James 5:12 | STOP SWEARING
Notes
Transcript
TEXT: JAMES 5:12 | STOP SWEARING
TEXT: JAMES 5:12 | STOP SWEARING
INTRO
INTRO
ILLUSTRATION: If you would venture back with my to my elementary playground.
ILLUSTRATION: If you would venture back with my to my elementary playground.
We would find the slides, the swings, the basketball courts, and kids running and chasing one another.
We were soaking every second of life out of our 30 minute recess time.
Depending on the day, somewhere on that playground you would find two kids in an intense conversation.
Without question you would hear the words, “I don’t believe you.”
To which the other child would respond, “I swear,” or “I promise”
But we all no that there was no weight to those words.
Because if you looked behind the back of that child, you know what you would see… Fingers crossed.
You were probably in a predicament at one point or another growing up, maybe with a sibling, a friend from school, maybe even your parents.
In which point you knew that they didn’t believe you, so you had to invoke those words, “I swear,” but you made sure to have something crossed, because you knew it wasn’t true!
EXPLANATION: Here in the final chapter of James letter, James the half brother of Jesus, begins v.12 by saying “But above all things.”
EXPLANATION: Here in the final chapter of James letter, James the half brother of Jesus, begins v.12 by saying “But above all things.”
In saying that, James wasn’t saying that the sin he is about to discuss is more serious that others sins, such as murder, immorality, or robbery.
But once again, as James has done throughout his book, he draws attention to the gate that reveals our heart: The tongue!
In every chapter of this short letter, he has brought attention to that which we say, because what comes form the mouth is a window into the heart of the man.
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
So, for one final time as James begins to wrap up his book, he emphasizes the tongue of those believers he was writing to.
He pulls them in close as he has done throughout the book, wraps his arm around his reader, and refers to them in those endearing words, “My brethren”
And then he gives them a loving but stern correction… “Swear not”
For most of us, our minds probably immediately jump to a list of words we know that as a Christian we ought not to say.
ILLUSTRATION: When you grow up in a Christian house, there aren’t just normal swear words that you can’t say, there are a bunch of Christian swear words you can’t say.
ILLUSTRATION: When you grow up in a Christian house, there aren’t just normal swear words that you can’t say, there are a bunch of Christian swear words you can’t say.
I went to public school so things could get real tricky with what you could and couldn’t say.
I can remember more than a few times my parents informing me that “We don’t say that word”
And then I got married and moved our here and there’s a whole different list of words you shouldn’t say, but some that were on my list growing up that now I hear people say, and I’m told they aren’t bad.
I’m just so confused!
I think it fed into my introvertedness… the only safe spot is to just not say anything!
APPLICATION: The truth is, as Christians, there is certain language that we shouldn’t use.
APPLICATION: The truth is, as Christians, there is certain language that we shouldn’t use.
Curse words shouldn’t be a part of our vocabulary.
Crass language and dirty language should not flow from the lips of the one who claims to follow Christ!
Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost and what comes out of your mouth should match the One Who lives inside of you!
There is certainly application that can be drawn from this verse and many others throughout Scripture to address the use of “swear words”
EXPLANATION: But what James is dealing specifically here with is a little different than that.
EXPLANATION: But what James is dealing specifically here with is a little different than that.
It’s been a few weeks but don’t miss the context of what he has been dealing with.
Back in v.4, we find that the rich employers of these believers had been defrauding them.
They had been telling them that they would pay them a certain amount, or they would work a certain amount.
And then it would appear that they would make some kind of guarantee, “I swear...”
But when the work was completed, not only would they not be given what was agreed upon, some of them were being persecuted by these employers. James 5:6
6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
So James had encouraged them to have patience in the midst of their trials, and not to take up a grudge against them.
And then we come to this verse, and now James is telling the believers that they aren’t to make an oath or to swear.
It’s very likely that many of them were doing it as a way to retaliate back to those who had defrauded them.
So James says, don’t make an oath… don’t swear!
This may come across trivial at first, because we know throughout the Scriptures, God Himself made oaths and promises.
