WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.700
 John chapter 15 on page 1083 of our Bibles.

00:00:07.900 --> 00:00:13.540
 So from John chapter 13 into chapter 17,

00:00:13.700 --> 00:00:18.559
 we have a teaching of Jesus to his disciples

00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:21.160
 the night of his arrest,

00:00:21.859 --> 00:00:24.920
 the night before his death on the cross.

00:00:24.920 --> 00:00:29.500
 And here in John chapter 15 and verse 18,

00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:32.659
 through to chapter 16,

00:00:33.100 --> 00:00:35.079
 Jesus begins to prepare the disciples

00:00:35.079 --> 00:00:39.259
 for what they will face for his sake.

00:00:40.100 --> 00:00:42.280
 So John 15 at verse 18.

00:00:42.980 --> 00:00:44.820
 If the world hates you,

00:00:45.480 --> 00:00:47.620
 keep in mind that it hated me first.

00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:50.200
 If you belonged to the world,

00:00:50.740 --> 00:00:52.299
 it would love you as its own.

00:00:52.659 --> 00:00:55.280
 As it is, you do not belong to the world,

00:00:55.539 --> 00:00:58.000
 but I have chosen you out of the world.

00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:00.659
 That is why the world hates you.

00:01:01.460 --> 00:01:03.299
 Remember the words I spoke to you.

00:01:03.880 --> 00:01:06.319
 No servant is greater than his master.

00:01:07.140 --> 00:01:08.500
 If they persecuted me,

00:01:08.859 --> 00:01:10.540
 they will persecute you also.

00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:12.719
 If they obeyed my teaching,

00:01:12.859 --> 00:01:14.379
 they will obey yours also.

00:01:15.039 --> 00:01:17.260
 They will treat you this way because of my name,

00:01:17.579 --> 00:01:20.079
 for they do not know the one who sent me.

00:01:20.920 --> 00:01:23.060
 If I had not come and spoken to them,

00:01:23.099 --> 00:01:24.579
 they would not be guilty of sin.

00:01:24.579 --> 00:01:27.980
 Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.

00:01:28.700 --> 00:01:31.379
 He who hates me hates my father as well.

00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:34.480
 If I had not done among them what no one else did,

00:01:34.539 --> 00:01:36.000
 they would not be guilty of sin.

00:01:36.620 --> 00:01:38.259
 But now they have seen these miracles,

00:01:38.420 --> 00:01:40.799
 and yet they have hated both me and my father.

00:01:41.640 --> 00:01:44.180
 But this is to fulfill what is written in their law.

00:01:44.759 --> 00:01:46.219
 They hated me without reason.

00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:48.140
 When the counselor comes,

00:01:48.219 --> 00:01:49.859
 whom I will send to you from the father,

00:01:50.299 --> 00:01:52.500
 the spirit of truth who goes out from the father,

00:01:52.500 --> 00:01:54.959
 he will testify about me.

00:01:55.500 --> 00:01:57.159
 And you also must testify,

00:01:57.840 --> 00:02:00.000
 for you have been with me from the beginning.

00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:02.299
 All this I have told you,

00:02:02.819 --> 00:02:04.359
 so that you will not go astray.

00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:06.840
 They will put you out of the synagogue.

00:02:07.099 --> 00:02:09.180
 In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you

00:02:09.180 --> 00:02:11.039
 will think he's offering a service to God.

00:02:11.819 --> 00:02:12.960
 They will do such things

00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:15.159
 because they have not known the father or me.

00:02:15.979 --> 00:02:16.960
 I have told you this,

00:02:17.020 --> 00:02:18.259
 so that when the time comes,

00:02:18.340 --> 00:02:20.740
 you will remember that I warned you.

00:02:20.740 --> 00:02:22.820
 I did not tell you this at first

00:02:22.820 --> 00:02:25.120
 because I was with you.

00:02:26.020 --> 00:02:28.020
 And then at the end of chapter 16,

00:02:28.060 --> 00:02:29.140
 just at verse 33,

00:02:29.780 --> 00:02:31.159
 as he concludes, he says,

00:02:31.240 --> 00:02:32.900
 I have told you these things

00:02:32.900 --> 00:02:35.420
 so that in me you may have peace.

00:02:35.960 --> 00:02:38.300
 In this world you will have trouble,

00:02:39.080 --> 00:02:40.140
 but take heart,

00:02:40.939 --> 00:02:43.000
 I have overcome the world.

00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:46.759
 And then in the letter of James,

00:02:48.099 --> 00:02:51.560
 as we begin to look at the letter of James this evening,

00:02:52.159 --> 00:02:55.099
 James chapter 1 on page 1213.

00:02:57.599 --> 00:03:02.240
 And we will read the first eight verses together.

00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:05.280
 So James chapter 1,

00:03:05.340 --> 00:03:07.300
 first eight verses on page 1213.

00:03:07.300 --> 00:03:12.560
 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

00:03:13.060 --> 00:03:16.600
 to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.

00:03:17.180 --> 00:03:17.680
 Greetings.

00:03:19.260 --> 00:03:21.580
 Consider it pure joy, my brothers,

00:03:22.180 --> 00:03:25.060
 whenever you face trials of many kinds,

00:03:25.620 --> 00:03:28.360
 because you know that the testing of your faith

00:03:28.360 --> 00:03:29.660
 develops perseverance.

00:03:31.060 --> 00:03:33.300
 Perseverance must finish its work

00:03:33.300 --> 00:03:36.439
 so that you may be mature and complete,

00:03:37.200 --> 00:03:38.680
 not lacking anything.

00:03:39.480 --> 00:03:41.460
 If any of you lacks wisdom,

00:03:42.020 --> 00:03:43.260
 he should ask God,

00:03:43.420 --> 00:03:46.300
 who gives generously to all without finding fault,

00:03:46.860 --> 00:03:48.520
 and it will be given to him.

00:03:49.200 --> 00:03:50.600
 But when he asks,

00:03:50.900 --> 00:03:52.760
 he must believe and not doubt,

00:03:53.400 --> 00:03:56.060
 because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea

00:03:56.060 --> 00:03:58.640
 blown and tossed by the wind.

00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:00.740
 That man should not think

00:04:00.740 --> 00:04:02.800
 he will receive anything from the Lord.

00:04:03.300 --> 00:04:05.300
 He is a double-minded man,

00:04:05.880 --> 00:04:08.540
 unstable in all he does.

00:04:10.040 --> 00:04:12.860
 Let's think together about what James says

00:04:12.860 --> 00:04:16.420
 regarding joy in trials.

00:04:17.860 --> 00:04:20.139
 I don't know if any of you are like me,

00:04:20.259 --> 00:04:22.680
 where sort of post-Christmas,

00:04:23.220 --> 00:04:24.480
 eating a lot of food,

00:04:24.620 --> 00:04:25.980
 typically not very healthy food,

00:04:25.980 --> 00:04:31.920
 you have new resolve for good diet and good exercise.

00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:33.920
 Well, I came up with my post-Christmas,

00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:36.080
 and I suspect it's becoming annual running resolve

00:04:36.080 --> 00:04:38.020
 at least three times a week,

00:04:38.520 --> 00:04:40.720
 which lasted about three days of that week,

00:04:41.000 --> 00:04:42.360
 because then the wind and the rain came,

00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:44.780
 and I discovered I am definitely a fair-weather runner.

00:04:45.420 --> 00:04:47.020
 You'll hear lots of people saying,

00:04:47.400 --> 00:04:49.460
 in terms of exercise and going to the gym,

00:04:49.560 --> 00:04:50.980
 no pain, no gain.

00:04:51.160 --> 00:04:53.040
 That's received wisdom,

00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:55.600
 only if you receive it.

00:04:56.860 --> 00:04:58.660
 You come to the book of James,

00:04:59.340 --> 00:05:00.819
 and we've got New Testament wisdom.

00:05:01.720 --> 00:05:03.360
 James, the half-brother of Jesus,

00:05:04.080 --> 00:05:05.720
 who describes himself interestingly,

00:05:05.939 --> 00:05:08.680
 not in terms of his biological relation to Jesus,

00:05:08.820 --> 00:05:10.620
 but in terms of his spiritual relation.

00:05:10.820 --> 00:05:12.180
 He is servant of God

00:05:12.180 --> 00:05:14.180
 and servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:05:14.900 --> 00:05:18.200
 He's writing to the Jewish Christians,

00:05:19.160 --> 00:05:21.160
 picture of the 12 tribes there in verse 1,

00:05:21.160 --> 00:05:22.880
 scattered by persecution,

00:05:24.260 --> 00:05:25.960
 and he is writing what's regarded

00:05:25.960 --> 00:05:27.460
 as New Testament wisdom.

00:05:27.720 --> 00:05:29.300
 But we might again say,

00:05:29.860 --> 00:05:30.140
 really?

00:05:30.720 --> 00:05:32.160
 James, is what you're about to say,

00:05:32.260 --> 00:05:33.200
 really, wisdom?

00:05:33.780 --> 00:05:35.140
 Joy in trials?

00:05:36.380 --> 00:05:38.740
 You can easily sound like an oxymoron, can't it?

00:05:38.780 --> 00:05:41.080
 Two things that just don't belong together.

00:05:41.220 --> 00:05:45.040
 How do joy in trials fit together?

00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:48.140
 Rather, we perhaps more typically,

00:05:48.340 --> 00:05:50.400
 when it comes to trials and suffering,

00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:53.840
 think in terms of fear.

00:05:55.420 --> 00:05:58.620
 We recognize the hurt that might come,

00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:02.280
 the cost that might be involved to us

00:06:02.280 --> 00:06:03.520
 on any number of levels.

00:06:04.340 --> 00:06:07.560
 So trials are something we typically look to avoid.

00:06:07.700 --> 00:06:10.060
 There is fear as a response.

00:06:10.060 --> 00:06:13.819
 Or another response is perhaps

00:06:13.819 --> 00:06:16.819
 to fixate on our suffering

00:06:16.819 --> 00:06:18.540
 so that's all we can see,

00:06:18.980 --> 00:06:21.740
 so that our very identity is bound up

00:06:21.740 --> 00:06:24.840
 with the trial that we are going through.

00:06:24.899 --> 00:06:26.079
 It's hard to see a way out.

