Untitled Sermon (82)

Recap

James 3:10–12 ESV

From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

Blessing and cursing should not come out of the same mouth!

This is a powerful statement “These things ought not to be so”

James 3:13 ESV

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

James is asking a rhetorical question…

Wise (characteristic) adj. — having or prompted by accumulated knowledge or discernment.

Understanding: skillful adjs. — having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude.

How can you truly identify a wise person…

The Bible Knowledge Commentary B. Cultivate Thought (3:13–18)

A key to right talk is right thought. The tongue is contained in a cage of teeth and lips, but it still escapes. It is not intelligence that keeps the lock on that cage; it is wisdom

Conduct n. — manner of acting or controlling yourself.

Meekness: gentleness n. — acting in a manner that is gentle, mild, and even-tempered.

wisdom (trait) n. — the trait of utilizing knowledge and experience with common sense and insight.

James 3:14 ESV

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.

James Ver. 14

They professed the faith of the truth. But the indulgence and manifestation of such tempers of mind was a “lie against the truth”

“Bitter Jealousy and Selfish ambition in your hearts”

James Ver. 14

Those who witnessed their tempers and behaviour would have been led only to conclude that their profession was unsound, and had no corresponding reality; that they were either self-deceivers or hypocrites. And this would have been the right conclusion. But they “lied against the truth.” While they professed to believe it, and acted inconsistently with it, they bore to the world a false testimony

James 3:15 ESV

This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

Bitter jealousy and Selfish ambition, is:

Earthly

Unspiritual

Demonic

James 3:16 ESV

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

Vile: base (immoral) adjs. — not adhering to ethical or moral principles.

“There will be”

Disorder: upheaval n. — a state of violent group disturbance and disorder; especially as in politics or social conditions generally.

1 Corinthians 14:33 ESV

For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

James 3:17 ESV

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

Wisdom from God is the key to our tongue (words) and actions!

James 3:18 ESV

And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Listen!!!!!!!!!!

Righteousness: God’s standard

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 3:18

To achieve “righteousness,” spiritual maturity, practical holiness—the theme of this book—a believer must learn to speak with care.

James 4:1 ESV

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

Look at theses questions!

Rhetorical questions

James 4:2–3 ESV

You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

James tells them…

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:1

Conflict comes out of (ek) inner sensual lusts or pleasures

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:2

War is the fruit of illicit wants. Lust brings about murder. Covetousness results in the frustration of not obtaining the hotly pursued desires. It all leads to the “quarrels” and “fights,” that “battle” against people

“Your passions are at war within you”

James 4:4 ESV

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Friendship or Love with the world…

The world system that is contrary to the standard of God…

The lust of flesh

The Lust of the Eye

The Pride of Life

Hebrews & James B. Self-Centered Living Displeases God (vv. 4–6)

a system of values separated from God. In this context it describes a society severed from God and pursuing its own godless agenda

James 4:5–6 ESV

Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Hebrews & James B. Self-Centered Living Displeases God (vv. 4–6)

James was saying that God’s Spirit earnestly desired our undivided allegiance to the Lord

God gives us an opportunity to:

James 4:7–8 ESV

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Command! Submit yourself therefore to God

to be submissive v. — to be or become inclined or willing to submit to orders or wishes of others or showing such inclination.

Command! Resist the devil

to oppose v. — to be against; express opposition to.

Command! Draw near to God…

to approach v. — to move towards or near.

Command! Cleanse your hands - you sinners

Hebrews & James C. Self-Centered Living Demands Repentance (vv. 7–10)

We cleanse our hands by withdrawing them from all evil actions and compromises

Command! Purify your hears, you double-minded

to purify (moral) v. — to make pure or free from sin or guilt or other undesirable traits.

James 4:9–10 ESV

Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Commands! Be wretched

Commands! Mourn

Commands! Weep

Hebrews & James C. Self-Centered Living Demands Repentance (vv. 7–10)

This verse calls for open repentance. To grieve calls for sinners to experience a deep feeling of shame because of their disobedience. Mourning and weeping are the outward evidences of this sense of wretchedness. To change laughter and joy to mourning and gloom demands that we recognize the folly of our actions.

Commands! Humble yourselves before the Lord

Humble: to be brought low (humbled) v. — to be or become reduced in rank, character, or status.

to exalt ⇔ raise up v. — to exalt someone, conceived of as lifting the person up.