Let us go before the Lord in a word of prayer before our blessing in the word. Lord, may your name be glorified tonight. May you use me as a faithful vessel to preach the truth to your faithful people. May we live out your word each and every day in all that we do. And may we bring you glory tonight, this week, and forevermore. Amen. Tonight's passage is going to be in James chapter 1, verses 9 to 12. And we're going to continue in our study in the book of James. And I've titled this sermon, Trusting God's Sovereignty and Walking in Humility. If you can turn in your Bibles to James chapter 1, verse 9 to 12, we'll read the verse before we get into the rest of the text. Verses 9 to 12. It reads, Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass. Its flower falls and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. And blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial. For when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. So last in our study in James, And as we continue our study, James was initially addressing suffering that was going on in the early church. And what was happening that James is now going to address is how believers ought to respond in situations in this context where some Christians within the church are currently without basic necessities. And just to refresh our minds, And we're going to go over the background context of the letter to James. And remember, so James is writing to early Jewish Christians who were severely persecuted during this time. To the point that they were forced to flee away from Jerusalem, forced to flee their homes, leave everything that they knew, and leave their livelihoods. And we read about this persecution in Acts chapter 11, verse 19. And that passage reads, now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch speaking the word to no one except Jews. So some of these early Christians had to flee approximately 300 miles leaving the entire livelihoods there original churches there in Jerusalem, because of this intense persecution in the first century. So in response, James is now aiming to encourage these Christians, to encourage them in the midst of their trials that has displaced them hundreds of miles. And James is addressing a practical issue. There's a practical issue now that's arisen due to the persecution and what it's done to these early Christians. They've had to flee. And now that they've fled, Just imagine if you would have to flee and it's not like you would have weeks notice to pack up, make sure you got everything, get a little caravan going, pack up your SUV all nice and sell your house on Zillow and then buy a new property and kind of, we're just going to go somewhere else. No, this is intense, severe persecution that came on them. Everything was at stake. If they were to live, they must flee. And so now the practical issue that James has to address is some of these Christians are now in lack. They don't have basic necessities. If you just had to pick up all your belongings and up and leave, there is much that you would leave behind. I hope you wouldn't stick around while everything is still going around and things are being destroyed as Christians are literally being hunted down and executed. Because as we read, that's what happened with Stephen. He was put to death as he was being persecuted. And so the only thing that they could have with them, possession-wise, was whatever they could carry on their journey. And they didn't have SUVs and cars with AC and heaters and all these things. So they had to do most of this journey on foot. But there were some Christians who were more well-off. And so now, those who are well off, they're able to sustain and provide for themselves more sufficiently than others. So James is faced with this pastoral issue among these Christians. And so what is he to do with the fact that some Christians are in great need because of this persecution and lack basic necessity? while unable to provide for their families and at the same time other believers who are more wealthy and affluent can provide and sustain themselves. And as we'll continue to read, James is going to point out several biblical principles that will guide us how to live faithfully and humbly as ultimately what James is going to do, and we'll see this, that he's going to call us all to rely and depend on God's sovereignty in his providence and in his provision. And so four points that we're going to cover in this text. is one is humiliation and prideful exaltation, the second point reversing it, prideful exaltation and humiliation, temporal riches versus eternal blessings, and a crown of victory to the victorious. And beginning in verse 9, We see James says, let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation. So immediately the first question is, who exactly is James referring to when he says the lowly brother? Who's the lowly brother? Who's the lowly? So typically in the New Testament, lowly is a term used to refer to the humble, to the contrite, to the poor in spirit, so spiritually humble. But in this context, what James is referring to is not the spiritually humble or the poor in spirit. What James is referring to is those believers who presently find themselves in the humbling circumstances. And we get this from the Greek word tepeinos, which means being of low social status or the relative inability to cope because of the lack of necessity and lowly being undistinguished of no account. So James is speaking to those of low social status. They're not wealthy. They don't have much material possessions anymore. They're not affluent by any means, especially with all the personal loss that they have