Children, you are now dismissed to your Sunday school class.
You're going to be learning about your promise-making and promise-keeping God.
This November, last week, we started a series,
Hardship, Holiness, and Our Loving Heavenly Father.
And last week, we looked at the book of Lamentations,
and specifically Lamentations 3, where Jeremiah was in the midst of some severe hardship,
and yet he says this,
But this I call to mind, and therefore have hope.
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.
His mercies never come to an end.
They're new every morning.
Great is your faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion, I said, therefore I will have hope.
Jeremiah had hope in the hardship, because he believed his God was for him.
And this morning, we're going to be looking at another passage about hardship.
James 1, verses 2-4.
So if you want to open up your Bibles to the book of James,
it's towards the end of your New Testament.
Chapter 1, verses 2-4.
Where Jeremiah 3 is about hope in hardship,
James 1, verses 2-4 is about joy in hardship.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.
Now, this, what I'm about to say, may be a gross oversimplification.
But typically, when a human being encounters difficulty,
hardship, when they are drawn out of their comfort zone,
typically a human being will respond in one of two ways, fight or flight.
Fighters put up their dukes, and they say,
Okay, who's to blame?
Flighters look for cover and wait until the all-clear is sounded.
But a Christian has a third option.
It's not fight.
It's not flight.
It's faith.
Faith in our God.
A Christian, one confronted with difficulty,
must resist the natural instinct to fight or flight
and choose to trust in God.
And Lamentations 3, trusting God in hardship, shows up as hope.
And James 1, trusting God in hardship, shows up as joy.
Count it all joy.
So here's what I believe God is telling us this morning from James 1, 2-4.
Here's what I want you to see.
When trials come knocking,
we welcome them with joy because we trust in our God.
When trials come knocking,
we welcome them with joy because we trust in our God.
It sounds crazy, doesn't it?
We must be believing truth about God when we encounter trials.
Let me just read this passage.
Count it all joy, my brothers,
when you meet trials of various kinds,
for you know that this testing of your faith produces steadfastness,
and let steadfastness have its full effect,
that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
This morning we're going to look at three things.
First is the command.
There is a command here in James 1, 2.
Count it all joy.
We're going to look at the command,
and then we're going to look at the rationale for the command.
This command begs the question, why?
And James answers that in verses 3 and 4.
So we're going to look at the command,
and then we're going to look at the rationale.
And our last move together,
I want to gird up your mind
for the trials that are coming this week.
You're going to be facing them.
We all are.
And so three moves,
command, the rationale,
and then by way of application,
girding up your mind for the trials to come this week.
So first, let's look at this command in 1, 2.
Count it all joy, my brothers,
when you meet trials of various kinds.
I mean, we are being commanded
to be joyful in the midst of trials,
to have joy in suffering,
joy in hardship,
joy in confusion.
Does that sound crazy to you?
Well, there's a context
in which this command is coming.
Trials.
What does James mean by trials?
Well, the word that is used here
is translated one of two ways
in the New Testament.
The first way that this word is translated
is it means an outward trial,
a process of testing
that comes upon us from the outside.
God brings the trial.
The second way that this word is translated
is an inner temptation,
an enticement to sin
that doesn't come from without,
but it comes from within,
out of my own heart,
out of your heart.
This leads us to a very important distinction to make.
God tests us,
but He doesn't tempt us.
God brings trials,
but He doesn't make us sin.
Our own desires are what tempt us,
and we see that played out
in verses 1 through 13,
excuse me, 13 and 14
in chapter 1 of James.
So in verse 2 here,
what is very clear
is that this is a trial
that God is bringing to test us,
the trials.
And verse 3 confirms that.
So verse 2,
when you meet trials of various kinds,
and verse 3,
for you know that the testing of your faith
produces steadfastness.
When God tests us through trials,
He's not trying to make us sin.
He's seeking to make us more holy.
God's responsible for the trial,
but He's not responsible for
how we respond to it.
He doesn't take responsibility
for our desires in that.
So what I want you to see
coming out of this little piece here
is that all trials
are challenging opportunities
God sends to mature us.
They're redemptive in nature.
They're purposed.
And what we learn here from James
is that they vary in form and intensity.
You see the words in verse 2,
when you meet trials of various kinds?
Various kinds of trials.
Some trials are simple.
Some trials are complex.
Some trials are mild.
Some trials are intense.
Some trials are brief.
Some trials are extended.
Some trials are unique to Christians.
We suffer for Jesus' name.
Some trials are common to all.
Living in a fallen world.
