Well, we've made it to the 5th and final week of our Endurance series!
All month long we’ve been focusing on what the Bible has to teach us about
how to persevere in this life!
Pastor Amy kicked off our series 5 weeks ago, with a simple equation. She
said:
• “Endurance = character = hope” - Amy Christie
Amy said there’s no doubt that we are going to face trials and have
pain, but how we face those trials is the key. She said that we can
have confident hope that God is with us, and for us, and that He loves us
deeply…
But that’s not all she said – right at the bottom of Amy’s sermon notes
– I saw 3 little words that I didn’t catch way back on Sunday January 5th!
Right there - the first week of this entire series - the first Sunday morning of
the year, Amy closed her message notes with 3 ominous little words! She
wrote: Bring on 2025! Confidently. Defiantly. As if to say, “bring it on!” Bring
on 2025!
And Amy may not have realized it at the time, but by now it’s pretty
clear to me that 2025 was listening…
I think 2025 was listening and it took her taunting 3 words as a direct
challenge. 2025’s no punk. Amy said bring on 2025 and 2025 said “ok, let’s
go then…” And started pushing back immediately! It’s been an incredibly
challenging month for many of you, and for all sorts of reasons. I know this
because you’ve told me, and I’m right there with you! Only one month into
this year, and I’m already tired!
It has been a challenging month. And I’ll give you an example, ok, this
is what January looked like for me:
Last Tuesday night, I came home from work around 6. It had been a
long day already, but I still had a sermon to finish. This sermon. So, I went
straight to my office and sat down to start writing - when a friend called.
Now, I know this friend has been carrying a heavy load, and I knew
she just needed someone to talk to. So, I paused my work, and we talked on
the phone for an hour. And while we were on the phone, I got a text - from
a different friend in crisis. A friend who is currently walking through
something horrible, and I’ve been doing everything I can to be there for her!
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For both of these women, I love these 2 friends so much, and each of
them were reaching out to me at the same time! So, I started multi-tasking!
Now granted, I wouldn’t recommend navigating 2 separate crises
simultaneously, but there I was: on the phone with one friend, listening and
engaging in conversation, bearing witness to her suffering - while texting
another friend, encouraging her and bearing witness to her suffering!
And I kid you not! At that exact moment I saw an email prayer
request come in from a woman I haven’t spoken to in years! She found me
online because she was desperately searching for someone who would pray
for her son who was suddenly hospitalized and fighting for his life!
It all happened at the same time, and right in the palm of my hand! A
phone call, a text message, and an email, each from someone I love
who was experiencing a crisis.
And I wish that I could say that was a rare occurrence but in reality,
that’s what all of last month was like! Actually, most of last year felt that
way, too! Just heaviness on top of heaviness! Suffering on top of suffering!
No wonder my soul feels tired. Not sleepy – fatigued - tired! My soul has
been doing some heavy lifting!
So, I got off the phone, Tuesday night. I answered the email, I prayed
for her son, I responded to the text from my friend, I felt rung out! So, I
took a break. I went downstairs to where my family was eating dinner, and
feeling the weight of it all, I just blurted out:
“It’s so heavy! It’s all just so heavy! It’s like how much
more weight can we keep piling on??? Grief upon grief upon grief!
This weight feels like pressure on my heart! And I know the Bible
tells us to carry one another’s burdens, and Lord knows I’m
trying, but it’s just all so heavy…”
And just then, right as I had begun to spiral, my daughter looked right
at me, and with all sincerity she said,
That’s why you need that hypomonē!
Hypomonē, that Greek word we’ve been studying all month, the word that
means endurance!
She said that’s why you need that hypomonē, and my spiraling
stopped, and my world came back into focus!
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One word of truth spoken in love has the power to do that! The Holy
Spirit, who lives in us and guides us to all truth has the power to do that, to
arrest our hearts and refocus our attention! In that moment, the Holy Spirit
spoke through my daughter and pinned me to the wall!
“That’s why you need that hypomonē?!” It’s as if she said, “MOM!
Haven’t you been paying attention?! Yes, life is heavy! That’s why you need
endurance!”
