you all to gather as God's people, to sit under his word and be taught. As Sam mentioned,
we are in a new series tonight looking at James at the end of hypocrisy, a series going
through the book of James with the aim to bridge the gap between the way God has called
us to live and the way we actually live. That we might live out of faith that reflects the
deep convictions of scripture, showing that we are a people saved by grace and therefore
such a conviction changes the way we live. Indeed, in this letter, we meet someone who
experiences the very grace of God, which radically changes his life. James was a brother of Jesus
and he grew up with him his whole entire life. But in the gospels, we are told that he didn't
follow Jesus. He didn't believe in him. John 7, 5 says, for not even his brothers believed
in him. And so James grew up with the very son of God in his own family. He heard every
single word he taught, everything he did and said, but he didn't follow him. He didn't believe
him. In fact, his whole family, we are told in Mark's gospel, thought he was crazy and said,
Jesus, stop doing that. Stop saying these things. They thought he was a bit of a lunatic.
But this is not, this wasn't always going to be the case for James. You see, in 1 Corinthians 15,
we're told this,
For I delivered you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in
accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in
accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to
more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. It wouldn't be until James came face to face with
the resurrected Lord Jesus, that he would come to believe all that Jesus had said and done,
that Jesus was the Messiah, that he was the Christ, the promised one to come and save people from their sins.
And so years on, James is now the leader of a church in Jerusalem, and he's writing this letter to strengthen
his brothers and sisters who are all dispersed across Asia Minor and into Europe.
They may live lives of faithfulness.
Indeed, it's not a stretch to suggest that James wants his readers to be so impacted
by the resurrection of Jesus as he was, and to see that it does change their life,
and it does make a difference in the way they live.
This book is not about moralism.
It's not a book of proverbs.
It's not a checklist to see how you are going in your faith.
This book, this letter, is written with a deeply held conviction
that the resurrection of Jesus changes lives forever,
and what our faith looks like in the public's place,
and how the resurrection, how the gospel shapes and changes our life.
And so with this in mind, let's pray.
Heavenly Father, we thank you so much that tonight we can gather as your people.
We can sit under your word and have you teach us.
And we just pray, Lord, as we read your word tonight,
as we look and start our series on James,
and looking at the issue of hypocrisy in our lives as Christians,
that you would challenge us, that you would rebuke us,
that you would lead us towards repentance for our sin,
but also, Lord, that you would encourage us,
you would strengthen us, and you would embolden us,
that you would help us to see that the gospel that we so clearly
and hold convictingly, that does change our life,
and it can influence the way we live.
And so, Father, we just pray tonight,
that tonight you would help us to see this in your word
and to live according to it.
We pray this in your Son's name.
Amen.
I don't know if you've ever read an email or a Facebook message
or a letter, if you still get letters,
and the very first line of the actual content of the Facebook message
or the email takes you back a little bit.
It's a bit abrupt.
It might be really offensive.
You might be a little bit blown away about what this person
is just saying to you from the word go.
And that's the kind of way I feel about James
with his opening statement.
It's abrupt.
It makes a huge presumption.
It's offensive in a way at first reading.
It says,
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,
whenever you face trials of many kinds.
That is crazy.
That is abrupt.
There's a bit of a punch in the face.
James, what part of our trials,
of our suffering,
are we to consider as pure joy?
Or all joy?
Is that even possible?
James doesn't want to waste any time here.
From the very beginning,
from the very beginning,
he writes to a bunch of Christians
wanting to show how our core
and deeply held convictions in the gospel of Jesus
impact our life.
And the very first conviction,
the very first implication of the gospel,
is a punch in the face
that turns our world upside down.
Consider it pure joy
whenever you face trials of many kinds.
Now, James is quick to show why.
We are to consider joy in trials
because they produce perseverance for our faith.
And we are told that the results of this perseverance
is our perfection, wholeness,
and lacking in nothing.
The gospel impacts us by shaping the way
we think about trials and about suffering.
And so in a world that's so obsessed with security,
with safety,
that fears danger and suffering,
the gospel turns on its head about suffering
and says you ought to consider these things pure joy.
They're not to be afraid, not to be feared.
We shouldn't see them as threatening,
but instead,
because of the way the gospel has impacted us,
we see them as pure joy.
Our sufferings and trials show us
that we aren't in control.
We can't do anything to assure
our complete protection and security against them.