00:06:26.199 --> 00:06:27.500
 It's hard to look up.

00:06:27.819 --> 00:06:30.519
 We find ourselves consumed by it.

00:06:32.600 --> 00:06:34.500
 Sometimes our attitude towards trials

00:06:34.500 --> 00:06:36.340
 is to forget.

00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:37.959
 Forget, perhaps,

00:06:37.959 --> 00:06:39.859
 that we've been there before

00:06:39.859 --> 00:06:42.159
 and we learned important lessons

00:06:42.159 --> 00:06:44.759
 in relation to Christian experience.

00:06:45.159 --> 00:06:46.739
 So we come to a new trial

00:06:46.739 --> 00:06:47.239
 and again,

00:06:47.519 --> 00:06:49.259
 we're asking lots of why questions

00:06:49.259 --> 00:06:50.159
 and what questions

00:06:50.159 --> 00:06:51.579
 and we can't see

00:06:51.579 --> 00:06:53.419
 that there can be any useful purpose

00:06:53.419 --> 00:06:57.019
 to serve in our suffering.

00:06:57.699 --> 00:06:59.139
 So we might ask James,

00:06:59.139 --> 00:07:02.399
 really, is joy in trials wisdom?

00:07:04.199 --> 00:07:06.519
 James gives us another response,

00:07:06.519 --> 00:07:07.839
 a fourth F,

00:07:08.299 --> 00:07:10.319
 and it's the F of faith.

00:07:11.479 --> 00:07:12.979
 There can be joy in trials

00:07:12.979 --> 00:07:15.159
 when we have Christian faith

00:07:15.159 --> 00:07:16.879
 and when we learn to look at them

00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:19.180
 in the right way.

00:07:19.419 --> 00:07:21.459
 So that's why I hope this evening

00:07:21.459 --> 00:07:22.779
 we'll be able to begin

00:07:22.779 --> 00:07:24.060
 to consider together

00:07:24.060 --> 00:07:26.539
 how can we look at trials

00:07:26.539 --> 00:07:27.299
 in such a way

00:07:27.299 --> 00:07:29.599
 that it's possible for us to have joy

00:07:29.599 --> 00:07:30.579
 because we understand

00:07:30.579 --> 00:07:32.019
 what God wants to do.

00:07:32.419 --> 00:07:33.639
 So three questions.

00:07:33.639 --> 00:07:35.699
 Our first question is

00:07:35.699 --> 00:07:37.819
 the most basic one, I suppose.

00:07:37.959 --> 00:07:41.579
 How can I have joy in trials?

00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:44.199
 Let me begin with a statement

00:07:44.199 --> 00:07:45.759
 and then we'll begin to see

00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:47.120
 how James unpacks it.

00:07:47.599 --> 00:07:48.259
 I'm going to feel like

00:07:48.259 --> 00:07:49.240
 I'm talking about myself

00:07:49.240 --> 00:07:50.159
 in the third person

00:07:50.159 --> 00:07:51.039
 for this whole series.

00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:51.779
 I can tell already.

00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:54.360
 As a Christian,

00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:58.079
 I can see through the trials

00:07:58.079 --> 00:07:59.099
 that God sends

00:07:59.100 --> 00:08:00.680
 to God's purpose

00:08:00.680 --> 00:08:02.520
 and that purpose

00:08:02.520 --> 00:08:04.180
 is mature faith

00:08:04.180 --> 00:08:06.820
 and Christ-likeness.

00:08:07.820 --> 00:08:08.920
 Let's look at verses

00:08:08.920 --> 00:08:10.280
 two to four together.

00:08:11.280 --> 00:08:11.740
 Begins,

00:08:11.860 --> 00:08:13.460
 consider it pure joy,

00:08:14.020 --> 00:08:14.620
 my brothers.

00:08:15.180 --> 00:08:16.800
 We can have joy in trials

00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:19.020
 if we experience them

00:08:19.020 --> 00:08:19.580
 in the first place

00:08:19.580 --> 00:08:20.860
 as Christians.

00:08:21.040 --> 00:08:21.820
 That's the idea

00:08:21.820 --> 00:08:22.540
 of my brothers,

00:08:22.640 --> 00:08:23.260
 brothers and sisters,

00:08:23.379 --> 00:08:24.980
 as Christians.

00:08:24.980 --> 00:08:27.819
 The Christian faith

00:08:27.819 --> 00:08:29.480
 has a theology

00:08:29.480 --> 00:08:30.140
 of suffering.

00:08:31.620 --> 00:08:33.159
 It gives an understanding

00:08:33.159 --> 00:08:34.120
 to where suffering

00:08:34.120 --> 00:08:34.960
 comes from.

00:08:35.960 --> 00:08:37.080
 The fall of man,

00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:37.800
 Adam and Eve,

00:08:38.120 --> 00:08:38.940
 the fall of man

00:08:38.940 --> 00:08:39.740
 into sin

00:08:39.740 --> 00:08:41.100
 brought curse

00:08:41.100 --> 00:08:42.120
 and dislocation

00:08:42.120 --> 00:08:43.240
 and suffering

00:08:43.240 --> 00:08:44.840
 as a consequence.

00:08:46.180 --> 00:08:47.139
 Our theology

00:08:47.139 --> 00:08:48.720
 also gives God's response

00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:50.500
 to human suffering

00:08:50.500 --> 00:08:51.440
 caused by sin.

00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:52.259
 It's the gospel.

00:08:52.920 --> 00:08:53.639
 God himself

00:08:53.639 --> 00:08:54.559
 in Jesus Christ

00:08:54.559 --> 00:08:55.759
 enters into

00:08:55.759 --> 00:08:57.539
 a world of suffering

00:08:57.539 --> 00:08:58.580
 in order to

00:08:58.580 --> 00:09:00.179
 redeem us

00:09:00.179 --> 00:09:01.199
 and to give us

00:09:01.199 --> 00:09:01.600
 the hope

00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:02.600
 of eternal life

00:09:02.600 --> 00:09:04.399
 beyond suffering.

00:09:05.299 --> 00:09:06.600
 So the promise

00:09:06.600 --> 00:09:08.259
 of our Christian faith

00:09:08.259 --> 00:09:08.799
 is that

00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:10.480
 while we will suffer now,

00:09:10.600 --> 00:09:11.759
 there is glory

00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:12.840
 to follow.

00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:13.939
 There is freedom

00:09:13.939 --> 00:09:14.960
 from suffering

00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:16.379
 still to come.

00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:17.080
 That path

00:09:17.080 --> 00:09:18.080
 that Jesus walked

00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:19.100
 of suffering first,

00:09:19.240 --> 00:09:20.039
 glory to follow,

00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:21.139
 is the path

00:09:21.139 --> 00:09:22.399
 that all his followers

00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:24.799
 walk after him.

00:09:26.079 --> 00:09:27.340
 And in this theology

00:09:27.340 --> 00:09:28.039
 of suffering

00:09:28.039 --> 00:09:29.240
 that the Christian faith

00:09:29.240 --> 00:09:29.699
 has,

00:09:30.139 --> 00:09:31.419
 James introduces us

00:09:31.419 --> 00:09:32.600
 to another

00:09:32.600 --> 00:09:33.879
 significant idea

00:09:33.879 --> 00:09:34.600
 and it's this,

00:09:34.840 --> 00:09:36.379
 that the sovereign God

00:09:36.379 --> 00:09:38.019
 is able to use

00:09:38.019 --> 00:09:39.340
 our trials,

00:09:40.019 --> 00:09:40.879
 the suffering

00:09:40.879 --> 00:09:41.559
 we endure,

00:09:41.959 --> 00:09:43.539
 human evil even,

00:09:43.799 --> 00:09:44.579
 to accomplish

00:09:44.579 --> 00:09:46.259
 his good purposes

00:09:46.259 --> 00:09:47.480
 in the world

00:09:47.480 --> 00:09:50.519
 and in our lives.

00:09:50.519 --> 00:09:52.879
 And so as Christians

00:09:52.879 --> 00:09:54.659
 we have answers

00:09:54.659 --> 00:09:55.480
 in the Bible

00:09:55.480 --> 00:09:57.240
 to the problem

00:09:57.240 --> 00:09:58.220
 of suffering.

00:09:59.000 --> 00:09:59.840
 The Bible says

00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:00.799
 it has meaning

00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:02.360
 and in our Emmanuel,

00:10:02.579 --> 00:10:03.279
 God with us,

00:10:03.460 --> 00:10:04.519
 we also have

00:10:04.519 --> 00:10:06.460
 God's response.

00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:10.399
 We can have joy

00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:10.980
 in trials

00:10:10.980 --> 00:10:12.019
 as Christians

00:10:12.019 --> 00:10:13.879
 if and when

00:10:13.879 --> 00:10:14.799
 we can see

00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:16.480
 through the trials

00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:18.460
 to God's purpose.

00:10:18.460 --> 00:10:19.019
 purpose.

00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:21.840
 One thing that we recognize

00:10:21.840 --> 00:10:22.720
 is that James

00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:23.420
 is honest

00:10:23.420 --> 00:10:24.480
 and the Bible

00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:25.340
 is honest

00:10:25.340 --> 00:10:26.940
 that trials

00:10:26.940 --> 00:10:27.840
 and suffering

00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:28.980
 are part of

00:10:28.980 --> 00:10:30.120
 Christian experience.

00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:30.740
 Notice

00:10:30.740 --> 00:10:31.960
 verse 2,

00:10:32.060 --> 00:10:33.180
 consider it pure joy,

00:10:33.259 --> 00:10:33.680
 my brothers,

00:10:34.100 --> 00:10:34.639
 whenever,

00:10:34.800 --> 00:10:36.120
 not if you face trials,

00:10:36.200 --> 00:10:37.019
 but whenever

00:10:37.019 --> 00:10:39.000
 you face trials.

00:10:40.280 --> 00:10:41.360
 That was the preparation

00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:42.120
 Jesus gave

00:10:42.120 --> 00:10:42.840
 to the disciples

00:10:42.840 --> 00:10:45.400
 before he was to die.

