Proper 17

James 1:17-27

The New International Version (Chapter 1)

17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

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 human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 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.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Sermon:

The book of James is filled with practical tips on how to live the Christian life. Because James is writing to Christians, specifically Jewish Christians who are scattered throughout the known world. And these Christians face all kinds of pressure. They were constantly being challenged to reject Christ or to live a type of mediocrity. To be religious without being Christian. It’s well known that people can take the title “Christian” without acting like it.

So James reminds his readers that the best life is the one that is fully lived for God. We listened as he said, “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” But that raises the question, how do you know if a gift is “good”? I want to invite you to reflect back on moments in your life where you believed something good happened to you. Now, was it really good? Or did it just seem so at the time?

Consider for instance, a person who gets a promotion. That’s good, right? A promotion means more authority, better pay, and other benefits or perks. So it’s good. But what if it came with more hours at work, more time on the road traveling, more headaches, and less time for family. Is it still considered good?

Some might still say yes. But Isaiah 5:20 warns, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” Now, all of God’s gifts, as we heard are good, but how do we know if what seems good to us truly comes from God?

And James answers that question in the next verse, God gave to us the “word of truth” so that we might be a kind of firstfruits. In other words, Christians are called to be “different.” To live different kind of lives. It’s not our job to try to “fit in” with the crowd. It’s our job to show the crowd how good it is to follow Jesus.

But this doesn’t happen automatically. We have to develop some habits in our own lives. For instance, James says, be quick to listen, slow to speak. Accept the Word. Do what it says. Keep a reign on your tongue. Serve others, especially those who have nothing. Keep from being polluted by the world.

And there are two major things that happen when we develop these habits. The first is a little complex. Look back at what James says. We avoid giving in to human anger, we turn from moral filth and evil, we stop worrying about what others think about us. We stop living lives of false religiosity.

And secondly, we become the witnesses to the world, God invites us to be. We become recipients of every good and perfect gift that comes from above and a kind of firstfruits.