Don’t Waste This – Part 3

James 1:13-18 ~ May 3, 2020

Introduction

          What do Kronk (from the Emperor’s New Groove), Bart Simpson, Donald Duck, Fred Flintstone, Peter (from Family Guy), Patrick (from Sponge Bob), and Pluto the dog have in common?

          They’ve all been drawn with an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. (In Patrick’s case, they were both donuts!) Most of us understand the symbolism, there are competing impulses within people—the impulse to do what is right versus the impulse to do what feels right at the moment (these are not always the same thing).

          Sometimes, the struggle between these two things feels more intense than it should be.

I remember the time one of my children did something wrong. When I found out, I was mad as a hornet. I had to go pick up that child from work after finding out and on the way, I kept praying, “God, help me with self-control. God, I’m really mad, help me not to go off and blow up this whole thing.” When my child got in the car, I did exactly what I prayed I wouldn’t do—I exercised zero self-control and let my anger rage. That wasn’t God’s fault for not granting my request; it was my fault for listening and responding to the wrong voice!

          Have you ever been there? You find yourself in a situation where the choice between the right course of action and the wrong course of action is clear but it’s a struggle to settle on the right choice? It’s almost like there’s an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other and each is making their case about what you should do. Do you know what I mean or am I the only one who faces that kind of struggle?

          What is true in during the normal rhythms and routines of life is often amplified in times of disruption, hardship, and uncertainty like the one we’re facing now. God’s word has something to say about that.

A quick review

• James wrote this letter to a group of people whose lives were disrupted and were living through hard and trying times.
• They had to flee Jerusalem because of mass persecution against Christians. Many were imprisoned; some were killed. Those who weren’t ran for their lives.
• James’ letter was partly a note of encouragement but it was couched within a reminder that no matter where we find ourselves—even in hard and trying times—there is a right way to live and a wrong way to live.
• That’s clearly evident in the passage we’re about to read.

James 1:13–18 (NIV84) 

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 person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

¹⁶ Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ¹⁸ He chose to give us birth through the word of truth that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Like the animated characters I opened with we too experience competing voices.

• One voice prompts us to do as we see fit—give full vent to our frustration, live as if there are no boundaries, insist on your own way, use our words as a weapon, etc.
• The other voice says, “slow down, think this through, don’t say or do something you’ll regret later.”

These are the voices of temptation and testing.

          We all understand the voice of temptation whether we are followers of Christ or not. Temptation is that urge to do something you know you shouldn’t do. Sometimes, it’s as benign and having a second helping; sometimes, it’s as a serious as the impulse to lash out and hurt someone. And giving in to temptation often results in a feeling of regret over what we said or did and who got hurt in the process.

          James was clear, such impulses do not come from God. He does not lay traps waiting for us to fall for them. Instead, he’s all about helping us learn to stand.

          Why would James write about this subject to people whose lives had been disrupted? He did it because temptation is often amplified in times of disruption and hardship. When things feel out of control, we like to take control.

          James taught his readers that though God allows times of disruption and hardship, he does not bring temptation. Because he can’t be tempted, he doesn’t tempt us.

We are tempted when we are dragged away and enticed by our own evil desires. The phrase dragged away and enticed carries vivid imagery that we don’t get in English. In the Greek language, it carries the idea of baiting a trap or a hook. Temptation always carries with it some bait that appeals to our natural desires. It not only attracts us, but it also obscures the fact that yielding to the desire will eventually bring sorrow, regret, and maybe even pain or punishment for us or someone else.

          James then changes gears. He moves from bait and hooks to the birth of a baby.

• First comes desire – the bait plays on this.
• Next comes conception – we take the bait.
• Conception is followed by birth.
• Birth is followed by growth.
• Growth is followed by death—the sorrow, regret, pain or punishment meted out on ourselves or someone else.
• Growth and death may take years but be assured they will come.
• In this instance, birth is not a good thing because sin causes damage both now and in the long run.

James’ main point here is don’t allow temptation to deceive you about God.

• He is for you, not against you!
• Listen closely to what I’m about to say: His gifts are good – even when they are in the form of difficult and trying times.
• They are not intended to trip us up.
• They are intended to strengthen us and prepare us for the remainder of the journey.

The proof God isn’t trying to trip us up is that He chose to save us from the consequences of sin. Why would he make provision for our salvation only to cut us loose later? God is not in the catch and release business!

Misunderstandings about temptation

Misunderstanding #1 – Temptation = sin.

• That is not true! This is an important point!
• Some immature Christians think that continuing to be tempted means there is a problem with their relationship with God.
• Continuing to be tempted means you are human, and you care about doing the right thing. You will face temptation until the day you die. Some seasons will be stronger than others, but you will never leave it behind.
• Temptation is not sin!

Misunderstanding #2 – I have no choice but to give in to temptation.

• You always have a choice!
• To be tempted implies having a choice.
• Just because temptation is strong doesn’t mean you don’t have a choice.
• 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT) - The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
• Because the choice is ours, so are the responsibility and the consequences!

          We are living in a hard and trying time of disruption. Truth be told, we just want this to be over, we want to get out of it. When I think about that, I can’t help but think of Mark Batterson’s words from Draw the Circle, “We’re often so anxious to get out of difficult, painful, or challenging situations that we fail to grow through them. We’re so fixated on getting out of them that we don’t get anything out of them We fail to learn the lessons God is trying to teach us or cultivate the character God is trying to grow in us. We’re so focused on God changing our circumstances that we never allow God to change us!” May that not be the case during this time!

• Imagine if we all choose to listen to the voice that says, “slow down, think this through, don’t say or do something you’ll regret later.”
• Imagine what that might mean for us, our families, and our consciences!
• Imagine, if during this tough and trying time of disruption, we choose to listen to the voice of truth instead of taking the bait and doing or saying something we’ll later regret.

Communion – We’re going to pause right here and celebrate communion together. It is a great reminder that we don’t have to listen to the voice of temptation. Concerning Jesus, the writer of Hebrews penned these words, “We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin,” (Hebrews 4:15, NIV)

Song – Brandon – The Voice of Truth

Next Steps

The voice of truth is not the voice of temptation.

• The voice of a temptation is always a lie.
• It cannot deliver what it promises—not in the moment and not for eternity.

Which voice will you listen to?

• The choice is yours.
• Which one will you listen to in the moment?
• Which one will you listen to with your life?
  • One will bring strength, resilience, blessing, and peace.
  • The other will bring death—spiritual death and relational death.