James Shepherd

you all to gather as God's people, to sit under his word and be taught. As Sam mentioned,

we are in a new series tonight looking at James at the end of hypocrisy, a series going

through the book of James with the aim to bridge the gap between the way God has called

us to live and the way we actually live. That we might live out of faith that reflects the

deep convictions of scripture, showing that we are a people saved by grace and therefore

such a conviction changes the way we live. Indeed, in this letter, we meet someone who

experiences the very grace of God, which radically changes his life. James was a brother of Jesus

and he grew up with him his whole entire life. But in the gospels, we are told that he didn't

follow Jesus. He didn't believe in him. John 7, 5 says, for not even his brothers believed

in him. And so James grew up with the very son of God in his own family. He heard every

single word he taught, everything he did and said, but he didn't follow him. He didn't believe

him. In fact, his whole family, we are told in Mark's gospel, thought he was crazy and said,

Jesus, stop doing that. Stop saying these things. They thought he was a bit of a lunatic.

But this is not, this wasn't always going to be the case for James. You see, in 1 Corinthians 15,

we're told this,

For I delivered you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in

accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in

accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to

more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. It wouldn't be until James came face to face with

the resurrected Lord Jesus, that he would come to believe all that Jesus had said and done,

that Jesus was the Messiah, that he was the Christ, the promised one to come and save people from their sins.

And so years on, James is now the leader of a church in Jerusalem, and he's writing this letter to strengthen

his brothers and sisters who are all dispersed across Asia Minor and into Europe.

They may live lives of faithfulness.

Indeed, it's not a stretch to suggest that James wants his readers to be so impacted

by the resurrection of Jesus as he was, and to see that it does change their life,

and it does make a difference in the way they live.

This book is not about moralism.

It's not a book of proverbs.

It's not a checklist to see how you are going in your faith.

This book, this letter, is written with a deeply held conviction

that the resurrection of Jesus changes lives forever,

and what our faith looks like in the public's place,

and how the resurrection, how the gospel shapes and changes our life.

And so with this in mind, let's pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you so much that tonight we can gather as your people.

We can sit under your word and have you teach us.

And we just pray, Lord, as we read your word tonight,

as we look and start our series on James,

and looking at the issue of hypocrisy in our lives as Christians,

that you would challenge us, that you would rebuke us,

that you would lead us towards repentance for our sin,

but also, Lord, that you would encourage us,

you would strengthen us, and you would embolden us,

that you would help us to see that the gospel that we so clearly

and hold convictingly, that does change our life,

and it can influence the way we live.

And so, Father, we just pray tonight,

that tonight you would help us to see this in your word

and to live according to it.

We pray this in your Son's name.

Amen.

I don't know if you've ever read an email or a Facebook message

or a letter, if you still get letters,

and the very first line of the actual content of the Facebook message

or the email takes you back a little bit.

It's a bit abrupt.

It might be really offensive.

You might be a little bit blown away about what this person

is just saying to you from the word go.

And that's the kind of way I feel about James

with his opening statement.

It's abrupt.

It makes a huge presumption.

It's offensive in a way at first reading.

It says,

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,

whenever you face trials of many kinds.

That is crazy.

That is abrupt.

There's a bit of a punch in the face.

James, what part of our trials,

of our suffering,

are we to consider as pure joy?

Or all joy?

Is that even possible?

James doesn't want to waste any time here.

From the very beginning,

from the very beginning,

he writes to a bunch of Christians

wanting to show how our core

and deeply held convictions in the gospel of Jesus

impact our life.

And the very first conviction,

the very first implication of the gospel,

is a punch in the face

that turns our world upside down.

Consider it pure joy

whenever you face trials of many kinds.

Now, James is quick to show why.

We are to consider joy in trials

because they produce perseverance for our faith.

And we are told that the results of this perseverance

is our perfection, wholeness,

and lacking in nothing.

The gospel impacts us by shaping the way

we think about trials and about suffering.

And so in a world that's so obsessed with security,

with safety,

that fears danger and suffering,

the gospel turns on its head about suffering

and says you ought to consider these things pure joy.

They're not to be afraid, not to be feared.

We shouldn't see them as threatening,

but instead,

because of the way the gospel has impacted us,

we see them as pure joy.

Our sufferings and trials show us

that we aren't in control.

We can't do anything to assure

our complete protection and security against them.