00:10:45.580 --> 00:10:46.180
 Opposition

00:10:46.179 --> 00:10:47.179
 will be real,

00:10:47.319 --> 00:10:47.599
 hatred

00:10:47.599 --> 00:10:49.279
 will be real,

00:10:49.439 --> 00:10:49.759
 trouble

00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:51.039
 will come.

00:10:52.279 --> 00:10:52.699
 Of course,

00:10:52.779 --> 00:10:53.519
 Jesus offered

00:10:53.519 --> 00:10:54.459
 them real hope

00:10:54.459 --> 00:10:55.120
 as well.

00:10:56.099 --> 00:10:56.779
 You belong

00:10:56.779 --> 00:10:57.379
 to me,

00:10:58.179 --> 00:10:59.379
 I have overcome

00:10:59.379 --> 00:11:00.239
 the world,

00:11:00.759 --> 00:11:01.359
 but Jesus

00:11:01.359 --> 00:11:02.059
 is honest

00:11:02.059 --> 00:11:03.179
 about the cost

00:11:03.179 --> 00:11:04.479
 of discipleship.

00:11:05.959 --> 00:11:06.559
 What are

00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:07.539
 these trials

00:11:07.539 --> 00:11:09.059
 that James

00:11:09.059 --> 00:11:10.379
 speaks about?

00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:11.839
 These trials

00:11:11.839 --> 00:11:13.199
 are external

00:11:13.199 --> 00:11:13.919
 pressures

00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:15.719
 and those

00:11:15.719 --> 00:11:16.179
 are,

00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:17.740
 in some measure,

00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:19.279
 the suffering,

00:11:19.500 --> 00:11:20.939
 the human experience

00:11:20.939 --> 00:11:21.939
 that is common

00:11:21.939 --> 00:11:22.719
 to everybody

00:11:22.719 --> 00:11:23.559
 because we live

00:11:23.559 --> 00:11:24.120
 in a fallen

00:11:24.120 --> 00:11:25.539
 and a broken world,

00:11:25.819 --> 00:11:26.759
 but there is also

00:11:26.759 --> 00:11:27.379
 within that

00:11:27.379 --> 00:11:28.299
 the particular

00:11:28.299 --> 00:11:28.979
 suffering

00:11:28.979 --> 00:11:30.419
 that people experience

00:11:30.419 --> 00:11:31.000
 for being

00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:31.860
 a Christian.

00:11:31.959 --> 00:11:32.740
 As Jesus said,

00:11:33.059 --> 00:11:33.740
 you'll be hated

00:11:33.740 --> 00:11:35.779
 as my followers.

00:11:37.599 --> 00:11:38.799
 But notice

00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:39.299
 that James

00:11:39.299 --> 00:11:39.799
 deliberately

00:11:39.799 --> 00:11:40.699
 keeps things

00:11:40.699 --> 00:11:41.679
 vague

00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:42.620
 and broad

00:11:42.620 --> 00:11:43.399
 rather than

00:11:43.399 --> 00:11:44.039
 specific.

00:11:44.259 --> 00:11:44.699
 Whenever you

00:11:44.699 --> 00:11:45.659
 face trials

00:11:45.659 --> 00:11:47.739
 of many kinds,

00:11:47.819 --> 00:11:48.739
 this is a general

00:11:48.739 --> 00:11:49.979
 principle he is

00:11:49.979 --> 00:11:50.739
 introducing.

00:11:51.879 --> 00:11:52.659
 In the letter

00:11:52.659 --> 00:11:53.079
 of James,

00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:53.719
 you see some

00:11:53.719 --> 00:11:54.479
 of the trials

00:11:54.479 --> 00:11:55.559
 that Christians

00:11:55.559 --> 00:11:56.039
 experience.

00:11:56.479 --> 00:11:56.979
 He'll talk

00:11:56.979 --> 00:11:57.639
 about poverty,

00:11:58.479 --> 00:11:58.959
 he'll talk

00:11:58.959 --> 00:11:59.719
 about injustice

00:11:59.719 --> 00:12:01.139
 and conflict

00:12:01.139 --> 00:12:02.239
 and sickness

00:12:02.239 --> 00:12:03.079
 and grief

00:12:03.079 --> 00:12:03.620
 to name

00:12:03.620 --> 00:12:05.339
 just some.

00:12:05.340 --> 00:12:09.740
 So then it's

00:12:09.740 --> 00:12:10.780
 perhaps surprising

00:12:10.780 --> 00:12:11.639
 that he issues

00:12:11.639 --> 00:12:12.160
 the command

00:12:12.160 --> 00:12:12.820
 that he does

00:12:12.820 --> 00:12:13.620
 in verse 2.

00:12:14.580 --> 00:12:15.019
 The command

00:12:15.019 --> 00:12:16.080
 is to consider

00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:18.139
 it pure joy

00:12:18.139 --> 00:12:19.460
 whenever you

00:12:19.460 --> 00:12:20.139
 face trials

00:12:20.139 --> 00:12:20.879
 of many kinds.

00:12:20.980 --> 00:12:21.100
 Now,

00:12:21.820 --> 00:12:22.780
 he's not saying,

00:12:22.840 --> 00:12:23.399
 and we'll notice

00:12:23.399 --> 00:12:23.700
 this,

00:12:23.740 --> 00:12:24.280
 he's not saying

00:12:24.280 --> 00:12:25.080
 we should go

00:12:25.080 --> 00:12:25.720
 out of our way

00:12:25.720 --> 00:12:26.740
 to seek out

00:12:26.740 --> 00:12:27.280
 suffering.

00:12:28.180 --> 00:12:28.879
 We shouldn't

00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:29.360
 be looking

00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:29.940
 for ways

00:12:29.940 --> 00:12:30.980
 to beat

00:12:30.980 --> 00:12:31.900
 ourselves up

00:12:31.900 --> 00:12:32.540
 and to make

00:12:32.540 --> 00:12:33.400
 our life

00:12:33.400 --> 00:12:34.660
 more difficult.

00:12:34.659 --> 00:12:36.459
 nor is

00:12:36.459 --> 00:12:37.059
 the Bible

00:12:37.059 --> 00:12:37.699
 saying to us

00:12:37.699 --> 00:12:38.299
 we should put

00:12:38.299 --> 00:12:39.219
 on a happy

00:12:39.219 --> 00:12:41.000
 face in pain

00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:41.779
 and act like

00:12:41.779 --> 00:12:42.379
 we are full

00:12:42.379 --> 00:12:42.860
 of joy

00:12:42.860 --> 00:12:44.079
 when our life

00:12:44.079 --> 00:12:44.639
 is falling

00:12:44.639 --> 00:12:45.259
 apart.

00:12:47.299 --> 00:12:47.980
 Rather,

00:12:48.779 --> 00:12:49.779
 we can consider

00:12:49.779 --> 00:12:50.620
 our trials

00:12:50.620 --> 00:12:52.100
 joy because,

00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:53.059
 verse 3,

00:12:53.179 --> 00:12:53.959
 because of

00:12:53.959 --> 00:12:54.759
 what God

00:12:54.759 --> 00:12:56.219
 is doing.

00:12:57.240 --> 00:12:58.379
 There is joy

00:12:58.379 --> 00:12:59.740
 as we see

00:12:59.740 --> 00:13:00.579
 through our

00:13:00.579 --> 00:13:01.159
 trials

00:13:01.159 --> 00:13:02.439
 to God's

00:13:02.439 --> 00:13:02.860
 purpose.

00:13:03.419 --> 00:13:04.159
 When we see

00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:04.679
 that God

00:13:04.679 --> 00:13:06.000
 hasn't abandoned

00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:06.319
 us,

00:13:06.379 --> 00:13:06.779
 but rather

00:13:06.779 --> 00:13:07.579
 is working

00:13:07.579 --> 00:13:08.699
 in us

00:13:08.699 --> 00:13:09.159
 and in

00:13:09.159 --> 00:13:09.740
 those trials

00:13:09.740 --> 00:13:10.319
 to give us

00:13:10.319 --> 00:13:10.959
 a mature

00:13:10.959 --> 00:13:11.719
 faith

00:13:11.719 --> 00:13:13.000
 to conform

00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:13.719
 us into

00:13:13.719 --> 00:13:14.240
 the image

00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:14.659
 of Christ,

00:13:14.740 --> 00:13:15.139
 then we can

00:13:15.139 --> 00:13:15.919
 have joy

00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:17.819
 in our

00:13:17.819 --> 00:13:18.379
 trials.

00:13:20.339 --> 00:13:21.219
 I had a

00:13:21.219 --> 00:13:21.719
 triumph

00:13:21.719 --> 00:13:23.000
 over the

00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:23.299
 Christmas

00:13:23.299 --> 00:13:23.819
 holidays.

00:13:24.919 --> 00:13:26.339
 As a kid,

00:13:26.419 --> 00:13:27.179
 I grew up

00:13:27.179 --> 00:13:28.500
 with our

00:13:28.500 --> 00:13:29.439
 local news

00:13:29.439 --> 00:13:29.860
 agent

00:13:29.860 --> 00:13:30.860
 having

00:13:30.860 --> 00:13:32.060
 magic eye

00:13:32.060 --> 00:13:32.600
 posters

00:13:32.600 --> 00:13:33.740
 for sale.

00:13:34.259 --> 00:13:34.500
 If you

00:13:34.500 --> 00:13:34.700
 don't know

00:13:34.700 --> 00:13:35.139
 what magic

00:13:35.139 --> 00:13:35.419
 eye

00:13:35.419 --> 00:13:35.720
 posters

00:13:35.720 --> 00:13:35.940
 are,

00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:36.139
 there's

00:13:36.139 --> 00:13:36.340
 those

00:13:36.340 --> 00:13:37.240
 pictures

00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:37.580
 that

00:13:37.580 --> 00:13:37.980
 were

00:13:37.980 --> 00:13:38.180
 just

00:13:38.180 --> 00:13:38.500
 a

00:13:38.500 --> 00:13:38.919
 collection

00:13:38.919 --> 00:13:39.139
 of

00:13:39.139 --> 00:13:39.600
 random

00:13:39.600 --> 00:13:40.580
 shapes

00:13:40.580 --> 00:13:41.259
 and colours

00:13:41.259 --> 00:13:42.019
 and you

00:13:42.019 --> 00:13:42.360
 had to

00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:42.759
 sort of

00:13:42.759 --> 00:13:43.779
 go cross-eyed

00:13:43.779 --> 00:13:44.180
 and look

00:13:44.180 --> 00:13:44.379
 at them

00:13:44.379 --> 00:13:44.820
 in a certain

00:13:44.820 --> 00:13:45.639
 way and

00:13:45.639 --> 00:13:46.019
 then these

00:13:46.019 --> 00:13:46.440
 wonderful

00:13:46.440 --> 00:13:47.139
 images would

00:13:47.139 --> 00:13:47.419
 appear.