just suffered. They've had to flee everything, can only take what was with them. And to these, James exhorts to boast and their exaltation. And you may think, boast? in my exaltation, with everything they have going on, everything that they're suffering? In what way are these poor Christians, who are now impoverished, and most of them probably were not impoverished, they probably had homes in Jerusalem. They had all these basic necessities, and now they are in severe lack. So imagine that situation for yourself. And James is telling them to boast in their exaltation. And the word translated here for exaltation, it means height or high position, even eminence. And so what James is saying here is that even though you may be in lowly, humbling circumstances, and you may be facing trials just like they are, that strips you of everything and basic necessity, you must never forget this. In Christ, every single one of us, though on earth we may be in lack, severe, In Christ we have been given all the riches of His grace. And so this is what James is highlighting, emphasizing to these impoverished believers now. That they must boast in their exaltation. So even though you lack physical needs, the Lord has now bestowed us all spiritual blessings from heaven on high. And even the most lowly, impoverished Christian is richer and wealthier than any rich man on earth. Any Elon Musk or anything. Jeff Bezos, anybody. That's the reality. And even though the most lowly, impoverished Christian can be experiencing all the testings and trials and suffering that comes from lack, God has bestowed on that Christian more than any rich man could ever accumulate for themselves. And so this lowly Christian, James says, ought to boast, to take pride in his exaltation. And you think, pride? Is pride a bad thing? Christians aren't supposed to shun pride? No, not when it's directed at the proper object. So pride is a good thing, even a necessary thing, James is referring to here. The Christian ought to be filled with pride, as long as that pride is in his glorious Lord, and the gracious blessings, and the riches that are now bestowed on us, that we get to now enjoy. 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 31 says, Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord. So, dear Christian, if you find yourself in humbling circumstances and are brought low in this present earthly life, just like these early Christians here in the first century, remember to take pride and boast in your exaltation. And you may be thought of as lowly in front of everyone here, you may be thought of as lowly as Here on earth, amongst circles outside, you may be thought of as what we saw that word meant, as of low or little account. But in the eyes of the Lord, in the eyes of your Father in heaven, along with all of his heavenly hosts, you are seen as part of God's exalted creation. Your earthly humiliation is cause to boast and take pride in your heavenly exaltation." That's what James wants us to understand. And so James, in the next verse, he's going to address another group, the rich, those who have the possessions, those who are more wealthy, who are more affluent. And to the rich, James emphasizes and exhorts them not to boast in their exaltation, but rather in their humiliation. And you say, boast in my humiliation. Yes, boast in your humiliation. But what exactly does James mean? And here's what he means. James is actually using the same Greek word as he used when he was addressing the lowly Christian. It's the same word. And now what does that mean? The word, tepenos, right? So the rich are not to boast in their riches or wealth or possessions, but rather in their lowest state, in their lowliness and humble, contrite condition. So James is contrasting these two Christians, these two kinds. And I want to be careful here. I'm not saying that there's this kind of Christian and this kind of Christian. But obviously, within the body of Christ, there's a mixture. especially in this context in the first century that now they're facing the severe persecution, you have some who have much wealth and affluence and possessions that they can still care for themselves, and you have those now in the given circumstances, they have nothing at all of little or low account in the world's eyes. And so, what James is addressing and how he's contrasting the lowly Christian and the stately Christian from a worldly perspective. He calls the lowly to not become so focused on their lack that they begin to become discouraged, discontent, or despair in the fact that they are now in lack. Instead, he wants them to look and keep their eyes on the glorious truth that the Lord has already exalted them. that they are not forgotten by God, that rather they are highly esteemed by the Lord. And to the rich, James says, they are not to boast in their worldly wealth and possessions and riches, which they may be tempted to do or to begin to trust in them. But he wants to remind them of the fact that though they possess much, though they possess a high position on earth, they are to be lowly in spirit and humble. So in other words, they should boast and take pride in their humiliation. That just as Christ humbled himself, taking on the form of a man, suffered on our behalf, even though in truth he was, is, and always will be the highly exalted King of Glory, he lived a life of humiliation, not humiliation as an embarrassment or shame. The original context of that word means to descend from a high position. And that's what was Christ's pre-incarnate glory. He was in a high position, the highest exalted position. And that's exactly what Christ did, right? He