Good evening, everyone, and thank you, Peter and Beth, for reading and praying.
As Peter said, my name is Luca, if we've not met before,
and we're looking at the second section of James tonight together.
I wonder if you've ever heard of the deep sea anglerfish.
It's a very ugly, very rare fish that lives only in deep, dark waters.
You can Google it at home or pretend to be on your Bible app and we won't notice.
It's called an anglerfish because it literally goes fishing, and it goes fishing with a bait.
It has a sort of fishing pole protruding from its head, and at the end of it, it has glowing bacteria.
And this fishing pole is called a lure because they use it to lure their prey in.
And the fish prey is so intrigued by the glowing light that it's all it sees.
I will not pay any attention to the big fish behind the light ready to eat it.
That light is all it sees.
It forgets about everything else, and then it gets closer and closer until it's too late,
and it gets swallowed by the anglerfish.
James says that's us and temptation.
Last week, we read about trials, how the opportunities that God gives us to become more perseverant,
and ultimately to strengthen our faith.
Today, we've read about temptation and how temptation leads to death.
And what's interesting is that in the original Greek, the same word is used for temptation and trials.
And yet, James couldn't make it any clearer that they are very different things, opposites, in fact.
And that's why our translations use two different words.
And the main difference is the outcome of the two.
Trials lead to the crown of life.
Temptation leads to death.
So let's dive in and see what James tells us about temptation.
And we're going to split the passage into two sections.
We'll look at deadly desires from within in the first few verses, 13 to 15,
and saving truth from above in verses 16 to 18.
Deadly desires from within and saving truth from above.
The Bible is very clear on the fact that God tests us.
Abraham in Genesis 22 is an example.
God asks him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac,
on whom God's personal promise to Abraham of countless descendants entirely depended.
And John tells us in his gospel, in chapter 6, verse 5,
that Jesus tests Peter when he asks him where he thinks they could possibly buy enough bread
for the 5,000 people who gathered to listen to Jesus.
And so as James said a few verses before these,
the testing of our faith produces perseverance,
and perseverance makes us mature and complete until we receive the crown of life.
And Archie told us all about it last week.
But now James warns us against thinking that since God can allow trials,
then he's also responsible if we sin when we fail to resist temptation.
So he says in verse 13,
when tempted, no one should say God is tempting me.
For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.
And so he then gives us a very helpful description of the difference between the two.
And so while the aim of trials is to strengthen our faith,
temptation on the other hand is there literally just to make us fail.
Its whole aim is to get us to sin.
And see the steps in this process that James describes in verses 14 and 15.
Steps of a process that unfortunately we all know too well
from our own everyday personal experience with sin.
It all starts with desires.
But notice how it's evil desires that drag us away.
Because there is such a thing as good desires.
We all desire to eat, maybe to have a romantic relationship,
to be able to afford caring for ourselves and for our families.
But all of these desires can turn into evil desires.
When desiring food becomes gluttony,
when desiring a romantic relationship turns into adultery,
or desiring to earn money turns into greed.
And it's these evil desires that drag us away,
that lure us in and get us swallowed by the anglerfish.
And also the process does not stop there.
James uses another very powerful image,
conception and birth.
And so once desire has conceived,
once that line into evil desire has been crossed,
then it generates sin.
And sin can grow.
If we're unrepentant, we can let sin fester.
We can let it roam free inside of us
and let it grow and grow and grow.
And then when it is fully grown,
he says sin gives birth to death.
Giving birth to death.
What a paradox.
If we don't believe in Christ,
unfortunately the Bible is really clear.
If we're not a Christian,
we are headed for eternal death.
But James is warning us Christians in verse 15
about the deadly consequences
that unrepentant sin can have in our lives too.
He comes back time and time again in this book
to the importance of actions
that reflect our faith.
And so yes,
a gospel-believing Christian
can let sin grow over time
by not taking it to God in repentance
and not asking the Spirit for help
to keep fighting it.
It will lead us astray.
It will make us wander away from the truth
with terrible consequences for us
and those around us.
Just because we're saved,
we don't get a free pass
to let sin grow in us.
And James will say in chapter 5
that if we help a brother or sister
turn from the error of their way,
we will save them from death
and cover over a multitude of sins.
So do we see how different temptation is
from trials?
It's aimed at making evil desires
have the better of us.
It's aimed at making us just give up and sin.
And so for this reason,
temptation doesn't and cannot come from God
is what James says in verse 13.
