James 1:1-12

Bringing the sermon home:

As James writes to suffering Christians dispersed throughout the world, he begins his letter by encouraging them to remain steadfast in the face of trials. From these first twelve verses, we see five “endurance-principals” that we too must adopt as we strive, not only to remain steadfast in the faith, but to experience some measure of joy in the midst of trials:

1. Living faith endures by viewing yourself as a servant of God, created for His purposes. From one perspective, this should humble us. From another, it should embolden us, for there is no greater honor than being a faithful servant of the living God.
    
2. Living faith endures by recognizing that this world is not our home. As such, we should not expect to experience our “best life now”.
    
3. Living faith endures by recognizing that God has a purpose for our trials, and that part of this purpose is our spiritual maturation (sanctification) as our faith is tested and refined by hardship.
    
4. Living faith endures by turning to God in prayer, seeking spiritual wisdom. From Job and Ecclesiastes, both of which James will reference later in his letter, we know that this spiritual wisdom is the ability to trust God when we can’t understand what He’s doing.
    
5. Living faith endures by setting your gaze on the glory of what is yet to come.

May we heed this instruction that we may joyfully endure the trials we face!



Sermon Outline:

1. Endure by recognizing that God has a purpose in your trials. (vv. 1-4)
2. Endure by turning to God in prayer, seeking spiritual wisdom. (vv. 5-8)
3. Endure by setting your gaze on the glory of what is to come. (vv. 9-12)