00:13:47.539 --> 00:13:47.659
 Well,

00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:48.080
 I have

00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:48.580
 never

00:13:48.580 --> 00:13:49.460
 been able

00:13:49.460 --> 00:13:49.740
 to see

00:13:49.740 --> 00:13:50.060
 one of

00:13:50.060 --> 00:13:50.220
 these

00:13:50.220 --> 00:13:50.759
 magic eye

00:13:50.759 --> 00:13:51.039
 pictures

00:13:51.039 --> 00:13:51.560
 until the

00:13:51.560 --> 00:13:51.779
 Christmas

00:13:51.779 --> 00:13:52.180
 holidays

00:13:52.180 --> 00:13:53.360
 and I

00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:53.720
 was very

00:13:53.720 --> 00:13:54.080
 delighted

00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:55.060
 because the

00:13:55.060 --> 00:13:55.560
 instruction

00:13:55.559 --> 00:13:56.339
 all of a

00:13:56.339 --> 00:13:56.479
 sudden

00:13:56.479 --> 00:13:56.739
 made

00:13:56.739 --> 00:13:57.059
 sense.

00:13:57.159 --> 00:13:57.479
 It said,

00:13:57.839 --> 00:13:58.000
 if you

00:13:58.000 --> 00:13:58.179
 want to

00:13:58.179 --> 00:13:58.519
 see this

00:13:58.519 --> 00:13:58.779
 picture,

00:13:58.879 --> 00:13:59.079
 you need

00:13:59.079 --> 00:13:59.539
 to focus

00:13:59.539 --> 00:14:00.299
 not on

00:14:00.299 --> 00:14:01.059
 the page,

00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:01.919
 you need

00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:02.439
 to focus

00:14:02.439 --> 00:14:03.319
 beyond

00:14:03.319 --> 00:14:04.019
 the page.

00:14:04.479 --> 00:14:04.799
 When I

00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:05.279
 did that,

00:14:05.500 --> 00:14:05.859
 it all

00:14:05.859 --> 00:14:06.539
 became clear.

00:14:06.659 --> 00:14:07.599
 From a

00:14:07.599 --> 00:14:07.939
 chaotic

00:14:07.939 --> 00:14:08.500
 pattern

00:14:08.500 --> 00:14:10.399
 came a

00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:11.059
 nice animal

00:14:11.059 --> 00:14:11.539
 picture.

00:14:12.259 --> 00:14:12.939
 When we

00:14:12.939 --> 00:14:13.719
 are facing

00:14:13.719 --> 00:14:14.939
 trials and

00:14:14.939 --> 00:14:15.699
 life seems

00:14:15.699 --> 00:14:16.139
 chaos,

00:14:16.479 --> 00:14:17.159
 how do we

00:14:17.159 --> 00:14:18.099
 look through

00:14:18.099 --> 00:14:19.339
 to see

00:14:19.339 --> 00:14:19.699
 God's

00:14:19.699 --> 00:14:19.979
 purpose?

00:14:20.099 --> 00:14:20.759
 What picture

00:14:20.759 --> 00:14:21.319
 is God

00:14:21.319 --> 00:14:22.199
 wanting us

00:14:22.199 --> 00:14:22.699
 to see?

00:14:23.019 --> 00:14:23.599
 What is it

00:14:23.599 --> 00:14:24.019
 that we need

00:14:24.019 --> 00:14:24.799
 to focus

00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:25.399
 on

00:14:25.399 --> 00:14:26.240
 through

00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:26.759
 and

00:14:26.759 --> 00:14:27.399
 beyond

00:14:27.399 --> 00:14:28.240
 our

00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:28.959
 trials?

00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:30.759
 And it's

00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:31.500
 this reality

00:14:31.500 --> 00:14:32.179
 that God

00:14:32.179 --> 00:14:32.699
 has a

00:14:32.699 --> 00:14:33.100
 purpose.

00:14:33.860 --> 00:14:34.279
 God has

00:14:34.279 --> 00:14:34.759
 a purpose

00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:35.459
 to grow

00:14:35.459 --> 00:14:36.459
 our faith

00:14:36.459 --> 00:14:37.480
 and to

00:14:37.480 --> 00:14:37.939
 make us

00:14:37.939 --> 00:14:39.039
 more like

00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:39.720
 Jesus.

00:14:40.959 --> 00:14:41.199
 Verse

00:14:41.199 --> 00:14:41.559
 three,

00:14:42.439 --> 00:14:43.159
 consider it

00:14:43.159 --> 00:14:44.439
 joy because

00:14:44.439 --> 00:14:45.559
 you know

00:14:45.559 --> 00:14:45.939
 that the

00:14:45.939 --> 00:14:46.759
 testing of

00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:47.639
 your faith

00:14:47.639 --> 00:14:49.079
 develops

00:14:49.079 --> 00:14:49.919
 perseverance.

00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:51.840
 There's a

00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:52.379
 testing

00:14:52.379 --> 00:14:53.240
 process.

00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:54.319
 It's the

00:14:54.319 --> 00:14:55.039
 idea of

00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:55.779
 a refining

00:14:55.779 --> 00:14:56.439
 process,

00:14:56.599 --> 00:14:57.620
 of dross

00:14:57.620 --> 00:14:58.439
 being burned

00:14:58.439 --> 00:14:58.939
 away,

00:14:59.319 --> 00:15:00.159
 leaving the

00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:01.059
 pure gold

00:15:01.059 --> 00:15:01.779
 behind.

00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:03.219
 Trials

00:15:03.219 --> 00:15:03.839
 have that

00:15:03.839 --> 00:15:04.839
 effect on

00:15:04.839 --> 00:15:05.319
 us as

00:15:05.319 --> 00:15:05.679
 Christians.

00:15:05.819 --> 00:15:06.179
 In different

00:15:06.179 --> 00:15:06.480
 ways,

00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:07.139
 perhaps that

00:15:07.139 --> 00:15:08.599
 dross is

00:15:08.599 --> 00:15:09.939
 to make us

00:15:09.939 --> 00:15:10.919
 once again

00:15:10.919 --> 00:15:12.240
 devoted and

00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:13.279
 dependent on

00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:13.719
 God.

00:15:14.539 --> 00:15:15.319
 Sometimes it's

00:15:15.319 --> 00:15:16.039
 in trials

00:15:16.039 --> 00:15:16.819
 that we

00:15:16.819 --> 00:15:17.699
 realize the

00:15:17.699 --> 00:15:18.879
 choking effects

00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:20.019
 of idols

00:15:20.019 --> 00:15:21.219
 in our lives

00:15:21.219 --> 00:15:21.639
 that we are

00:15:21.639 --> 00:15:22.579
 living for

00:15:22.580 --> 00:15:23.220
 other things

00:15:23.220 --> 00:15:23.520
 and it's

00:15:23.520 --> 00:15:24.240
 only as we

00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:24.840
 suffer that

00:15:24.840 --> 00:15:25.620
 we realize

00:15:25.620 --> 00:15:26.520
 that nothing

00:15:26.520 --> 00:15:27.420
 else ultimately

00:15:27.420 --> 00:15:27.980
 can help

00:15:27.980 --> 00:15:29.120
 except for

00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:30.340
 our God

00:15:30.340 --> 00:15:31.000
 and Savior.

00:15:32.340 --> 00:15:33.139
 Perhaps the

00:15:33.139 --> 00:15:34.280
 dross that

00:15:34.280 --> 00:15:35.100
 trials burn

00:15:35.100 --> 00:15:35.740
 away is that

00:15:35.740 --> 00:15:36.720
 sense of

00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:38.200
 self-reliance

00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:38.759
 when all is

00:15:38.759 --> 00:15:39.379
 going well.

00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:40.320
 We can imagine

00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:41.020
 we have the

00:15:41.020 --> 00:15:42.040
 natural resources

00:15:42.040 --> 00:15:42.920
 to deal with

00:15:42.920 --> 00:15:43.700
 the situations

00:15:43.700 --> 00:15:44.400
 we face

00:15:44.400 --> 00:15:45.300
 and it's only

00:15:45.300 --> 00:15:45.900
 when we get

00:15:45.900 --> 00:15:46.560
 in above our

00:15:46.560 --> 00:15:47.379
 heads that we

00:15:47.379 --> 00:15:48.600
 cry out to

00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:49.100
 God and we

00:15:49.100 --> 00:15:50.200
 return to

00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:51.020
 Him perhaps.

00:15:52.740 --> 00:15:53.680
 Sometimes that

00:15:53.680 --> 00:15:54.960
 testing process

00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:56.360
 reveals to us

00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:56.879
 that we've been

00:15:56.879 --> 00:15:58.100
 squeezed into

00:15:58.100 --> 00:15:58.840
 the world's

00:15:58.840 --> 00:15:59.220
 mold, that

00:15:59.220 --> 00:15:59.580
 we've been

00:15:59.580 --> 00:16:00.840
 looking at

00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:01.800
 things and

00:16:01.800 --> 00:16:03.620
 considering truth

00:16:03.620 --> 00:16:04.420
 from the wrong

00:16:04.420 --> 00:16:05.240
 point of view

00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:06.320
 and again these

00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:07.220
 trials have the

00:16:07.220 --> 00:16:08.220
 process of

00:16:08.220 --> 00:16:09.280
 turning us

00:16:09.280 --> 00:16:09.860
 back, they

00:16:09.860 --> 00:16:10.759
 bring us to

00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:11.920
 repentance.

