Real Christian Living #1 (Studies in James)
Text: James 1:1-18
To Finish, Not Just To Start
‘What will you do if it doesn’t work out?’
That question was asked of me in my very first year of ministry by a man who turned out to be one of my greatest supporters and best of friends. At the time I thought it was one of the worst possible questions for a minister to either ask or be asked.
Since that time I have discovered that this is perhaps the most crucial question that needs to be asked for almost every endeavour that is truly important. Why?
The answer you give is going to go a long way in determining whether or not it will really work out.
Believe it or not this is a very effective question for all couples to ask themselves and each other before entering the covenant of marriage. What will you do if your marriage does not work out?
Every couple doesn’t want to entertain such thoughts, ‘we will never argue like so and so’, ‘we will never make those mistakes’ and then reality hits and one out of every two marriages are torn apart.
Endurance is a word that does not really fit modern man’s thought. If it’s not fun—don’t do it. If it’s costly—get out. If it’s difficult—it’s not meant for you. We live in a world where the easiest thing to do is presented as the most attractive thing if not the only thing to do.
This week we are beginning our new series, Real Christian Living, and it finds its basis in the book of James. We are looking forward for the next six weeks to cover the book that one person said if ‘its principles were followed more closely we would see the revitalization of Christianity.’
So, turn in your Bibles to James 1:1-18—
Seeing we are in the Olympic games of 2004 I am reminded of what a marathoner in a previous Olympics said one time about why he insisted on finishing the race. He had taken a fall early on in the marathon and was well behind the rest of the racers. He still continued to run and ended up being hours behind. Finally someone asked him why?
Why after everyone else had gone home, no one in the stands left cheering would he bother continuing?
His reply was ‘I came all this way not to start but to finish.’
To me, that is the most significant theme in early Christianity and needs to be in modern:
the goal is to finish not just to start!
1:1- James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,…
The writer of this book is believed to be the physical half-brother of Jesus. If this is true, the writer here is one of the most prominent men of the early church and in fact the most prominent man of the church in Jerusalem. What is interesting to note here is his designation not as brother of Jesus but servant of Jesus!
Dan Winkler, who preaches for the Crieve Hall Church of Christ in Nashville, one time told about a conversation he had about his father Wendell Winkler. A man said boy, I would hate to be you having to fill your father’s shoes. Dan replied, ‘Sir, I would rather have shoes that are to hard to fill and always having to look up to then shoes that I would be ashamed of.’1
Often when thinking about the family of Christ, we think of how hard it would be to grow up as his brother or sister. We all can relate to sibling rivalry or even jealousy of a greater achiever. Eventually however, we grow up and it is hoped that maturity settles in and instead of being jealous of a brother or a sister who are achievers we can truly love them.
So we see with James here, jealousy and unbelief has turned to service & gratitude for what his brother is!
As he begins this letter—he begins with a call to endurance & prayer and I would venture to say the two must go hand in hand.
1:2-4- What is his message?
James begins right away with a call to have a joy that feels no regret when you meet trials. What is the situation these early Christians were facing?
Our faith is being severely tried. That question, what do you do if it doesn’t work out really becomes vital when talking about our Christian faith!
What does James not say about the trials?
He does not declare the cause of these trials. Please notice that James does not suggest the trials of their faith were caused by God. Instead James has in mind situations we face where there seems to be no escape. As we meet these trials—he does not say have some joy with a lot of grief but count this all joy!
How in the world can anyone count a trial of their faith an avenue for joy?
Because you know the result of trials! Trials prove faith which leads to steadfastness! Trials prove faith which leads to endurance.
James says you yourselves know, you have experienced this that when you are put to the test a stronger will to endure is the result.
Some time ago a verse that has really struck a nerve with me concerning Christian ministry is Acts 14:22-Paul & Barnabas were ‘strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.’
The most important goal in church ministry is endurance. John 16:33
One of the concerns with having to make ministry fun—exciting—enjoyable (I am not against these always) is in what way is it encouraging endurance through the difficult times?
We have singles ministry (find your Christian mate), Christian entertainment, financial management seminars, youth fun-filled events etc.
In the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:18-23 there were three types of soil that did not produce and two of them were the result of a lack of endurance.
One-rocky ground- receives the word with joy but no root and when tribulation comes falls away just as fast as he accepted the word
The other- thorns- cares of the world choke the word. It’s easy to believe when believing makes things so great!
Basically, James comes to his readers and his encouragement is to not give up, to endure, to keep on. When it is difficult—don’t throw it away. If it doesn’t work out—keep on.
Why?
Tests produce endurance which when it has its full effect—maturity.