We all deal with loneliness,
sickness, disappointment,
broken cars, unexpected bills
when a loved one dies.
Some trials are very personal.
Other trials are communal.
Are corporate.
We've been going through some trials
as a church.
When trials are complex,
intense, extended trials,
these are the very most difficult kind.
They can be unsettling,
uncomfortable,
and unpredictable.
But one thing we know
is that these various trials
are coming.
Now, if this is true,
if God sends trials for our good,
and there are a variety of kinds of trials,
we're dealing with trials
on a frequent basis.
God is challenging us
on a regular basis to grow us.
He's not waiting for us to ask Him.
He brings them for our good.
Life is one trial after the next,
isn't it?
And sometimes,
trials come in clusters.
But what we see here
is that trials
are normal.
I'm so grateful for
John Bunyan's book,
Pilgrim's Progress.
It's a classic.
It's one of the most published books
in all of history.
There's also a children's version
called Dangerous Journey.
And if you're a parent with young ones,
it is a great book.
We have so benefited
from that book.
If you're not familiar
with the story,
John Bunyan has written a tale,
a depiction of the Christian life.
And it is encouraging
and very helpful.
The story is about
the main character, Christian,
and his journey
from the city of destruction
to the celestial city,
heaven.
And very wisely,
Bunyan shows that
through this story
that the Christian life
is marked by regular trials
of various kinds.
I mean,
Christian goes through
the slew of despond.
Christian has to navigate
Vanity Fair.
Christian has to
climb the hill difficulty.
Christian has to square off
on Apollyon
and slog it out
for a full day.
And of course,
Christian has to encounter,
come face to face
with the final trial,
death.
The Christian life
is filled with trials.
But you know what?
It's not only about trials.
Pilgrim's Progress
is about joy
in the midst of trials.
And that's what
the Christian life is too.
Joy
in the midst of trials.
Trusting God
through hard times.
When trials come knocking
at your door,
how do you typically respond?
No one's home.
Go away.
Not interested.
Because we know
that trials bring pain,
right?
When trials come knocking
on your door,
how do you respond?
James is very clear
in how we are to respond.
Count it all joy,
my brothers,
when you meet trials
of various kinds.
various kinds.
So let's look at this command.
Here's what James
is telling us.
When trials come knocking,
welcome them with joy.
That word count
in the ESV
or consider
in the NIV,
it's a command
not to feel.
It's a command
to think.
Count it joy.
Consider it joy.
It's not about
how you're to feel.
It's about what you're to think.
It's a call to think
God's thoughts.
Close to this word count
and consider
is the word appraise.
Have you ever had
an appraisal done
on your car?
See how much it's worth.
Your house,
see what it's worth.
Jewelry,
see what it's worth.
What we are to appraise,
what we're to count,
is the word it.
And what it refers to
is hardship,
trials,
difficulty
of various kinds.
We're to appraise
these things
a certain way.
All joy.
What is joy?
What is it?
I want to help you with that.
This is a little arbitrary,
but I think it will help you.
I want to make a distinction
between what joy is
and happiness is
in order for you
to get a sense
of Christian joy.
Joy
is a settled contentment
in the unchanging character
of God.
Joy
is a settled contentment,
a satisfaction
in the unchanging character
of God.
It is not dependent
on circumstances.
Joy rests squarely
on God.
Happiness
is finding contentment,
satisfaction
in circumstances.
and we all know
that circumstances
change with a win.
So,
what's the difference
between joy
and happiness?
The object of faith.
What one is depending upon.
Joy depends on God's
constant,
unchanging character.
Happiness depends
on constantly
changing circumstances.
And so,
if you're to graph them,
if you're to graph happiness,
happiness would be up and down
following circumstances.
Anybody relate with that?
Joy
would be constant
as God's character
is constant.
As you learn Him
and understand Him
and know how wonderful
He is,
it's constant
even in the midst
of difficult circumstances.
So,
this is what God
is commanding us.
When trials come knocking,
welcome them
with a joy
grounded
in
God.
James is not saying
take joy
in the hardship
for the hardship's sake.
What James is saying
is take joy
in the hardship
because God
is going to do something
through it
for your good.
So,
we welcome
trials with joy
because our trust
is in
God.
We appraise
trials with joy
in God.
That's the command.
Now,
we've got to look
at the rationale
because it leaves us
asking the question,
why?
Why are we
to take joy
in trials?
Why?
And James
provides the rationale
in verses 3 and 4.
He says,
this is why
we welcome
trials with joy.
Now,
I know that
it kind of sounds
crazy to take joy
in trials,
but when you
walk through
and understand
James' rationale,
it actually
makes sense.
