suffered. 00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:58.799 Like gold in a furnace, it removes impurities, it causes us to act upon that which we truly believe. 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:06.320 Therefore, we don't have to look at horrible life circumstances and say, oh man, I hate my life. 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:12.000 We don't have to look at at tragedy and say, This sucks, poor me. 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:14.639 We don't have to shake our fist at God. 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:19.600 No, we can look at hardship and say that there's joy here. 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:27.360 I might not see it, but there's joy here and there's glory here and there's growth ahead, and God will use it to mold me. 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:35.200 Can you see how practical and how timely this is, especially during a difficult time in our society? 00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:37.440 We need to hear this. 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:57.360 When a loved one dies and you're not sure how you're going to survive the grief, when your finances dwindle and you're unsure how you're going to provide for your family, when you're diagnosed with a sickness, uncertain on how you're going to manage through life with the pain. 00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:11.680 When you're experiencing spiritual warfare and you feel like you're losing your mind, you can rise up in the power of the Holy Spirit and cling to the joy that is found in Christ. 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:15.440 And you can say, God's going to use this. 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:18.480 God knows the finished product. 00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:20.000 God knows what he's doing. 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:23.200 I'll come out the other end more like my Savior. 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:28.480 I'll come out the other end with a deeper knowledge and a deeper fellowship with God. 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:34.960 It will result in the testing of your faith, which is more precious than your comfort. 00:17:36.079 --> 00:17:38.079 Yes, even life itself. 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:44.319 And the beautiful thing about the Christian is that it's a win-win situation. 00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:51.119 Because even if the trials are so massive and you die, either way it's a win-win. 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:54.160 Because if you make it through the trial, you'll be more like Christ. 00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:58.160 But if you don't make it through the trial and you die, you get to be with Christ. 00:17:58.319 --> 00:17:59.599 It's a win-win. 00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:02.160 So I don't like the way this feels. 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:03.920 These are all natural emotions. 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:05.839 I don't like, I don't enjoy the pain. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:08.240 You can ask my wife when I get the flu. 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:28.160 I don't see in the moment how this is in God's plan, but one thing I do know that when I get to the other side of the trial, I will come out with a greater faith, a newfound maturity, and a deeper intimacy with God that I otherwise would have never obtained. 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:35.200 We serve a God who works all things for the development of his children. 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:39.920 Yes, even the most horrible tragedies. 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:48.559 He is able to take our afflictions and transform them and use them in a way that it makes us more like Jesus. 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:52.400 And if that's not cause for joy, I don't know what is. 00:18:53.599 --> 00:18:59.359 So, church, do you consider trials a joy? 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:04.160 Or do you, like the unbelieving world, get mad at God when you suffer? 00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:09.359 When times get tough, do you see it as an opportunity to grow in faith? 00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:17.839 Or do you view it as an opportunity to give up and turn to the pleasures of sin to alleviate the pain? 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:29.119 Are you drawing joy from Christ in your hardships, or are you in the flesh complaining and accusing God of not being good when things don't go your way? 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:33.680 Joy should be our attitudes in trials. 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:38.480 But the next question, naturally, is what should our response be? 00:19:39.119 --> 00:19:41.359 How do you respond when trials come? 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:44.000 When troubles come, where where do I go? 00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:45.440 What do I do? 00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:55.759 Trials can get complicated, and navigating a way forward or making the right decision is not being good, or I'm sorry, is not easy. 00:19:56.160 --> 00:19:59.920 Well, James tells us how we should respond in verses five through eight. 00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:11.839 He says, but if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 00:20:12.160 --> 00:20:21.279 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like the wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:24.720 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:29.599 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. 00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:35.839 So what we need most during difficult times in life is wisdom. 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:37.680 We need wisdom. 00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:48.880 I mean, seriously, if I get sick or ministry fails or a tragedy happens in my life, instantly my emotions take over and I start questioning everything. 00:20:49.039 --> 00:20:50.640 Does God even love me? 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:52.640 Am I even saved? 