SERMON: “Enduring Trials” (James 1:9–12)
“Enduring Trials” (James
1:9–12)
Series: “James:
True Faith Works” #4 Text: James 1:9–12
By: Shaun
Marksbury Date: October 20, 2024
Venue: Living
Water Baptist Church Occasion: PM Service
I.
Introduction
Now, we know that Satan can tempt us, and the world is full
of snares that lead us into trials. But,
if we’re honest, we sometimes create our own trials through our choices,
actions, and attitudes. And a lot of the
time, it comes down to thinking wrongly about ourselves.
Maybe we ignore the resources God has already given us and
feel stuck in our circumstances, thinking there’s no way out. Or, on the other hand, we might think too
highly of ourselves, believing we’re above the trials or that we don’t need
God’s help to get through them. This
kind of thinking keeps us from moving forward in life and, more importantly, in
faith.
This is precisely the kind of issue James addresses in this
passage. As we saw earlier in James 1:2,
heavenly wisdom allows us to consider trials as a source of joy, knowing they
produce spiritual growth. The problem,
whether we’re rich or poor, is that how we think about ourselves can either
lead us through trials or cause us to stumble in them.
The question for us, then, is how we move from the burden of
trials to the blessing of endurance.
We’ll note today that we can endure trials when we think properly about
ourselves, properly about our lives, and properly about the trials
themselves. Let’s look at the first of
these.
II.
We Can Endure Trials when We Think Properly
about Ourselves
(vv. 9–10)
But the brother of
humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; and
the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass
he will pass away.
James begins by addressing two types of people who are in
the church: the poor brother and the rich brother. He challenges both individuals to think
differently, using a bit of irony. Both parties
are to rejoice in the work God is doing in their lives through trials, but for
different reasons.
Let’s begin with the poor of v. 9, which is what it
means to be of “humble circumstances.” This
is the brother James knows of who may be poor due to the persecution. But there are many reasons a person might be
poor.
We can think about the trials which come because of a lack
of financial resources. Sometimes,
choices need to be made between food and shelter, medicine and bills. The world would look at this and conclude the
solution is more money — a charity may offer to pay some bill or give from a
food pantry, while some self-help advocate would encourage a poor person to
earn more money through better work.
Such solutions might have their place.
Yet, Scripture calls the poor brother to think differently through
his circumstances. The NASB says
here he should “glory,” while the LSB has, “boast.” There’s obvious word-play, as well; the one
low-to-the-ground should rejoice or boast in his height. Scripture calls
the poor brother to remember and even boast in his exalted spiritual position
in Christ. The Lord reminds us in Romans
8:17–18 that we are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” The sufferings of this life are not worth
comparing with the glory that is to be revealed. Though this individual may lack material
wealth, his true treasure is in heaven.
James then moves on to the brother on the other side: “and
the rich man is to glory in his humiliation.”
James is clear here that he’s referencing the rich. He doesn’t specify whether the rich man is a
believer or not, but it is possible for a rich to become a Christian with the
help of the Lord. It is impossible for
every man to become a Christian; with God, all things are possible (Matt.
19:23–26). And there are trials that are
specific to those who are wealthy.
Now, if you have a Message Bible, I’m sorry, but you have a
poor translation. It’s not even a
translation; it’s a paraphrase. It
renders this, “And
when the arrogant rich are brought down to size,
cheer!” That’s not a Christian
attitude, even if we’re dealing with someone outside the church, and this might
be a Christian brother!
So, let’s consider this a different way. For the rich, trials should remind
them of their mortality and the temporary nature of their wealth. James says that they should glory in their
humiliation, which is another word play.
The rich man must remember that, despite his wealth, he is still
entirely dependent on God’s grace. As
Proverbs 27:24 says, “Riches are not forever,” and Paul reflects this attitude in
Philippians 3:7–8: “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have
counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”
The wealthy man should remember that he is as lowly as the poor man,
lest his pride cause him to think more highly than he ought to think — we must
all think with sober judgment (Rom. 12:3).
He must recognize that earthly riches will fade away, just
like the grass withers and its flower falls off. With this simple simile, James compares the
life of a man to the brevity of a flower in the field. Though a wealthy
man, like Solomon, may seek to array himself as one of the lilies (and fall
short, cf. Luke 12:27), he can hold prestige for only so long. Just as
the poor man cannot lose the hope of eternity, the rich man cannot lose a sense
of his own mortality and sinfulness.