Over in Genesis 9, God made a covenant with Noah following the flood that He would never destroy the earth with one again
Over in Genesis 15, God committed to the Abrahamic Covenant
And in Hebrews we find that God entered that covenant with Jesus because there was no way that Abraham could have ever kept his end of the deal.
13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
Then later God made the Mosaic covenant, the Davidic covenant, the New Covenant
In fact, God swore to a number of oaths in the Bible, so while the initial response to this verse in James would be that we should never swear to an oath, that wasn’t the point of what James was writing.
No, the Jewish culture taught that if someone was to swear by God, they were bound to that oath.
So they had developed a loophole, kind of like crossing your fingers.
Rather than swearing by God, they would swear by other things.
By heaven, the earth, on a stack of parchments
But as long as it wasn’t swearing by God or some of the temple utensils, they didn’t have to stand by it.
They were trying to slip by on a technicality
But Jesus had already dealt with this matter… in fact, James is simply repeating a command, once again, that Jesus had given in His sermon on the mount.
33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:
35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
Jesus said, your swearing by heaven, but that’s God’s throne.
You are swearing by Jerusalem, but that’s God’s city
You are swearing by your own head, and I’m the one that created that head!
Then Jesus clarifies what James would later reiterate, your word should be good enough!
ILLUSTRATION: Our culture has just assumed that people are going to lie.
ILLUSTRATION: Our culture has just assumed that people are going to lie.
Some use this passage to say that you shouldn’t “swear” if you are ever led to the judges stand at the courthouse… but that isn’t the point.
The point is we shouldn’t HAVE to swear, because we should just be honest and truthful.
APPLICATION: There was a day when giving someone your word meant something!
APPLICATION: There was a day when giving someone your word meant something!
A day when business could be handled by a handshake.
Now I understand the legalities of needing paperwork and things today, I’m not saying we shouldn’t.
But what we are getting at, and what James is getting to, is that it shouldn’t be that way.
And if you are a follower or Christ, you ought not be that way!
EXPLANATION: The reason that James said “Above all things” is because dishonest and lying is at the root of all other sins.
EXPLANATION: The reason that James said “Above all things” is because dishonest and lying is at the root of all other sins.
Immorality, pride, bitterness, anger, murder… all of them are intertwined with lying.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:37
37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
Your dishonesty comes from your root fleshly nature.
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
The need to say “I swear to” and then take the name of the Lord in vain, or to swear upon any of His creation, is to say that your word alone isn’t enough.
James says, “When you say yes, then the answer is yes. When you say no, the answer is no… Follow through on what you said!
So, what is the result when a follower of Christ is dishonest or even just unfaithful.
I. IT HURTS THE TRUSTING PERSON
I. IT HURTS THE TRUSTING PERSON
EXPLANATION: Proverbs gives a graphic picture of what it feels like when a person says they are going to do something and doesn’t follow through:
EXPLANATION: Proverbs gives a graphic picture of what it feels like when a person says they are going to do something and doesn’t follow through:
19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
ILLUSTRATION: I’ve never broken a tooth or had a disjointed foot, but when I fell of the roof and my elbow came out of socket… it hurt
ILLUSTRATION: I’ve never broken a tooth or had a disjointed foot, but when I fell of the roof and my elbow came out of socket… it hurt
The pain was excruciating.
APPLICATION: Are you dependable?
APPLICATION: Are you dependable?
Do you follow through with what you say?
When someone has put their confidence in you because you said, “I’ll do it” or “I’ll be there” and you don’t show up, it hurts!
Can you be counted on?
Emergencies happen where you aren’t able to follow through… but that’s why it’s called an emergency… it shouldn’t happen all the time.
Last weeks we made commitments to give to missions!
It was an exciting day as we had over $47k committed to our missions here at WBC!
But the commitment is the easy part… anyone can sign a card!
It’s the follow through that really matters!
When we make a commitment to a missionary to support them, and then the funds don’t come it, it hurts that missionary!
When you get married, you stand at an altar and you make a covenant with that person and God!