00:16:13.800 --> 00:16:14.820
 So there is a

00:16:14.820 --> 00:16:15.960
 refining process

00:16:15.960 --> 00:16:16.860
 that goes on

00:16:16.860 --> 00:16:17.879
 and it goes on

00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:19.259
 so that the

00:16:19.259 --> 00:16:20.040
 testing of our

00:16:20.039 --> 00:16:20.579
 faith would

00:16:20.579 --> 00:16:21.199
 develop

00:16:21.199 --> 00:16:22.679
 perseverance,

00:16:23.959 --> 00:16:24.360
 that it would

00:16:24.360 --> 00:16:25.379
 develop in us

00:16:25.379 --> 00:16:26.639
 staying power.

00:16:27.059 --> 00:16:28.279
 In the face of

00:16:28.279 --> 00:16:29.740
 adversity we are

00:16:29.740 --> 00:16:30.379
 not going to

00:16:30.379 --> 00:16:31.039
 give up, we're

00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:31.659
 not going to

00:16:31.659 --> 00:16:33.139
 be those fair

00:16:33.139 --> 00:16:34.019
 weather runners

00:16:34.019 --> 00:16:35.980
 that go with

00:16:35.980 --> 00:16:36.919
 God when all is

00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:37.759
 well but when

00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:38.659
 we face trial

00:16:38.659 --> 00:16:39.839
 we are going to

00:16:39.839 --> 00:16:40.500
 sit on the

00:16:40.500 --> 00:16:40.980
 sidelines.

00:16:41.159 --> 00:16:42.539
 No, perseverance

00:16:42.539 --> 00:16:43.620
 is God's

00:16:43.620 --> 00:16:44.219
 intention.

00:16:46.719 --> 00:16:47.679
 Just as an

00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:48.699
 exercise our

00:16:48.699 --> 00:16:49.439
 muscles are

00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:51.300
 built by a

00:16:51.300 --> 00:16:52.100
 process of

00:16:52.100 --> 00:16:54.240
 resistance so

00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:55.280
 the muscle of

00:16:55.280 --> 00:16:56.260
 faith grows

00:16:56.260 --> 00:16:57.600
 strong against

00:16:57.600 --> 00:16:58.440
 the resistance

00:16:58.440 --> 00:16:59.420
 of trials.

00:17:00.680 --> 00:17:01.640
 It's trials that

00:17:01.640 --> 00:17:02.800
 test how strong

00:17:02.800 --> 00:17:03.860
 our faith is and

00:17:03.860 --> 00:17:05.019
 allows our faith

00:17:05.019 --> 00:17:06.600
 to grow and

00:17:06.600 --> 00:17:07.940
 develop with

00:17:07.940 --> 00:17:09.380
 God's intention,

00:17:10.380 --> 00:17:11.640
 verse 4,

00:17:11.980 --> 00:17:13.059
 that we may be

00:17:13.059 --> 00:17:14.700
 mature and

00:17:14.700 --> 00:17:16.600
 complete, not

00:17:16.599 --> 00:17:18.000
 lacking anything.

00:17:18.259 --> 00:17:19.000
 Perseverance

00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:20.119
 must finish its

00:17:20.119 --> 00:17:21.359
 work so that

00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:21.819
 you may be

00:17:21.819 --> 00:17:23.099
 mature and

00:17:23.099 --> 00:17:24.719
 complete, not

00:17:24.719 --> 00:17:26.659
 lacking anything.

00:17:27.459 --> 00:17:28.500
 That we would be

00:17:28.500 --> 00:17:30.199
 able to give a

00:17:30.199 --> 00:17:31.639
 Christian response

00:17:31.639 --> 00:17:33.879
 as we suffer,

00:17:34.679 --> 00:17:35.679
 that we might be

00:17:35.679 --> 00:17:37.119
 dedicated to doing

00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:38.179
 the will of God

00:17:38.179 --> 00:17:39.539
 and being concerned

00:17:39.539 --> 00:17:40.480
 for the glory of

00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:41.879
 God even as

00:17:41.879 --> 00:17:43.219
 life perhaps

00:17:43.220 --> 00:17:44.220
 becomes difficult

00:17:44.220 --> 00:17:45.380
 or chaotic.

00:17:46.660 --> 00:17:47.059
 We can think

00:17:47.059 --> 00:17:47.339
 about the

00:17:47.339 --> 00:17:48.000
 example of

00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:49.539
 Job after

00:17:49.539 --> 00:17:50.420
 tragedy and

00:17:50.420 --> 00:17:51.259
 calamity came

00:17:51.259 --> 00:17:51.600
 to him.

00:17:51.660 --> 00:17:52.700
 The Lord gave

00:17:52.700 --> 00:17:53.120
 and the Lord

00:17:53.120 --> 00:17:53.900
 has taken away.

00:17:54.059 --> 00:17:55.519
 Blessed be the

00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:56.079
 name of the

00:17:56.079 --> 00:17:57.079
 Lord or Jesus,

00:17:58.079 --> 00:17:58.900
 the obedient

00:17:58.900 --> 00:18:00.100
 sufferer.

00:18:01.880 --> 00:18:02.400
 Ultimately,

00:18:02.940 --> 00:18:04.000
 God's aim,

00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:05.460
 James tells us,

00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:06.319
 is that we would

00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:08.039
 be perfected.

00:18:09.380 --> 00:18:10.100
 This is about

00:18:10.099 --> 00:18:11.819
 the end of

00:18:11.819 --> 00:18:12.619
 the journey,

00:18:13.199 --> 00:18:14.139
 when we would

00:18:14.139 --> 00:18:15.179
 know him

00:18:15.179 --> 00:18:15.779
 perfectly,

00:18:15.980 --> 00:18:16.879
 when we would

00:18:16.879 --> 00:18:18.299
 be made like

00:18:18.299 --> 00:18:19.279
 Christ,

00:18:20.359 --> 00:18:20.980
 sinless

00:18:20.980 --> 00:18:23.099
 and perfect.

00:18:23.740 --> 00:18:24.899
 That's the

00:18:24.899 --> 00:18:25.719
 aim and

00:18:25.719 --> 00:18:26.599
 trials are

00:18:26.599 --> 00:18:27.179
 part of

00:18:27.179 --> 00:18:28.279
 making us

00:18:28.279 --> 00:18:29.759
 more like

00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:30.139
 him,

00:18:31.439 --> 00:18:32.159
 that we would

00:18:32.159 --> 00:18:32.799
 be growing

00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:34.759
 into that

00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:35.859
 future reality

00:18:35.859 --> 00:18:37.379
 day by day.

00:18:38.159 --> 00:18:38.759
 Trials do

00:18:38.759 --> 00:18:39.839
 that for us.

00:18:40.099 --> 00:18:41.279
 It was

00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:42.099
 Martin Luther

00:18:42.099 --> 00:18:42.719
 who said,

00:18:42.959 --> 00:18:44.399
 affliction is

00:18:44.399 --> 00:18:45.319
 the Christian's

00:18:45.319 --> 00:18:46.019
 theologian.

00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:47.919
 He was saying

00:18:47.919 --> 00:18:48.679
 there are some

00:18:48.679 --> 00:18:51.139
 lessons as

00:18:51.139 --> 00:18:51.779
 Christians we

00:18:51.779 --> 00:18:52.919
 can only learn

00:18:52.919 --> 00:18:54.179
 as we

00:18:54.179 --> 00:18:55.059
 experience

00:18:55.059 --> 00:18:56.379
 trials,

00:18:56.500 --> 00:18:56.959
 as God

00:18:56.959 --> 00:18:57.799
 sends hard

00:18:57.799 --> 00:18:58.919
 providences to

00:18:58.919 --> 00:18:59.319
 us.

00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:01.139
 Maturing takes

00:19:01.139 --> 00:19:02.899
 place only in

00:19:02.899 --> 00:19:04.199
 adversity.

00:19:05.319 --> 00:19:05.959
 And so,

00:19:06.439 --> 00:19:07.379
 James is saying

00:19:07.379 --> 00:19:07.959
 we actually

00:19:07.959 --> 00:19:09.199
 need this

00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:10.400
 for the sake

00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:11.140
 of our

00:19:11.140 --> 00:19:12.319
 faith to

00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:12.900
 mature.

00:19:14.279 --> 00:19:14.600
 God's

00:19:14.600 --> 00:19:14.960
 ultimate

00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:15.920
 purpose for

00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:16.559
 us being

00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:17.660
 to be more

00:19:17.660 --> 00:19:18.440
 like Jesus,

00:19:18.660 --> 00:19:19.220
 to ultimately

00:19:19.220 --> 00:19:20.039
 become like

00:19:20.039 --> 00:19:20.279
 him,

00:19:20.620 --> 00:19:21.440
 requires us

00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:21.799
 to go

00:19:21.799 --> 00:19:22.779
 through trials.

00:19:24.360 --> 00:19:24.920
 It made me

00:19:24.920 --> 00:19:25.700
 think of

00:19:25.700 --> 00:19:27.460
 a butterfly,

00:19:27.740 --> 00:19:27.900
 you know,

00:19:27.960 --> 00:19:29.039
 that metamorphosis

00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:30.340
 of a caterpillar

00:19:30.340 --> 00:19:31.019
 becoming a

00:19:31.019 --> 00:19:31.519
 butterfly.

00:19:32.059 --> 00:19:32.920
 Imagine if we

00:19:32.920 --> 00:19:33.340
 were to come

00:19:33.340 --> 00:19:34.779
 across a

00:19:34.779 --> 00:19:35.840
 butterfly fighting

00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:36.539
 to get out

00:19:36.539 --> 00:19:37.359
 of its

00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:37.959
 cocoon and

00:19:37.959 --> 00:19:38.740
 we were to

00:19:38.740 --> 00:19:39.359
 sense,

00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:40.399
 maybe to hear

00:19:40.399 --> 00:19:40.819
 the tiny

00:19:40.819 --> 00:19:41.439
 flapping of

00:19:41.439 --> 00:19:41.959
 wings and to

00:19:41.959 --> 00:19:42.459
 sense the

00:19:42.459 --> 00:19:42.859
 struggle,

00:19:42.980 --> 00:19:43.480
 maybe to see

00:19:43.480 --> 00:19:43.980
 it trying to

00:19:43.980 --> 00:19:44.199
 get out.