But this is why we should consider it pure joy

when we experience suffering,

because it serves as a constant reminder

of our need to rely on God

and not on ourself.

Trials teach us lessons

about our need for God's sustaining grace

and humble us from thinking

that we can do life on our own.

And although the various trials

we might face in our life

might try to rob us of our joy,

in the end,

as we are told here,

they should only go to serve our joy

because our trials

always point us to our need of God.

Indeed, they remind us

of our need of God

and of how God has already provided for us

in His Son.

It can be hard to see how suffering

can achieve all this,

especially when we're in the midst of it all.

How can a good God,

who says He loves us,

allow for suffering to occur in the world

and in our life

and say,

consider it joy

because it's going to achieve

these things for you.

It's hard when we're in the thick of it all.

It's hard to see the bigger perspective

of what our trials

and our suffering

is achieving for us.

And this is why James goes on

to talk about the need for wisdom.

He says in verse 5,

if any of you lacks wisdom,

you should ask God

who gives generously

to all without finding fault

and it will be given to you.

As trials test our faith

that we might persevere,

proven in the end

to be lacking in nothing,

James points out

that we might be inhibited

in persevering

if we lack wisdom.

This wisdom

is not merely intellectual

or philosophical.

This is the wisdom

of the gospel

that impacts our life

and transforms

the way we view life

in regards to suffering

and trials.

It shows us

that we should not be afraid,

that we shouldn't feel threatened

by the experience,

but that we should see it

for what it really is,

an experience

that tests our faith

in order to preserve it,

to keep it.

But to see all this,

we need to embrace

gospel wisdom.

That should be

our first response

in suffering,

to ask God

for wisdom

in order that

we might respond well

and suffer well,

seeing it as a tool

for the preservation

of our faith.

The reason why

we struggle so much

with trials and suffering

is because we struggle

to see their purpose.

And especially

when you look around

at other people

in our life

who don't seem

to be struggling at all,

who seem to have it all,

who really in this world

don't like anything,

it can be really hard

to look at those people

and not think,

why can't I be like that?

Psalm 73

is one of those psalms

I think many of us

can relate to.

The psalmist

is lamenting

of his own struggle

and he opens with this,

truly God

is good to Israel,

to those who are pure in heart,

but as for me,

my feet

had almost stumbled,

my steps

had nearly slipped,

for I was envious

of the arrogant

when I saw

the prosperity

of the wicked

for they had no pains

until death.

Their bodies

are fat and sleek,

they are not in trouble

as others are,

they are not stricken

like the rest of mankind.

Like the psalmist here,

we struggle

to see sometimes

our neighbours,

our work colleagues

and even our friends

when they have it so easy,

who don't seem

to like anything,

who own their house,

own their nice car,

go on holidays,

and yet all the while

never seem to struggle

with any kind of suffering

or trial in their life.

They just cruise through life

and enjoy it

at every single point

while we

face so many sufferings

and so much trial,

which rob us

of our health,

our money,

and our relationships.

And so this can make it

just really hard

to simply accept

what the Bible

is saying here,

that we should consider

it all joy.

And not just that,

but to accept it

as not only

the right response

to suffering,

but as the best response

to suffering.

We have,

in the next few verses,

in verses 9 to 11,

what seems to be

a general proverbial teaching

on the poor

and the rich

and how the poor

will be exalted

and the rich humiliated.

But if we read closely,

I think we can see

James is applying

this gospel wisdom

and the way

it changes our view

on material wealth.

That it turns

on the world's head,

the world's view,

on what it means

to be perfect,

complete,

and lacking in nothing.

And so it shows

why we should have

a joyful response

and why that response

is the best response.

So verse 9 reads,

believers in humbler

circumstances

ought to take pride

in their position,

but the rich

should take pride

in their humiliation

since they will pass away

like a wildflower.

What we see here

is a picture

of the impact

the gospel wisdom

has both on the rich

and on the poor.

The lowly believer

takes pride

in his exaltation

for whilst they lack

in material things,

gospel wisdom

shows them

that they have

everything in Christ.

They lack nothing

spiritually.

Indeed,

it's very much like

what Jesus said

in Matthew 5

in the Beatitudes,

blessed are the poor

in spirit

for theirs

is the kingdom of God.

And the rich boast

in their humiliation

for although

they have had it all,

they didn't like

anything in life,

they had every single

material possession

you could possibly have

and they were fulfilled

and content

in this life.