condescended in his incarnation to take the form of a man. So likewise, the rich ought not boast or take pride in their earthly exaltation, but rather in their spiritual humiliation. That James gives the reason for this, and he goes on to justify and explain what he says, that like the flowers of the grass, the riches will pass away. He continues in verse 11, For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass, and its flowers fall, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. So what's James saying here? In other words, James is exhorting the rich not to put their hope and trust in material possessions that are temporal. Temporal riches that fade away and are gone forever. But to put their hope and trust in eternal riches. Not that which is temporal, that which is eternal. and to not be like the rich fool that we read about in Jesus' parable in Luke chapter 12, who says to himself, I will build bigger barns, and I will store all my goods. And then he says to himself, you have stored many goods for many years, so eat, drink, and be merry. And what does the Lord say to the rich fool in Luke chapter 12? He says, you fool, this very night your soul is required of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be? So, do you see how this connects with James' point that no matter how hard we can work to strive to obtain riches and wealth, to obtain material possessions, even good health and blessings, it is ultimately the sovereign providence of God that determines our status. That you can pursue health, and the very next moment, disaster will strike you and our families, and you can fall ill, stricken with disease or disability. That you can pursue financial health. Make sure your finances and retirement portfolio and investments are all in well order, but the very next moment, the Lord can take it all away, and we will be left impoverished. And here's the thing to think about. Do we think that the Christians, who James is referring to, that he's writing to now, do you think they knew in advance that they would face such intense persecution? That it would come to this, that they would be forced to be in this situation? Right, hundreds of miles having to leave with whatever they can carry, with their children and everything? Leave all their livelihood? Absolutely not. In the same way, I can tell you that our generation, the Christians of today, are entirely unprepared and sadly asleep to face any kind of intense persecution as this. We're not ready that if and when it were to come, because one day it will come, that if it would come, it would catch many off guard and entirely unprepared. So brothers and sisters, it should not be a surprise what I'm saying to you when we consider all the various passages in the New Testament that warns about the coming last days with the increased hostility that the church will face. And it is not without reason that the Lord also warned us about a time of coming persecution where we will be hated by nations because of our love for Christ. It amazes me that sometimes people think that they can be so Christ-like as to be loved by the masses. When Christ himself, who's the most Christ-like because he is Christ, was not loved by the masses. I believe there's an arrogance in that way of thinking. There's no amount of love for Christ or love for the people, our neighbors or anyone, and we should have love for our neighbors, we should have love for those outside, we should have love for the world in the same way that the Lord has love for the world. But there's no amount of that that can keep us, prevent us, from the hostility of those who are hostile to God. It can't happen. So we very easily could end up like these Christians that we're reading about. And we don't want to be like the rich fool with the building up barns and storehouses, thinking that will save us. It cannot. So therefore, we must be ready, not by storing up goods on earth where moths and rust destroy, but for storing up for ourselves treasures in heaven. That's what the Lord calls us to. So now James's point, I want to be clear here and clarify some things, James's point is not to say that the Lord favors the lowly or the poor by virtue of being poor, or that the Lord is being extra hard on the rich simply because they're rich and wealthy. I want to make this clear. That's not James's point. There are some within so-called Christian circles that think that the Lord has a special place for the poor, for the oppressed, by virtue of being poor and oppressed. OK? But that, I would tell you, is false, and it's an unbiblical way of thinking. It's circulated within the movement of social justice, that thinks by virtue of someone being poor or oppressed, that the Lord has a particular, special, unique favor simply based on the virtue of them being poor or oppressed. And in fact, James actually goes on to condemn any kind of favoritism or partiality. And we'll read about it in upcoming weeks. And favoritism and partiality in either direction, to the rich or to the poor. And we'll just read that little text in James 2, 1 through 4. where it reads, My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, you sit here in a good place, while you say to the poor man, you stand over there, or you sit down at my feet, Have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? And also, this point connects with Leviticus 19.15. So James is not the first one addressing this. In Leviticus 19.15, it reads, and it explicitly states, Do not, and listen to this, Do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great. But in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. You see that? The Lord is