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02 James 1:2-4 - Consider it Pure Joy
Title: Consider It Pure Joy
Text: James 1:2-4
FCF: We often struggle rejoicing in trials.
Prop: Because God providentially uses trials to sanctify us to glory, we must consider testing pure joy.
Scripture Intro: NIV (1984)
[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to the book of James chapter 1.
Well, if you missed last week, we introduced the book of James as the next portion of scripture that we will dissect on Sunday mornings. Although I suspected it would be this way, it wasn’t until after digging into the first few verses here that my thoughts were confirmed. James is going to be a very difficult book for us.
Why do I say that? Well, I can think of three big reasons.
1.) James does not spend a whole lot of time talking doctrine. You might think that that would make it easier for us to study the book. It really doesn’t. Because as complex as doctrine can be, the test of doctrine is always when it is put into practice. And the time that James doesn’t spend talking about doctrine, he takes to tell his audience, and by extension us, how to live. Just like the book of Proverbs, James is all application. Which means we will move probably a good deal slower through the book than we normally would with an epistle.
2.) Secondly, also like the book of proverbs, we get a lot of bang for our buck. Although we are only covering 3 verses today… there is so much in these three verses. We are basically going to have to analyze every single word.
3.) The final reason James is going to be difficult is also related to its proverbial style, but not because of brevity or richness. Instead, because of its sharpness. James’ letter hits hard and it hits fast. His statements are like razors slicing at this hidden idol and that forgotten sin. I’ll not sugar coat it. I wept in my office this week over the love and mercy of God and my own failure to do the one simple command James gives.
James is going to hurt us my friends.
I hope you are ready – because he wastes no time.
Many letters in the New Testament begin with an expression of thanksgiving for the audience. James instead, begins by issuing orders.
I am in James 1. I’ll begin reading in verse 1. I am reading from the NIV(1984) but you can follow along in the pew bible on page 1360 or in whatever version you have in front of you.
Transition:
Today James is going to issue one command. It is simple enough. But my oh my… Well… let’s just dive in.
I.) Because testing of faith develops perseverance, we must consider testing pure joy. (2-3)
a. [Slide 2] 2 – Consider it pure joy, my brothers,
i. After saying his greetings the very first word, given highest priority in the Greek sentence is pure.
1. The NIV translates this word pure, and other translations use words like “great” or “all.”
2. “All” is perhaps the most literal translation of the Greek word, but it doesn’t drive to the dynamic meaning of what James is saying.
3. In fact, some preachers have confused James’ meaning to require that this “all” be applied to every circumstance or in every effect. As we expand on the meaning here, this would require fairly unattainable results with an already difficult command to keep.
4. Instead, as the NIV has translated it – is the proper understanding of the word “all” in this case.
5. The kind of joy that James wants from his audience is a joy that is undiluted, in its fullest and most complete expression.
ii. [Slide 3] But what is joy?
1. Is joy an emotion? Is it a synonym for happiness or gladness?
2. It may surprise some for me to answer... yes. Joy certainly includes emotion. Joy certainly is a condition of happiness and gladness.
3. But I would also say that joy is not a synonym for happiness. Joy includes happiness, but they are not the same things.
4. Oftentimes, natural or worldly happiness comes from circumstances meeting our expectations. It comes from pleasure and the meeting of desires.
5. In short, natural human happiness is extremely volatile. It ebbs and flows, it waxes and wanes, it comes and goes. It depends on a wide variety of variables.
6. Perhaps you’ve felt the flakiness of happiness before?
a. Your day begins in the arms of your loving spouse but at noon on your mid-day call, a disagreement sullies the mood and just like that, in one conversation, your happiness has left you.
b. Or maybe you arrive to work and the threat of layoffs has been hanging over your head for the last 2 weeks. You can barely sleep, your stomach is in knots, but the boss calls you in and tells you that you are essential and would be kept. The relief. The happiness! Right!
7. But are these joy? No friend. These are not joy.
8. How can I know that?
9. [Slide 4] Because joy is a gift of God. It is a fruit of the Spirit. And every time a New Testament writer speaks of joy, it is ALWAYS in relation to Christ and His saving of sinners like you and me.
10. Happiness and joy may look the same on the outside… but their primary difference is that joy is rooted in an ongoing, thriving, and personal relationship with Jesus Christ made possible and secured by His finished work on the cross.
11. [Slide 5] Happiness has everything to do with us and our circumstances. Joy has nothing to do with us and our circumstances.
12. Thus joy can co-exist with sorrow. Joy can walk hand in hand with grief. Joy can give its shoulder during bitter weeping and heartache. Joy can even be our crutch during the most pernicious temptations.
13. Joy is the happiness of our soul though our flesh faints. Joy is the gladness of our spirit gushing forth sweet waters from the fountain of Christ, while we weep bitter tears from our natural eyes.
14. And PURE joy. Oh, pure joy is a soul at its peak- drinking full the sweet waters of our Lord’s sustaining draught. Pure joy is complete and perfect comfort, contentment, and gladness in the Lord and His Word and Work.
iii. [Slide 6] The last piece of the puzzle, to understand what James is commanding his audience here, is to investigate this word “consider.”
