JAMES 1:12
A PROMISE FOR TESTING TIMES
[Hebrews 12:1-2]
Chippie THE PARAKEET never saw it coming. One second he was peacefully perched in his cage. The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over.
The problems began when Chippie’s owner decided to clean Chippie’s cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. The phone rang, and she turned to pick it up. She’d barely said "hello" when "ssssopp!" Chippie got sucked in.
The bird owner gasped, put down the phone, turned off the vacuum, and opened the bag. There was Chippie -- still alive, but stunned.
Since the bird was covered with dust and soot, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and held Chippie under the running water. Then, realizing that Chippie was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do . . . she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with hot air.
Poor Chippie never knew what hit him.
A few days after the trauma, the reporter who’d initially written about the event contacted Chippie’s owner to see how the bird was recovering. "Well," she replied, "Chippie doesn’t sing much anymore -- he just sits and stares."
It’s hard not to see why. Sucked in, washed up, and blown over . . . That’s enough to steal the song from the stoutest heart. [Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm, Word Publishing, 1991, p. 11. ]
"Sucked in, washed up, and Blown over" That about sums up how many of us feel at times isn’t? Unlike Chippie though, we have a wise and sovereign God overseeing the events of His children’s live. Though our trials may be tough and long, they come with the promise of reward.
Verse 12 is an encouraging conclusion to the discussion about trials begun in verse 2. James closes this section on times of testing with a promise for the believers who are suffering under trial by reminding them that God rewards those who remain faithful. It does not matter if the man is rich or poor, if he wants to receive the promised blessings he needs to remain faithful and his endurance will be rewarded with triumph. God rewards those who remain faithful under trial (CIT).
The reward is three fold.
I. POSSESSING INNER BLESSEDNESS; 12a.
II. BECOMING GENUINE, 12b.
III. RECEIVING THE CROWN OF LIFE; 12c.
Though having trials may not be a blessing, verse 12 teaches that enduring trials brings blessing. Blessed (is the) man who endures temptation, [because after having become genuine he will receive the crown of life, which He promised to those loving Him.]
God blesses someone who perseveres under trial. Blessed means "fortunate," and speaks of an inner quality of joy, a contentment in God not affected by outward circumstances. In fact the New Testament often uses this word to describe those who as far as outward circumstances are concerned appear not to be fortunate at all such as the poor, the hungry, the persecuted, or the martyrs.
This blessing is a joy that the world can not take from us. It is joy that resides in the depths of your heart. Joy is a matter of choice. You can allow yourself to be miserable in life or you can choose to face the challenges of life with joy. Our joy flows from a personal connection with the Savior of the World. Nothing can ever take that away from you.
The happiness of believers flows out of faithfully following Jesus. It comes after one has following Him through the good and the bad of life. Inner blessedness is the result of faithfully following Jesus even through the trials and tribulations of life.
And trials will come to the Christian who lives a SPIRITUAL LIFE. A young Christian who worked for a rich man was always telling his master that satan was after him and that he had a constant battle with him, but that he always won over satan. The master made fun of him, telling him that satan never bothered him. How was it, that the devil should bother the boy relentlessly? He would ask. The poor young Christian could not answer him.
One day however, they went hunting together. The master shot at some wild ducks. Some he killed and some he just wounded. "Run", the master said, "and catch the wounded ones first before they run away."
The young Christian came back laughing. He had the answer to the big question. "You know sir," he said, "why satan does not tempt you? Because, you are dead to God, just like those ducks. He goes after the live ones, ones like me."
Point: temptation is something the Christian has to fight with as long as we are here. If you are not being tempted there is a good chance you’re doing what the devil wants already, so he has no need to bother you.
James proclaims that the man is blessed who steadfastly endures [preservers] (hypo-meneo) trials or temptations [(peirasmon), same Greek word,] and has stood the test (dokimos genomenos). The word persevere comes from two Greek words. The first means "to remain" and the second means "under." To persevere means, "to remain under." The connotation is "one who remains under trials" and doesn’t crack. The idea here is faithfulness. Perseverance is standing steadfastly in the midst of trial, facing it in the faith of Jesus Christ. God wants to bring us to the place where we patiently wait upon Him to do His work in us. He wants to develop within us the patient assurance that He is at work, and He does His deepest and best work in our trials.
A BLACKSMITH understood the value of trails better than most. About eight years after he had given his heart to God, he was approached by an observant unbeliever with the question: "why is it you have so much trouble? I have been watching you. Since you joined the church and began to ‘walk square’ and seem to love everybody, you have had twice as many trials and difficulties as you had before. I thought that when a man gave himself to God his troubles were over. Isn’t that what the parsons tell us?"
