Year 2, Week 41, Day 4 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 41, Day 4

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Acts 14; James 1-2.

Today’s reading continues with the Book of Acts. The Book of Acts is a selective history of the early church, which demonstrates how Jesus, by the Spirit, empowers His followers to continue His work. Yesterday’s reading and a portion of today’s reading reports on the Apostle Paul’s first missionary journey. Acts 14 reports the conclusion of the missionary efforts of Paul and Barnabas, as they went back through many of the cities that they visited on their return back to the church at Antioch: “and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles” (Acts 14:26-27). Today’s reading also includes a portion of the Book of James. This James, who is the half-brother of the Lord Jesus Christ, emerges as a key leader in the early church (he will offer the final proposal at the Jerusalem Council-see Acts 15). The Book of James, one of the earliest written Books of the New Testament, is a very practical work. James 1 focuses on being a doing of the Word so that true religion is tangibly displayed: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves…Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:22,27). James 2 highlights the need for faith in Christ to be evidenced through a life of works: “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?…So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 1:14,17).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading is James’ opening word about trials: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4). Facing trials and understanding how to respond to them is a common subject from the pages of Scripture. Even in today’s reading from Acts 14, the words of Paul and Barnabas, as they revisited the areas where they preached the Gospel and formed churches, acknowledged the reality of trials and the need to press on through them: “When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:21-22). Paul’s word to continue trusting in the Lord amid tribulation corresponds with James’ word about steadfastness in the context of trials.

James knows that in this broken world, believers face many difficulties and sorrows. There are a wide variety of situations and experiences that qualify as trials. What James says concerning “trials of various kinds” means that his instructions are application to occasion. James commands how we should be an essential aspect of our response to trials: “count it all joy.” James calls on Christians to reckon any situation, however difficult, as an occasion of intense joy. Not every element of suffering is joy, and joy need not be the only response; nevertheless, however severe the suffering, every trial is a time for intense joy. The occasion of the trial is a matter of rejoicing, because even in the darkest hour, the Lord is still in control and His divine purposes are getting worked out even through a trial. The difficulties that we face in a fallen world will always work together to accomplish the good purposes of God for our lives (see Romans 8:28). What others meant for evil, God will work for good (see Genesis 50:20).

We respond to trials with joy, not because the trials themselves are joyous, but because “the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” The Lord God uses trials to refine the our faith: "though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire” (1 Peter 1:6-7a); as well as produce steadfastness or endurance: “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4). Trials are used by the Lord to fortify our dependence upon Him as well as to forge character: “And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” So, rejoicing in the context of trials is an appropriate expression of submission to the Lord’s plan to mature us.

But we can respond to trials sinfully rather than joyfully: “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial…Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one” (James 1:12-13). James uses the same word for “trial” as he does for “temptation.” James’ play off of the word for trial and temptation provides an important lesson about the difficulties that we face. Every trial, which is designed by the Lord to mature us, is also an occasion of potential temptation leading to sin. Instead of rejoicing in the face of the trial, we can lash out in anger or unbelief. And when our response to a trial turns into a sinful response, we cannot blame God for the enticement to sin. To realize what takes the occasion of a trial and turns it into a temptation to sin, we need look no further than our own hearts: “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin” (James 1:14-15a).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe