Friendship With the World

Posted by Chris on September 7, 2008 under Sermons

What is friendship with the world?

James describes three ways that friendship with the world causes us to turn against God’s intent for us.

1. Slander and Judgment – 4:11-12
   Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you-who are you to judge your neighbor?

   When we speak against others we presume too much. We presume to have the final word on someone’s worth, on their motives, on their personality and heart. When we pass judgment on others we are actually presuming that we know more than God who is the lawgiver. [Well, wait we never intended to do that did we?] Well, actually we did because we made a judgment that the royal law to love our neighbor doesn’t apply to us.

   Friendship with the world lead to such arrogance that we would judge others! Who do we think we are? Rather than judge others, let us focus on the judgment of the one Judge and Lawgiver.

2. Arrogance and Presumption – Ungodly Boasting – 4:13-17
   Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.

   When we strive to control our future determine our own fate we presume too much. We presume that we have life mapped out. If you are a control freak, then you really like your map. You don’t like anything that alters that map.

   There is a tombstone shrine in Hierapolis to Flavius Zeugsus. He boasts that in his lifetime he made 40 sailing trips to Rome on successful business – (cf. Ben Witherington III commentary on James)

   The Rich Fool – Luke 12:13-21

   Our life is a vapor. It disappears and cannot be reclaimed by anything we do. We can work all our life, make all the right choices, be successful in all we do and gain great power and wealth, but when we die, our life disappears and cannot be reclaimed by anything we do.

   Friendship with the world lead to such arrogance that we assume that we can secure our life and future. Who do we think are? Only God can secure eternity.

3. Abuse of Other – Taking advantage of the poor – 5:1-6
   Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.[a] You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.

   Grapes of Wrath – Steinbeck describes the plight of the farm workers who are desperate to make a living. 1) There are more workers than work, so the owners lower wages. 2) They charge exorbitant prices in the company store.

   Friendship with the world leads to an acceptance or ignorance of inequality and oppression. This is the worst extreme of arrogance. It assume that our race, our class, our nationality is more deserving or more qualified than another. Once we assume that, then it becomes rather simple to take advantage of those who are less powerful or wealthy.

   Who are we to assume that we can deny such respect to others? God is paying attention to those who suffer because of the greedy and arrogant efforts of those who take advantage of others.

Judgment – Good and Bad
James affirms that there is a judgment. We have portrayed that as something to fear and dread. But why should a humble friend of God fear the day that God makes everything right. [“We are getting our hearing before the judge.”]
Some will welcome the judgment of God, some do not. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t wait for it with humility but also with expectation.

Two Kinds of Wisdom

Posted by Chris on August 31, 2008 under Sermons

Do you remember Highlights magazine? I remember reading it as a child in the dentist’s or doctor’s waiting room. Perfect material for passing the time with puzzles and picture stories. Some of the features in Highlights have been standard. One of those is “Goofus and Gallant,” a comic strip that shows two boys and how each boy would respond to the same situation. Goofus always chooses to behave rudely or irresponsibly, while Gallant always responds with kindness and generosity.

Goofus bosses his friends around. Gallant asks his friends what they want to do next.
Goofus takes the last apple. Gallant shares his orange.

Goofus is always more interesting – admittedly it is fun watching what blunder he is going to commit, but Gallant is the guy you can really count on.
I always wondered if Goofus and Gallant lived in the same town. Did they know each other? Did they go to the same school? Maybe they were even friends.

Goofus is jealous because Gallant received an award for perfect attendance. Gallant changes the subject.
Goofus tries to make Gallant feel guilty for studying and making high grades. Gallant offers to help him study.
Goofus refuses to study and speaks harshly to Gallant. Gallant later forgives Goofus – for the 100th time.

It’s hard to imagine that they had much of a friendship. We can all guess who was carrying the friendship. I’m sure even Gallant could have had a hard time maintaining the friendship. It might have been very tempting for him to look down on Goofus or get stressed trying to rescue Goofus or make excuses for him. It would be difficult for these two to remain friends if one of them doesn’t change.

The ancient definition of friends is people having the same outlook, the same view of reality, the same mind, and above all to share. (And by now we know that Goofus doesn’t share much of anything except for germs.) Long before Goofus and Gallant, James described contrasting views of reality …

Two Kinds of Wisdom – Two Kinds of Friendship

James describes two perspectives; one is called the wisdom from below. It is a way of behavior and thought ordered by the logic of rivalry, competition, resentment, self-preservation, unrestrained desire and hatred. It is the seed of murder and war.

