Temptation

Good evening, everyone, and thank you, Peter and Beth, for reading and praying.

As Peter said, my name is Luca, if we've not met before,

and we're looking at the second section of James tonight together.

I wonder if you've ever heard of the deep sea anglerfish.

It's a very ugly, very rare fish that lives only in deep, dark waters.

You can Google it at home or pretend to be on your Bible app and we won't notice.

It's called an anglerfish because it literally goes fishing, and it goes fishing with a bait.

It has a sort of fishing pole protruding from its head, and at the end of it, it has glowing bacteria.

And this fishing pole is called a lure because they use it to lure their prey in.

And the fish prey is so intrigued by the glowing light that it's all it sees.

I will not pay any attention to the big fish behind the light ready to eat it.

That light is all it sees.

It forgets about everything else, and then it gets closer and closer until it's too late,

and it gets swallowed by the anglerfish.

James says that's us and temptation.

Last week, we read about trials, how the opportunities that God gives us to become more perseverant,

and ultimately to strengthen our faith.

Today, we've read about temptation and how temptation leads to death.

And what's interesting is that in the original Greek, the same word is used for temptation and trials.

And yet, James couldn't make it any clearer that they are very different things, opposites, in fact.

And that's why our translations use two different words.

And the main difference is the outcome of the two.

Trials lead to the crown of life.

Temptation leads to death.

So let's dive in and see what James tells us about temptation.

And we're going to split the passage into two sections.

We'll look at deadly desires from within in the first few verses, 13 to 15,

and saving truth from above in verses 16 to 18.

Deadly desires from within and saving truth from above.

The Bible is very clear on the fact that God tests us.

Abraham in Genesis 22 is an example.

God asks him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac,

on whom God's personal promise to Abraham of countless descendants entirely depended.

And John tells us in his gospel, in chapter 6, verse 5,

that Jesus tests Peter when he asks him where he thinks they could possibly buy enough bread

for the 5,000 people who gathered to listen to Jesus.

And so as James said a few verses before these,

the testing of our faith produces perseverance,

and perseverance makes us mature and complete until we receive the crown of life.

And Archie told us all about it last week.

But now James warns us against thinking that since God can allow trials,

then he's also responsible if we sin when we fail to resist temptation.

So he says in verse 13,

when tempted, no one should say God is tempting me.

For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.

And so he then gives us a very helpful description of the difference between the two.

And so while the aim of trials is to strengthen our faith,

temptation on the other hand is there literally just to make us fail.

Its whole aim is to get us to sin.

And see the steps in this process that James describes in verses 14 and 15.

Steps of a process that unfortunately we all know too well

from our own everyday personal experience with sin.

It all starts with desires.

But notice how it's evil desires that drag us away.

Because there is such a thing as good desires.

We all desire to eat, maybe to have a romantic relationship,

to be able to afford caring for ourselves and for our families.

But all of these desires can turn into evil desires.

When desiring food becomes gluttony,

when desiring a romantic relationship turns into adultery,

or desiring to earn money turns into greed.

And it's these evil desires that drag us away,

that lure us in and get us swallowed by the anglerfish.

And also the process does not stop there.

James uses another very powerful image,

conception and birth.

And so once desire has conceived,

once that line into evil desire has been crossed,

then it generates sin.

And sin can grow.

If we're unrepentant, we can let sin fester.

We can let it roam free inside of us

and let it grow and grow and grow.

And then when it is fully grown,

he says sin gives birth to death.

Giving birth to death.

What a paradox.

If we don't believe in Christ,

unfortunately the Bible is really clear.

If we're not a Christian,

we are headed for eternal death.

But James is warning us Christians in verse 15

about the deadly consequences

that unrepentant sin can have in our lives too.

He comes back time and time again in this book

to the importance of actions

that reflect our faith.

And so yes,

a gospel-believing Christian

can let sin grow over time

by not taking it to God in repentance

and not asking the Spirit for help

to keep fighting it.

It will lead us astray.

It will make us wander away from the truth

with terrible consequences for us

and those around us.

Just because we're saved,

we don't get a free pass

to let sin grow in us.

And James will say in chapter 5

that if we help a brother or sister

turn from the error of their way,

we will save them from death

and cover over a multitude of sins.

So do we see how different temptation is

from trials?

It's aimed at making evil desires

have the better of us.

It's aimed at making us just give up and sin.

And so for this reason,

temptation doesn't and cannot come from God

is what James says in verse 13.