1. First, this is a command from James.
2. Second, this word means to consider or regard. But, perplexingly, the word to regard or consider can also mean to lead or to rule. Meaning that in this regarding there is a rulership or authority present.
3. How it is used in the New Testament, can only be described as declarative reality.
4. And so, what James is commanding his audience to do, is to declare with certainty and utmost belief, to the extent that for all intents and purposes, the thing you are regarding as something… is that thing.
5. So, if Paul were to say to consider others as better than yourself – he means to declare and believe that others are truly better than you are and act as if that were true without exception.
6. In the negative, if Paul were to say that Christ did NOT regard equality with God as something to be grasped – he means that not for one second did Christ ever think, believe, or act as though He were not equal to God.
7. And when Paul says that he considers all his past accomplishments as loss, or dung or garbage… he believes this to the fullest extent and treats those accomplishments as such.
8. And so, putting all this together, James commands his audience to treat with utmost belief without exception as undiluted, full, and complete soul happiness rooted in Christ… what?
iv. What are we to treat as joy?
b. [Slide 7] Whenever you face trials of many kinds,
i. Ouch.
ii. If you didn’t say ouch just now its because you didn’t understand the first part of the verse.
iii. Hey maybe you got lost – I get it.
iv. Let me try it again.
v. Regard to the extent that you are fully convinced that the purest expression of God given happiness in Christ is found… whenever you face trials of many kinds.
vi. Ouch.
vii. Friends that is NOT how I see trials of ANY kind, let alone MANY kinds.
viii. I want to get out of that trial as quickly as I got into it or… quicker.
ix. I want it to be over and be back to normal. Don’t you?
x. Tell me – if something is a pure joy to you, to the extent that you find the fullest expression of God given happiness in Christ… do you want it to be over? NO!
xi. That is how we should see tests of many kinds.
xii. Ouch.
xiii. The word trials here along with the word many indicates that this is not limited to merely sickness, poverty, or persecution. My friends this encompasses every single assault we ever face on this earth. Temptation, trial, spiritual oppression, hatred, strained relationships… the whole of human existence and all that could be classified as a “trial” is bound up in this word.
xiv. Ouch.
xv. Why do I say it again? Friends do you realize what that means?
xvi. Some of us may be able to count it joy when persecuted. Some of us may be able to count it joy when we have a headache or toothache.
xvii. But can you count it joy when you are in a long battle against your flesh? Can you count it joy when you don’t get to go to the movies with your friends because you are obeying your parents? Can you count it joy when you’ve lost loved ones? Can you count it joy when the sickness you are facing has no end in sight?
xviii. From the tiniest temptation to being burned alive, and every test in between.
xix. Treat every test as the purest and fullest happiness in Christ.
xx. Ouch.
xxi. The NIV gives us the word “face” but the word would probably be better translated as “fall into.” You see those preachers who say to consider it all joy might venture into the impossible by requiring that every aspect of every trial we face ought to be considered joy.
xxii. But friends this is not the case. We do not seek these tests. We do not hunt down these trials. Instead, they are arranged for us. By whom? Well, we will get to that in a moment.
xxiii. But we are not masochists enjoying pain and suffering. No. Instead, we are to regard as purest happiness in Christ, every single test we ever face, though we weep with heartache… though we shake with pain. Though we never sought it out but it found us. It is joy. Pure… joy.
xxiv. Why… Why would we EVER do this? How can James command such a ridiculous thing!
c. [Slide 8] 3 – because you know
i. There is a popular personality in conservative circles who has this saying. “Facts don’t care about your feelings.”
ii. James said it first.
iii. Although James would probably put it a little different.
iv. Something like… “faith corrects your feelings”
v. As is often the case when our flesh bucks against something the Lord commands in scripture – something we’ve been given to believe is the antidote to our fleshly reaction to the command.
vi. The secret to treating every test as the purest and fullest happiness in Christ is because we have been given truth.
vii. We have received from the Lord, that which we cannot forget.
viii. We have been shown a great light to the extent that we will never know true darkness again.
ix. What could we know that would be so powerful to enable us to treat the most bitter tests against our spiritual and physical beings as if they are the fullest happiness found in Christ?
x. What knowledge is capable of doing this?
d. [Slide 9] That the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
i. Testing here is not the same word as trial earlier. This word means criterion, test, or proof.
ii. Just as time proves whether the yeast is alive in a lump of dough, so the proof of our faith – that is our received faith in Christ alone for our salvation and continued obedience.
iii. The proof of this faith develops or produces, or brings out the result of perseverance.
iv. In other words, we know that our faith is proven to be true through trails when it brings the outcome of perseverance. Enduring. Holding Fast.
v. In II Peter, he continued with the tension of God providing what we need to endure but then our responsibility to endure.
vi. Here James stays on the other side of that tension.
vii. The gift of Faith that is being proven to be true brings out the result of continued belief and obedience.
viii. Knowing that true faith in the process of its proving brings out the result of continued belief and obedience, helps us to treat every kind of test we face as pure happiness in Christ. Why?
ix. Because the faith He gave us, the faith in Him, will be stronger through that trial.
x. The only way to build a muscle’s capacity to handle more strenuous tasks is to continually damage the muscle through repeated tests of exertion.
xi. Our faith’s repeated tests of exertion enables it to endure all the more.
e. [Slide 10] Passage Truth: James tells his audience what they already know. That genuine faith when tested will result in endurance. So, if they are truly God’s children, they will not crumble under the weight of the test. Instead, their faith will only grow stronger.
f. Passage Application: How should they respond to what they know? They should regard it as the fullest expression of God given happiness in Christ when they fall into any test they ever face.
g. [Slide 11] Broader Biblical Truth: But can we find such teaching throughout the scriptures? Could such a ridiculous notion be present since creation? Certainly, it cannot be true that God uses testings and trials to grow the faith of His people! My friends, there are too many scriptures to list. To mark off every example or outright teaching where this is found to be true would take us ages. It would leave us here until next year. We’d be studying still the heartache of Adam and Eve, the loneliness of Seth, the righteousness of Noah, the trials of Job, the faith of Abraham – And we’d be no closer to James’ context by then. My friends this concept is prolific throughout the scripture. It is saturated in every teaching. The way God dealt with rebellious Israel, the way he taught us our need for Him by giving a law no one can keep. By requiring of us commands we cannot fulfil. By demanding worship we could never offer. My friends! God always works through test to grow the faith of His people. And that is NOT because of His limitations… but ours! That we are so stubborn, arrogant, and comfort obsessed that we cannot abide the growth of our faith unless it is poked with a hot coal.
h. Broader Biblical Application: So CBC, when trials come. When we face heartache, persecution, dogged temptation, spiritual oppression, suffering of every kind – even now as we think about the possibility of it coming or for some of us the reality of it already being here… WHAT SHALL WE DO?! We must rejoice with every fiber of our soul as the fullest expression of God given happiness in Christ! To the extent that we rejoice though we weep in agony. To the extent that we praise the Lord though we shake with pain. To the extent that we sing songs of deliverance though we are mocked by our tempter. To the extent that we cry out with hope though we are abused by the wicked. My friends… OUCH.
Transition:
[Slide 12 (blank)] Is the growth of our faith the only reason that we should consider these tests as pure joy? Is there more that we know to be true that could help us fulfill this command?
II.) Because perseverance’s perfect work makes us complete, we must consider testing pure joy. (4)
a. [Slide 13] 4 – Perseverance must finish its work
i. This is the second command in this passage. And it threw me for a loop.
ii. Without going too deeply into homiletics; as I analyze a text to craft a sermon, one of the first things I look for is the commands of the passage.
iii. If there are two commands, then you have a two-point sermon. If there are 3 commands, you have a 3-point sermon. If there is one command… well that means that instead of looking for commands I need to start looking for foundational truth. So far, every text of scripture either has a plurality of truth concepts attached to one command, or a plurality of commands attached to one truth.
iv. So, in this text, I noticed this command and assumed I had two commands. But I also had a couple truths as well. Hence my confusion.
v. Until I noticed what the NIV so accurately communicates. This command is not for his audience. It is for perseverance.
vi. How do you command perseverance? You can command people to persevere but you can’t command perseverance to do anything can you?
vii. This is a third person command. We don’t really do this much in English. It would be like “He throw his ball!” We end up sounding like a child.
viii. This is why several translations add the word “let” into the text. This is intended to make the audience part of the conversation without it doing the work. The intention is for it to read as if the audience are assenting parties in perseverance’s work though they are not doing it. But these translations muddy the waters by making it seem like we are allowing perseverance to do its work which isn’t what the text says.
ix. The NIV 1984 nails this. And the reason I say 1984 is because I bought a thinner preaching NIV for this week, only to find that the newest update of this version changes this! Ugh.
x. Anyway, nearest I can decide the best translation is…
xi. Perseverance must finish its work. IT must. Not us. Perseverance.
xii. Think about it, we are given the faith, which is proven by tests we are given by God, and in that proving it results in perseverance. In other words, in this whole process nothing has been required of us except what?
xiii. Regard it as joy.
xiv. James’ message is not to stick it out, hold on a little longer, keep fighting.
xv. His message is to rejoice! Because trial that proves faith results in perseverance.
xvi. And perseverance MUST finish its work.
xvii. In other words, your faith is going to continue to be proven through trials so that perseverance can finish its work.
xviii. Well, what is perseverance’s work? Us. Look at the next part of the verse.
b. [Slide 14] So that YOU may be mature and complete
i. Do you not know? Have you not heard?
ii. The Lord Jesus did not die for you to grant you liberty from hell only.
iii. He did not die to free you from sin’s penalty only.
iv. My friends when we say that Jesus died for sinners, that he became sin who knew no sin, that He set us free- this is what we mean.
v. He died so that we might walk in new life and be completed.
vi. He who began a good work in us will continue it until we are perfected.
vii. My friends, in this life you MUST treat it as the greatest happiness in Christ when you find yourself in any testing – WHY? Because you are being saved! Not only is it assurance that you have true faith but it is the very process of your salvation itself. You are being perfected!
viii. The way that our Father has chosen to bring His dear children to Him, the way He has elected to grow them into the full stature of Christ… is by pain.