Opposite of this is the way of life that James’ calls the wisdom from above. It is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. It is actually a rather simple view of the world and less complicated because there is no burden of worrying about others – what they think, what they may do. Those with the wisdom from above are friends of God and they share an outlook and perspective with God. They share God’s values. They begin to see the world as God does. Worth does not come from what we have or what we can control or how much respect we can earn. Worth comes from God. He has sown the seed of his spirit in us and we are the soil that yields God’s good and abundant gifts to be shared with all.

But the wisdom from below is friendship with the world. The world isn’t a good friend. Loyalty to the worldly way of seeing things leads to envy, resentment, anger, selfishness. The turmoil and evil that follow are a corruption and contagion that hurts us and hurts others.

Goofus and Gallant are sort of cute for kids. We can excuse Goofus for taking the last cookie. It’s sort of cute when he stomps in the mud. He’s just a kid. But what happens when Goofus grows up and he lives out his basic philosophy in more sophisticated and complicated situations …

Goofus is stressed and unhappy because of his work environment, so he vents his anger at his family.
Goofus has had too much to drink at the game, but he drives home anyway and is involved in a three car accident.
Goofus uses his influence to give a job to a family member and it costs another person a promotion.
Goofus persuades his bookkeepers to lie about company profits so that his shareholders will be pleased, but when his schemes are revealed, employees lose their retirement savings.
Goofus finds a way to save money in his business by dumping waste product in the river, hundreds of people downriver develop cancer.

Goofus, especially at the adult level, is typical of the wisdom from below. James describes it as envy and selfish ambition. And where you have envy and selfish ambition you will also have disorder and every evil practice. The wisdom from below is a cynical and uninspiring wisdom. No wonder it leads to chaos.

The wisdom from below erodes our better nature. Because it is so common, it can be worth a joke at first, like the “Demotivators” series that takes a jab at pretentious, generic inspirational slogans …

Achievment: You can do anything you set your mind to when you have vision, determination and an endless supply of expendable labor.
Arrogance: The best leaders inspire by example. When that’s not an option, brute intimidation works pretty well too.

It’s funny because it’s true, but is this really the world we want to live in? Is that how we want to relate to others, to the world, and to God?
If the wisdom from below is corrosive and corrupting, then the wisdom from above is fruitful. It yields a harvest of righteousness.

• The wisdom from above is seen in a couple in the wake of Hurricane Andrew in 1992. A couple who lost their home is asked if they need anything. They bring the relief worker bags of food and diapers and simply say, “You could find someone who needs this worse than we do.”
• The wisdom from above is seen in foster parents who decide to adopt a severely abused boy whose mother is also a foster child. They have no promise of anything except trials and difficulties, but they wonder who else will care for the child if not them?
• The wisdom from above is seen in a teacher who respects her students so much that they learn character as well as curriculum,
• The wisdom from above is seen in a person who is a perfect bone marrow match for a perfect stranger and yet he donates the gift of life and makes a friend.

When we see true examples of humble people living out good deeds, then we are inspired to believe that the wisdom from above can truly be lived out in our world below.

Friend of God vs. Friend of the World

Now right here is where we have to pay attention, because one or the other of the wisdoms is at work in us. The wisdom from below is saying “Well, that could never be me. I’m just not that kind of person.” We might think that the wisdom from above is gallantry – and we just aren’t sure if gallantry is possible. And the weeds of envy, resentment, cynicism choke out the fruit that God is ready to harvest in you.

But the wisdom from above is more than gallantry. It is humility – humility before God that expresses itself in good deeds. We turn to God and let him purify our hearts. I want you to hear the truth and the good news. It is coming from above and from one who created the world, but is greater than the world; one who is greater that our hearts that sometime condemn us. God is calling us to be different and act differently if he didn’t think we could? Think about that. (Read 4:7-10)
Purify your heart. Ask for the Wisdom from Above. God will give it to you – free! He wants you to be His friend.

What Is Your Vocation?

Posted by Chris on August 24, 2008 under Sermons

[Audio begins with remarks by college student John Carson.]

We encourage our young people to go to college and study so that they might be prepared for their vocation. We tend to think of a vocation as a career or a job. That’s the typical understanding of the word today.

But this word has deeply spiritual roots. It comes from the Latin word vocare, which means “to call.” A vocation is a calling.