But this is why we should consider it pure joy
when we experience suffering,
because it serves as a constant reminder
of our need to rely on God
and not on ourself.
Trials teach us lessons
about our need for God's sustaining grace
and humble us from thinking
that we can do life on our own.
And although the various trials
we might face in our life
might try to rob us of our joy,
in the end,
as we are told here,
they should only go to serve our joy
because our trials
always point us to our need of God.
Indeed, they remind us
of our need of God
and of how God has already provided for us
in His Son.
It can be hard to see how suffering
can achieve all this,
especially when we're in the midst of it all.
How can a good God,
who says He loves us,
allow for suffering to occur in the world
and in our life
and say,
consider it joy
because it's going to achieve
these things for you.
It's hard when we're in the thick of it all.
It's hard to see the bigger perspective
of what our trials
and our suffering
is achieving for us.
And this is why James goes on
to talk about the need for wisdom.
He says in verse 5,
if any of you lacks wisdom,
you should ask God
who gives generously
to all without finding fault
and it will be given to you.
As trials test our faith
that we might persevere,
proven in the end
to be lacking in nothing,
James points out
that we might be inhibited
in persevering
if we lack wisdom.
This wisdom
is not merely intellectual
or philosophical.
This is the wisdom
of the gospel
that impacts our life
and transforms
the way we view life
in regards to suffering
and trials.
It shows us
that we should not be afraid,
that we shouldn't feel threatened
by the experience,
but that we should see it
for what it really is,
an experience
that tests our faith
in order to preserve it,
to keep it.
But to see all this,
we need to embrace
gospel wisdom.
That should be
our first response
in suffering,
to ask God
for wisdom
in order that
we might respond well
and suffer well,
seeing it as a tool
for the preservation
of our faith.
The reason why
we struggle so much
with trials and suffering
is because we struggle
to see their purpose.
And especially
when you look around
at other people
in our life
who don't seem
to be struggling at all,
who seem to have it all,
who really in this world
don't like anything,
it can be really hard
to look at those people
and not think,
why can't I be like that?
Psalm 73
is one of those psalms
I think many of us
can relate to.
The psalmist
is lamenting
of his own struggle
and he opens with this,
truly God
is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart,
but as for me,
my feet
had almost stumbled,
my steps
had nearly slipped,
for I was envious
of the arrogant
when I saw
the prosperity
of the wicked
for they had no pains
until death.
Their bodies
are fat and sleek,
they are not in trouble
as others are,
they are not stricken
like the rest of mankind.
Like the psalmist here,
we struggle
to see sometimes
our neighbours,
our work colleagues
and even our friends
when they have it so easy,
who don't seem
to like anything,
who own their house,
own their nice car,
go on holidays,
and yet all the while
never seem to struggle
with any kind of suffering
or trial in their life.
They just cruise through life
and enjoy it
at every single point
while we
face so many sufferings
and so much trial,
which rob us
of our health,
our money,
and our relationships.
And so this can make it
just really hard
to simply accept
what the Bible
is saying here,
that we should consider
it all joy.
And not just that,
but to accept it
as not only
the right response
to suffering,
but as the best response
to suffering.
We have,
in the next few verses,
in verses 9 to 11,
what seems to be
a general proverbial teaching
on the poor
and the rich
and how the poor
will be exalted
and the rich humiliated.
But if we read closely,
I think we can see
James is applying
this gospel wisdom
and the way
it changes our view
on material wealth.
That it turns
on the world's head,
the world's view,
on what it means
to be perfect,
complete,
and lacking in nothing.
And so it shows
why we should have
a joyful response
and why that response
is the best response.
So verse 9 reads,
believers in humbler
circumstances
ought to take pride
in their position,
but the rich
should take pride
in their humiliation
since they will pass away
like a wildflower.
What we see here
is a picture
of the impact
the gospel wisdom
has both on the rich
and on the poor.
The lowly believer
takes pride
in his exaltation
for whilst they lack
in material things,
gospel wisdom
shows them
that they have
everything in Christ.
They lack nothing
spiritually.
Indeed,
it's very much like
what Jesus said
in Matthew 5
in the Beatitudes,
blessed are the poor
in spirit
for theirs
is the kingdom of God.
And the rich boast
in their humiliation
for although
they have had it all,
they didn't like
anything in life,
they had every single
material possession
you could possibly have
and they were fulfilled
and content
in this life.
