The Mp3 sermon in this post is part one of a two that Pastor Ramsey preached on this passage of scripture. At the end of this post is a link to all of his recent sermons at Sermon Audio. If you think the epistle of James is important and want to understand it better, then check out his sermons. This is the only one I will be blogging.
I personally think that this sermon is one of the most significant of his series because he explains several foundational aspects of the Christian’s walk of faith. But there are numerous other very important ones in the series; just read through the epistle of James for review and you will be reminded of the serious topics he discusses.
Sermon highlight points are below the Mp3:
Sermon text: ESV
James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:5 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.
James 1:9 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.
James 1:12 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.
James 1:13 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.
Sermon HIGHLIGHT points [bracketed statements, emboldening and underscoring are mine]:
The sound quality of this particular sermon is not good, apparently a child adjusted something on the mixer board causing a hum.
- We WILL encounter trials
- Life is a series of trials [pastor noted some common trials, such as growing old; death of a loved one and so on]
- How does James tell us to face trials? To count it all joy
- James is NOT saying, that trials should make us happy…or that we should not be saddened by the trial
- Pain is pain; bitterness is bitterness…
- Jesus has come to give us life, freedom from sin, to save us
- The JOY that James is talking about IS what is produced by the trial; it is not the trial itself
- *****IF WE THINK THAT PERFECTION WILL JUST HAPPEN TO US WHEN WE DIE, THEN WE WILL NOT MAKE GOOD USE OF OUR TRIALS HERE ON EARTH
- If my trials are not growing me, then something is wrong with how I am viewing them [could be reacting; running…]
- We have to be cleansed from the inside out to make us fit for heaven
- So, we count it all joy BECAUSE
- Hebrews 12:11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it
- Trials do not automatically produce wholeness or maturity; one has to keep at it
- That is, if some big trial does not have to break one (pastor gave an example of a man who lost his wife and daughter and then turned from God, instead of turning to Him…)
- Marriage trials could result in divorce…
- WE WILL ALL STUMBLE; ENDURANCE MAKES ONE GET UP AGAIN
- IN THE TRIAL, WE NEED TO FEEL THE PAIN AND SEE THROUGH THE TRIAL TO WHOLENESS
- God is honing the holiness He has infused into us
- We will be able to see through the trial if we truly love God and want to be whole
- Pray for wisdom: that is the skill to take what one knows and use it properly
- Herein, that would include the right mindset and perspective
- God will give us wisdom; He is not stingy; as in James 1:5ff above
- One may fear reproach and shy away from asking God
- That is, God will give us what we need without a lecture
- Review James 1:5-7 above, about the double-minded man
- Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money]
- Summary: ask God for wisdom; count the trial joy (even if it is painful) because your endurance will produce the fruit of righteousness in you
- Exercising faith: Pastor Ramsey spoke of that in one of his sermons and I haven’t been able to find it. the following link is to a sermon I posted last week on that topic; the topic of trials and exercising faith are very related to each other: https://sheeplywolves.com/faith-is-like-a-muscle-and-needs-to-be-exercised-pastor-colin-smith/
Recent sermons by Pastor Ramsey at Sermon Audio; the most recent are on the epistle of James: