James 1:9-12

Good morning. Open up your Bibles to the book of James. James chapter 1.

James 1 · chapter mention

I've got a lot of ground to cover in 30 minutes, so we better get ruling.

But as an early believer, my first study of the book of James was actually with one of my really good friends from high school named Mitchell.

And Mitchell, he had a pretty serious drinking problem and a little bit of drugs, but mainly drinking in high school.

And a few years into college, a friend of mine said, hey, did you hear about Mitchell?

Mitchell got saved while he was in prison.

He's in prison right now, and like he's come to know the Lord, and I couldn't believe it.

It was awesome.

So he says, when he gets out of jail, he's going to need some really good friends to come alongside him.

And I was like, let's do it.

But as is the fashion, like when you're saved in jail, you're pretty blunt to the point a lot of the time.

And Mitchell was very much like that.

So he was like, hey, have you read the book of James?

I'm like, yeah, let's read it together, man.

And it kind of characterizes the book of James.

Like Mitchell was very straightforward, didn't beat around the bush, just kind of told you how it was.

Didn't really care about truth first and your feelings later.

And we had a mutual friend that we were both trying to help.

And he said, hey, how's this guy doing?

And I said, well, he's doing a little better.

Like he's not partying as much.

He's gotten out of the way from the crowd.

And he's doing a little better.

And Mitchell said, is he following the Lord?

And I just said, I don't think so.

But he's not doing good then.

It's kind of like what he, kind of that.

But I see why he loved the book of James, because it is just sort of really straightforward.

James' primary theme is not really how someone becomes a believer or how someone becomes saved,

but rather like what does real faith look like?

What does a, what does genuine saving faith look like?

And he focuses on being more of a doer of the word than just a hearer of the word.

His audience is primarily Jewish Christians.

Because he mentions in verse one, the 12 tribes and the dispersion.

So Jewish Christians who are probably being persecuted and driven away from a lot of their,

their context that they were living in.

This is James, more than likely the brother of Jesus.

It's mentioned in Matthew 13, a leader in the Jerusalem church.

And so he gets right into it.

But Zach and Caleb did a really good job of going through the last parts of this.

We're going to be picking up in verse nine today of chapter one.

But the context of this whole section is basically how God uses trials to refine the faith of the believer

in God's design in those trials.

So James chapter one, verse nine.

It says,

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.

Let's pray with me real quick.

Father, we are grateful to be gathered today as your people.

People that have all been saved by Jesus Christ.

And now that we are one in Jesus Christ, that we belong to one another.

And I pray that today he would use your word to strengthen, challenge, convict, build up.

That you would have the desire that you wish for each of the person here, Lord.

That your spirit would apply the word appropriately.

And thank you for this time, Lord, in Jesus name.

Amen.

Amen.

All right.

So again, in the context, James had been talking about trials and affliction.

If you go back up to verse two, he says,

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.

For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

And let steadfastness have its full effect.

That you may be perfect and complete, lacking and nothing.

And again, since Zach and Caleb did a good job of kind of wringing every drop out of this text about trials,

I thought we would turn over to another familiar text just to get a little more of the context of just what God means by trials.

But this word, trials, is used here in James, is parizamos.

And it means not an inner wrestling with sinful inclinations, but rather outward undeserved sufferings from outside a person.

So persecution, things that are coming from out here and coming on you, that weigh on you, that press at you.

So it's not like, you know, again, it's not a struggle with sin or temptation,

but it's the stuff that comes from outside that distresses us.

That's what trials kind of mean here.

And God can work in the little things in our lives, but he really works in the tragedies and the hard-pressed moments of trials,

the parizamos, the darkest hours of our souls.

And so Peter, the Apostle Peter, just like James, kind of writes about this.

But just to get some more context of trials, flip over to 1 Peter 1 real quick, but keep your hand in James.

But 1 Peter 1, verse 6.

1 Peter 1:6

And likewise, Peter is preparing the churches to get ready for official Roman persecution that was coming,

which up to that point had mainly been from the Jews, but it was getting to be official from Rome itself.

So Peter's preparing the churches to prepare to suffer and to endure trials.

So 1 Peter 1, and look at verse 6.

And to pick up on the language that James uses, he says,

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,

so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold,

that perishes though it is tested by fire,

may be found to result in the praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

And though you have not seen him, I love this verse, though you have not seen him, you love him.

Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with the joy that is inexpressible

and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

And so in this one text, tying it into James, right,

is this idea of how precious metals and a refiner's fire,

so it's an image used a lot in the Bible for a powerful metaphor for trials.

So our suffering and all that we go through is testing that is sent from God.

Trials are a crucible, so to speak.

So just as gold and other precious metals go through extreme heat and a refiner's fire,

a crucible to burn out any impurities that are there,

to refine it.

So it's used as a metaphor of how God uses trials to take the object of our faith and push it through it

so that it'll burn a lot of the junk out of our lives.

It should not be there.

It brings us closer to what God desires.

The psalmist said in Psalm 66,

For you, O God, have tested us.

You have tried us as silver is tried.

You brought us into the net.

You laid crushing burdens on our backs.

You let men ride over our heads when we went through fire and through water.

Yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

So the imagery as God is the skilled refiner,

taking our faith and putting it through fire of trials and suffering.

So just as gold has a lot of impurities,

yeah, the believer's life, my life, your life,

has a lot of stuff in it that should not be.

We are not yet perfect.

But when God puts us through fires, it hurts.

It hurts.

It burns.

But when we come out of the furnace,

more pure, closer to Christ, and more like Him.

So a few observations, just really quick,

just an intro here,

from Peter's passage about trials,

because again, they went well on James the last two weeks.

A few observations from this passage in 1 Peter.

Notice, he says,

Though now for a little while.

Here's four observations.

Trials are temporary.

Though now for a little while.

So when you're going through trials,

it can seem like they won't stop.

They never will end.

And it just makes us feel like,

is there ever going to be a stop to this?

Is it unending?

But he's saying for a little while.

It's temporary,

because one day we will inherit eternal salvation.

So life is not easy.

The second observation,

our trials bring grief.

It says you have been grieved.

Meaning trials are not fun.

They're not pleasant or easy to go through.

Suffering, affliction, and hardship

brings great distress, discomfort,

pain, and grief into our lives.

So it's hard.

I like that recognition.

Trials bring grief.

Thirdly, trials vary in form.

And this is important.

It connects to what James says.

By various trials.

Trials of many kinds.

They vary in form.

So they don't always look the same for my life,

or your life, or someone else's.

God providentially can design a certain trial

to hit you where he needs to hit you.

That might not really be necessarily

as big of a test for somebody else.

But for you it is.

He knows exactly what to pressure you with.

He knows exactly what to do.

And so design for each believer.

Some it's physical persecution,

sickness, illness, relational loss,

whatever it is.

He just knows.

So trials vary in form.

And then lastly, trials have design.

This is difficult in the moment to see.

But he says if necessary.

So meaning trials just don't happen

randomly or meaninglessly.

They always have a providential design

behind them.

So that's why James says ask God for wisdom.

He'll show you.

Ask him.

So he designs for us to learn

something about ourselves

and him in those trials.

So trials are temporary.

Trials bring grief.

They vary in form.

And trials have design.

So if you're going to go back to James now.

James chapter 1.

James 1 · chapter mention

Faith that doesn't flourish.

Faith does not flourish

when it lies untested.

It's kind of like going to the gym.

If you don't exercise your muscles,

you atrophy.

And so when God loves us

and he saves us,

he imparts to us saving faith

when we are born again.

But because he cares for us,

he also injects various trials

to train, grow, and sweeten,

and strengthen, and mature us

in the process.

So trials are not given to us unnecessarily

to produce enduring faith.

But trials are one of the most essential things

that God uses

to keep our faith alive,

to sustain it,

and to help us persevere.

He keeps alive the faith

that he has given us to the very end.

Trials are a huge way he does that.

So, walking through our text here,

there's just four points.

All right?

Doing it a little different maybe,

but point number one,

our trials are meant to humble us.

Trials are meant to humble us.

You see this in verses 9 and 10,

the second part.

He says,

Because like a flower of the grass,

he will pass away.

For the sun rises with its scorching heat

and withers the grass.

Its flower falls,

and its beauty perishes.

So, he's giving you a metaphor,

one familiar in Scripture.

Mortal mankind is often compared

to the flower of the grass.

There's three common flowers in Israel,

and they have beautiful colors

when they come out in February.

But despite their beauty,

their youth,

eventually they are scorched

and burned to ashes by May.

And so, the scorching heat

refers to this strong blast,

scorching wind,

that just kind of devastates

every flower in its path.

And he's saying,

so it is with mortal man.

