I have been sick all week and was worried that I wouldn't be able to kick of the sermon series our church was starting on James. I saw a doctor on Thursday who assured me I should be fine, and so come today, it seemed (with God's help) I was able to give the below talk three times.
I do think I could have pressed into verse 18, about the being granted new birth more, that really two issues of the doubter and God not tempting people could have been dealt with more, but I also had to provide a bit of space for context and background for the start of the series so things had to be cut.
Below is mostly what I said
Context/Background
Can I indulge you to imagine a hypothetical with me? Pretend you have to move to Sydney next week. Just after you left you hear that St Matts has taken on a whole bunch of Ukraine refugees who were fleeing the war. Then a few months later you hear a few stories about how we have been helping and integrating them into our community. Some church business owners here have employed some refugees, and St Matts is trying to create "community spaces" for the refugees to connect. Later you hear that the small business owners aren’t even paying these they are employed at minimum wage as they said the refugees aren’t skilled enough and the "community spaces" St Matts has made, is really just a sectioned off seating arrangement we have in the hall where there is the Australian section and an everyone else section, which is in the back corner. When we do communion there is the Australian line and everyone else, for morning tea there is the Australia line and everyone else.There are some refugees who have landed on their feet and have found good employment, but others who were high profile in their hometowns are now cleaning toilets at South Point. Some are talking smack behind the backs of fellow refuges because if they were back home, the roles would have been reversed.
Now pretend you hear all this is going on, so you open up your email, type in office at stmattswanniassa dot org dot au, and then stare at the screen. What are you going to say to this church? What would your tone be?
I’ll tell you what I would say: “Cut it out! Come on guys, this church is known for its knowledge of the Bible, we pride ourselves on our Biblica teaching, but your behaviour is unchristian. That is not what we do, as Christians, we hold to certain things that should be shown in our behaviour to those in need.”
Now, In saying something like that I have made a few assumptions. I’m assuming that Christian belief isn’t just an intellectual thing, but a lived thing, one that impacts your behaviour. It is one thing to read some heavy systematic theology textbook to gain knowledge, it is another to show someone mercy because of God’s grace to you. And one of those is more Christian than the other.
Christians weren’t seen to be friendly with the Jews. In Acts 17 Paul was also hunted from Thessalonica to Berea, some 70 km on foot because they didn’t like his message. In Acts 23, forty people vowed not to eat until they had killed Paul. So in this time, your everyday Christian was spreading outward from Jerusalem, taking their family and business somewhere else, and where they went they were still worshipping Jesus. Some people landed on their feet and became wealthy, and some found employment under fellow Christians, but things were not equal. There was grumbling between Christians, there was tension between the rich and the poor, there was sickness and slander and injustice going on, not to mention external pressures making life hard for Christians, and James writes about a situation like this.
And he is not the kind and sympathetic person you might think he would be. Instead, he tells them to grow up. Be mature in Christ, take responsibility for your faith and seek wisdom, real wisdom and dependence on God. He wants them to take a long hard look at themselves, and to reorientate their thinking around God and then to consider how they might love those around them. A bit of tough love, for life, is hard and unfair and soft words might not work.
In this letter, there is tension between internal belief and external action. James doesn’t want you to just have good theology like the devil (should have said demons James 2:19) but wants you to behave in a certain way. That your faith can be shown in your actions. Do you read the Bible and pray? Do you do good deeds for those around you? Is a question like that enforcing legalism?
As Christians, we are called to something, to a new way of life, not just to a set of philosophical ideas. We aren’t to be like the Thessalonians that Paul writes to who once they got saved and they sat around waiting for the Lord to return. That’s not what we are called for. We are saved and we are to do things.
There is the great commission at the end of Matthew 28, but that is perhaps the church’s mission, to go and make disciples of all nations, of which you can and should be a part of. But there is more, we are told to live in a certain way. And this makes us uneasy. We like the bare minimum. What is the minimum we need to pass this test, what is the minimum we need to do to meet some standard, what is the minimum I have to believe to be a Christian? And what if I don’t do certain practices? Aren’t I still saved by faith? Do I have to get baptised to be a real Christian? What about the thief on the cross, he didn’t get baptised?
The thief on the cross is always a good exception and he does show that all it takes is trust in Jesus to be saved. But James wasn’t writing to people being crucified next to Jesus. And neither are you. James was writing to Christians, free from crucifixion, who have a longer life expectancy and more resources and less holes in their hands and feet restricting them for good works.
So yes, we are all saved by grace, not by works, but remember the flow in Ephesians 2 we looked at two weeks ago (and was one of the readings at Norm's funeral on Tuesday)? We were dead, made alive and then had good works prepared for us to do. Once saved we are to behave in a certain way. We are called to a new life, one that puts behind old habits and makes new one. That is the mature Christian life that James is calling his readers to press into.