ix. He must cut and kill every clinging sin from us. And at our conversion He installed in us the faith that would, from the inside out, prove itself through every test. And as many hits as it takes it would only get stronger.
x. Until one day we shall be mature and complete.
xi. To the extent that we are…
c. [Slide 15] Lacking nothing.
i. The rich young ruler approached our Savior and asked him, good teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life.
ii. The Lord knew his question was faulty and broken from the start. First, he had no idea what goodness was, and because he had no idea what goodness was, he assumed that there was something HE could do to inherit eternal life.
iii. So, the Lord moved to instruct him on the matter and bring light to his darkness. Christ told him to keep the 10 commandments. A feat that no man could ever hope to truly achieve if they understood what was meant.
iv. Nevertheless, the young man stated hastily that he had kept them all since his youth. And what did the young man ask? What more do I… lack?
v. True faith, when tested, produces endurance which forms the complete and mature picture of Christ in us. If such were true of each of us…
vi. We would lack nothing.
vii. This entire opening suddenly takes on an eschatological tone. For we will only be mature, complete, and lacking nothing when we stand in His presence.
viii. But how so very few of us get there in a day, a week, a month or a year after our conversion. For most of us, the Lord has a long path to slowly but surely kill off and chip away all that is dead in us.
ix. He does this through various trials. So, when you are in a trial…
x. Rejoice. Why?
xi. Because the very process of your perfection… is happening right before your eyes.
xii. And again, I say… ouch.
d. [Slide 16] Passage Truth: James adds a second truth to motivate his audience to rejoice. Not only does tested faith result in growing faith, but also it is that growing and enduring faith that MUST finish its work which is us. The faith we have received, a faith that endures, must finish us by completing us and perfecting us. To the extent that we lack nothing.
e. Passage Application: His audience then, their only command in this passage, is to perceive their many testings as pure, God-given happiness in Christ. They must look at tests as opportunities for great rejoicing.
f. [Slide 17] Broader Biblical Truth: So, we saw that everywhere the scripture teaches that God grows our faith through trial. But do the scriptures also teach us that growing faith must perfect us? Do the scriptures give us an indication that enduring faith is what will ultimately transport us to glorification? My friends, the scriptures make plain that this is the ONLY kind of faith that transports us to glory. God’s righteous decree was continued faithfulness and worship from the children of Israel. God’s expectation for Abraham was continued trust despite the circumstances. And the Apostles teach us that the hopeful promise that we will not perish but have everlasting life is offered to those who are believing ones. Enduring faith IS saving faith.
g. Broader Biblical Application: So, CBC, since genuine faith when tested brings endurance and endurance brings us to what God desires us to be, mature, complete and perfect… what should our response be when we fall into various tests? As James says… it should be joy. Pure, joy. Why? Because God is saving us through trials. He is perfecting us through trial. He is completing us through trial.
Conclusion:
So, James points to the process of God’s progressive salvation of our souls. He points to the providence of God to carry His dear children from their conversion and to slowly press them into the mold of Christ who will present them faultless before the throne of God. James highlights God’s work through all of life to work all things for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. To the extent that God uses all manner of tests, be they temptation or trial, to prove the genuine faith in His people resulting in their faith’s endurance. But endurance is not the end, for as endurance continues and steadfastness works – it produces a person who is complete and lacking nothing at all.
Therefore, God gets all the praise for in every test He graciously continues to save His dear children, not from their trials or tests, but from sin, Satan, this world and to His Son.
And what is the Christian’s only command in all of this? Certainly, we can go to other passages of scripture, II Peter included to find the human responsibility of all this. Even later in James we will see him put human responsibility at the forefront. But for now – James presents a faith that was given being tested by trials that were given, with a result that is unearned producing a product that is God engineered. God’s work through trials takes center stage in verses 2-4. And for this – what is the ONLY command in this passage for us?
Rejoice!
We are to perceive every threat of suffering, every promise of pain, every whiff of temptation, every hint of persecution as the highest and purest happiness given by God through Christ.
Do we still grieve? Of course. Do we still sorrow? Yes. Do we still weep? Most assuredly. Do we still fight tooth and nail every temptation that comes our way? You bet! B1ut we also hope in the promise of God. We also rejoice in the salvation of God. We are gladdened when we see our faith in Christ and His promises solidify and endure. That though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we fear no evil because He is with us. His rod and staff comfort us.
Every test. Every trial is a cause for rejoicing.
My friends – this is not how we perceive things is it? When someone has a successful surgery or gets a new job – how quickly we are to praise the Lord. But when we first learn we need the surgery, when we were first let go from our previous job. When we struggle under ongoing assault from the evil one. When we are fresh off the loss of family of friends… do we praise the Lord then? Do we rejoice in what He is going to do with our faith through this new test?
James calls us to absolute trust and faith in the sovereign providence of God. That though He is able to deliver us from every trial – He uses these trials to make us more like Christ.
Only when we understand this can we truly regard our testings as pure joy.
Lift up your eyes oh Christian. Look to the hills you downcast. From where does your help come? He has sent this test to you. Why? To prove and perfect your faith. So… rejoice.