00:19:44.199 --> 00:19:44.519
 We would

00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:44.919
 try and

00:19:44.919 --> 00:19:45.659
 short circuit

00:19:45.659 --> 00:19:46.599
 the process

00:19:46.599 --> 00:19:47.779
 to help it

00:19:47.779 --> 00:19:48.319
 on its way

00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:49.179
 to open up

00:19:49.179 --> 00:19:49.720
 the cocoon,

00:19:49.799 --> 00:19:50.220
 to let the

00:19:50.220 --> 00:19:51.099
 butterfly fly

00:19:51.099 --> 00:19:51.740
 for free.

00:19:52.659 --> 00:19:52.980
 What would

00:19:52.980 --> 00:19:53.559
 happen was

00:19:53.559 --> 00:19:54.199
 that butterfly

00:19:54.199 --> 00:19:54.959
 would fall to

00:19:54.959 --> 00:19:55.339
 the ground

00:19:55.339 --> 00:19:55.859
 and have

00:19:55.859 --> 00:19:56.959
 no hope.

00:19:57.579 --> 00:19:58.240
 It needs

00:19:58.240 --> 00:19:59.480
 that resistance

00:19:59.480 --> 00:20:00.259
 so that its

00:20:00.259 --> 00:20:01.679
 wings can be

00:20:01.679 --> 00:20:02.759
 strengthened.

00:20:02.759 --> 00:20:04.339
 And so

00:20:04.339 --> 00:20:05.079
 too as

00:20:05.079 --> 00:20:05.879
 Christians we

00:20:05.879 --> 00:20:06.980
 need trials

00:20:06.980 --> 00:20:07.720
 in order to

00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:09.140
 strengthen and

00:20:09.140 --> 00:20:10.640
 mature our

00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:11.619
 faith.

00:20:12.940 --> 00:20:13.879
 And as we

00:20:13.879 --> 00:20:14.960
 go through

00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:16.339
 trials, as we

00:20:16.339 --> 00:20:17.900
 experience hardships,

00:20:18.059 --> 00:20:18.859
 we remember that

00:20:18.859 --> 00:20:19.839
 Jesus has gone

00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:21.000
 there before us.

00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:22.279
 In fact if we

00:20:22.279 --> 00:20:23.180
 turn back in our

00:20:23.180 --> 00:20:24.059
 Bible just one

00:20:24.059 --> 00:20:25.019
 page, Hebrews

00:20:25.019 --> 00:20:26.240
 chapter 12,

00:20:27.259 --> 00:20:28.900
 Hebrews chapter

00:20:28.900 --> 00:20:29.960
 12 and verse

00:20:29.960 --> 00:20:31.319
 2, we are

00:20:31.319 --> 00:20:32.279
 encouraged as

00:20:32.279 --> 00:20:33.119
 Christians to

00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:34.660
 fix our eyes

00:20:34.660 --> 00:20:36.639
 on Jesus, the

00:20:36.639 --> 00:20:38.039
 author and

00:20:38.039 --> 00:20:39.059
 perfecter of

00:20:39.059 --> 00:20:40.779
 our faith, who

00:20:40.779 --> 00:20:42.000
 for the joy set

00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:43.879
 before him endured

00:20:43.879 --> 00:20:45.839
 the cross, scorning

00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:46.879
 its shame and sat

00:20:46.879 --> 00:20:47.759
 down at the right

00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:48.680
 hand of the throne

00:20:48.680 --> 00:20:49.319
 of God.

00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:51.920
 Consider him who

00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:52.740
 endured such

00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:53.759
 opposition from

00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:55.440
 sinful men so

00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:56.339
 that you will not

00:20:56.339 --> 00:20:57.859
 grow weary and

00:20:57.859 --> 00:20:58.759
 lose heart.

00:20:58.779 --> 00:20:59.779
 If we feel that we

00:20:59.779 --> 00:21:00.680
 are growing weary

00:21:00.680 --> 00:21:01.519
 as we battle

00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:02.480
 through trial, we

00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:03.619
 are to fix our

00:21:03.619 --> 00:21:05.420
 eyes on Jesus, to

00:21:05.420 --> 00:21:06.059
 see that he has

00:21:06.059 --> 00:21:06.680
 faced the

00:21:06.680 --> 00:21:07.460
 suffering of the

00:21:07.460 --> 00:21:09.099
 cross with joy

00:21:09.099 --> 00:21:10.220
 for what that

00:21:10.220 --> 00:21:10.819
 would accomplish.

00:21:10.940 --> 00:21:11.440
 For him that

00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:12.259
 meant returning

00:21:12.259 --> 00:21:13.779
 to glory, to be

00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:14.539
 in the right hand

00:21:14.539 --> 00:21:15.819
 of the Father, but

00:21:15.819 --> 00:21:16.759
 also it would

00:21:16.759 --> 00:21:17.639
 mean his bringing

00:21:17.639 --> 00:21:18.680
 many sons and

00:21:18.680 --> 00:21:19.700
 daughters to glory

00:21:19.700 --> 00:21:20.779
 in the fullness

00:21:20.779 --> 00:21:22.339
 of time also.

00:21:22.660 --> 00:21:23.680
 When we fix our

00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:25.379
 eyes on him, the

00:21:25.379 --> 00:21:25.839
 author to the

00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:26.900
 Hebrews says, that's

00:21:26.900 --> 00:21:28.660
 our antidote to

00:21:28.660 --> 00:21:30.160
 weariness and

00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:31.040
 losing heart.

00:21:31.120 --> 00:21:32.700
 To remember, as

00:21:32.700 --> 00:21:33.380
 we go through

00:21:33.380 --> 00:21:34.860
 trials, our God

00:21:34.860 --> 00:21:36.000
 will enable us,

00:21:36.060 --> 00:21:37.000
 will provide for

00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:37.800
 us, will walk

00:21:37.800 --> 00:21:40.660
 with us so that

00:21:40.660 --> 00:21:41.400
 we might have

00:21:41.400 --> 00:21:43.320
 joy in trials.

00:21:45.460 --> 00:21:46.259
 That's the first

00:21:46.259 --> 00:21:46.460
 point.

00:21:46.500 --> 00:21:47.019
 That's the main

00:21:47.019 --> 00:21:48.000
 thing for us to

00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:48.880
 see.

00:21:49.360 --> 00:21:49.860
 But we're not

00:21:49.860 --> 00:21:50.500
 done here.

00:21:51.080 --> 00:21:52.240
 Second question,

00:21:53.060 --> 00:21:53.560
 thinking about

00:21:53.560 --> 00:21:55.500
 verse 5, what if

00:21:55.500 --> 00:21:56.759
 you and I don't

00:21:56.759 --> 00:21:59.259
 find joy in our

00:21:59.259 --> 00:21:59.819
 trials?

00:22:01.259 --> 00:22:02.380
 Sometimes the

00:22:02.380 --> 00:22:03.180
 book of James can

00:22:03.180 --> 00:22:05.240
 seem like he dots

00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:06.220
 around from topic

00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:06.980
 to topic and we

00:22:06.980 --> 00:22:07.559
 might think he's

00:22:07.559 --> 00:22:08.420
 moved from trial,

00:22:08.500 --> 00:22:09.059
 now he's talking

00:22:09.059 --> 00:22:09.700
 about wisdom.

00:22:10.059 --> 00:22:10.759
 But I think we

00:22:10.759 --> 00:22:12.180
 should see these

00:22:12.180 --> 00:22:14.579
 two topics relate

00:22:14.579 --> 00:22:15.640
 to one another.

00:22:16.180 --> 00:22:17.440
 If we don't find

00:22:17.440 --> 00:22:19.259
 joy in our trials,

00:22:20.059 --> 00:22:21.799
 we should ask our

00:22:21.799 --> 00:22:22.839
 generous and

00:22:22.839 --> 00:22:24.440
 gracious Father for

00:22:24.440 --> 00:22:25.920
 wisdom to see

00:22:25.920 --> 00:22:26.940
 from his

00:22:26.940 --> 00:22:28.180
 perspective, to

00:22:28.180 --> 00:22:29.259
 see his

00:22:29.259 --> 00:22:30.200
 purpose.

00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:32.039
 Let's read verse

00:22:32.039 --> 00:22:33.100
 5 together again.

00:22:33.740 --> 00:22:34.259
 If any of you

00:22:34.259 --> 00:22:36.100
 lacks wisdom, he

00:22:36.100 --> 00:22:36.960
 should ask God,

00:22:37.539 --> 00:22:38.620
 who gives generously

00:22:38.620 --> 00:22:39.680
 to all without

00:22:39.680 --> 00:22:41.920
 finding fault, and

00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:42.820
 it will be given

00:22:42.820 --> 00:22:43.920
 to him.

00:22:44.820 --> 00:22:45.840
 So notice there's

00:22:45.840 --> 00:22:46.880
 a linking word.

00:22:47.700 --> 00:22:49.259
 Verse 4, the goal

00:22:49.259 --> 00:22:49.880
 is that we would

00:22:49.880 --> 00:22:50.720
 not be lacking

00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:51.400
 anything.

00:22:51.779 --> 00:22:52.700
 Then verse 5, if

00:22:52.700 --> 00:22:53.880
 you do lack

00:22:53.880 --> 00:22:54.420
 wisdom.

00:22:55.320 --> 00:22:56.100
 So if when it

00:22:56.100 --> 00:22:57.220
 comes to trials, we

00:22:57.220 --> 00:22:58.260
 find ourselves time

00:22:58.260 --> 00:23:00.240
 and again profoundly

00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:02.600
 fearful or forgetful

00:23:02.600 --> 00:23:03.680
 of what God has

00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:04.580
 taught us in the

00:23:04.580 --> 00:23:05.980
 past, if we always

00:23:05.980 --> 00:23:06.740
 find ourselves

00:23:06.740 --> 00:23:08.120
 wrestling with, why

00:23:08.120 --> 00:23:08.380
 me?

00:23:08.500 --> 00:23:09.060
 Why this?

00:23:09.220 --> 00:23:10.380
 Why now?

00:23:10.620 --> 00:23:11.520
 When we're really

00:23:11.520 --> 00:23:12.740
 struggling to know

00:23:12.740 --> 00:23:13.800
 what good purpose

00:23:13.800 --> 00:23:15.060
 trials can accomplish,

00:23:15.800 --> 00:23:17.580
 we are to ask our

00:23:17.580 --> 00:23:19.080
 Father for wisdom,

00:23:19.660 --> 00:23:21.600
 to learn how to look

00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:23.240
 at our reality so

00:23:23.240 --> 00:23:23.839
 that we can give

00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:25.240
 him glory with the

00:23:25.240 --> 00:23:26.079
 providence that we

00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:26.919
 are going through.

00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:29.019
 Notice, and this is

00:23:29.019 --> 00:23:30.539
 important, James

00:23:30.539 --> 00:23:31.539
 doesn't say to us we

00:23:31.539 --> 00:23:32.159
 should ask for

00:23:32.159 --> 00:23:32.740
 knowledge.

00:23:33.719 --> 00:23:34.480
 Rather, we should

00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:35.599
 ask for wisdom.

00:23:36.519 --> 00:23:37.639
 Sometimes we want to

00:23:37.639 --> 00:23:39.240
 know the why and the

00:23:39.240 --> 00:23:39.599
 what.

00:23:41.399 --> 00:23:42.439
 But James says,

00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:43.480
 rather, you should

00:23:43.480 --> 00:23:45.099
 ask for wisdom, to

00:23:45.099 --> 00:23:46.219
 know how to respond

00:23:46.219 --> 00:23:47.919
 to our circumstances,

00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:49.820
 to know the will of

00:23:49.820 --> 00:23:50.720
 God so that we might

00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:51.820
 apply it to our

00:23:51.820 --> 00:23:53.320
 day-to-day life.

00:23:54.279 --> 00:23:55.700
 The book of Job is a

00:23:55.700 --> 00:23:56.920
 classic example of

00:23:56.920 --> 00:23:58.140
 someone who suffers

00:23:58.140 --> 00:23:59.519
 and he's never told

00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:02.240
 why, but he's invited

00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:03.320
 to know God.

00:24:04.080 --> 00:24:05.460
 And once he is in the

00:24:05.460 --> 00:24:06.660
 presence of God, once

00:24:06.660 --> 00:24:08.220
 God reveals himself, he

00:24:08.220 --> 00:24:08.759
 is content.

00:24:10.539 --> 00:24:12.279
 James, being a wisdom

00:24:12.279 --> 00:24:13.920
 book, we can perhaps

00:24:14.600 --> 00:24:16.039
 remind ourselves of the

00:24:16.039 --> 00:24:17.440
 book of Proverbs, where

00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:18.279
 we are reminded that

00:24:18.279 --> 00:24:20.320
 the fear of the Lord is

00:24:20.320 --> 00:24:21.220
 the beginning of

00:24:21.220 --> 00:24:21.640
 wisdom.

00:24:22.740 --> 00:24:23.980
 Wisdom for us looks

00:24:23.980 --> 00:24:25.320
 like catching hold of

00:24:25.320 --> 00:24:27.000
 God's character in the

00:24:27.000 --> 00:24:28.519
 middle of our trials so

00:24:28.519 --> 00:24:29.460
 that we are able to

00:24:29.460 --> 00:24:31.759
 remember our good God,

00:24:31.860 --> 00:24:34.180
 our gracious Father.

00:24:36.200 --> 00:24:37.740
 Wisdom is more

00:24:37.740 --> 00:24:40.420
 important than knowledge

00:24:40.420 --> 00:24:41.960
 for us when we're going

00:24:41.960 --> 00:24:43.019
 through trials.

00:24:43.019 --> 00:24:47.759
 We are in the digital age

00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:49.559
 when almost any type of

00:24:49.559 --> 00:24:51.059
 information is available

00:24:51.059 --> 00:24:52.079
 to us.

00:24:52.180 --> 00:24:54.339
 We are in the Ask Alexa

00:24:54.339 --> 00:24:55.759
 age and there's wonderful

00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:58.019
 opportunities in that and

00:24:58.019 --> 00:24:59.859
 it's a good thing, but it's

00:24:59.859 --> 00:25:00.200
 limited.

00:25:00.339 --> 00:25:01.480
 We can have access to all

00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:02.500
 the knowledge in the world,

00:25:02.579 --> 00:25:03.700
 but that does not and it

00:25:03.700 --> 00:25:05.000
 will not make us wise.

00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:08.400
 So James is not saying to

00:25:08.400 --> 00:25:10.300
 us, ask that we would know

00:25:10.300 --> 00:25:12.580
 it all, but rather trust the

00:25:12.580 --> 00:25:14.580
 one who does know it all.

00:25:15.320 --> 00:25:17.160
 That we would hold on to

00:25:17.160 --> 00:25:19.220
 God's character.

00:25:20.060 --> 00:25:21.800
 That we would recognize when

00:25:21.800 --> 00:25:24.800
 trials come that our God is a

00:25:24.800 --> 00:25:26.660
 gracious and a generous

00:25:26.660 --> 00:25:28.080
 Father, that we wouldn't lose

00:25:28.080 --> 00:25:29.240
 sight of that and that we

00:25:29.240 --> 00:25:30.600
 would ask Him for wisdom.

00:25:30.599 --> 00:25:35.859
 Verse 5 is helpful for

00:25:35.859 --> 00:25:37.980
 reminding us of the qualities

00:25:37.980 --> 00:25:40.740
 of God that we discover in

00:25:40.740 --> 00:25:41.879
 the gospel.

00:25:42.899 --> 00:25:47.059
 We discover in receiving faith

00:25:47.059 --> 00:25:49.079
 and receiving salvation that

00:25:49.079 --> 00:25:51.639
 we have a God of generous

00:25:51.639 --> 00:25:52.819
 grace.

00:25:54.379 --> 00:25:56.740
 We have a God who is generous

00:25:56.740 --> 00:25:57.839
 to all.

00:25:58.339 --> 00:26:00.419
 This grace that He offers isn't

00:26:00.420 --> 00:26:02.400
 just for an elite.

00:26:03.240 --> 00:26:04.420
 No, it's for anyone who will

00:26:04.420 --> 00:26:06.000
 hear and believe and in the

00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:07.940
 same way this wisdom is for

00:26:07.940 --> 00:26:09.680
 all God's children.

00:26:09.840 --> 00:26:11.700
 Whoever we are, God makes His

00:26:11.700 --> 00:26:14.259
 wisdom available to us.

00:26:15.539 --> 00:26:18.160
 And He will do it without

00:26:18.160 --> 00:26:19.480
 finding fault.

00:26:20.220 --> 00:26:23.960
 Just as when we came to

00:26:23.960 --> 00:26:26.240
 Jesus and we were repenting

00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:28.380
 of sin and we wanted to trust

00:26:28.380 --> 00:26:30.240
 in Him, the Father wasn't

00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:32.240
 shaking His head or tut-tutting

00:26:32.240 --> 00:26:33.259
 for past mistakes.

00:26:33.420 --> 00:26:36.120
 Rather, we are welcomed by a

00:26:36.120 --> 00:26:38.539
 generous God of great grace.

00:26:38.980 --> 00:26:41.799
 So it is when it comes to His

00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:43.640
 giving us wisdom.

00:26:44.660 --> 00:26:47.240
 The same God who is generous in

00:26:47.240 --> 00:26:49.720
 salvation, it is generous in

00:26:49.720 --> 00:26:51.220
 supplying wisdom.

00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:55.140
 So if we lack it, we should ask

00:26:55.140 --> 00:26:57.480
 and it will be given.

00:26:57.480 --> 00:27:00.180
 James is reminding us that God

00:27:00.180 --> 00:27:01.339
 doesn't change so we should

00:27:01.339 --> 00:27:02.380
 trust His promises.

00:27:03.480 --> 00:27:04.960
 Just as Jesus said, ask and it

00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:05.420
 will be given.

00:27:05.620 --> 00:27:06.440
 Seek and you will find.

00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:07.880
 Knock and the door will be

00:27:07.880 --> 00:27:10.039
 opened to you.

00:27:12.380 --> 00:27:14.579
 God is not reluctant to give us

00:27:14.579 --> 00:27:15.559
 the wisdom that we need.

00:27:15.660 --> 00:27:17.180
 Rather, God is generous and

00:27:17.180 --> 00:27:19.980
 longing to give that wisdom so

00:27:19.980 --> 00:27:21.319
 that when we face trials, we'd

00:27:21.319 --> 00:27:22.799
 have the right perspective on

00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:24.240
 them so that we might find joy

00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:26.640
 because we'd see God's purpose.

00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:28.759
 But it's important for us to

00:27:28.759 --> 00:27:31.740
 understand that wisdom is

00:27:31.740 --> 00:27:34.079
 connected to the Word of God.

00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:37.480
 That we can't expect wisdom from

00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:39.380
 God if we are not being connected

00:27:39.380 --> 00:27:40.859
 to the source of that wisdom.

00:27:40.980 --> 00:27:42.180
 Where do we go when we're looking

00:27:42.180 --> 00:27:42.940
 for God's wisdom?

00:27:43.059 --> 00:27:46.839
 We go to His Word and we ask the

00:27:46.839 --> 00:27:49.960
 Spirit to reveal His truth and

00:27:49.960 --> 00:27:51.900
 supply what is lacking.

00:27:51.900 --> 00:27:54.800
 We need word and prayer and

00:27:54.800 --> 00:27:57.120
 fellowship if we are to receive

00:27:57.120 --> 00:27:59.120
 the wisdom that God wants to

00:27:59.120 --> 00:28:01.180
 give to us.

00:28:02.440 --> 00:28:05.200
 And of course, we need union with

00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:08.740
 Christ who is Himself the very

00:28:08.740 --> 00:28:09.800
 wisdom of God.

00:28:10.540 --> 00:28:12.200
 As Paul said in 1 Corinthians

00:28:12.200 --> 00:28:14.220
 chapter 1, we preach Christ

00:28:14.220 --> 00:28:16.360
 crucified to the Jews, a

00:28:16.360 --> 00:28:17.860
 stumbling block and to the Greeks

00:28:17.860 --> 00:28:19.240
 foolishness.

00:28:19.240 --> 00:28:21.559
 But to those who are called, both

00:28:21.559 --> 00:28:24.059
 Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power

00:28:24.059 --> 00:28:29.120
 of God and the wisdom of God.