God does not tempt it
and God is not tempted.
And I wonder if you're thinking like I did
the first time I read the passage
that actually God was indeed tempted
in the person of Jesus
when he was in the desert.
We can read about it
in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 4.
And he was tempted in the sense
that Satan tempted him.
Jesus was exposed to temptation
and he had desires
because he was fully human.
But he was also fully God.
And so his desires could not go beyond that.
God wouldn't let himself be enticed
by sinful desires like we do,
which is what temptation is about.
And so just as God cannot be tempted,
he also would never do that to us,
tempt us so that we sin.
Matthew 7 says that as a father,
he'd never give us a stone
if we ask for bread or a snake,
if we ask for a fish,
let alone lure us into sin.
The evil desires, says James,
come from within us.
They're down to our sinful nature,
to our condition of broken humans,
separated from God,
since sin entered the world in Genesis.
So if we were to think about
how we could apply this to our own lives,
I think one very direct application
from all of this is, of course,
let's not attribute to God any temptations.
If we ever think,
why would God make me sin in this or that way?
He just didn't.
The trials that we endure
and that strengthen our faith
are trials that we endure
because we are trying to live a Christian life.
But sins are our own doing.
They're our own choice.
And the challenges that we face
for having fallen into sin,
they have nothing to do with God.
What we're called to do is
draw near to God,
to resist temptation
when it comes our way.
And secondly,
as another application for us,
let's not play with fire.
We must not underestimate
the danger of evil desires and sin.
We have to learn to recognize sin
in its early stages
by being in communion with God,
by dwelling in his word
and letting the spirit
convict us of sin.
James gives us in these verses
a very stark reminder
that sin is serious business.
It doesn't matter how many years
I've been a Christian for,
how many generations
my family has been going to church for,
we are all vulnerable to sin.
And don't we know it all too well,
unfortunately,
how easy it is to underestimate sin,
how comfortable sometimes
it can feel to play with it,
to let that desire grow
rather than run to God
and get rid of it
there and then.
And so can I invite us all
to have a serious think about
what sins
we maybe are being too relaxed about?
Do we tend to join in
during banter at work
that we know brings anything
but glory to God
because it's just for a laugh
so we can make an exception?
Maybe sometimes we even make up excuses
that we're doing it
just to mingle,
to integrate,
so that we'll have opportunities
to evangelize.
Do we let jealousy
shape some of our comments
on that other family member
and it's fine
because it's family after all?
Or is it sexual sins
that we will not confront
because we just get
too much pleasure out of them?
I think we can all imagine
we all know
how all of this
can grow over time
and have deadly consequences.
So James tells us
sin is not something
that we get to feel
and be violent about.
Something that we know is bad
but we can let a bit of it in
because we will know
when to stop.
No, he says sin
is here to kill.
And so as Christians
we have no excuse
to dwell on it.
We must run away from it.
We must run straight to God.
And that's for us to do.
Helped by the Spirit.
God doesn't,
will not tempt us
but we must turn away from sin
and turn to him.
So let's not attribute
temptation to God
and let's take sin seriously
and not play with fire.
Let's move on to verses 16 to 18 now.
We've talked about
deadly desires from within
but thankfully
James does not stop
at this bleak picture
because verses 16 to 18
tell us that there is
a saving truth
coming to the rescue
from above.
He opens verse 16 with
don't be deceived.
He must have reasons
to believe that these Christians
are being deceived.
There's some sort of deception
going on
and maybe
they got things mixed up
or maybe they're exposed
to the teachings
of someone who did
or maybe he's just worried
that they'll misunderstand
the whole relation
between God's trials
and Satan's temptations.
So after explaining
what does not
come from above
he tells us now
what does
come from God
and that's
every good
and perfect gift.
Every good
and perfect gift
comes from above.
And he goes on
to give us
a spectacular
description
of our gift
dispensing God
and he does that
in just a handful
of words
in verse 17.
The father
of the heavenly
lights
who does not change
like shifting
shadows.
What else
could come
from such a God
other than
every good
and perfect gift?
I find that
there's nothing
like a good
reminder
that our God
is the creator
of the universe
the father
of the heavenly
lights
to give us
perspective
when we're
lost in the
chaos of our
everyday struggles.