00:20:54.640 --> 00:21:12.720 And so our response in these moments is not asking God to take away the issue per se, but a lot of the times we need to ask God for wisdom so that we can respond appropriately and overcome the trial by faith. 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:17.920 And so this idea that God will never give us more than we can handle is ridiculous. 00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:19.920 We can't handle anything. 00:21:20.400 --> 00:21:24.480 We can't even take another breath without God permitting it to happen. 00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:32.559 You do not have the power, nor the logic, nor the intellect to overcome the storms that you will face in this life. 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:34.960 And it was designed this way. 00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:37.200 We need God in his wisdom. 00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:40.160 We were made to rely on him. 00:21:41.119 --> 00:21:44.400 So God doesn't want us to rely on our own understanding. 00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:47.759 He doesn't want us to try to solve things on our own. 00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:53.759 God wants us to go to him in our mess and say, God, help me. 00:21:55.440 --> 00:21:58.720 God, I need you and I need wisdom. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:01.599 Now there's an objection here. 00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:06.000 Someone might say, but Jimmy, I haven't been the best Christian. 00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:08.720 Plus, I haven't been talking to God. 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:10.160 And now I'm in trouble. 00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:11.359 It feels hypocritical. 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:14.079 All of a sudden I'm gonna go to God now that I'm in trouble. 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:16.240 He's not going to help me. 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:18.400 He's not going to give me wisdom. 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:20.079 I don't deserve it. 00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:21.759 No, no, no, says James. 00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:22.640 Look at the text. 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:25.680 He says, God is generous. 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:29.200 He gives freely without reproach. 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:48.480 So if there is any prayer that God's going to answer, if there's a prayer that's going to get his attention, if there's a prayer that's aligned to his will, a prayer that he would even answer for the weakest Christian on earth, it is this when his children ask him for wisdom. 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:51.279 And if you don't believe me, ask Solomon. 00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:54.880 It said that Solomon asked God for wisdom. 00:22:54.960 --> 00:23:01.359 And then the next verse it says, and the Lord was pleased that he asked for wisdom. 00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:04.400 So God wants to give us wisdom. 00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:14.000 He wants to help us discern, to help us be spiritually well, to help us make God-glorifying decisions during hard times. 00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:16.240 His wisdom never runs out. 00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:20.960 He will never get annoyed at this request. 00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:24.000 And God, I'm gonna say this, listen closely. 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:26.480 God is not like our parents. 00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:27.519 Okay? 00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:29.839 He's not like man. 00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:35.599 He knows exactly what we need, and he's entirely gracious. 00:23:37.279 --> 00:23:48.640 So if you are here this morning and you're struggling with anything, a big decision, a trial, a relationship problem, ask God for wisdom. 00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:53.119 Go to him and ask in faith, and he will give it. 00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:55.279 You know, a lot of the times we just don't ask. 00:23:55.440 --> 00:24:04.400 I had a bag of Skittles a few months ago, and I was sitting across the table from Owen, and you know, selfish me, I didn't think to share with him. 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:10.000 So I'm eating, I'm sitting in front of Owen eating this whole bag of Skittles and just chowing them down. 00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:16.799 And Owen's across the table and he's squirming in his chair, and he's like looking at my bag of Skittles, and he's just like, oh. 00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:20.880 And I'm like, Owen, are you okay? 00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:22.400 And he's like, Yeah. 00:24:22.880 --> 00:24:24.799 And I just keep eating the Skittles. 00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:27.920 And he starts groaning again, and I'm like, he's like, uh. 00:24:29.359 --> 00:24:31.279 And I'm like, seriously, dude, are you okay? 00:24:31.359 --> 00:24:32.720 Like, what's like, are you sick? 00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:33.839 Does your stomach hurt? 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:39.359 And he's like, no, I just could I have some of your Skittles. 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:44.000 He didn't want to ask me. 00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:47.519 And that's part of our problem, too, with God. 00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:50.400 I would have given him the whole bag if he asked for it. 00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:53.839 A lot of the times we don't receive because simply we don't ask. 00:24:54.079 --> 00:25:00.240 The only thing that's going to prevent you from receiving God's wisdom, says James, is unbelief. 00:25:00.799 --> 00:25:05.200 We must ask God for wisdom and faith. 00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:11.759 James describes the doubter as the double-minded person, someone who is unstable in all that they do. 00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:14.799 They are like a wave of the sea going back and forth. 