• LFC students: They will earn their degrees in physics, business, medicine – but they have a calling to ministry in Christ’s name …
• We see young men and women who would certainly be great people regardless, but they have accepted the call to do something exceptional. A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for …

A servant of Christ is exceptional calling. It is a worthy vocation. We are all called to set sail and be servants of Christ.

We are inspired by our college students and our missionaries, but if we take the message of James and the teaching of Christ seriously, then we are all called to be hearers and doers of the word. Their circumstances are different, but our calling is the same – to live and die for Christ, to practice pure religion, to be hearers and doers of the word.

Unfortunately, there is a bland imitation wisdom that tells us that the kingdom of heaven is a “gated community” within which Christians can feel unthreatened and keep out the undesirables. This false wisdom keeps us in a Christian bubble – a safe harbor from which we never set sail.

If we all led quiet, ordinary lives that kept us out of trouble and safe, we would very likely be content with one another. One can be considered a good Christian if he or she knows something about Christ, goes to church, has been baptized and takes communion every Lord’s day.
But that’s a very minimal Christianity that doesn’t pay attention to one’s vocation.

Jim Wilson brought a need before us on behalf of our Ethiopian brothers and sisters. John Carson has brought Jesus’ words to our attention – the one who takes these words and puts them into practice is like a wise person who builds a house on solid ground.
I also want to place before us a word from Jesus from that same sermon – “Unless your righteousness surpasses the scribes and Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.”

There it is. Jesus is calling all of us to be exceptional disciples. Jesus is calling all of us to be ministers, agents of the kingdom rule right here and now. He is calling us out of the safe harbor and Christian bubble.

What is our vocation? James understood it like this — James 2:14-17

Back-To-School Blessing

Posted by Chris on August 17, 2008 under Sermons

THERE IS NO WRITTEN SERMON TEXT FOR THIS EVENT

Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak, and Slow to Anger

Posted by Chris on August 10, 2008 under Sermons

Self-Control and Speech

Learning how to say just enough, but not too much is standard for interviews …

Throughout the ages, philosophers and moralists have offered advice on controlling one’s speech. They encourage us to be silent and speak briefly. Silence is safer. It avoids misspeaking.

According to James, controlling our speech is more than a matter of self-control. We are meant to be the result of God’s word implanted in us. His word of truth gives birth to a new creation. (1:18-21) So, when it comes to the way we use words, there is more at stake than our reputation.

James says that the tongue (by which he means the power of human speech) is set on fire by hell. He means that this incredible gift of speech is corrupted by the power of evil. If you want to find the frontline of the battle of good and evil it is often in our words …

• We are caught up in a tension between the wisdom from above and the wisdom from below.
• We are either friends of God or friends of the world.

Our speech (and this is especially true of the teacher) hovers in the space between that tension. The way we speak and act is a part of what God is doing to change the world. So James raises the bar and calls us to “perfection.”

• But at the same time James reminds us how hard it is to be perfect.
• James is cautioning us to think twice about accepting the responsibility of being a leader or teacher because of this difficulty in speaking perfectly.
• We don’t have to interpret this neurotically as if some sort of absolute perfection is called for and one can never say anything at all. We need not interpret this hyper-literally as if we can never say something erroneous – even if we don’t know it.
• We live in a day and age when every single word is placed under a social microscope. Words and phrases are parsed and twisted to elicit meanings that the speaker never intended. James is not calling for perfection from the cynical lens of society.
• Rather, James is calling us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger (1:19). He has already stated this and 3:1-12 is an elaboration on that.

Perfection is Maturity

It is not too much to ask that we should keep our speech perfect from the sort of words and language that are borne out of immaturity, anxiety, and anger.

Boasting, slander, gossip, grumbling are types of speech that are not only rude, but they place us under God’s judgment.

• Judgment of God – We are to speak and act as those who will be judged by the law of freedom. 2:12 This is the law of love (2:8) that James has already mentioned. It is rooted in the command to love your neighbor as yourself.

Consistency and Character – Love God, Love One Another

When a righteous Israelite spoke God’s name, he or she would say “Yahweh, blessed be his name.” To speak the name of God is something very holy and heavy. How audacious that we should speak his name. When we speak it, we bless it.

• With the same power and function of speech, one can utter stinging, burning words of condemnation and scorn toward others. It isn’t just that these word are unkind, rude, and hurtful (which they are), but there is a problem on a much larger scale – humans are created in God’s image. It makes no sense that we would bless the name of God and then curse anyone who bears the likeness and spirit of God. That is an inconsistency.

