THE UNIVERSITY OF ADVERSITY

(James 1:2-5)

2My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Recently, I read a popular Christian author/teacher who declared:

"The Bible tells us that Job continually made the same sacrifice for his children. The sacrifice was to be made only once. Because he did it continually, he sacrificed in unbelief instead of faith; as a result, the thing he feared came upon him (Job 3:25)."

In short this author was saying that Job could have avoided suffering if he had operated in faith. Job's children died because he failed to believe God. Job's health failed because his faith failed. In another book this same author declared, "If sickness has come on you, you have allowed it, not God."

Is suffering always directly related to personal sin or unbelief? Job's friends thought so. They believed that Job's suffering was the direct result of his unconfessed sin. Yet when God described Job, He described him as "a perfect and upright man" who feared God and hated evil. (See Job 2:3). God said, "still he holds fast his integrity, although you moved me against him to destroy [swallow him up] without cause" (Job 2:3).

Suffering is part of the human experience and the Christian experience. Both Christians and Non-Christians encounter unexpected difficulties, problems, setbacks, and tragedies. Some of the students that died at Columbine High School were born-again believers. It is erroneous to believe that being a believer immunizes us to problems. Faithfilled righteous people experience suffering.

The Psalmist declared that blessed men go through valleys.

Psalm 84:5-7

5Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,

Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.

6As they pass through the Valley of Baca,

They make it a spring;

The rain also covers it with pools.

7They go from strength to strength;

Each one appears before God in Zion.

Paul tells us, "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2Tim. 3:12). In Romans 8:18, Paul wrote, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

THE SUFFERERS JAMES IS ADDRESSING

In our text James is writing to "brethren," more specifically to Jewish believers scattered abroad. This "scattering" was the result of a great persecution.

Acts 8:1-4

1Now Saul was consenting to his [Stephen's] death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. 4Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.

These scattered ones were suffering.

Please note that James does not write and tell them how to escape suffering. To the contrary, he instructs them how to maximize the benefits of adversity.

I. COUNT IT ALL JOY – "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials" (v.2).

A.    The Immediate Problem – James does not deny the tears, the pain, the suffering caused by     the immediate problem. He acknowledges that these "brothers" are facing a variety of difficulties. A trial is anything that breaks the pattern of life and disturbs our peace.

B.    The Immeasurable Joy - James tells them that real joy is possible in the midst any of these problems. He offers one solution for the variety of difficulties being faced by these suffering believers. This is not a command to work up joy or to conjure up happiness. James offers a practical process that will produce real JOY in the hearts of these suffers.

C.    The Imperceptible Perspective – All too often sufferers major on the immediate problem. They agonize over present loss, complain about inconvenience, and worry concerning the future. All they can see is their immediate plight. They get so bogged down in the present problem that they abandon faith and give up. James calls sufferers to a new perspective. He calls us to see the end result of the immediate problem.

II. KNOWING – "Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience" (v.3)

A.     Testing Proves Something – We need to know that testing proves the genuineness of our faith. "A jeweler gives as one of the surest tests for a true diamond what is called the water test. An imitation stone is never ever so brilliant as a genuine stone. But sometimes you can't tell that by just looking at it with your eye. And if your eye is not experienced enough to detect that difference, it is said by jewelers that water will definitely show up the real diamond. A genuine diamond placed in water sparkles brilliantly though it's under water while the imitation is practically extinguished as to its sparkle. Place one along side the other one in water and you'll be able to pick out the real diamond relatively easy." Testing separates imitation faith from the genuine faith. It reveals strong faith and weak faith. Faith that survives the fire of adversity validates the claims of the tested one and makes him or her an epistle to the world. "Have you considered my servant Job?"

B.     Testing Produces Something – Here "patience" is the ability to keep going with things are tough and others are falling out of the way. Adversity puts iron in our soul. We've all seen people who started well, but were blown away by some adversity. A Christian is one who believes and goes on believing, even in the midst of adversity. Reading books, attending meetings, and ecstatic spiritual experiences cannot produce Christian maturity. It is developed in the crucible of life. According to the later part of verse 4, patience causes testing to bring increase to our life—"that you may be fully developed and deficient in no area of your spiritual life."

III. LET – "But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing" (v.4).

A.    Cooperation – The term "let" implies submission or willful allowance. This suggest that the sufferer can circumvent the process and thereby abort our development. We can take matters into our own hands instead of trusting God, but to do so is to forfeit the completeness or maturity produced by faithful endurance.

B.    Completion – We can emerge from our adversities with increase if we continue faithful through the adversity.

IV. ASK – "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (v.5)

A.    Who to ask – Let your request be made known to God—"ask of God."

B.    What to ask – Ask for enlightenment concerning the purpose of adversity.

C.    Why to ask – Because it will be given to him.

 

Conclusion

Joy in the midst of adversity is the product of "counting," "knowing," "letting," and "asking."  

God said of Job, "you moved me against him without cause," but even the casual observer will agree that it was not without purpose.

ILLUSTRATION: James' audience probably viewed themselves as refugees, but God saw them as seed scattered among the nations. Little did they know that God was protecting them from the devastation coming to Jerusalem in AD 70. Little did they know that God was using them to reach the nations with the Gospel. What about your problem? Have you come to the place of being able to see your adversity from God's perspective?

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