PONDERING... Where Do You Find Your Confidence? (James 1:5-12)

VIDEO

Where Do You Find Your Confidence? (AM Sermon Notes)

GIST: Wholeheartedly trust God and don’t be blinded by your circumstances. 

SCRIPTURE: James 1:5-12

This morning, we’re returning to our study in James chapter 1. Last week, we saw that instead of dreading trials, we should rejoice that God is not only still moving in them, but He uses them to grow us and shape us into who we’re meant to be for all eternity. However, though we see that trials are opportunities for spiritual growth, they are still hard, and having that perspective is not easy. Therefore, we closed with verse 5 last week which addresses that very concern. Knowing we won’t always understand, James tells us to seek wisdom from the God who willingly provides it to all who ask. Again, this doesn’t imply getting everything you want, but rather getting exactly what you need when you need it.

Today, I want to pick up with that same verse and read through verse 12 since this is all one continuous thought. 

“5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. 12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

We’re told to seek wisdom from God. Then immediately, he follows up with: ‘But, don’t doubt!’. Why? Well, we need wisdom, and we need it from God. However, that’s not always how we live our lives. Instead, we try to figure things out apart from Him, on our own. We’re supposed to come to Him in confidence because we love Him and are greatly loved by Him. Instead, our confidence, or lack thereof, as we approach life is shaped by other influences. So, that’s the question for this morning: Where do we find our confidence? Here’s our gist→ Wholeheartedly trust God and don’t be blinded by your circumstances. 

I. WHOLEHEARTEDLY TRUST GOD

Again, last week, we ended we with verse: “5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” The key message here is→ 

Seek The Wisdom You Need From The Only Source. You need it, and He willingly provides it. This truth is humbling and beautiful. He wants to guide you, so come to Him with you burdens and questions and concerns. However, do it sincerely. Don’t fake it. Don’t do the “Sunday-morning” Christian thing. This is a warning for all of us, myself included. → 

“6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

Don’t Be Divided. Let me start by clarifying here. This doubting is not implying you won’t ever have questions. Remember in Mark 9, right after the transfiguration, the man brings his son to Jesus. The boy is possessed by a demon who has been causing him to convulse and throw himself in fires, and the father cries out to Jesus, “If you can do anything, help him!” Jesus grabbed hold of that doubt and replied with, “If I can? All things are possible for the one who believes.” How did the father respond? With these famous words: “I believe. Help my unbelief!” And he wasn’t rebuked for that. He believed, but circumstances were shaking him up...and he knew he needed help. He knew the problem wasn’t Jesus’ reality. It was his own. As humans, we’ll sometimes find our faith shaken. However, if we go to Him in prayer admitting this and seeking His guidance wholeheartedly anyway knowing He is still the Truth even when our sinful minds get clouded, that is a very different situation from what these verses are addressing.

 The word doubt as it’s used here carries the connotation of division. It’s asking without really wanting or expecting. It’s praying for wisdom and living a life that doesn’t show sincerity, like praying on Sunday, but living like an atheist the rest of the week. It’s pretending to want Him today, but living like He has nothing to do with the “real world”. So, the idea here is: don’t pray for wisdom, but expect it not to work, or expect to still have to work it out some other way through some means of your own. If you do that, you shouldn’t expect anything because you’re unstable — you’ve built your house on shifting sand instead of His firm foundation! 

And the sad thing is that when we do this, we’re starting on the foundation. We’re asking Him! That’s what we should be doing! But, then we just jump off into our own chaotic devices. I picture it like being in the middle of a swirling sea and using God’s concrete fortress, that place of safety and protection and belonging, as a diving board. You know, diving into water is fun and refreshing...unless you can’t swim! That’s the problem. We’re diving into the ocean knowing we need help, but there is no one there to catch us and nothing there to hold us up. 

Living like this and expecting blessing is missing out on the true nature of salvation which is life transformation! If we pray like this, not only should not expect that kind of prayer to have any effect, but these verses call us double-minded and unstable in ALL ways. This isn’t just about getting or not getting wisdom. If we’re trying to live our Christian lives without actually trusting Jesus to be the sovereign God He claims to be, we’re not living the Christian life at all. We’re wearing the t-shirt while still trying to do this thing on our own. We’re acknowledging that there is a fortress in the middle of that stormy sea while being content to watch the waves destroy us. We have to→ 

Trust Him Wholeheartedly. He’s our strength. He’s our victory. He’s...everything. Do we, do I, live like He’s everything? Or do I try and face this life on my own while throwing up token prayers for His help? Man, that one hurts!

