5.15.47 10.15.2017 James 4.1-10 From Resistance to Repentance

As I try and live for Christ…

What will I face?

• Entice: As I try and live for Christ…What will I face? What choices must I make? Which loyalties must change?

As I try and live for Christ…What will I face? What choices must I make? Which loyalties must change?

What choices must I make?

What must change?

We all have

We all have

• Gifts & Abilities

Gifts & Abilities

• Strengths & weaknesses

Strengths & weaknesses

• Opportunities & threats

Opportunities & threats

The issue…

• The issue…we often can't tell which is which! What I think is a tremendous opportunity may in fact show itself to be a profound threat.

we often can't tell which is which!

What I think is a tremendous opportunity

may in fact show itself to be a profound threat.

• Engage:

Engage: One of the great internal tensions in the Bible is the gap that often appears between our knowing and understanding and our obediently doing.

• Expand: For an author whose reputation is for down-to-earth practicality James is both biblical and theological. Like all good pastors his theological and biblical

For an author whose reputation is for down-to-earth practicality James is both biblical and theological. Like all good pastors his theological and biblical instruction has the virtue of being direct and simple.

instruction has the virtue of being direct, simple and oblique.

• In reality, what makes a train is not the powerful locomotive nor the variety of freight and passenger cars. It is the connections which make a train a train. James is a

Think about it like this. In reality, what makes a train work is not the powerful locomotive nor the variety of freight and passenger cars. It is the connections which make a train a train. James is a master of his material because he knows how to connect a few esential concepts in such a way that he constructs a profound yet practical theology.

master of his material because he knows how to connect a few simple concepts in such a way that he constructs a profound yet practical theology.

Change comes about when what we love and who we love motivates us to act.

• Excite:

Explore: Change comes about when what we love and who we love motivates us to act drastically

• Explore: Change comes about when what we love and who we love motivates us to act drastically

Explain: James recognizes that our Christian lives will involve a

• Explain: James recognizes that our Christian lives will involve a

▾ Body of Sermon:

1 Conflict of Passions.

James 4:1–3 ESV

1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 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. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

▾ 1 Conflict of Passions. 4.1-3

1.1 Divisive

• 1.1 Divisive

1.2 Destructive

• 1.2 Destructive

1.3 Distracting

• 1.3 Distracting

2 Choice of Relationship.

▾ 2 Choice of Relationship. 4.4-6

James 4:4–6 ESV

4 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. 5 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”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

2.1 Because there is no neutral ground. 4

• 2.1 Because there is no neutral ground. 4

2.2 Because God's Spirit is zealous, jealous and benevolent. 5-6

• 2.2 Because God's Spirit is zealous, jealous and benevolent. 5-6

3 Challenge of Repentance.

▾ 3 Challenge of Repentance. 4.7-10

James 4:7–10 ESV

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

James provides not only an message about repentance but a means to facilitate it.

• 3.1 James provides not only an message about repentance but a means to facilitate it.

James gives neither a:

▾ 3.2 James gives neither a:

Definition of Repentance…

• 3.2.1 Definition of Repentance…nor a

nor a

Theology of Repentance

• 3.2.2 Theology of Repentance

he outlines a

• 3.3 He outlines a process for repentance

process of repentance

With

clear & dynamic behaviors

With clear, dynamic behaviors

Submit/Draw near to God

Submit/Draw near to God

Resist the Devil

Purify within & Without

Resist the Devil

Sorrow for Sin

Draw

Purity within & Without

Be Humble

Sorrow for Sin

Humility

That yield predictable results:

That yield predictable results

the Devil Flees...

the Devil will Flee...

Shut Down:

▾ Shut Down:

Shut Down:

God will draw near...

Response

God will draw near...

God will exalt

God will exalt

Resist the Devil

Shut Down:

I Surrender All

He Will flee

Draw near to God

He will draw near to you

Purify hands

Purify hearts

Express Sorrow

pShut Down:

He will lift you upShut Down:

How big is all?

How big is all? How high is the sky? The words of that old hymn prick our hearts and minds because we are always trying to negotiate “all” down.

How high is the sky?

It is not easy. The whole world, the culture you know, the examples of those around you encourage you to give free reign to your passions. To get what you want, to wholeheartedly give in to your desires no matter how twisted they may be. And to facilitate this surrender to our worst instincts we are tempted to befriend the very culture that degrades us and separates us from God. The only answer. the only answer. As Christians. As those who wear the name of Christ the only answer is

Repentance. Will you accept the challenge today?