View all episodes
By Christopher FreemanTitle: Consider It Pure Joy
Text: James 1:2-4
FCF: We often struggle rejoicing in trials.
Prop: Because God providentially uses trials to sanctify us to glory, we must consider testing pure joy.
Scripture Intro: NIV (1984)
[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to the book of James chapter 1.
Well, if you missed last week, we introduced the book of James as the next portion of scripture that we will dissect on Sunday mornings. Although I suspected it would be this way, it wasn’t until after digging into the first few verses here that my thoughts were confirmed. James is going to be a very difficult book for us.
Why do I say that? Well, I can think of three big reasons.
1.) James does not spend a whole lot of time talking doctrine. You might think that that would make it easier for us to study the book. It really doesn’t. Because as complex as doctrine can be, the test of doctrine is always when it is put into practice. And the time that James doesn’t spend talking about doctrine, he takes to tell his audience, and by extension us, how to live. Just like the book of Proverbs, James is all application. Which means we will move probably a good deal slower through the book than we normally would with an epistle.
2.) Secondly, also like the book of proverbs, we get a lot of bang for our buck. Although we are only covering 3 verses today… there is so much in these three verses. We are basically going to have to analyze every single word.
3.) The final reason James is going to be difficult is also related to its proverbial style, but not because of brevity or richness. Instead, because of its sharpness. James’ letter hits hard and it hits fast. His statements are like razors slicing at this hidden idol and that forgotten sin. I’ll not sugar coat it. I wept in my office this week over the love and mercy of God and my own failure to do the one simple command James gives.
James is going to hurt us my friends.
I hope you are ready – because he wastes no time.
Many letters in the New Testament begin with an expression of thanksgiving for the audience. James instead, begins by issuing orders.
I am in James 1. I’ll begin reading in verse 1. I am reading from the NIV(1984) but you can follow along in the pew bible on page 1360 or in whatever version you have in front of you.
Transition:
Today James is going to issue one command. It is simple enough. But my oh my… Well… let’s just dive in.
I.) Because testing of faith develops perseverance, we must consider testing pure joy. (2-3)
a. [Slide 2] 2 – Consider it pure joy, my brothers,
i. After saying his greetings the very first word, given highest priority in the Greek sentence is pure.
1. The NIV translates this word pure, and other translations use words like “great” or “all.”
2. “All” is perhaps the most literal translation of the Greek word, but it doesn’t drive to the dynamic meaning of what James is saying.
3. In fact, some preachers have confused James’ meaning to require that this “all” be applied to every circumstance or in every effect. As we expand on the meaning here, this would require fairly unattainable results with an already difficult command to keep.
4. Instead, as the NIV has translated it – is the proper understanding of the word “all” in this case.
5. The kind of joy that James wants from his audience is a joy that is undiluted, in its fullest and most complete expression.
ii. [Slide 3] But what is joy?
1. Is joy an emotion? Is it a synonym for happiness or gladness?
2. It may surprise some for me to answer... yes. Joy certainly includes emotion. Joy certainly is a condition of happiness and gladness.
3. But I would also say that joy is not a synonym for happiness. Joy includes happiness, but they are not the same things.
4. Oftentimes, natural or worldly happiness comes from circumstances meeting our expectations. It comes from pleasure and the meeting of desires.
5. In short, natural human happiness is extremely volatile. It ebbs and flows, it waxes and wanes, it comes and goes. It depends on a wide variety of variables.
6. Perhaps you’ve felt the flakiness of happiness before?
a. Your day begins in the arms of your loving spouse but at noon on your mid-day call, a disagreement sullies the mood and just like that, in one conversation, your happiness has left you.
b. Or maybe you arrive to work and the threat of layoffs has been hanging over your head for the last 2 weeks. You can barely sleep, your stomach is in knots, but the boss calls you in and tells you that you are essential and would be kept. The relief. The happiness! Right!
7. But are these joy? No friend. These are not joy.
8. How can I know that?
9. [Slide 4] Because joy is a gift of God. It is a fruit of the Spirit. And every time a New Testament writer speaks of joy, it is ALWAYS in relation to Christ and His saving of sinners like you and me.
10. Happiness and joy may look the same on the outside… but their primary difference is that joy is rooted in an ongoing, thriving, and personal relationship with Jesus Christ made possible and secured by His finished work on the cross.
11. [Slide 5] Happiness has everything to do with us and our circumstances. Joy has nothing to do with us and our circumstances.
12. Thus joy can co-exist with sorrow. Joy can walk hand in hand with grief. Joy can give its shoulder during bitter weeping and heartache. Joy can even be our crutch during the most pernicious temptations.
13. Joy is the happiness of our soul though our flesh faints. Joy is the gladness of our spirit gushing forth sweet waters from the fountain of Christ, while we weep bitter tears from our natural eyes.
14. And PURE joy. Oh, pure joy is a soul at its peak- drinking full the sweet waters of our Lord’s sustaining draught. Pure joy is complete and perfect comfort, contentment, and gladness in the Lord and His Word and Work.
iii. [Slide 6] The last piece of the puzzle, to understand what James is commanding his audience here, is to investigate this word “consider.”