With a thoughtful but glowing face, the blacksmith replied: "Do you see this piece of iron? It is for the springs of a carriage. I have been ‘tempering’ [to soften hardened steel or iron by giving it more resiliency] it for some time. It gains elasticity through adding or absorbing carbon. I do this by heating it red-hot, and then plunge it into a tub of ice-cold water. This hot to cold process must be done many times. If I find it taking ‘temper,’ I heat and hammer it unmercifully. In trying to get the right piece of iron I found several that were too brittle. So I threw them in the scrap-pile. Those scraps are worth very little. This carriage spring is very valuable."
He paused, and his listener nodded. The blacksmith continued: "God saves us for something more than to have a good time- that’s the way I see it. We have the good time all right, for God’s smile means heaven. But He wants us for service just as I want this piece of iron. And He has put the ‘temper’ of Christ in us by testing us with trial. Ever since I understood this I have been saying to Him. "Test me in any way you choose Lord; only don’t throw me in the scrap pile."
What is in mind here is not the mere experience of trial; that does not necessarily bring blessedness to an individual. Indeed some come out of their difficulties not softened, or tempered but hardened or brittle, and their test does not become a boon to them. The blessing is the courageous endurance of trial so that we might better serve God. "Blessed is the man who remains firm under temptation."
[In the 1996 summer OLYMPICS, sprinter Michael Johnson set records in the 200-meter and 400-meter races. To do so he had trained for some ten years to cut a mere second or two from his time. In Slaying the Dragon he writes:
Success is found in much smaller portions than most people realize. A hundredth of a second here or sometimes a tenth there can determine the fastest man in the world. At times we live our lives on a paper-thin-edge that barely separates greatness from mediocrity and success from failure.
Life is often compared to a marathon, but I think it is more like being a sprinter: long stretches of hard work punctuated by brief moments in which we are given the opportunity to perform at our best.
The Christian life also resembles the life of a sprinter: long stretches of obedience and spiritual disciplines punctuated by great tests in which God gives us the opportunity to choose His eternal best.]
II. BECOMING GENUINE, 12b.
Stalwart endure of the trials of life also brings the reward of genuineness as the second part of verse 12 indicates. [Blessed (is the) man who endures temptation,] because after having become genuine
After the proof is victoriously demonstrated, after one is proven, he is approved. The word translated approved (tried, KJV) was used of metal and coins which had been tested and found true or genuine. Here is the outcome of enduring in the forge of trials, becoming a genuine believer, one approved of God. God’’s approval of our faith is precious, because it assures us that our little faith is genuine faith.
A gold prospector brings a SAMPLE of his ORE into the assayers office to be tested. The sample itself may not be worth more than a few dollars, but the approval, the official statement about mine the ore came from is worth millions. It assures the prospector that he has a gold mine. God’s approval of our faith is precious because it assures us that our faith is genuine.
God samples the worth of our faith through the trials of life. If we preserve in faithfulness to Him and His word it proves our faith is authentic, genuine and more precious than gold. Trials bring blessing because they prove our faith is genuine. God blesses our faith when we trust Him through the trial.
God uses trials for the expressed purpose of building our faith and character. Character must be tested to be proven genuine. There is no place for wimps in the development of faith for faith development calls for stamina and courage.
A recruiting advertisement for Marines said we need a few good men that will be tested to see if they have the metal to be Marines. Christians are being tested to see if they have the metal to be matured. The believer is rewarded by growth in Christian character after he has endure the trials or temptations. If our faith is genuine we will live for Christ and His glory, even in trials
III. THE RECEPTION OF THE CROWN OF LIFE (12c).
There is great reward for persevering in faith through the test of life. Let’s look at the conclusion of verse 12. Because after becoming genuine-after having stood the test, he
will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
The outcome our endurance and trueness forge in the fire of trials is worthy of great reward. The life that has brought such glory to God will not be forgotten in heaven. He or she will be rewarded with the crown of life.
The crown of life is to be interpreted as the crown which consists in life, that is the crown of life (Rev. 2:10). The life is promised to those who love Him. It is the enabling to take hold of life and live it as God would have you. It is being able to enjoy God’s abundant life daily, no matter the outward circumstances. Not only is it full and free spiritual life here and now, it is a reward in heaven also. The greatest reward for those who faithfully endure is a reward that will endure.
In the Greek world crowns (head wreaths, chaplets, circlets) were given to athletes victorious in the games (1 Cor. 9:25) and to citizens who distinguished themselves in service. Hence the crown in Greek thought was either a prize of victory or a badge of honor. [ The Old Testaments speaks of the crown as the mark of royalty (Ps. 21:3) and as a festal ornament (Prov. 1:9).] Whereas the athletes have human competitors, the Christian’s adversaries are the powers of darkness trying to drive him off course and keeping him from finish the contest. In the present passage the crown is a gift of God symbolizing divine approval of a life tested by trial. The crown is the reward of the Christian’s effort, what against the powers of evil is no less agonistic than the athlete’s against his fellow competitors, it just that the contest last longer. (Other crowns: imperishable crown, 1Cor. 9:25; of exaltation, 1 Thess. 2:19; of Righteousness, 2 Tim. 4:8; of glory,1 Pet. 5:4).