But this book isn’t about us simply trying harder, you will see that there is grace in the message of James. He helps us to reorientate our views of God, to depend on Him and not ourselves. This new perspective will hopefully see God in a better light, seeing that He is a good Father who listens to His children and gives them good gifts. That is the mature Christian life that James is calling his readers to press into.
So as we kick off this letter we see that James wastes very little time in getting started. He introduces himself, simply addresses his audience and then jumps right into it. This first passage of the book may feel like it is skipping around a bit, and it is kinda the executive summary of the letter, for most of the topics this touches on, wisdom, testing, and wealth are all circled back again later.
But the first things he jumps into are trials and temptations. These are two things that are universal to all Christians.
Trials
Trials are things that are external to us, that happen to us, of which we are sometimes not in control of. At the start of this letter, James doesn’t give specifics but here trials James is talking about are various, and when we face these James has the crazy notion that we should consider it pure joy.Joy in trials. The thing that makes trials trials, is that they are trying, they are hard, they are uncomfortable, but James wants us to think of them as something joyful. This is one of the many topsy-turvy things James will say in this letter.
He goes on to say why this is: because trials, the hard circumstances that we encounter in the end makes us mature. Trials are like a visit to the gym, not that I have been to a gym, but in there you sweat and struggle and get worn out, but in the end, after a few visits, you get stronger over time, you can endure more and more, you can lift something heavy. I don’t think the goal of going to the gym is so that you can go back again the next day. The goal is to be stronger and healthier outside of the gym.
We should notice that James doesn’t say we should have joy for the trial, but to consider the trial as joy because it has an end goal. It is the future aspect of trials that we are to consider, for trials help us grow in the faith and trust in God more.
Wisdom
James then gives us one helpful thing we can do when experiencing trials. To ask for wisdom. We can be disorientated when life throws us a curveball. We don’t know what to do or think. I take ages to make decisions sometimes, and when there is a crisis going on, with decisions and plans have to be made, I can get paralysed, what is the best thing to do? What is the most effective or strategic thing? What can I say to people in these circumstances? I don’t know, I don’t have all the answers.But James says we are to ask God for wisdom and He will give us wisdom, without finding fault, without holding a grudge against us for asking Him. We don’t bother God when we pray to him.
But there is this hard bit in the text about those who doubt (1:6). Who does James have in mind here? I think it’s not to do with the strength of someone’s faith, but if that person is double-minded (1:8). That is, they are taking a bet both ways. They try this God thing and also seek some other worldly wisdom, like crystals, or astrology or themselves. They have a foot in two worlds, or on two different skateboards, they are unstable. They need to pick a lane and stay in it. Will God carry them through their trials, are they on their own to use their own resources to get them through? Does God really care about our situation or is He really indifferent to us?
We need wisdom to answer these questions, for what we think about God will either help us in trials or bring us to ruin.
I had coffee with someone this week and they were talking about a whole heap of things in their life and the many years of therapy they have had. And they said, if it wasn’t for what they have gone through, they would be a much shallower person.
Trials are hard and we need to prepare for them because if you aren’t going through one now, just wait, one will come. James says not to go looking for them, but whenever they come, consider them joy because they will mature you. It is the strong winds and rough storms that make an oak tree have deep roots.
Wealth
Trials are things external to us, which also include even our wealth. In verses 9-11 James talks specifics about how we are to think about our station in life. Here again, is a topsy-turvy way of looking at things. Those who are humbled should take pride in their high position, and those who are wealthy should take pride in their humiliation. Now in what categories is James talking about here? On the face of it, it seems James muddled his words up. In what way are the poor in high positions and in what way are the rich in humble circumstances?I think this mindset, whether being humbled or humiliated is looked at through the lens of the Gospel[1].
Those who are poor and in Christ need to remember that they have incomparable riches with Christ. They are part of a royal priesthood, they have an inheritance with God that will not be taken away from them, where moths and rust will not destroy their wealth.
Those who are wealthy and in Christ (which is probably most of us) need to remember that our wealth is only temporary, that we are in Christ not because of our riches. Rich people may feel a sense of security with their wealth, but those in Christ need to remember that they are identifying with a crucified Christ. That they are on the team that got crucified by the government, that they believe the foolishness of the cross.
Our minds may wonder thinking that if we just had a little bit more money things would be easier, things would be more enjoyable. If only we had a little bit more[2]. John Rockefeller, one of the wealthiest men alive in the early 20th century, was asked by a reporter “how much money is enough?” and his response was as honest as anyone, he said, “just a little bit more”[3].
Wealth will not give us the security we need; in fact, it is all fleeting.
When I used to work at ANU I used to buy Hannah flowers every month on the way home from work. (Now the one IGA I go past from here to Kambah doesn’t have flowers, so Hannah’s been a bit short of late.) But I had to buy flowers every month because they didn’t last. They die.