He's like that.

Because one day,

because of sin,

he will decay,

and eventually all of us

will not be here.

All of us will not be here.

One day,

we will all pass away.

Job wrote,

man,

who is born of woman,

is few of days

and full of trouble.

He comes out like a flower

and withers.

He is like a shadow

that continues not.

And later on,

in the book of James,

James chapter 4,

James 4 · chapter mention

he says,

what is your life?

For you are but a mist.

You are but a vapor

that appears for a little while

and then vanishes.

So like short-lived flowers

of the field,

so too we also

will perish one day.

Is that a humbling thought?

If you sit and chew on it

for a little while,

it'll be a humbling thought.

Do you feel the weight of that,

that we're here

and we're gone?

And a lot of the younger crew here,

it's just not on your radar

because you feel strong,

healthy,

kind of at the peak

of your physical vitality,

but I promise one day

it'll hit you

in a very real way

that we are fading.

The blasting heat

and wind and fury

of trials

will come

and will humble us.

We are not immortal.

So,

trials are meant

to humble us.

Trials

and suffering

touch everyone.

That's one of the common themes here.

So,

the broader theme

is it touches everyone.

James wants

the readers

to have this sink

in their heads

and no matter how

powerful

and rich they are

or how weak

and poor they are,

trials and suffering

will come upon

everyone.

It kind of levels

the playing field.

It's the great equalizer.

There's no one

who can escape it.

No one's exempt.

And so,

in this context,

James particularly

has in mind

people who are rich

and people who are poor

in the context

of the church.

It says the brothers.

So,

in the Psalms

it says,

those of low estate

are but a breath.

Those of high estate

are a delusion.

In the balances

they go up

and they are together

lighter than a breath.

Psalm 62 verse 9

Psalms 62:9

meaning like

none of them are permanent.

Whether you're high,

you're low,

rich or poor,

we're all like

a breath.

Trials and afflictions

we face in this present life

are the great equalizer.

Bring all of God's people

to complete dependence

on Him

and then also

in connection

to each other.

We're all knocked down

to the same level.

Trials force us

to despair

of our own resources

and then to look

to God's resources.

So,

it is imperative though

it's imperative

that God helps us

see our need for Him.

And trials

are how He does that.

Whatever it costs

it's so important

that we become aware

of our need for Him.

Hold your hand there.

I don't want to replace

for you to turn

but hold your hand in James

but my favorite passage

to display

what I'm talking about

is here

is 2 Corinthians.

2 Corinthians chapter 1.

2 Corinthians 1 · chapter mention

If you haven't read this lately

it's going to blow your mind.

2 Corinthians chapter 1

2 Corinthians 1 · chapter mention

go to verse 8.

So,

Apostle Paul

writing his second letter

to the church

at Corinth.

Check this out.

2 Corinthians chapter 1

2 Corinthians 1:8

verse 8.

Paul says,

For we do not want you

to be unaware,

brothers,

of the affliction

we experienced

in Asia.

For we were so

utterly burned

beyond our strength

that we despaired

of life itself.

You hear that?

Paul's like,

it got so bad

we wanted to die.

That's like how bad it got.

Can you imagine

Paul saying that?

I think we have

kind of a false

view of him sometimes.

He just,

it's okay,

you know,

just sort of brushes it off.

It got so bad

in Asia,

he said,

that we despaired

of life.

Verse 9.

Indeed,

we felt that we had

received the sentence

of death,

but this was to make us

rely not on ourselves,

but on God

who raises the dead.

He delivered us

from such a deadly peril,

and he will deliver us.

On him,

we have set our hope

that he will deliver us again.

So,

hopefully we can

fix this problem.

There's a lot of people,

it's kind of become

a cliche in the church,

but it's not true,

but it says

God will not allow you

to go through

more than you can bear.

Not true.

He says it right there.

We were burned

beyond our strength

that we despaired

of life itself.

It does say in James,

coming up soon,

that he won't allow you

to be tempted

beyond what you can bear.

It's not the same idea.

Not an enticement to sin.

This is,

God isn't just up there

kind of being

your cheerleader.

He wants to break you

to where you are

very aware

of your need for him.

And how will you

ever get there

if you don't despair

of your own strength?

If you get to that point

where you realize,

I don't have anything left.

It's got to be him.

So he will

put us through

more than we can bear

so that

we will not rely

on ourselves,

but on God

who raises the dead.