Gospel wisdom
impacts them
by showing them
that their material
possessions
are nothing
compared
to what can only
be gained
in Christ's
eternal life.
Gospel wisdom
makes such pursuits
in wealth
and in material things
silly
and stupid
because they fade away
compared to
the gospel
which is eternal.
This little illustration
is loosely connected
to the theme of suffering
but the point
is that the gospel
turns our world
on its head.
What it means
to be whole,
perfect
and lacking in nothing.
that our wholeness
and perfection
is not dependent
on worldly
material things,
it's dependent
on Christ
and his work
on the cross
to make us whole.
This means
we look at our world
in a whole
new way.
We look at
our experiences
and our possessions
and our life
within a much
bigger perspective
than the here and now.
and this
includes
our trials
and suffering
which is why
we read in verse 12
following on from this
blessed is the one
who perseveres
under trial
because having
stood the test
that person
will receive
the crown
of life
that the Lord
has promised
to those who love him.
To those
who might lack
in this life
who otherwise
go through
immense suffering
and face trials
but persevere
trusting in God
they will receive
the crown of life.
They will live
with God
forever.
It's a great blessing
we have
as Christians
this promise
this wisdom
that comes
from the gospel.
For the world
the world today
is perplexed
about how to deal
with the issue
of suffering
of death
of trials
they don't have
an answer.
They pretty much
just say
ignore it
do your best
in pursuing
riches
and worldly things
and just hope
for a better outcome
hope for the best outcome.
But as Christians
we have been so
dramatically
transformed
by the power
of the gospel
by the death
and resurrection
of Jesus
which shapes
the way
we view life
as we view it
through the wisdom
of the gospel.
And what it tells us
is that suffering
and trials
whilst
are horrible
whilst
are painful
they are not
bigger
or more powerful
than God.
Indeed
God has proven
his power
over them
by using them
as a means
of preserving
our faith
and keeping us
on track
that we might
end up
perfect
and right
and whole
and lacking
in nothing.
And so we
as Christians
can do something
that's so
counter-cultural
that's so offensive
in our world
today
we can actually
take joy
in our sufferings.
I think it was
John Piper
who said
God is most
glorified in you
when you are
most satisfied
in him
in the midst
of lost
not prosperity.
What makes
God look so
good and so
worthy of
worship
is when we
can go to
God in the
midst of so
much pain
and trouble
and still say
God you are
good.
God you are
worthy.
Not when we
have it all
worked out
when in the
pit of despair
we can still
say God is
good.
That is the
wisdom of the
gospel played
out in the
Christian life.
God is
but the
question I
want to ask
is do we
actually take
joy in our
trials?
Do we truly
believe that in
the midst of
trials and
suffering that
the best response
to these trials
and suffering is
joy?
Do our lives
reflect joy?
God is in
control.
God is in
control.
He will take
care of us.
by believing
one thing and
doing another.
By saying we
live this way
but actually
living in a
totally different
and opposite
way.
And I think
for many of
us we take
great comfort in
this chapter here
in James 1.
And so when we
are faced with
times we often
verbalize to
ourselves and to
each other God
is in control.
He will take
care of us.
This is like all
according to his
plan.
But how often
do we see this
reflected in our
life, in our
actions?
We might have
speech that shows
that we've been
impacted by gospel
wisdom and say
the right things
in suffering but
has it impacted
our life and our
actions and the
way we live?
When I'm faced
with trials and
hard times I
struggle to always
run to God and
not to worldly
things.
And if I can be
honest, when I
feel the pressure
of life, when I
feel depressed and
unhappy because of
trials, I generally
turn to the gym.
I increase the
time I spend at
the gym hoping
that it will make
me feel good,
hoping that as I
continue to work
out I will be
able to build a
better image of
myself and feel
more whole and
feel more perfect
and feel like I
lack nothing
because I'm
working out.
And what also
goes hand in hand
with this is that I
might buy new
clothes as well
because I want to
portray this whole
image where I look
good and I feel
good and I look
perfect or I look
whole and I look
like I've got all
my problems all
sorted out.
All the while
though, I'm telling
myself and telling
others, no, no,
God's in control of
my life and he's
got a plan for
this and I'm
trusting in him.
At the same time
also encouraging
others in their
struggles and their
trials saying,
oh, don't worry,
God's in control.
Don't worry, God's
got a plan for your
life.