So,
we've looked
at the command.
Let's look
at the rationale
why we welcome
trials with joy.
And the first thing
I want to draw
to your attention
is the first word
of verse 3.
It's the word
for in the ESV
or in the NIV
it's the word
because.
This clues us
into the fact
that James
is going to give us
reasons for welcoming
trials with joy.
And he says this,
for you know,
because you know.
Again,
James is appealing
to our minds,
not our emotions.
What he started
in verse 2,
count it all joy,
appraise it,
think about it this way.
He continues
in verse 3.
He's not appealing
to our emotions.
He's appealing
to our minds.
He wants us
to think rightly
about trials
in relationship
to who God is.
And so,
let me help you
see the rationale.
Three things here.
The purpose of trials,
the immediate result
of trials,
and the long-term
goal of trials.
We see that laid out
in verses 3 and 4.
So let me just
draw it out for you.
The purpose of trials.
Verse 3.
For you know
that the testing
of your faith.
Trials are not random.
It may feel that way
to us,
but they're not.
God is sovereign over it.
He is bringing them
for our good.
God sends trials
of various kinds
to strengthen
and refine
our faith.
It is a testing
of faith.
He wants to strengthen
our faith.
Do you know how
to grow muscle mass?
You go to the gym
and you start
lifting weights.
And when you stretch
your muscle
a certain way,
it starts to tear
just a little bit.
And you give it
time to
kind of
respond
and the actual
muscle comes back
with a greater mass.
You're actually able
to move more weight.
It's strengthened,
but there's pain
in the stretch.
No pain,
no gain.
But what we're talking
about here
is not just
strengthening faith.
It's refining faith.
Heat
refines things.
Burns off
dross.
And what God
is doing
through trials
is not only
strengthening our faith,
He's burning off
impurities of our faith.
Turning to different
things that are not
God
when things get hard.
God sends trials
of various kinds
to strengthen
and refine our faith.
And mind you,
this is not a faith
in faith.
This is not just
to strengthen our faith
so that we can have
a strength in faith.
It's faith in God.
God sends trials
to strengthen our faith
in Him.
To grow our trust
in Him.
Now,
when we are confronted
with a trial,
when trials come knocking,
we tend to focus
on the trial.
To feel the heat.
To feel the pain.
And what God does
through a trial
is to refocus
our gaze
on Him.
Truth about Him.
Glorious truth
about Him.
We see that played out
in the Psalms
over and over
and over again.
David encounters
some kind of difficulty
and he cries out
to God.
God,
rock,
my fortress,
my shelter,
I got people
doing this,
I got people
doing that,
I don't know
what's going to happen,
I'm poor and needy,
I need help.
Again and again
we see
David encountering
difficulties
and turning to his God.
God's purpose
for trials
is to grow
our faith
in Him.
They're not random,
they're purposed.
They're for our good.
They're various
and they're frequent.
that's the first thing
that James wants us
to understand.
His rationale.
Trials are testings.
God wanting to grow us.
But it moves from testing
to an immediate result.
God tests us
to bring about
an immediate result.
We see that
in verse 3.
For you know
that the testing
of your faith
produces
steadfastness.
Think of steadfastness
as a kind of faith.
How faith shows up
in a particular way.
It's faith showing up
in the midst
of hard circumstances.
It's the ability
to endure
when you are under pressure.
To trust God
when things get hot.
To trust God
when you get stretched.
Trusting God
in the midst
of crisis.
Okay,
we're entering
basketball season.
Has any,
who has seen
a basketball game?
Raise your hand.
Just want to know
what I'm working with here.
Alright.
There is this
defensive play
called a full court press.
And what it is
is the offense
gets the ball
underneath their basketball hoop
and they need to get it
down to the other
basketball hoop.
And so what the defense does
is they come on
strong and furious.
They apply a lot
of pressure.
And the purpose
of a full court press
is to test the offense
to see how they can handle it.
And if you're watching
this on TV
and you see a full court press
going on
and you kind of focus in
on the offensive player
with the ball,
what you'll see
is one of two things.
That offensive player
is either going to panic
or he's going to call to mind
what his coach
has told him
and he's going to
persevere through the press.
He's going to break
the press.
He's going to be steadfast
under trial.
He's going to walk
through it
all the way through.
When God brings trials,
He's going to grow
our steadfastness in Him.
God delights
in a steadfast faith.
Steadfastness literally means
to bear up under weight.
Now the question
we can ask is this,
why does God like steadfastness?
What does He like about it?
Well, God is steadfast.