And it's not

a fun lesson

to learn

in the middle of it.

But when you come

out of it,

it's so great.

So go over

back to James again.

Trials bring us

to the same level

of dependency

on God

and humbly

the same level

with each other

no matter who we are.

It says in Acts,

there are many

tribulations.

All of us

must enter

the kingdom of God.

So the point here

is whether poor

or rich,

trials will come

into our lives

to humble us

and remind us

that we are not God,

that we must

humbly admit

that our resources

are not enough

and that we must

go to him alone.

So that's

just imperative

that we see that.

So as a poor brother

forgets his earthly

poverty,

so the rich brother

will forget

his earthly riches

in the middle of trials.

They are equal

in faith in Christ.

And so God,

again,

in his providence

uses trials

a certain design

both for the rich

and for the poor.

That's kind of

where we're going to go

the next few points here.

But

if you're

under the delusion

that just because

you're a follower

of Christ

that you're going to be

exempt from trials,

like,

it's not going to happen.

We all have to,

like,

be aware

that it's going to come

in this life.

And that

we must learn

how to suffer

well.

It's just going to get worse.

So,

number two.

Trials lift up

the poor.

This is in verse 9.

He said,

let the lowly brother

boast in his exaltation.

So,

here,

James is addressing,

in other words,

the brother

of humble circumstances,

of low degree.

Someone who actually

is financially,

economically,

poor,

didn't have much.

That would represent

most of

the people

in the ancient world.

Most of

the believers.

There wasn't

a majority middle class

back then.

It was either,

like,

the really,

really powerful,

rich,

and usually

extreme poor.

But it also

could refer to

believers who maybe

were rich,

but because of

trials and persecution,

they've been dispossessed

of their homes,

their possessions.

So,

they've been brought

low.

And so,

very important

to kind of see

that here.

But,

how does

God use

trials and suffering

in the life

of the poor person,

the lowly person?

It says that

he exalts

him.

Despite his

earthly condition,

when a poor

saint has

an eternal

perspective,

he can boast

or glory

and rejoice

in his

exaltation.

So,

it's a legitimate

form of pride.

It doesn't mean

like an arrogant

boasting.

It means like

you're boasting

in your God

and how great

he is.

And so,

in the fallen

world's eyes,

I look at

people who don't

have a lot,

people who

appear poor,

and as Paul

said,

we have become

and still are

like the scum

of the world,

the refuge

of all things.

It's like how

the world views

people in that

condition.

Yet,

because of

Christ's

transforming power,

because of

his love for

us,

a poor saint,

in God's

eyes,

is beautiful.

A true believer

in this life,

regardless of

how low he

is,

in the world's

eyes,

can take pride

in his God.

And James

exhorts the

poor person

to boast of

glory in his

status in

Christ,

that one day

he will be

exalted and

vindicated by

God,

even though he

doesn't have

much in this

life.

And so,

he can look

at true

riches that

are above,

and not what

is here below.

That gives him

hope and

expectation to

go into the

next life.

So he can

gladly accept

temporary

deprivation,

right,

of suffering,

trials,

because he has

a future hope

set on the

eternal realm

of God.

God.

And he can

hope in the

truth that

one day he

will be

exalted.

All right,

so here's a

commentator,

I love this,

he says about

the poor

saint,

he may be

hungry,

but he has

the bread of

life.

He may be

thirsty,

but he has

the water of

life.

He may be

poor,

but he has

eternal riches.

He may be

cast aside

by men,

but he has

been received

by God.

He may

have no

home here,

but he has

a glorious

home in the

life to come.

So that is

how we ought

to look at

those of us

who are poor,

those of us

who are lowly.

Poor is kind

of a hard

context to

apply to a

lot of us

because comparatively

we are pretty

well off,

but it can

also mean

someone who

is lowly,

of lowly

spirit,

someone who

is broken,

right?

So be

aware of

that.

God will

exalt the

poor.

He will

lift up

the poor.

Point number

three,

trials bring

down the

rich.

Trials bring

down the

rich.

You see in

verse 9,

it said,

let the

rich boast

in his

humiliation.

And rich

here is

referring to

someone who

is well

off,

someone who

has a

lot,

someone who

is financially,

economically,

stable,

everything going

for him.

Such people

did exist

back then,

but again,

it was a

very slim

majority.

But put

yourself in

James'

shoes.