1. First, this is a command from James.
2. Second, this word means to consider or regard. But, perplexingly, the word to regard or consider can also mean to lead or to rule. Meaning that in this regarding there is a rulership or authority present.
3. How it is used in the New Testament, can only be described as declarative reality.
4. And so, what James is commanding his audience to do, is to declare with certainty and utmost belief, to the extent that for all intents and purposes, the thing you are regarding as something… is that thing.
5. So, if Paul were to say to consider others as better than yourself – he means to declare and believe that others are truly better than you are and act as if that were true without exception.
6. In the negative, if Paul were to say that Christ did NOT regard equality with God as something to be grasped – he means that not for one second did Christ ever think, believe, or act as though He were not equal to God.
7. And when Paul says that he considers all his past accomplishments as loss, or dung or garbage… he believes this to the fullest extent and treats those accomplishments as such.
8. And so, putting all this together, James commands his audience to treat with utmost belief without exception as undiluted, full, and complete soul happiness rooted in Christ… what?
iv. What are we to treat as joy?
b. [Slide 7] Whenever you face trials of many kinds,
i. Ouch.
ii. If you didn’t say ouch just now its because you didn’t understand the first part of the verse.
iii. Hey maybe you got lost – I get it.
iv. Let me try it again.
v. Regard to the extent that you are fully convinced that the purest expression of God given happiness in Christ is found… whenever you face trials of many kinds.
vi. Ouch.
vii. Friends that is NOT how I see trials of ANY kind, let alone MANY kinds.
viii. I want to get out of that trial as quickly as I got into it or… quicker.
ix. I want it to be over and be back to normal. Don’t you?
x. Tell me – if something is a pure joy to you, to the extent that you find the fullest expression of God given happiness in Christ… do you want it to be over? NO!
xi. That is how we should see tests of many kinds.
xii. Ouch.
xiii. The word trials here along with the word many indicates that this is not limited to merely sickness, poverty, or persecution. My friends this encompasses every single assault we ever face on this earth. Temptation, trial, spiritual oppression, hatred, strained relationships… the whole of human existence and all that could be classified as a “trial” is bound up in this word.
xiv. Ouch.
xv. Why do I say it again? Friends do you realize what that means?
xvi. Some of us may be able to count it joy when persecuted. Some of us may be able to count it joy when we have a headache or toothache.
xvii. But can you count it joy when you are in a long battle against your flesh? Can you count it joy when you don’t get to go to the movies with your friends because you are obeying your parents? Can you count it joy when you’ve lost loved ones? Can you count it joy when the sickness you are facing has no end in sight?
xviii. From the tiniest temptation to being burned alive, and every test in between.
xix. Treat every test as the purest and fullest happiness in Christ.
xx. Ouch.
xxi. The NIV gives us the word “face” but the word would probably be better translated as “fall into.” You see those preachers who say to consider it all joy might venture into the impossible by requiring that every aspect of every trial we face ought to be considered joy.
xxii. But friends this is not the case. We do not seek these tests. We do not hunt down these trials. Instead, they are arranged for us. By whom? Well, we will get to that in a moment.
xxiii. But we are not masochists enjoying pain and suffering. No. Instead, we are to regard as purest happiness in Christ, every single test we ever face, though we weep with heartache… though we shake with pain. Though we never sought it out but it found us. It is joy. Pure… joy.
xxiv. Why… Why would we EVER do this? How can James command such a ridiculous thing!
c. [Slide 8] 3 – because you know
i. There is a popular personality in conservative circles who has this saying. “Facts don’t care about your feelings.”
ii. James said it first.
iii. Although James would probably put it a little different.
iv. Something like… “faith corrects your feelings”
v. As is often the case when our flesh bucks against something the Lord commands in scripture – something we’ve been given to believe is the antidote to our fleshly reaction to the command.
vi. The secret to treating every test as the purest and fullest happiness in Christ is because we have been given truth.
vii. We have received from the Lord, that which we cannot forget.
viii. We have been shown a great light to the extent that we will never know true darkness again.
ix. What could we know that would be so powerful to enable us to treat the most bitter tests against our spiritual and physical beings as if they are the fullest happiness found in Christ?
x. What knowledge is capable of doing this?
d. [Slide 9] That the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
i. Testing here is not the same word as trial earlier. This word means criterion, test, or proof.
ii. Just as time proves whether the yeast is alive in a lump of dough, so the proof of our faith – that is our received faith in Christ alone for our salvation and continued obedience.
iii. The proof of this faith develops or produces, or brings out the result of perseverance.
iv. In other words, we know that our faith is proven to be true through trails when it brings the outcome of perseverance. Enduring. Holding Fast.
v. In II Peter, he continued with the tension of God providing what we need to endure but then our responsibility to endure.
vi. Here James stays on the other side of that tension.
vii. The gift of Faith that is being proven to be true brings out the result of continued belief and obedience.
viii. Knowing that true faith in the process of its proving brings out the result of continued belief and obedience, helps us to treat every kind of test we face as pure happiness in Christ. Why?
ix. Because the faith He gave us, the faith in Him, will be stronger through that trial.