Gospel wisdom

impacts them

by showing them

that their material

possessions

are nothing

compared

to what can only

be gained

in Christ's

eternal life.

Gospel wisdom

makes such pursuits

in wealth

and in material things

silly

and stupid

because they fade away

compared to

the gospel

which is eternal.

This little illustration

is loosely connected

to the theme of suffering

but the point

is that the gospel

turns our world

on its head.

What it means

to be whole,

perfect

and lacking in nothing.

that our wholeness

and perfection

is not dependent

on worldly

material things,

it's dependent

on Christ

and his work

on the cross

to make us whole.

This means

we look at our world

in a whole

new way.

We look at

our experiences

and our possessions

and our life

within a much

bigger perspective

than the here and now.

and this

includes

our trials

and suffering

which is why

we read in verse 12

following on from this

blessed is the one

who perseveres

under trial

because having

stood the test

that person

will receive

the crown

of life

that the Lord

has promised

to those who love him.

To those

who might lack

in this life

who otherwise

go through

immense suffering

and face trials

but persevere

trusting in God

they will receive

the crown of life.

They will live

with God

forever.

It's a great blessing

we have

as Christians

this promise

this wisdom

that comes

from the gospel.

For the world

the world today

is perplexed

about how to deal

with the issue

of suffering

of death

of trials

they don't have

an answer.

They pretty much

just say

ignore it

do your best

in pursuing

riches

and worldly things

and just hope

for a better outcome

hope for the best outcome.

But as Christians

we have been so

dramatically

transformed

by the power

of the gospel

by the death

and resurrection

of Jesus

which shapes

the way

we view life

as we view it

through the wisdom

of the gospel.

And what it tells us

is that suffering

and trials

whilst

are horrible

whilst

are painful

they are not

bigger

or more powerful

than God.

Indeed

God has proven

his power

over them

by using them

as a means

of preserving

our faith

and keeping us

on track

that we might

end up

perfect

and right

and whole

and lacking

in nothing.

And so we

as Christians

can do something

that's so

counter-cultural

that's so offensive

in our world

today

we can actually

take joy

in our sufferings.

I think it was

John Piper

who said

God is most

glorified in you

when you are

most satisfied

in him

in the midst

of lost

not prosperity.

What makes

God look so

good and so

worthy of

worship

is when we

can go to

God in the

midst of so

much pain

and trouble

and still say

God you are

good.

God you are

worthy.

Not when we

have it all

worked out

when in the

pit of despair

we can still

say God is

good.

That is the

wisdom of the

gospel played

out in the

Christian life.

God is

but the

question I

want to ask

is do we

actually take

joy in our

trials?

Do we truly

believe that in

the midst of

trials and

suffering that

the best response

to these trials

and suffering is

joy?

Do our lives

reflect joy?

God is in

control.

God is in

control.

He will take

care of us.

by believing

one thing and

doing another.

By saying we

live this way

but actually

living in a

totally different

and opposite

way.

And I think

for many of

us we take

great comfort in

this chapter here

in James 1.

And so when we

are faced with

times we often

verbalize to

ourselves and to

each other God

is in control.

He will take

care of us.

This is like all

according to his

plan.

But how often

do we see this

reflected in our

life, in our

actions?

We might have

speech that shows

that we've been

impacted by gospel

wisdom and say

the right things

in suffering but

has it impacted

our life and our

actions and the

way we live?

When I'm faced

with trials and

hard times I

struggle to always

run to God and

not to worldly

things.

And if I can be

honest, when I

feel the pressure

of life, when I

feel depressed and

unhappy because of

trials, I generally

turn to the gym.

I increase the

time I spend at

the gym hoping

that it will make

me feel good,

hoping that as I

continue to work

out I will be

able to build a

better image of

myself and feel

more whole and

feel more perfect

and feel like I

lack nothing

because I'm

working out.

And what also

goes hand in hand

with this is that I

might buy new

clothes as well

because I want to

portray this whole

image where I look

good and I feel

good and I look

perfect or I look

whole and I look

like I've got all

my problems all

sorted out.

All the while

though, I'm telling

myself and telling

others, no, no,

God's in control of

my life and he's

got a plan for

this and I'm

trusting in him.

At the same time

also encouraging

others in their

struggles and their

trials saying,

oh, don't worry,

God's in control.

Don't worry, God's

got a plan for your

life.

