"The Devil Made Me Do It, Not!" James 1:9-15

Welcome back to the Panhandle brothers and sisters in Christ. And if you do not yet know Christ Jesus as your Lord and Saviour I'm glad you dropped by also. If you remember last week when we looked at verses 5-8 of 1^st Chapter of James we saw that when we lack wisdom all we have to do is ask and God will answer us. James also told us that we must ask in the right spirit, we must fully trust that God will keep His promises to us. James did not pull any punches; he said that if we are double-minded we should not expect our prayers to be answered.

Today as we pick up our study of God’s Word, James uses wildflowers to teach us an important lesson. One of the major areas in which we need the wisdom of God is in relationship to riches. Do we use our riches wisely or do we let our riches rule us? Do we bemoan our seemingly lack of riches or do we see how wealthy we really are?

How many of you remember the saying, “The Devil made me do it.”? The devil never made anyone do anything although starting with Eve he has tempted everyone who has ever lived and he will continue to do so until Christ Jesus comes back.

As we get ready to look at verses 9-11, I find myself wondering if anyone who knows Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior is ever really poor.

James 1:9-11

9 The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position.

1. The Humble Brother (v. 9)

Remember who James was originally writing to? He was writing to those who had fled Jerusalem in the face of persecution. Many literally fled with just the cloths on their backs and maybe a small pack or bag. In most cases they left their homes, their furnishings, their valuables, even their families – they had very little in the way of money and no prospects

Don’t you think it would be easy for those folks to become depressed, feel resentment, and maybe even start to question their choice to follow Christ Jesus? After all how would you feel in their place?As I was looking at these Scriptures I thought of a song from the play Godspell:

Some men are born to live at ease, doing what they please,

Richer than the bees are in honey

Never growing old, never feeling cold
Pulling pots of gold from thin air
The best in every town, best at shaking down
Best at making mountains of money
They can’t take it with them, but what do they care?
They get the center of the meat, cushions on the seat
Houses on the street where it’s sunny..
Summers at the sea, winters warm and free

All of this and we get the rest...

But who is the land for? The sun and the sand for?

You guessed! It’s all for the best...

Do you ever find yourself feeling like this? I know I do every now and then.

These early Christians were being physically persecuted, economically persecuted and spiritually persecuted. The reason for this persecution was their belief in Christ Jesus. And yet James encouraged these early Christ followers and you and me by reminding us that no matter how oppressed or downtrodden we may feel we can still glory in our high position

How can you find glory when you are being pressed on all sides? James is basically saying that those who find themselves in poor circumstances should take pride in the fact that better circumstances wait for them in the eternal kingdom of God! Easier said than done right? Yes and no. It is impossible to take pride in your circumstances if you focus on you. You must focus on Christ Jesus.

Look at what James said here in verse 9, you are to glory in your high position. The Greek word used here comes from the root word auchéō (ow-kheh'-o) which means “to boast.” That is what James is encouraging you to do. You should be boasting or rejoicing or glorying in the fact that because of Christ Jesus your circumstances are only temporary. But in order to boast in what Christ Jesus has done and will do for you, you must know Him personally.

It should not be the riches of this world that we rejoice in, they are fleeting and temporary at best.

James 1:10-11

10 But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.

2. The Rich Man (v. 10-11)

What is the appropriate way in which Christians who are rich should relate to their wealth? After all the wealthy person faces the temptation of glorying in their wealth instead of God. James was not saying that one could not be rich and be a Christian. What he was saying was that you should not glory in your riches, but God instead.

To many this counsel may seem very strange. In fact, it is contradictory to everything that society teaches us about the power and glory of riches. James speaks of humiliation in verse 10. Was he just using “kingdom talk” and sharing his counsel in the perspective of the kingdom of God? Was he speaking of the humiliation of being rich and then loosing it all Maybe he is using the “rich” to represent the unrighteous. Maybe it is a blending of all three. What is clear is that the rich man’s wealth was temporary. To put your trust in anything but the Godhead was and is foolish. All but God are temporary.

To prove his point James compares riches to the flowers of the field which are attractive when in full bloom. But, at best, their beauty is temporary. (v. 11). When the sun rises with a burning heat and the wind begins to blow, it withers the grass and the flowers drop off their stems and their beauty comes to an end.

Warren Wiersbe writes, "Our values determine our evaluations. If we value comfort more than character, then trials will upset us. If we value the material and physical more than the spiritual, we will not be able to count it all joy! If we live only for the present and forget about the future, the trials will make us bitter, not better."

Will you let your trials make you bitter or better? Will you place your trust in the material and physical or in the spiritual? Will you serve wealth or God? Matthew 6:24 –"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

James told the poor believers that they could glory in the fact that they were “fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household” (Ephesians 2:19). Want to know a secret; you can glory in that same fact if you know Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. If you don’t know Him, well why not change that today and share in the glory?

If you are tried; and all of us are at some time, and continues to develop in your life of obedience to the entire will of God, your rewards are far above any wealth offered by this world or the prince of it.

