Consider it What?!
The bible gives us a picture of God’s new reality—a reality that is here/real because of what Christ accomplished on the cross. And yet, this reality is held in a paradoxical tension of “already but not yet.” This tension is pervasive throughout Scripture—the end of Matthew Jesus says “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” yet we see wickedness prosper over good; injustice rather than justice. The Bible affirms Christ’s reign NOW but we look over our city and see many who are openly hostile to Christ and many more who are indifferent to him. Our own salvation is something that is “now but not yet”—we have been saved and the Bible declares we are “being saved.” The challenge we have as we approach the Bible is to allow it to speak and declare God’s new reality and by the power of the Holy Spirit submit ourselves to this reality so that we can live in it, to the glory of God.
Our text this morning invites us into God’s new reality—a new way of seeing, thinking, and being/living in the world; particularly with regards to suffering. A new way of seeing, thinking, and living is made possible by the Holy Spirit living inside Christ’s followers.
James 1:2-4, 12
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything….12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
PRAYER:
Most gracious God, our Father, we pray this morning that you would give us eyes to see the new reality that you are inviting us into. We ask for the power of your presence and the work of your Holy Spirit in our lives to make the proper connections between your Word and our seeing, thinking, being, and living. We submit our thinking and living to the authority of your Word and to the leading of your Spirit. For we believe that when the living God speaks something always happens—your Word does not return void but accomplishes your purposes. Therefore we pray expectantly—speak Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with words that we will receive, that our lives might be lived in the fullness of joy that is in Christ. We pray these things for your glory and our good. Amen.
BOOK: Our text beings with a command—
CONSIDER it pure joy
“Consider it pure joy”—we expect something like “consider it pure joy when…the sun is shining…things are good…you get that raise/promotion…Consider it pure joy when…you are at church…with friends…when you’re laughing…when all seems well and right with the world (or at least our part of it). We expect those kinds of words to follow but instead the command is to “consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds.”
This is truly a new way of looking at the challenging and painful experiences in life. No one naturally says, “difficulties/trials…sign me up!” And yet James begins here! He doesn’t try to soften us up to the idea…saying “trials aren’t all that bad.” NO! James knows trials are not fun, that they are painful. James is a leader of the Church in Jerusalem—where Christ was crucified—the place was hostile towards Christianity. A quick glance at the book of Acts shows the hostility in Jerusalem:
Acts 5:33
When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them [Peter & John].
Acts 7:54, 58
Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him [Stephen]….Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him.
TRIALS-
James is no stranger to trials and does not belittle the pain or difficulty they bring.
*“The Greek word used here (peripipto) suggests an unwelcome and unanticipated experience.”[1] [Jesus uses the same word in the Story of the Good Samaritan (luke 10:30) as the man “fell into the hands of” robbers]
*“They [trials] can be a part of the normal ebb and flow of life, they can result from the wiles of Satan, or (as we are about to see in 1:12-18) they can be allowed by God and even sent by God. No matter their source, James insists that we should respond not with anger or disappointment, but with utter joy.”[2]
But he wants his readers (and us) to approach the many kinds of trials we face, whether it’s intense persecution (physical or not), broken relationships, or financial/job difficulties and whatever, with a renewed mindset; one that sees them as “pure joy.”
JOY-
In the way we often think of joy this doesn’t make sense. But this new reality is NOT inviting us into the idea that Christians are supposed to smile all the time, or that we should feel happy in the midst of trial. Joy is something different than feelings. Joy “speaks of a state of being rather than an emotion.”[3] And is perhaps, more appropriately defined as: “an unnatural reaction of deep, steady and unadulterated thankful trust in God.”[4]
I know that this brings up questions, like: How in the world can James see trials as pure joy? And to that question we will turn. But let me say this, “A large part of the life of faith is one’s attitude toward things in life and one’s response to events.”[5] As Christians we are to submit ourselves to the working of the Holy Spirit so that he can restore the image of Christ in us. That means, reshaping our hearts, minds, attitudes, and responses to better reflect the heart, mind, attitude, and responses of Christ.
PAUSE TO SURRENDER
How in the world can James see trials as pure joy?
