James Part 7
Notes
Transcript
Opening Illus: The saga of John and Terry
John and Terry had been married for several years. Married life was pretty easy the first couple of years, but eventually, what was most endearing to John about Terry had begun to grate on him. Terry, for her part, had grown tired of cleaning up John’s mess every time he got back from hunting trips. Every time they tried to talk about it ended up in a fight with one of them storming off in anger.
John and Terry were both Christians who attended church regularly. They loved Jesus and loved each other, but at the worst of times, it was hard to tell. One Sunday morning, their pastor was preaching on James 1. He landed on verses 19-20 that says…..
19 My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.
(19-20) My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.
Feeling the deep shame, they had a choice to make.
2 options:
1. Willpower/Self-dependence (eg anger mgt techniques)
· Self-righteousness
· Legalism/moralism
· Leads to failure, disappointment, discouragement
2. God’s power
Key: (21) Tempted to read “ridding” as prerequisite to “receiving.”
Not so – “Receiving” is the means of (21a) “ridding yourself of moral filth”
Ie The receiving is the process of the ridding.
There is no ridding if there is no receiving first. The Word changes us.
Hebrews 4:12 – Word of God dissects us and reveals “cancer”
12 For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – profitable=produces benefit; brings about change
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
What does he mean by “humbly receive the implanted Word”?
Sounds contradictory, doesn’t it?
“Implanted” comes from (18)
18 By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
So, activelyreceive into your life what has been implanted by God that is able to save your souls.” [“bring safely home”]
· Implanted – transformation – inworking (God)
· Received – sanctification – outworking (us)
o Read, meditate, memorize until it changes you
John Piper: Breathing – Oxygen IN your body, but must breathe or die.
To receive you must create time and space in your life.
ILLUS: Electronics w/o charge is useless. Need plug in and wait.
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(22-25) Clarification – Can’t just hear it. Have to DO it.
(22-24) “Hearers” forget what kind of person he is [in Christ] – cleansed and created for ministry – X Ephesians 2:10 – “We are His workmanship”
(25) BUT one who looks intently at Law of Freedom and perseveres…
· “With earnest and eager attention” – NOT a passing glance!
· Law of Freedom – John 8: 31-32 “You shall know truth…” (gospel)
o Sets us free from sin-bondage – Gal 5:1 – “It is for freedom…”
o Free from self-centeredness: Free to serve and love others.
(25b) Reward: he who perseveres is blessed in what he does because what he does is pleasing to the “Father of Lights”
When we live according to our identity in Christ, it frees up God's blessing in our lives as we receive the word daily and live it daily.
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3 practical effects of receiving the implanted Word:
NOTE: we are enabled and propelled towards this so we can effectively DO this, rather than manufacturing a counterfeit.
1. (26) Control the tongue –
3:8 – no man can control the tongue. Means tongue can be controlled but not by you. Only God can!
Back to (19)
The more comfortable we become in our id with Christ, the easier it is to give up control as well as our “rights”.
2. (27a) Care for the vulnerable
Douglas Moo: “Orphans and widows” became in the Old Testament a stock description of the helpless in the world
Micah 6:8
Walking humbly with God leads to #3:
3. (27b) Keep oneself unstained by the world
20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also those of wood and clay; some for honorable use and some for dishonorable. 21 So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.
22 Flee from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
We are declared holy positionally, but we must make every effort to be conditionally pure so we can be useful to the Spirit. Again, (21) says rid ourselves of moral filth
14 Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found without spot or blemish in his sight, at peace.
Unstained: We have to realize that sin has a staining effect. The more we tolerate it, the greater influence it has over us.
The effect of the Word is that we want to and are able to purify ourselves.