x. The only way to build a muscle’s capacity to handle more strenuous tasks is to continually damage the muscle through repeated tests of exertion.
xi. Our faith’s repeated tests of exertion enables it to endure all the more.
e. [Slide 10] Passage Truth: James tells his audience what they already know. That genuine faith when tested will result in endurance. So, if they are truly God’s children, they will not crumble under the weight of the test. Instead, their faith will only grow stronger.
f. Passage Application: How should they respond to what they know? They should regard it as the fullest expression of God given happiness in Christ when they fall into any test they ever face.
g. [Slide 11] Broader Biblical Truth: But can we find such teaching throughout the scriptures? Could such a ridiculous notion be present since creation? Certainly, it cannot be true that God uses testings and trials to grow the faith of His people! My friends, there are too many scriptures to list. To mark off every example or outright teaching where this is found to be true would take us ages. It would leave us here until next year. We’d be studying still the heartache of Adam and Eve, the loneliness of Seth, the righteousness of Noah, the trials of Job, the faith of Abraham – And we’d be no closer to James’ context by then. My friends this concept is prolific throughout the scripture. It is saturated in every teaching. The way God dealt with rebellious Israel, the way he taught us our need for Him by giving a law no one can keep. By requiring of us commands we cannot fulfil. By demanding worship we could never offer. My friends! God always works through test to grow the faith of His people. And that is NOT because of His limitations… but ours! That we are so stubborn, arrogant, and comfort obsessed that we cannot abide the growth of our faith unless it is poked with a hot coal.
h. Broader Biblical Application: So CBC, when trials come. When we face heartache, persecution, dogged temptation, spiritual oppression, suffering of every kind – even now as we think about the possibility of it coming or for some of us the reality of it already being here… WHAT SHALL WE DO?! We must rejoice with every fiber of our soul as the fullest expression of God given happiness in Christ! To the extent that we rejoice though we weep in agony. To the extent that we praise the Lord though we shake with pain. To the extent that we sing songs of deliverance though we are mocked by our tempter. To the extent that we cry out with hope though we are abused by the wicked. My friends… OUCH.
Transition:
[Slide 12 (blank)] Is the growth of our faith the only reason that we should consider these tests as pure joy? Is there more that we know to be true that could help us fulfill this command?
II.) Because perseverance’s perfect work makes us complete, we must consider testing pure joy. (4)
a. [Slide 13] 4 – Perseverance must finish its work
i. This is the second command in this passage. And it threw me for a loop.
ii. Without going too deeply into homiletics; as I analyze a text to craft a sermon, one of the first things I look for is the commands of the passage.
iii. If there are two commands, then you have a two-point sermon. If there are 3 commands, you have a 3-point sermon. If there is one command… well that means that instead of looking for commands I need to start looking for foundational truth. So far, every text of scripture either has a plurality of truth concepts attached to one command, or a plurality of commands attached to one truth.
iv. So, in this text, I noticed this command and assumed I had two commands. But I also had a couple truths as well. Hence my confusion.
v. Until I noticed what the NIV so accurately communicates. This command is not for his audience. It is for perseverance.
vi. How do you command perseverance? You can command people to persevere but you can’t command perseverance to do anything can you?
vii. This is a third person command. We don’t really do this much in English. It would be like “He throw his ball!” We end up sounding like a child.
viii. This is why several translations add the word “let” into the text. This is intended to make the audience part of the conversation without it doing the work. The intention is for it to read as if the audience are assenting parties in perseverance’s work though they are not doing it. But these translations muddy the waters by making it seem like we are allowing perseverance to do its work which isn’t what the text says.
ix. The NIV 1984 nails this. And the reason I say 1984 is because I bought a thinner preaching NIV for this week, only to find that the newest update of this version changes this! Ugh.
x. Anyway, nearest I can decide the best translation is…
xi. Perseverance must finish its work. IT must. Not us. Perseverance.
xii. Think about it, we are given the faith, which is proven by tests we are given by God, and in that proving it results in perseverance. In other words, in this whole process nothing has been required of us except what?
xiii. Regard it as joy.
xiv. James’ message is not to stick it out, hold on a little longer, keep fighting.
xv. His message is to rejoice! Because trial that proves faith results in perseverance.
xvi. And perseverance MUST finish its work.
xvii. In other words, your faith is going to continue to be proven through trials so that perseverance can finish its work.
xviii. Well, what is perseverance’s work? Us. Look at the next part of the verse.
b. [Slide 14] So that YOU may be mature and complete
i. Do you not know? Have you not heard?
ii. The Lord Jesus did not die for you to grant you liberty from hell only.
iii. He did not die to free you from sin’s penalty only.
iv. My friends when we say that Jesus died for sinners, that he became sin who knew no sin, that He set us free- this is what we mean.
v. He died so that we might walk in new life and be completed.
vi. He who began a good work in us will continue it until we are perfected.
vii. My friends, in this life you MUST treat it as the greatest happiness in Christ when you find yourself in any testing – WHY? Because you are being saved! Not only is it assurance that you have true faith but it is the very process of your salvation itself. You are being perfected!
viii. The way that our Father has chosen to bring His dear children to Him, the way He has elected to grow them into the full stature of Christ… is by pain.