James 1:12

12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

3. Perseverance Has It’s Rewards (vs. 12)

A double blessing is promised to those who faithfully endure their trials (v. 12). “Blessed” is the same term which appears in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:11-12). “Blessed” best describes an inner quality of joy that can only be found in God, one which is not affected by external events.

Have you ever noticed that the New Testament often describes people whom the world would never regard as blessed or fortunate in any sense? That is because those in the world miss the point and some times so do you and I when we are in the middle of trials. The point is that having the trial is not a blessing in itself, but the stalwart endurance of the trial brings blessings.

Remember this as you go through your trials, the one who endures receives the blessing of a crown and not just any old crown. This is not the kind of crown that is physical and therefore perishable. This is a crown of spiritual privileges which give a deeper, fuller life here on earth - John 10:10 – "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” It also gives you an unending, joyous life in the world to come.

Enduring trials for God’s glory shows that you love Him. And God has stored up marvelous blessings for you who love Him.

Now about temptations, that is the lust of your heart which causes you to trip and some times fall. They are not from God, God will not tempt you.

James 1:13-15

13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

4. The Real Source of Temptation (v. 13-15)

James uses the word "temptation" in the most general sense (v. 13-14). To tempt means to entice, assay, examine, or try. Temptation, then, means “a putting to proof—for good” or “an evil enticement—for bad.” James is saying that anything that will try one’s faith, whether affliction, or persecution, or a direct enticement to sin that is placed before your mind is a temptation.

From the very beginning of the human race, we have faced temptations from Satan and have been playing the blame game for our weaknesses or shortcomings. Adam began this wrong behavior by blaming Eve for the fact that he had eaten of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:12). In turn, Eve blamed the serpent for her disobedience (Genesis 3:13).

However while God does send trials or allows trials in your life, He does not tempt you. Also it should be noted that God is not to blame for the evil effects of trials or temptations in your life. God is the source of everything good – therefore He cannot call you to disobedience by enticing you to evil. God allows trials; not temptations, to produce holiness and endurance in you and me. You and I alone must hold the blame for any evil effects of trials and temptations in our lives.

Satan is the real source of temptation. He will tempt you and usually on a daily if not hourly basis. When confronting the Pharisees, Christ Jesus said, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies...” (John 8:44). James outlines the beginning of sin in the human heart here in vs. 14 and 15.

In fact, James presents a four-step sequence of how temptation takes place in our lives.

First, we are tempted when we are drawn away from God by our own desires or lust. As John reminds us, because of our sinful nature, all of us are attracted by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

When Christ Jesus became man, He was tempted in every way which we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). He faced the temptations of the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (Luke 4:1–13).

Second, we are enticed by the sin. The word “entice” is deleázō (de-le-ä'-zō), which comes from the base “to entrap.” It means to allure or beguile. In short, it is Satan who tempts you with evil. He is the source of all evil in your life just as God is the source of all good. Satan knows your strengths and your weaknesses. He knows the “bait” which will most readily entice you. He wisely meets you at your point of lust or desire and then offers you that bait just as surely as he offered the forbidden fruit to Eve.

A man was trout fishing in a small lake in the mountains of Southern California. He was using the usual bait of salmon eggs which are usually very attractive to trout. He wasn’t having very good luck, so he began to visit with the other fishermen, he discovered that they were using different bait and were having great success in their fishing. Strangely enough, they were using marshmallows—and that unusual bait was enticing the trout!

Third, James contends that when this lust conceives, it gives birth to sin. Submitting to lust always leads to sin. The way of the flesh always results in evil just as certainly as the way of the Spirit always leads to good. Sin never adds quality to your life. Although there are the momentary pleasures of sin and the lust of the flesh, sin ultimately subtracts from your life. When you sin, you are always a loser; sin produces nothing eternal except eternal separation from God if it is not repented of.

Finally, when sin is full-grown, it brings forth death. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). There is a way which seems right to man, but the end of that way is always death (Proverbs 14:12).

Conclusion: Temptation that leads to evil begins with lust which leads to enticement which points to sin which results in death. Yet all good and perfect gifts flow from God and He never changes, He is always good and perfect. The Father of light sent His Son to chase away the darkness of evil, temptation, sin and death. Will you step out of the darkness and into the light? Will you invite Christ Jesus to become your Lord and Savior?

Study Questions

1. Who James was originally writing to?
2. How do you think these 1^st century Christians felt? You know many of our brothers and sisters face this kind of persecution today. Take time to pray for them.
3. You should be boasting or rejoicing or glorying in the fact that you belong to ________ _________.
4. The riches of this world that many rejoice in, are _________ and ____________ at best.
5. To put your trust in anything but the Godhead was and is what?
6. What is the point if having the trial is not a blessing in and of itself?
7. What kind of crown do you receive for your trials?
8. Will God ever tempt you? Then who does?
9. Was Christ Jesus ever tempted like us? Can you find a biblical example?
10. Does sin ever really add to your life? If not what does it ultimately do?