James, Chapter 1. This is already our fourth lesson in James. James, Chapter 1. If you recall, I probably do this a lot, and I want you to learn to memorize this. The message of the book of James is the behavior of belief. James' chief concern is, this is how those who believe behave. This is what true faith looks like. Have your seat there. The theme for the book, 122, but prove yourselves doers of the word and not merely hearers of us who delude themselves. And again, this is a big problem. It's always been a big problem, but it is now especially. There are so many who say, I believe in Jesus and I believe the Bible and I love church and I love fellowship and I believe all that stuff. But when it comes down to how they live and think and act and talk, they don't live for Christ. They don't live according to the scriptures. And James would say in chapter two, You have faith, but you have no works. Can that faith save you? Of course, the answer is no, it can't. That's false faith. That's head knowledge. Or James would say, faith without works is dead. True saving faith, when you actually truly come to Christ to have your sins forgiven and call out to Him to be your Savior. He fills you with His Holy Spirit. You're born again. You're made new as Paul says. Old things pass away. You don't become perfect, but you become new. Your heart is new, your mind is new, your thoughts are new, you have a new love now, a new desire, a new direction, a new walk. And we fall many ways and many times, and we know that, but now your whole life has changed now. You've turned around, you've repented, you're walking towards Christ, and this Christian's true desire is, I want to please Him. We want to serve Him. We want to honor Him. We don't do it well sometimes, we don't do it as well as we want to, but that's the bent, the position your life is in. And James would say, if that's who you are, then this is how you live. So we start, and in fact, you know, James, all through this book, he never wants quotes, Jesus. But yet, almost everything he says here is right out of the mouth of our Lord. Jesus taught this all the time. Remember, he said, in Matthew chapter 7, about why do you call me Lord, but don't do what I say? He said, there are many, remember, out there who say, Lord, Lord, and I don't even know who you are. Remember, Jesus said, he gave the contrast, and those who hear these words of mine and do them, compared to those who hear these words of mine and don't do them. There's a Lord who said that you'll know them by their fruit, not by their profession, not by their words. You know them by their fruit. Jesus taught that. All James is doing in this book is that same thing. You'll know them by their fruit. Show me your faith, James says, by your works. That's how you know you're genuine. That's how you know God has really touched your life because it changes your life. God never leaves you where he finds you. You become a new person. James starts in his book, as we saw, with this section on suffering, which actually goes in verse two, all the way down to verse 16. It's a hard book to outline. He did it with the whole issue of suffering. And that's important, because all the New Testament writers dealt with that in some way or another. They were living in an age when suffering was normal. When you came to Christ, you were pretty much signing up for suffering. If you lived in the Roman Empire like they did, or even among the Jews, when you came to Christ, You were signing on a dotted line, and now I've just pretty much thrown my life away." And many, many, many believers felt that. James is writing in verse 1, he tells us, to the dispersion, those Jews, Christian Jews, who are living all throughout the empire. So they have a double-stroking gun. Not only are they Christians in the empire, you recall, they didn't have a very good view of Christians. They're Christian Jews. Even their own family, the Jews, would reject them and persecute them and hate them. The author of this book, he mentions suffering and trials and persecutions, and it's rightly so. Let's quickly read this whole section, get this in our mind. Verse 2 down to verse 16. The whole thing deals with suffering. Consider it a little joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect results, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect to receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position, and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with a scorching wind, and withers the grass. Its flower falls off, and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed. So too, the rich man, in the midst of his pursuits, will fade away. Blessed is a man who perseveres unto trial, for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, or the word actually means tried, I am being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil. He himself does not tempt anyone. Each one is tempted when he is carried away enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived it gives birth to sin. When sin has accompanied it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. James starts out, we saw several lessons ago, by telling us verse 2, this somewhat strange thing. When you encounter various trials, the word there is multicolored trial. All different kinds of trials. In there he's talking about any kind of hardship. Life is tough, as you well know. They were facing persecution, hatred, the fear of being arrested, the fear of having their stuff taken away. As long as, just what happens in the world. Famines and earthquakes and all kinds of troubles and sickness and trials. Any kind of trial. Big, little, small, whatever. He said, when you encounter them, verse 2, consider it all joy. And we saw what that means. He tells us there in verse 3, knowing that. I have your sheet there. While a Christian faces the same kinds of troubles the world does, the Christian never faces them the same way. Because the Christian, verse 3, knows something about these trials. The world doesn't. The Christian knows that God is in full control of our life. God has his safety in his hand. We look at all those verses, Romans 8. 828, all things work together for the good. God makes all things. And Paul says, we know that. Whatever trial I'm facing or you're facing, you know that it had to come through God's hands first. 1 Corinthians 10, 13 promises, God will never allow anything into your life that He knows you can't handle. That's a promise. Every Christian knows that. And James here says, verse 3, knowing that, These trials, these problems, these terrible things. Not that they're enjoyable in themselves, because they're not. No temptations. None of these things are enjoyable. They produce something. They produce patience. They produce steadfastness. They cause you to grow. Of course, we discussed that at length a couple of weeks ago. How are you going to learn, really learn humility? By being humble. How are you really going to learn brokenness and patience? How are you really going to learn forgiveness? Yes, you learn it in your head through the Scriptures. But how are you really going to learn how to forgive someone when someone hurts you? And you have to forgive them. How are you really going to learn endurance and strong steadfastness? How are you going to learn to pray? Yeah, we should all pray. As our brother pointed out, when times are good, we should be doing all these things. But you know how we are sometimes. We forget. And I've found in my life, to my shame, you tend to pray harder and more. when you're suffering. It's a sad thing about us, but it's true. And James here just says, these