In the 1800 an explorer named Samuel Hearne was on an expedition in northern Canada when a crucial piece of charting equipment broke. So he had to turn back. Then, thieves stole most of his supplies. Hearne responded in an unexpected way. In his journal he wrote, “As the assailant had materially lightened my load, . . . this part of the journey was the easiest and most pleasant of any I had experienced since my leaving the fort.” Hearne had experienced a setback but he counted it joy.

What about you? How do you handle life’s setbacks? Do you handle trials with patience and a positive perspective? (James 1:2-5) teaches that is the mature Christian way. One measure of our spiritual maturity is the way we respond when things go wrong. If we give in to despair, doubt God’s existence, or strike out at some innocent person, we have some growing up to do.

I. The introduction of the book.

1. No book in the New Testament speaks to the needs of people in our generation as does this little epistle. This letter addresses the daily issues of life-the things all of us want to know more about, such as trials, temptations, money issues, prejudice, anger, gossip, social injustice and more. This book is a practical book not a theological thesis. This makes the book relevant for today. It places more emphasis on conduct over creed and behavior to prove your faith. This is the kind of book we can sink are spiritual teeth into and come away with spiritual nourishment. Let’s begin with the author of this epistle.

2. That should not be too hard, for in the first verse he identified himself as James. However, there were four known James in the New Testament, first, James the son of Zebedee, James the Father of Judas, James the son of Alphaeus and James the half-brother of Jesus. He was a predominate figure in the early church. Most Bible scholars believe James was the first Pastor of the church at Jerusalem. He was a great man of prayer going into the Holy Place with the High Priest to pray for the people. He spent so much time on his knees in intercessory prayer on the Temple floor it had been said, he had callouses liked a camel knee. — Galatians 1:19

3. James declares in this verse that he is a servant of the Lord…”James a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” Greek for Lord “Kurios” / master. He simply identifies himself as a man wholly devoted, totally obedient with absolute loyalty to Jesus Christ. The resurrection made him a believer; remember they did not believe him at first nor did Judas, Joseph or Simon.

4. James truly became a servant of Christ and died a martyr’s death. The details of his death have convincing details as recorded by ‘Josephus’ who was alive during this era 37-95 AD. The High priest Ananies executed him by ordering him throw from the temple. He survived the fall so they stoned him and that didn’t kill him so finally beat him to dead with a fuller’s brush. When he was dying he was heard saying as Jesus did, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”.

5. In Acts chapter 15, a controversy arose among believers. The Judaizer’s claimed that to be truly saved and to be a Christian, one had to adhere to all the O.T rituals and laws. This controversy lead to what is known as the first Jerusalem Council, which was to determine what was to be accepted as truth. We believe that James the Just presided over this meeting and made a rendering a verdict if you will on the issue. Remember he is the half-brother of Jesus.

However see his humility a characteristic that ought to be in every Christian’s life. A man in such a position in the church and also the half-brother of Jesus surly would introduce himself with that respect. “I am James the half-brother of Jesus or James the leader of the church at Jerusalem.” But we note his humble spirit as he introduces himself to the…

II The Recipients of the Epistle. — (To the twelve tribes scattered abroad, greeting.)

1. This is a common New Testament title for the Jews. When the kingdom was split after Solomon’s reign, 10 tribes constituted the northern kingdom called Israel and the two remaining tribes combined to form the southern kingdom of Judah—Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Zebulun, Issachar, dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph and Benjamin.

2. We must also remember that James is addressing the early church, which was made up of newly converted Jews. Although he is addressing Jews he is also speaking to the Christian church, which has application for us today. We note he declared these tribes are “scattered abroad”. That was because of the great persecution of the early Christians they left Jerusalem and were scattered to many other countries. After the death of the first Christian

martyr, Stephen, the persecution of Christians in Jerusalem, increased greatly. These Christians refused to bow their knees and say, “Ceasar is Lord.” Instead, they insisted that there was only one Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 8:1)

This type of persecution is happening in our time. In August, 2015, ISIS crucified and beheaded 12 indigenous Christian missionaries – after publicly gang-raping the women. They murdered countless Christians. The Israeli government’s estimates that on October 7, 2023 there were 1,139 Jews killed, 695 Israeli civilians (including 38 children), 71 foreign nationals, and 373 members of the security forces. 364 civilians were killed and many more wounded while attending the Nova music festival.  About 250 Israeli civilians and soldiers were taken as hostages to the Gaza Strip.

3. The Jewish tribes needed to be encouraged and to be strong and keep the faith. God used these disruptions to “scatter” them like seeds to sow the message of the gospel. In fact the word scatter “diaspora” (de-as- per- ra) literally means to scatter seeds through a field.

This should encourage us today that nothing happens to us that will ever take us out of the care of God. Nothing removes us from His concern for our lives. Romans 8:28 teaches this principle so we can count it all joy. That is the message as he begins in verse #2.

III The Message of the Book. Vv. 2 — “Count it all joy when you fall into trails”

1. James is not saying that we are to shout exuberantly at the news that we have just received a demotion at work, or that our neighbor’s child has leukemia, or that our husband has just confessed to an adulterous relationship. James does not say “feel joyful” or “put on a happy face” when these sorts of things happen. No, James says that the joy we experience amidst trials is a considered joy, a joy that comes as a result of reflection and meditation on the way of God with us, the way of God in the world. That God will make a way and turn tragedy to His glory.

James makes it very clear that perseverance through trial is a fundamental part of God’s way of growing and maturing his people. And yet, if we are honest, how often do we remember this truth when we pray, and when we grumble and complain about our circumstances to one another? Our afflictions are designed not to break us but to bend us toward God.

2. The Greek word for trails used here implies trouble or something that breaks the pattern of peace, comfort, joy and happiness in someone’s life. It is not a matter of if we will have trails in our lives; it’s a matter of when they come. Meaning: adversity, affliction, trouble: sent by God and serving to test or prove one’s character, faith, holiness.

3. These trails or tests in our life are not to make us fall, but to make us fly. Not to make me stumble, but to make me stand. Not to defeat me, but to make me rise victorious. The ultimate goal of all God’s testing is to strengthen me. God has your best interest in mind and His plan for the world. The Greek verb, is the root of this word, was used of a young bird testing its wings.

Illustration

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

 It never was able to fly. What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives.

Knowing that the testing of your faith” The example of testing we have here is as a precious metal is heated until it becomes a liquid and all the impurities rise to the top and can be scrapped off. The finished product at its purest stage, when you look at it you can see your reflection. So when He looks upon us His desire is to see Jesus. But sometimes He has to heat me up real good to get all the me out of me. 1 Peter 1:6-7

  Proverb 17:[3] The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.

Conclusion

What about you? How do you handle life’s setbacks? One measure of our spiritual maturity is the way we respond when things go wrong. If we give in to despair, doubt God’s existence, or strike out at some innocent person, we have some growing up to do.