What's That?!

Good Morning I am glad that we can be here together this morning.

Have you ever looked in the mirror and said. What’s That?!

That moment you see something that you don’t recognize or there is something foreign on your face.

You might have a new wrinkle, mark, a nice big zit that’s ready to pop. It could be any number of things.

It’s that moment that you see something that shouldn’t be there. It’s a deep ugh.

I don’t know about you when that happens there are a number of things that might happen to me that day when something shows up in my reflection that I wasn’t expecting.

It distracts me because I wonder how much longer its going to be there or It’s in an area that is annoying and you want it gone. There are so many ways that this can bother you. You might keep up and touching or picking at it depending on what it is. IT is just an annoying little pesk.

If it might be something larger or more concerning you might be the type of person who worries and starts going all Web MD on it and trying to figure out what it is. IT leaves you curious and worried all at the same time.

The challenge is always there and we always may be wondering about the things that we see in the Mirror.

The truth is when we look in the Mirror we know what we should see and what we expect to see. IT is when change happens or something different presents itself that we are curious and our attention is drawn.

The World today wants us to draw our attention today away from the mirror or to change what we see in the mirror.

What are the things that you let draw your attention from what you know should be in the mirror? What might change what you see in the mirror?

These are questions that we might ask ourselves today as we begin to look at the next passage in James together.

James 1:22–27 NIV

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.

Call To Authentic Faith

When I read this first verse I thought well that is pretty simple. What could I possibly have to say about this idea. How do you expand on a verse that really doesn’t need a lot of translation.

It is though an important remember this is where our faith begins and it reminds us of that. It calls us to remember that our faith is not just about listening to nice words or reading a book it is about Action.

Faith is lived out in the Actions not just our understanding.

This brings us to the question of

How do we respond to Scripture?

Alright so we have three questions right now.

How do we respond?

What distracts us?

What Might change you?

These Questions require us to do some Reflecting.

Reflecting on the Self

Earlier we talked about the Mirror and how we know when something significant has changed.

The mirror is truly a powerful tool that we use today but we don’t appreciate as much as we should. Mirrors weren’t always as clear or easy to use as they are today. Mirrors back in Bible times might just be a simple Highly polished piece of metal. This would create natural distortions and variations each time you looked.

It would be a lot harder to get a great view of yourself. Yet, even James still says that people would not or should not be able to walk away from one an immediately forget what they look like.

We tend to remember ourselves Physically, yet there is something about reflection that we can be guilty of forgetting important parts of examining the reflection in the mirror.

When we look in the reflection there is more than just our physical appearence present. There is the deeper reflection that we see. The person who we are that requires us to look past the surface and look into the very internal part of who we are.

This is why when we ask questions like.

How do we respond?

What distracts us?

What Might change you?

We have to be ready to contemplate and to think on what is influencing and shaping us and when we hear the Word of truth but we choose to not do it what are we saying about ourselves.

What are we saying when we confess that Jesus is Lord but I don’t really want to follow his word.

What are we saying when we Say God I believe in you and I want to follow you but we walk the other direction?

Are we allowing the world and other things influence us?

Oh My, More questions.

There is hope though for us still.

James 1:25 NIV

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.

I wanted us to read this again because it is a powerful verse to remind us of what Is being asked of us.

Liberating Power of Obedience

It is too often that we look at things like the Law and the rules and regulations of the Word and we see restriction.

We don’t like restrictions. They stifle and make us feel like we can’t do what we want.

Yet, this is not the purpose or the intentions of the Word.

The Freedom we find in the Word is the relationship that we have with God.

We long and desire to live a life that is honoring of who he is. The things of this world and the draws of this world are second to who he is. It is in this that we find the blessing of peace that comes from that relationship.

I know personally that one of the great joys in my life is my relationship with God. The fact that I have a God who cares for me and wants to be blessed I am always so thankful for that.

It is in the reflection on the word that I find that Freedom. That place that I can start to answer the questions. It is the place that I look to when I have to answer...

How do we respond?

What distracts us?

What Might change you?

It leads us to the place of freedom to know that in Him we can live a life that is filled with the joy of glorifying our creator.

All this though is essential in who we are to live out the last two verses.

James 1:26–27 NIV

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.

It is about more than just a religion it is about worship.

Too often we hear the idea that I am not religous or the rejection of Religion because it is man made. The heart of religion is centered not only on following a moral Code but in the act of worship of God. Worship of our Father as James puts it that Pure and faultless Religion is ...

To act and to keep oneself Pure.

Reflection to Transformation

We look the Mirror and we Say what’s that?

We look at our hearts and we say what am I doing?

We look at the World and we say what is going on?

We reflect and we think on and we ponder the things of this world and how they play out in our lives.

The freedom comes in the change. The move toward transformation in our reflection. When we give ourselves to living a life that honors God and is turned over to him we are forever changed. We live a life that is empowered and transformed.

We find the true religion we are called to look inward and see the things that we are to change to allow us to be transformed into the image of God.

We are also called to Action. To live it out. To take care of those who can’t. To love on the people of this world. To show them that our God is one who loves them and we reflect that love into the world.

Let me ask you this morning a couple more questions.

Is there an area in your life that God is calling you to surrender and Change?

What are you willing to do about it? Are you willing to give it to him right here and right now so you can better serve him.

Maybe, its a small thing you haven’t fully given over to him and you have waited till now. Maybe its bigger than that and you need to radically give your life over to him. This is the time to do it. Give it to him.

This isn’t where you are at don’t worry There is more.

Do you feel like your faith has been strong? Have you been trying to figure out what the next step is? Where Can I live out my faith?

Are you asking God to show you the way forward?

Are you ready to find a way to help your faith move forward and to grow?

It is time to see where you can act and put your faith into Action?

Turn that over to him? Seek him right now.

We are called to be transformed and to Act. Let’s get busy looking in the mirror and seeing where God can change us.

Let’s Pray