trials, these sufferings, these hardships that everybody faces at one time or another, the Christian sees them as a means of growing in grace, growing in patience, growing in endurance. And again, if you're truly saved, I know something about you. I keep saying that. You want to please the Lord, don't you? You want to serve Him. You want to be more like Christ. And you know, I don't want to suffer, but I know that suffering produces that. I don't want trials, but I know trials, if they're responded to correctly, produce that. Therefore, he says, count it all joy. Not that you're, oh good, I've got cancer. No one says that. That's dumb. But Lord, I know that whatever comes into my life, you've ordained this for my good and your glory. Therefore, I'm rejoicing in this. That's a powerful thing. That's faith. I haven't achieved there. While a Christian often faces the same trials as the world, he faces them far differently with faith, endurance, and joy. And that's a powerful... You're thinking about that... I often think this. God allows us to suffer the same things the world does. So side by side, they can watch us suffer. The martyrs all over the world are like that. As they're being persecuted, as they're being hated and hunted. As they exhibit the love of Christ and the joy in their life, I'm sure they're persecutors. They can't get over what's with you. And when someone you know, someone you work with, or your neighbors see you going through a very time of trial, but you're doing it with a sense of inner joy and peace and strength. People are going to ask, what's with you? How can you be so strong? I'd be falling to pieces right now if this happened to me. That's how we prove that Christ is alive and that Christianity is real. Because that's when you really see if this works or not. You know, it's easy here in church to look good and to sound good and to be religious, and we look so good. But when you're suffering and the world sees that, your family sees that, but they see you trusting in the Lord. You're not going to complain. You're not going to fall apart. You're not going to get all worked up. You're not going to turn to drugs and alcohol. You're not going to. You're going to put faith in this and joy and patience. Look towards whatever God has for your life. The world sees that and wishes they could do that because they can't. It's a great witnessing tool, though it's a hard way to do it. We're down to verse nine. Let's read verse 9-12. But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position. And the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like a flower in grass, he will pass away. For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass, and the flower falls off, and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed. So too the rich man, in the midst of his pursuits, will fade away. Blessed is the man who perseveres unto trial, for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised those who love him. Having told us all that's about suffering, that we as Christians face suffering knowing that, all these other truths, and he says in verse 9, a word of encouragement. Notice it again there. The brother of humble circumstances. The lowly brother. The brother who is low. What does he mean by low? Well, I think it's obvious in context. Compare verse 9 and verse 10. the brother who was low compared to the rich man. What do you think of when you think of a rich man? He's got a mate. He's got lots of money. He's got food and clothing and a house and he can have all his fun and cars and he can travel the world and he's rich. He's got a mate. But here's a brother who is low, who's brought low. And I'm sure he's talking about poverty. I think that's true. Notice chapter 2, verse 6. It says it all through this book. Poverty. And the whole idea of this idea of Christians and poverty. Chapter 2, verse 6. Notice how, and all through this book, I'll get more of this as we get there, it seems like among the Jewish dispersion, these Christian Jews were being persecuted by, quote, the rich man. Look at chapter 2, verse 6. But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? Do they not blaspheme the fair name on which you have been called? Consider now you rich. And here he complains about the rich and how you're going to be judged and all your silver and gold has rusted. Notice verse 4. The pay of the laborers who mowed your field which has been withheld by you. Notice verse 6. You have condemned and put to death the righteous. I'm not sure exactly all the details of that, but let's read a few more verses. Keep your finger here in James. Go back to Luke. This is a very real teaching in the Scriptures. It's a very real possibility when you turn to Christ You might end up in poverty. And millions have, millions are right now. And Jesus often spoke of this. All James has done here again is repeating our Lord's teaching. Look at Luke chapter 6, verse 20. Very familiar words, at least they should be. Luke chapter 6, verse 20. This is Jesus' other version of the Sermon on the Mount, given at a different time, different place, but the same basic teaching. Luke 6, verse 20. Turning his gaze toward his disciples, he began to say, Blessed are you who are poor. Now notice, he'll say it in the context of who are poor now. For yours is the kingdom of God. Verse 21. Blessed are you who hunger. Notice, now. For you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep. Now. You shall have. Here's the reason why. Here's why they're poor and hungry and weeping. Verse 22. Blessed are you when men hate you. and ostracize you, and insult you, scorn your name as evil for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad and leap for joy. Sound familiar? This is James chapter 1. But notice verse 24. Woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your recompense in full. Woe to you who are well fed, now you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh, now you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their father used to treat the false prophets the same way. What are they saying there? The idea of, in this world now, the world loves its own. It takes care of its own. And if you follow the world's ways, and the world, not that you're going to get rich, which you could, but the world loves its own. You laugh now and have a great time now, but later, whereas the Christian, the one who follows Christ, because he's following Christ, as our Lord said, might just find himself slapped in the face. Might just find himself being ostracized. We don't want you around, Christian. Get lost. might just find himself out of work. Let's look at a few more. Hebrews chapter 10. The book before James is the book of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 10. This is all through the scriptures. A very common teaching. We haven't experienced this here in America yet. There's some undercurrents of this. But around the world, our brethren know this very well. And they have known it for a long time. Hebrews 10, look at verse 32. Same teaching, same exact scenario. Hebrews 10, verse 32. But remember the former days when after being enlightened, in other words, after being saved, notice, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. Notice verse 34. For you showed sympathy with the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property. Knowing that you have for yourselves a better progesterone than a lasting one, therefore, do not throw away your confidence." He says there, as soon as you became saved, as soon as you got enlightened, right away you were being mocked and publicly criticized and laughed at. You were being