Sermon Tone Analysis

What would you say is the definition of a hypocrite?

An easy definition would be when someone does not live out his or her beliefs.

They do not practice what they preach.

In the 1950s a psychologist named Carl Rogers introduced the concept of incongruence to psychology in the 1950s.

A general definition of incongruence would be something that is inconsistent, not in agreement or incompatible.

Rogers had a more specific definition in mind.

He defined congruence as the matching of experience and awareness.

And incongruence was therefore lacking congruence, or having feelings not aligned with your actions.[1]

For fun, here are few observations of things that are incongruent.

Why is the word phonetic not spelled the way it sounds?

Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii?

Why are there flotation devices under plane seats instead of parachutes?

Why are cigarettes sold in gas stations when smoking is not allowed there?

As we consider these concepts of incongruence, it is not a far leap for us to accept that we are incongruent people.

Our thoughts, words, and deeds do not often line up straight w/ themselves.

We speak out of both sides of our mouths.

And if we are critical w/ ourselves, we all have levels of hypocrisy within ourselves.

During this season of Lent, as we watch JC slowly approach the cross we are reminded of His work as messiah.

He lived a congruent life, and died a congruent death.

He practiced what he preached, and said what He meant, and acted w/ great consistency -and as a result we are blessed.

b/c of His underserved mercy and grace we are saved and empowered to live life well.

We are invited into the rich full life b/c of His work.

So the question I would like to examine is: How shall we live?

And to help us get there, this Lent I would like to study the book of James.

And today we are going to look at James 2:1-3:12.

So turn to James chapter 2.

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Text

James is a book about action, and living w/ intention and consistency.

One of its major themes is the theme of authenticity.

Talk is cheap, and when we do not live out our beliefs we live inauthentically.

James calls us to live it out.

One purpose of James was to expose hypocrisy and teach genuine Christian faith.

Today we are going to read James 2:1-3:12 in 3 sections, and in each section we are going to ask the question: HOW ARE WE TO LIVE?

So lets 1st look at James 2:1-13 HOW ARE WE TO LIVE?

James 2:1-13: My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say: Heres a good seat for you, but say to the poor man: You stand there, or: Sit on the floor by my feet, 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

6 But you have dishonored the poor.

Is it not the rich who are exploiting you?

Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?

7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture: Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing right.

9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

11 For he who said: You shall not commit adultery, also said: You shall not murder.

If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.

Mercy triumphs over judgment.

As I look at James 2:1-13, it seems to be centered around actions.

It speaks to congruency in actions, congruency that is centered in Gods law or Gods desire for us.

I would summarize the passage by saying: Our actions and relationships need to be obedient to Gods will and desires.

James addresses the issue of showing favoritism to some at the expense of others.

He says favoritism is not congruent w/ faith.

This action does not match the command to love other as yourself, from Leviticus 19:18.

James ultimately tells us here that we will be judged by the standards we live by, saying in v. 13: Judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.

Our actions and relationships need to be obedient to Gods will and desires, which promote humility, equality, and service to others, displaying the work of JC to the world.

Next, lets read James 2:14-26.

HOW ARE WE TO LIVE?

James 2:14-26: 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?

Can such faith save them?

15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.

16 If one of you says to them: Go in peace; keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?

17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18 But someone will say: You have faith; I have deeds.

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

19 You believe that there is one God.

Good!

Even the demons believe that -and shudder.

20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?

21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says: Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called Gods friend.

24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?

26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

If vs. 1-13 centered on actions, I would say that James 2:14-26 centers around thoughts.

It speaks to congruency in thoughts.

This section says faith is dead w/o good works (v.

26), and our actions reveal our thoughts and faith.

We observe the thoughts or faith of someone by the way they act.

The thought is the engine of action.

James asserts that simply possessing a belief is not enough.

Faith alone is not enough (v.

17).

Faith w/o actions is dead.

Its like the young boy who was sitting in the front row watching a ventriloquist perform with his dummy on his lap.

Interacting with the boy, the dummy proceeded to ask the boy questions and talk with him.

Thinking that the boy had found a new friend, he approached the dummy after the show to ask him to come over and play.

The ventriloquist continued to decline the boys requests until the boy became frustrated.

Responding to the boy, the ventriloquist said: Well, he does not DO anything, he just talks.[2] Faith is dead w/o good works (v.

26), and our actions reveal our thoughts and faith.

Lastly, lets look at James 3:1-12.

HOW ARE WE TO LIVE?

James 3:1-12: Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

2 We all stumble in many ways.

Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.

4 Or take ships as an example.

Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.

Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.

6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.

It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.