I said, “Yeah, Dez. You’re right. I need that hypomonē.” And inwardly, it felt
like my soul had just eked out another rep! Strength gains for my soul.
I said it last week, this word we’ve been studying, the Greek word for
endurance - hypomonē - has become thee buzzword in my house because of
how much it has resonated with each one of us!
And clearly, it resonated with the apostles who used the word no less than
32 times in their letters to the early church. It’s everywhere you look in the
New Testament!
The writer of Hebrews said:
Patient endurance [hypomonē] is what you need now, so that you
will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has
promised.
Hebrews 10:36
The Apostle Paul said in 2nd Corinthians
“We patiently endure troubles and hardships
and calamities of every kind.”
2 Corinthians 6:4
Colossians 1 says:
“We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious
power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need.
May you be filled with joy.”
Colossians 1:11
And Paul says in Romans,
“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials,
for we know that they help us develop endurance.”
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Romans 5:3
Endurance.
If you look at enough of these scriptures that use the word
‘endurance,’ you begin to see some similarities. Like how the word ‘patient’
is often connected to the idea of endurance. In fact, those words are so
closely related, in many passages they’re used interchangeably by
translators. To be patient is to endure, and to endure is to be patient.
They’re inextricably linked.
The word ‘joy’ or ‘rejoice’ is also frequently connected to the idea of
endurance. We see it in Colossians 1, we see it in Romans 5: Be filled with
joy and rejoice when you run into problems and trials.
Endurance and joy are interconnected. But nowhere, perhaps, is that
connection more provocative than in today’s scripture passage from the
gospel of James.
Now I have to tell you, I have wrestled with this scripture for most of
my life. And I don’t think Barry knew that when he assigned this passage to
me – or maybe he did – in any event, today, we’re gonna wrestle it to the
ground.
So would you turn in your Bibles with me to James chapter 1, that’s on
page 1,019 if you’re using a house, Bible. And just like last week, as you’re
turning to the book of James, I’m going to give us some background info, to
set the scene and give us some context before we dive in.
The letter of James was written by James. It says so right there in the
first verse of chapter one. But which James? James was a common name,
and there are a few disciples mentioned by that name, but we have good
reason to believe that this letter was written by James - the half-brother of
Jesus!
This James was a well-known and highly respected leader, the leader
of the Jerusalem church. He wrote this letter to Christian Jews who had been
scattered, suffering economic oppression and injustice. The early church had
been under intense pressure - and they were beginning to fracture beneath
the weight of it all. James is exhorting these early believers to pull together
and help each other remain strong and faithful! He pleads with them not to
break apart into bickering factions!
James is bold - he doesn’t mince words. And that makes some parts of
his letter very hard to swallow. It’s no wonder he had a target on his back!
The powerful elite had James in their sights, because of things like this -
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listen to what he wrote in chapter 5. He issues a scathing indictment on
wealthy oppressors, writing:
“Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the
terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine
clothes are moth-eaten rags. Your gold and silver are corroded. The very
wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire.
James is not messing around! He says:
This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day
of judgment. For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have
cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached
the ears of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire.
You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. You have condemned
and killed innocent people, who do not resist you.”
James was executed not long after he wrote this letter. He was martyred for
his strong words denouncing the way the elite were oppressing the poor…
I told you; he is bold, and he doesn’t mince words.
But his boldness flows in every direction! He had strong words for
everybody! He had strong words for those who would be tempted to use
violent force in retaliation against the powerful and elite! He says in Chapter
1:19
“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to
listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not
produce the righteousness God desires.”
Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires…
James. Just stepping all over everybody’s toes.
Stepping on my toes.
As I said it earlier, I have wrestled with this morning’s hypomonē scripture
passage, for most of my life!
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And here it is, James chapter 1 verses 2-4:
James 1:2-4
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your
way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that
when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So
let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be
perfect and complete, needing nothing.”
Count it all joy.
Can I tell you why I’ve had such a hard time with this scripture?
It goes back to my childhood.
