Trials tell the Tale
James 1:1-4
Trials Tell the Tale
Introduction:
Trials in the life of a human being are inevitable. We will experience them. I don’t care if you are the most sinister sinner or the most sanctified saint, you will experience trials in this life. As Christians we have two ways to respond to trials the wrong way or the right way. The right way of course is the way the Bible instructs us. The wrong way is the way of the world.
The world’s message for dealing with trials is simple: avoid them. I did a quick internet search on coping with stress, you know what the health websites said, avoid it. Friends it’s not that simple. Job told us that man is not here for very long and his days will be full of trouble (paraphrased). We will experience trials. The people that James spoke to were dispersed, they were experiencing trials. Trials tell the tale of a Christian. So how do we as God’s children and with the desire to please him go about dealing with trials? We…..
I. RESPOND to trials in the correct way. VS.2
a. THE RELATIONSHIP: James uses the phrase my brothers, several times noting a close kinship with fellow believers. James was saying this in a loving manner. He loved these people that he wrote the letter to; in verses 16 and 19 of chapter 1 he uses the adjective beloved. Practical God Centered Faith doesn’t say that there will be no trials as a Christian. A loving person doesn’t tell you that everything is going to be all right when everything is obviously not all right. Practical God Centered Faith doesn’t say that there will be no trials as a Christian. A loving person doesn’t tell you that everything is going to be all right when everything is obviously not all right.
b. THE REQUIREMENT: Count it all joy. In other words reckon it, or consider, deem it a joy when you happen to find yourself in various trials.
c. THE ENCIRCLING OF THE TRIALS: The word used for fall into gives us the idea of being encompassed by something, being totally surrounded. Sometimes we feel like we are completely encircled by trials. We feel like Hezekiah must have when the armies of Sennacherib had the city surrounded with an army of astounding number. We feel like there is no way out.
d. THE RANGE OF THE TRIALS: James uses the word divers, which means in today’s vernacular, various. In the original the word had the idea of many colored. The trials that come at us will be different in nature. James is explaining to these early persecuted Christians that the trials will change.
i. James says when we have trials not if. There is no question in the mind of James that the Christian will have trials. John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” And if we can see and realize that Christ meant for us to have trials then we can definitely…..
II. RECOGNIZE the purpose of trials. VS.3
a. We can rest in the fact that there is a purpose in every trial that we go through. God doesn’t arbitrarily do anything, and he certainly wouldn’t lead his children into a suffering situation unless He had a purpose and a plan. When God’s children go through trials and tribulation there is always a reason. And it can always profit the child of God and ultimately fulfill our purpose for God, glorifying Him. So what is the purpose of going through trials?
b. In McArthur’s commentary on James he gives us several purposes of trials:
1. We go through trials that we might know the strength or perhaps better worded the weakness of our faith. Speaking of Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 32:31, it says, “ God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.” We are not to question the omnipotence of God from this passage, it is not saying that God didn’t know what was in Hezekiah’s heart, but that Hezekiah needed to see what his in his own heart.
2. We go through trials helps us remain humble and rely on the Lord. 2 Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
3. We suffer through trials to wean our dependence upon worldly things. The more we accumulate material possessions and worldly knowledge, experience, and recognition, the more we are tempted to rely on them instead of the Lord. These things can include education, work success, important people we know, honors we may have been given, and many other types of worldly benefits that often are not wrong in themselves but can easily become the focus of our concern and the basis of our trust. Hebrews 11:24-26 24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
4. We suffer trials in order that we might not take our heavenly inheritance for granted. Trials on this earth cause us to look forward with expectation and hope to the day when we will rejoice and praise God in our resurrected bodies. Romans 8:18-19 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
5. We endure trials that we might help others endure theirs. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 3 ¶ Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
As we recognize the purpose of these trials it will enable us to…….
III. REMAIN in the trials as long as God desires for us to remain there.
1. The only way out of a trial is through it. James divulges to these Jewish Christians the proper way to respond to the trials while you are enduring them. He instructs them to remain in the trial. There is a two part system to growing in the Lord.
a. Our part consists of letting the trial do it’s work. Let is not merely granting permission, but it is a command. Allow trials to happen.
b. James understands that it is easy to give into an attitude that would hinder the work of patience.
2. God desires to make us complete, perfect, mature.
a. One reason so much immaturity finds itself into the life of Christians is we fail to see the purpose of trials and we immediately look for a way out of them.
Conclusion: Friends we will experience trials in this life, if we are to give God glory in these then we are to follow the admonition of James. We need to recognize that we will face trials, we need to recognize that God has a purpose in these trials, when we understand this we can respond in the correct way, which might mean that we have to remain in the trials longer than we like.
(Brother Copeland I am attempting to preach through James, and I preached this sermon a couple of weeks ago. I feel like the flow of the first point could have been better made if I had left the logical sequence of verse 2 and switched subpoints b and d. We need to realize we will face all kinds of trials before we know how to respond. What do you think?)