ix. He must cut and kill every clinging sin from us. And at our conversion He installed in us the faith that would, from the inside out, prove itself through every test. And as many hits as it takes it would only get stronger.
x. Until one day we shall be mature and complete.
xi. To the extent that we are…
c. [Slide 15] Lacking nothing.
i. The rich young ruler approached our Savior and asked him, good teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life.
ii. The Lord knew his question was faulty and broken from the start. First, he had no idea what goodness was, and because he had no idea what goodness was, he assumed that there was something HE could do to inherit eternal life.
iii. So, the Lord moved to instruct him on the matter and bring light to his darkness. Christ told him to keep the 10 commandments. A feat that no man could ever hope to truly achieve if they understood what was meant.
iv. Nevertheless, the young man stated hastily that he had kept them all since his youth. And what did the young man ask? What more do I… lack?
v. True faith, when tested, produces endurance which forms the complete and mature picture of Christ in us. If such were true of each of us…
vi. We would lack nothing.
vii. This entire opening suddenly takes on an eschatological tone. For we will only be mature, complete, and lacking nothing when we stand in His presence.
viii. But how so very few of us get there in a day, a week, a month or a year after our conversion. For most of us, the Lord has a long path to slowly but surely kill off and chip away all that is dead in us.
ix. He does this through various trials. So, when you are in a trial…
x. Rejoice. Why?
xi. Because the very process of your perfection… is happening right before your eyes.
xii. And again, I say… ouch.
d. [Slide 16] Passage Truth: James adds a second truth to motivate his audience to rejoice. Not only does tested faith result in growing faith, but also it is that growing and enduring faith that MUST finish its work which is us. The faith we have received, a faith that endures, must finish us by completing us and perfecting us. To the extent that we lack nothing.
e. Passage Application: His audience then, their only command in this passage, is to perceive their many testings as pure, God-given happiness in Christ. They must look at tests as opportunities for great rejoicing.
f. [Slide 17] Broader Biblical Truth: So, we saw that everywhere the scripture teaches that God grows our faith through trial. But do the scriptures also teach us that growing faith must perfect us? Do the scriptures give us an indication that enduring faith is what will ultimately transport us to glorification? My friends, the scriptures make plain that this is the ONLY kind of faith that transports us to glory. God’s righteous decree was continued faithfulness and worship from the children of Israel. God’s expectation for Abraham was continued trust despite the circumstances. And the Apostles teach us that the hopeful promise that we will not perish but have everlasting life is offered to those who are believing ones. Enduring faith IS saving faith.
g. Broader Biblical Application: So, CBC, since genuine faith when tested brings endurance and endurance brings us to what God desires us to be, mature, complete and perfect… what should our response be when we fall into various tests? As James says… it should be joy. Pure, joy. Why? Because God is saving us through trials. He is perfecting us through trial. He is completing us through trial.
Conclusion:
So, James points to the process of God’s progressive salvation of our souls. He points to the providence of God to carry His dear children from their conversion and to slowly press them into the mold of Christ who will present them faultless before the throne of God. James highlights God’s work through all of life to work all things for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. To the extent that God uses all manner of tests, be they temptation or trial, to prove the genuine faith in His people resulting in their faith’s endurance. But endurance is not the end, for as endurance continues and steadfastness works – it produces a person who is complete and lacking nothing at all.
Therefore, God gets all the praise for in every test He graciously continues to save His dear children, not from their trials or tests, but from sin, Satan, this world and to His Son.
And what is the Christian’s only command in all of this? Certainly, we can go to other passages of scripture, II Peter included to find the human responsibility of all this. Even later in James we will see him put human responsibility at the forefront. But for now – James presents a faith that was given being tested by trials that were given, with a result that is unearned producing a product that is God engineered. God’s work through trials takes center stage in verses 2-4. And for this – what is the ONLY command in this passage for us?
Rejoice!
We are to perceive every threat of suffering, every promise of pain, every whiff of temptation, every hint of persecution as the highest and purest happiness given by God through Christ.
Do we still grieve? Of course. Do we still sorrow? Yes. Do we still weep? Most assuredly. Do we still fight tooth and nail every temptation that comes our way? You bet! B1ut we also hope in the promise of God. We also rejoice in the salvation of God. We are gladdened when we see our faith in Christ and His promises solidify and endure. That though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we fear no evil because He is with us. His rod and staff comfort us.
Every test. Every trial is a cause for rejoicing.
My friends – this is not how we perceive things is it? When someone has a successful surgery or gets a new job – how quickly we are to praise the Lord. But when we first learn we need the surgery, when we were first let go from our previous job. When we struggle under ongoing assault from the evil one. When we are fresh off the loss of family of friends… do we praise the Lord then? Do we rejoice in what He is going to do with our faith through this new test?
James calls us to absolute trust and faith in the sovereign providence of God. That though He is able to deliver us from every trial – He uses these trials to make us more like Christ.
Only when we understand this can we truly regard our testings as pure joy.
Lift up your eyes oh Christian. Look to the hills you downcast. From where does your help come? He has sent this test to you. Why? To prove and perfect your faith. So… rejoice.