I grew up in a house that had a basement, with a sump pump - and a
backup pump in case that one ever died. We had to keep the basement dry
because that’s where my dad’s business was, he ran a dental lab from the
basement, making bridges and crowns and dental implants.
He was also an avid musician, guitar collector, and recording
enthusiast. He had guitars everywhere, and fancy guitar amps, half stacks,
wall to wall! There were keyboards, a drum kit, and computers with
recording software and every kind of microphone, you get the picture. That
basement had a lot going on!
And occasionally that carpeted basement would take on water, like a
lot of basements do, even with a sump pump! And most of the time we
could just soak it up with towels and run a dehumidifier. But I remember
this one time, the basement flooded badly! It was awful, a flood so bad it
risked not only tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of music equipment - but
also my dad’s entire small business.
I stood at the top of the basement stairs and looked down at the
standing water. I could tell my dad was devastated. I was devastated! That
sick feeling, like being punched in the gut. That helpless feeling. But he just
stood there, threw up both hands, and with a voice of resignation, he said as
he often did: “Whatever! Count it all joy!!”
And those words, in that moment, were offensive to me. In my
teenage angst I clapped back at my dad, “You don’t mean what you just
said! “Count it all joy?!” Is this joyful? What’s joyful about this? You don’t
have to be happy that the basement flooded!”
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I was angry. “Count it all joy…” Those words in that moment didn’t
seem sincere! I could tell he wasn’t full of joy! We didn’t know what got
ruined in the flood! We didn’t know what insurance would cover and what it
wouldn’t. How costly the losses would be? How long until my dad could
resume work? The extent of the damage? We didn’t know any of that. All we
could do was wait! But we certainly didn’t have to pretend to be happy about
it!
Count it all joy. What does that even mean? I don’t think I was mad at
God; I was mad at my dad for flippantly suggesting that this devastation
could be counted as ‘joy’ - and I was frustrated by my own lack of
understanding. Was he misinterpreting that scripture?
I’ve had to go back and wrestle with that verse. I had to do the work.
Anybody ever wrestled with a scripture before? It’s ok. I do it all the time.
And this is what wrestling looks like for me. I have to take it apart,
word by word:
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your
way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.”
Alright. Troubles. What were these troubles James was referring to?
Other translations say, “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials.”
Trials. Troubles. The word is ‘peirasmos’ [(pie-rrahs) MAHS] - and it’s
a difficult word to translate, because it can mean trials as in the act of
testing something out, like a trial run or trial offer. Think about the Olympic
‘trials’ testing the ability of the world's top athletes. Ok?
‘Peirasmos’ [(pie-rrahs) MAHS] in James 1 verse 2 means trials, but it can
also mean temptation.
And just like last week, I referenced one of my favorite study tools,
Biblehub.com, to help me take a deeper look at the word and grapple with
this scripture. Biblehub.com said that this word: Peirasmos’ [(pie-rrahs)
MAHS]
“…Primarily refers to a situation or process that tests a person's character, faith, or
endurance. It can denote both external trials and internal temptations. The term is
used to describe circumstances that challenge believers, either through persecution,
hardship, or enticement to sin.”
Depending on which translation you’re reading, it may say troubles, or
trials or temptations.
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But it does not say traumas or tragedies. There are different words for that.
There’s ‘thlipsis’ [th LEEP sis] -
Jesus uses that word when he says in John 16:33:
“Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take
heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Take heart, take courage.
Paul uses the word in Romans 5 when he says
“… We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering
produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character,
hope.” Romans 5:3,4
We glory in our sufferings - the word used for glory is a verb that
means to “hold our head high.” Yes, we suffer, but we can hold our heads
high, because not one moment of our suffering is wasted, but what seems
like it’s working against us is actually forging our character, strengthening
our endurance, and solidifying our hope.
There are also different words in the Bible for mourning or grieving:
Jesus said in Matthew 5:4
“God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
One of the reasons I had such a hard time with James chapter 1, was
because I didn’t understand its relationship to grief. Where does grief fit into
this idea of ‘counting it all joy?’ Aren’t we allowed to be sad? Aren’t we
allowed to feel human emotion, and be upset about things, or are we just
supposed to pretend like everything’s joyful all the time? Like heartless little
tin man joy robots?!
