Untitled Sermon (6)

Integrity

INTRODUCTION

ILL- My aunt’s pet bear.- she turned her back on it.

It is not uncommon for exotic pets to turn on their owners.

Trainer for Siegfried and Roy- attacked by their pet tiger- almost died.

In 2009 Sandra needed help getting her 200 lb Chimpanzee in it’s cage. She called her friend Charla. The Chimp turned on her and she required having a face transplant.

Controlling the wild is exciting- but dangerous.

James is back talking about the power of the tongue.

The positive side to not being able to tame the tongue- here is the proper way to use the tongue.

James 3:8-10

3 Ways Integrity is Proved by the Tongue

Honesty (12)

James 5:12

Matthew 5:33-37

How do you get people to believe you? Oaths.

You use someone else’s name- yours can’t be trusted.

God restricted swearing- so Jews used things they could not control.

Played lying game

Swearing by less than God makes it ok to lie.

ILL- Crossing fingers behind your back.

They increased oaths- but it did not increase truth.

ILL- Peter during Jesus’ trial- oath then swearing.

Solution- Use oaths correctly.

Not all oaths are bad.

Abraham, Isaac, David

“Yes”, be “yes”, “no” be “no”

Fix heart and you fix the oath problem.

Reaction (13-18)

What should we do with our tongue? = Pray

5 Reasons to Pray

Suffering (13a)

James 5:13

Those in the church knew suffering.

James 1:2-3

Pray, don’t complain or get bitter.

Praise (13b)

James 5:13

Praise to God is opposite of boasting.

It acknowledges the source.

Healing (14-15)

James 5:14-15

Call on Elders= Overseers= Pastors

Acts 20:28

Spiritual leaders of the church

Anoint with Oil= only mentioned twice in NT and does not tell us why.

Olive Oil- may have had medicinal purpose but nowhere in scripture do Elders have responsibility of being medical doctors.

Spiritual reason= represents God’s favor through anointing of Holy Spirit. Symbolic purposes.

Confession (16)

In Context- Sin that caused the sickness. (Not all sickness)

Still in context of calling elders to pray for sick.

Holding on to unconfessed sin affects your prayer life.

Confess to those who can pray with you so you may be healed.

Miracles (17)

Elijah- example of righteous person.

Not righteous because he was perfect- he was like us.

Not righteous because of title- there were many prophets that spoke untruth.

Righteous because he obeyed God in faith.

Some natural disasters are punishment for sin.

2 Chronicles 7:13-14

America is not Israel- but this truth is found in relation to many nations.

EXP- Jonah at Nineveh

God blesses nations that bring honor to him.

Directions (19-20)

Directing the wanderer (Christian) back toward God,

Turn=help other believers to repent.

180^ surrender of will.

“save soul from death”-- Question is “whose soul”-

Look at unclear through lens of the clear.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22

Romans 8:37-39

Clear- we must help those who are wandering to return to Christ.

Love cares about people’s eternal destiny.

Tolerance says I don’t care if you are wrong- live that way anyway.

Let us preach Christ to all who need to hear.

1 Corinthians 1:18

CONCLUSION

Romans 6:23

Does your use of your tongue prove your integrity?