So, we need to find our confidence in Him, by trusting that He’s in control of whatever comes our way. While doing that→ 

II. Don’t Be Blinded By Your Circumstances

Look back at verses 9-11 first. “9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.” At first glance, this might seem like a sharp transition in topic. However, there’s a connection. James has told us to find joy in our trials knowing that God is using them, and when we don’t understand, to come to Him in faith seeking wisdom and trusting Him as the only source. Now, he addresses two major life conditions that can easily supercede that perspective. Do we have stuff or do we not? Are we living in poverty and despair struggling to get through each day, or are we living carefree and worldly successful lives? Both present dangers.

Danger 1: Thinking God Is Not There. When we’re suffering, it’s easy to be consumed by that. All we see is our sorrow, so it’s easy to feel isolated and forgotten. In that condition, we need to rejoice as we remember that we’re loved and this (not our circumstances) is the most important thing about us.

Danger 2: Feeling Like You Don’t Need Him. When everything is going well, the temptation is to assume it is because of something we’ve done. But all this worldly success, all our “stuff” is temporary. It won’t last forever and might not even last for our lifetime. These are gifts God has given us to use. Don’t waste them. Don’t find meaning in them. They will let you down. You are a person in deep need. You don’t have this all under control. You need him. Therefore, even when we are experiencing earthly success, we need to remember that we’re loved and that this, not any personal success we might think we’ve gained, is the most important thing about us. Our “stuff” is temporary. Jesus is eternal. 

And that eternal perspective is how James wraps up this section. Look again at verse 12. “12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” Here’s the key:

Salvation Is For Those Who Endure In Love. (Genuine Faith) Enduring is a sign of reality. This isn’t some kind of “tough it out” theology. What this is saying is that faith that is real, transforms for real. You’ve probably heard this statement before. “If it fizzles it was false from the start.” True faith isn’t based on emotional highs or feelings. True faith is based on meeting with Jesus and giving Him full control of your life. That relationship isn’t dependent on how I may or may not be feeling. That relationship doesn’t lessen when my life gets harder. Instead, my need for Him grows every day as I draw nearer and nearer to Him. 

Why? Because those who endure LOVE HIM! My wife is my wife no matter how I’m feeling today, and I will love her no matter what happens today. And this relationship is just a glimpse at the intimacy with which God loves me. His love never fails, and those who have been changed by Him should love Him more and more every day. When that’s the case, eternity is just an intensifying of how we’re living our lives now. We don’t have to wait until we die to start experiencing Heaven. You get a glimpse of it everyday you cling to Him now!

So—> Where Will You Spend Eternity? Are you wholeheartedly His or not? You can come to Him today. Confess your need and give Him control...of everything. 

TAKEAWAYS

1. Do you wholeheartedly trust Jesus?

2. Are you blinded by your circumstances?

3. Key Question: Where will you spend eternity?

How’s Your Perspective? (PM Lesson Outline)

GIST: Sometimes we need time to think. 

SCRIPTURE: James 1:9-18

Tonight I want to do something a little different. Instead of launching into our next lesson in James, I want to prep us for the next passage by doing some self-reflection. I want to read back over a few verses from this morning and then read through the next section in opening here. As I do, I want you to think about where you fit in this.

“9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. 12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”

The Good

-What are the advantages of your circumstances?

-What’s good in your life right now? Don’t try to hyper-spiritualize this. Every good and perfect gift is from above. What are yours? Let’s share a few and praise.

The Bad

-Where are you struggling? 

The Pause

Now, this morning, we talked about not being confident in or rob of confidence due to our circumstances. Take a second to let this sink in. How much are your circumstances controlling you? How conscious are you of God’s work in your life? Where is He on your priorities list? 

The Ugly

-What’s getting in the way of your perspective? Let’s pray at the altar and leave those at His feet.

PONDERING... Why Now? (Acts 9:31-42)

VIDEO

Why Now? (AM Sermon Notes)

GIST: God uses your circumstances to point people to His love.

SCRIPTURE: Acts 9:31-42

This morning we’re coming to the last passage in chapter 9 of Acts. For the past several weeks, we’ve been looking at how God did an unexpected work in the life of Saul. Now, the focus of Luke’s account shifts back to Peter for a few chapters. However, the emphasis is still on God doing what people aren’t expecting. This particular chapter wraps up with two healing miracles. They seem connected not only in time, but also in purpose. Remember, Scripture is inspired by God. The events recorded aren’t done so haphazardly, and these two seem to be placed here together very intentionally. Let’s look at verses 31-42.

“31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. 32 Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed." And immediately he rose. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. 36 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. 37 In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, "Please come to us without delay." 39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord."