Would Job do it again? Job 42:5
Great question. James tells his readers instead of giving up—they can count their trial as joy because of what it will produce.
1:5-8- Someone might ask, how in the world is it possible to see blessing in this difficulty?
That really is a good question isn’t it?
For the young couple who face stressful times in their marriage, to the young minister whose dream of ministry got a heavy dose of reality to the young mother whose husband was arrested for being a Christian—this question is a valid one.
James says you need wisdom to see this & be able to properly handle this—so, if any lacks wisdom—ask God!
What kind of a God do we serve?
A giving God!
Notice—he gives generously to all without reproach. This is setting up something for later in his letter—but God is a giving God. (John 3:16—for God so loved the world that He gave… Romans 8:32- He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not with him graciously give us all things?)
Basically, we cannot reach the end of God’s giving. Matthew 7:7- ask and it shall be given unto you.
But, when you ask, ask in faith without doubt!
When you ask put your confidence in God. The one who does not cannot expect to receive anything from God.
1:9-11- Now, we get to a difficult passage but there are some truths that are clear.
Remember, James is speaking here about trials. Difficulties we find ourselves in that really put our faith on trial. Will we still believe in God or will we abandon the race?
James turns his attention to the brother who is lowly. There are two things James really does here (positive & negative)
- Boast in your exaltation!
- Don’t envy the rich! Even hiding envy by your ‘righteousness’ is not good.
The rich man fades away. Don’t become envious of the one who has more than you in this life—boast of what you have in God!
What are the rich to do?
Does James say the rich are to boast in their humiliation?
If so, does he mean that the rich sees himself not as better than the poor but humbles himself and therefore he boasts in that?
Or, is the rich man boasting in his own riches which really amount to nothing? So, he will fade away in what he boasts in while the poor brother will not!
Listen to this even, if someone who is rich in this world were to meet such a trial where he lost everything—could he not still rejoice in the fact that he belonged to God?
1:12-15- James picks up the theme of endurance again. Note that James does not say you are blessed for being tried! Don’t look down on people who don’t have your ‘difficulties’. You are not blessed for simply having difficulties—you are blessed when you endure difficulties. 2 Timothy 4:6-8
Why do you have that blessed state?
You will receive the crown of life that God promised those who love him.
What does this now bring up?
An alarm in James’ mind anyway:
Every evil act or misfortune will almost always find someone to blame it on God! You hear such today:
I have to do this because God made me this way….
If only God didn’t make me poor….
What does James say?
When you are tempted, it is not from God so don’t blame him! Here is a very important fact:
as humans there is a tendency to escape responsibility.
Listen to James:
God is not even remotely responsible for our sins.
Someone would say:
I wouldn’t have sinned if God hadn’t placed me in this position. Who says God even placed you in that position?
Well James, who is to blame?
Each one is tempted when lured by his own desire! Why did you end up in sin?
Because you placed yourself there.
If the poor have become overly envious of the wicked it is not God who did this.
If the rich are overly arrogant and uncaring for the poor it is not God who did this.
Look at the picture now:
Lust & our will have a child together and it is sin and when this child is full grown it is death!
Here is the life cycle of sin:
its beginning, its progress and its full growth.
When should Christians begin the battle with sin?
In the desire stage!
Don’t put yourself in positions. It is not God’s fault.
1:16-18- Instead, listen to what God really does:
He does not originate sin & temptation (story of Cain-Genesis 4:6- why are you angry? Don’t be angry at me or your brother—if you do well, you will be accepted)
This is deceiving ourselves. Convincing ourselves we have to sin—this is deception. Blaming God for our make-up or our surroundings that force us to sin is deception.
No, God does not bring bad into our lives—everything good comes from Him!
Even gifts that come from other people that are good trace their origin back to God. This God doesn’t change in that He is always a giver of good things.
Not only this but just as lust is a parent, so is God.
Lust & our will conceive to bring forth sin which grows up into death
God & us receiving His word conceive & bring forth children of life and when full grown first fruits offered to God.
What will you do when it doesn’t work out?
What will you do when the easiest way to escape the difficulties seems to give up God?
James says there are two choices:
turn away from God or press on with God.
How we make the choice depends on how we view God:
Is God an aloof deity who at times brings trouble and sorrow into our lives and even attempts to get us to do wrong?
Or, is God good and although at different times we face so much turmoil that we can’t seem to figure out why we are being hit so hard but we know that these difficulties will only make us stronger and better and God has good things only in store for us?
Let’s stand and sing…
1. This was in a lesson I heard at a Spiritual Sword Lectureship at the Getwell Church of Christ in Memphis Tennessee.
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