BSFL Sunday School Commentary for the week of November 1, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 3:27PM Live Your Faith James 1,2
Think back and remember the opening scene of the movie Forrest Gump, where the feather is lazily floating along, eventually landing on Forrest's shoe. Now, picture Forrest at his beloved Jenny's grave, saying "I don't know if we each have a destiny, or if we're all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze..."
If Forrest had ever read the book of James, he would have had his answer. God never intended us as followers of Christ to just float around accidental-like, like so many dandelion spores. Our destiny is to receive "the crown of life that He has promised to those who love Him" (James 1:12). And if we were to boil the message of James down to its barest essentials, it would be, don't get blown away. Not by trials, not by the temptation to favoritism, not by circumstances that would cause you to lose control of your tongue, and not by your own sense of pride.
Through the month of November we will study the theme of "Confront Casual Christianity", and this Sunday we will begin by examining the relationship between faith and obedience. In short, we must Live our Faith!
How can you trust God with EVERYTHING in your life? What do you think is the most difficult part about trusting God? Trust is always followed by action. If we truly trust in what we read in the scriptures, we will act upon it. We can believe intellectually that prayer works, but never do any praying. We can believe intellectually that God blesses a life committed to stewardship, and never give anything. Trust breeds action. The Apostle James outlines some reasons we struggle with trusting completely in what God has said. The key to trusting is to "receive the implanted word" (1:21). It is not to learn anything new, but to allow the truth to which we have already been exposed to take root, grow, and change us.
James suggests we knock down several barriers that prevent us from receiving what God is saying:
- We aren't listening. "be quick to hear" (1:19). We are all too often in a hurry when it comes to God's Word. We must get through this reading, this lesson, or this service so we can move on to the next thing on our overly busy schedules. We need to stop, set aside the time required, and ask God to help us hear His Words.
- We talk too much. "slow to speak" (1:19). We tend to be quick to argue away God's truth when we don't understand, rationalizing away our misunderstanding or disobedience. We need to slow down, acknowledge our ignorance, and pray for greater understanding, and then do what God says to do.
- We're angry. "slow to anger" (1:19). Anger, while not a sin of itself, can turn us away from the tender, receiving spirit we need to humbly hear and obey God's truth. Even when our anger is justified, acting out of anger does not accomplish God's purposes.
- We have sin in our lives "ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil excess" (1:21). When we harbor sin and refuse to turn it loose we cut the electric line of fellowship that brings us God's power and wisdom. God will not bless our sin. Sin prevents the implanted Word from being fruitful.
With these barriers removed we are then prepared to receive the implanted word (1:21) and grow from it. After we clearly hear and understand what God has said, we can then OBEY it. James uses the analogy of a mirror in his argument for hearing and doing. Who makes the effort to look at themselves in a mirror to discover what needs correcting regarding their appearance, and then makes no changes? That's ridiculous. If we make the effort to hear and understand what God says in His Word, then it is logical to act upon what we have learned. In this way our faith is vindicated, to us and to the world around us. Belief without action is weak belief. It is mental assent to facts only. Belief that produces action is more than intellectual assent to factual data; it is a complete trust in truth that produces life transformation.
BSFL Sunday School Commentary for the week of November 8, 2009
Celebrate Your Trials James 1
What is your greatest difficulty at this time? What adversities are wearing you down? What do you need to trust Him with this week? How can we celebrate through our difficulties? When James wrote this to Jews who had been scattered because of persecution he probably had in mind difficulties caused by outward manifestations of our faith. Jewish Christians who openly professed Jesus as Lord and renounced Judaism were ostracized, thrown out of families, lost businesses, and forced to flee for their lives. In A.D. 49 Roman Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome because of the turmoil begotten by many openly following Christ and inspiring the ire of their countrymen.
However, these truths can be applied to any outward trial or inward test. As we endure trials by the power of the Holy Spirit and God's grace, we grow stronger, more patient, and lean more heavily on faith in God. James teaches us that this growth is a cause for joy. God uses testing, trials, and adversity to shape us into the image of Christ. Nothing occurs in our lives that hasn't crossed God's desk and received His stamp of approval. He either causes or allows every circumstance. We can rejoice that He holds our tomorrows, and equips us to handle anything He allows to come our way. Our God is so great, He can even use adversity to accomplish His purposes!
His heavenly, supernatural wisdom is available to us when we ask, so that we can endure trials. Real wisdom is the ability to make decisions based on knowledge God has revealed in scripture. Wisdom thus enables us to make decisions in line with God's purposes. It allows us to see all of life from God's point of view. Without God's wisdom we tend to respond to trials with worry, grief, bewilderment, disappointment, and despair. The wisdom of this world cannot possibly direct us into God's best; only God's wisdom can. and it is available for the asking! Without God's wisdom to give us perspective, we are filled with doubt and not faith.
Years ago my pastor was fond of saying "God can't be anything but good to us." It is against God's nature to act in any way that would harm His children. a lack of God's wisdom will cause us to doubt God's goodness in trials, and react with anger towards Him. Why is God doing this to me? Why does God allow so many to suffer? If God loved me, He would fix this! God allows us to be tested in order to develop Christian character, but never with evil intent. He is more concerned with our holiness than our happiness. While sin is the root cause of all suffering in our world, Jesus is God's answer to sin. One day God will achieve His (and ours) final victory over sin. Satan will be banished forever, and everything will be made new. We will exist with God in sinless perfection, with no more battles to fight and no more trials to endure. Those who endure trials by faith in this life will be rewarded in the next.
Until then, we must look to God for faith and power to endure hardship. The banquet comes later; now we are engaged in battle. However, do not lose heart. God is using every event of your life for His glory and your benefit. Rejoice!