Fellowshipmtz

Quick to Hear / Slow to Speak!

James 1:19-21

John Henry Jowett (1864 – 1923), British Protestant Minister:
"This is one of the wisest and most difficult sayings in Holy Scripture. Some Christian precepts can be obeyed deliberately. The propriety of obedience to them is not only felt, but can be realized at leisure, as when we resolve to help a friend, or enter some course of action made without agitation. But in the command before us the call is likely to arrive when we are least in the mood to listen to it. Thus, however plain the precept is, it is one of the hardest to be kept."

TEMPTATION - (Part 2 - It's My Desires!)

James 1:14-15

New Testament Scholar writes (in his Pillar Commentary on the epistle of James): "Every trial, every external difficulty, carries with it a temptation, an inner enticement to sin. God may bring, or allow, trials; but He is not, James insists, the author of temptation (v. 13).  Enticement to sin comes from our own sinful natures, not from God (vv. 14-15)."

This morning's teaching examines the to ROOT of our problem with temptation and sin -- namely, our own desires!

How Do You Hear?

James 1:21-25

Charles Spurgeon preached: "We cannot expect to profit much if we bring with us a swarm of idle thoughts and a heart crammed with vanity. If we are full of folly, we may shut out the truth of God from our minds. We should make ready to receive what God is so ready to bestow.  ...Can we be busy with earthly cares all the six days of the week and be ready for the holy Sabbath without a thought? I trow [think] not."

TEMPTATION - (Part 1 - God, You, Me)

James 1:12-15

Continuing his opening theme, James makes clear there are (only) two possible outcomes to TRIALS (difficulties, adversities, hardships) --

Positive (verse 12): "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him."

Negative (verse 13): "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempts no one."

David and His God

2 Samuel 22:21-31

John Davis, student at Southern Seminary, teaches/preaches this morning.

Guest Message: God's Sovereignty & Goodness

Let the Lowly Boast! (And Who Are the Rich?)

James 1:9-12

In order to respond to trials with joy (verses 2-4), a Christian needs to ask GOD for wisdom (verses 5-8).  James immediately provides a relevant application in verses 9-11: The advantage of wisdom for the lowly.  James also offers his first harsh warning (indictment?) of the rich.  Is he speaking TO them? or ABOUT them?

Asking in Faith, Without Doubting

James 1:5-8

Last week our attention was on God's willingness to give wisdom.  The only stipulation James offers is that the asking must be done "in faith, with no doubting".  Unfortunately, there are many misunderstandings as to what that entails, requires.

WISDOM: My Need / God's Supply

James 1:5-8

The audio recording is missing the first 7-8 minutes, so I have made the first page of my Sermon Outline Notes available to fill in the gaps.  What was recorded begins with the reference to Philippians 3 (corresponding to the bottom of page one).

======================

INTRODUCTION:  James is writing to his Jewish brothers who are believing in Jesus as the Messiah. These disciples have discovered that following Jesus is not going to be altogether easy & comfortable.

REVIEW (Previously), verses 2-4:
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

SUMMARY (from Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary): The "trials" are a testing sent by God to demonstrate the genuineness of the believer's faith (cf. 1 Pet. 1:6). An attitude of joy is the proper perspective for such tests of faith. The command of James 1:2 is issued because joy in trials is easily missed. The way to finding joy while suffering trials is to see the direct result of endurance developed in one's life (1:3). Steadfastness [endurance, patience] means to bear up under any given situation, not to escape it. The author's exhortation was to stay in the testing so that it would result in endurance rather than sin. The result of endurance is maturity (1:4); the purpose of the testing is to produce maturity. A process is in view: enduring just one trial is not enough. James encouraged his readers to let the process of trials keep working to bring complete maturity; for this reason trials had to come in all areas of life.

BEFORE LEAVING VERSES 2-4:
Trials are intended to effect a transaction -- an exchange of one thing for another thing.
In a sense, what happens in a trial is something of a demonstration of the $10,000 principle: Every time you say "Yes" to something, you are saying "No" to other things (possibilities).
The Exchange: When GOD dispenses a trial into a Christian's life, there really is a LOSS on some level, to some degree.
But it is EQUALLY TRUE that when GOD dispenses a trial into a Christian's life it is for the purpose of acquiring some GAIN.

The GAIN is always of greater value than the LOSS!

However, when trials and hardships come our way, we are very good at identifying what is being lost, taken away --
some ability, pleasure, resource, enjoyment, aspiration, dream, financial means/security, health, ability, activity
some loss of freedom, loss of control -- But we are very poor at identifying what is being gained:

• STEADFASTNESS, patience -- character that more closely resembles Christ
• GOD's WISDOM
• GOD's BLESSING (reward) -- v 12, "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him."
• AWARENESS of my weaknesses, limitations, finiteness
• RELIANCE on God's provision, care, intentions (objectives)
• a refined faith
• Philippians 3:7-11 -- But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith — 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Trial from God or Temptation from Satan?

James 1:2-4

In most Bible translations James begins by telling believers to "count/consider it all joy when you meet (or fall into) "various TRIALS", but the Old King James Version Bible translates "trials" as "divers TEMPTATIONS".  What?  Are believers to rejoice in temptations too?  Are trials and temptations the same thing?