Whether rich or poor, trials are a means by which God keeps
us grounded. They remind us of our need
for Him and our eternal hope in Christ.
They change the way we think about our lives, bringing us to the next
point:
III.
We Can Endure Trials when We Think Properly
about Our Lives
(v. 11)
For the sun rises
with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the
beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his
pursuits will fade away.
James paints a vivid picture of the brevity of life,
comparing it to the fading of a flower. He
alludes to Isaiah 40:6–8, which reminds us that “the grass withers, the flower
fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” Here, however, we’re not
reminded of Scripture but of the brevity of life.
The sun arises in its season with scorching heat. Sometimes, wind becomes involved, such as the
dry east wind that blew down Job's house (Job 1:19). The sun is
responsible for heating air masses and thus, generating wind. The peoples
of the New Testament times knew how to read the meteorological signs to predict
weather patterns (though they could not judge their own spiritual climate, Luke
12:54–56).
We all need to adjust our thinking about ourselves. We will only harm ourselves by thinking too
highly of ourselves, or by ignoring our resources in Christ. God has given us a short time upon this
earth, and we should make the most of it for His glory.
Sometimes, though, we forget this. As such, the Lord allows testing and
tribulation in our lives. When that
happens, we must think properly about it, so let’s consider that next.
IV.
We Can Endure Trials when We Think Properly
about Our Trials
(v. 12)
Blessed is a man
who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the
crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Regardless of the reason they come (sin, Satan, the world),
we all will endure trials. It’s a part
of life. Job 14:1 says, “Man, who is
born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil.” It doesn't matter if you are a Christian;
nobody experiences life as a bed of roses.
We all face hardships.
Yet,, James concludes this section with a promise: “Blessed
is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will
receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
This beatitude echoes the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:3–11, where He pronounces
blessings on those who endure suffering for the sake of righteousness. We are blessed for suffering for the sake of
righteousness (1 Pet. 3:14). James will also
repeat this thought in James 5:11.
What does it mean to be “blessed?” One study notes, “In this context, ‘blessed’
describes an attitude of determined courage that is unaffected by external
circumstances.”[1] The word “blessed,” then, does not merely
describe a future reward but an inner state of joy and contentment that comes
from knowing that one's faith is genuine.
The trials we face serve to test and prove our faith. It is much like how gold is refined by fire
(1 Peter 1:6–7). This perseverance is evidence of the saving faith that endures
to the end. It is closely related to the
doctrine of eternal security, where the believer is kept by the power of God
through faith (1 Peter 1:5). We believe
intellectually in the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, but it’s
through trials that we see our faith somehow persevering. That is where we begin to experience an
abiding blessedness of the soul, believing that our faith can withstand
anything because God is protecting it!
The trial becomes a testing ground for proving the
genuineness of faith. Unlike the first three “faiths” in the parable of the
four soils, this faith proves to be rooted and lasting. It withstands the cold, the heat, the wind,
and the world, passing the test and abiding.
The Lord gives us this kind of faith. And, when it is evident in our lives, we are
promised here the “crown of life.” This
is not a crown like we might see on the head of a medieval king; rather, this
is a victor’s wreath that a runner would receive in the ancient world for
winning a race. Unlike those, however,
we will receive an imperishable wreath or crown (1 Cor 9:25).
Of course, this symbolizes eternal life itself, which is why
it’s called the “crown of life.” To be
clear: God does not grant this reward because we earn salvation by enduring
trials and tribulations. Instead, it is
the proof of genuine faith which evidences itself through trials; it’s proof of
the kind of faith that only God can give.
V.
Conclusion
In the end, trials serve as both a humbling and refining
process for believers. Whether we are
rich or poor, God tests and strengthens our faith through challenges He allows
us to face. As James reminds us, life is
brief, and all earthly pursuits will fade away. But for those who endure, God promises eternal
life — a crown of life that will never fade.
As we consider the trials we face, let us fix our eyes on
Christ, the one who “endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2). He is our example and our source of strength. By His grace, we can endure every trial,
knowing that there is a greater glory awaiting us.
[1] John D. Barry, Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael
S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R.
Grigoni, and David Bomar, Faithlife Study
Bible, (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Jas 1:12.