Maybe you climb
up a hill
and look around you
maybe you just
watch the grass
on your lawn
grow out of
just rain
and sunlight
or maybe you
watch a David Attenborough
documentary
and remember
that if God
was able to
make all of
this happen
he must be
a powerful
a creative
a good
God
the father
of the heavenly
lights
who doesn't
change like
shifting shadows
and maybe even
better than a
David Attenborough
documentary
when it comes
to a sound
description of
God
would be the
Bible itself
which is why
we read
Psalm 145
it describes
that same
God
that James
is talking
about here
verse 9
of the psalm
says
a Lord
who is
good to
all
that's why
every good
and perfect
gift comes
from him
in verse
12
the psalmist
says
a Lord
whose kingdom
is covered
in glorious
splendor
because he's
the father
of the heavenly
light
he created
everything
that we see
and in verse
13
the psalm
says
a Lord
whose kingdom
is everlasting
because he
doesn't
change
like shifting
shadows
and I'd
encourage you
to read
the whole
psalm
again
maybe in
your own
time
maybe to
start the
week
tomorrow
it's a
really
uplifting
praise of
God
for who
he is
as a
good
a loving
a sovereign
and eternal
father
and so
just like
the psalmist
James wants
us to
realize
that all
of this
continuous
shifting
this instability
that is so
intrinsically
part of
our nature
as fallen
human beings
this constant
changing
and often
for the worse
if we're
honest
that we
live
day in
day out
this is
in no way
a trait
of our
God
so while
we're
dragged away
by our
desires
that then
give birth
to sin
and lead
to death
God
remains
unmovable
he's the
father
of the
whole
creation
and he's
been in
his splendid
kingdom
since the
beginning
and while
we're
shifting
or slipping
into sin
he stays
there
like a
rock
and what's
key in
all of
is in
verse 18
is that
he's not
just sitting
on the
clouds
looking down
on us
and scoffing
at our
incapability
to resist
temptation
he offers
us
salvation
he gives
us birth
through the
word of
truth
he says
and here's
that same
image of
given birth
that we
had in
verse 15
but this
isn't the
birth of
death
this is
our second
birth
as saved
children of
God
just like
Jesus had
explained to
Nicodemus in
John chapter
3
he gives
us birth
through the
word of
truth
and what's
the word of
truth
it's the
gospel
it's a
message that
Jesus
God's only
son
died on
the cross
for our
sins
and this
word of
truth
this message
of salvation
it has
such a
radical
effect
on us
that it's
like we're
born again
out with the
old
in with the
new
and how could
it be
otherwise
when accepting
the word of
truth
completely
subverts
the whole
of eternity
for us
we go from
eternal death
after this
earthly life
to eternal
life
there's a
beautiful
word in
verse 18
that I
missed the
first couple
of times
that I
read the
passage
and it's
chose
it says
that God
chose
to save
us
we have
to realize
that there's
nothing random
about God's
work in
our lives
there's God
who doesn't
change like
shifting shadows
didn't just
get fed up
with our
pleas for
help one
day and
then reluctantly
decided to
offer us a
way out of
our misery
no he chose
to give us
birth through
the word of
truth or in
other words to
save us from
eternal death
and give us
eternal life
instead
so let me
encourage us all
to think about
a very practical
application again
for all of
us to
yeah to
ponder on off
the back of
these verses
and especially
off the back of
James's exhortation
to not be
deceived in
verse 16
as I prepared
for this I
thought in
what ways
might I be
deceived in
21st century
Edinburgh
when it comes to
these truths
that James is
reminding us of
that every good
and perfect gift
comes from
God
and there are
so many ways
of thinking
so many
philosophies all
around us
that try to
undermine the
character of
God
and to be
honest some
might not be
that different
from what
was out there
2000 years
ago
a society
may be trying
to convince
us that the
God of the
gospel is only
one of the
many gods
that are out
there
or that God
doesn't even
exist and
everything that
comes our way
is the result
of chance
or perhaps
not that
things
happen by
chance
but as a
direct result
of our
actions
because we
are the
makers
of our
own fate
or maybe
we're told
that the
God of the
Bible
has to be
a mean
God
not the
source of
every good
thing
because he
allows us
to suffer
and so
like the
people that
James writes
to we have
to be careful
not to be
deceived
perhaps not
many of us
would recognize
any of these
statements
these philosophies
as actively
dangerous
for us
personally
nothing that
we would
ever easily
accept as a
truth
but we
certainly don't
want to make
the mistake
of letting
our guards
down
as Christians
we would
probably not
go around
saying that
we believe
that we are
the makers
of our own
fate
that everything
that happens
to us