He Himself is steadfast.
The steadfast love of the Lord.
He's an ever-present
help in trouble.
He is our rock.
He is our fortress.
But what I want you to see
is if you turn your Bibles
over maybe a page
to the left
to Hebrews 12
verses 1-3,
we're going to see
that steadfastness
is Christ-like.
So turn to Hebrews 12
verses 1-3.
We read this,
Therefore,
since we are surrounded
by so great a cloud
of witnesses,
pointing back to chapter 11,
since we are surrounded
by so great a cloud
of witnesses,
let us also
lay aside every weight
and sin
which clings so closely
and let us run
with endurance.
That is the same word
translated steadfastness
or perseverance
in James 1.
So let us run
with steadfastness,
the race that is set
before us,
looking to Jesus,
the founder and perfecter
of our faith,
who for the joy
that was set before Him
endured the cross.
Again,
that's the word
for steadfastness,
perseverance,
despising the shame
and seated at the right hand
of God.
Jesus Christ
endured the cross
in order to save us.
The joy of our salvation.
Steadfastness,
a steadfast faith
is a Christ-like faith.
In fact,
He endured the cross
so that we can be like Him
when hardships come.
The deal is
the only way
to grow
in steadfastness
is to go
through trials.
It's the immediate result.
It's what God wants
to get done in us
when we encounter a trial.
So we've looked at
the purpose of trials.
They test us
to grow us.
The immediate result
is steadfastness,
faith under pressure.
The long-term goal
comes in verse 4.
If you look at it,
verse 4,
we see this.
And let steadfastness
have its full effect.
That word full effect
is getting at
the long-term goal
of trials.
What God is seeking
to get done
in the long haul.
You see,
steadfastness
is not an end
unto itself.
God brings trials,
grows steadfastness
over and over
and over again
in order to get
something greater done
in a long-term goal.
And you know
what that's called?
Maturity.
The way that James
talks about it
is like this.
And let steadfastness
have its full effect
that you may be
perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing.
Perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing.
And we all know
that the day we see Jesus,
it's all perfect.
Sin is gone.
No more trials.
What James is getting
at specifically here
is the maturity
that comes over time.
As we experience trials,
as we respond
with a steadfast faith
over and over,
that produces maturity.
And he describes it
positively and negatively.
Positively,
he describes it as
perfect and complete.
That word perfect
can also be understood
as mature
and complete.
That word means
well-rounded.
You know what the fruit
of the Spirit is?
Love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness,
goodness, gentleness,
faithfulness,
and self-control.
Just imagine
all this fruit
of the Spirit
showing up
in fuller and fuller
measure
in every area
of your life.
Every relationship.
Every situation.
Growing in greater
and greater measure.
He's going to round you out
and make you complete.
Negatively, he says,
lacking in nothing.
Not having a distracted focus.
Your undistracted focus
on Jesus.
An unblemished character.
When we put this stuff together,
perfect, complete,
lacking in nothing,
and you know what?
It starts kind of
sounding like Jesus.
The long-term goal
our Father has
for trials
is to make us like Jesus.
Mature.
The rationale James
is laying out here
is a process
in which God
uses trials
to stretch
and refine
our faith
to grow us
over time
to be more
and more
like Jesus.
Progressively
making His children
holy.
Trials are an essential tool.
Trials are necessary
to that end.
Our Heavenly Father
wants us to
share in His holiness.
We'll see that next week
out of Hebrews 12.
He wants us to share
in His holiness
so much
that He employs
various kinds
of trials
to refine us.
He values our holiness
more than our comfort.
In other words,
God considers
trials
good for us.
So,
having seen
the rationale
that we are to
consider
trials
joy
because
God's testing us,
He's seeking
to produce
steadfastness,
and the long-term goal
is Christ-like maturity,
because of that,
because we see that,
we know that,
we can have joy.
That when trials
come knocking,
we can welcome them
with joy
because God
is using them
for our good
even when they
involve a lot of pain.
When
hardship,
trials
come knocking,
we welcome them
with joy
because we trust
in our God.
so we've looked
at the command,
we've looked
at the rationale,
now I want
to gird your mind
up for this week.
I want
to help you
think a certain way
because you're
going to encounter
trials
of various kinds
this week.
When you
encounter
a trial,
when the heat
goes up,
when you feel
the stretch,
when you start
sensing pain,
when you
encounter
a trial,
you need
to fight
for joy.
And the way
you fight
for joy
is by calling
to mind
to consider
for we know
we call
to mind
truth
about our
God
in relationship
to the trial.
