Not where you've been, but where you end up

Intro

In the early 1970’s there was a murder case in Chicago. Reports came in the a man was screaming, and banging on the door of his girlfriends apartment with a gun. The man’s name was James Dixon, and he had a troubled past. He came from a broken home, had a history of violence, and had even been arrested for shooting someone in the past. Police Sergeant Richard Scanlon responds to the call and arrives quickly. Upon his arrival, the girlfriend’s dad comes out and he and Dixon begin to fight. The policeman jumps in to separate the two, a shot goes off, and Scanlon, the officer, stumbles away with a deep would in his torso. He’d been shot.

When the trial finally arrived. It was an open and shut case. All of the evidence was there. Dixon’s weapon was found in a bush nearby, missing one bullet. He had the rap sheet that showed the type of person that he was, and to top it off, He confessed to shooting the officer. As expected, the trial was short. Dixon was quickly convicted and sentenced without question.

A journalist named Lee had been covering the case, and was just as convinced as everyone else. Until he got a phone call from an informant of His with some important information. He told Lee, “the word on the street is that Scanlon was at a party a few days before the incident, showing off a “pen gun”. This seemed like some James bond super spy type stuff, but Lee humored the man and checked it out. At first, the answer had seemed so obvious that Lee, and others, had taken all the evidence at face value, meaning they hadn’t really investigated as deeply as they should have. The answer was obvious. James Dixon was a criminal, who had shot a police officer. But as Lee began to investigate the evidence, He started noticing things. An eye witness confessed to Lee that Dixon’s gun had gone off while he was banging on the door, and had shot downward. Lee went to the crime scene and found a chip in the steps at the exact spot described by the witness. So that clears up the missing bullet in dixon’s gun. When examining the officers shirt, the gunpowder and bullet hole supported that the shot had come from inside the officers pocket. And finally, when looking back over his prior arrest, he was later freed, stating that their had been things missed in that investigation as well.

but why would he confess? because he didn’t feel that it was worth the gamble to try to prove his innocence.

He was later released, and Scanlon was fired from the police station for lying and owning an illegal weapon.

Why do I tell you that this evening?

The man who recounts this story, is a man named Lee Strobel. At the time of this case, He was an outspoken atheist, and the Lord used this case to show him that things aren’t always as they seem. That when we choose to look deeper, then we’ll see things that other’s are missing.

Context

Tonight, We’re starting a 4 week study in the book of James called, “Faith in real life.”

Our goal is for us to show you what it looks like to be a Christian. but not only show you, but to give you the tools that you need to see the world the way that God does, and not the way that devil wants you too.

You see, every single day you are being given more information than you could ever really handle, and expected to just understand it all. The biggest reason that this is hard is because we don’t have the right glasses on.

Illustration

I had a friend in college, who would get reading glasses that he liked, and would take the lenses out. You see he just wanted to look like he had glasses on, but in reality he didn’t.

There are a ton of people who are walking around just like that. They look like they are Christians, but are just wearing the frames, but are choosing not to look through the lense of God’s word.

James was that guy.

We see something awesome in Mark 6

Mark 6:3 ESV

3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

James was Jesus’ brother!

Though he was younger than Jesus, they would have grown up together, and James had a front row seat to see that Jesus was in fact the Son of God.

You would think that he would have been the first to follow Jesus, but the reality is that he didn’t follow Jesus until after he had been crucified.

Before then, we see James challenge Jesus and his methods.

John 7:1–5 ESV

1 After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. 2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. 3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brothers believed in him.

But we see in 1 corinthians 15:7 we see everything change for James.

1 Corinthians 15:6–8 ESV

6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

James sees his brother, Resurrected. And it’s then that He gets it. Jesus is truly the Son of God.

From that point forward, we see Him as one of the leaders of the Church. Bringing great wisdom, and simple Christian Living advice for all of us to follow.

Body

Turn with me to James 3

Tonight, I want to encourage you.

Over the next few weeks, you are going to be challenged. Tonight, i want to begin that challenge. Let’s read starting in vs. 5

James 3:5–10 ESV

5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

in this passage, James is talking about our Voice.

One of the biggest lies we’ve ever been told is that “stick and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me”

The Bible says that the word of the Lord is sharper than any two edged sword. And in a similar way, our words are extremely powerful. (hebrews 4)

Here, James makes some powerful claims that we need to pay attention too.

1. Our Voices can Kill

when writing, James was trying to speak into the lives of Christians who were spread out over the whole world.

And of all the things that He could have talked about. He felt that this was one of the most important things to discuss. Why?

Because we’re mean!!

Junior High school is one of the most difficult times in a persons’ life, and it’s largely because from the ages of 11-14 we think we’re getting smarter, we’re getting better at sarcasm, but we fail to understand the effects that we have on other peoples lives.

We’re largely thinking about ourselves instead of other people.

We don’t think about the kid who’s different from us, and how our negative words are going to scar that person for the rest of their lives.

We don’t think about the struggles that people are facing before we make mean comments about their appearance, their parents car, their home.

We don’t realize that many people who are walking past us in the hallways of our school, don’t want to go home because of the Hell that’s waiting for them.

Mom is working two jobs

they eat better at school than at home

they don’t get a new pair of shoes every semester, or even year.

When we exclude, laugh at, pick at those people. We are making a choice. We are intentionally choosing to Harm someone in a way that we may forget, but they never will.

But there is hope! Because in the same way that our Voices can Kill. Our Voices can heal

2. Our Voices can Heal

The author of hebrews says.

Hebrews 10:23–25 ESV

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Instead of picking on people for things that are different than we do. What if we got to know that person.

We may learn that there’s a reason for that. And maybe that way is better than our way!

The Lord may show us an opportunity to show them the they are loved! They may not hear that much.

We may learn something about ourselves. Something that helps us grow into the people that God called us to be.

None of us want to be that person that has to go around apologizing to people as an adult, for the ways that we treated people when we were teenagers!!

So here the words of Peter and apply it to your life tonight!!

1 Peter 4:8–10 ESV

8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:

Pray