Difficulties can get you down. But if you will remain faithful to God your difficulties will give you strength of character so that you will walk confidently with God prepared for whatever life has in store for you. The way to God’s winner’s circle is by loving Him and staying faithful even under pressure.
The MOST PHOTOGRAPHED TREE in America stands on a rocky point overlooking the Pacific on the famous Seventeen-Mile Drive near Carmel, California. It is a gnarled, twisted cypress growing out of what appears to be solid rock. The winds have blown its branches backward from the sea until they are permanently shaped like Medusa’s hair, though not so deadly.
Men have painted pictures of the tree and have captioned their art in several ways. The effort of one famous artist is entitled simply: "Strength to Endure."
The indomitable old cypress has something to say to us all. It has endured the storms through the centuries and proudly wears its "crown of life." It contributes its strength to all who see it.
Pray that you may be able to withstand the fierce winds of temptation and the storms and stresses of life so that you may be more like Jesus.
Enduring temptation means that we must bear up under it, not get mad at God when troubles come and things don’t seem fair. We must remain faithful and not stumble if God takes His time in bringing us through it all.
Enduring temptation means that we take the troubles of life and bravely face them, continuing to trust in the Lord. We should bear them patiently and with integrity because we know that it’s all in God’s hands and will somehow work out something good in our lives.
We need to remember that temptations are nothing more than tokens of God’s love and confidence in us. He allows them to come to strengthen us and to help us draw closer to Him.
And what is waiting for us when we have endured to the end, when we have faced that great leveler? We shall receive the Crown of Life!
In the last part of verse 12 James used a very important word, love. We would expect him to write, "the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that trust Him" or "that obey Him." Why did James use love? Because, love is the spiritual motivation behind every imperative in this section.
What motivates us to continue faithful on in spite of the trials of life? James identifies the response as Love.
- Love motivates a joyful attitude –– We love God, God loves us and will not harm us.
- Love motivates an understanding mind –– God teaches us through the trials, and we grow.
- Love motivates surrender of my will –– when love reigns, we can surrender and obey.
- Love motivates belief – we you love you believe the best about God and the situations of life.
Love is the spiritual force behind the imperatives James gives us. [If we love God, we will have no problem counting, knowing, letting, and asking.] Love keeps us faithful to the Lord.
Notice first comes the cross or trial and then the crown of life. First comes the suffering, then the glory. God doesn’t help us by removing the tests but by making the tests work for us. Satan uses tests or temptation to tear us down but God transforms them into stepping-stones to build us up.
Troubles drive us to God who delights to help those who are forsaken of hopes. In easy times many either do not pray at all or but weakly. But under stress our prayers, like swift streams forced through narrow straits, run mighty to God. And through this thrusting ourselves more fully upon God. He is able to purify us and make us of proven or genuine character. This person will be blessed and rewarded in that he will enjoy a divine sufficiency in life regardless of circumstances.
God’s purpose in trials is maturity. To have the right attitude in trials one must see the advantage of trials, but when it is difficult to see the advantages, one can ask God in faith and God will give him the right attitude in trials. He can rejoice in trials and be blessed by enduring them.
CONCLUSION
Verses 2-12 were written to give us encouragement to face the afflictions and trials of life. Encouragement to patient endurance, encouragement to believe that trials can be turned to our good, encouragement to prayer, encouragement to joyfully accept our lot in life and encouragement to look hopefully to the future.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break,
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face. -William Cowper
Sunday morning, May 5, preached in St. Ann’s, was asked not to come back anymore.
Sunday p.m., May 5, preached at St. John’s, deacons said, "Get out and stay out."
Sunday a.m., May 12, preached at St. Jude’s, can’t go back there either.
Sunday p.m., May 12, preached at St. George’s, kicked out again.
Sunday a.m., May 19, preached at St. somebody else’s, deacons called special meeting and said I couldn’t return.
Sunday p.m., May 19, preached on the street, kicked off the street.
Sunday a.m., May 26, preached in meadow, chased out of meadow as a bull was turned loose during the services.
Sunday a.m., June 2, preached out at the edge of town, kicked off the highway.
Sunday p.m., June 2, afternoon service, preached in a pasture, 10,000 people came to hear me.
Who was this persistent man? No other than John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement.
We must make the choice to persist through all circumstances, so we can be the kind of people Jesus wants us to be. We must persist through the difficult times of life to discover the rewards that Jesus has waiting for us. The greatest blessing of God flows into lives that stay the course, stay in the race and cross the finish line. When one day you stand before the throne of God I pray you will there receive the crown of life
Our call to each one sharing our service this day is to receive the life that is offered in Jesus Christ. Come, confessing His Name. Come to openly identify with Him. Come, standing openly with Him in baptism as He commands. Come to place your life in the fellowship of this congregation. Come, & angels attend you in the way.
