Count It All Joy

James 1:1-4

Introduction:

We had a guest speaker in Living Word before, Michael Oh, CEO of Lausanne movement, he
shared about his daughter who was diagnosed with brain tumor. Michael Oh in light of his
daughter’s condition said, no matter how we try to avoid problems or trials, we can’t avoid but
experience it.

Life is hard. We cannot avoid suffering.

Job 14:1 – “Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble.”

Why do we go through suffering or trouble? If it’s something that we can’t avoid and should not
surprised us, then what should be our right response towards trouble and trials and adversities in
life? How should we react?

James 1:1-4: “1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes
in the Dispersion: Greetings. 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of
various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And
let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in
nothing.”

Explanation:

Who is James?
- Half brother of Jesus (Gal. 1:19; cf. Mt. 13:55; Mk. 6:3).
- He was one of the apostles and became one of the leaders of the Church

At the beginning of this letter, we read James introduction of himself