00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:17.200 They believe God, but not really. 00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:21.839 They ask God for things, but He's not gonna really provide. 00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:28.240 They ask God for help, and then a moment later they're saying, God's not going to help me. 00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:33.359 This kind of person should not expect to receive anything from God. 00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:37.119 God wants us to seek Him by faith. 00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:46.160 There are many people in the world crying out to God for wisdom, but it is only those who seek Him by faith that receive it. 00:25:46.319 --> 00:25:53.920 Those who ask in unbelief or ask with evil motives should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 00:25:54.319 --> 00:25:56.960 So we need to be joyful in our trials. 00:25:57.200 --> 00:26:01.119 Our response is asking God for wisdom in our trials. 00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:04.000 But what about our position? 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:08.160 What do we do about our position that we find ourselves in? 00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:12.640 It's a legitimate question, and James deals with this in verses 9 through 11. 00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:25.680 He says, Let the brother of humble circumstances boast in his exaltation, but let the rich boast in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a flower of the field. 00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:34.559 For the sun rises together with a scorching wind and dries up the grass, its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance perishes. 00:26:34.720 --> 00:26:40.240 In the same way the rich will wither away while pursuing his activities. 00:26:40.400 --> 00:26:42.240 Now this might seem scatterbrained. 00:26:42.319 --> 00:26:44.640 Is James moving on to a new topic? 00:26:44.880 --> 00:26:50.720 Well, I don't I I don't believe so, because in verse 12 he says, Blessed is the one who overcomes trials. 00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:56.559 So I think what James is doing here is he's bringing everyone on the same playing field. 00:26:56.799 --> 00:27:02.880 The poor are to remember their high position, for they have been exalted by the gospel. 00:27:03.119 --> 00:27:10.720 And those who are rich in this world are to remember their low position, because they have been humbled by the gospel. 00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:20.240 And so the rich brother should come to realize that at the cross, he stands on the same level with the poor brother. 00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:35.039 Both have been given a new status in Christ, which is their true ground for glorying, and both will face trials in this life, and both should have the same attitude, joy, and response asking for wisdom. 00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:43.359 So we as humans have a terrible tendency to look to money or wealth as the solution for our problems. 00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:49.759 We think to ourselves, if I had more money, I would face less trials. 00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:53.039 Or money will make this problem go away. 00:27:53.279 --> 00:27:57.599 But the reality is that is a lie and an illusion. 00:27:58.240 --> 00:28:03.440 Because we only have one position in the Christian life, and that's our gospel position. 00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:05.440 It's not rich or poor, okay? 00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:11.359 It's our gospel position, and that's the only thing that matters in trials. 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:16.559 Money or your social class isn't in the equation here. 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:23.119 If you are poor and you think that money will fix your trials and your problems, you are wrong. 00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:30.960 And if you are rich and you think that having less money would eliminate your problems or your trials, think again. 00:28:31.279 --> 00:28:34.480 So whether you're rich or poor, it doesn't matter here. 00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:38.880 Money doesn't cure and it doesn't prevent adversity. 00:28:39.519 --> 00:28:50.000 So no matter where you find yourself on the socioeconomic scale this morning, the only thing you should be boasting in is your gospel position. 00:28:50.720 --> 00:28:54.000 So if you're poor, boast in your high position. 00:28:54.160 --> 00:28:55.759 The gospel has lifted you up. 00:28:55.920 --> 00:28:59.359 And if you're rich, boast in your humiliation. 00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:05.119 The gospel has diminished your pride and brought you low, and both are good things. 00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:10.880 So boast in your gospel position. 00:29:11.200 --> 00:29:12.960 Now there's often an objection here. 00:29:13.039 --> 00:29:18.799 Someone will say, but Jimmy, if I had more money, I could pay off this medical bill. 00:29:18.960 --> 00:29:21.200 It could literally fix a trial. 00:29:21.519 --> 00:29:23.920 Or I could pay off my student debt. 00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:35.359 Or, Jimmy, if I had less money, people wouldn't be after me always trying to get my wealth and trying to get my money, and I wouldn't be having to do all this money management, right? 00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:40.799 So doesn't money actually fix some real life trials? 00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:42.960 Seems like it. 00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:51.200 But what we fail to recognize in asking these questions is that if God wanted us to have more money, we'd have it. 00:29:51.440 --> 00:29:55.519 And if God wanted us to have less money, he will do it. 00:29:55.839 --> 00:30:03.599 Have we forgotten that the only reason we can take our next breath is because God sustains us and allows it? 00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:11.680 So have we forgotten that God is the one who determines our finances to the penny, not us? 00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:17.039 He determines the length and the severity of our trials, not money. 