Except, you know,

my own actions

don't reflect that

in the way I'm

dealing with that

myself.

Now this is the

hypocrisy I see in

my life.

What might it be

in yours?

Where do you

turn to instead

of God in your

actions that

doesn't reflect what

you say and

believe?

If we could go

back for a moment

to the section on

wisdom, you may

notice I left out a

little bit there on

how to ask for it.

We're just going to

read it from verse

six again.

But when you ask,

you must believe and

not doubt because the

one who doubts is

like a wave of the

sea, blown, tossed

by the wind.

That person should

not expect to receive

anything from the

Lord.

Such a person is

double-minded and

unstable in all they

do.

James says if we

want gospel wisdom

to help us see the

bigger perspective of

suffering, we must

ask and believe and

not doubt.

Now this belief is

more than just in

regards to believing

something will

happen.

Now this belief,

this command to

believe is more

tied to loyalty.

So James is

saying ask living a

life that's loyal to

God.

And so to doubt

then here is more

than just being

unsure that God's

going to give you

something or being

unsure something will

happen.

Doubt here is more

tied with the idea of

being divided.

It is to be unsure

where your loyalties

lie.

And we see this in

the illustration that

follows.

This divided person

is like a wave

tossed to and

fro.

He is unstable and

double-minded.

He is completely

divided in his

loyalty and so of

course he's not going

to receive anything

from God.

Is it possible that

this might be a

picture of us as

well?

Can we truly say

that we have been

impacted by the

wisdom of the

gospel saying true

things about it

when our lives

don't even reflect

it?

Is it possible that

we ask in a

divided manner?

Saying one thing

but living in a

completely different

way.

Saying we trust in

God and we know

he's planned for our

suffering but in our

actions we run to

worldly things that

make us feel whole,

that make us feel

like we lack nothing

but in reality leave

us empty.

James points out the

hypocrisy I think

many of us struggle

with.

We believe, we

believe so hard that

suffering and trials

must have a purpose

and do lead to the

preservation of our

faith but so often

our actions would say

otherwise.

What we do would say

otherwise.

And so James is

calling us to have an

undivided loyalty to

the gospel of Jesus.

To have a faith that

does not sit on the

fence or say one

thing and do another.

James is calling

believers as they

ask for gospel wisdom

to do so totally

trusting in God.

Giving him, giving

them, sorry God,

their undivided

devotion to him.

Both in speech and

in action.

we must look at our

actions and ask

ourselves if we are

divided in our

devotion to God,

saying one thing and

doing another.

And we must ask

ourselves, does that

need to change?

And what needs to

change?

However, we'll talk

more about that

throughout this series

as it comes up.

As we continue on,

we see that the result

may be if we remain

divided in our loyalty,

is that if we

abandon gospel

wisdom, is that our

trials and suffering

will lead us instead

to think that God is

to blame for them.

So if you look at

verse 13, it says

this,

when tempted, no one

should say, God is

tempting me, for God

cannot be tempted by

evil, nor does he

tempt anyone.

But each person is

tempted when they are

dragged away by their

own evil desire and

enticed.

Then after desire is

conceived, it gives

birth to sin, and

sin, when it's full

grown, gives birth to

death.

Again, what we read

here is very good

wisdom on its own, but

in its context, James

intends to say so much

more.

People who are divided

in their loyalty to

God, who don't have the

gospel wisdom to

perceive God's bigger

perspective, generally

end up blaming God for

their suffering and

trials.

trials.

They struggle to deal

with their suffering and

trials on their own, and

so they conclude it can't

be their fault, since it

must be God, since he is

in control.

It must be him who's

tempting them to live in

the opposite way.

Instead of seeing the

dichotomy between what

they believe about

suffering, and what they

say and do in response, as

an example of their

hypocrisy, they see it as

an example of God

tempting them.

They blame their failure

to do the right thing in

their response to

suffering on God.

James wants to correct

this, and correct us who

might think this way.

He says God cannot be

tempted, nor tempt anyone.

We are tempted by our own

evil desire, and when we

are enticed by sin to

sin.

And James tells us a

little more as well.

He tells us about the

effects of sin.

Interestingly, similar

effects to what trials are

supposed to achieve for the

Christian as well.

It says, then after the

desire has conceived, it

gives birth to sin, and

sin when it's full grown

gives birth to death.

The word full grown, the

word perfection earlier on,

come from the same family

of words in the Greek.