God did not design us to be heartless tin man joy robots. In His good
design, in his mercy, he has given us the ability to feel.
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I see all over scripture, depictions of those who are mourning being
comforted. Given courage and the ability to hold their head high.
Psalm 3:3
“But you, O LORD, are a shield around me;
you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.”
In our suffering he shields us, and he lifts our heads. He lifts our eyes. And
he holds our heads high.
Of course there is room to grieve. Jesus wept! He wept over
Jerusalem, He wept over Lazarus, He wept in the Garden of Gethsemane!
But even as He wept, Hebrews 12 says that:
“Because of the JOY awaiting him, he endured the cross…”
How was Christ able to endure so much suffering? Because of the JOY
awaiting him. He understood that weeping may endure for a night, but joy
comes in the morning! He understood that the JOY of the Lord was his actual
strength! And even on the way to the cross, even on the way of suffering,
even in the process of dying – He knew there was joy awaiting him.
Matthew 24:13,
“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
James 1:2 is not a disavowal of sorrow. It’s telling us that there’s joy
awaiting us! Joy for the one who will endure to the end!
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your
way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a
chance to grow.
So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will
be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4
Now we gotta talk about that word ‘perfect’ for a minute. And I know,
here I go with the words again, but this is really how I wrestle, and where I
discover the MEANING of what the scripture is actually saying.
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I read that word, ‘perfect’ and I think - well I don’t want to be perfect!
That word has a negative association for me, like ‘little mis perfect.’ Nobody
wants to be little miss perfect! If that word bothers you the way it bothers
me, let’s not avoid it, let’s wrestle with it!
The word for perfect is “teleios” - it's where we get our word
‘telescope.’
The root: Tel, means "reaching the end goal or (aim)."
“Teleios” [tele ahs] means ‘mature, going through the necessary
stages to reach the end goal.
And I’ll risk repeating myself, because I really want to equip you to
study the word, but Biblehub.com says that that word for ‘perfection’
‘teleios’ [tele ahs]
is well-illustrated with the old pirate's telescope, unfolding
(extending out) one stage at a time to function at full-strength -full
capacity effectiveness!
“For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a
chance to grow.
So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will
be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:3,4
Perfect and complete: as in whole. Whole and complete.
I don’t want to be “Little Miss Perfect.” But I desperately want to be
whole. And as a follower of Jesus, as an apprentice to my Master Jesus - I
want my inner self to be functioning at full-strength! Full capacity
effectiveness!
And if I want to be whole, I can’t circumvent the process. I’ve got to
go through each stage. I’ve got to go through the trials and experience the
troubles and temptations of life. There are no shortcuts! There are no
shortcuts to endurance building, there are no shortcuts to becoming whole
and complete!
And that’s what James is telling us with this passage!
James 1:2-4 is a hopeful reminder that we are still in process, and
that even in the process, joy awaits us.
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“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your
way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.”
Consider! This is a decision we make. A profound decision we mindfully
choose! This test is an opportunity – an opportunity to prove whether my
faith is genuine. A reminder that I am still in the process of becoming whole
and complete, and here’s a chance for my endurance to grow. Therefore, I
will consider it joy.
I will choose joy.
1 Peter 1:6
“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you
must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that
your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies
gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So
when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring
you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ
is revealed to the whole world.
You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do
not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious,
inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation
of your souls.”
These trials are an opportunity for me to test the genuineness of my
faith. Therefore, I will consider them joy.
It’s my dad, standing in the flooded basement, throwing his hands up
saying ‘Count it all joy!’
I realize now that He wasn’t being sarcastic! He was choosing to see
his flooded basement as an opportunity to prove the genuineness of his
faith, in the moment! Saying to himself ‘Whatever! Count it all joy’ was my
dad reminding his soul to choose joy! Putting a stake in the ground, defying
the temptation to choose despair, he chose joy instead.
