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Introduction
Today we begin the book of James.
This book is one full of wisdom literature.
It has been called the wisdom literature of the New Testament and I couldn’t agree more.
We see right off the start that it is seeking to build you up and help us understand trials of various kinds we will face.
It tells us to have joy in the trials because they only strengthen us.
Much like a body builder must break their muscles so their muscles will grow, that is what trials do for each of us.
I have read a story about a parakeet in a book of Max Lucado’s.
In it he wrote,
Chippie the parakeet never saw it coming.
One second he was peacefully perched in his cage.
The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over.
The problems began when Chippie's owner decided to clean Chippie's cage with a vacuum cleaner.
She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage.
The phone rang, and she turned to pick it up.
She'd barely said "hello" when "ssssopp!" Chippie got sucked in.
The bird owner gasped, put down the phone, turned off the vacuum, and opened the bag.
There was Chippie -- still alive, but stunned.
Since the bird was covered with dust and soot, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and held Chippie under the running water.
Then, realizing that Chippie was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do . . .
she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with hot air.
Poor Chippie never knew what hit him.
A few days after the trauma, the reporter who'd initially written about the event contacted Chippie's owner to see how the bird was recovering.
"Well," she replied, "Chippie doesn't sing much anymore -- he just sits and stares."
It's hard not to see why.
Sucked in, washed up, and blown over . . .
That's enough to steal the song from the stoutest heart.
(In the Eye of the Storm, Word Publishing, 1991, p. 11.)
This bird was hit unexpectedly with some severe trials and tribulations.
That is how it happens with us more often than not.
We have no warning just BAM WHAM we are hit like the bird.
Yet, we have something the bird did not, we can seek wisdom and we have the word that shows these trials are for our maturity.
So let us turn to the text today and see what God’s Word tells us about tests and trials and what we should do when we face them.
What an amazing section of Scripture.
If this section does not give you hope and strength, then I pray after we see what it tells us today it will.
In it we see that tests and trials bring completion but they do this in several ways.
First...
Tests Make Your Faith Firm (1-4)
James just introduced himself as a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
James was the brother of Jesus.
He could have said that but he knows that humility is crucial to lead and for one to make it through trials.
He next addresses the twelve tribes that are scattered.
That is what dispersion means the twelve tribes are scattered out because of persecution and trials.
He tells them, and us, to be joyful in trials.
Again, looking back to his statement about being a servant, servants are expected to do what is necessary even in struggles.
They are fellow believers and as such they are also servants of the Lord and as such struggles will come and they will suffer.
But just as Peter and John were arrested and beaten for standing for the Lord, and were joyful that they were counted worthy to be beaten for the Lord, so shall these brothers and sisters in Christ be and so should we be.
He explains further why we should be–trials bring about a completion of our Christian growth.
We become steadfast and immovable in our faith, we are grown to meet the highest standard (full effect), we are more developed morally (perfect), and we meet all expectations (complete).
One thing that is most clear in this text is that it is not an if we meet trials but when.
Just like cowboying, it is not an if you get hurt but a when and how bad.
That is the Christian life, that is life in general.
We all face trials and struggles.
We all face surprise interruptions.
The difference is within Christianity, trials have a purpose and an end goal, the maturing of the believer.
Whereas in the world without Christ they may give you resolve, but what is that resolve for.
To be a comforter to another?
Great but what comfort can we give without Christ?
“I know you are suffering and that this makes no sense but you will be better for it.”
What empty platitudes.
In Christ we may suffer but it makes us focus on Him more.
In Christ we may suffer but it draws us closer to Him.
In Christ we may suffer but it makes us rest in His promises more.
As one commentator stated it, “It is not just being tested that is good for us but passing the test.
The testing is not just to see if you made the team, but to prepare you for higher service.
It is like being proven in practice so you will be prepared for tougher competition.”
(Bruce B. Barton, David Veerman, and Neil S. Wilson, James, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1992), 7.)
But just like being on a team, you have a coach.
You have a coach that is more for you than anyone you have ever had in your life.
We just need to have patience and allow this to work out.
I have been struggling lately with my Masters studies.
Not grades or assignments but with feeling like the professors are not really there for my education but themselves.
I have felt that they were against me when in fact they are not.
I reached out and visited with a professor or two and the wisdom I received from that has allowed me to renew my faith in them as trying to educate me.
And it has renewed my patience to continue through and grow.
That is what we see here.
The trials make us complete and steadfast but when we struggle we have a coach, teacher, Father who is waiting for us to call to Him.
That is what we see in these next verses that...
Tests Make You Seek Wisdom (5-8)
We need to seek wisdom just as I did with my professors.
I reached out and received the wisdom needed to continue.
I received the affirmation that this was the enemy and my psychotic mind over thinking and trying to cause me to become bitter.
We see in verse five that there is an if.
But in the Greek there is a conjunction before if.
It is the Greek δε, this word means but.
So it literally reads, But if any of you lack wisdom, ask God.
The trials in life are to give us wisdom but if we are struggling through that, we need to ask God for the wisdom necessary to make it through.
I want us to see right here that we will always lack a certain amount of wisdom.
We will never have it all.
That is not what James is telling us.
He is saying “But if you lack the wisdom for a child wandering, a job loss, a bad boss, an illness, financial burdens, or whatever” ask God He will give you what you need.
God is not like a loan shark.
He will give generously and without reproach.
This word reproach means that God does not charge us with a verbal extortion with the purpose of obtaining something.
That is why I said He is not a loan shark.
God will give generously to all who are His when they ask Him for it.
Hence James saying that we are to ask in faith without doubt.
If we doubt we are like a double-minded person who is unstable.
We will seek God then like a child asking questions drift off to another area seeking advice and wisdom never waiting on God to answer.
Again, that is why we need patience and trust in the Lord.
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