Both of these accounts focus in on the miraculous movement of Jesus in individual lives. However, what we see in both accounts is that His individual movement had a far reaching purpose. In fact, I started by reading verse 31 which gives us the general setting for this account in the life of the early Church. That observation and both of the healing miracles end with the same kind of statement. Look at verses 31b, 35, and 42. “31b….And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied...35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord...42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.” The end result of all these circumstances was people coming to know Jesus. As we’ve stated before, the purpose of miracles is to point people to the God of miracles! However, in these accounts, God was moving in theses lives even when they were still facing tragedies. So what’s our gist for this morning? God uses your circumstances to point people to His love. Oh, how I need this perspective!

Now, before we even start breaking down the verses this morning, I want to make this quick observation because I don’t want to ignore this potentially serious objection. In saying this, I am not saying that Jesus causes bad things to happen in your life, so He can work through them. We live in a world that has been corrupted by sin, but not a world that is absent of God’s grace. When sin entered the world, man chose himself over God. Ever since then, we have been living the results of that decision. Nonetheless, even in the midst of the hardships and pain that come from living in this fallen world, God works to bring beauty from these ashes. (Check out Isaiah 61: 1-3.)

I know that was basically like a point in itself, but I felt we needed that context before moving forward. Now, to the verses!

I. GOD USES BLESSINGS TO BLESS

Even though we just addressed the harder side of this passage, we can’t help but notice that there is actually far more rejoicing than mourning that happens in these verses. So, let’s start there. God uses blessings to bless. Specifically, I want to point out how He uses peace, service, and health to point to His love. First, let’s look at→

Peace (31). “31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.” Two weeks ago, we closed by reading this verse and talking about what led to this peace. Today, I just want to make a few quick observations.

1. This is God-ordained peace. If you remember, this peace was largely the result of two factors: 1. Paul isn’t killing Christians anymore. 2. The Sanhedrin are being distracted by a new high priest and a new Roman emperor. As we noted last week, this wasn’t chance. God knew exactly what He was doing. Though the church grew under persecution, and would continue to do so, this time of peace was intentional. →

2. It was used to build up the church. Not having to fear as much for their lives, they were able to use their time to more freely proclaim the gospel and learn as the apostles proclaimed the teachings of Jesus. Let’s just pause for a second and let this hit us in the face. As part of the Church in America, we have experienced years of peace. Though we have faced persecutions, they are nowhere near the level of those faced by our fellow believers in other parts of the world. We have so much freedom to spread the gospel and study God’s Word. Are we using it? See→

3. They were built up by walking in fear & comfort. They did not get lazy in this relative time of ease. They had a right view of God (they feared Him which implied awe and respect), so they had a right view of comfort (it comes from walking in the Holy Spirit, following His guidance--not our own!). →

4. And it resulted in multiplying! Growth. More people were saved because this peace was used to point people to Jesus--the Prince of Peace!

The second blessing we see being used to point others to Jesus is→

Service (36). “36 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity.” I’m sure every time you’ve heard a sermon on Tabitha, you’ve heard the preacher make a joke about her dorky name...and there’s mine☺️. Let’s make two quick observations about her here, as well.

1. She was the gazelle of grace☺️. Terrible English equivalent aside, both Tabitha and Dorcas mean gazelle. I’m not sure if that is significant to anything, but you’ll probably find it in your Bible’s footnotes, and it allowed me to use some alliteration☺️. Honestly though, Tabitha appears to have been an incredible woman. She was full of good works and acts of charity which mean they defined her life. She was a follower of Jesus who lived her life for others. That who we should be too! See, she lived a life of service→

2. So→ her life had an impact. Look at verse 39 real quick, “39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them.” Her loss was felt because her life was lived for others. Let that sink in. She had gifts, but she wasn’t a preacher, and she wasn’t a missionary. She was a first century woman who cared about people, and, though she might have done other things as well, we at least know she made clothes for people who needed them. She didn’t waste her life, but was used as a blessing.

The last blessing I want to point out is probably the most obvious one in the text→

Health (34-35, 38-42). The first one healed here is Aeneas. “34 And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed." And immediately he rose. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.” 3 quick observations.

