Chapter 4
The Right Heart
James 4
3 Oct 2007
Introduction:
I. The Proud Heart 4:1-5, 16-17
A. Source of wicked heart: “…Do they not come from YOUR desire for pleasure that war in your members?” (Jam. 1:14, 3:14-16; Jer. 17:9, Mat. 15…)
The source for our problems is our desire for our own pleasure. The second half of the first verse makes it plain that this is what is caused by our internal strife.
· Why is there war in an unbeliever’s heart? Rom. 1:18-32, 2:14-16. Humans were created in the image of God to have fellowship with Him forever. In Gen 3 this was messed up and sin entered the world. However, we all still have written on our hearts the law of God and know the difference between right and wrong…
· Why is there war in a believer’s heart? Jas. 1:14-16… Christians have been transformed by the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However, that part that was transformed has an old nature that needs to be killed off. This takes time and yielding to the HS.
We live in a day where we blame sin on everything but the condition of the heart and the selfish desires of self and every “cure” excuses the real issue. Alcoholism, drug habits, and addictions to pornography, in fact addictions to anything, anger, abuse, murder, ADHD, suicide, school shootings, and road rage… There all kinds of disorders that we have in our society and the cure for all of them seem to be some kind of pill.
The Bible tells us that all these things are just demonstrations of what’s on the inside. Mt. 15.
B. Fruit of wicked heart: James 4:2 (NASB95) “2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.”
1. Lust- “to desire or too long for something or someone”, in a sinful sense.
2. Murder- to kill
3. Envy/ Covet- “to burn with zeal or to desire earnestly” again here James is talking about it in a negative sense.
Looking at these things we are all guilty of these things and more.
C. The Selfishness of the Wicked Heart: vv.2b-3
All this creates conflict with God. In verse 4 James is not talking about sexual impurity in a marriage. He is talking about how people make themselves the harlot to everything around them. The list we read earlier all the gods that we can entertain ourselves with and involve ourselves with other than the true God. He calls it here a friendship with the world (I JHN 2:15-17; COL. 3). All these things make us an enemy to God. God is opposed to the proud.
II. The Humbled Heart 4:6-10
A. “…But God gives grace to the humble.”: (Isa. 57:17, 66:2; Mat. 5:3) Verses 6-10 are illustrated by the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14). In verse 7-10 James gives 10 commands: submit, resist, draw near, cleanse, purity, lament, mourn, weep, humble yourselves and do not speak evil.
Illus: Coffee as pride full in cup. Water: grace of God. Put cup above the bottle pour nothing, put below the bottle and it can be filled.
Only after we SUBMIT to God, or place ourselves under Him can he fill us with Grace. Titus 2:11-12.
B. How can we submit to God? We must clean up our act. James used the words “double-minded” to show the idea of being “two-souled or two faced” On the one hand all of our self-seeking is seeking a relationship with the world and the other half is seeking relationship with God. He tells us that we must do basically two things:
1. Wash our hands- we need to turn away from our outward sinful actions.
2. Wash our hearts- we need turn way from our inward attitude of sinful desire.
These both carry with them the idea of what the priests in the OT times had to do before they could make sacrifice.
Then he says something crazy! Lament or be miserable, mourn and cry. What is he saying? The idea he is conveying is that we are to be broken and feeling wretched because of either our sinful actions or attitudes. Then there should be a deep mourning or sorrow for our sin. And obviously crying comes after all of that.
The humbled heart has stopped trying to achieve greatness and trusted Christ for that. The humbled heart is in a position to see its complete inadequacy to please and serve God on its own and called to God. It has cried tears of helplessness and cried tears of joy in the grace of God.
It is not wise for us to think we can do all this on our own…
III. Reason not to be proud 4:13-17
A. God is supremely sovereign, in other words there is nothing or no one that tells Him what to do. He has before the world began developed His plans for everyone of us (Psalm 139, Gen.,) Yet we live like that, we live like we are incomplete control of our lives and that no one and nothing are going to keep us from what we want to do. We make plans and simply ignore God. This business man in James does the same thing, he chooses HIS OWN times, place, duration, reason, goal. He totally ignores God. Proverbs 27:1 Says, “Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.”
B. James 4:17 (NASB95) 17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Here is the clincher: if you know what you are suppose to do and you don’t it is sin! Everyday life presents us with tons of options that can either be used for God’s glory or our own. Make sure you do the right thing. Since we don’t always do the right thing ask God daily to show you sin in your life and confess it before Him.
Conclusion:
Our lives are like vapors. We only have so much time on this earth. That is why it is vital to make sure you are in a right relationship with God. …
GOSPEL
What is something that you are struggling with? What steps do you need to take to fix the problem?
When is the last time you have been miserable, mourned and cried over sin?
How is pride keeping you at a distance in your relationship with God?