Except, you know,
my own actions
don't reflect that
in the way I'm
dealing with that
myself.
Now this is the
hypocrisy I see in
my life.
What might it be
in yours?
Where do you
turn to instead
of God in your
actions that
doesn't reflect what
you say and
believe?
If we could go
back for a moment
to the section on
wisdom, you may
notice I left out a
little bit there on
how to ask for it.
We're just going to
read it from verse
six again.
But when you ask,
you must believe and
not doubt because the
one who doubts is
like a wave of the
sea, blown, tossed
by the wind.
That person should
not expect to receive
anything from the
Lord.
Such a person is
double-minded and
unstable in all they
do.
James says if we
want gospel wisdom
to help us see the
bigger perspective of
suffering, we must
ask and believe and
not doubt.
Now this belief is
more than just in
regards to believing
something will
happen.
Now this belief,
this command to
believe is more
tied to loyalty.
So James is
saying ask living a
life that's loyal to
God.
And so to doubt
then here is more
than just being
unsure that God's
going to give you
something or being
unsure something will
happen.
Doubt here is more
tied with the idea of
being divided.
It is to be unsure
where your loyalties
lie.
And we see this in
the illustration that
follows.
This divided person
is like a wave
tossed to and
fro.
He is unstable and
double-minded.
He is completely
divided in his
loyalty and so of
course he's not going
to receive anything
from God.
Is it possible that
this might be a
picture of us as
well?
Can we truly say
that we have been
impacted by the
wisdom of the
gospel saying true
things about it
when our lives
don't even reflect
it?
Is it possible that
we ask in a
divided manner?
Saying one thing
but living in a
completely different
way.
Saying we trust in
God and we know
he's planned for our
suffering but in our
actions we run to
worldly things that
make us feel whole,
that make us feel
like we lack nothing
but in reality leave
us empty.
James points out the
hypocrisy I think
many of us struggle
with.
We believe, we
believe so hard that
suffering and trials
must have a purpose
and do lead to the
preservation of our
faith but so often
our actions would say
otherwise.
What we do would say
otherwise.
And so James is
calling us to have an
undivided loyalty to
the gospel of Jesus.
To have a faith that
does not sit on the
fence or say one
thing and do another.
James is calling
believers as they
ask for gospel wisdom
to do so totally
trusting in God.
Giving him, giving
them, sorry God,
their undivided
devotion to him.
Both in speech and
in action.
we must look at our
actions and ask
ourselves if we are
divided in our
devotion to God,
saying one thing and
doing another.
And we must ask
ourselves, does that
need to change?
And what needs to
change?
However, we'll talk
more about that
throughout this series
as it comes up.
As we continue on,
we see that the result
may be if we remain
divided in our loyalty,
is that if we
abandon gospel
wisdom, is that our
trials and suffering
will lead us instead
to think that God is
to blame for them.
So if you look at
verse 13, it says
this,
when tempted, no one
should say, God is
tempting me, for God
cannot be tempted by
evil, nor does he
tempt anyone.
But each person is
tempted when they are
dragged away by their
own evil desire and
enticed.
Then after desire is
conceived, it gives
birth to sin, and
sin, when it's full
grown, gives birth to
death.
Again, what we read
here is very good
wisdom on its own, but
in its context, James
intends to say so much
more.
People who are divided
in their loyalty to
God, who don't have the
gospel wisdom to
perceive God's bigger
perspective, generally
end up blaming God for
their suffering and
trials.
They struggle to deal
with their suffering and
trials on their own, and
so they conclude it can't
be their fault, since it
must be God, since he is
in control.
It must be him who's
tempting them to live in
the opposite way.
Instead of seeing the
dichotomy between what
they believe about
suffering, and what they
say and do in response, as
an example of their
hypocrisy, they see it as
an example of God
tempting them.
They blame their failure
to do the right thing in
their response to
suffering on God.
James wants to correct
this, and correct us who
might think this way.
He says God cannot be
tempted, nor tempt anyone.
We are tempted by our own
evil desire, and when we
are enticed by sin to
sin.
And James tells us a
little more as well.
He tells us about the
effects of sin.
Interestingly, similar
effects to what trials are
supposed to achieve for the
Christian as well.
It says, then after the
desire has conceived, it
gives birth to sin, and
sin when it's full grown
gives birth to death.
The word full grown, the
word perfection earlier on,
come from the same family
of words in the Greek.