is thanks
to us
but is that
what our
actions
and our
everyday
conversation
show
as we
live
have to
live
in an
individualistic
capitalistic
society
and so
I think
the question
for us
is where
do we
go
to get
our
understanding
of who
God
is
do we
go to
the word
of truth
as James
calls it
the gospel
or do we
let what
the world
around us
thinks
of God
slowly
but surely
get into
our heads
and in
turn
then inform
our actions
and our
words
how much
do we
actually
protect
our minds
and hearts
from the
current
world
thinking
do we
do that
by running
to the
only source
of truth
the word
of God
by regularly
sitting with
it and
listening to
God speak
to our
hearts
through it
and I know
from personal
experience
I imagine
many of you
would be able
to relate
that there
can often
be a
dangerous
imbalance
between
how much
time I
spend with
the word
of God
whether it's
by reading
it by
myself
listening to
sermons
praying
reading
Christian
books
compared to
how much
time I
spend letting
what the
world thinks
creep into
my heart
and mind
and it
does show
in subtle
ways in
how we
conduct
ourselves
in how
we speak
and how
we think
maybe in
how we
manage our
time and
money
so as a
Christian
where do I
get my
understanding
of who
God is
is it
the latest
Netflix
series that
I've been
watching
is it
the celebrity
that I
follow on
Instagram
is it
politics or
sport commentators
whatever you're
exposed to
even family
or friends
and I'm not
saying we'd
be repeating
verbatim what
any of these
people say
about God
but unless
I am in
communion with
him through
his word
and nothing
will raise a
red flag in
my mind
as I'm
exposed to
lies about
him and
they will
start creeping
in
and then
if any of
us are not
quite sure
where we
sit what
we think
about God
and the
gospel or
maybe we
think we're
sure it's
not for us
it's certainly
not the
truth then
I'll ask
you why
are you
basing that
on is it
what anyone
out there has
to say about
it are you
letting God
introduce
yourself himself
to you so
that you can
make an
informed decision
and yes there
are difficult
parts but you
might be surprised
how direct and
simple the main
message of
salvation actually
is and then
yes there will
be questions
and in which
case please do
come to us
him anyone in
the leadership
team anyone you
know from church
anyone in your
family who could
sit with you and
help you and
wrestle with God's
message
so as we conclude
tonight and as
we prepare our
hearts for communion
in a few minutes
let's take what
the word of God
teaches us through
James in this
passage our
condition of
broken sinners
is serious and
the responsibility
for our sins is
ours we cannot
look for
scapegoats and
God will
certainly not be
one if God
tests us it's
for our benefit
if we sin it's
because we don't
let the spirit
work in us and
we let ourselves
get dragged away
by our own
desires but it's
not God who put
the angler fish
there and when
we are attracted
by the angler
fish when we see
that lure dangling
in front of our
eyes and we
can't see anything
else what we
can't do what we
must do is just
turn around and
swim swim into the
arms of our
creator because he
is there offering
salvation the
creator of the
whole universe he
chose to save us
despite our sinful
condition Romans 5
8 reads that God
shows his love for
us and that while
we were still
sinners Christ died
for us and he
died to give us
birth and it's his
death that we're
going to be
remembering prayerfully
in a moment so
let's rejoice and be
thankful in the
knowledge that the
same word of God
that so clearly shows
us how unworthy we
are just as clearly
invites us to accept
the salvation that's
being offered to us
by the God who
dispenses every good
and perfect gift
let's pray
father we praise you
as the creator of the
whole universe father
father you are a rock
you don't change
you the same that you
always were
and we thank you for
your perfect gift of
salvation
we ask you to forgive
us for all the
things that we
attribute to you
father when we're not
in communion with you
when we're not
basing our thoughts and
words on what the
word teaches us about
you and we ask for
forgiveness for every
single time that we're
so ready to just jump
into sin and we thank
you father for that
word of truth for the
gospel for that
sacrifice that has
given us eternal life
and so father we ask
you we ask your spirit
help in resisting
temptation
in being aware of
sin father
and we ask you to help
us as brothers and
sisters father as a
congregation also point
each other to you and
look out for each other
when we're struggling
so father thank you for
for the good news in
your bible thank you in
your word thank you for
the good news in this
passage that you are our
savior father you've
chosen to save us we
cannot thank you enough
for this father
amen
you