00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:18.559 Read Job. 00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:32.000 We put so much hope and focus on money, as if that is the solution to our problems, and yet the Bible really has nothing good to say about it because it often draws our hearts away from the Lord. 00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:38.400 So as you face trials in this life, remember this: trials are inevitable. 00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:41.440 They're inevitable for the rich and the poor. 00:30:41.680 --> 00:30:46.240 And you will not overcome trials by having more or less money. 00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:49.839 We overcome by the joy that we have in Christ. 00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:55.359 And we overcome by relying on God for wisdom as we seek Him by faith. 00:30:55.519 --> 00:30:59.759 And we overcome by boasting in our gospel position. 00:31:00.720 --> 00:31:05.200 We don't conquer trials through human strength or earthly wealth. 00:31:05.440 --> 00:31:09.039 We overcome by the joy of the Lord and his divine wisdom. 00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:19.920 Not self-pity, not self-reliance, not money, but spirit-filled joy, God-given wisdom, and gospel-centered boasting. 00:31:20.160 --> 00:31:21.599 That's how we overcome. 00:31:21.680 --> 00:31:25.440 And it's in these things the children of God endure. 00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:29.920 And James summarizes his whole teaching in verse 12. 00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:41.839 He says, Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 00:31:42.640 --> 00:31:52.960 So after telling these Christians how they should think about their trials and how they should respond to them, James says, Happy are those who overcome. 00:31:53.200 --> 00:32:00.799 And they should be happy, because if they overcome, they will receive the promise of God, the crown of life. 00:32:01.039 --> 00:32:02.400 What a promise. 00:32:03.119 --> 00:32:08.079 And James is not saying that we earn eternal life by overcoming. 00:32:08.319 --> 00:32:10.079 That's a misinterpretation. 00:32:10.400 --> 00:32:17.920 Notice that the phrase standing the test is directly connected with the phrase those who love God. 00:32:18.079 --> 00:32:22.960 In other words, those who truly love God are those who overcome. 00:32:23.200 --> 00:32:25.119 Think of the parable of the sower. 00:32:26.400 --> 00:32:48.319 Those who persevere to the end, those who do not allow the devil to destroy their faith, those who do not allow the troubles of this life to choke out their love for God, those who fall into sin but don't stay there and they get back up, these are the people who truly love God and will be rewarded eternally. 00:32:48.960 --> 00:33:06.079 But for those who do not stand the test, those who face trouble and then blame God, those who lose faith because life doesn't go their way, those who forfeit the faith when tragedy strikes and they resent God the rest of their life, saying, This is your fault. 00:33:07.839 --> 00:33:10.240 They need to examine their love for God. 00:33:10.480 --> 00:33:18.559 Because if your love for God is dependent upon your earthly comfort and prosperity, you have missed the gospel. 00:33:19.599 --> 00:33:27.200 Because our love for God is not dependent on our comfort or our prosperity or our health or our wealth. 00:33:27.440 --> 00:33:33.680 Our love for God is dependent upon one thing, and that's his love for us. 00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:39.519 We love him because he loved us first in Christ Jesus. 00:33:39.839 --> 00:33:42.079 We love God because of who he is. 00:33:44.319 --> 00:33:46.400 So he's saved us from eternal hell. 00:33:46.480 --> 00:33:58.079 He's called us into his family, he's adopted us, he's given us eternal life, he freely gave us Christ, he's lavished on us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. 00:33:58.319 --> 00:34:06.079 We've been given everything in Christ for all things pertaining to life and satisfaction. 00:34:06.559 --> 00:34:09.599 So it's all ours in Christ forever. 00:34:09.840 --> 00:34:18.400 So if we need to suffer a short while on this timeline of eternity, going both directions, let us do so with joy. 00:34:18.639 --> 00:34:24.639 Let us do so clinging to God for wisdom, and let us do so boasting in our gospel position. 00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:33.760 And let us stand in the middle of the storm with the full armor of God, holding up the shield of faith, standing the test. 00:34:34.000 --> 00:34:43.280 Don't move to the right or to the left, and don't allow anything, not circumstances, not troubles, not demonic forces, not even your own failures. 00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:45.440 Sway your love for God. 00:34:46.239 --> 00:34:55.840 Fight the good fight, keep the faith, finish the race strong, because in the blink of an eye, we will be in the presence of the Lord. 00:34:56.000 --> 00:35:00.239 Whether he returns or we die, life is so short. 00:35:01.599 --> 00:35:10.159 And as Romans 8 says, our momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 00:35:10.400 --> 00:35:12.639 So that's what we have to look forward to. 00:35:12.880 --> 00:35:25.840 So whatever trials you're facing here this morning, whether big or small, have joy, seek wisdom, and with an open Bible and a heart full of faith, endure the test. 00:35:27.039 --> 00:35:29.440 Stand firmly on the foundation of Jesus. 00:35:29.760 --> 00:35:37.280 And whatever wars you're facing this morning, whatever you may face in the future, may you endure in your love for Jesus Christ. 00:35:38.639 --> 00:35:44.079 May you conquer and rise above the circumstances with your eyes fixed on Jesus. 00:35:44.320 --> 00:35:49.840 He is worthy and he understands because he suffered on our behalf. 00:35:50.800 --> 00:35:58.480 So if you are a true believer in Jesus this morning, know this that God is not hating you in your trials. 00:35:59.760 --> 00:36:01.280 He's not abandoning you. 00:36:02.159 --> 00:36:05.840 He's conforming you more into the image of his son. 00:36:06.559 --> 00:36:08.000 And God is with you. 00:36:09.199 --> 00:36:20.880 So have joy, seek wisdom, boast in your gospel position, and do this until you enter glory, where there will be no more sorrow or pain or suffering. 00:36:21.519 --> 00:36:29.280 As you receive the crown of life from God Himself and hear the blessed words from Him face to face.