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Teaching Text: James 1: 13-18
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all He created.
Themes
Consider these themes and ask your group what else they see in the passage:
The Crown of Life: Meditations on the Book of James
The Truth about Temptation and Desire
Formation
Thoughts and notes you can use for discussion:
Do you still notice temptation in your life?
Where did you get tempted this week?
What is your go to response when you are faced with temptation?
Give in
Avoid/Escape
Justify
Other…?
James, from his endurance in the fire of trials and with the help of the Holy Spirit, writes this letter.
“Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters when you face trials of many kinds…”
He says “hey watch out if you find yourself blaming God” for the difficulty you are going through, that does something to us. Namely, it turns us away from the person who is our comfort and help.”
Now he writes about temptation.
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
– James 1: 13-15
God can always be turned to in a time of temptation because God is not the cause of temptation.
It’s worth mentioning just briefly, this dynamic though, that there is a difference in our life with God between TESTING and TEMPTATION.
TEMPTATION very often works on a desire that really does need to be met in our life and a suggestion of how to meet that desire without God or in conflict with God and God’s way.
Appetites, Approval, Ambition
Consumption, Security, Status
These are archetype temptation areas of the human life.
God will allow us to be tested, sometimes even lead us into testing. But God does not tempt us to sin.
There are times when testing is essential
Before we are given more power and responsibility
When it needs to be determined if you are ready
If God brings you into a time of testing, it almost always because God wants to trust you with more.
One of the more difficult aspects of maturity is learning to deal with the reality that not everything your mind and heart produces is worth trusting and worth acting on
There can be powerful impulses in our life that are deeply deceptive.
Cultures says:
We need to learn to trust what we want.
Now this takes some nuance to parse because of course there can be good instincts, and wisdom, and true longings that grows up within us
BUT ALSO the long testimony of the Scriptures says that desires can come into our consciousness, into our field of consideration, that if we follow them will not lead where they initially seem they will.
We seek the satiation of our appetites, or the satisfaction of our souls, without considering God and God's way.
The image James uses is graphic; there are certain desires that get you pregnant with death.
There are desires that when followed diminish your genuine human life
The desire for revenge, gives birth to violence, which leads to physical loss of life.
The desires to seek comfort over and over again in a harmful numbing or mind altering substance, leads to addiction, which leads to many deaths before then actual physical death.
workaholism, envy, distraction, lust
How these idols work:
In the beginning there is a great promise and small request
Over time the requests get more and more and the shine comes off the promise
The job, the relationship, the alcohol, the grudge, the envy.
Laziness asks more and more of you gives less and less
“Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”
– James 1: 16-18
If it's good in this world, it originated with God
Have you been in a place where you have been following desires that lead away from God?
Parents:
How do you talk to your kids about desires?
Do you help them recognise desires and help them think through how to be patient and find healthy satisfaction?
Can you help your children be aware of temptation?
How can you help them see the prize of delayed gratification?
