God is the source of every good and perfect gift

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Today we begin a new sermon series that focuses on our theme for this year as a church and school:  “Generosity” and the “Joy of Generosity.”   We focus upon the generosity of God. So do you think of God as generous? Why or why not? How you respond to those questions is going to depend on what your knowledge of God in the Bible is. How you respond to those questions depends upon your experiences of the past and the present.  So do you think of God as generous? Why or Why not?

A young pastor on a college campus was setting up a rented facility for worship. He found a young girl sitting in the dark. “I hope you don’t mind my being here,” she said. “I don’t believe in God.” The pastor responded: “Why don’t you tell me about the God you don’t believe in. Maybe I don’t believe in him either.”  Sure enough, the God she rejected was one that sits on his hands, does nothing about the pain of the world, watches like one watching a game, invents arbitrary rules to keep people ashamed and afraid, and finds delight in passing his killing judgments. It was a pleasure for the pastor to say to her: “Guess what? I don’t believe in that God either. He doesn’t exist.”  She asked “So what is God like?”  The pastor replied. “My God is the God of music and laughing, of science and beauty, of patient justice and tender mercy, of everything that is alive and everything that is good. He is not far from you if you think you know what love is or forgiveness or meaning or hope. My God is the inventor of fireflies and the one who first thought of the cool summer nights in which they could fly. My God is the one you can thank for your shoes and the feet you put in them. He is the binder of broken hearts and the God of second chances.”

Today we focus on the Word of God in the book of James 1:17 to see the God who made us and determined where we should live and how long we should live so that we might seek him and find him. James write in verse 1:17: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” The Word of God is clear. Every good and perfect gift comes from God our Heavenly Father. He does not change in his approach to us either in his love for us or in the good gifts that he gives to us.

Sometimes we may not look at God as being generous. Why? The reasons why we do that: #1 God created all things. Therefore he must have created all the bad things. The Bible clearly tells us that God made everything perfect. One of his perfect angels we know as Satan rebelled against God. God tell us Adam and Eve rebelled against God when they were tempted and that is why sin and disease and death came into the world.

Sometimes we may not look at God as being generous. Why?#2. God is God. Why does he permit evil and bad things to exist? The Bible tells us he did something about all the bad stuff. He gave the perfect gift of his own Son to remove the debt of sin and guilt and give life forever in heaven. In the context of our text today James gives us an answer for the source of many bad things in our life. “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴ but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. ¹⁶ Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers (James 1:13-18).”

God’s Word speaks of the problem of temptation, that is, not the suffering that Christians experience but rather the evil suggestions to a believer’s heart and mind to rebel against God’s will. While God indeed allows, and sometimes even may send, hardships upon his children, his purpose in that is always good: to test their faith as genuine and to draw them closer to him, away from this sick and dying planet. We will humbly accept James’ warning and daily repent of our sins, so that an unrepentant attitude won’t cause our spiritual death. We need to cling to Christ’s gospel. The gospel is the good news that God was active in proving that he loved us. God the Father had a plan and that was to send his Son, Jesus into the world. Jesus in his love carried out the plan to be born, live under the will of God for us and reveal the compassion and love of God in his ministry and his life given in humility and love on the cross.

My dear friends as we look at the words of James 1:17 about the source of every good and perfect gift focus on the specific actions of God described in the Scriptures about our generous God. The Father gave his Son for us. The Son of God, Jesus, gave his life for us. God’s generosity is revealed in his precious Word.   “Accept the word planted in you, which can save you (James 1:21),” Christ’s obedient life and innocent death are shared with repentant sinners through the message of God’s Word. All believers need to grow in a real knowledge of God’s generosity and the joy we have knowing that generosity. Those who persevere, who hold on to God’s Word and promises, will receive the crown of life.

Sometimes we take the credit for the good things that happen in our life rather than giving the God the credit and praise due him. What are the reasons we do that? #1 We practically speaking forget that God is the source of every good and perfect gift. We give ourselves more credit than we deserve. We may look at our children as people we have created rather than precious gifts of God he has given us to nurture and love and bring to a wonderful knowledge of who the real God is. Sometimes we take the credit for the good things that happen in our life rather than giving the God the credit and praise due him. #2. We have a selective memory when it comes to the Scriptures. Go back to the readings today to once again focus on the joy of knowing our generous God who made us and has given us life. Paul reminded the people of Athens of what God was really like and what he did as the creator of all things and all people that we might seek him and know him as the true God. In the Gospel lesson Jesus reminded his disciples not to worry about what to eat and drink because our Heavenly Father who takes care of the birds and provides the beautiful lilies of the field will take care of us. Therefore we are to seek his ruling activity for our hearts through his Word.

Today in our text from James 1:17 we are reminded to go back to the Scriptures to see what God is really like. Keep on focusing on God who is the giver of every good and perfect gift.“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ¹⁸ He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created (James1:17-18).” Everything in our lives that is truly good comes from God the Father, who dwells above the heavenly lights (the stars). He doesn’t change, loving us one minute and then turning on us. He is the Lord, the God of steadfast covenant-love, who does not change like shifting shadows. He gave us our physical lives, and then he gave us rebirth through his mighty Word into spiritual life so that we might be a kind of first fruits, that is, the prime, prize part of all creation, the part that he is proudest of. This, not temptation into sin, is God’s gracious will for us. This comforting thought will help us trust our heavenly Father in everything. Such thinking and living lead to praising God, trusting God, generosity to others and in so doing giving God the glory. James helps troubled and hurting Christians see that God doesn’t want to hurt his children.

So what is your God like?  What would you have told the young girl?  God is very active in his love for each person. God’s love and activity of the all knowing, ever present, all powerful and eternal God is revealed in the precious gift of life and his creation but most importantly  in God’s perfect gift of his Son.  The Bible is clear in telling about our generous God: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”  You can believe, trust and live in confidence each day with this generous God because has given us a new birth through the word of truth. God has given a clear knowledge of him through the Bible. Live joyfully for him who loved you generously. Amen.