If the source of imperfect, harmful speech is not foolish patter or pontificating, then it is typically anger …

Anger seems to accomplish much. An angry employer drives his employees to greater productivity. An angry husband and father keeps his wife and children in submission and “runs a tight ship.” An angry wife and mother gets her way as the rest of the family does not dare to risk her ire. An angry church leader can bully the congregation, so that no dissension appears within the flock, and a happy uniformity of belief and opinion prevails.

Anger is epidemic. It’s too easy to play the “I’m offended” card. An angry person can intimidate others so that everyone else is cautious of that person’s sensitivities.

Edwin Friedman — “Beware the insensitivities of the sensitive!”

Anger does not work God’s righteousness … A wrathful person stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression. (Proverbs 29:22)

It’s not too much to ask that we show some judgment with the words we use. After all, if we don’t … God will!

But if no one can tame the tongue, what’s the alternative? Are we just supposed to keep our mouths shut and smile and speak nice? Hardly.

No one can tame the tongue – but God can. We can ask for the wisdom that comes from above. We can receive the implanted word that saves us. And it saves our speech.

In the coming weeks we will see that James speaks of a way that Friends of God employ the power of speech in ways that do not harm and tear down, but instead can use words and deeds to bless others, to confess sin, to pray for others, and to sing encouragement.

A portion of the sermon above is taken from the article “Quick to Hear, Slow to Speak, Slow to Anger: A Plea to the Commissioners to the 71st General Assembly” by James S. Gidley which was printed in New Horizons and can be found here: http://www.opc.org/new_horizons/NH04/06b.html

Faith and Works

Posted by Chris on August 3, 2008 under Sermons

Miss America question – Why is it that Miss America contestants are asked, “If named Miss America, what would you do to promote world peace?”

• The interview question portion of the contest seems sort of empty and contrived.
• It’s not that the contestants give empty answers, sometimes they answer the questions quite well, but what is Miss America really going to do about it? That’s the problem. I don’t recall the title of Miss America having any real authority. We never see Miss America brokering peace in the Middle East or enacting legislation to lower gas prices. We know that Miss America cannot really do much, but we want to hear a good answer.
• Then again, I suppose the public and the Miss America organization decided that actions do speak louder than words. So, beginning in 1989 Miss America contestants were required to choose and issue of relevance to society and set out to make a difference in that area.

We have a lot of old sayings that send this message:
Actions speak louder than words.
If you talk the talk, then walk the walk.
Practice what you preach.
The first century version of this is: Faith Without Works is Dead.

What James is Not Saying:

1. He is not saying that we earn our salvation through works.
   1. We cannot do anything that places a claim on God. James 2:24 has been the focus of controversy for many hundreds of years now. It seems to contradict what Paul says in Romans 3:24
   2. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
   3. The confusion is centered on the word justification. Paul and James use the term differently. They both use it differently than we do. We tend to think of justification as legal ruling. Justification is the process through which something “Gets us off the hook.” And the debate for at least the last 500 years has been over that can happen through anything we can do.
   4. Terms and concepts that Paul and James wouldn’t have concerned themselves with have added a lot of baggage to this term. But maybe there’s another way for us to understand “justification.” Take it out of the legal world and move it into the world of typesetting. One makes the text line up on the left, one in the middle, and one on the right. Justify in this sense means that someone or something lines the text up to a norm.
   5. Maybe this gets us closer to the biblical meaning, even though typesetting is completely foreign to James and Paul. God, in his grace, is lining us up. He is moving us from unrighteousness to righteousness. It’s a process; it is change; it is training. He’s making us holy.
2. James is not saying that words and faith are unimportant. He covers the follow up to the concern that faith is just empty talk. He can hear someone who’s really task-oriented saying, “Alright, you take care of the faith stuff and I will handle the deeds!”
   1. But that sort of unenlightened and uninformed work is just as empty and meaningless as faith without deeds.
   2. We can suffer not only from idleness, but also unreflective work. Such work will tend to focus on ourselves and our own talents rather than God and the power of his Spirit.
   3. James is making the case that faith and deeds go together.