God does not tempt it

and God is not tempted.

And I wonder if you're thinking like I did

the first time I read the passage

that actually God was indeed tempted

in the person of Jesus

when he was in the desert.

We can read about it

in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 4.

Matthew 4 · chapter mention

And he was tempted in the sense

that Satan tempted him.

Jesus was exposed to temptation

and he had desires

because he was fully human.

But he was also fully God.

And so his desires could not go beyond that.

God wouldn't let himself be enticed

by sinful desires like we do,

which is what temptation is about.

And so just as God cannot be tempted,

he also would never do that to us,

tempt us so that we sin.

Matthew 7 says that as a father,

he'd never give us a stone

if we ask for bread or a snake,

if we ask for a fish,

let alone lure us into sin.

The evil desires, says James,

come from within us.

They're down to our sinful nature,

to our condition of broken humans,

separated from God,

since sin entered the world in Genesis.

So if we were to think about

how we could apply this to our own lives,

I think one very direct application

from all of this is, of course,

let's not attribute to God any temptations.

If we ever think,

why would God make me sin in this or that way?

He just didn't.

The trials that we endure

and that strengthen our faith

are trials that we endure

because we are trying to live a Christian life.

But sins are our own doing.

They're our own choice.

And the challenges that we face

for having fallen into sin,

they have nothing to do with God.

What we're called to do is

draw near to God,

to resist temptation

when it comes our way.

And secondly,

as another application for us,

let's not play with fire.

We must not underestimate

the danger of evil desires and sin.

We have to learn to recognize sin

in its early stages

by being in communion with God,

by dwelling in his word

and letting the spirit

convict us of sin.

James gives us in these verses

a very stark reminder

that sin is serious business.

It doesn't matter how many years

I've been a Christian for,

how many generations

my family has been going to church for,

we are all vulnerable to sin.

And don't we know it all too well,

unfortunately,

how easy it is to underestimate sin,

how comfortable sometimes

it can feel to play with it,

to let that desire grow

rather than run to God

and get rid of it

there and then.

And so can I invite us all

to have a serious think about

what sins

we maybe are being too relaxed about?

Do we tend to join in

during banter at work

that we know brings anything

but glory to God

because it's just for a laugh

so we can make an exception?

Maybe sometimes we even make up excuses

that we're doing it

just to mingle,

to integrate,

so that we'll have opportunities

to evangelize.

Do we let jealousy

shape some of our comments

on that other family member

and it's fine

because it's family after all?

Or is it sexual sins

that we will not confront

because we just get

too much pleasure out of them?

I think we can all imagine

we all know

how all of this

can grow over time

and have deadly consequences.

So James tells us

sin is not something

that we get to feel

and be violent about.

Something that we know is bad

but we can let a bit of it in

because we will know

when to stop.

No, he says sin

is here to kill.

And so as Christians

we have no excuse

to dwell on it.

We must run away from it.

We must run straight to God.

And that's for us to do.

Helped by the Spirit.

God doesn't,

will not tempt us

but we must turn away from sin

and turn to him.

So let's not attribute

temptation to God

and let's take sin seriously

and not play with fire.

Let's move on to verses 16 to 18 now.

We've talked about

deadly desires from within

but thankfully

James does not stop

at this bleak picture

because verses 16 to 18

tell us that there is

a saving truth

coming to the rescue

from above.

He opens verse 16 with

don't be deceived.

He must have reasons

to believe that these Christians

are being deceived.

There's some sort of deception

going on

and maybe

they got things mixed up

or maybe they're exposed

to the teachings

of someone who did

or maybe he's just worried

that they'll misunderstand

the whole relation

between God's trials

and Satan's temptations.

So after explaining

what does not

come from above

he tells us now

what does

come from God

and that's

every good

and perfect gift.

Every good

and perfect gift

comes from above.

And he goes on

to give us

a spectacular

description

of our gift

dispensing God

and he does that

in just a handful

of words

in verse 17.

The father

of the heavenly

lights

who does not change

like shifting

shadows.

What else

could come

from such a God

other than

every good

and perfect gift?

I find that

there's nothing

like a good

reminder

that our God

is the creator

of the universe

the father

of the heavenly

lights

to give us

perspective

when we're

lost in the

chaos of our

everyday struggles.