You fight
for joy
by calling
to mind
three truths
about God.
You ready?
God is
over it.
God is
in it.
And God
is using
it for our
good.
Will you say
it with me?
God is
over it.
God is
in it.
God is
using it
for our
good.
Over it,
in it,
through it.
Over it,
in it,
through it.
When you
encounter a
trial,
what comes
to mind?
God is
over it,
this trial,
He's in
this trial,
and He's
using this
trial for
my good.
He's
over it.
This is
not random.
This is
not some
freakish
random
event.
But God
is sovereign
over it.
Ephesians
1.22
God has
placed all
things under
the feet
of Jesus.
All
things.
He reigns
over it.
God is
sovereign.
It may
not feel
that way
when you
first encounter
a trial,
but that's
why we
call this
to mind.
Our God
is a
sovereign
God.
Our
trials
don't
reign over
our
God.
Our
God
reigns
over
our
trials.
He's
over it,
and God
is in
it.
God
is in
it
with
me.
God
is in
it
with
you.
He's
in it
with
us.
He
hasn't
left
us.
He'll
never
leave
us
nor
forsake
us.
God
is
right
here,
right
now,
and is
committed
to us
as ever.
He has
given us
His Son.
How will
He not
also give
us everything
we need
even when
we encounter
trials?
He's an
ever-present
help in
time of
trial.
He
loves
us,
and He's
not
going to
leave
us
hanging
when
we
go
through
a
trial
He
sends
for
our
good.
He's
with
us
in
it.
I
love
this
verse.
Isaiah
41.10
Fear
not,
for I
am
with
you.
Be
not
dismayed,
for I
am
your
God.
I
will
strengthen
you.
I
will
help
you.
I
will
uphold
you
with
my
righteous
right
hand.
I
have
set
the
Lord
always
before
me
because
He
is
at
my
right
hand.
I
will
not
be
shaken.
God
is
in
it.
He's
with
us.
He's
over
it.
He's
in
it.
And
He's
working
through
it.
You
know,
we can
overplay
Romans
8.28.
We
can
slap
that on
hardship
like
whatever.
Alright,
go have
a merry
day.
But
it's
true.
God
does
work
all
things
out
for
the
good
of
those
who
love
Him
and
have
been
called
according
to
His
purpose.
And
all
things
includes
trials.
He's
working
it
for
our
good.
So
when
we
encounter
a
trial,
if
I
know
that
God
is
going
to
work
through
it,
I
can
welcome
it.
With
joy.
Because
I
know
that
God
is
going
to
refine
me
so
I
can
share
in
His
holiness.
So
the
question
becomes
when
we
encounter
a
trial,
not
okay,
who's
to
blame
or
take
cover,
it
is
this.
God,
how are
you
using
this
to
refine
me?
How
are
you
using
this
to
round
me
out
to
be
like
Jesus?
What
are you
doing,
God?
Help
me
to
see
it.
So
this
week,
maybe
you're
a
mom
of
a
two
year
old.
You're
going
to
have
some
trials.
God's
over it,
He's
in it,
and He's
through
it.
All
of us
are
going
to
count
on
trials.
Over
it,
in it,
through
it.
Over
it,
in it,
through
it.
Over
it,
in it,
through
it.
God
is
over
it,
God
is
in
it,
and
he's
working
for
our
good
through
it.
We
got
to
remember
it.
We
got
to
believe
it.
We
got
to
speak
it
to
ourselves
and
others,
and
then
we
get
to
enjoy
it.
We
count it
all
joy,
my
brothers
and
sisters,
when
we
meet
trials
of
various
kinds,
because
we are
confident
in our
God
who
has
our
good
in
mind.
Let
me
pray.
God,
we
are
so
grateful
that
you
are
a
God
who
is
over
it
and
in
it
and
working
through
it.
God,
we
thank
you
so
much
that
you
bring
trials.
We
are
able
to
rejoice
in
that
because
we
are
confident
that
you
are
sovereign,
that
you're
with
us,
and
that
you
have
good
purposes
for
us
through
the
trial.
God,
would
you
use
it
for
our
good?
Would
you
teach
us
and
strengthen
us?
Would
you
bring
to
our
attention
areas
that
must
change
in order
to be
like
Jesus?
God,
we
trust
you.
We
love
you.
We
know
that
you
don't
bring
these
things
upon
us
for
our
ill,
but
for
our
good.
So
God,
we
look to
you,
and we
say,
have
your
way.
We
trust
you.
Our
joy
is
in
you.
And
it's
the
name
of
Jesus
that
we
pray.
Amen.