beaten in a prison. He said, you even had your houses ransacked. They stole all your stuff because you're a Christian. What are you going to do about it? If you go to the police, what are they going to do about it? You're a Christian. Who cares about you? He says, you accepted death joyfully. They were reduced to poverty. But they had endurance and they stood fast. Look at Hebrews 11, the very next chapter. The start of verse 37. This whole chapter is about the heroes of the faith throughout all the Old Testament. All the things they went through because they loved God. And he sums it up this way. That all these men and women of faith throughout the centuries. Verse 37. They were stoned. They were sawn in two. They were tempted. They were put to death with a sword. Notice this. They went about in sheepskins. in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated, and of whom this world was not worthy, wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground, all these having gained approval through faith, did not receive what was promised, because God provided something better." In other words, all these men and women of faith, with all their sufferings and all that the world gave them, reduced, he says, that they were destitute, living in the mountains, living in the caves, running for their lives, wearing goatskins. That's not good clothing even in their day. poverty. Turn to Revelation chapter 2. For those of you who are here and went to Revelation, recall that there are the seven churches in the Roman Empire, just kind of like today, but not nearly as serious. If you wanted to work, say you were a leather crafter, you made leather goods, and you wanted to sell them publicly. In the Roman Empire, you had to join a guild of leather crafters, kind of like our unions today, which I love so dearly. You had to join the union. And part of that union agreement was, You'd have meetings, guilds, you'd meet on a regular basis, monthly or whatever. And those meetings usually involved lots of drinking, immorality, but they always involved idolatry. The local gods had to be honored. Caesar had to be honored as God. The bottom line was, if you're a Christian, you're not going to do that. Guess what? Then you don't work either. You're not allowed to sell your goods. You're not allowed to have a shop. You're not allowed to open up. And many Christians throughout the empire were just like, look at Revelation chapter 2, verse 9. Church in Smyrna. Now, Smyrna was known for their purple goods, their fine fabrics. And here were those who probably had that kind of business. But notice what he says about them. Chapter 2, verse 9. Jesus says, I know your tribulation and your poverty, but you are rich. And the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not. Here were Christians who were reduced to poverty by their fellow Jews. These are probably Jewish believers who, for one reason or another, couldn't ply their craft, couldn't work, weren't allowed to sell their goods or open a shop because they wouldn't go through these Roman trade fields, apparently. And Jesus says, I see how poor you are, but you're really very rich with that in mind as well. So the real potential here is, James is referring to those all throughout the empire who, because they're Christian, have been reduced to poverty. They've lost their jobs. I hear it now at the rumblings and all these different, you hear it in this country now, A lot of your big corporations are getting more and more diverse. I know some people who work for GE who almost lost his job because they had this diversity training. He had to sign a statement saying, I will. And some of those things were offensive to his Christian beliefs. He was pulled in the office and threatened. He was there 30 years. He was threatened with his job and everything else. I work for a huge corporation, not an outfit I work for, and they have all these diversity signs. I know where that's going. But the day's going to come, maybe. If you want to work here, you better sign on to these statements. If you don't, then find someplace else to work. What do you do then? What are you going to do when you hear your brothers and sisters are reduced to... they've lost their job. If you hear what happened, so-and-so got fired because he wouldn't... It's coming. Now, all over the world, if you live like right now in Saudi Arabia, you can't hold a job as a Christian. You can't even own property. If you live in China right now, and you have a shop, you'd better not be open and honest about your Christianity because you'll lose that shop. Or all throughout the Middle East, or Vietnam, or Laos, or Cambodia. Our brethren, they know what this is. They read these verses and go, yeah, that's true. And many of them are struggling and starving because of this. That's just the cost of discipleship. We're actually living in a bubble here in the West. We've enjoyed this here so long. Praise God, may it last forever. I don't know if it's going to. This is normal for Christianity. Jesus told us this from day one. Expect this. You may just end up in poverty because you follow Christ. You may end up with nothing. If you're in Christianity, get rich. You're in the wrong business. If you're following Christ, that's why I get so disturbed when I see these preachers on TV saying, Christ is going to make you rich. You ought to have a Rolex. That's such a false gospel. Christ never promised that. Our Lord went around with nothing. He said the foxes have holes, the birds have nests. I had nowhere to even lay my head. You want to follow me? That's very true. Think about it. That's a cost of discipleship. They may also be involved in famine. Earlier in the Book of Acts we read of this famine that came across the whole Roman Empire. Remember how Paul was raising money for the churches who were struggling in famine. That may be involved here as well. Again, all these so-called natural disasters also affect Christians. It may be involved. Anyway, see in verse 9, the brother of humble, or the brother who is poor. But the brother who is poor, he says, notice, again verse 9, but the brother of humble circumstances is to Also again, glory in his high position. Let me just say what he wouldn't dare say. Is this crazy or what? We saw that back in verse 2. Consider it all joy when you fall into all these trials and temptations. Like, are you out of your mind, James? Some would say that. Some would feel that way. Here he's saying, you've been reduced to poverty. Rejoice at how rich you are. James isn't stupid. Let's just put a positive spin on this. Just positive thinking. He's not doing that. He's talking here some serious spiritual truth. Even though he's brought low financially, his position is exalted. Rejoice in that, brethren, he says. A brother who has been brought low should rejoice. Even though, as Paul would say, our outward man is decaying. Our inward man is renewed day by day. And he's telling these poor Impoverished believers, don't get yourself discouraged on this. Don't get yourself depressed. Yes, the world has turned against you. You're having your houses ransacked. Maybe you've been arrested. Maybe who knows? Your shop's been shut down. You can't, you can't, as 13th Revelation tells us, the Antichrist's ultimate goal is going to be you can't buy or sell. That happens right now all over the world. There are many Christians right now where they live can't buy or sell because they're Christian. That's only in small pockets, but that's what it is. He says, rejoice, because even though you are outwardly very poor and you're probably going around to your other brethren begging, you read like books like Peter and James about being hospitable. Hebrews says that, be hospitable, because there were lots of Christians who were going from house to house just trying to find food, hiding and running. He says, take these people in. John says that in 2 John, 3 John, taking in some of these people. Goes again, what he says, it's not mince words, in your poverty, Rejoice. Rejoice. Then the word glory there means to rejoice or glory in or just the wonder of how high I really am, how I really am exalted, even though I'm very poor. Look at chapter 2, verse 5 again. Chapter 2, verse 5. This is a very big theme in James. Chapter James 2, 5. Listen, my beloved brethren, did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him? That's a very real encouragement, because they were poor. God's chosen the poor, as Paul would say, the poor, the nothing, the little people, the nobodies, to be rich, he says, in faith and heirs of his kingdom. Get that phrase. You are heirs of the kingdom of God. That's what James is telling these people here, even though you are outwardly reduced to poverty. Because of your faithfulness to Jesus Christ. If you are exalted, you should think of yourself that way. This is a continuation of the command in verse 2. Verse 2 he says, you face all these trials, rejoice. Here he says in verse 9, you've been reduced to poverty, rejoice. Realize how exalted you are before Christ. Even though he is forced into poverty as a result of his Christian faith, He is to take great comfort, that's verse 2, knowing that, verse 3, from his already exalted position in Christ. In other words, a Christian doesn't depend on his wealth for his joy. Now, wealth is a great thing. If you have it, thank God for it. It says that. But like the world, or as Jesus says in Luke chapter 12, the Christian knows that your life does not consist of the things you possess. And if you're truly a Christian, you can lose it all. and still rejoice, and still thank God, and still walk in a way that is full of joy and rejoicing. You could have, as he says in Hebrews, you joyfully accepted the ransacking of your homes. Because you knew it was all because of your faithfulness to the Lord. Remember in the book of Acts how they were arrested and beaten. Remember they went home rejoicing because they were counted worthy to suffer. They said, thank God, they noticed us as Christians. They know that we love Christ. Not to the world, that sounds crazy. Maybe to some of you it might sound a little crazy. But to the Christians, the one who truly is his first, the Christian's first priority is, I want to please Him. I want to serve Him. It's not happiness, it's holiness. Yes, you want to be happy. Sure, who doesn't want to be happy? But the Christian is willing to part with happiness for the sake of faithfulness. Yes, you want to be comfortable. Who doesn't? I do. I want to be comfortable. But you may have to sacrifice comfort For the sake of following Christ. It often happens. Right now, there's millions of our brethren. By the way, next Sunday is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. We'll be doing some more of that next week. I don't know who decides those things, but it's a great idea. But right now, all around the world, there are millions of your brothers and sisters who know exactly what this verse means. They're experiencing it. They can't hold a job. They can't open a shop. They can't even dig a well. They can't own property in many places. That's sad. Turn to 1 Peter chapter 1. Peter speaks of this as well. It's interesting how James and Peter open up their books with this subject, because they're writing to the same basic bunch of people. In fact, notice while you're there, 1 Peter 1 verse 2, or verse 1. He says to those saints, aliens scattered throughout Pontinathia. Peter's writing to all these Christians scattered everywhere. And so is James. But notice what he says here in verse 3 and following. 1 Peter 1 verse 3. of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." Notice, "...to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith. Look at that. God has caused you to be born again. He saved you through Jesus Christ. He's given you an inheritance in heaven that will never pass away. It's kept for you. You're kept for it. That's wonderful. That's good. That's great. We'll read the next verse. Verse six. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you've been distressed with various trials. You have this great inheritance. Something wonderful has happened to you. God, through Jesus Christ, has called you to be born again and given you a great inheritance with the saints and a future that is wonderful and awesome beyond means. It's preserved in heaven, safe. You're being kept for it. But even though right now you're going through, that's the same word change. There's various trials, many multicolored trials. You're suffering. You're suffering badly. That's how it is. So get the point here, James is saying something very powerful, it's simple but powerful. And not just financially, this is what he means here, financially, any kind of suffering, if you follow Christ, in fact I could venture to say this is a bit convictive of me, if you're not, you know you're following Christ when someone gets annoyed by it. This world does not love him, in fact they hate him. They'll talk about anything, I've had this before, I go to work with these guys, they'll talk about anything, no matter how degrading it is. You bring up the name of Jesus, and all of a sudden the temperature goes down 10 degrees. They don't want to hear it. You know that. You live your Christian life. I'm not trying to be a show-off. I don't want to be in anybody's face. But you just live for Christ, and someone's not going to like it. Period. You try doing that in communist China, or in Egypt right now, or Saudi Arabia, or Iran. You know what's going to happen to you. You live your Christian faith. You witness like you're supposed to and try to pray for others. You don't do the pagan things they do. You don't worship the gods they worship. You are very quickly going to come into big trouble in your life. It's a fact of being a Christian. It really is. If this country ever falls into paganism, which is where we're heading, you and I would become illegal one day. It just has to be. Maybe not. Maybe the Lord will scare us. He has many times in the past. But I'm also going to see there. He says, let's read it again in verse 9. The brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position. What high position? Well, how is this poor? Imagine the world seeing this Christian who's lost his job. He can't even feed his family. What a loser, this guy. This is because of some weird faith he has. He's going to lose everything. What a dope. What a loser. Why would you do something like that? The world says that to Christians. What high position? We'll look at a few verses. Romans chapter 8. Go back a few books. Romans chapter 8. You know where I'm going with this. The Bible's very clear on this. Romans chapter 8, verse 16. The Christian literally lives in two worlds. The Christian actually is... You can't really tell what a Christian is just by looking at him. There's a whole lot more to the Christian than what you see with your eye. Romans 8, 16. Verses we're familiar with. Romans 8.16 says the Spirit, that's the Holy Spirit Himself. Notice there the Holy Spirit Himself. The Holy Spirit is a Him. Not an it. Not a thing. It's He. God Himself. The Holy Spirit. Testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, what's that next word? Heirs also. And heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. If