Maybe you climb

up a hill

and look around you

maybe you just

watch the grass

on your lawn

grow out of

just rain

and sunlight

or maybe you

watch a David Attenborough

documentary

and remember

that if God

was able to

make all of

this happen

he must be

a powerful

a creative

a good

God

the father

of the heavenly

lights

who doesn't

change like

shifting shadows

and maybe even

better than a

David Attenborough

documentary

when it comes

to a sound

description of

God

would be the

Bible itself

which is why

we read

Psalm 145

it describes

that same

God

that James

is talking

about here

verse 9

of the psalm

says

a Lord

who is

good to

all

that's why

every good

and perfect

gift comes

from him

in verse

12

the psalmist

says

a Lord

whose kingdom

is covered

in glorious

splendor

because he's

the father

of the heavenly

light

he created

everything

that we see

and in verse

13

the psalm

says

a Lord

whose kingdom

is everlasting

because he

doesn't

change

like shifting

shadows

and I'd

encourage you

to read

the whole

psalm

again

maybe in

your own

time

maybe to

start the

week

tomorrow

it's a

really

uplifting

praise of

God

for who

he is

as a

good

a loving

a sovereign

and eternal

father

and so

just like

the psalmist

James wants

us to

realize

that all

of this

continuous

shifting

this instability

that is so

intrinsically

part of

our nature

as fallen

human beings

this constant

changing

and often

for the worse

if we're

honest

that we

live

day in

day out

this is

in no way

a trait

of our

God

so while

we're

dragged away

by our

desires

that then

give birth

to sin

and lead

to death

God

remains

unmovable

he's the

father

of the

whole

creation

and he's

been in

his splendid

kingdom

since the

beginning

and while

we're

shifting

or slipping

into sin

he stays

there

like a

rock

and what's

key in

all of

is in

verse 18

is that

he's not

just sitting

on the

clouds

looking down

on us

and scoffing

at our

incapability

to resist

temptation

he offers

us

salvation

he gives

us birth

through the

word of

truth

he says

and here's

that same

image of

given birth

that we

had in

verse 15

but this

isn't the

birth of

death

this is

our second

birth

as saved

children of

God

just like

Jesus had

explained to

Nicodemus in

John chapter

John 3 · chapter mention

3

he gives

us birth

through the

word of

truth

and what's

the word of

truth

it's the

gospel

it's a

message that

Jesus

God's only

son

died on

the cross

for our

sins

and this

word of

truth

this message

of salvation

it has

such a

radical

effect

on us

that it's

like we're

born again

out with the

old

in with the

new

and how could

it be

otherwise

when accepting

the word of

truth

completely

subverts

the whole

of eternity

for us

we go from

eternal death

after this

earthly life

to eternal

life

there's a

beautiful

word in

verse 18

that I

missed the

first couple

of times

that I

read the

passage

and it's

chose

it says

that God

chose

to save

us

we have

to realize

that there's

nothing random

about God's

work in

our lives

there's God

who doesn't

change like

shifting shadows

didn't just

get fed up

with our

pleas for

help one

day and

then reluctantly

decided to

offer us a

way out of

our misery

no he chose

to give us

birth through

the word of

truth or in

other words to

save us from

eternal death

and give us

eternal life

instead

so let me

encourage us all

to think about

a very practical

application again

for all of

us to

yeah to

ponder on off

the back of

these verses

and especially

off the back of

James's exhortation

to not be

deceived in

verse 16

as I prepared

for this I

thought in

what ways

might I be

deceived in

21st century

Edinburgh

when it comes to

these truths

that James is

reminding us of

that every good

and perfect gift

comes from

God

and there are

so many ways

of thinking

so many

philosophies all

around us

that try to

undermine the

character of

God

and to be

honest some

might not be

that different

from what

was out there

2000 years

ago

a society

may be trying

to convince

us that the

God of the

gospel is only

one of the

many gods

that are out

there

or that God

doesn't even

exist and

everything that

comes our way

is the result

of chance

or perhaps

not that

things

happen by

chance

but as a

direct result

of our

actions

because we

are the

makers

of our

own fate

or maybe

we're told

that the

God of the

Bible

has to be

a mean

God

not the

source of

every good

thing

because he

allows us

to suffer

and so

like the

people that

James writes

to we have

to be careful

not to be

deceived

perhaps not

many of us

would recognize

any of these

statements

these philosophies

as actively

dangerous

for us

personally

nothing that

we would

ever easily

accept as a

truth

but we

certainly don't

want to make

the mistake

of letting

our guards

down

as Christians

we would

probably not

go around

saying that

we believe

that we are