What James is Saying:

1. James is saying that faith must be embodied. That sounds a lot like Jesus who taught us that our righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus was the word of God made flesh. Probably no one knew that as well as James.
   1. So the illustration about failing to meet the physical needs of a brother or sister.
   2. We are body and spirit and being a friend of God is faith and deeds.
2. James is saying that faith means risk. Abraham and Rahab. They took a chance, they risked. Why? Because they believed in God’s word. They had faith.
3. James is saying that faith and deeds are always working together.
   1. A friend of God not only believes what God believes, but does as God would do.
   2. This goes back to the lesson of hearing and doing the word. We have to put it into action.
   3. We must be careful that we do not get caught up in any false dualism that forces an emphasis on faith and teaching to the exclusion of action OR an emphasis on action to the exclusion of prayer, reflection, teaching and faith.

A. J. Jacobs – The Year of Living Biblically

• Jacobs sets out to live the instruction of the Bible as literally as possible. Nothing is left out. Along the way he finds that this task begins to affect his thinking and his actions in more than just the obvious externals (like growing a beard and wearing fringes). One of the people who quizzes Jacobs about his project is his free-spirited, hippie neighbor Nancy. Nancy lives alone with her dog Memphis and she is working on a book about Jimi Hendrix.
• On Day 372 of his project, Jacobs learns that his neighbor Nancy has died. Jacobs feels regret. Maybe he and his wife should have invited her to dinner. Maybe he could have helped her get her book published. He could have bought her a gift to repay her for the ones she bought his son. So many good thoughts and good intentions, but no action.
• His last chance to redeem himself was to find her dog, Memphis, and good home. After some work and campaigning with friends, Memphis found a good family in the suburbs. He moved from the apartment to a house with a yard and a porch. Jacobs felt like he had done something that Nancy would have liked, but he flashed back to a question that Nancy had asked him months ago: Did he help because the Bible told him to, or because he really wanted to?
• What Jacobs discovered was that in time and as faith matures, the line between pretending to be better and actually beginning to be a better person fades away. What the Bible says and what he wants to do merge.

We can ask so many questions about faith against works, maybe we just need to start letting them work together as God always intended.
I commend this congregation. May God help us to 1) know what we believe and trust in God’s grace for salvation, and 2) live out that salvation and show it at work in us through the things we do. I see it.

CURE, Hope Chest, Car Care, Girls Making an Impact – see, we even have a name for some of it at West-Ark. But then there are all the many and varied ways that you are showing your faith in your deeds: visiting others in the hospital, providing for the needs of those who cannot supply them, fellowship that overcomes loneliness, taking meals to new parents, young people mowing the lawn of widows, sending a card. That’s not just busy work – that’s faith.

Do you have faith? Put it into action.
Are you active in good works? Great, but is your faith in the work or in the One who equipped you and prepared the work for you?

Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment

Posted by Chris on July 27, 2008 under Sermons

Read James 2:1-13.

William Booth – The Salvation Army began with William Booth’s ministry to the poor in East London. As a minister in the Methodist Church, Booth once entered the Blind Beggar Tavern to preach. He proclaimed, ‘There is a heaven in East London for everyone,’ he cried, ‘for everyone who will stop and think and look to Christ as a personal Saviour.’From the pub came a volley of jeers and cursing, followed by a rotten egg. The preacher paused, egg running down his cheek, prayed, and turned home.

Even though Booth’s followers were converted, churches did not accept them because of what they had been. In those churches were they were allowed, they were forced to enter through the back and sit in the back. Seeing that there was no welcome of these converts or spiritual guidance, Booth left the Methodist Church and formed the Salvation Army as a sort of church on the streets.

The time and place where we ought to feel most loved and welcomed is too often the time and placed where too many feel judged and excluded.

Scenes – I want to paint some images for you.

• A woman with her two children feels judged and eventually just stops going to church because she has heard others comment on how her husband doesn’t attend church with her.
• A church with a bus ministry holds a separate children’s worship because some of the members are frustrated by what they call “the smelly and unruly bus children.”
• A white family with an adopted black daughter is told they might want to consider that their daughter might feel worshipping with her own kind.

These scenes are real and they have unfortunately been repeated in some form or another far too many times …
The time and place where we ought to feel most loved and welcomed is too often the time and placed where too many feel judged and excluded.

A Word from James
After hearing James 2, which is probably one of the earliest Christian writings, how could anyone who claims to be Christian show favoritism or discriminate – especially in worship?
After hearing James 2, how could anyone who claims to be Christian dishonor, exploit, or judge those who are “poor in the eyes of the world?”