James 1:3
3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
The Greek word for “because you know” is a participle that can also be read as having an imperatival force; more of a command—know the testing of your faith produces perseverance—“as a way of helping them regard testing as joy.”[6]
Either way we take it, we are still rightly drawn back into Israel’s story, which is their history/experience with God. And what do we see...
Psalm 66:10-12
10For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. 11You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; 12you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.
Proverbs 17:3
3The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.
...When we look at Israel’s story, we see testing and trials but we also see restoration and the hope of restoration, which often comes through perseverance.
The next question that comes to my mind is: What is so valuable about “perseverance” that makes the persevering of trials become joy?
PERSEVERANCE-
“This is not a passive virtue but a steady clinging to the truth within any situation.”[7] Against any passive sense, perseverance can be seen as a “militant patience,” an engaged waiting, an enduring—a living steadfast through trials and tests.[8]
But perseverance alone is not the goal James has mind!
James 1:4
4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything.
This idea is “parallel to the Hebrew idea that testing can result in purification.”[9] It can result in purification, but only if we submit to the Holy Spirit and persevere by his power. Notice how joy, perseverance, and restoration are themed in Psalm 66
Psalm 66:1, 10-12
1Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give him glorious praise!...10For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. 11You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; 12you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.
When Proverbs 17:3 tells us, “the LORD tests hearts” the implied trajectory of the statement moves us NOT to leave us wounded and shattered but to something precious, refined, made whole! And so we are commanded and encouraged, even though it is difficult, to allow perseverance to finish its work in us because God is making us whole through persevering in trials. We may not like it, but God has a purpose for the “testing” and the purpose is good.[10]
This has been the case since God entered into relationship with Israel.
Proverbs 3:11-12
11My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of this reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
Because God loves us, he allows us to go through times of testing; times of intense pressure because he is developing something inside of us and transforming us from the inside out. As much as we may not like it, it is the way God has set it up. And so the NT authors embrace it and say...
Romans 5:3-5
3...we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance /perseverance, 4and endurance/perseverance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
“The maturing of the believer is simply becoming what God intends that a human being should be.”[11] That is, to restore the image of God in man. This is what salvation is all about: restoration! And God chooses to do that through proving/testing our faith.
The bible uses several different images to illustrate the Christian life; from gardeners to athletes to soldiers. James is telling us to let perseverance finish its work in us so that we can be whole and complete, not lacking anything.
This idea of “’not lacking in anything,’….may be more closely associated with
military imagery, being fully outfitted for battle….the strengthening of
endurance through trials is an important aspect of Christian life, and without
it the Christian is ill-equipped for service to God…”[12]
So, what is so valuable about “perseverance” that makes the persevering of trials become joy?
James gives us two reasons.
The first is a promise for this life. It is the path to maturity; to being refashioned in the image of God, so that we are better equipped to reflect his image into the lives that surround us. And the good news here is that we are not alone in these trials, although we may often feel like it; the Holy Spirit of God is living inside of us giving us the energy and strength to persevere...giving us the patience to let perseverance mature and equip us to live as the Father means for us to live.
Second is a promise for future reward.
James 1:12
12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
This phrase, “crown of life” is not descriptive of an actual crown but is the goal of the Christian life; eternal life in Christ. (Rev. 2:10).[13]
The promise of God to his followers is that we “do not strive in futility with a vain, blind hope but instead endure purposefully with the goal of everlasting life with God in sight.”[14]
Now this promise is conditional, it is for “those who love him.” And a characteristic of those who love him is perseverance—a perseverance that is allowed to work and develop maturity.
TOOK: What is this new reality that we are invited to? To consider trials as joy because they are opportunities for God to reshape his image in us, which equips us to live for him now and eagerly await his promise of life for the future.[15]
[1] David Nystrom, James: the NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1997), 47.
[2] Nystrom, 48.
[3] Craig L. Blomberg, Mariam J. Kamell, James: Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008), 48.
[4] Derek Tidball, Wisdom from Heaven: The Message of the Letter of James for Today (Fearn, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2003), 22.
[5] Dan G. McCartney, James (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009), 84.
[6] Ibid., 85-86.