He's writing

to a

Jewish

audience,

and to

a lot of

the Jews,

the Pharisees

and others,

like wealth

was a sign

of God's

favor and

acceptance

of that

person.

And the

poor person

was looked

at as

cursed by

God.

And so

he's reminding

them,

not really,

not really,

not true.

In contrast,

James

exhorts the

rich brother

to boast

in his

humiliation

because he's

being shown

by God

that he is

weak,

that he is

vulnerable,

that he is

fragile because

of trials.

So I think

at least there's

two things that

James is trying

to get the

rich man to

see.

First,

he wants to

use trials to

help the rich

man realize

that his wealth

is temporary

and it brings

him no

advantage before

God.

money can

solve some

problems,

some,

but there's

a lot that

they cannot

solve at

all or

help you

with.

It can't

buy people

out of

their problems.

When you

lose a

loved one

to death,

when you

have a

child who's

diagnosed with

a chronic

illness,

when you

suffer physically

or you have

deep emotional

pain,

like no money

can buy you

out of that.

And God

uses that to

show you

that you

are vulnerable,

that you

need him,

that you

don't have

this invisible

attitude towards

God.

So James

says,

the rich,

those who

are well

off,

should boast

not on

their riches,

but being

made low

before God.

So the rich

man should

thank God.

Thank you

for making

me aware

of my

great need

for you.

Because of

all my

stuff,

I sometimes

will lose

sight of

that.

I think

that I

am

independent,

self-sufficient,

and God

uses that

to bankrupt

them of

their worldly

riches,

to show

them their

need for

his grace.

So God

used the

trials to

humble the

rich,

bring them

low,

to make

them aware

of their

need for

him,

to have

their hope

set on

the living

God.

Secondly,

though,

underneath

this,

I think

that God

uses trials

to help

the rich

identify with

the poor

brother.

God

both have

that in

common.

We're both

fleeting.

We both

are temporary.

Trials bring

us down to

the same

level and

make us

both aware,

poor or

rich,

of how

much we

need God.

So it's

the great

equalizer,

like I

said.

Just as

the trials

that come

upon the

rich,

all their

stuff will

be gone

one day

and they'll

have just

the same

amount as

the poor

guy,

right?

So it

brings them

together,

helps them

relate.

So,

you know,

again,

in our

affluent

Western

culture as

believers,

we tend

to think

that we're

insulated

and we

have some

sort of

false sense

of security,

nothing bad

or dangerous

is going to

happen.

But,

we all

know that's

not true.

We know

that God

is going

to use

whatever it

takes to

make us

aware of

our need

for him.

So God

ordains

hard times

to make

sure that

we don't

make idols

out of

the good

times.

Does that

make sense?

And he

wants to

show us

what's in

our hearts.

Like,

where does

your true

treasure lie?

Is it in

him or the

stuff that

he just

gives us?

And when

he takes

it away,

are we

angry and

resentful?

Or are we

recognized

it was grace

in the first

place and

that because

of him we

still can

glory in

him?

And then

lastly,

I could

spend the

whole time

on just

this last

point,

but I'm

trying to

land the

plane for

everyone.

Point

four,

trials lead

to glory.

Trials lead

to glory.

First

12,

blessed,

happy,

intensely

joyful 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.

So,

a promise

to persevere.

So,

being straightforward,

if you knew

that a really

great trial

was about to

come,

one that was

going to

hit you

or hurt,

to endure

a great

tribulation,

our souls

need something

to hold

on to,

if we're

going to

make it.

It's not

that easy

to do it

just with a

mere command

to survive.

Our minds

and our hearts

need to latch

on to a

reason for

us to go

forward.

We need a

rock-solid

truth,

a promise

to grasp

hold of

so that we

don't get

blown away,

an anchor

for our

souls.

And there's

so many

in the

scripture

for believers

in Jesus

Christ,

while we

can count

trials as

great joy,

count all

joy.

How about

this one?

2 Corinthians

again,

chapter 4,

says,

this light

and momentary

affliction

is preparing

for us an

eternal weight

of glory

beyond all

comprehension.

You can't wrap

your head

around it.

We can embrace

the promise

that no eye

has seen,

nor ear heard,

nor heart

of man

imagined what

God has

prepared for

those who

love him.

It's greater

than anything

you can

concoct up.

It's greater

than anything

you can conceive

or imagine.

We can agree

with the

Apostle Paul

in Romans 8,

I consider

the sufferings

of this

present time

are not

worth comparing

with the

glory that

is to be

revealed in

us.