In the ancient world, society was structured by classes. People had a station in society. The ancient philosophers believed that society functioned properly when everyone held to their station. No one intended to shame or abuse those of a lower station, but when such philosophy meets the reality of human existence abuses follow. We play favorites. We know that those of a higher rank can help us if they show us favoritism, so naturally they receive special honor. In time, society structures they way that honor and station is to be demonstrated – perhaps in the clothes one wears or the bowing, the language, even something as simple as seating arrangements.

America resisted that sort of structuring of society. Everyone is the same legally in America – well, not at first as women had to be given the right to vote and servants had to be regarded as whole persons and set free. But we’re there now and the fundamental principles of this nation got us there. So we do not treat individual persons according to status or rank in society. The partiality that remains among us is much more subtle. But it is there. We cannot cop out and say, well that’s just the way things are. James won’t allow that. It is a part of the world system and James warns us not to be friendly with it. Rather, as friends of God James is urging us to look at reality differently. God is turning reality upside down so that the poor are favored and rich in faith. God is defining community not as a place where everyone is stratified according to income or lineage, but we are all the same in Christ. God is calling those who would be his friends to practice a morality that comes from the heart of the law that gives freedom. James’ text for his sermon is Leviticus 19:18 – Love your neighbor as yourself. [James’ brother said that this was the second greatest commandment]. James must have had verse 19:15 in mind too: Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.

I have appreciated the feedback from those who like James’ straightforward message. It doesn’t get plainer than this: Don’t discriminate! Don’t judge! Show mercy!

That’s plain – and yet, if we are honest we tend to squirm when confronted by this teaching. What if we’re “rich”? On a world scale, most of us are wealthy. Right here in America, many of us would be considered wealthy. Do we have to feel guilty about that? – can’t we just enjoy what we have without feeling guilty? James has no interest in making us feel guilty. Rather, he wants us not to judge. Don’t discriminate. Don’t play favorites. And by all means practice some mercy!

Rhetorical Question: Okay, someone says, I haven’t done that. I wouldn’t do that. Alright, but we know too many stories that turn out to be true don’t we. The time and place where we ought to feel most loved and welcomed is too often the time and placed where too many feel judged and excluded.

Rhetorical Question: I wonder, is there a risk if we don’t have some sort of judgment? How will we ever maintain holiness and decency if we aren’t aggressive in our expectations?

This is how the pick-n-choose approach to religion begins. Our worry and anxiety, rather than mercy and faith, lead us to be double minded and unstable. James shows us that if we are going to honor God’s morality as God’s friends, then we need to honor everything in God’s word. For instance, we are concerned about sexuality purity and rightly so. God said – Don’t commit adultery. Jesus taught us that that includes lust. We should respect this word of God if we are going to be his friends. But we must also respect the word “Do not murder.” And Jesus taught us that this means hatred and contempt and not just killing. We have to be just as discontent with expressions of such immorality.
James shows us how to maintain holiness and decency as God’s friends: 1) Love your neighbor as yourself. That’s how you do right. That’s how you keep the law – strictly! 2) Show some mercy. We are going to be judged – by God. And judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who doesn’t show mercy.

Bottom line: Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Our time together in worship and assembly is special. It is a sacred time. We ought to be reverent. Reverence means honoring God, but we do not honor God when we are unmerciful, discriminatory, rude, and ungracious in our attitudes toward one another. We follow the “rule” that brings freedom, not oppression. If we want to honor God then we will be rich in faith and honor others, especially those that God notices …

We all have our favorite songs to sing when we come together. I imagine that James was thinking about a church song when he was addressing the church. It was a song that tells us a lot about God.It is a song that his mother taught him … his mother, who also happens to be the mother of Jesus Christ. It’s a song that James mother, a woman who was in her time judged harshly, sang out when she experienced God’s mercy and kindness … [Luke 1:46-55]

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.
He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.
His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.
He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful.
For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.”

Take a Look in the Mirror

Posted by Chris 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?

First Century Christianity

Posted by Chris on July 13, 2008 under Sermons

What do we mean by the phrase “first century Christianity?” What do we mean by the phrase “New Testament Christianity?”

• Like the Great Commission or Golden Rule, it is a shorthand slogan that refers to something we all accept, but do we mean the same thing by it?
• 21st century Christians like to summarize their faith in a simple statement on MySpace or Facebook …
• It is a slogan that has been around for more than 200 years …

Among leaders of the American Restoration Movement such as Alexander Campbell and Barton Stone, it means returning to the earliest era of Christianity as a way of restoring the church. It was an attempt to divest Christianity of corruptions and return to a simpler form.