a perfect and partial judge. So you too, therefore, each and every one of us, ought to live impartially, not judging with favoritism. This is an important point to understand because this passage has been used and abused to proclaim a false social justice theology that I would argue is really Marxist to the court. And it comes from an unbiblical philosophy of critical race theory. And it seeks to exalt the poor, the minority, the oppressed, and show partiality to that category, that demographic, while despising the wealthy and the affluent. But nowhere in scripture is wealth explicitly condemned for the sake of wealth, and nowhere in scripture is poverty exalted on virtue of poverty. In fact, exalting poverty is something that is known as asceticism. This was a very well-known practice and still exists today in many regions. And monks did this in the Middle Ages. You see this in Buddhism, Hinduism, some Catholic monasteries. So this is still done to this day, where at the root core of asceticism is to denounce any and all worldly possessions and live in monasteries, shave heads, go around tattered clothing, right? Living the lives of poor men and women because they've been taught and deceived in thinking that it is a more noble and holy position to God. But brothers, clothes and houses and outward material possessions doesn't make you neither closer nor further to the Lord. But that's what asceticism believes. That's what it teaches. But the Lord does not condone a life of asceticism, where you have to live and denounce all your riches and wealth and possessions, and neither does the Lord condone the unbiblical teaching of prosperity gospel that says life is all about health, wealth, and possessions. Notice that those two positions, prosperity on one side, prosperity gospel teaching, and asceticism on one side, they both fall into the same ditch. Do you see it? They both are obsessed with the outward, external material possessions. Either in obtaining them, prosperity gospel, or renouncing them, asceticism. But we know, in both the Old and the New Testament, the emphasis is not on the outward part of the man or the woman, but on the heart. And so if you are trying to gain favor with God, draw nearer to God, bypassing the heart and focusing on some sort of outward thing, whether it's clothing, material wealth, or possessions, you have missed the point. So neither asceticism nor prosperity is what the Lord is talking about here, and that's not what James is talking about here. And the Lord comes in and puts forth clear biblical truth for us, and it is this, listen to this carefully. Whether we are rich or poor, it is the Lord's sovereign providence and sovereign purpose that he has predestined what our current status is. I'll repeat that one more time. It is the Lord's sovereign providence and sovereign purpose that is predestined what our current status is, whether in want or plenty. And the reality is, all that you have, all that we all have ever owned and will ever own, has been given to us by the Lord's sovereign goodness and grace. And he has determined that you ought to be someone gifted with wealth and possessions or ought not. Now, this does not mean that you are free to do and live as you please with the gift of wealth and affluence. In fact, Scripture calls us to be faithful stewards with all that we are given from the Lord, whether small or great. Whether in lack or in abundance, we are called to live for the Lord as faithful stewards. So, dear Christian, if you are blessed with the gift of wealth, don't despise it. Use it. Use it, and use it for the Lord's glory and His kingdom, not for your glory in building up barns. Do you see the difference? Use it to care for those within the flock who are in need and lack. And to this point, listen to the Apostle Paul's words in 2 Corinthians chapter 8, verses 10 to 15. You don't have to turn there, I will turn there for us. 2 Corinthians chapter 10. I'm sorry, chapter 8, 2 Corinthians chapter 8, verses 10 to 15. And it reads, and in this matter I give my judgment. This benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work, but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness and desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. And here it is in these last three verses. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness, your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need. that there may be fairness. And as it is written, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack." So what's Paul's point? Your abundance will supply the needs of those who are lacking and in necessity. You are given a gift, you're able to love those within the church by graciously providing for their needs. And on the other side, You who are in lack can see firsthand God's loving grace and mercy working through your brothers and sisters as they bless you and meet your needs. And that's what's going on here. And that's what Paul meant when he says, so that they would be fairness. And I know for me and my family that we've been blessed by people within the body of Christ who are more wealthy and affluent, right? Just last year, most, you know, Sophia, our four-year-old, was in the hospital for two weeks, and bills get expensive. Very expensive, especially when majority of that time is in the ICU. And we didn't know how we were going to pay for any of it. And quite frankly, we didn't care with everything that was going on. But because of the gracious, loving kindness of other brothers and sisters in the body, they were able to bless us and help pay for those mountain of medical bills And this is like just one example. I can keep