And so the reality is, our
response to trials and
suffering either puts us on
a trajectory towards being
made whole and perfect,
lacking in nothing, where we
get to enjoy God's presence
forever, or it puts us on a
trajectory where we don't see
the bigger picture of their
purpose.
We continue to seek our
perfection and our lacking in
nothing in earthly, material
things, and where we begin to
blame God when we can't
respond rightly, which
therefore leads us into sin
and then bringing death.
There is no middle ground
here.
Our response to trials and
suffering will either lead to
life or will lead to death.
This is why this is serious.
And we must ask ourselves, do
our actions reflect what we
believed?
Do my words and sentiments
about God's plan and power in
suffering actually match up to
the way I act and live in my
life?
Or is there a clear hypocrisy
between the two?
James starts with a punch,
doesn't he?
A massive punch.
But it's good that he does.
For he knows how big of an
issue suffering is for the
Christian and how perplexing it
can be for a Christian to try and
reconcile how a good God can
allow suffering to happen to
people who otherwise love him and
trust him.
He writes this to point out our
hypocrisy, which stings, which
hurts.
But he doesn't do it to condemn
us, but to implore us to adopt
gospel wisdom, that we might see
our suffering and our trials through
the lens of the cross and what's
achieving for us.
He knows suffering and trials can
rob us of our joy in this life, but
he is telling us that suffering may
harm us and it will harm us in this
life.
It will rob us of all that we have.
And it will take away joy in this
life, potentially.
But within God's great sovereignty,
suffering and trials cannot rob us of
our eternal joy in being saved in
Christ, in being his forever, in
knowing and being in relationship with
him.
suffering and trials only go to serve
such joy as it's merely an instrument, a
tool to preserve our faith.
And this comes from gospel wisdom.
This comes when we are impacted by the
gospel.
And so unlike the world, our security is
not in our stuff.
Our security is not in making sure that
we remain safe for the rest of our
life.
In making sure we have our insurances and
health insurances and car insurances and
a roof over our head.
Our security and our hope is in the
gospel.
It's in something far greater and far
more powerful.
gospel.
And this is why in the last few verses, in
response to those who would say God is
tempting them, he says this,
don't be deceived.
My dear brothers and sisters, every good and
perfect gift is from above, coming down from
the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not
change like shifting shadows.
He chose to give us birth through the word of
truth that we might be a kind of first fruits of
all he created.
Don't be deceived.
This is what we need to remember today.
Don't be deceived.
Everything that is good comes from God.
Everything that is perfect comes from him.
And dare I say it, included in these gifts are
suffering and trials.
Not that in and of themselves are they good gifts,
but in terms of what they achieve for us, what
they accomplish for us, God permits them.
And so therefore, they are good gifts and should be
seen as such because they are helping us in
persevering and preserving our faith that we might
be brought to a place of perfection, wholeness, where we
lack nothing for eternity.
They serve us in the end.
And that's the way, that's the, sorry, that's because
gospel wisdom shows us that they do.
And I think the best way we can see them as achieving this
purpose is by looking at the greatest gift that God has
given us.
Verse 18, he chose to give us birth through the word of
truth that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he
created.
The greatest gift that God has given us is life, which
came through his son.
And remember the way which the son was able to give us life.
The cross.
The cross, the greatest gift to humankind was one at the same
time, the greatest suffering of all time to any human.
I'll say it again.
The greatest gift to humankind was one and at the same time the
greatest suffering of all time to any human in history.
And so as Paul says in 1 Corinthians, this is a stumbling block to
the Jews saying that God died to save us.
And it's foolishness to the Greek for how can one man's suffering prevent our
eternal suffering?
How can one man's death bring us life?
But the reality is to us here who are called, who believe, to us here who have
been impacted by the gospel, it is the wisdom of God.
And it's this cross-shaped wisdom that now becomes the paradigm, the pattern of our life in the
way we view suffering and trials to come.
Instead of seeing them as life-taking, instead of seeing them as life-destroying, as joy-destroying,
we rejoice in them because the gospel shows us that they are life-preserving.
They are joy-giving.
And they are eternally so.
And so throughout all the struggles and hardships of life, throughout the times which we feel
our sufferings and our trials are just robbing us of our joy and robbing us of a life that
is fulfilling, we can say faithfully of the psalmist towards the end of Psalm 73,
whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Amen.