Everything we own is going to the rubbish dump. Most of the stuff we have might even be thrown out in five years. How many times already have you upgraded your phone? How many cars have you had or jeans you have gone through? Even your house will turn to dust one day. I remember once talking to a lady who had to clear out her deceased mother's place and she said, it all just ends up at the tip in the end. Wealth is just like flowers; we can’t trust in it for ultimate security. It eventually fades.
Life
But verse 12 tells us what doesn’t fade, what last is the crown of life which is given to the one who stands the test. That is the goal, that is where we are heading, and as we face trials, we seek God’s wisdom as we persevere till the end where we will be given life just as He had promised us. How strong we believe will be based on how strong we trust in who God is. I’ll circle back to this in the end.Temptations
James goes on, not only do we face trials, and external circumstances that happen to us, but also temptations which come from within. We may feel like some situations and circumstances hem us in, control us and God is to blame for that, but James says, when it comes to sin, we only have ourselves to blame.God is not attracted to sin, it’s not his jam, and because God is not into sin, we can trust that He is not trying to trip us up[5]. It is our desires that dragged us away, it comes from within. And here James points out the progression. When tempted a desire from within us wells up, we are enticed and this gives birth to sin which in its adult form is death. Desire, deception, disobedience and death[6].
We are both agents and victims of our desires[7]. We have to take personal responsibility for our sin. In the end, we can’t blame God or society, or our culture or genetics; it is us behaving in a certain way in a certain circumstance. And there is a warning here: sin leads to death. This is opposite to the crown of life that those who make it through the trials. The end result of sin isn’t life, it is death.
But the good news is God. We must not be deceived about who God is. We may change but God doesn’t. He keeps His promises. God isn’t neutral on the matter of us and our sin. God doesn’t entice us to sin and hope that we will fail.
God is worth it
When we face trials and temptations, remember who God is, look beyond the immediate and live, in faith that God is God and He is good. And as we live this way, confident that we know that God is good, our faith will be shown in trials and temptations.We will get to Abraham in chapter 2, but when he was tested, faced with the sacrifice of his only son, Abraham trusted God believing that He could raise the dead (Heb 11:19). And so Abraham's faith was shown to be true.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, when faced with holding on to their views or submitting to the ruling ideas of the day, they chose to follow God. They weren’t threatened with loss of job, but with loss of life and even then when they stood up to the pagan king they said:
“King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Dan 3:16-18)They did not know they were going to be saved, but what they did know was that God was good and in the face of a hard trial they weren’t going to change their minds.
They were human just like you[8].
100 years after this letter was written Ignatius would be the first Christian thrown to the lions for saying Christ was Lord. And still in the face of fierce felines, even though there was the threat of your life being cut short for flowing Jesus, the Christian moment still grew. For people believed that God was worth following, even through hard times, even through death.
Ridley prayed, "Oh, heavenly Father, I give unto thee most hearty thanks that thou hast called me to be a professor of thee, even unto death. I beseech thee, Lord God, have mercy on this realm of England, and deliver it from all her enemies."
The flames didn’t go in Ridley’s favour, it was England and it took a while for the damp wood to burn. As Latimer was covered in flames and Ridley wasn’t, he turn to him and said:
"Be of good comfort, Mr. Ridley, and play the man! We shall this day light such a candle by God's grace, in England, as I trust never shall be put out."
Cranmer was made to watch and a year later would also be burned. Our church tradition still follows in their legacy.
They all trusted in the crown of life which God promised because even though the pressure was huge, they knew God was bigger and more precious to hold on to.
James can be a hard book, there is much we need to do. Ask God for wisdom, navigate the trials and temptations, take responsibility for our sins, but don’t miss God. He is a giver. God will give us wisdom if we ask, God will keep His promise and give us the crown of life, God gives us gifts from above, God chose to give us new birth.
God is not against us; He is for us and with us. Trials and temptations are hard, it is a simple realistic picture of life that we will face them. But when we do, please remember God, because what we think about Him will change the way we see our trials, our wealth and our sin.
Heavenly Father
Help us to remain fixed on you,
knowing that you are a good God
who is not against us, but for us.
May we seek wisdom from you when facing various trials.
We thankyou for the opportunity to persevere with you though trials,
knowing that it will strengthen our faith and through your help
we will receive what you have promised us,
the crown of life.
Help us not to trust in our wealth, but to trust in the cross
where you son died for us and bought us into your royal family.
Our hearts apart from you get deceived and are dragged away by sin.
Help us to stand firm,
trusting in you
who grants wisdom to all who ask
who does not change,
and keeps His promises
Amen.
[1] Sam Allberry, James For You. Sam doesn’t directly say this line but the framework of thinking through both situations through the gospel I got from there.
[2] Sam Allberry, James For You
[3] Just A Little Bit More
[4] Fake Pollock’s $15m Profit & Other Tales of the Glafira Rosales Trove
[5] Sam Allberry, James For You
[6] Same Storms, No, the devil didn’t make you do it, and neither did god - James 1:13-18
[7] Sam Allberry, James For You
[8] I have James 5:17 as a kind of a reference here.
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