going through my head, there's so many. And that comes ultimately because the Lord's sovereign grace and goodness to bless individuals that then affords them the opportunity to bless those in need. And there is fairness in the body. You don't have to be purporting social justice nor prosperity gospel teaching. But regardless, in all things, whether in want or plenty, we must trust in the Lord's sovereign providence and provision. So rather than obsess and focus on possessions, whether we have them or have them not, we must rely and trust in the Lord and His sovereign providence and provision. It's the Lord that we ought to put our trust and hope in. Because if we are rich, we can lose all of our wealth, just like the sun scorches the grass. Flowers fall, its beauty perishes. That's James point. And if we are in need and we lack many things, we put our hope and trust in the Lord. Rather than trust in our own plans, our own wisdom, our own methods to pursue wealth and provisions. to try to come up with a plan out of anxiety, but we ought to trust that the sovereign, gracious God, who cares for the sparrow and adorns the flowers and the lilies of the field, will also care for us and provide for us. Going on to verse 12, the final verse, and this here is the capstone verse, not just for this passage, but also for everything that James has been addressing on the topic of suffering. And if you remember, in the beginning of chapter 1, James began his letter with, count it all joy when you face trials of various kinds. And then he went on to discuss how the Christian ought to live and persevere amidst those trials. Now James ends this section with the ultimate Christian's goal in suffering, which is the ultimate prize and reward for those who strive to persevere in trials. James says that Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him." And so James wants each of us to understand that blessed are you when you remain steadfast under trial. That same word blessed is used in Christ's Sermon on the Mount in the Beatitudes, where Jesus there says, blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." And this goes perfectly with James' point. Even though you are amongst those who are persecuted for righteousness, you are impoverished, you are in lack, you are in want, Yours is the kingdom of heaven. Not temporal wealth and possessions that fade away, but heavenly, spiritual, eternal wealth, possessions, and riches in the kingdom of heaven. That's what the Lord, and that's what James meant, that you are blessed. And James says, blessed with the crown of life. on the condition that we remain steadfast, if you endure, if you persevere until the end. So no matter what comes your way, whether it's persecution where you're forced to flee, you must remain steadfast. Is it a hardship of lacking in necessity? Remain steadfast. No matter the situation or the trial, James calls us to remain steadfast and to know this, to know this truth to the depth of our soul, that it is the Lord who is sovereign. And because He is sovereign, we can have full confidence with every fiber of our being that His faithful providence and provision, which brought us to this position, will care for us. through the whole thing, will strengthen us, will lift us, will encourage us, fortify us, will grow us, stretch us, change us, conform us, transform us, sanctify us, and uphold us. If he cares for the lowly sparrow, how much more so will he care for you? And so this is the Lord's eternal and absolute promise to each of us as he speaks through James. He promises to gift us with the crown of life for those who love him, who love him more than their own riches and wealth and possessions, and who love him despite not having riches, wealth, and possessions. and that in all things we seek the Lord's eternal riches and blessings, and that we rely on His provisions, and trust wholeheartedly in His providence, not our ability to be able to make plans and amass for ourselves wealth and possessions, not in the riches and blessings that the government can provide, or not in the riches and blessings that we could pursue through worldly pursuits, and to not be discouraged when the world does hate us, persecute us, sends us fleeing with nothing, but to continue to put our hope and trust in the Lord, who is sovereign over all, that in all things, Above all else, we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and trust that these things will be added to us when we persevere through trials, seeking Him each and every day faithfully, no matter what, whether in want or in plenty, knowing that the Lord of glory has bestowed all the heavenly riches that can possibly be bestowed on the life of the believer. And that is true, whether you are suffering, and whether in need, or whether you are in plenty. It is true, all the time, no matter what. And we ought to focus on this, and focus on seeking first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, come what may, come whatever trials. And to God be the glory forever, and all these things. Amen. Now let us go before the Lord in prayer. Lord, thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for working in the hearts of everyone here tonight, here listening, whether present physically or not. I pray that you would continue to do so, that you would humble us, that you would help us to see and understand that you who are sovereign, Lord, that we can trust wholeheartedly in your sovereign goodness, your sovereign providence, and your sovereign provision to lean wholly on you and your name and your grace and your riches. And may we never look elsewhere but hope in you and you alone. Amen.