indeed we suffer with Him, You may also be glorified with him. What on earth does that mean? Is that a clue? We have God's Holy Spirit telling us that because we're saved, we're born again, we are now actual children of God, real members of God's family. Therefore, we're heirs. If you were a millionaire, Chris, you would leave your millions to your children. They're your heirs, right? That's what an heir is. An heir is someone, if daddy's rich, guess how the children end up. rich. He's saying here, you now, because of God's Holy Spirit, are the child of God. You're his son or daughter. That makes you an heir. Do you have any idea how rich your dad is? Not only heir, notice that they're joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God's beloved Son. He's the Son of God Beloved above all that could possibly be. He will inherit everything. He's the one God says, I will give the earth as your footstool. He's the beloved Son. You are joint heirs. What on earth does that even mean? I can't wrap my mind around that too far. But Paul's not making up words here. You and I are joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We are sons of God. And Moses says there the word we will be glorified with him. What's that even going to look like? I don't know. I'm going to find out. That's pretty impressive words. And these little Christians who the world's laughing at and spitting on and robbing their houses and kicking them out in the streets. And in this world, they're nothing. They're less than false. We are less than garbage. We're off scouring of the earth as we're garbage. are joint heirs with Jesus Christ, heirs of God, because they're sons and daughters of God in all time. That's not just preacher talk. These are facts. Right now, if you're in Christ, you're a child of the King. Joint heirs with Jesus Christ. That's meant to blow your mind. Turn to the two books to your right, 2 Corinthians chapter 4. I love this passage. I turn here often. I don't apologize. 2 Corinthians chapter 4. Paul would say here, starting up in verse 7 and following, how we're beaten, we're struck down, we're oppressed, we're persecuted, we're crushed, we're broken. Paul knew suffering. Paul knew all about suffering firsthand. Paul was probably a beaten, broken man. He looked worse than our sister Donna does here. He was beaten and broken and bruised and bloodied. Paul probably walked with a lint because of all the beatings and the stonings and the whippings. But notice what Paul says here. He knows these verses. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 16. Therefore, we don't lose heart. All these terrible things happen to me, Paul, but I'm not heartbroken. I don't lose heart. Why? Though our outer man is decaying, Yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. Outwardly, everything about us is falling apart. I've lost my job. I've lost my family. They want to kill me. I'm running for my life. You can't get much lower than that. Outwardly, Paul says it's all falling apart. But inwardly, I'm being renewed. How's he doing that? We'll know in the next verse. 17. For momentary light affliction. That almost sounds like a joke. I can't hear what Paul's talking about. is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. Notice verse 18, here's the secret. For we look not at things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. Paul says, I have all these terrible problems. Everybody hates me. They're trying to kill me. I have nothing. But in my mind, in my heart, I'm looking at that day. Or as James would say in verse 3 of chapter 1, knowing that. Yeah, terrible things are happening. Awful things are happening. But I know something about this. Turn to Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2. Tom covered this a while back. This is amazing stuff. I confess to you, I don't really know what to do with a lot of these verses. He didn't either when he got there. What does it mean? Ephesians chapter 2, verse 4. But God being rich in mercy, because of His great love, get that, His great love of which He loved us, Even when we were dead and our transgressions made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved, and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ, so that in the ages to come he might show us the passing riches of his grace. God, when we were dead, stone-cold dead in sin, came to us by the power of His Spirit and raised us up, gave us new life, made us His sons and daughters, gave us all these blessings, and He says He seated us with Christ. Where's Christ right now? He's seated at the right hand of God the Father. Paul here says, you're sitting right next to Him. What does that even mean? How do you apply that? What does that even mean? It's true. What he's saying here, what the theologians say is, you are right now positionally, which you will be one day actually. One day you and I will sit with him. We will rule and reign with him. Whatever that means. I don't get that either fully. But the Bible tells us all through these verses. James is telling us here, you brethren of humble circumstances, you're brought low. You're actually very high. Just set your mind on these things. Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also. You may lose all those things. The body they may kill, his truth abideth still. That's Martin Luther saying that. Our exalted position of the Christian. There's many, many more verses that say this. I encourage you sometimes to think about that. You could win a hundred million dollar lottery. It wouldn't be a scratch what you're actually going to inherit in Christ. He's saying to these poor, beleaguered, persecuted Christians, the brother of low circumstances, the Jewish brother. Maybe now you're going to suffer for the rest of your life. Maybe you're going to get killed here. Maybe things are going to be very bad for you here, but understand what's coming. As Paul would say, this affliction I'm facing right now, Paul says, I consider to be momentary in life. Why? Are you crazy? Well, no, because I'm comparing that to what's coming. And Paul says, when I do that, this becomes much easier to bear. That's Christian. That's applying God's truth to life. As we saw last week, Jesus said in Luke. I want to say 11. How rejoice, little flock, because your father has chosen gladly to give you all of his kingdom. Therefore, don't worry about the world. Don't worry about your stuff. Don't worry about things. Put God first. He's already chosen gladly to give you all he has. One day you are going to be so amazingly rich It's going to blow your mind. Think of some Christian you don't like. I'll tell you what I think of at least one that bother you with a kind of weird, a little strange right now, a little odd. If you could see them in glory, you'd be tempted to fall down and worship them. If you could see right now our brethren in glory, they're so glorious now, covered, clothed with Christ, you would be tempted to fall down and worship them for how beautiful and glorious and rich they are right now. And there's even more coming. That's not just nice talk. Well, let's just put a good spin on this. Think happy thoughts. These are actual facts. So now you look at your life and see suffering. Factor in these truths as well. It's a pause. I see all the suffering I go through. When it's real, it hurts. But when I factor in these truths, it makes this suffering a whole lot different. So it says in verse 9, rejoice in your high position. Not just positive thinking. Live in the corner of the facts. You, Christian, are one day going to be extremely respected. Right now, you already are. That