And so the reality is, our

response to trials and

suffering either puts us on

a trajectory towards being

made whole and perfect,

lacking in nothing, where we

get to enjoy God's presence

forever, or it puts us on a

trajectory where we don't see

the bigger picture of their

purpose.

We continue to seek our

perfection and our lacking in

nothing in earthly, material

things, and where we begin to

blame God when we can't

respond rightly, which

therefore leads us into sin

and then bringing death.

There is no middle ground

here.

Our response to trials and

suffering will either lead to

life or will lead to death.

This is why this is serious.

And we must ask ourselves, do

our actions reflect what we

believed?

Do my words and sentiments

about God's plan and power in

suffering actually match up to

the way I act and live in my

life?

Or is there a clear hypocrisy

between the two?

James starts with a punch,

doesn't he?

A massive punch.

But it's good that he does.

For he knows how big of an

issue suffering is for the

Christian and how perplexing it

can be for a Christian to try and

reconcile how a good God can

allow suffering to happen to

people who otherwise love him and

trust him.

He writes this to point out our

hypocrisy, which stings, which

hurts.

But he doesn't do it to condemn

us, but to implore us to adopt

gospel wisdom, that we might see

our suffering and our trials through

the lens of the cross and what's

achieving for us.

He knows suffering and trials can

rob us of our joy in this life, but

he is telling us that suffering may

harm us and it will harm us in this

life.

It will rob us of all that we have.

And it will take away joy in this

life, potentially.

But within God's great sovereignty,

suffering and trials cannot rob us of

our eternal joy in being saved in

Christ, in being his forever, in

knowing and being in relationship with

him.

suffering and trials only go to serve

such joy as it's merely an instrument, a

tool to preserve our faith.

And this comes from gospel wisdom.

This comes when we are impacted by the

gospel.

And so unlike the world, our security is

not in our stuff.

Our security is not in making sure that

we remain safe for the rest of our

life.

In making sure we have our insurances and

health insurances and car insurances and

a roof over our head.

Our security and our hope is in the

gospel.

It's in something far greater and far

more powerful.

gospel.

And this is why in the last few verses, in

response to those who would say God is

tempting them, he says this,

don't be deceived.

My dear brothers and sisters, every good and

perfect gift is from above, coming down from

the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not

change like shifting shadows.

He chose to give us birth through the word of

truth that we might be a kind of first fruits of

all he created.

Don't be deceived.

This is what we need to remember today.

Don't be deceived.

Everything that is good comes from God.

Everything that is perfect comes from him.

And dare I say it, included in these gifts are

suffering and trials.

Not that in and of themselves are they good gifts,

but in terms of what they achieve for us, what

they accomplish for us, God permits them.

And so therefore, they are good gifts and should be

seen as such because they are helping us in

persevering and preserving our faith that we might

be brought to a place of perfection, wholeness, where we

lack nothing for eternity.

They serve us in the end.

And that's the way, that's the, sorry, that's because

gospel wisdom shows us that they do.

And I think the best way we can see them as achieving this

purpose is by looking at the greatest gift that God has

given us.

Verse 18, he chose to give us birth through the word of

truth that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he

created.

The greatest gift that God has given us is life, which

came through his son.

And remember the way which the son was able to give us life.

The cross.

The cross, the greatest gift to humankind was one at the same

time, the greatest suffering of all time to any human.

I'll say it again.

The greatest gift to humankind was one and at the same time the

greatest suffering of all time to any human in history.

And so as Paul says in 1 Corinthians, this is a stumbling block to

the Jews saying that God died to save us.

And it's foolishness to the Greek for how can one man's suffering prevent our

eternal suffering?

How can one man's death bring us life?

But the reality is to us here who are called, who believe, to us here who have

been impacted by the gospel, it is the wisdom of God.

And it's this cross-shaped wisdom that now becomes the paradigm, the pattern of our life in the

way we view suffering and trials to come.

Instead of seeing them as life-taking, instead of seeing them as life-destroying, as joy-destroying,

we rejoice in them because the gospel shows us that they are life-preserving.

They are joy-giving.

And they are eternally so.

And so throughout all the struggles and hardships of life, throughout the times which we feel

our sufferings and our trials are just robbing us of our joy and robbing us of a life that

is fulfilling, we can say faithfully of the psalmist towards the end of Psalm 73,

whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Amen.