James 1:9-11

“Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. ¹⁰ And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. ¹¹ The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.”

So far in our series “The Litmus Test for Life” in the book of James we have seen the identity test, where are we placing our identity, second we have seen the treasures in testing, what is our attitude toward tests. Now we come to the testing of our treasure as we come to “The Poverty and Prosperity Test.” Why does James now take a time out to talk about our treasures, at first glance this may seem to be disconnected from his main teaching on trials. But it is connected and his teaching here is critical because when we go through tests and trials we are tempted to try relying on our riches. Which is a problem for poor people because they have very little to lean on. But it is also a problem for rich people because they have resources and can start relying on their riches instead of the Redeemer. Today we will be looking at a proper perspective on possessions and where we place our trust in trying times. This topic of treasures is a tough and often touchy one especially in the American church. What’s sad to me is that we can talk about some tough topics like, trusting God in tough times, the seriousness of sin, how to win when we are wounded through the power of forgiveness but when we talk about money there are many who get upset and become defensive.  James starts this treasure test with a powerful proposition, when it comes to money, treasure has more to do with our attitude than our assets. Where we want to focus on the amount, how much we have, James focuses on the attitude, our view. Why because your view determines your value. So, let me ask you what is your view of money and where do you place your value? James reminds us that it’s not about the amount it’s about the Almighty. The goal is not the gold its giving God the glory. Both the poor and the prosperous are charged with giving God the glory. James reminds us to boast about God’s work not our wealth. If we are not careful our lives will be consumed with either complaining about our poor condition or bragging about our bank accounts. While they may seem to be very different responses the focus of both is on self. If we are not careful, we will get caught up in promoting our problems or promoting our possessions instead of promoting God. We were created to worship, to put the spotlight on Christ not the circumstances. So, what are you bragging about today, are you making it about, worship, whining or wealth? Second James reminds us that God cares more about our position than our possessions and he reminds us that our position is not based on our possessions. Which runs completely contrary to our culture and the system of the world. In the world possessions determine position, but in God’s kingdom position is based on attitude not assets. It’s based on a humble heart not on a haunty one. One of the problems with this passage in the American church is that rarely are the poor James refers to represented, for the most part we are the prosperous not the poor. Most of the people that see themselves as poor in this passage are viewing that from a prosperity perspective based on an American standard not a worldwide one. Most of us don’t have a money problem we have a management problem, because we are making money about me not about the Messiah. As a result, our financial focused is firmly fixed on getting rather than giving, self instead of serving. Many of us are working jobs we hate because our primary focus is finances. If you want to find worth in our work, start viewing it as a calling, not just a career. A career can become the altar on which we sacrifice our lives in the pursuit of money and possessions. A calling involves recognizing that we are co-workers with God in accomplishing His purposes by being content, by working in order to have so that our needs can be met, and by working in order to give so that God can meet the needs of others through us. Now my goal is to help you see who is the master of your money, what is our position when it comes to possessions? And where do I turn and put my trust in trying times? Many of us view the topic of money as secular but if you look to scripture you will discover that it’s not just physical but spiritual. Which means money is a theological topic and today people have at least three different theological perspectives.

1. Poverty Theology. This imbalanced view teaches that we should have a disdain for possessions. That poverty equals piety

2. Prosperity Theology. This teaching wrongly assumes that prosperity is the reward of the righteous. This cause and effect relationship implies that if God is happy with you, He will bless you financially.

3. Proper Theology. The proper way to view our possessions is that they are a trust given by God that we are responsible to manage. Everything belongs to Him and we are to serve as stewards regardless of whether we have a lot or a little. When it comes to money what matters is how we manage it. It all belongs to God and when we practice the joy of biblical stewardship, we give back to God what has always been His.

So what about you do you have a proper theology or a polluted one when it comes to money?