• The emphasis on forms, names, ordinances, and structures
• It was a mostly a reductionist approach. They understood what they wanted to set aside, but how did they understand the core and the substance of first century Christianity?
• Also, what point and what place in the first century do we model?
• 21st century Christians who are committed to the idea of being first century and New Testament, might want to get a firm handle on what the slogan should mean and not just what we’ve always assumed that it means …

What would a first century Christian say about New Testament Christianity? Let’s listen to a first century Christian and get his take on it. Not just anyone, but someone who is regarded as a pillar of the church, a leader respected and honored by Paul the Apostle. Let’s ask James, who grew up in the same household as Jesus of Nazareth. James, the brother of Jesus. Here’s a first century Christian with impressive status, but in his greeting he calls himself nothing more than a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In his letter, James is a reliable voice who gives us a glimpse into the core of what it means to be a Christian. James summarizes Christianity as being a “friend of God” as opposed to being a “friend of the world.”

Friend of the World – What does he mean by “world”? The world is not a place. It isn’t planet earth. It isn’t even modern times (because James is a first century Christian). The world is a system of values, but it goes beyond the beliefs we hold. It is a set of ideas about reality, community, and morality that shapes our character and actions.

More important that understanding world, what is meant by friendship whether it is with God or the world? In the first century, friendship was understood as a strong bond existing between those who share a common interest or activity.

• Abraham was a friend of God. He demonstrated a commitment and faith that came from his perception of the hand of God working in the world. He wasn’t limited to the values and limitations of “the world” and the natural way of things.

So, if we want to be first century or New Testament Christians, then according to James we are friends of God. Being a friend of God means living out a commitment to God. We are friends of God when we incorporate into our outlook and behavior a common interest, a friendship with God, which gives us a sense of 1) reality defined by God, 2) community defined by God, and 3) morality defined by God. READ JAMES 1:1-16.

Reality Defined By God

1. Wisdom (1:5-7) – Wisdom from heaven, a different perspective. Not the double-minded instability of the world.
2. Reversal of position – the rich are in a low position and the poor are in a high position. God redefines reality and gives perspective – life comes to an end and riches will not change that.
3. Trials and what’s real- an unusual response to difficulties. It isn’t God punishing us. “What does God want you to learn from this?” 1:13-15 – Rather evil and sin in the world has ruined the creation. But if we are friends of God and learn to see the world truthfully, we are in line to become the “firstfruits” of creation …

Community Defined By God

1. America was not the beginning of egalitarian community. In fact, we must admit that this nation hasn’t always lived up to the high idea of all men being created equal. But James calls out to us over the centuries and in the first century he understood, because he was a friend of God, that everyone is created equal. Why? Because God doesn’t discriminate.
2. There is no rank and status in the community of God. James himself is a servant. The poor and the sick deserve as much attention as anyone. In the community of God’s friends, everything we have is a gift of God, so we share it with others just as God shares with us. The world’s system of values, separates us, classifies us, alienates us, but in God’s system there is one Lord and we are both his servants and friends.
3. That makes us friends to one another.

Morality Defined By God

1. The first century had its share of moralists. There was plenty of advice on how family members, rulers and subjects ought to behave. There were strong opinions on how people should act in the first century. The goal of the moralists was about the same of our moralists today
   • The decision making process focuses on the human predicament and the human dilemma.
2. We must be very cautious about focusing solely on the human dilemma, on manners and forms as the basis of morality. Here’s why: the problem is that focusing on manners can appear very right and good. It looks right if we do things the right way. It looks right if we have the right answers. It looks right if we hold to the right positions. It looks right if we restore the right forms. But that doesn’t mean we are righteous!
   • Being a friend of God means placing our decision making process (ethics) in line with God’s ways.
   • The July Christian Chronicle tells the story of John Rainbow, 83, an African-American Christian who is a song leader for the Manhattan Church of Christ in New York.
   • We dare not define our morality by the manners, trends or the traditions of the age – even if they seem right. And having a form of righteousness is not the same thing as being righteous. Being righteous means being a friend of God and placing our morals in line with God’s ways.

Conclusion

Restoring first century Christianity means restoring the spirit and ethic of God’s ways, not just forms. It means rekindling friendship with God. James has a word for the 21st century about what it means to be a genuine follower of Christ. Let’s spend some time listening to the words of Jesus’ brother who is summoning us to be friends of God. Along the way we are going to be both encouraged and challenged.