the makers

of our own

fate

that everything

that happens

to us

is thanks

to us

but is that

what our

actions

and our

everyday

conversation

show

as we

live

have to

live

in an

individualistic

capitalistic

society

and so

I think

the question

for us

is where

do we

go

to get

our

understanding

of who

God

is

do we

go to

the word

of truth

as James

calls it

the gospel

or do we

let what

the world

around us

thinks

of God

slowly

but surely

get into

our heads

and in

turn

then inform

our actions

and our

words

how much

do we

actually

protect

our minds

and hearts

from the

current

world

thinking

do we

do that

by running

to the

only source

of truth

the word

of God

by regularly

sitting with

it and

listening to

God speak

to our

hearts

through it

and I know

from personal

experience

I imagine

many of you

would be able

to relate

that there

can often

be a

dangerous

imbalance

between

how much

time I

spend with

the word

of God

whether it's

by reading

it by

myself

listening to

sermons

praying

reading

Christian

books

compared to

how much

time I

spend letting

what the

world thinks

creep into

my heart

and mind

and it

does show

in subtle

ways in

how we

conduct

ourselves

in how

we speak

and how

we think

maybe in

how we

manage our

time and

money

so as a

Christian

where do I

get my

understanding

of who

God is

is it

the latest

Netflix

series that

I've been

watching

is it

the celebrity

that I

follow on

Instagram

is it

politics or

sport commentators

whatever you're

exposed to

even family

or friends

and I'm not

saying we'd

be repeating

verbatim what

any of these

people say

about God

but unless

I am in

communion with

him through

his word

and nothing

will raise a

red flag in

my mind

as I'm

exposed to

lies about

him and

they will

start creeping

in

and then

if any of

us are not

quite sure

where we

sit what

we think

about God

and the

gospel or

maybe we

think we're

sure it's

not for us

it's certainly

not the

truth then

I'll ask

you why

are you

basing that

on is it

what anyone

out there has

to say about

it are you

letting God

introduce

yourself himself

to you so

that you can

make an

informed decision

and yes there

are difficult

parts but you

might be surprised

how direct and

simple the main

message of

salvation actually

is and then

yes there will

be questions

and in which

case please do

come to us

him anyone in

the leadership

team anyone you

know from church

anyone in your

family who could

sit with you and

help you and

wrestle with God's

message

so as we conclude

tonight and as

we prepare our

hearts for communion

in a few minutes

let's take what

the word of God

teaches us through

James in this

passage our

condition of

broken sinners

is serious and

the responsibility

for our sins is

ours we cannot

look for

scapegoats and

God will

certainly not be

one if God

tests us it's

for our benefit

if we sin it's

because we don't

let the spirit

work in us and

we let ourselves

get dragged away

by our own

desires but it's

not God who put

the angler fish

there and when

we are attracted

by the angler

fish when we see

that lure dangling

in front of our

eyes and we

can't see anything

else what we

can't do what we

must do is just

turn around and

swim swim into the

arms of our

creator because he

is there offering

salvation the

creator of the

whole universe he

chose to save us

despite our sinful

condition Romans 5

8 reads that God

shows his love for

us and that while

we were still

sinners Christ died

for us and he

died to give us

birth and it's his

death that we're

going to be

remembering prayerfully

in a moment so

let's rejoice and be

thankful in the

knowledge that the

same word of God

that so clearly shows

us how unworthy we

are just as clearly

invites us to accept

the salvation that's

being offered to us

by the God who

dispenses every good

and perfect gift

let's pray

father we praise you

as the creator of the

whole universe father

father you are a rock

you don't change

you the same that you

always were

and we thank you for

your perfect gift of

salvation

we ask you to forgive

us for all the

things that we

attribute to you

father when we're not

in communion with you

when we're not

basing our thoughts and

words on what the

word teaches us about

you and we ask for

forgiveness for every

single time that we're

so ready to just jump

into sin and we thank

you father for that

word of truth for the

gospel for that

sacrifice that has

given us eternal life

and so father we ask

you we ask your spirit

help in resisting

temptation

in being aware of

sin father

and we ask you to help

us as brothers and

sisters father as a

congregation also point

each other to you and

look out for each other

when we're struggling

so father thank you for

for the good news in

your bible thank you in

your word thank you for

the good news in this

passage that you are our

savior father you've

chosen to save us we

cannot thank you enough

for this father

amen

you