2024-09-08 - San Jose CRC - Sermon Only - Gil Suh

James 1:1-12

Transcript

We are starting the series on the book of James, the letter of James rather. So, for the next several weeks, we're going to focus on this book, and our home groups are going to study this book, too. And whether you're going to be here on Sunday regularly or being part of home groups, where I want to encourage all of us to, okay, the next few, few weeks, several weeks, actually almost 10 weeks, the book of James, the letter of James is our teacher for us to learn what it means to live our daily life as the blessed people of God.

And James's letter will have a lot to teach us. And I'm sure many of you have heard and read the book. But let's relearn and hear again, and that's what we're going to do, beginning from today. So today's scripture is James chapter 1, verses 1 through 12. So that's the first chapter.

It's in your pew Bible, page 977, or on the screen. James, a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations, greetings. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds. Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete. You are not lacking anything. If you lack wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and 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. Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position, but the rich should take pride in their humiliation since they will pass away like a wildflower. For the sun rise with a scorching heat and withers the plant, its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed.

In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business. 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. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Pray with me.

Lord, your word has been read, and now we want to hear. The message based on this written word, your spoken word, Holy Spirit, opens our hearts and minds and works among us so that your voice will be heard, and we will respond by faith in Christ's name. Amen.

When do you feel happy? There are so many different answers to that question. But I can say we usually feel happy when our desire is satisfied. Just think of the time when you're hungry. Then, now you're satisfied with the food. And you're thirsty. And you're satisfied with a drink. And you're waiting for something or waiting for someone.

But then, finally, your turn came. Ah. When our desires are satisfied, we usually say, oh, I'm happy. The greater the desire, the greater the waiting; that sense of happiness also increases. But then on the other hand, while waiting and persevering, when our desires are not satisfied, we say, ah, I'm not happy, or I'm not.

But then, when we hear James starting his letter by saying, Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, when you face trials of many kinds. We should feel some conflict within us. What? I don't know. James is not promoting masochism of some sort, is he? Doesn't it make more sense if he says, Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, when your trials of many kinds are all over, done and passed?

But that's not what James is saying. Is it? He's saying that when you face it, when you are in it, consider it pure joy. So James is the younger brother, one of the younger brothers of Jesus Christ. He was one of the leaders of the first church. And he wrote this letter to encourage Christians scattered throughout the Mediterranean world at the time.

They were facing trials of many kinds. But then, in the letter, he addressed a few. The injustice they have suffered in court, according to chapter 2. So we're going to address that in the next few weeks. And the ways they've been mistreated by the powerful in Chapter 5. And the diagnosis of sickness they have received or the losses they have endured.

It's not just 2 000 years ago; every generation up until today faces different kinds of trials. So we can fill in the blank, whatever that is, right? In terms of facing trials of many kinds, today's passage is the first part of that letter, and that's how we start. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters.

Whenever you face trials of many kinds. So, how should we understand this thought? The key is, how do we define joy? In general, when we say joy, we mean great happiness that comes from some success or good fortune. The world defines joy as the intense pleasure we feel when we satisfy a great desire.

So, the world tends to use joy interchangeably with pleasure and happiness. But the joy James talks about is not the same as such pleasure or happiness. Not only James but other New Testament writers like Paul and John consistently teach us that true joy lies in an unsatisfied desire, a deep longing for God that never ends.

It lies in the hope of what God has prepared for those who love him.

Of course, if we are honest with ourselves, that's not how we feel when we face trials of many kinds. James is not saying to feel joy, right? Consider it joy. The trials in and of themselves are not the reason for joy. James is not urging us to delight in the trials and tribulations. Rather, it is what the trials will produce in us, believers, in this life and ultimately after this life.

So perseverance under trials will produce, according to verse four, maturity and completion. So, to be mature and complete is to grow in the likeness of Jesus. So we can, you and I can rejoice in persevering under trials. Therefore, we can also rejoice in hope of what the Lord will do for us ultimately. So, in verse 12, 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. It is consistent with the first verse. Blessed is the one who's persevering now under trials because of the crown of life that they will receive at the end.

So whenever we face trials of many kinds, James tells us to consider it pure joy by faith and hope, although your flesh may not feel like it. Amen. So James tells us, don't let the world's view and definition of joy deceive you and make you not persevere on the trial. Because the world is saying, don't persevere, get out, give up.

James says to be faithful, following, and trusting in Christ. And he was himself tested in every way. And now he promised to give us mercy and grace in our time of need. He promises that he's going to be with us, be with us, and go through these trials. They come on our way of life. Even if we are children of God, the Christians, there's no guarantee.

All the more, the trials will come if you follow Christ.

Then true joy comes from that right relationship with the Lord.

And it's beyond circumstances. It's beyond our experiences of life. That's why, in the same vein, Paul wrote to the Philippians from the prison: Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again, rejoice. C. S. Lewis wrote a book called Surprised by Joy. It's his autobiography. In that book, he speaks of joy in this way. Unsatisfied desire, which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction. I think Lewis is right. Got it. So for Lewis, C. S. Lewis, he, for him too, joy is a deep yearning of the soul.

So he compares it to, so he compares this joy, that deep yearning of his soul to a nostalgia that when you think about beautiful and wonderful child memory, especially when you see a certain object or when you visit some place. Ah, I remember that time. So he compared the joy to that experience, but not backward, but forward.

So I just brought, what would it what, what would that for me? There are things, but then I just, we have a box full of baby stuff. Then when our children are baby, which kept some. And when I saw this yeah, I remember this baby's first Bible. And I remember, I don't remember where I got or who gave it to me, but I remember reading this too.

My son, David, 24 years ago. And probably Isaac and probably Mary too. So when I look at this book, that memory of reading this Bible and showing the picture to that, like sponge, like the eyes and sponge ears C. S. Lewis is saying, when you have that ah, that your heart is going out to that, ah, I wish I can relive that, experience, but he's directing that to the future, the longing for the day that is no longer just memory, it will be a reality. And The perfect creation.

The tears will be wiped away. And no more sorrow. When we experience that longing, Paul says, really says, that's joy. And James is saying, consider it then when you face trials of many kinds. sickness, losses, broken relationships, any kinds, then think about the day that when those things will be over.

And that should bring joy.

We face trials of many kinds at one time or another in this life. Different kinds of hardships, experience of failures, things are not working out. Immediately these trials will discourage us, not joyous, the opposite. However, these trials in the eyes of faith, in the life of hope, remind us of what?

Realities of our brokenness and the brokenness of this world. without God's coming redemption and He's perfecting His salvation. We have no hope, but it's coming, it's promised. And they challenge our faith. Of course, immediately causing doubt and confusion. And yet, facing these trials, awaken that deep longing for the way it's supposed to be, it's promised to be in new heaven and new earth.

And we can consider that pure joy by faith and hope. Then we can persevere in trusting in Christ who is making us more like him in every way. And we can rejoice in hope for the blessed future with him. Then he leaves us for a surprising gift. Because why is it surprising? Because under the circumstance facing trials, we may not have that joy, but it is a surprise.

Wow, it is a gift. So brothers and sisters, may the Lord grant you and me that gift today and the week ahead of us. So think about, reflect, This coming week, true joy, the pure joy that James is talking about. Not denying the happiness and pleasure we feel when our desires is satisfied, but even when our desires are not satisfied and actually rather experience trials of many kinds.

Let's remember and that's when we are reminded. That we need God, and God has sent Jesus Christ, and there's hope, and we can consider that as joy. Then we can consider, oh, we can rejoice. Even from the prison, that Paul can say, really mean it, rejoice. I'm rejoicing even here, the prison. And as a church, As we are facing many trials of, different kinds, it applies to us same way for me and for you.

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of joy that goes beyond our circumstances and trials. Help us to see that true joy is found not in our fleeting pleasures or the absence of hardships. But in trusting you through them, grant us perseverance and faith as we face difficulties, knowing that through these trials, you are shaping us to be more like Christ.

Fill our hearts with hope for the eternal joy you promise and guide us to rejoice always in your presence. In Christ's name we pray. Amen