position you're going to have in heaven one day, seated with Christ, you are right now positionally seated with him, right now. I don't understand all that. I really don't. But it's true. We're to think of ourselves in that capacity. I'm a child of the King, redeemed by Christ, joint heirs with Jesus Christ. So if I lose my house, well, whatever, I'm getting a better one. I lose my job, I lose my money, if I lose my family, I'll get another one. If I lose my life, there's life coming. That's the truth of all this. That's a powerful statement. James says it here very simply. But there's huge truths involved in what he's talking about. Let's move on, because James here makes a contrast. Verse 9, the brother of humble circumstances is the glory in his high position. And the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, or his low being brought down low, because like flowering grass, he will pass away. I have a sheet there, the rich man. Is he talking verse 10 or verse 9? I ain't talking about my brother, he says that. Is this guy in verse 10 a believer? Now, I've got about 9 or 10 commentaries I'm using, and most of them say yes, just because of the Greek construction here. The word brother should be supplied, they say, in verse 10. But I have a hard time with that. And some of the commentators, we'll back you up on this, because notice he says in verse 10, he will pass away. This rich man is going to pass away. Notice verse 11, how it says, he'll fade away in verse 11. And all through the book of James, every time he mentions the rich, it's always in a negative sense, Tom. Yes, that's true. I don't think personally this guy in verse 10 here is a believer. Some would say he is. Some very powerful Bible teachers who I respect would say he is. I don't think he is. It's because of the words. I can't imagine a Bible speaking of that. That rich brother is going to pass away. That's not the way you talk about Christians. That's not the way you talk about faith, I don't think. But anyway, whether it is or it isn't, that's what he's saying in verse 10. Whereas these Christians who because of their faith are brought low into poverty are very, very, very wealthy already. The rich in this world, that's what he means in verse 10, the rich who are rich now with the world's money, with the world's fame, with the world's goods, they should, if they were wise, realize how low they really are. He says there in his humiliation or in his lowness, Again, you know the opposite is what happens. Donald Trump, I walk around saying, what a rich I am. These guys don't do that. You're a big rock star. You're a basketball star. You're a Hollywood star. They don't walk around. I'm really nothing. Most of them, I'm sure, but maybe a few of you don't hear about those on TV. They should rejoice. Glory in the fact that even though I'm filthy rich, This is all really nothing. The world's things are really nothing. On Wednesday night, you've been going through Ecclesiastes. That book takes this and drives you home with a sledgehammer. All this stuff is just temporary and transitory and deceptive. Paul would say our riches are such a false thing and a dangerous thing. Nothing is wrong to get rich. If you can do it, go for it. This world prizes the rich man, doesn't it? Consider a rich man compared to this guy. Or as you see, for example, earlier in James chapter 2, he mentions in church he has this problem where you're the usher in the back. In walks a guy in a three-piece suit, you know, with a Rolex on. Hey, brother, come on, sit right up front. In walks a guy in rags who smells a bit. You sit in the back. That's what they were doing. And James says, who do you think you are? Hasn't God chosen the poor? Isn't it the rich who oppress you? Well, that's a dichotomy here. You have these poor believers who are living destitute because of their faith. And here's this rich man. But he's a rich man who's actually seeing things as they really are. He wouldn't think too highly of his riches. In fact, notice how it says there in verse 11. He gives a description of what riches are like. Verse 10 says, like flowering grass, he will pass away. In Israel, the grass is blooming around April or May. But they very quickly around July, when the sun really got hot, almost overnight, all that flowering grass turned from green to brown, almost overnight. And usually when the weather shifts, what they call the Sirocco, the hot desert sun finally hits the land and it really gets hot, almost overnight all the grass turns brown, like that. And that's what he's referring to here. Even though they look so good and so wonderful, that's going to fade away in a heartbeat, literally in a heartbeat. It's going to be gone. It just goes. It's all deceptive. Look at verse 11. The sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass. Its flowers fall off. The beauty of its appearance is destroyed. So too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits. That word in the midst of his pursuits means something like with all of his efforts. Most rich men work pretty hard to get there. Not all of them, but most of them work pretty hard to get there. And there's so much involved in being rich and so much involved in just managing all that money. I'm sure Donald Trump has a very busy day. I shouldn't pick on him so much. He just comes to mind. And all of his pursuits, and all he's doing, and all of his many activities, it's all going to just come to nothing. Nothing. It's all going to fade away. The riches of this world, everything of this world is going to just pass away. Sure, it's fun now, as Jesus said to Dr. Luke, those who laugh now, and those who rejoice now, and those who are happy now, but that's short-lived if they're not having riches and treasures on the other side of death. So you're meant to see, or I believe, this contrast. There's this poor, beleaguered, hated, laughed-at Christian. And the world's going to say, what a loser. Look at these guys. They're losers. All you've got to do is say a few prayers to Caesar, and you can have your job back. These idiots. Comparative, here's these rich men, who just, as long as they have that flower, and the bloom, and the green, and they look so good, you could have some of that. But again, we're told here, take the long view. It's not how you start, it's how you end. And the whole point there is, how's this all going to end up? And it just makes that contrast. Again, don't ever hear anyone saying it's wrong to be rich. Don't hate the rich, people. Don't hate the rich. We're told today, this is class warfare. Don't go there. What I'm saying is, the Christians who have faith understand what these things are. And by and large, it was true in James' day, and it's true right now in many other places, it's the rich who oppress the poor. Not universally, but it's very often how that works out. It's often the Christians who are reduced to poverty by these men who have power and authority. But I'll move on. Having said all that, verse 12 here is a bit of a pivot. It starts as sort of a new section here in something, but also ends this one. Look at verse 12. He ends this contrast with a beatitude, a blessing. Verse 12. Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial, for once he has been approved or tested, he will receive the crown of life. which the Lord has promised those who love Him. The whole point here is trial. Back in verse 2. Consider all joy, my brethren, when you encounter all these trials. Here in verse 9, my brethren, of low circumstance. You can reduce to poverty. That's hard. Plus, if you're a father, you've got a family with kids. That must have been awful in those days. It's awful right now in a place like Saudi Arabia and Iran. You're a father with kids. But you're a Christian. You know what may be coming. It's hard to even feed your family. Honestly, it's hard to even get a job sometimes. He says in verse 12, blessed. The word blessed is the same word Jesus uses to be added to James here is quoting our Lord again. Blessed is the man, happy the man. Great is your case, or you could paraphrase, good to be you, isn't it? Or happy are you? Your case is a good, you're in a good position here. Blessed is that man, he says, notice it again, who perseveres under trial. We'll come full circle in verse two. He says it again, when you encounter trials, endurance, patience. All right, he says, you're being reduced to poverty. The world hates you. You're losing everything. You've lost your business. You've lost your home. You're on the run. But endurance. Endurance. Don't give up. And again, what does the world do when this happens? We ask this back in verse two and three. When the world encounters various trials, what do they do? Well, they get angry, or they get bitter, or they get hurt, or they blame everybody, including God, or they turn to drugs and alcohol, or sex and TV, and all the rest of it, and they've had to get their mind off it, or whatever. The world runs and does all these other sinful, not God-honoring responses. What does a Christian do? He lifts the gun. Lord, help me to be faithful even in this trial. Here he says, the one who endures under these trials, The Brother of Humble Circumstances, verse 12. Blessed is the man who perseveres under these trials. Revelation is all full of this. The brethren who are suffering under antichrist. Blessed is he, all through chapter 2 of Revelation, all these churches. Remember the word that's used? Blessed is he who what? Overcomes. I've just done the word for endures. Blessed is he who perseveres. Don't quit. Don't give up. Don't give in. Don't turn like the world. Blessed is he who stays faithful. I'm not saying that's easy. Boy, that's not easy. And I'm here talking to them. I've got a good job and a nice home. I've never come through this. Blessed is that man, that brother who stays faithful, doesn't quit, doesn't turn, doesn't blame God, doesn't run, doesn't stop coming to church and stop worshiping the Lord. He's faithful. Blessed. Why? Well, most of the rest of that verse is neat stuff. For once he has been approved, or really tested, or passed the test. These are tests designed, as verse 3 tells us, to bring out in us our true character, and to move us to be more like Christ, and to burn off of dross, and to make us more, you know how this works. He says, when you've come through this, when you've been approved, when it's shown that you're going to stay faithful, because some don't. Remember, all the time we're told, to those who stay faithful. In fact, turn to Revelation chapter 2, verse 9 again. This is a promise repeated all the time. Scripture always has this balance. Truth always has to be balanced. I believe firmly in God's sovereign grace, God's election, God holds us, God keeps us, God preserves us. That's true. But there's also all these verses that tell us you must persevere, you must fight the fight, you must run the race, you must stay faithful. And that's true as well. Both are true. You must. You must fight. You can't sit back and say, well, Lord, you do it all. It doesn't work that way. You must fight. You must stay faithful. Look at chapter 2, verse 9. I know your tribulation and your poverty, but you are rich. And the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and they are not, but I assume they are God or Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison. You will be tested. You will have tribulation for ten days. But notice, be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear to them, hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes. Same word. It's going to get awful rough, he says to you. They're going to arrest some of you. Stay faithful even if it costs you your life. But he who overcomes, he says, I will give him, as verse 12 here says in James, I'll give you the crown of life. Look at it again. Thus does a man who perseveres under trial, for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised those who love him. What is this crown of life? The Bible mentions many crowns. I think crown is basically a metaphor for what he's going to give you, life. Jesus' favorite word for salvation was life. Eternal life. Abundant life. New life. The life that comes from God. Life. He who stays faithful to the Lord, who follows Him no matter what. In other words, the true Christian will have the crown of life. You'll be given life. Life abundant. Life more than you can imagine. That's a metaphor for the blessings that await those who are Christians. Life. Life everlasting. Life enduring. Life with Christ. Everything about eternity is life. In fact, if you read Revelation 22, flowing out from God's throne is the river of what? Life. Everything about heaven is alive. It's life, as opposed to death and darkness. It's life and light and glory and just all that God does. I have a sheet there with notes. The Christian endures trials because he loves the Lord. His highest desire is not for his own happiness or comfort, but that he would be faithful to the God he loves no matter what comes. Love for God is the motivation for faith. As we notice in verse 12, the Lord has promised this prime of life to those who love him. That's just another description of what it means to be a true Christian. The true Christian loves God. Now, God loves us. That's even more important. But the true Christian loves God. And that's why. Why would you endure like this? Because you love God. Because of all He's done for me, when you think about the cross and what Christ did and the blood He shed, because of what He's done, how could I turn on Him now? How could I doubt Him now? How could I not follow Him now? Even though He's leading me through some dark, terrible, hard places, how could I turn on Him now? The Christian loves God, and that's why he does all this. And James is saying, listen, my brethren, you who are poor, you who are suffering, you who are being pushed down and despised, Remember, there's a crown of life waiting for you. Endure. And I'm trying to imagine this week, how would a person, how would a Christian living in Iran read this? Well, it's different than you and I do. They'd see this as their lifeline, their blood. They would memorize this and they would cling to this with such preciousness. Because they could be dead any day. They could be arrested next minute. How do they listen to this? He said, my brethren, Don't be discouraged. You are already an exalted to a high position because you're the son of God. A son of God. Rejoice. Stand in there. Be faithful here, it says in verse 12. Persevere. Stay faithful. And God will be, not in this life. You're going to suffer in this world. But if you could just get a handle on what's coming, it would blow your mind. Put your eyes forward on that. Live for that day. You hear this said all the time, you're too heavenly minded to be any earthly good. I don't remember anybody like that. If you're heavenly minded, you'll be some earthly good. Most of us are too earthly minded, we're no heavenly good. Set your mind on what's coming, on what's to be, the rewards. And all of a sudden again, God is actually going to reward us. That blows my mind, doesn't it? Everything you and I ever do for Him is only because He's worked in and through us. Isn't that true? Yet, when you get to heaven, when you