When the preacher asked you “Do you promise” and you said, “I do” you weren’t just making that covenant with your spouse!
How can you cheat on your spouse physically with some screen?
How can you cheat on your spouse emotionally with some other person?
You made a covenant with that person and God
And it doesn’t matter what our culture is doing… be faithful! Be dependable!
Friend, be true to your word!
Be someone who can be counted on!
IT HURTS THE TRUSTING PERSON
II. IT HURTS THE WATCHING PERSON
II. IT HURTS THE WATCHING PERSON
EXPLANATION: It was the night before Jesus crucifixion and Jesus and His disciples are in the upper room.
Jesus looks at his disciples and makes a shocking proclamation: Matthew 26:31-32
31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
Peter isn’t having any of it: Matthew 26:33
33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
Jesus doubles down on Peter specifically: Matthew 26:34
34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
And that’s when Peter says those words he would come to regret so much: Matthew 26:35
35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
Well, you and I know the story, Peter denies Christ 3 times, and after Christ rises again, Peter is so discouraged by his failing the Lord, and not standing by his word, and in John 21:3
3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
It’s a sad moment in Peter’s life when he is so low that he returns back to his life before he knew Christ.
But one of the saddest parts of Peter’s failure to follow through was how it impacted those watching him… “We also go with thee.”
When Peter didn’t stand by his word, Thomas, Nathanael, James, and John all followed Peter into a life away from Christ.
APPLICATION: I’ve watched when someone who was once faithful to the Lord left their commitment to Him.
APPLICATION: I’ve watched when someone who was once faithful to the Lord left their commitment to Him.
They always take others with them!
Now, we should all be looking to Christ, not someone else… but the reality is, there is someone watching you!
Friend, don’t quit on God!
Be a person of your word!
Because you don’t know what son or daughter… what young Christian… what spouse is watching you and asking that question, “Are they real?”
“Is what they say they believe real?”
IT HURST THE TRUSTING PERSON, IT HURTS THE WATCHING PERSON
III. IT HURTS THE SWEARING PERSON
III. IT HURTS THE SWEARING PERSON
ILLUSTRATION: As a teenager, I can remember a few times getting ready to leave the house and my parents would say something to me.
ILLUSTRATION: As a teenager, I can remember a few times getting ready to leave the house and my parents would say something to me.
My mom would jokingly tell me to “drive fast and take chances” because it was rhetorical to say, “drive slow and be safe.”
But I can remember my dad on a few occasions saying to me, “Son, remember who you are.”
He wasn’t worried that I would have an identity crises and forget my name.
He wanted me to remember that I represent someone else… I was a Gilstrap and that meant something.
And I didn’t want to bring shame to that name… I didn’t want to ruin my family’s relationship.
EXPLANATION: Deuteronomy says something interesting about those that make a vow to the Lord:
EXPLANATION: Deuteronomy says something interesting about those that make a vow to the Lord:
21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.
Jesus says in Matthew 5, that anything less than being true to our word is evil.
And James says you are condemned… and the word there has the idea of being convicted with an understood punishment.
APPLICATION: When we make a commitment, especially to the Lord, and we don’t follow through, the Lord says it’s a sin.
APPLICATION: When we make a commitment, especially to the Lord, and we don’t follow through, the Lord says it’s a sin.
18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear me:
Friend, your word and commitment portrays a testimony of Who Christ is… and anything less than portraying Christ as faithful is a sin!
Dishonesty and unfaithfulness has no place in the life of Christian!
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
APPLICATION: Stop swearing!
APPLICATION: Stop swearing!
Yes, the language you use should flow through the filter of the Holy Spirit that is within you.
And that includes when you give your word to someone or make a commitment to God!
There could be one other person in this room that is hurting someone because they are lying…
Maybe this morning you are lying to yourself!
“Ya, I’m good”
It doesn’t matter what you say about yourself… all that matter is what God says!
And He says Romans 3:10
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
If you don’t know Christ as your Savior, you can accept Him right now!
If you are a Christian, stop swearing… let your yay be yay, and your nay be nay.
Let’s get honest and commit to being honest today!