“The Father Who Gives Good Gifts” (James 1:17­–18)

“The Father Who Gives Good Gifts” (James 1:17­–18)
^{Cameron Jungels/Eastside Baptist Church/Sunday AM, June 21, 2015}

James 1:17–18 (NIV)
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. ¹⁸ He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.


1.    Our Heavenly Father Gives Good Gifts (v. 17).

a.    God’s gifts may not always seem good from our limited perspective.

⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!  ¹⁰ They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.  ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.  (Heb. 12:9-11, NIV)

b.    God’s gifts may not always be exactly what we ask for.

⁹ "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!  (Matt. 7:9-11, NIV)

c.    But all of God’s gifts, including trials and difficulties that enter our lives, are good and perfect gifts that flow from his wisdom.

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  ²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (Romans 8:28-29, NIV)

2.    Our Heavenly Father is Faithful (v. 17)

a.    God is not like the false deities worshiped by polythestic ancient cultures.

i.    These gods were thought of as capricious and demanding, tumultuous and unpredictable.
ii.    Our Father in Heaven is not tumultuous and unpredictable. He is steady and sure.
iii.    He is fundamentally unchanging and faithful to his nature.

• He is faithful to his promises and faithful to his word.

3.    Our Heavenly Father is Gracious (v. 18)

a.    Our status as God’s children does not flow from us.
b.    Our status as God’s children flows from God’s gracious choice.
c.    Though we were unworthy, God chose to give us new birth through the gospel (and his regenerating Holy Spirit).
d.    New birth always comes through the Word (and the Spirit).

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." (John 3:8, NIV)

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Pet. 1:23, NIV)

e.    We are now a part of the family of God.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!  (1 John 3:1, NIV)

4.    Our Heavenly Father Loves Us and Desires our Ultimate Good (v. 18).

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her  ²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,  ²⁷ and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Eph. 5:25-27, NIV)

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  ²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (Romans 8:28-29, NIV)

Main Idea: We have a faithful, gracious, loving Heavenly Father who desires our ultimate good and gifts good gifts to his children.