look at your faithfulness, and according to your and my degree of faithfulness is going to reward us. That's just icing on the cake. That's again, that's mind-blowing. We'll get some thoughts before we get through later. This is very simple truth, I think James is teaching here, but it's powerful stuff. Letter A there. The real possibility of loss in this life because you're a Christian. I don't know how long some of you are saved, but I hope you understand that. Now, in America here, it's a little deceptive. Thank God. We have it pretty good here. We have freedom of religion here. That's good. Maybe we always have that. Thank God for it. But many places in the world, you get saved. Someone's going to tell you, and I want you to know, your faith is illegal in this country. I have it on my Bible here. Actually, it's changed now. There's more. Fifty-three countries, you couldn't carry this book without being arrested. That's true. Christianity has almost always been outlawed. In James' day in the Roman Empire, you were entertainment in the Colosseums. You were burning torches in Nero's garden parties. You were, as Paul says, fuel for the fire. The real possibility, because you're a Christian, you may get in trouble over this. Jesus says, you may weep. You may be hungry. You may go without, as Hebrews 11 tells us. Don't be surprised. Remember, Jesus said, I've told you ahead of time, when this happens, don't be surprised. Look what happened to him. He said that they treated me this way. You think they'll love you any more than they'll love me? Let her be. See it with Christ in the heavenlies. Can you believe that? I struggle with faith over that. Lord, I know it's true, but to get my mind around that, to feel that reality. But especially when you're suffering. Believe your brethren who are suffering in horror and all the things. Remind yourselves, you've already been exalted to heavenly places. You are already a child of the King, joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Hang in there. That's real truth that we need to work to get a hold on. Ask God, pray, Lord, help me understand. Help me to believe that. And especially if someone who's suffering needs to be reminded of that. That's our duty when someone else in church is suffering. Remind them. Yeah, it's tough right now. It may get worse. This world's a tough place, but understand who you are in Christ, what Christ has already done for you. Whoever sees the great deception of riches that are the instability of this life, that's the book of Ecclesiastes. Well, I'm not wrong to be rich. It's not wrong to have a prosperous job or to make an income. It's not wrong. But, you know, this world looks on riches and the rich a whole lot different than they would look at some Christian hiding out in the woods for fear of being killed. Don't think that's all because the riches are very deceptive, very futile, very fleeting as everything in this life. And of course, the Christians response to trials. Great testimony, the power when the world sees a Christian suffering. But he's still joyful, he's still steadfast, he's determined to follow Christ. I don't care what you do to me. Someone's going to ask, wow. You want to really believe in this Jesus, don't you? Your life has been changed. That's powerful stuff. That really is. When someone's suffering with pain or sickness or a polo in Silas in jail, singing, you know that has an effect on those around you. How can you be like that? Man, that happened to me. I'd fall apart. You're not falling apart. Why? That's the power of Christ. You and I testify that Christ. James here says, these brothers rejoice, brothers. You're not a poor sad sack. You're in Christ. Let the world see that. Of course, let me ask you, the true motivation for faithfulness to God is always love for God. Love for God. In turn, quickly, we'll close with 2 Corinthians chapter 4. We're there already. Great rewards for faithfulness. 2 Corinthians chapter 4. Again, we were just there a little while ago. A little earlier in that passage. Notice how Paul describes this. Paul knew suffering. But notice his attitude. 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 7. Paul, early in this chapter, is talking about how God has shone His light into our heart. Through Jesus Christ, I've seen the face of God, the glory of God, and all these wonderful things. Verse 7, We have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power of God in all of ourselves, we are afflicted in every way. But not crushed. Perplexed. But not despairing. Persecuted. The world hates us. But we're not forsaken. We're not alone. Struck down. but not destroyed, always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body." Get that? All these terrible things happen to us. We're not forsaken. We're not crushed. We're not alone. Paul says we make it. We can get through this because we know we are with Him. He's with us. That's how a Christian suffers. Any quick thoughts or comments on this? This is some powerful stuff. It's basic, but powerful. This is the faith that works. When you meet someone who says they're a Christian and some trial comes along, they just fall all two pieces. You've got to wonder, are you really a Christian or is your faith that skewed that you don't understand who you are in Christ and the resources available to you? They don't understand a few things at least. This is how the Christian faces difficulty. Right now, there's millions of our brethren who know exactly. They should be teaching this lesson, not me, because they're there. They understand it a lot more than you and I do. Any thoughts before we close or comments? Very practical, isn't it? The Bible meets you where you live. It really does. Try to imagine how this would sound to a believer right now living in Egypt. Whether they're having their churches burned down, their houses ransacked, and their own presidents told them, you better get out of this country. Imagine how that feels to read a chapter like this. That's great encouragement. Let's close in prayer. Father, we thank You for Your Word. It is powerful. It is true. And Lord, help us to believe these things. Lord, help us to get our eyes off the world and not to be so deceived by the world's riches and the world's things. Lord, they really are very little value. They really are not all that much. Lord, You've given us such great treasures in Christ. You have so elevated us and raised us out of this world system and the world's way of thinking. Help us, Lord, to believe these things and truly understand what true value is, what true glory is, what really is important. And Lord, when we suffer, and Lord, there are those in this church who are suffering, Lord, help them to see, to believe, to encounter these trials with faith. And also, Lord, then with joy, knowing that these things only make us better, only glorify You, Lord. Help us, Lord, to be determined to be faithful no matter what. Lord, I would ask for our brethren around the world who do suffer these very things, who are being impoverished because of Christ. Help them, Lord, to know how rich they really are. To feel in their hearts the death of their souls, how much you love them. And to rejoice and to be encouraged and to take new strength because even though the outer man is decaying, Lord, help them to know what it means to be renewed day by day because of these powerful truths. Thank you, Lord, for setting us free from this world, setting us free from the need for things. Lord, may our hearts and our minds center on you. Help us to believe these things. Help me, Lord, to believe these things. We ask it in Jesus' name, Amen.