The Book of James: 4:1-17

Last week, I was talking to a student that wanted to get baptized and I asked him to explain to me his salvation moment and his understanding of baptism- which by the way, if you have accepted Christ and have not been baptized, the Bible teaches that baptism is an act of obedience that we do as a public display of our inward faith. If you want to get baptized, let’s talk. Anyway, as this student was sharing his experience, he used a phrase that I thought had a lot of wisdom.

We are so used to thinking that God is on our side- which in a sense is true but this student understood the deeper truth. The Bible teaches that we are on God’s side. He is not on our side, as he converted to our team, but we are on His side, as we converted to His team.

When I was younger, my brother and dad followed a Soccer team- La Liga. As a kid though, I would say that I liked another team, Saprissa. For a while, my brother and my dad would tease me. They pressure me so much that I ended up abandoning my loyalty to Saprissa and became La Liga fan. Even to this day, I claim to be a La Liga fan. Now, I switched team because I was teased and pressure to do so. My question to you is, why have you made a decision to follow Christ?

Have you considered which “team” you have pledge your loyalty to? One of my constant prayers is that as a ministry we will be able to teach you and encourage you to realized that Jesus is the best decision that you can make. I have pledge my allegiance to King Jesus. He is a good King, but don’t miss it. Jesus is King, He is Lord.

We are in James 4 today and here is my main point:

Main Point: When we are part of Jesus’ team, He is in charge.

Are you ok with that? I know this is counter-cultural to our American identity of individualism but Jesus is Crystal clear and we will see this in James 4. I don’t know about you but the more that I grow in my faith, there more I am ok with this. I am ok with Jesus being God. With concepts that I cannot fully comprehend or explain, yet are consistent with Scripture. I am ok with surrendering to God’ sovereignty, His plan, and here is why. Write down this principle:

When we are in charge, we display our brokenness.

James 4:1-6 “1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.””

One thing we cannot deny. Our world is broken. The Bible teaches that we all contribute to the world’s brokenness. James is especially saying:

Our brokenness is display by our selfishness.

“1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.”

Selfishness is the primary reason why we fight, quarrel and kill.

Remember Jesus was clear that murder begins with our thoughts and our anger towards others. Matt: 5:21 “21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’”

“Selfishness is that attitude of being concerned with one’s own interests above the interests of others.”

Our brokenness is display by our lack of prayer.

“You do not have because you do not ask God.”

We do not ask because of pride.

If you only pray when you need something, that is an indication that you see God as a vending machine and not as an oxygen tank

A vending machine only gives stuff you want.

An oxygen tank is vital to survive.

Our brokenness is display by our motives.

“3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”

Simply stated, in this life you cannot be part of two teams. Again- Jesus was extremely clear- following Jesus means a total surrender of your life for His.

Vertical 220 stands for Galatians 2:20

Galatians 2:20 “20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Don’t miss the main point though. Jesus’ being in charge is not an option, is a mandate.

Main Point: When we are part of Jesus’ team, He is in charge.

Are you ok with that? I am ok with surrendering to God’ sovereignty, His plan, and here is why. Write down this principle:

Our brokenness is fixed when Jesus is in Charge.

James 4:7-12 “7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. 11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 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?”

James shares some wisdom on how to keep Jesus in charge>

How do we keep Jesus in Charge?

Submit & Resist

Draw closer to God

Use the key example?

In the moments when I feel most away from God, is when I need to press further into Him

Get rid of things that are un-godly & take sin seriously

Surrender- give up to God.

Focus on your walk with God

“The Scripture that is used the most to support the idea that Christians should not judge is Matthew 7:1, where Jesus says to His disciples, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” It’s one verse that many unbelievers can quote. Another popular saying, taken from John 8:7, is “He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone.” But when we read these verses in their immediate contexts, it becomes obvious that Jesus is not warning against every kind of judging but against hypocritical, self-righteous judging. In other words, judgmental people must remember that they will be judged by the same standard they apply to others: “In the same way you judge others, you will be judged” (Matthew 7:2). There is no place for spiritual hypocrisy or pride. Christians can and must take a stand against sin, but, even then, our dealings with others should be marked by grace, mercy, and humility.”

James is not saying that we should never judge. He is saying that Christ will ultimately fix the broken in the world by judging it.

It is not your job to try and fix people, though it is your job to walk accordingly to God’s word, to be an ambassador for Christ, to let Him be in charge.

Jesus is in charge when our future plans reflects it.

James 4:13-17 “13 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.” 14 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. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.”

There is a place to plan and hope, but you don’t put your trust in it.

Would you team huddle with God today and allow Him to be in charge?