No matter

how bad

this is,

something

greater is

far,

far much

more than

we could

even comprehend

now.

And then

what Jesus

said,

rejoice and

be glad

for your

reward is

great in

heaven.

We need

to fill

our mind

with those

promises.

Favorite

Piper quote,

wimpy views,

wimpy worldviews

make wimpy

Christians.

So,

because when

trials come,

you've got to

have something

to latch

onto.

You've got to

have something

for the Holy

Spirit to

remind you of.

to make it,

or you're

going to be

blown away.

So now is

the time to

fortify.

But in

James,

he gives us

a great

one.

Blessed,

happy,

deep joy

are those

who persevere

under trial,

right?

Who remain

steadfast.

Love the

word,

that word.

It means

those who

bear bravely

and calmly

all the

ills that

befall them.

You only

can do that

if you have

Christ.

Under trial,

parisimos,

there's that

word again.

Why?

For because

when he has

stood the

test,

he will

receive the

crown of

life.

Crown

alludes not

to a royal

crown,

more of an

athletic crown,

a,

back then,

a laurel

wreath,

the athletics

victor crown,

or the

general's

victorious

victor crown

that he would

wear.

It's this

idea.

Paul wrote

about it.

In 1 Corinthians,

he talks about

believers who are

on a spiritual

race to receive

a wreath that

is imperishable,

right?

So,

the literal

here,

I love this,

it just means

the crown which

is life.

So,

the reward for

faithful perseverance

is eternal life.

The resurrection

that we will all

have if we are

in Christ Jesus,

that's our,

that's the reward.

One that we don't

deserve,

but one that we've

been given

by faith in

Jesus Christ.

The guarantor,

however you want

to say that,

of such a promise

if you look,

is God himself.

He has promised.

God is not a liar.

God does not

change his mind

as if he was

a mere man.

So,

if God says,

one day,

if you persevere,

if you make it,

you'll receive

the crown of life.

I promise you.

And then,

to tie it in,

to make sure

that our affections

are on him,

it is a promise

of God he makes

only to those

who love him.

Alright?

So,

there will be no

boasting in heaven.

Those who remain

steadfast under trial

are those

who love God.

Eternal life

is heaven

with all its blessings,

but we are in the

presence of God

forever.

Alright,

in closing,

and then we're done,

Revelation,

Revelation 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2.

Revelation,

Revelation 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2.

Revelation,

not revelations.

Revelation 2 · chapter mention

Chapter 2.

So,

Jesus is speaking

as the powerful,

majestic,

radiant

Son of God

to the Apostle James

on the island

of Patmos,

and he gives these,

he speaks to these

different churches,

these seven churches.

This is the church

of Smyrna,

not Smyrna,

Georgia,

but

in Asia.

So,

check this out.

This is Revelation,

Revelation 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2.

Look at verse 9.

This is Jesus

talking to the church.

He goes,

I know

your tribulation

and your poverty,

but you are rich.

The physically poor

believers

in that church

were spiritually rich.

He says,

and the slander

of those who say

that they are Jews,

but really are not.

They are a synagogue

of Satan.

Do not fear

what you are about

to suffer.

Do not fear

what you are about

to suffer.

hear that?

Just get yourself

ready.

Like,

just imagine

that a trial

is coming.

They will come.

Let's hear Jesus

say these kind of

words to you.

It's meant for

this context,

but it's also true

for all believers

in Christ.

Jesus,

do not fear

what you are

about to suffer.

Behold,

the devil

is about to throw

some of you

into prison

that you may

be tested.

And for 10 days

you will have

tribulation.

be faithful

unto death

and I will

give you

the crown

of life.

He who has

an ear,

let him hear

what the Spirit

says to the churches.

The one who

conquers

will not be

hurt

by the second

death.

So good.

So good.

So,

I know

many in this

church today

are going

through much

tribulation.

tribulation.

I hope that we

can bear that

together.

Trials have

brought us

a lot closer

together as a

body,

particularly this

last year and

a half.

Something just

to rejoice over.

But it will be

over soon.

Like we all

will be here

and then we're

gone.

And then hopefully

we'll all meet

each other on

the other side.

And we will

receive the crown

which is life

because of the

work of the

Lord Jesus

alone.

Right?

We'll be there

forever.

The one who

conquers will

not be hurt

by the second

death.

Join me in

prayer.

Amen.