James 1:1-2: The Joy of Knowing

At the age of 25 it became clear that I needed back surgery. I had initially injured it in college lifting weights and never received the proper care to address the issue. The pain and inconvenience this injury caused me through the next 4 years of my life were unwelcomed to say the least. I ended up having three surgeries during that time and seemed to be in a haze----taking medication just to tolerate the pain. The roller coaster I found myself on had a number of passengers that included those closest to me. I lost my job, nearly lost my home, and much of my physical freedom. Sleeping, focusing, and even having conversations became daily challenges. That trial in my life is what I found myself reliving as I prepared for this sermon. I would never have willingly chosen to be in that trial. But----I can look back at that time in my life as the beginning of the journey that has brought me to the place I am today. The deeper I found myself emotionally, physically, financially, and mentally…the higher I found myself spiritually. I know that journey had nothing to do with me. I felt more helpless those few years than I can even say. But God did a work in my heart that needed to be done. He broke me----and showed me that He could truly meet my every need.

 To be in the midst of a trial or time of affliction with no sense of purpose often causes us to question God. I believe a lot of our questions arise out of ignorance and a lack of understanding regarding how God works in the lives of his children. The good news is that God’s word brings a great deal of hope----and direction, as you and I struggle to appreciate the trails we face.

 I believe God gives us principles in His word that bring joy to a weary soul in the midst of the battle. That brings us to the main idea of our text today: Trials in the life of a believer Increase Knowledge which Cultivates Joy.

Look with me to the New Testament Epistle of James, chapter 1, beginning with verse 1.

 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. 

 James, the half-brother of our Lord, who originally rejected Jesus as Lord in John 7, now serves as the leader of the church in Jerusalem. James wrote to Jewish believers scattered throughout the Gentile lands around Palestine. James very likely wrote this letter, pastorally, seeking to comfort and encourage those who used to be a part of his flock in Jerusalem, now scattered abroad. The scattering of those believers can be associated with the stoning of Stephen and subsequent persecution led by Saul, who later became the great Apostle Paul. James desires to encourage and strengthen these precious believers as they face difficulty in foreign lands.

The Book of James has been called “The Proverbs of the New Testament”. It focuses on godly living and wise behavior. James instructs his readers to evaluate themselves through their trials and recognize the sovereign God who permits them.

A continual theme throughout the letter is that these trials or tests are a means to evaluate the genuineness of our faith. I want to focus today on the first two verses of chapter 1. We will see how joy in trials begins with a proper attitude. When we face trials with a negative attitude, we inadvertently communicate that we do not trust God. A child who knows their father loves them, controls everything in their lives, and only seeks their eternal good, should not face trials as one who has no hope. The attitude of hope and trust, however, must be grounded in the understanding that God desires His children to be holy. When we know the purpose of our trials, we can cultivate a proper attitude that allows us to find Joy in the midst of them.

1. Increased Knowledge Cultivates Joy 

So how is it that increased knowledge cultivates joy? James tells us in verse 2 to count it all joy when we find ourselves in trials.  He actually exhorts his readers to be joyful in all sorts of trials. This seems like it could be sarcasm, doesn’t it? But as we shall see momentarily, this command starts with an attitude that is grounded in truth. This is an attitude determined to find joy in painful trials.

So, let’s see how we can develop a positive attitude that produces joy in trials.  There are three ways we see this in verse 2.

 First, we must accept the Inevitability of Trials. This simple truth prepares our hearts not to melt when the heat is turned up. It prepares our minds to be calm and steady when that flood of pain comes after we lose a loved one. It tempers the anxiety and fear we feel when a severe illness affects a child or we lose a job. Following James’s greeting in verse 1, Verse 2 reads “Count it all joy, my brothers, When you meet trials of various kinds.” The word “when” here suggests the certainty of trials in this life. We should not expect a life free from trial. That would be deluded. It’s also important to recognize that God created this world perfect. A world without trials of any kind. Gen 1:31  says “God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” But, Genesis 3 tells us that Adam and Eve sinned and led the whole of creation into being cursed with pain and death. So, the world we find ourselves in is a result of sin. It’s because of this truth that trials are inevitable.

I took a rafting trip with several men from our church a couple of years back, not expecting to fall in. But no sooner had we gotten started did I find myself plunged into the icy, murky abyss. And all the training they gave me beforehand went right out the window, as I clawed my way----with help (Thank you Joe)----back into the raft. All I could think about was getting out of the water and back to safety. Our expectations don’t often equate to reality. The point is that life has a way of violently forcing us into the rapids of affliction, against our will. I thought myself to be adequately prepared to handle any rocks or unexpected waves that crashed into the raft. But, I soon realized my strength was no match for the unexpected.  In a similar way, we often come to realize how weak and desperate we become in trials. This is designed to drive us to the God of power and the God of comfort we serve. To drive us to seek his guidance through prayer, to lean on Him for strength, to find his will through the Scriptures, and to humble us in our weakness. Despite the Bible's repeated warnings of the inevitability of trial, our first instinct is to want out of it, rather than accept it. We must accept the reality of trials."

