Today we begin our new series by going through the book of James. This series's idea is how do we live out our faith and God’s call when everyone is watching us.
Everyone has had different experiences in church. Some come to faith earlier in life and some later in life. Some of you attended church as a child, but you walked away from your faith and returned later. Some of you might still be working your way back as you read this.
But if you have been in church any length of time, likely two things have happened. The pastor that is preaching, preached a message that felt like they read your diary. And the second thing is someone in the room knew that the pastor was preaching a message for you. All of a sudden, there is that look from across the room. Or the swift elbow into the ribs. Or maybe it was a conversation at lunch; what did you think about that second point that the pastor shared this morning?
We have this dynamic of people watching us live out faith. And it’s not “bad,” but in today's day, there are pre-believers watching us. They might be watching us to see if we are for real. If we are using what we are selling. Or they are trying to find a way to trip us up.
This series's premise is not living your faith for Christians who are watching you but living your faith for a lost world that is watching you. This morning's message is coming straight from James 1, and we are hitting on two main points. The testing of your faith, and Hearing and Doing The Word.
Testing Of Your Faith (James 1:2-18)
There is so much in this passage of scripture. Let's start with the opening statement… Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
And what is steadfastness, it is patient endurance. And I know personally, I grew in the area of patient endurance this past year. I know there are also moments where I have patience but no endurance and other moments where I have endurance and no patience.
But the testing of our faith is supposed to create both. A perfect example of steadfastness is Jesus in the garden praying before his crucifixion.
Jesus knew what was coming, but His faith had been tested, and He was able to patiently endure what was coming because He knew what was on the other side of the cross.
Jesus met a trial, and through the trial accomplished His mission, allowing us to become perfect and complete and lacking nothing. Before I move from this idea of counting trials as joy, realize that God is working things out of you. If you don’t have joy in the midst of this crazy world, it's because you are choosing not to.
But know this, verse 12 tells us that Blessed is the man who remains steadfast. How do we become steadfast by counting our trials as joy? Blessed is the man who remains steadfast because he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.
Part of the process of looking more like Jesus is going through similar experiences. Not that you are going to be crucified, but you are going to go through trials. Consider it pure joy.
Don’t get upset about it. Embrace it. Lean into it. Trust God, and God will grow your faith and your trust for that moment and the ones to follow.
Moving back a few verses, James 1:5 tells us that if we lack wisdom, ask God for it. And that God will generously give it to us if we ask in faith.
So you find yourself in a trial, your faith is being tested, and you don’t know what to do. Ask God for wisdom! God is waiting for you to ask, what am I supposed to do!!!
One of our core values as a church is joyful generosity. I want you always to understand that this is more than just a money thing. This is how we live our life. God gives us wisdom, then we live it out, and then we give it to others.
Sometimes we might get a Word from God, and other times the wisdom comes from others who are giving it generously.
But as you joyfully lean into your trials, you gain wisdom that you can share with the paparazzi, the pre-believers who are watching you. How do you deal with family issues, with health issues, with losing a job?
When the people who are watching us go through it see how we model Christ, they will come back and ask questions. We frequently make sharing our faith too hard. If we simply live how Jesus wants us to, opportunities come.
And always remember, God is not going to tempt you. Tempting brings ideas into your head. Ideas when dwelled upon gives birth to sin, and sin when grown destroys. God is not in the business of destroying you. But He will use life to test you and provide the means for you to overcome.
Hearing and Doing The Word (James 1:19-27)
Be Quick To Hear… Slow To Speak… Slow to Anger… For the Anger of Man Does Not Produce the Rightenouss of God
Do I need to say that again? That is a sermon right there. Do You want to have an impact for the kingdom? Be quick to hear… Slow to speak… Slow to anger.
Know this; I’m not perfect with this. I am better than I used to be, but I have plenty of room for growth. But if we say that we value Every Person. That means every person. Even the ones who look different, currently believe different, have different political opinions, have different pasts, have a different predisposition to sins. We need to be quick to hear… slow to speak… slow to anger.
If we say that we value Every Person Experiencing Christ, that means every person Experiencing Christ. That means they don’t need to experience us and our thoughts and opinions. They need to experience Christ. Do I have any perfect people in here? Didn’t Think So. We need to be quick to hear… slow to speak… slow to anger.
If we say that we value Every Person being Intentionally Discipled, that means every person being Intentionally Discipled. That means they don’t need to experience us and our thoughts and opinions. They need to experience Christ and let the Holy Spirit work things out. And It Is Going To Take Time! We need to be quick to hear… slow to speak… slow to anger.
Then we will start to notice that every person begins following Christ, and they start giving of themselves generously. Of their time, talents, abilities, and now their wisdom.
That brings us to the point of the common unity that we value so much, and the cycle can begin again. All from us being quick to hear… slow to speak… slow to anger. Love people.
And the beauty of this is that by walking through this cycle, we become doers of the Word. We start looking like Jesus, when we look in the mirror we no longer see ourselves; we begin to see Jesus. And the paparazzi looking at us see Jesus. And their lives can start to be changed and transformed.
True and pure religion is not following the rules to a tee. It's loving God, Loving Jesus, and Loving People. It’s not about rules; it's about relationships. First with God, and then with others. To meet others in their afflictions and show them Jesus.