James 1:2-8

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

The first joyful purpose of testing is that it produces the treasure of perseverance. The second joyful purpose is that it promotes :

2. PERFECTION – verse 4

Testing promotes perfection but not in the sense of sinless perfection. He’s talking about perfection in the sense of completeness and fullness that comes from following and growing closer to the Lord everyday. But how do we do that, through testing and trials. When talking about the 100% purity of God’s Word, the psalmist wrote in 12:6 that they were as pure as “silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” The picture of metal being purified by fire is a common picture in the Bible. In order for precious metal to be purified it has to be heated to extreme temperatures. Temperatures so hot that all the impurities are burned off and the only thing that remains is the pure precious metal. The prophet Zechariah paints that picture of refinement for Israel in Zechariah 13:8-9. God’s people had been disobedient, so God put them through a test not to punish but to purify. The result of these fiery trials is refinement. To make them purer than silver or gold, to make them holy examples of who He is. That’s why God tests His people, not because he is hateful but because He is holy, and He wants us to be holy like Him. How much heat do we need to be holy? Unfortunately, rarely does Godly growth come in the good times but in the groaning times. Think back over your life, if you were to graph out your Christian walk on a chart, you would discover that most of the biggest times of growth have come in the challenges not in the comfort. It’s not when our seas were the calmest, but when storms were at their strongest that we draw closer to God. The tests tend to bring us closer to completeness in Him. Completeness, fullness, perfection, perfection is a joyous thing. Not only do tests promote perseverance and perfection but the third joyful purpose is that it wants:

3. WISDOM – verse 5

Testing wants wisdom, amazingly one of the first things we say when we are in the middle of a test is, “I don’t know what to do.” Do you remember who the Bible calls the wisest man that ever lived? Solomon, King David’s son. Before David died, he was told that Solomon would succeed him as King of Israel. What a huge responsibility, can you imagine what was going through Solomon’s mind when David died and he was handed the crown? How in the world would he be able to effectively lead God’s chosen people? That’s quite the test but is it any bigger than the tests we find ourselves facing? God, I just got the results of my biopsy back, I don’t know what to do. God I just lost my job, I don’t know what to do. God I just experienced a painful breakup, I don’t know what to do. God, I just… you fill in the blank. Here is the truth most of the time when God places a test before us, we don’t have a clue what to do and we find ourselves in the same position as Solomon. A king without a clue. But in 1 Kings 3:7-9, Solomon prayed to the Lord to give him wisdom. Solomon was overwhelmed with the test that lay before him, he felt like a helpless child. So, what did he do he asked for wisdom so that he could pass the test. Tests can cause you to feel like Solomon did, overwhelmed, confused and helpless. But like Solomon we can seek the Lord and ask Him for wisdom. Today some of you are facing tremendous tests you are confused and overwhelmed and what you want is wisdom. James encourages us to ask our generous God and He will give us wisdom. Sometimes it’s only in the testing that I realize my need for God and His wonderful wisdom. Because as long as everything is going great what I know is enough. The fourth joyful purpose is not only does it want wisdom but it finds:

4. FAITH – Verse 1:6

Testing finds faith. When you think back to Solomon when he asked God for wisdom, where else could he turn? He couldn’t turn to his dad, David was dead. He couldn’t turn to his family, they were a wreck. There were no “how to be a king” classes at the local college. The test God placed in front of him pointed him in the only direction God. But Solomon could have been stiff necked and refused to humble himself and ask God for wisdom. He could have been determined to go it alone and be the man. But he chose to turn of the pride and look to God in faith. That’s what testing will do for you, it will cause you to follow by faith. In Mark 9, the Bible tells of a man with a demon possessed son. The disciples had tried to heal the boy but failed. Here was a father facing a heart wrenching trial, a son that threw himself into the fire, and when he wasn’t burning himself, he was trying to drown himself. But Jesus told him that his son would be healed if he truly believed. Mark 9:24 records that “straightway the father cried out, I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” This trial caused the father to find faith. He asked Jesus for it and Jesus gave it and the boy was healed. Do all our tests end up with a happy ending? No, sometimes God chooses not to heal the sick. Sometimes He chooses not to remove the thorn from your flesh. But we can rest assured that if we respond rightly not just in our attitudes but also our actions that test will produce perseverance, promote perfection, will cause us to want wisdom and find faith. We will all face tests the question is are we going to pass or fail them? Without Jesus we will fail every time. The greatest test of all only has one question, but it has an eternal grading scale. It is asked by God the Father the maker of heaven and earth “What did you do with My Son Jesus?” Have you trusted Him as your Lord and Savior? Are you living in submission to His supremacy? Only Jesus can give you the patience and perseverance to pass the tests of life. Only He can give you the completeness and perfection you need to pass the tests of life. Only He can give you the wisdom and faith you need to pass the tests of life.