 Secondly, understand we will face a Variety of Trials. Look again with me at verse 2… “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds," 

The trials we face come in all shapes and sizes. The word “various” here can be translated as “multi-colored” or “diverse in character”. These can range from the physical trials such as illness, injury, or disability. They can be emotional trials from losing a loved one, a difficult divorce, estranged children, or a struggling marriage. These trials can be mental such as dealing with anxiety over finances, stress at work, a failing business. They can also be spiritual trials such as guilt over a sin you are struggling with or decisions that have caused you to doubt your salvation.

These various troubles have a way of disrupting our peace, joy, comfort, or happiness. 

For instance, we live in a frenetically paced reality, wherein we pack our calendars so full of activity that we hardly have the margin to respond to difficulty in a godly fashion. And all of the sudden our peace, joy, and comfort become impeded.  These trials come in various forms and come at the most inopportune times.  If only they came when we were ready to meet them.  Wouldn’t that be nice.  Trials have a way of just----popping up.  And while they might be outside of our control, we must remember they never take God by surprise.  Therefore, we can count it all joy when we meet them, in all their various forms.

Thirdly, we must Choose the right Response to trials. James uses a command in verse 2 instructing his readers to do what?---Count it all joy or----consider it all joy. The knowledge of the reality of trials of various kinds leads us to a choice. The very word “choice” indicates something that originates in our minds. In other words, you and I can decide how we respond.  We are not animals in a strict sense with an undeveloped stimulus-response. We are not pre-programmed robots that follow an unbroken pattern of--- “trial equals misery, trial equals depression, or trial equals sadness. God has blessed each of us with a mind capable of reason and--- choice.

And we can choose an attitude of joy. A wise person will choose to be joyful in trials. How oxymoronic it seems choosing joy in trial. Choosing joy in trials contradicts the natural tendency to always view trials as negative. We all can understand how young children, and a lot of adults, can set their minds on being miserable to the point that no matter what happens, they refuse to find happiness or joy in their circumstances. So how is it that JOY and TRIALS can coexist in the same reality? I want you to notice two things counterintuitive to common experience here in v2; two things extremely important to understand how joy exists in trials. First, whom do you know outside of the Christian faith who would consider a trial or trying circumstance a joyful experience? -----Secondly, notice whom he addresses.----Brothers.  In other words, a non-Christian cannot do this. Therefore, we cannot expect a non-Christian to consider their trials joyful. This is a supernatural work of God in the hearts of His children. Romans 8:28 is a promise that God works all things—including trials—for the good of WHOM? “Those who Love God.” Though there are some who say… “all things happen for a reason”…This promise of God is only given to believers. That promise is that nothing that happens in the life of a Christian is meaningless…NOTHING. A believer can trust in the one permitting the trial. And that one being the sovereign God of the universe. For those of us who have had our faith tested many times in the valley of affliction, is there anything more precious than knowing that your faith is the real thing? That with each trial comes a purifying, strengthening of our faith. Just as metal is tested by fire and removes impurities and weakness. So too, God is demonstrating to us that true faith is not something that this world can destroy, no matter what may come. I think of Job who lost everything he loved yet exclaimed in Job 13:15…“Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him”. The incredible truth that God is teaching us in trials is that because our faith does not fail, we have assurance and security in our eternal destiny. Revelation 21:4 says “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” 

The irony of it all is that we can respond to trial after trial with an attitude of joy! God is a loving Father who uses even the pain and struggles in the lives of His children to manifest Joy. We can choose the attitude of Joy because of the providential sovereignty of the God we serve.

I love this quote by J.C. Ryle; “Nothing whatever, whether great or small, can happen to a believer without God’s ordering and permission. There is no such thing as “chance” or “luck” or “accident” in the Christian’s journey through this world. All is arranged and appointed by God. And all things are “working together” for the believer’s good.” 

An unbeliever has no promise of purpose in the raging rapids of affliction. But, just as we read in Romans 8, believers can even be joyful while their heads dip beneath the water. We can choose this joy because we know that any and all afflictions we face are under the complete control of an omnipotent god.

Acts 5 gives us a glimpse of this reality. The council of the Pharisees, under the leadership of the high priest arrested and imprisoned Peter and some of the other apostles. The text says that they were beat and then released. And verse 41 says that when they left the presence of the council, they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. They actually rejoiced after being imprisoned and beaten. They responded with Joy! Peter and the other apostles chose to rejoice because their suffering was the result of obedience to Christ. Verse 28 tells us the High Priest charged them not to teach in the name of Jesus. Peter and the apostles responded that that they would obey God rather than men. The Apostles displayed confident trust in the power and purposes of the sovereign God they served. So, as this year comes to a close, we must ask ourselves…did I choose obedience to God this past year regardless of the consequences? Did I compromise my convictions to avoid negative reactions from friends or family? Have I taken advantage of opportunities the Lord has placed in my life to tell others about the hope that I have in Jesus? We should all seek to honor the Lord we serve as a new year begins. May we stand boldly for truth in a world of lies. May we take advantage of opportunities to tell others about what Jesus has done for them. And may we have a reverential fear of God that overrules our fear of men.

Some of you may not know that I’m a full-time private investigator and have been for over 20 years. When I first started, I had no experience and almost zero knowledge about the ins-and-outs of the job. One important aspect of the job is the ability to routinely engage people in conversations designed to obtain information in a discreet way. That skill does not come naturally to most people and certainly didn’t for me. I basically become a fictitious person designed to fit each circumstance. My plan is to put people at ease as I gradually pull the information out of them that I need. And I have to do all this without arousing any suspicion in their minds. My first few years of actively developing this ability were challenging to say the least. I was often nervous and anxious, and even scared at times depending on if I was in, say…downtown Baltimore or downtown Philadelphia. But as I continued to grow through experience and understanding, I developed the skills I needed to become a better investigator. Those experiences gave me the confidence that now leads to excitement and yes--- even a certain level of joy--- in those very same situations! The same can be said about the trials we face. With each new challenge we find ourselves in, we learn more about ourselves and how weak and inadequate we are. But most importantly, we see how powerful, how sovereign, and how sufficient God is.

 Finding joy in trials starts with the knowledge of the inevitability and variety of trials. Understanding that truth will prevent the shock or surprise when we find ourselves in yet another trial. Peter encourages us in 1 Peter 1, starting in verse 7, He says ---- “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” We experience the greatest joy in trials when our faith is tested and it proves to be the real thing. As a note, if we find ourselves in a trial, may it not be because of our own sin. May it be as it was for Peter and the Apostles, because of our commitment to serve the Lord regardless of the consequences.

We should be encouraged by these committed believers who chose to offer praise to the Lord on the heels of beatings and imprisonment. There is one other example from the life of the Apostle Peter I would like to draw our attention to in Matthew chapter 14. It is a familiar passage to believers and many unbelievers as well. The text describes when Jesus walks on water during a violent storm. Verse 26 describes the disciples fear as they thought Jesus was a ghost as he approached them, walking on the water. But, they soon recognized it wasn’t a ghost at all, it was the Lord. We then see Peter call out to the Lord and actually step out of the boat during this incredible storm. He too walked on the water, but verse 30 says “when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, 'Lord, save me.'” The thing I want us to see here is that faith led Peter to step out of the boat----but doubt caused him to sink.

When we find ourselves in the middle of the storm, we must keep our eyes focused on the Lord of the storm. The moment we begin to turn our eyes towards the winds of doubt and the waves of vacillating emotions, we will find ourselves sinking into a joyless existence.

I opened the sermon with a personal trial that God used in my life.  He used that trial to pry open my eyes to see a truth that we must all come to see. It’s likely that most of you can relate to that trial in my life to one degree or another. And, if you’re like me, you can say that it’s not until Christ is all you have, that you can say----He is all you need. In 2 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul said he pleaded with the Lord three times to remove a thorn in his flesh, but the Lord said to him in verse 9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” We may often find ourselves pleading with God to remove the thorn in our flesh that is causing us so much pain. And we may also get the same response from the Lord. You see, the weaker we are, the more clearly the grace of God shines forth. Have you come to the place where that verse is not just words on a page, but a reality in your heart?

In conclusion, remember that Trials in the life of a believer increase knowledge which cultivates joy. Trials in this life are inevitable and they come in many forms. But, we can choose to respond to them joyfully. We can do this because of the power of God’s Spirit within us, His sovereign control of every circumstance we face, and the assurance of our salvation as our faith is only strengthened through each trial.

I want to emphasize that we serve a God who knows our weaknesses. He knows sorrow and pain. Hebrews 12:2 says of Jesus “who for the JOY that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” 

Jesus found joy in the cross because He knew the end result of his suffering. If Jesus had not suffered on our behalf, what joy could there truly be in our suffering? But Jesus is not just our example…he is our Savior. He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin. How our joy increases in the knowledge that he died on the cross as a substitute, not just an example. Jesus said in John 6---whoever comes to me I will never cast out! Scripture tells us there is salvation in no one else. Jesus says in John 14:6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.”

I will end by reading a quote by John MacArthur. He says “Being thankful for adversity is never easy, but it is always right. From experience, I know the difficult times are the ones in which God seems to be most at work in our lives, strengthening our weak spots, comforting our hurts, and drawing us to greater dependence. A well-known businessman offered this perspective: “Good timber does not grow with ease; the stronger the wind, the stronger the trees.” Let’s not neglect to thank God for the strong winds He allows to blow our direction.

As I get older, I have an increasing awareness of the brevity of life. It seems like yesterday I was the age my daughters are today. I encourage you to see this new year as an opportunity. An opportunity to use the lessons learned from past trials to help others as they face their own trials. To empathize with those who are hurting as you may have hurt. To be compassionate to the lost souls who have no promise of purpose in their pain as we do. And to recognize the Lord is molding us all into the image of Jesus as he chips the rock of sin away from our lives like the master sculptor He is. May we all choose to find the Joy in the inevitable and various trials we will face this new year.