I didn’t recognize it then. But after a lifetime of wrestling with this
scripture, I certainly recognize it now! In that moment, my dad chose joy, as
an act of faith! He wasn’t happy. He was lifting his eyes. He knew this was
an opportunity for his endurance to grow, and that His God would meet him,
right there in his flooded basement. Are you hearing me?
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His God met him in the mess, and I missed it! I stood at the top of the
stairs, and did not choose joy. I looked on, bewildered, offended at the very
thought of choosing joy! And because of that, my world kept spiraling, but
HIS world, because He made the decision to remind his SOUL that the Joy of
the Lord was His strength, His world stopped spiraling and came back into
focus! And his soul pumped out another rep. Because the joy of the Lord IS
His strength! He knew, like we read last week in Hebrews 10, that there
were better things waiting for him that would last forever. Nothing in that
basement was going to last forever! But his eternal soul was being
strengthened and refined, right before my eyes. James said:
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your
way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a
chance to grow.
So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will
be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4
My question for you this morning, what challenges are you facing?
What’s your ‘flooded basement?’ Where do you need God to meet you?
What circumstances threaten to steal your joy and rob your strength?
May I remind you that strength gains don’t come without struggle.
Strength gains don’t come when we try to circumvent the process or avoid
pain. There are no shortcuts.
But the joy of the Lord is not based on emotions or feelings or
favorable circumstances! The joy of the Lord is not an overall feeling of
happiness. It is a voluntary act of the will! A profound decision to lift our
eyes, to love Him, even though we can’t see Him, to trust Him, with an
inexpressible joy.
Choosing to view your trials as an opportunity for great joy, is
choosing to remember and believe that God is with you, and that He loves
you, and that he is not finished with you yet!
We are all still in process. Whatever comes, whatever trials you may
face, God is with you. He will sustain you. In sorrow, he will comfort you.
When life feels heavy, He will give your soul the strength it needs to eke out
one more rep and build your endurance.
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And I want to add this: endurance isn’t just about the heavy lifting!
Jesus promises us that as we learn from him, we will find rest for our souls!
He gives us strength, AND he gives us rest! Strength gains don’t come
without rest days!
So, ask your God, whatever trail you’re facing, whatever weight you’re
under, ask him right now to meet you here – right where you are. You need
that hypomonē? You need that endurance? Ask him to give it to you! Ask
him to meet you beneath the weight of it all, to give your soul strength, to
give your soul rest, and the courage it needs to eek out one more rep! To
grow stronger! To persevere. To endure.
We’re about to move into a time of remembering the faithfulness of
our God, as He meets with us today in the waters of baptism. Each person
who chose to be baptized today is making a public declaration. A conscious
decision to tell the world that they have chosen to follow Jesus! They’ve
chosen to share in his death and resurrection. In his death, and in his life! As
they go under the water, it’s symbolic of Christ’s death. They old ‘them’ has
‘died.’ And as they come up from the water, it’s a symbol of Christ’s
resurrection! New life that is theirs, in Christ Jesus! They are a new creation!
Renewed and restored!
Some of you may have been baptized years ago. And at that time you
were renewed, and restored, but maybe you’ve wandered. Maybe what you
need today is a symbol of re-commitment. Over here we’ve set up candles
that are floating in water – the water represents the waters of baptism. If
you’ve already been baptized, but you’d like to make a public declaration, a
conscious decision to tell yourself and the world that you are choosing again
to follow Jesus, if you desire to re-commit yourself to the life of Christ, come
and light a candle this morning.
If you’re at home watching online, you can do that in your own way!
Light a candle, tell your family, tell your neighbor that you have chosen to
follow Jesus!
The band is going to play, and as they do, if you came prepared to be
baptized today, you can go ahead and make your way backstage.
And for the rest of us, let’s get ready to remember. Let’s get ready to
re-commit. Let’s get ready for God to meet us here again as we draw near to
Him in worship, and he draws near to us. Strengthen our souls once again,
Lord! Strengthen our souls and help us to endure! Meet each one of us right
where we are! Meet us here. Meet us here again!