Take a Look in the Mirror

Posted by on July 20, 2008 under Sermons

Read the Text – James 1:18-27

Take a Look in the Mirror –
We glance in our mirrors. We are concerned about our appearance. We devote a great amount of attention to our appearance. How much time did we spend in front of the mirror this morning?

  • It is staggering when we stop to think about how much of our time and energy as a people is devoted to our outward appearance and physical nature. [Clothing, make-up, treatments, surgeries]
  • How much attention do we give to our internal nature? How much do we give to the development of our character and person?

Ignoring the Blemishes …
23-24 Those who listen to the word but do not do what it says are like people who look at their faces in a mirror and, after looking at themselves, go away and immediately forget what they look like.
James describes two blemishes of character: 1) Anger, which usually manifests itself in violent speech. 2) Selfish desires.

    Anger …
    26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
    19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because our anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
    Some would say, “But anger isn’t a problem until it leads to sin.” Some would say that, but not James. James urges us to overcome anger and control our speech because anger tends to draw us away from the righteousness of God. If anger isn’t a problem, then why does James warn us that it will lead to a worthless religion.

    Selfish Desire …
    each of you is tempted when you are dragged away by your own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
    Selfish desire is a malignancy that leads to sin and death. Some would say, “But the desire isn’t wrong until it becomes sin.” Some would say that, but not James. James is urging us to overcome the selfish desire that keep us from being perfect – that is, mature and complete.

Hearing, Doing, and Blessing …
25 But those who look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continue in it-not forgetting what they have heard but doing it-they will be blessed in what they do.
We spend so much time focusing on our outward appearance. We spend much effort on acquiring what we want. Our goal is often to feel better about ourselves. To be happier. But there will always be something else we want and our appearance will never be perfect.
But if we hear the word and do the word – as difficult as that may seem – we are blessed in doing this. The blessing is that we become the sort of people God intended for us to be.

27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress …
Over against the angry, mean-spirited, blemished religion that is worthless to God, is an unblemished religion (pure and faultless) that focuses on seeing to the well-being of those who cannot help themselves. The orphans and widows were among the most helpless in ancient society. Who are the widows and orphans in our society. Sometimes I think it is single parents – they are often without any type of assistance and they struggle to care for their children and work for a living.
We are blessed when we bless others. When we look to the needs of others, we become the sort of people God intended for us to be.

… and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Notice that there is more to “pure and faultless” religion than simply benevolence. We must resist the pollution of the world’s prejudices, warped values, and skewed perspectives. The world is the source of the values and thoughts that lead us to anger, selfish desire, and thus to sin and death.

So James sends us to the mirror of the “perfect law of freedom” and tells us to get cleaned up …
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

We are blessed because we are saved. Being saved means that we become the sort of people God intended for us to be. And James has said something about this implanted word already.
18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, so that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
Here’s the word that shapes us. I am always talking about the word shaping us because I want us to understand that when we speak God’s word and use God’s word to describe our life together and our perspective we are doing more than just teaching lessons. We are letting that word take root in us and letting become embedded and implanted in our character …

Take a Look in the Mirror, and what do we see? Listen to the perfect law that brings freedom, and what do we hear?

I hear James the brother of Christ saying, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
That sounds a lot like Jesus who says, the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. [Matt. 13:23]

I hear James the brother of Christ saying, Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress …
That sounds a lot like Jesus who says, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ [Matt. 25:40]

I hear James the brother of Christ saying, those who look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continue in it-not forgetting what they have heard but doing it-they will be blessed in what they do.
That sounds a lot like Jesus who says, Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” [Luke 11:28]

I hear James the brother of Christ saying, Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because our anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
That sounds a lot like Jesus who says, I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. [Matt. 5:22]

I hear James the brother of Christ saying, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
That sounds a lot like Jesus who says, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” [Luke 6:46]

Take a look into the mirror …
We gaze into the perfect law that gives freedom, we gaze into the gospel, and our goal is to be like Jesus. To be perfect – mature and complete. To listen to his words and put them into practice. Not just to believe, but to believe and do. Otherwise, why do we call Christ the Lord?