00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:35.319
 So if we are struggling to find joy

00:28:35.319 --> 00:28:38.759
 in trials, we are to ask God for

00:28:38.759 --> 00:28:39.700
 wisdom.

00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:42.140
 One last question.

00:28:42.140 --> 00:28:45.860
 As we think about ourselves, do I

00:28:45.860 --> 00:28:49.560
 trust God to give me joy in trials?

00:28:50.080 --> 00:28:51.880
 Do I think that's something God wants

00:28:51.880 --> 00:28:52.259
 to give?

00:28:52.320 --> 00:28:53.840
 Do I believe it's something He can

00:28:53.840 --> 00:28:54.520
 give?

00:28:55.240 --> 00:28:56.640
 For this, we're going to look at verses

00:28:56.640 --> 00:28:57.780
 6 to 8.

00:28:58.120 --> 00:29:00.300
 And in here, we have a warning against

00:29:00.300 --> 00:29:04.880
 doubt and against divided loyalties.

00:29:04.880 --> 00:29:06.860
 Verse 6,

00:29:06.860 --> 00:29:10.660
 But when he asks, he must believe and

00:29:10.660 --> 00:29:13.320
 not doubt, because he who doubts is

00:29:13.320 --> 00:29:15.000
 like a wave of the sea blown and

00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:16.060
 tossed by the wind.

00:29:16.540 --> 00:29:18.180
 That man should not think he will

00:29:18.180 --> 00:29:19.740
 receive anything from the Lord.

00:29:20.180 --> 00:29:24.400
 He is a double-minded man, unstable in

00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:25.980
 all he does.

00:29:26.760 --> 00:29:28.460
 Just as we teach our children that

00:29:28.460 --> 00:29:30.460
 there's a right way and a wrong way to

00:29:30.460 --> 00:29:35.019
 ask, so it is when we ask for wisdom,

00:29:35.140 --> 00:29:37.019
 the right way is to trust.

00:29:37.660 --> 00:29:40.559
 To trust God's character and to trust

00:29:40.559 --> 00:29:41.640
 God's Word.

00:29:42.100 --> 00:29:44.299
 And for that to be a solid foundation.

00:29:45.519 --> 00:29:47.799
 That before we come to trials, we want

00:29:47.799 --> 00:29:49.799
 to have that foundation in our life that

00:29:49.799 --> 00:29:52.960
 God's character is trustworthy and so is

00:29:52.960 --> 00:29:53.660
 His Word.

00:29:54.440 --> 00:29:57.380
 In the middle of trials and suffering,

00:29:57.500 --> 00:30:00.299
 it's hard to build a solid theology

00:30:00.460 --> 00:30:03.660
 it's hard sometimes to recognize and

00:30:03.660 --> 00:30:05.079
 grasp the character of God.

00:30:05.160 --> 00:30:07.559
 This is something we need to do even

00:30:07.559 --> 00:30:09.900
 before trials come.

00:30:10.380 --> 00:30:12.700
 To determine that I can and I will

00:30:12.700 --> 00:30:14.660
 trust God and trust God as He's

00:30:14.660 --> 00:30:16.720
 revealed in His Word.

00:30:16.840 --> 00:30:19.600
 So the right way to ask is to believe,

00:30:19.740 --> 00:30:23.160
 to trust, but the wrong way is to doubt,

00:30:24.140 --> 00:30:26.220
 is to be double-minded, is to have those

00:30:26.220 --> 00:30:28.000
 divided loyalties.

00:30:28.000 --> 00:30:31.660
 Because when we ask that way, James says,

00:30:31.700 --> 00:30:35.279
 we won't receive anything from the Lord.

00:30:37.119 --> 00:30:40.039
 So if we're saying, well, I'll ask God and

00:30:40.039 --> 00:30:41.940
 I'll look into His Word for wisdom, but I'll

00:30:41.940 --> 00:30:43.900
 also listen to the world and I'll listen to

00:30:43.900 --> 00:30:45.740
 what popular culture and the people around me

00:30:45.740 --> 00:30:48.140
 have to say about suffering, we're going to

00:30:48.140 --> 00:30:49.880
 get very conflicted messages.

00:30:49.880 --> 00:30:54.000
 Because when it comes to the voice of the world,

00:30:54.160 --> 00:30:56.100
 as they talk about trial and suffering,

00:30:57.580 --> 00:31:00.000
 it's very hard for people to see any purpose

00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:02.720
 in hardship, in trial, in suffering.

00:31:02.820 --> 00:31:05.880
 The whole purpose of our existence seems to be

00:31:05.880 --> 00:31:09.020
 that we would be happy and live pain-free and

00:31:09.020 --> 00:31:12.260
 carefree lives, that we would entertain ourselves

00:31:12.260 --> 00:31:14.220
 until death.

00:31:15.220 --> 00:31:16.640
 That the voice of the world would say,

00:31:16.640 --> 00:31:19.460
 avoid suffering and hardship at all costs.

00:31:20.900 --> 00:31:23.300
 Would even challenge us and say, well, a good God

00:31:23.300 --> 00:31:26.660
 would never allow this, that, and the next thing.

00:31:27.600 --> 00:31:30.759
 So if we're listening to that voice, then we won't

00:31:30.759 --> 00:31:33.640
 receive the wisdom from God.

00:31:34.300 --> 00:31:37.660
 When we try and keep a foot in both camps and we're

00:31:37.660 --> 00:31:41.380
 not sure where ultimate truth lies, the outcome is that

00:31:41.380 --> 00:31:45.240
 we will not receive the help that we need as we go

00:31:45.240 --> 00:31:46.340
 through our trials.

00:31:48.200 --> 00:31:49.540
 Verse 6 says,

00:31:50.240 --> 00:31:54.320
 we'll be like a wave in a stormy sea,

00:31:54.800 --> 00:31:57.660
 sort of tossed about and going nowhere.

00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:01.520
 I think I've probably mentioned before,

00:32:01.980 --> 00:32:07.140
 swimming off the coast of Peru and getting stuck in

00:32:07.140 --> 00:32:11.240
 sort of riptides and feeling like I was in a washing machine.

00:32:11.380 --> 00:32:14.080
 I had no clue of which way was up and which way was down.

00:32:14.160 --> 00:32:17.240
 It was probably the worst experience of my life and it

00:32:17.240 --> 00:32:21.280
 was danger for those moments.

00:32:22.540 --> 00:32:26.820
 For us as Christians, that's not a place we want to be.

00:32:28.120 --> 00:32:31.760
 We will only make progress and mature through trials if we

00:32:31.760 --> 00:32:34.960
 have a clear direction where we're going to trust God and

00:32:34.960 --> 00:32:37.020
 His Word, even if it's difficult.

00:32:37.019 --> 00:32:42.900
 There's danger in being the double-minded man,

00:32:43.319 --> 00:32:47.299
 the man who is unstable in all he does.

00:32:48.879 --> 00:32:52.019
 Again, to stick with a water-related image,

00:32:52.359 --> 00:32:55.779
 it made me think of what you see sometimes at church camp.

00:32:56.440 --> 00:32:59.879
 So I used to help out at church camps a fair bit and a lot of

00:32:59.879 --> 00:33:02.079
 camps would have sort of team-building exercises.

00:33:02.079 --> 00:33:03.779
 They'd have raft-building exercises.

00:33:04.720 --> 00:33:09.319
 And every so often, you'd find one group that prepared something

00:33:09.319 --> 00:33:12.899
 that could only very loosely be connected with anything

00:33:12.899 --> 00:33:14.159
 remotely seaworthy.

00:33:14.319 --> 00:33:16.299
 And so there'd be some brave souls who'd be like,

00:33:16.379 --> 00:33:19.220
 regardless, I'm going to get on this thing,

00:33:19.319 --> 00:33:20.799
 which we'll call a raft.

00:33:20.879 --> 00:33:24.899
 But there might be that one person who just wasn't convinced,

00:33:25.559 --> 00:33:28.179
 wasn't convinced by the workmanship that had gone in.

00:33:28.180 --> 00:33:30.840
 And so you could see them kind of standing on the edge,

00:33:31.320 --> 00:33:32.820
 kind of wanting to lift that foot.

00:33:33.240 --> 00:33:35.120
 And, you know, if you ever find yourself in a position where

00:33:35.120 --> 00:33:38.680
 you've got one foot on the shore and one foot on an unstable raft,

00:33:39.180 --> 00:33:40.820
 you know you're going for an early swim.

00:33:41.060 --> 00:33:41.940
 And you can see that.

00:33:42.019 --> 00:33:45.500
 And it's the same in our Christian experience.

00:33:45.860 --> 00:33:49.279
 Doing the spiritual splits is dangerous.

00:33:50.000 --> 00:33:54.140
 That we will not find wisdom from God unless we are committed

00:33:54.140 --> 00:33:57.280
 to trusting His will.

00:33:58.400 --> 00:34:02.600
 And so James is saying to us, right at the beginning of his letter,

00:34:03.520 --> 00:34:06.220
 that in our trials, and we will face trials,

00:34:07.060 --> 00:34:11.660
 we are to trust in the character of our generous God,

00:34:12.280 --> 00:34:15.019
 to believe that He is at work in us through trials,

00:34:15.079 --> 00:34:18.700
 that they are not pointless, that He is renovating us,

00:34:18.740 --> 00:34:22.380
 He is preparing us for glory, He's making us more like Jesus,

00:34:22.380 --> 00:34:28.260
 so that we might find joy in trials through faith in Jesus,

00:34:28.920 --> 00:34:33.619
 our Savior, our suffering Savior, our great high priest,

00:34:34.140 --> 00:34:37.380
 the one who now intercedes with us,

00:34:37.660 --> 00:34:40.960
 the one who sympathizes with us in our weakness,

00:34:41.099 --> 00:34:45.099
 the one who doesn't leave us alone in our trials.

00:34:45.099 --> 00:34:49.799
 And we find our hope in knowing Him as our Savior

00:34:49.799 --> 00:34:53.239
 and having God as our Father.

00:34:53.239 --> 00:35:07.579
 you

00:35:07.579 --> 00:35:08.019
 and

00:35:08.019 --> 00:35:12.119
 you

00:35:12.119 --> 00:35:13.859
 to