1. This was the direction of God. As we’ll see in a second with Tabitha, this wasn’t the power of Peter. Jesus was working in this man’s life, and He impressed that upon Peter. Peter is the mouthpiece, but→

2. The hero is Jesus. This man’s name is interesting to me. Aeneas is the name of a very important Roman hero. He’s the main character in Virgil’s epic, The Aeneid. In this story, Aeneas is a rags to riches kind of character. After losing the Trojan war, he escapes with some of his family and goes on a journey led by the gods. Eventually, he’s able to overcome terrible obstacles and turn his failure into success as he founds the Roman empire. Our Aeneas here tells a different story, and a story that is true for every one of us. He is in desperate need...and Jesus comes to the rescue. This is His plan. This is His salvation. Aeneas’ health was a gift from Jesus. So is yours. But→

3. This was about more than physical healing. Peter found Aeneas amongst the saints. Given the context here, it is safe to believe that he was a disciple of Jesus. So, not only did his physical healing point to his spiritual salvation, but his healing was used to point more people to his savior. This makes me think of our friend John Barnett. God miraculously healed him of a cancer which the doctors said should have taken his life within, I believe, a year. However, rather than just living comfortably knowing he’s now ok, John has allowed God to use that testimony as a witness to His love and His grace. If your living, you’ve been given a gift. Use it to share Jesus with the world.

The second healing we see is of Tabitha...who had died. Look at verses 38-42, “38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, "Please come to us without delay." 39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.” The lesson in these verses is much the same as the one above, but let me just make these two quick observations.

1. This was done only by the power of God. If you can remember our study in Mark, this passage might sound very familiar. Here, Peter does almost exactly what Jesus did when He raised Jairus’ daughter. However, Peter doesn’t go into the situation assuming he has power to do this. He prays, and God chooses to move. And just like when Jesus looked at the little girl and said, “Honey, it’s time to get up.” Peter turns to this woman who cared so much for others and said, “Tabitha, it’s time to get up.” It’s amazing! And→

2. This was done for the purpose of God. Not everyone who physically dies is raised back to physical life again. In fact, this rarely happens in the Bible. However, she was dead, and now she’s alive. Just like you! If you are lost today, you are spiritually dead. Your life is trapped by sin. But Jesus came and died and rose again, so that He can speak to your dead heart and say, “It’s time to get up. It’s time to live.” That’s grace!

I know I went pretty long on this first point, so I’ll try to be shorter on this second one since we did preface it a bit at the beginning ☺️. →

II. GOD USES HEARTACHES TO BLESS

So, we saw all the great things God used to point people to His love. Let’s take a few minutes to flip that coin. First, though we saw these miraculous healings, before those could happen, these people were faced with→

Sickness & Death (32-33, 37). First, let’s look at Aeneas again. “32 Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed.” He gets healed, but not until after being paralyzed for eight years. We have to remember→

1. This required patience. Not every good thing happens when we want, and sometimes in life the hard things will last for a long time. But this doesn’t mean God isn’t working, and it doesn’t mean that He isn’t good. I’ve said this before, but every day when I leave the house I ask my kids the same two questions--maybe because I need to remember the answers: “Who made this day? God. So, what does that mean? It’s going to be good!” That doesn’t mean it won’t be hard. That doesn’t mean there won’t be pain. That means that even in the middle of those hardships, God is still good, and He is still working things out according to His purposes to point people, including you, to His loving salvation!

2. This is a reflection of our dependence. Aeneas couldn’t do anything about his situation. He was stuck...just like all of us. We need Him. Period. It reminds me of that song, “Jesus, Lover of My Soul”, “You've taken me from the miry clay/You've set my feet upon the rock/ And now I know”.

Lastly, let’s look at Tabitha again. “37 In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.” I don’t want to draw this out unnecessarily. Like Aeneas, her loss was real. →

1. She really died. I think sometimes we can read passages like this and not be blown away as much as we should. Her death wasn't figurative. What Peter came to see was a corpse. →

2. However, this was more devastating to those she served than to her.  If you remember, in verse 39, the people she had blessed came to Peter weeping. They were hurting. Tabitha was in Heaven rejoicing! And for anyone who has lost someone we love, we know that this pain they were experiencing was also real. This is when it gets hard, and→

3. This is why we need to remember His grace. Jesus can take even our pain and use it to remind us and others of His love.

TAKEAWAYS

I know I’ve been a little longer today, so I’ll try and be concise in these takeaways.

1. Every day is an intentional part of His plan. Every. Single. Day. No matter what is or isn’t happening, He’s moving.

2. I need to give all I have to aligning myself with His purpose. Tabitha’s loss was felt because she spent her time loving people like Jesus. I need to be doing the same. However God has gifted you, whatever opportunities you have, use them to point people to the love of Jesus that will change their lives!

3. I need to keep that perspective in the good, bad, and ugly. Are you experiencing peace and health? Don’t waste them. Are you in the midst of devastation, or confusion, or dispair? Don’t forget: He’s with you.