God Helps Those Who …

Posted by Chris on July 6, 2008 under Sermons

Our text today is familiar. I am sure that if I started to say it, you could complete the statement.

“God helps those who … help themselves”

That’s our text, but I have no Scripture reference for it. I doubt you will find one for it.

• Perhaps we will have to settle for saying, “Well, it’s in there somewhere.”
• We all know it. 75% of Americans believe that this statement is in the Bible. So it must be in there, right?

But this statement isn’t “in there somewhere.” It comes from Benjamin Franklin who published the statement in Poor Richard’s Almanac … [Before that it was in Aesop’s fables].

• And if that doesn’t cut it, we can just argue that “It sounds biblical.”

Is it biblical? It comes from Benjamin Franklin after all. So the thought must be biblical. What was Franklin trying to communicate? Maybe he was saying that whenever we work to improve our situation that this is really how God helps us. God helps us through our own efforts. But then, is God really helping us at all? That’s not biblical.

• That reminds me of a scene from the movie, Shenandoah … (Jimmy Stewart’s prayer) — “Lord, we cleared this land. We plowed it, sowed it, and harvested it. We cooked the harvest. It wouldn’t be here and we wouldn’t be eatin’ it if we hadn’t done it all ourselves. We worked dog-bone hard for every crumb and morsel. But we thank you just the same for this food we’re about to eat. Amen.”

Maybe it really isn’t a statement about us at all. We understand that we have responsibilities and effort is good, but let’s not expect God to just drop manna from heaven. But if you want to be biblical, that’s closer to the mark. What is the biblical teaching then about God’s help? (With respect to Ben Franklin, the biblical teaching is a little different.) There are three themes that come up in Scripture again and again …

God Helps The Helpless – God cares about those who are oppressed and those who cannot help themselves.
Isaiah 25:4 – “For you have been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat…”

Psalm 10 – God is a champion for those who have no one else. Those who take advantage of the helpless will find that they have to contend with a very powerful friend of the helpless.

God isn’t opposed to us who have wealth, influence, or strength. Rather, we just need to place ourselves behind God. And we certainly don’t want to be caught up with those powers that do take advantage of the helpless. We need to be more like Jesus …

Matthew 9:35-38 – Jesus’ ministry was all about embodying the help of God … Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

God Helps The Lowly – God actively works among us in our lowliness. By lowly we mean that which characterizes “low rank.” God loves to help those who don’t rank high by our high standards of evaluation. There is a theme throughout Scripture of God reversing our expectations of what makes one strong, noble, and powerful. Paul summarized it …

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 – But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

• Abraham and Sarah – Youth or an old man and his barren wife to begin the nation of promise?
• King David – The highest ranking, most influential, strong, brilliant specimen of humanity. Someone with a proven record of experience and leadership. Or a scrawny kid who cannot fill out warrior’s armor? A sheep-herder with a lot of guts and a strong faith!
• Jesus and his disciples – For the all important task of leading the church Jesus could have selected from the sharpest Rabbi’s, upper class power-brokers. Instead he chooses fishermen, tax collectors, and extremist zealots. Some of them may not even have been out of their teens.

Psalm 138:6 – Though the LORD is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly, but he takes notice of the proud from afar.

God Helps The Sinful – Finally, we have to recognize that no matter how well-off we are by worldly standards, no matter how much we’ve accomplished, and no matter how hard we have worked – where it really matters we are all helpless. When it comes to our need to be saved from our brokenness and sinfulness we are all helpless …

Romans 5:5-8 – For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

There are two ways we can hear the message about God’s help …

1. When we are confident in our accomplishments and our own abilities. When we are secure in our power and strength (control). When we are comfortable in our status and influence. We need to …
   1. Give thanks to God
   2. Get on board the ministry of God to help the helpless and lowly
   3. Be careful that we are not taking advantage of those who are vulnerable
   4. And remember that ultimately we are all helpless before God (but the good news is that God helps us with that)
2. When we feel helpless. When we experience hardship that makes us feel weak. When we are up against powers that threaten to overwhelm us. When we wonder how we are going to pay our debts. When we wonder how we are going to overcome temptation. When we worry over the future. When we are angry to the point of despair because of those who never seems to be held accountable for their oppression. We can take hope from the good news that …
   1. We are on God’s list — Read Psalm 121 …

God helps those he loves! Be assured that God will help you, for he loves you. Like Jesus, we want to embody that help.